Last week, U.S. Figure Skating announced the recipients of this year’s Mabel Fairbanks Skatingly Yours awards.
These scholarships are given to support the training and development of BIPOC figure skaters who demonstrate good sportsmanship, commitment, perseverance, and determination to be their best. A total of six skaters will receive awards, two of whom are coached by Rohene Ward. Alexa Gasparotto, who competed in the senior women’s division at the recent 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, is the singular recipient of the Elite Award of $20,000.
Gasparotto and Starr Andrews made this the first U.S. Championships in 23 years in which two Black women competed in the senior women’s division. “Even more to the story, they both have Black coaches,” said Ward. “That’s what I think Alexa needed, a Black coach. She needed someone to understand her, to know how to push her…and navigate through this process with her. That’s what Nathan needed as well.
“That was such a different experience—being around skiers, lugers, bobsledders, ski jumpers, and speed skaters,” said Ward. “We marched with 150 U.S. athletes into the stadium for the Opening Ceremony. There’s no other experience other than the Olympics that you’re going to get to feel like that.”
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