In the spotlight

Joey Russell is always happy to come home.

He joined up-and-coming skaters from his hometown of Labrador City March 13 at the Polaris Figure Skating Club Ice Show: The Beatles Take the Ice.

"My year would be missing something without coming back to Labrador City, for sure," Russell said in an interview before the ice show.

According to Evelyn Power-Ryan, Polaris FSC coach, the purpose of the show was for skaters to showcase what they learned throughout the year and they chose the Beatles theme because they liked their music and the kids were familiar with it.

Canskate, Kidskate, and Starskaters performed with colourful props and costumes to songs like All You Need Is Love and Yellow Submarine, and solos showcased accomplished skaters.

As in previous years, Power-Ryan explained, the club invited Russell to be the guest skater.

Honing his skating skills at Polaris, Russell went on to become the Canadian Junior National Figure Skating Champion in 2006 and the first Newfoundland and Labrador athlete to be named to the senior national team in 2007. He also placed fifth at the 2010 Canadian Figure Skating Championships falling short of the Olympics.

At the Polaris ice show, Russell performed two solos that got spectators on their feet at the Labrador City Arena; he worked with Starskaters to pull off a number to the Beatles' song Hard Days Night, and he glowed during a backlight number to a medley of Beatles' songs.

"It's a huge motivator to have him here and when he gets to tell them how hard he has to work to attain his goals," said Power-Ryan.

Russell said he remembers his home on Pine Avenue really well and he's happy to have grown up in Labrador City. He recalls it being cold a lot of the time, but he was always outdoors or in the rink skating, so it didn't bother him.

When he was young, he said he had a babysitter who was a figure skater that he used to jump around with in the living room. He wanted to try the sport because it looked really exciting and he started skating with the Wabush Figure Skating Club when he was six years old, later moving on to Polaris.

When Russell started with the Canskate program he said he didn't like it, but his mom insisted he stick with it for a year, and he ended up liking the sport.

He said he fell in love with figure skating because it's athletic and artistic, and because he could be free on the ice.

Russell said skating in Newfoundland and Labrador was good because there was usually a small group competing and everyone could walk away with a medal at the end of the day.

"From my very first provincials I caught somewhat of a bug that made me want to compete in skating," said Russell.

Moving to Barrie, ON, at the age of 17 to train with the Mariposa School of Skating, he set his sights on the Junior National Championships. He believes he took first place because he trained really hard and it all came together for him that day.

Russell said he loves training in Barrie where top international competitors and Olympians motivate him to do his best.

This year he said he really wanted to go to the Olympics, but fell short after placing fifth at the Canadian National Championships.

He said it was a tough year because there were about six guys trying to make two spots for the Olympics and there was a lot of pressure, which only intensified when he placed third in the short program.

"If I just maybe put all that behind me, I would have maybe done a better long program, but I'm still really happy and really proud of myself for making it on to the national team," said Russell. "My ultimate goal will be to go to the Olympics in 2014, but for right now I think this year was a good year for me."

He recalled being really upset after the nationals because he worked very hard for the competition, but now realises it happened for a reason and he still has more left to do in his career.

Russell said he's always glad to get an invitation to skate in his hometown - it's a great source of support, which has helped him achieve all his goals.

He is set to do a few more ice shows and seminars in Newfoundland and Labrador, and will then go back to Barrie to prepare to train for next season.