BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
With a tired sigh, Jeff Buttle sits down on a
bench in a dressing room at the Countryside Arena.
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Jeff Buttle was in town on
Mother's Day to give more tips to members of the
Sudbury Skating Club. |
His stomach rumbles for food.
Half a submarine sandwich quickly disappears
in a couple of bites.
At the dressing room door, eager parents and
young skaters jostle to get a glimpse of Canada's best figure
skater.
Some ask if Buttle's available for
photographs.
Buttle's time is in demand. Even more so
because he's still riding the amazing wave that saw him become
the 2005 Canadian Men's Figure Skating Champion back in
January, and then the silver medal at the 2005 World
Championships.
Even though he's at the top of the figure
skating world, Buttle still makes time to visit the community
that helped bring him to international fame.
Buttle was in town on Mother's Day for a
training session with members from the Sudbury Skating Club,
his former organization.
Buttle's appearance was so surprising that
one parent frantically took as many pictures as possible so his
coworkers would believe him that indeed Buttle was here.
For Buttle, coming back to Sudbury is always
an easy decision.
"I developed a lot as a skater here," said
Buttle. The first year I was here, I made it to my first
nationals. The Sudbury Skating Club is where I became
competitive and where it all came together for me. It's great
being able to come back and work with the skaters, and
hopefully, end up helping them make it to the nationals."
Buttle makes frequent trips to the Nickel
City, and has noticed a definite improvement in the
skaters.
"Absolutely they are changing," said Buttle.
"Not only the way they look, but the way they're all
developing. It's good to see because, I myself, developed as a
skater here."
Visiting Sudbury makes Buttle feel
good.
"For me, Sudbury just brings back all those
good memories of my mom driving my sister and I to the rink to
practice," said Buttle. "It's a familiar feeling and I always
enjoy it."
Looking to build on his brilliant
performances at the nationals and the worlds, Buttle has his
eyes locked directly on the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin,
Italy.
"I am already second in the world and within
grasp of a gold medal at the Olympics," said Buttle. "The
Olympics is where I want to be and what I am
focusing on."
The champion feels no extra pressure to be
the next Canadian to try and win an Olympic gold medal in mens'
figure skating.
"This year is all about doing everything I
can to make it happen," said Buttle. "I don't feel any more
pressure or extra weight to carry to be the next
Canadian to win gold at the Olympics. I am
not going in as world champ, so that pressure isn't on me, but
I always put pressure on myself to perform
the best I can. I am looking forward to the
Olympics. I have already qualified for three spots in the
Olympics, but to fully qualify happens in January 2006 at the
nationals. I will just have to go out and skate like I can. The
national team will be travelling to Italy in September to do
pre-Olympic training and get used to the venues. I will be
going. It's going to be an awesome time from now on."
Winning the Canadian championship was
Buttle's thrill of the year, but silver at the worlds ranked
high in his mind as well.
"They were on different levels for me," said
Buttle. "But personally, the skate I had at the Canadian
nationals will be the one I remember most. For the whole
season, it felt like my best performance and besides, it was in
front of the Canadian audience."
Buttle didn't even mind the fact only one of
the 15 skaters at the session was a male. In fact, Buttle used
being a minority as fuel to drive his desire to
the top of the figure skating world.
"The sport has always been perceived as a
women's sport," said Buttle. "For me, I didn't realize how
competitive I can be until I got nationals years ago and found
out there are a lot of men in this sport. I went to nationals
and didn't do well because I didn't expect that level of
competition. It really helped me realize I had to work even
harder to become a better athlete and that's what really helped
me out."
Buttle will now be training in California for the
summer.
