by Joanne Vassallo Jamrosz, special to U.S. Figure Skating Online

Nick LaRoche
Photo by Paul Harvath

The Monadnock Figure Skating Club is proud to call Nicholas LaRoche one of its own. LaRoche, however, will tell you it is he who is proud to be honored by the club that played such a major role in his life.

The club, located in Gardner, Mass., is honoring the 2002 U.S. junior champion at its 30th anniversary ice show March 27 at the Gardner Veteran's Skating Rink.

"They honestly were there every step of my career," LaRoche said. "These are the people who would drive to competitions to watch and support me, send me balloons and flowers when I earned my national medals and titles, and most of all they found ways to make sure I kept skating."

To keep up with skating expenses, LaRoche's parents' orchestrated raffles and dinners to keep the financial flow, but it was the Monadnock FSC that would work with supporters and the city of Gardner to raise training money for LaRoche.

"The reason we have chosen Nicholas is because he started as a member of our club and has become an important name in our community," said Bill Davis, secretary of the Monadnock Figure Skating Club. "We hope that by honoring him and getting the community involved we can gain more interest in the sport of figure skating."

The club has steadily shrunk in size over the past few years, Davis says. Just 35 skaters will take part in this year's show, which also serves as the club's main fundraiser.

"We are hoping the appearance of Nicholas will rekindle a once great skating tradition here in Gardner," Davis said.

LaRoche not only will be attending the show as a special guest but will also be making a special presentation. He will donate and sign a portrait that once hung in his parents' home.

"It is a beautiful canvas painted by Jill Kinsley, and I will autograph it in person on the 27th," LaRoche said. A special banner honoring LaRoche's skating accomplishments will also permanently hang in the arena.

The banner that will hang at Monadnock FSC honoring LaRoche

"I am thrilled to be going back to Gardner for such an honor, and I think it will kick in a bit more when I look on the wall and see the six-foot banner that hangs my name and top accomplishments in the arena," LaRoche said. "I have a lot of family and friends coming to support me, and I am so excited to be on a 'good note' and be able to celebrate.

"Even though my parents won't be there - and that will never be the same - I know how proud and honored they would be to see their son's name hanging on the wall in the place where we all dreamed of such great success."

Davis hopes the show will be a successful one and that LaRoche's honor will inspire more people to join the club. Besides the annual show, which officially ends the club's season, the club will have one extra week of ice during which time it hopes to offer promotions encouraging people to join the club, such as open skate night and a "bring a friend to skate" event.

"We have worked so hard to get our information out there, whether it is advertising in the paper, flyers through the schools or public access television," Davis said. "It brings in some members but not the numbers we need to survive as a club. This show is so special because we are celebrating our 30th year of our club."

LaRoche is thrilled Monadnock will celebrate his career with him, and he hopes the show will inspire others.

"You always hope to make a mark on peoples' lives through your art, and it gives me great satisfaction to know not only do I feel like I had a great skating career but (the Monadnock FSC) keeps reminding me of that. Having directed my attention to helping others achieve their goals as so many people did for me, I tend to forget my own accomplishments sometimes," LaRoche said. "This is a beautiful reminder."

(For more information on Monadnock FSC's 30th anniversary show, contact Bill Davis at 978.939.2031 or sbmldavis@comcast.net.)