ELLENTON -- Ice is where the heart is for two pairs of figure skaters heading to the Olympics as they wrap up practice for their dreams at the Ellenton Ice and Sports
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| U.S. Olympians Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig have been skating partners for eight years, and call Ellenton Ice and Sports home on the ice. |
Complex.
U.S. Olympians Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig, and Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett, have called the facility their home for years, and they are all uber-focused on Winter Olympics prep.
But Brett Kaplan, the complex's marketing director, said at Friday’s practice that it’s no surprise to him the skaters chose Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex as their home base, mainly because of the renowned coaches instructing at the facility.
”Our coaches have really brought them in here,“ he said. ”Jim Peterson is an excellent choreographer and the 2009 coach of the year.“
Skating director Lyndon Johnston is also a hot ticket for the skaters. He is a two-time Olympian.
Kaplan is quick to point out that the facility at Ellenton has a lot to do with it, too.
”It’s great for them to be on a skating rink and have a crowd if they want,“ he said. ”There’s a ballet studio in the back and a fitness center.“
Really, the skaters don’t have to travel to a lot of different places to get the training they need to reach the top. It’s a one-stop shop for the Olympians who, for the most part, are on the ice, in the ballet studio and working out six days a week.
”Which is why they’ve decided to train here in Ellenton,“ Kaplan said, glancing down at the time to see when the skaters would be wrapping up their fitness training.
More than 1,000 people showed up that day to watch in awe and excitement as the skaters practiced after a public skating session. Then the coaches whisked them away for fitness training.
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| U.S. Olympians Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett have been skating partners for two years and call Ellenton Ice and Sports home on the ice, too. |
”It’s just amazing how they conduct themselves, so professional,“ Kaplan said. ”They are four of the nicest people you could ever meet.“
He said that Ladwig and Evora have been training together for eight years, and recently completed their eighth time at the national championships with their best finish ever.
”They are phenomenal skaters,“ Kaplan said. ”If you had asked me a year ago who would be the favorite, it would have been them.“
Butler and Denney have a little less history, with a two-year track record of performing together, which does slightly affect their comfort level as a team, Kaplan said.
”Jeremy and Caydee have great chemistry,“ he said. ”I think that they are all going to do very well – they are going to do their best.“
But Kaplan knows the competition is stiff at the top and the longer a couple has performed together, the better they are at the Olympics.
”Mark and Amanda are absolute pros when it comes to it,“ he added, taking a deep breath and realizing that in a week they’d be heading to Vancouver.
”They are just going to go out there and represent America the best way they can,“ he said.
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| The facility is a one-stop shop for the Olympians who for the most part are on the ice, in the ballet studio and working out six days a week. |
This week, the skaters have been in closed practice sessions and working on visualization practices that help each skater to imagine their lives once they step off the plane in Vancouver.
On Friday, the complex will reopen the practice session for a final public performance at 1:10 to 2:10 p.m. That will be the last time the public will be able to see the skaters before they leave for Vancouver on Monday, Feb. 8.
They've received a tremendous amount of support over the past few weeks, Kaplan said in a press release, and this practice is a gift to the public.
”They (the Olympic skaters) know what they are doing,“ he said. ”They’ve been to nationals, worlds and they are treating this as just another competition.
”To be honest with you, they’ve been business as usual.“
Check back on Monday, Feb. 8, for full features on both Olympic figure skating teams.
Erica Newport is a daily reporter for The Bradenton Times. She covers art, culture and community. If you have a story that might interest Erica, please e-mail her using erica.newport@thebradentontimes.com address. She also takes your questions related to our weekly theme days and provides advice and opinions for our readers.
Please use this e-mail address for Ask Erica: ask.erica@thebradentontimes.com.
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