Aspiring Olympians skate around pandemic obstacles heading into nationals

Windsor, Ont. -

This pandemic has been a challenge for junior skater and future Olympic hopeful Jake Ellis.

There was no ice available in Essex-County during the first lockdown, “eight to ten months I was off the ice,” said Ellis.

Instead of falling off the wagon the 16-year-old had one thing in mind during the layoff.

“I love skating so I need to keep working at this and do all the off-ice training I can,” Ellis said.

He did that and grew seven inches while gaining about twenty pounds.

“He was committed, passionate, driven, self-motivated,” said his coach Lori Lafferty-Vilneff. “Worked on the trampoline, in his basement, on the grass every day.”

Lafferty-Vilneff says Ellis picked up where he left off. After returning to the ice in late July Ellis recognized things were different.

“Jumps were getting more height, more distance, more everything. It was easier to pick up speed, basically stronger on everything,” she said.

The junior skater placed fifth in Ontario at the Sectionals and sixth nationally at the Skate Canada Challenge in December.

Things were going well heading into nationals next Wednesday until the province threw a toe pick into the routine. The shutdown closed arenas.

Although he has documentation from Skate Ontario to train, the City of Windsor couldn’t offer an answer regarding ice availability in a timely manner. Essex and LaSalle offered Ellis ice on the day of the shutdown, within hours of being asked.

Lafferty-Vilneff reached out to county arenas in LaSalle and Essex.

“Both those facilities said absolutely,” she said. “We will recognize his credentials and the letter validating he’s allowed to train. We picked Essex,” which is where Ellis lives.

Ellis says if those options weren’t available he would have been forced to move. That’s what Riverside skater Katherine Karon did. She has connections in Hamilton.

“They were able to get ice for me and a friend who is also going to be competing at nationals,” said Karon.

The 17-year old says she was flustered when news of the province returning to Step 2 of reopening broke.

“I compete at nationals in a week. What am I gonna do? Definitely need to be skating before that, training before that. Very important,” Karon said.

With a solid week of practice under her belt Karon is driving to Ottawa Monday.

Ellis and his coach were going to fly on Tuesday but the flight was pushed to Wednesday, the day he competes.

“We’re driving, Monday after practice,” said Lafferty-Vilneff, with a laugh.  

Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic both skaters feel they are ready to shine on the national stage.

“I’m just proud of all the hard work I’ve been doing and it’s paid off,” Ellis said.

“Training’s been pretty good. Looking pretty good. Very confident going in. Rely on that training” said Karon with a big smile.