Pride and self-centeredness are two illnesses that can easily affect talented athletes. Jacquelyn Garces, 18, a freshman and top-tier figure skater, has proved herself immune to these diseases.

In fact, this humble, five-foot powerhouse on ice confesses one pet peeve: she wishes people at BYU were more prone to hugs.

This week, Garces, from San Jose, Calif., will compete for her chance to skate in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

In October, Garces competed at the Central Pacific Regional Championship and placed in the top four, qualifying to compete at the Sectional Championships held this week, Nov. 11-15, in Scottsdale Ariz.

If Garces places among the top four this week at sectionals, she will qualify to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January 2009.

"She has gotten so far," said Tracy Prussack, who coached Garces in California for 13 years. "Many skaters will skate their whole lives and never make it to her level at sectionals."

This will not be the first time that Garces has competed at sectionals. She competed in the 2007 and 2008 sectionals, but she didn't qualify for nationals either time. This week she will try again.

"She puts a lot of pressure on herself, and that may be her biggest enemy," Prussack said. "She's her own worst critic. I think that's her one downfall-she's so tough on herself. She has that perfectionism quality, and that also makes her great."

Garces admits her enemy at previous sectionals competitions has been her mind.

"I'm hoping being on my own and being in college will help change that mindset a little bit, and calm me down, and not make skating so much of a priority in my life because now I'm at college and I have other things to do," Garces said. "So hopefully sectionals this year will be because I love to skate."

Garces, who has been skating since she was 3 1/2, has already reached the highest level in women's figure skating, Senior Ladies. Despite the pressures of training, she does her best to lead a balanced life.

Garces is taking 14 1/2 credits this semester, and she chooses not to skate on Sundays. Although she skates less than she used to, her love for skating has not diminished; college has grown in importance.

Prussack expressed how proud she is of what Garces has been able to accomplish both on and off the ice.

"Most of the skaters that she competes with are home-schooled and definitely made their skating a number-one priority," Prussack said. "I think it's really commendable that she's done what she has without letting her education take a back seat."

Figure skating is an expensive sport, and Garces teaches skating classes at The Peaks Ice Arena to help fund her skating.

She grins at the idea of someone believing in her enough to sponsor her skating. Unless you're famous, sponsors are hard to come by in figure skating, she said.

Five feet tall, she quietly goes about her busy routine, quick to smile or giggle when an opportunity arises.

"In all the years I've worked with her, I've never heard her say anything unkind about anyone else," Prussack said. "She's an exceptional human being."

Stephanee Grosscup is Garces' coach here in Utah, and has been Garces' choreographer for the past four years. She said it is obvious skating is a part of Garces' life, not the whole thing.

"She's disciplined, she's sensitive and tender-hearted, and she's very tough," Grosscup said. "She's a wonderful young person, not just a wonderful skater."

Anne Barlow, skating director at The Peaks ice arena, said although figure skaters can be self-centered due to the individual nature of the sport, Garces is the exact opposite and she's a joy to work with.

Besides skating, Garces also enjoys tennis, interior decorating and Chinese food.

"I try giving everyone I know a hug," Garces said.

Garces' mother described Jacquelyn as a reserved person. "She works really hard to do the best that she can at whatever she does. She always does her very best, whether it's in school, skating or church service."

Garces' mother said Jacquelyn wanted to study at BYU, and she kept herself at the top of her class academically.

"Both my husband and I have always said that school comes first," Garces' mother said, reiterating she emphasizes Jacquelyn's education more than her skating.

Garces hopes to major in exercise science.

"I would love to graduate from BYU," she said.

Like anyone else, she has had her struggles in life and she has also had tough times in skating, but she has never stopped.

"It's obvious that she loves the sport because she does it on her own," Grosscup said.

Due to her busy schedule, Garces travels to Salt Lake only twice a week to work with Grosscup.

"She's doing an amazing job training on her own," Grosscup said. "She's not someone I think, 'I hope she comes back next week having improved on the things we've worked on.'"

Prussack is proud of Garces for being at BYU and pursuing her academic goals and her skating. She's optimistic about Garces' performance at sectionals, and in life.

"I don't have any expectations except doing her best and believing in herself," Prussack said. "Do her best, have fun, and believe in herself. Her outcome will be good if she does that."



Copyright Brigham Young University 10 Nov 2008