Sanders Hicks | Coach emeritus and club founder Sanders Hicks started ESSC in 1966. He is a National and International Starter, and a former ASU Commissioner of Officials. Sam is also a member of the
Speed Skating Hall of Fame as a Contributor to the Sport. He is a professional photographer who has been photographing the sport for over forty years.
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Jamal | Coach Jim Nubani is an award-winning athlete, professional fitness trainer and coach. His own accomplishments include multiple medals at U.S. Speedskating National Championships and U.S. inline speedskating championship (masters division).
Jim is a certified Level II U.S. Speed Skating coach. He has coached ESSC since 2000, overseeing the training of both recreational and competitive skaters. He has coached several nationally- and world-ranked speed skaters.
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George | Coach George started figure skating in 1978, but switched to racing a year later, when he decided going fast was more fun. George retired from competition in 1987 after placing 3rd in Outdoor Nationals, but he continues to speed skate for enjoyment and fitness and is a Level II U.S. Speed Skating coach, mad scientist and works for a private ambulance service.
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Peter | Eight-year-old Peter loves swimming, soccer, tennis, French and piano. He was a hockey player until he watched the 2010 Winter Olympics and was inspired by Shani Davis and Apolo Ohno to try speed skating. This is Peter's second season with ESSC.
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Tess | Tess loves to dance, and considers herself an artist. A professional actress, Tess enjoys all her pets, a rabbit and two kittens, when she is not working on her crossovers.
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Jeffrey | Jeff is a senior at The Cove School in Northbrook. He has been skating with ESSC since 3rd grade. Jeff started skating as a constructive way to channel his overabundance of energy. In addition to skating, Jeff plays guitar, soccer and basketball.
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Fernando | Fernando is in 6th grade. He plays piano and started skating with ESSC in 2006. He likes skating and playing with his sister, Nicole.
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Oliver | Oliver attends second grade at St. Joseph's. He started skating this past summer with ESSC. In addition to skating, he likes soccer, swimming and playing Club Penguin.
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Alec | When Alec is not on the ice, he is a middle-schooler who loves soccer, running and track biking. Alec is working on improving his times on and off the ice. Alec is both an athlete and an actor with an extensive theatrical resume.
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Mackenzie | Mackenzie started figure skating, hockey and speed skating two years ago, but now, (when not playing baseball, playing with friends and her new kittens or attending 1st grade) she dedicates herself solely to speed skating. In early 2011, she broke a state speed skating record in the 333-meter Tiny Tot division and is looking forward to another fun, fast season.
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Nicole | Nicole and her brother, Fernando, have been speed skating since 2006. Nicole plays basketball, runs track and field. She is in the 9th grade at Regina High School and enjoys sports and video games.
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Wilson | Wilson is in 1st grade. He loves to skate fast. Besides speedskating, Wilson likes to play soccer and swim. He took his first gold medal in long track skating at the Petit Center in Milwaukee this fall.
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Paden | Six-year-old Paden is an all-around athlete who started speed skating last summer after zipping around during figure skating classes. He enjoys swimming, music, karate and T-ball. He wants to be a pilot.
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Matthew | Matthew is in 7th grade. He started skating with ESSC in spring of 2010 and spent the summer in dryland training. Big brother Michael was a long-time ESSC skater and an influence on Matthew. In addition to skating, Matthew likes math and guitar.
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Dan | Dan is a long-time member of ESSC. Last spring, he represented the club in the Masters International Sprints in Milwaukee WI, surpassing his personal best in both the 500m and the 1000m.
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Matt | Matt is the club's "antique" skater and father of skaters, Tess and Alec. He has been speed skating since 2006 and is quite proud of his skater children's accomplishments. Matt is a professional photographer who took many of the action shots on ESSC's site. A note to those adults who are considering speed skating--if you are willing to dedicate the time and effort, it's never too late to start.
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Isabelle | In addition to speed skating, 3rd grader Isabelle also plays violin, soccer, swims, figure skates and studies ballet. She joined ESSC after watching her brother William skate.
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Quentin | Quentin is five years old and attends Chiaravalle Montessori School. This is his second year with ESSC. He enjoys being a big brother, math, video games, running, telling jokes and skating FAST!
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Katie | Katie is in 2nd grade. She has tried both hockey and figure skating, but prefers to "go fast." She enjoys art, and does sports that start with "s": soccer, swimming and skating. She skates outdoors in winter, in the backyard rink her dad makes.
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Sophie | Sophie a first grader at Orrington School. She has been figure skating for one year. She decided to try speed skating because she likes to go fast. Sohpie also enjoys gymnastics, swimming, and knowing everyone at Robert Crown!
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Amy | Amy is from the south side of Chicago. When not spending the summer on Mackinac Island, she is a speed skater, baker/cake decorator, bagpiper and good friend!
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William | William is in 2nd grade and joined ESSC last season. Now his sister Isabelle skates with ESSC, too. He enjoys skating and plays hockey, but he is eager to go fast. William also sings and plays soccer.
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Yosef | Yosef is twelve years old and in 6th grade. Previously he has studied tae kwon do, but recently joined his big brother Menachi for speed skating.
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Menachi | Menachi has always been interested in skating. He started skating at RCC around age seven and played hockey while attending school up north in Minnesota. Since he returned to Chicago, he decided to give speed skating a try. This is his second season with ESSC.
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Thea | Thea always thought speed skating looked like a lot of fun and decided that now was as good a time as any to give it a try. In her spare time, she is a medical student at Northwestern and enjoys singing off-key and looking for tasty things to eat.
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Andy | Andy has been skating with ESSC on and off since 1973. He skated actively in the 90s, stopping only while his children were growing up. Now that his daughter is a figure skater, Andy is back on the ice. When not skating, he is a realtor for Coldwell Banker.
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Sam | Sam is a freshman at Ida Crown Jewish Academy. He likes running, kayaking and other sports. Sam was so fast on hockey skates a few years ago, that he was encouraged to try speed skating.
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Matt | Matt is a chemical engineer with BP. He has been skating with ESSC for two seasons. He is currently attending graduate school in mechanical engineering at Purdue University.
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Olawale | Wale has been a member of ESSC over a quarter of a century! He works for AT&T. Conviently enough, Wally started skating because he lived across the street from the rink.
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Valerie | Valerie is a Northbrook native and long-time member and an occasional coach of ESSC. She is a graduate of DePaul University and currently teaches gym. Valerie cycles in addition to speed skating.
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