Boitano Gets His Chance to Work With Skating’s Future

For years, figure skater Brian Boitano has wanted to work with kids in his hometown. There was just one problem: San Francisco didn’t have a year-round ice rink.

Now it does.

So the 1988 Olympic gold medalist has joined with San Francisco’s Unified School District and the city’s new downtown ice rink for “Brian Boitano’s Youth Skate” a non-profit organization that will introduce school children to ice skating.

“This isn’t just great for the kids, it’s great for me,” Boitano exclaimed. “I’ve finally got an ice rink in my hometown.”

Boitano has moved comfortably into the role of skating ambassador. Although he still participates in professional competitions, he is quickly becoming one of the sport’s grand masters--in a class that includes Scott Hamilton and Peggy Fleming.

Hamilton and Fleming, both cancer survivors, have thrown their efforts behind fighting the disease. Boitano, meanwhile, has turned his energy to skating’s future.

“It’s a time in his life where he has had a lot of success with his career, both as an amateur and a professional, and I really think it’s important to him to pass some of that on,” said Boitano’s longtime coach and manager, Linda Leaver.

Small, temporary ice rinks grace the city during the holiday season, but budding San Francisco skaters typically have had to commute for lessons and ice time. The sparkling rink means a whole new potential talent pool, Boitano said.

“There’s so much talent out there,” he said. “There are so many kids who would be great skaters if they just had a chance. In San Francisco, many kids never had the chance.”

Boitano was fortunate. He grew up south of San Francisco in Sunnyvale, where he impressed Leaver as a kid during a Saturday morning skating lesson.

With Leaver, Boitano went on to win four national championships and two world championships. But he captured the public’s imagination in the 1988 Olympics when he edged Canadian Brian Orser in the so-called Battle of the Brians.

“When I was a kid I thought that anything was possible,” he said, watching a small group of skaters circle the ice. “That’s what’s so great about this. The kids believe that they can do anything.”

The program is so typical of Boitano, Leaver said.

“He has lists of ideas,” she said. “He had some time to relax recently and he just came up with more things he wants to do.”

Like skater Kristi Yamaguchi--who founded the Always Dream Foundation--Boitano has eagerly lent his name and time to children’s causes. He is a spokesman and trustee for the Starlight Foundation, which grants the wishes of seriously ill children. He also is one of the founding members of the national Safe Kids Campaign Entertainment Alliance.

With huge windows looking out on the San Francisco’s distinctive skyline, “The Rooftop” skating facility sits above the Yerba Buena Gardens. The grand opening of the NHL-sized rink is scheduled for this Saturday.

A few events already have been staged there, including a trial-run of the Youth Skate program, and the taping of Boitano’s Skate Against Hate, a benefit performance for the program.

Skate Against Hate, which also features such stars as Nancy Kerrigan, Surya Bonaly and Rudy Galindo, will be televised Nov. 19 on the USA Network. The modern, rock ‘n’ roll-themed performance is produced by Boitano’s company, White Canvas Productions.

“I really wanted to do something that had a message, something significant for kids,” he said.

During practices for the show, Boitano was able to host about 35 children from Horace Mann Middle School for a question-and-answer session. He signed autographs and passed out T-shirts emblazoned with the program’s hip logo.

Later, he ventured out on the ice with several of them. He skated slowly backwards, pulling the string of wobbly children. One shouted “Go faster! Go faster!”

Boitano, as well as other guest skaters and coaches, will work with students once a month during the school year. Leaver, who has been at Boitano’s side for more than 25 years, said she also plans to help out.

Students from grades five through nine from up to 12 San Francisco schools will participate.

Dr. Laura Alvarenga, associate superintendent of the school district, watched Boitano skate with some of the students and was delighted with the outcome.

“Brian has been really great,” she said. “He told us ‘I really want to do this.’ And he did. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the students.”