Among the more than 60 victims killed in a crash Wednesday between an American Airlines plane and military helicopter were young figure skaters, their parents, and coaches – including several from a Massachusetts skating club that’s one of the oldest in the country.
The ice at The Skating Club of Boston in Norwood is usually buzzing with activity. But it was silent on Thursday as 1956 Olympic champion Tenley Albright - for whom this rink is named – spoke to reporters.
“I really can’t believe that it happened,” Albright said, looking at the ice, and picturing those the club lost.
“The coaches always stood at that entrance,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “The skaters just flew all over the ice, doing remarkable things, inspiring all of us.”
Among the victims Wednesday were 13-year-old Jinna Han and 16-year-old Spencer Lane. Both club members were on their way home from a training camp for top figure skating prospects following the U.S. championships in Wichita, Kansas. Both of their mothers were on the flight, as well.
Elin Schran organizes skating events and remembers Lane’s reaction after performing at his first professional show with her company.
“He came to me smiling ear to ear saying, ‘I get it now, I understand,’” Schran remembered. “He started to discover this connection with the audience and that joy he was giving to other people through his gift. And he said, ‘please let me skate again with you next year.’”
Han was remembered by other skaters for her bright smile, high pitched voice, and ability to make jumps beyond what seemed possible for a 13-year old.
Misha Mitrofanov and Alisa Efimova, who just won the U.S. national pairs championship, remembered watching the younger skaters on the ice.
“The amount they were able to achieve in such a short amount of time was absolutely remarkable,” Mitrofanov said.
“It was their progress that made them stand out, personally for me. It’s every-day improvement,” Efimova added.
Also on the plane were two coaches from The Skating Club of Boston - Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. They were married, and a former world champion pairs team themselves. The club’s CEO, Doug Zeghibe, said the coaches were strict. But there was more to it than that.
“They were so kind,” Zeghibe said. “But they had high standards. And the combination really worked with their kids. Because they felt the support. But they also knew where the bar was.”
Their son, Max, is a figure skater who placed fourth at the national championships, but was on a different flight home.
The skating community is a tight knit group, and among those gathering to mourn Wednesday was former Olympian Nancy Kerrigan, who trained at the club when it was located in Brighton. Kerrigan talked about the lessons learned in a sport where you fall a lot.
“You get back up. Keep on trying,” Kerrigan said, tearfully. “And even when it’s hard, you get back up. Even when you’re crying, hurt, in pain. You get back up and move forward. It’s not easy. But that’s what we all have to do now together.”
The loss is tragically reminiscent of a 1961 plane crash that led to the deaths of the entire U.S. figure skating team. Zeghibe said almost half of the team that died in that incident also had ties to this Massachusetts club. He said it’s taken decades for the skating world to recover from that loss.
And now there’s a new tragedy to face.
