THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: New routine, but same Showcase for area skaters at national competition

Ice skating can provide an outlet for some.

A chance to create something special.

And — and maybe more important — prove to your friends and family that age is just a number.

Three area skaters hope that, and a little more, can come true next week.

THREE AREA skaters, Jackie Charlebois, Sarah Brookshire and Julia Santy — who train at Frontier Ice Arena in Coeur d’Alene — will compete in the 2023 National Showcase at the Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, Mass., starting Tuesday.

The Showcase is a theater, broadway style competition, with skaters performing a variety of characters.

For Charlebois and Brookshire, it’s a return after qualifying last year. Santy, a Valley Christian graduate, is competing for the first time.

“I’m definitely nervous, but it’s different from when I was a kid,” Santy said. “It’s more technical and nerve-wracking as a kid. But as an adult, you can be yourself and do it for your enjoyment.”

Charlebois, whose characters included Charlie Chaplin last year, will perform two new characters this time around.

“For my character I’ll be doing something like The Muppets,” Charlebois said. “Another will be a lyrical pop to the song Black Velvet.”

Charlebois added that she’ll spend anywhere from 6 to 8 hours preparing her performance.

“It’s all learning new steps,” Charlebois said. “Going through the moves at home and then on the ice learning how to present to the audience.”

As for Brookshire, the work begins almost after the lights go out on the previous year.

“I’m usually thinking about it for a full year,” Brookshire said. “Actually, as soon as the Showcase ended last year, I was thinking about this year.”

ALL THREE, as well as another skater that lives in California Lilly Pierce, are coached by Karin Kunzle-Watson, a nine-time Swiss champion.

“I skated with Karin from the time I was 5- to 18-years old,” Santy said. “Both competitively as a kid and thought I’d be done after that. I went into the military and had two kids and decided to take my family out to skate and discovered that I was starting to lose it. I got in touch with Karin and told her I didn’t want to lose this sport, so she called me back in. I thought I’d just skate for fun and within a month she convinced me to compete again.”

Santy’s characters will include the Black Swan and another performance to bring awareness to human trafficking.

“I’ve got no real expectations to win or anything like that,” Santy said. “I just want to do my best.”

Santy served in the Army National Guard before returning to Spokane, where she is married with two children.

“For the last four years, it’s been about my kids and all my attention has been on them,” Santy said. “I’ve kind of lost touch with myself and this is kind of getting back to me and just really special for me.”

“Skating is really an outlet for me,” Charlebois said. “Some people run or do other things, but this keeps me in shape and hanging out with my friends. The competition, I just thrive off of that showmanship, the costumes and creating a program. The lights and all that, I just really enjoy it.”

“I just love seeing the progress I’ve made,” Brookshire said. “This is something that brings me joy, so being here on the ice is relaxing for me. Each year, it gets a little bit easier to go out and perform.”

For Pierce, it was also a meeting with Kunzle-Watson that brought her back to skating.

“I stepped onto the ice shortly after I learned to walk,” Pierce said. “Karin and I met during a public session at Riverfront Park when I was 4 years old, 20 years ago. The ice became my sanctuary as I grew up — a place where I could always be true to myself, regardless of what was happening in the world. Karin has always been a true role model to me — a strong, courageous, kind, artistic person and a genuinely good person. Karin has led by example, imparting upon me the values that I hold ear.”

AS FOR next week, each has a few goals in mind, other than just winning.

“It’s been nice to build a friendship and skate with them,” Charlebois said. “When we go to competitions, they’re someone solid we can learn from. And it’s really fun to watch Julia skate. It’s fun and exciting to see what she does. It’s just a remarkable experience.”

“We’ve got two new girls that are coming this year,” Charlebois said. “It’s been nice to build a friendship and skate with them. When we go to competitions, they’re someone solid we can lean on. And it’s fun to watch Julia (Santy) skate. It’s fun and exciting to see what she does. It’s just a remarkable experience.”

“I’m really just looking forward to meeting new people and seeing some new places,” Brookshire said. “Smelling the air in a new environment and the adventure that comes with it.”

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.