36 | January 30, 2014 | THE NORTHBROOK TOWER SPORTS northbrooktower.com NB Speed Skating Club boasts long history of Olympic athletes Olympian Brian Games since then. That is when Northbrook earned the Hansen visits NB nickname as “The Speeds- NBSSC Olympic athletes before the Games kating Capital of the World.” “It was a dedicated group NEIL MILBERT, Staff Writer NEIL MILBERT, Staff Writer of families who started this [club],” Burke said. “We Northbrook Speed Skating Club alumni Brian Hansen A few hours before Brian started outdoors on the pond and Mitch Whitmore will be competing in the Winter Hansen boarded a flight to behind the Historical Society Olympic Games, representing the U.S. in Socchi, Russia. training camp in Italy on Jan. building. Then we moved to There are 19 members of the Northbrook club who have 21 — where he is preparing an indoor rink, and then to represented the U.S at the Olympics. Several members to compete in four events in this rink. have appeared in the Winter Games more than once, and the 2014 Winter Olympics “My wife was a National six of them won medals, earning a collective total of 12 in Sochi, Russia — he paid and North American cham- medals — two gold, eight silver and two bronze. a visit to the Northbrook pion, and now she’s a na- Speed Skating Club. tional finish judge. At the Northbrook’s Olympians “Northbrook is a com- start, I was in and out of Brian Hansen, who trained with the Northbrook Speed Chuck Burke — 1952, 1956 munity that’s supportive coaching because I was in Skaters Club, signs an autograph at the Northbrook Sports Beverly Buhr — 1960 of speedskaters. You guys the Army in Germany and in Center before leaving the country for the 2014 Winter Eddie Rudolph — 1960, 1964, 1968 have something unique and the Olympic Games.” Olympic Games. ALEX MAYSTER/22ND CENTURY MEDIA Neil Blatchford — 1968, 1972 special in your neighbor- Burke was unsuccessful Sally Blatchford — 1968 hood,” he said to a crowd of in his quest for an Olympic Gregory Lyman — 1972 young admirers. medal when he skated in *Ann Henning — 1972 The club is based at the Oslo, Norway, in 1952 and *Dianne Holum — 968, 1972 Northbrook Sports Center, Cortina, Italy, in 1956. But *Leah Poulos — 1972, 1976, 1980 1730 Pfingsten Road, as an he has the distinction of be- Mark Huck — 1984 affiliate of the Northbrook ing among those who com- Jan Guldman — 1984, 1985 Park District. That’s where peted on a frozen lake in Lydia Stephans — 1984 23-year-old Hansen got his Cortina, which was the last David Cruikshank — 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998 start at just 10 years old. time the event was held on *Andy Gabe — 1992, 1994, 1998 Hansen won a silver medal natural ice. Nathaniel Mills — 1992, 1994, 1998 at the 2010 Olympic Games As a coach, he has been Margaret Crowley — 2006 in Team Pursuit. In the lock- instrumental in developing *Lana Gehring — 2010 er room at the Northbrook 16 U.S. World and Olympic *Brian Hansen — 2010, 2014 Sports Center, he spoke to team members. Mitch Whitmore — 2010, 2014 kids about his international “We’ve had so many *An asterisk indicates a medal-winner. experience. great skaters but, all in all, Then Hansen spotted I think Dianne Holum was 83-year-old Chuck Burke the best,” Burke said. “She Eric Lapporte, 12, a current member of the Northbrook Skating Club alumnus, only two long track venues (an Olympic speedskater stayed in the sport as a Speed Skaters Club, skates at the Northbrook Sports 25-year-old Mitch Whit- in the U.S. PHOTO SUBMITTED in 1952 and 1956), and he coach and was Eric and Beth Center. more. “Being a speedskater “Our rink is fine for the greeted his former coach Heiden’s coach.” made me unique. ... It’s a kids until they get to a cer- with warmth and affection. Holum was a gold and teammate, Anne Henning, Olympics, the Tribune story fun sport, and it’s been quite tain point,” Burke said. “Know that Northbrook silver medalist in the 1972 earned a gold medal and a referred to him as a two- the journey. “Then the kids who are se- is a unique place. You have Olympics after earning sil- bronze medal. time Silver Skates winner. “Growing up, North- rious about the sport will a lot going for you here,” he ver and bronze medals in Their showing was so im- There used to be a lot of lo- brook’s meet was one of the go to the Pettit rink ... to told the youngsters. “Com- the 1968 games. Her sub- pressive that when Ted Dam- cal skating meets.” biggest meets,” Hansen said. work on the long track. ing through this club is a big urban Madison, Wis.-based ata, who covered the Games Hansen played many “I still remember getting the Short track and long track deal. ... A lot of great skaters protégé, Eric Heiden, took for the Chicago Tribune, sports when he was growing Chuck Burke Award. It was are different, but they help have come from here. You home five gold medals in detailed their accomplish- up, but he said he enjoyed a very prestigious award.” one another.” guys could be next.” 1980. In addition, his sis- ments, he datelined his story speedskating the most and The 100-by-200-foot For example, short track Burke and his wife, Don- ter, Beth Heiden, was a as “Northbrook, Japan.” eventually decided to focus Northbrook Sports Center is good to teach turns, and na, were among the first bronze medal winner that “The Tribune used to on it. is one of five rinks in the the long track offers a good coaches of the Northbrook same year. sponsor the Silver Skates “I liked to go fast and Chicago metropolitan area straightaway. Speed Skating Club, which Holum was one of two and gave speedskating a compete against my friends that can accommodate short- “Everything has changed dates back to 1952 and has Olympic-medal winners lot of coverage,” Burke from Northbrook,” said track skaters. Milwaukee’s [about the sport] except for produced at least one mem- from the Northbrook Speed recalled. “When my team- Hansen, who will be joined Pettit National Ice Center the most important thing — ber of Team USA in all but Skating Club who skated in mate, Ken Henry, won a on the Olympic team by is 200-by-85, making it in- the first one across the line one of the Winter Olympic Sapporo, Japan, in 1972. Her gold medal in the 1952 another Northbrook Speed ternational size and one of wins,” Burke said. PRSRT STD ECRWSS US Postage Paid 60901 NORTHBROOK'S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER Permit No.56 (/,35if65hfgj55R551118),.",))%)1,8)' Postal Customer NOTHING BUT NET GBN hockey shuts down Loyola Gold in a league victory, Page 37 SPARTANS ON ICE Spartans Skaters entertain audience at local ice rink, Page 35 Olympian Brian Hansen revisits ‘unique’ Northbrook Speed Skating Club before Sochi, Page 36 Olympian Brian Hansen, who trained at the Northbrook Speed Skating Club, gives an interview with ABC 7 News at the Northbrook Sports Center on Jan. 21. ALEX MAYSTER/22ND CENTURY MEDIA INSET: Glenview native Brian Hansen is one of the fastest speed skaters in the world. PHOTO SUBMITTED.