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Lee & Gwen
1978 Winter Invitational
Jacksonville, Florida
Our first Competition!
Lee & Gwen
1978 Easter Invitational
Hollywood, Florida
Bronze Medal
Lee & Gwen
1978 Invitational
Jacksonville, Florida
With our First Trophy!
Lee & Gwen
1979 Winter Invitational
Semoran Skateway
Casselberry, Florida
1978
Lee & Debby
1979 Nationals
Ft. Worth, Texas
August 8, 1979
Debby and
her new partner.
1994 Nationals
Last page update or edit:
November 7, 2006
| On April 27, 1977, some Navy buddies and myself decided to go to Sun State Roller Rink on Primrose Drive in Orlando, Florida, for an evening of fun. I had been skating maybe twice in my life, but was always fascinated with the sport. On this night I saw for the first time in my life, trained roller skaters performing artistic skate dancing. They floated across the floor performing intricate moves of grace and complexity that I never dreamed could be accomplished on roller skates. I remember watching the more accomplished skaters performing such dances as the the Pasa Doble, the Killian, and the Iceland Tango. I was hooked. I had to learn this art! I became obsessed with skating. Despite the fact that I was 19 years old, which everyone said was too old to get started in Artistic Roller Skating as a competitor, I was determined. I was at the rink everyday. I had bruises, scabs and blisters, but I was learning fast. I started taking begginer's lessons from old George Duffy. During this time, I met Gwen Hall and in just a few months, the two of use were helping to teach the beginner's classes. Gwen and I formed a partnership and took on Shirley Williams as our new instructor, or "Pro." By the next January we were ready to compete in our first "meet" at the 1978 Winter Invitational in Jacksonville, Florida! |  |
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Juanita, Gwen's mother, hand made our first outfits. She just barely got them completed the night before competition! It was a thrill and I was so proud of myself. I don't remember what place we took at that meet, but we didn't make it to bronze medal level. Nevertheless, it was a thrill of a life time! The next time we skated was in Hollywood, Florida, for the Easter Invitational. Juanita once again put her sewing skill into high gear and created new costumes for us. This time our colors were in blue (the other costume was a "rust" colour). I never did care for the blue outfit. It did not fit quite right and the colours made us look pale and weak. Maybe our skills had improved, or maybe the competition was not a intense, but this time we won a bronze medal (3rd place).
Our next competition was at Semoran Skateway in Casselberry, Florida. At the Mid-Winter Invitational, Gwen and I took our first Gold Medal! Sadly, I have lost touch with Gwen (Hall) Bujarski and her mother. Gwen and I shared many wonderful times together and I regret losing contact with her. If you read this Gwen, get in touch! .... Love ya!
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| Juanita Hall diligently hand-sewing the last stitches in the jacket to my skating outfit. |
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In 1979, Gwen and I went separate ways and I began skating with Debby Moyer. Her brother, Doug Moyer was our Pro and the son of Ed Moyer who owned Semoran Skateway in Casselberry, Florida. Debby and I skated our first competition in March of 1979, at the Southern Regional's meet in Mobile Alabama. We took the Southern Regional's silver medal for Intermediate American Style Compulsory Dance.... which qualified us for Nationals! |
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On August 8, 1979, Debby and I skated National competition in the Intermediate division and took 17th place. I would like to have scored higher; however, that was out of the entire U.S. ... so I am not really complaining! Just 3 years earlier I could not even skate backwards and everyone had told me there was no way that I could aspire to competing against skaters who had been skating all their lives. They did not know what kind of determination I had, nor how much telling me "you can't" would motivate me to prove them all wrong!
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I thought I would be skating more competitions in the future, but fate did not work out for me in that way. I left the U.S. Navy active duty and went to work for Orange County Florida in April of 1979. With this change, I could no longer afford to maintain my skating goals. I tried for 2 or 3 years to get re-integrated. I took a few continuing lessons, including lessons from Dan Little. Dan and his partner, Fleurette Arseneault, were 3-time World Champions and took the Gold Medal in the 1979 Pan American Game in San Juan as well. I was very proud to have him teach me. |
Click
this link to see winners of various events
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In 1994 I was involved in a major car accident and was severely injured. I have never skated since. See my wreck web site for more about that horrific affair... |
These medals have surely changed over the years, but these are what the looked like in my time.
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Lee & Gwen
Sun State Roller Rink
Orlando, Florida - 1977-78
During a Practice Session...
| Below are some motion picture segments filmed by Bill Maddison at Sun State Roller Rink in late 1977, of me and Gwen. I had only been skating for about six months at this time. The movies were taken on 8mm film. Twelve years later converted to VHS and it was not until this time that I got to see the film for the first time! |
Click the video once to view within this site. Click a
second time to vew the full size video on
SKATER'S MARCH
100 March - Bronze Level
DENVER SHUFFLE
100 Polka - Bronze Level
THE BALANCIAGA
100 Schottish - Bronze Level
IMPERIAL WALTZ
120 Waltz - Silver Level