12.10 Winter Sports

Making the Cold Weather Cool

By Kim Dunbar

Worcester is known for its “wicked cold wintahs.” While icy roads and snowstorms don’t appeal to everyone, winter is a sports lover’s paradise. For skiers and snowboarders, snow is synonymous with hitting the slopes, and frigid weather is also sweet for skaters, both hockey and figure. Take a look at what Worcester winters have to offer ~ but don’t take our word for it, check out what some of the area’s best athletes enjoy most ~and you might spend sub-zero temps playing, and not just walking, in a winter wonderland.

The Snowboarder

Jonathan Cheever is a professional when it comes to the halfpipe and the drain pipes. In between six hours of daily training with the U.S. Snowboarding team, the Massachusetts native puts his plumbing license to good use. The extra cash helps Cheever fund his professional snowboarder status.

“Plumbing is a family trade,” said Cheever. His father’s business, Mark Cheever Plumbing, is one of his sponsors.

The deep talent pool that is American snowboarding makes sponsorships hard to find for the sport’s athletes. It also makes it hard to be named an Olympian. Cheever knows; he narrowly missed out on the trip to Vancouver last year.

“The US has such a stacked team,” he said. “Even if you are ranked top ten in the world, it doesn’t necessarily mean you can go to the Olympics.”

For Cheever, who is currently ranked eighth in the world among Boardercross riders, the Olympic podium is the ultimate goal, and a pretty lofty one for the 25-year-old who was a late bloomer to the sport. Cheever never skied until his family took a trip to Nashoba Valley when he was 8. The snowy sport took a backseat to hockey and baseball and then in 1997, an 11-year-old Cheever was introduced to snowboarding.

“I fell in love with the sport,” he said.

Cheever began competing just three weeks after he first laid eyes on a board, ultimately earning a spot on the US National team in 2005.

“Most guys on the team have more experience than me,” he said. “My goal is to take it day by day and to just keep progressing.”

Cheever is entering what he calls a rebound year, as he’s rehabbing an ankle he broke last February. But he’s been down this path before and owns a laundry list of broken bones: left shoulder (twice), left wrist (three times), right wrist (once), ankle (three times), ribs (four or five), and a few concussions.

But Cheever gets back up every time because he wants to be the best in his sport. “I have what it takes to be a winner,” he said.

Cheever’s journey continues next month, as he’s been invited to compete in the Winter X games for the fifth time. Depending on how he does, it might get him recognized outside small mountain towns.

“There aren’t a lot of groupies in snowboarding,” he laughed. “I guess I should have chosen surfing.”

To follow Cheever, visit www.teamcheever.net.

Pictured: Jonathan Cheever

The Hockey Player

Cory Quirk’s favorite part about winter is playing hockey on the pond, though he’s not very fond of the cold.

“It’s in my blood,” insisted the Worcester Sharks winger, whose father played the game, including a stint with a junior league in Quebec. Quirk’s younger brother Ryan also plays hockey, this year for Worcester State University.

“He kind of pushed me toward hockey but I fell in love with it,” said Quirk, who has been skating since age four.

Twenty years later, Quirk, now 24, has had a successful career at UMass Amherst and is in his second season with the Sharks. “It’s great being close to home,” said Quirk, who has spent most of his hockey days in Massachusetts. “I can get a nice meal and my mom can do my laundry,” he joked.

While hockey is alive in Massachusetts, Quirk thinks the 2010 Winter Olympics opened a lot of eyes across the country to the excitement of the sport. “People realized hockey is fun to watch and not just about fighting,” he said. “Kids can see it’s a great sport to play.”

He’s hoping the “Olympic Effect” will spill over into this Sharks season. Quirk said the team will attempt to repeat as Atlantic Division champions and go deeper into the playoffs. “We’re a hard working group of guys and when you come to a game you won’t be cheated out of a good skate,” he guaranteed. “We’re going to be competitive all year.”

The forward is one of 16 returning players from last year’s team and he’s carrying over a few lessons learned as a rookie. “This year everything is a little more familiar,” said Quirk, who worked out with a trainer in the offseason. “I know the system and how to prepare.”

While the “hard worker with a good accent” admits he doesn’t know how to dive, he’s certainly ready to jump in.

“I’m just going to give my all every night,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”

The Sharks are celebrating their fifth year in Worcester this season. For tickets to see Quirk in action, visit www.sharksahl.com.

Pictured: Cory Quirk

The Skier

Ryan Logan is full of big air. The 25-year-old Leominster native has been skiing since he could walk, grew up competing in the amateur and pro tour, and now spends his weekends teaching kids the secrets of being an extreme skier as the Director and Head Coach of the Wachusett Mountain Xtreme Team.

“I’m giving back to what Wachusett gave to me as a young athlete,” said Logan, who has been coaching on the Mountain for five years. Since 2005, the Xtreme team has grown from16 to 65 skiers and snowboarders.

Logan’s story began at Wachusett was when he was two years old. “My dad used to go skiing all the time,” he said. “I used to hide his stuff, like a glove or a boot, so he’d have to come home. Eventually he decided he might as well get me my own gear and bring me with him.”

Logan was hooked and started competing in mobiles and aerials when he was nine. He experimented with different styles, but when he was a freshman at Leominster High, Logan moved to Mount Snow Academy in Vermont to amp up his training.

“That’s when I really started competing,” he said.

In 2000, Logan started focusing on extreme skiing. He was invited to the first ever Winter X Games to show the judges the flips and spins they could expect from the skiers in the Big Air category. From there, Logan dabbled in Olympic-style mobile skiing, earned a top five national ranking and a spot on the US Junior Olympic Team.

“You have to be athletic,” advised Logan on what it takes to be an extreme skier. “Skiing involves a lot of core strength in the abs and lower back. I played football, ran track, and weight-trained.” He also suggested trampoline and water ramp training, where one can practice jumps, flips and landing without getting hurt.

While Logan makes sure to open every coaching session with stretching, an abs workout, and pushups, his most important advice is to have fun.

“I like to create a relaxed and fun environment,” he said. “If they’re not having fun there’s no reason they should be competing.”

Logan, who still skis with his father, thinks anyone interested in the sport should fulfill that dream. “Find what type of skiing fits your personality and try it,” he said. “It’s a great way to occupy time and make the monotony of winter go by faster.”

Pictured: Ryan Logan. Photo courtesy of Wachusett Mountain Ski Area

The Figure Skaters

As a kid growing up in California, Curt Doten was into skateboarding and BMX biking. But when he was introduced to figure skating at age 10, that all changed.

“I saw figure skating as another way I could go fast and do tricks in the air,” said the 29-year-old.

When Doten’s family relocated to Massachusetts in the 1990s, his love for the sport intensified ~ he went from being around very few rinks to having a plethora of skating options at the height of Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie fever.

“This was the place to be for figure skating,” said Doten, who began training at Colonial Figure Skating Club in Boxborough upon his east coast arrival. “There are so many rinks and quality coaches.”

Doten retired from competition when he was 18 to attend college, but has returned to the ice after a stint in the corporate world as a coach for both Colonial and for an organization in New Hampshire. He’s also lacing up his skates for Colonial’s Theater on Ice team (see sidebar). In between coaching and training with the Broadway Blades every Thursday, Doten hits the gym regularly.

“The routines require intricate, specific movements,” Doten said. “There is a lot of training behind it.” Because of the nature of the sport, he doesn’t push weight or cover miles on a treadmill. Instead, Doten focuses on balance and agility drills, abdominal workouts that include the upper body and most importantly, stretching.

“The more flexible you are, the less work it feels like for each movement,” he reasoned.

While Doten enjoys skating, he prefers coaching and the intense technical perspective that comes with it.

“There’s more analysis involved,” he said. “I’m getting older and I’ve had my time at the middle of the ice. I still get the joy of skating with the team, but it’s another kind of thrill standing and watching a student do well.”

Pictured: Curt Doten. Photo courtesy of Dr. Vera Gill

Klutzy isn’t usually a word you’d associate with figure skaters, but according to Devon Dillon, many are accident prone. “I’m very klutzy off the ice,” joked the 25-year-old. “I’ve had many random off-ice injuries.”

Like when she was 15 and hamming it up after a practice session. “I tripped on an edge and fell flat on my face,” she admitted good-naturedly. “It was one of my most embarrassing moments.”

Luckily for Dillon, her skating career has been full of highlights, including a top finish at the 2006 New Hampshire games and a championship crown at the 2009 Adult Eastern Sectionals. She was also one of the skaters who helped Colonial Figure Skating Club’s Theater on Ice team earn a silver medal at Nationals.

“I love skating so much,” said Dillon. “I love the exercise and adrenaline rush.”

Dillon, who began competing at age 8, understands the dedication it takes to appear graceful on the ice.

“The pros make it look easier than it is,” she warned. Off-ice training is a major part of the sport and includes exercises in strength, muscle, speed, and stamina. “Ballet is the key ~ it helps your grace, timing and body awareness,” she added.

While Dillon’s main focus has always been skating, she’s tried a few other sports, including field hockey. “I’ve always wanted to dabble in ice hockey because of the boys,” she laughed.

For now, Dillon plans to stick to figure skating and coaching. “No matter how old I am or what’s going on, I’ll always be on the ice,” she said.

Pictured: Devon Dillon. Photo courtesy of Dr. Vera Gill

The Newest Trend in Skating: Theater on Ice

Theater on Ice is the new rage. That’s what Mary Wanamaker, artistic director and choreographer of the Colonial Figure Skating Club’s Theater on Ice (TOI) team, the Broadway Blades, thinks. TOI, a division of figure skating that combines the grace of skating and the excitement of theater, has been in Europe for years but only in the US for the last decade.

“There are costumes, sets, and props,” said Wanamaker, a Paxton resident with an extensive theater background. “It’s a Broadway show on ice.”

Teams compete in two categories: a 2.5-minute technical routine (wearing all black), and a 6 minute and 15 second theatrical production with full costumes. There are 30 skaters to a team ranging from ages 7- 46.

Wanamaker formed Broadway Blades last year at the request of two skaters. “They were graduating and I did it to keep them skating,” she said. “Most skaters start dropping off at the college age because of money and because their bodies grow.”

Wanamaker added that when skaters realize that they aren’t going to make the Olympics, TOI gives them another option.

After one year, the Blades shocked the nation by taking silver at the 2010 Nationals, earning one of the three spots to represent the US at the 2011 Nation’s Cup, an international competition. This immediate success has drawn interest across New England.

“Skaters are choosing our team over Boston because they know we’re good,” she said.

For more information on the Broadway Blades, visit www.colonialfsc.com/TOI.

Pictured: Colonial Figure Skating Club’s Theater on Ice (TOI) team, the Broadway Blades. Photo courtesy of Dr. Vera Gill

For the Extreme-ly Sporty

If you’re looking to kick your winter up a few notches, check out our list of extreme sports ~ but bundle up and be careful, these aren’t for the faint of heart!

Ice Climbing
Reach new heights and scale a frozen formation (frozen waterfalls or ice-covered cliffs), using an ice axe and crampons. Visit www.NEIce.com for your guide to ice climbing in the Northeast.

Snow Tubing
If you’re tired of plastic sleds, coast down the slopes in an inner tube. Or attach it to a snowmobile and hang on tight. Visit most local ski resorts or bring your own tube (minus the snowmobile ~ that’s a big no-no) to the hill at Quinsigamond Community College.

Ice Yachting
Also known as ice sailing, this daredevil sport involves racing ice yachts made of a single-piece backbone and a runner-plank upon which it rests at right angles, forming a kite-shaped frame. Check out the New England Ice Yacht association: www.neiya.us.

Kite Boarding
Winter sports just got even cooler thanks to the Kitewing, which can be used with and on a variety of different vehicles and surfaces. Strap this ultra-light, hand-held device to your snowboard or skis and you’ll thank us later. www.kitewing.com.

Ice Biking
Similar to warm weather cycling, ice biking can be done on road or trails with some simple modifications to equipment (studded or slightly deflated tires) and technique, depending on conditions. Check out www.icebike.org for more information.

Ski Biking
Ski bikes, originally designed as a means of transport in the Alps, resemble a mountain bike but with skis instead of wheels. These bikes can be used for downhill as well as for BMX tricks. Visit www.ski-bike.org for more info.