Trevor Marsicano

 

Trevor Marsicano, speed skater and Olympic silver medal winner, offered a fascinating review of his sport and career during our meeting on Dec. 17.

 

He began by discussing the difference in the skates used for short track and long track. He then displayed his racing suit. Among the unique features: Its arms are textured for aerodynamics, similar in theory to the dimples on a golf ball. The back of the suit keeps him in the stooped position for maximum performance.

 

A native of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Trevor first took to ice skates at age 4. He played ice hockey up to age 13, when he switched to speed skating. Saratoga Springs has a nice track, but Trevor knew that to advance he'd have to move to either Salt Lake City (home of the US Olympic Oval) or Milwaukee (Pettit National Ice Center). He settled on the Pettit Center. In 2008, at age 18, Trevor moved to Milwaukee. Upon seeing the Pettit Center, he knew he made a good decision. "I fell in love with the place," he said.

 

Trevor enjoyed remarkable success early on. He won four medals (one gold, one silver, two bronze) in the 2009 world speed skating championships. His gold medal was for setting a world record in 1,000 meters. His time, 1:06.80, was 0.2 seconds faster than the previous record, and represented the first time anyone had skated 1,000 meters in under 1 minute 7 seconds.

 

His proudest moment, of course, was winning the silver medal during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Trevor participated in the mens 1,500 meter event. In this image, Trevor displays his silver medal accompanied by club president Scott Klaas. (The medal is quite impressive. Cast of nearly pure silver, it weighs a hefty 5 lbs.)

 

Today, Trevor is Client/Event Manager at the Pettit. Back and knee injuries have sidelined him for the time being. Now 25, he still could compete and it remains on his mind. In addition to his duties at the Pettit, Trevor enjoys working with youth groups. One passion is an anti-bullying message, which he brings to area schools.