The latest article on Gabby penned by Betty Humphrey in the Herald-Coaster.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Nieto captures skating's gold medal in Tulsa
Joe Nieto, whose parents, Sammy and Susie Nieto were our early-morning walking buddies until Betty Weber and I started going to the Y pool, took a moment to catch us up on his 8-year old daughter Gabby's skating prowess last week.
He says Gabby is skating up a storm this summer with a "summer camp" of sorts for ice skating in Sugar Land. Everyday (except Friday) she trains and has sessions in "power training" to strengthen her legs. Pilates for back strength and muscle toning, and physical therapy to make sure she has a balance in all those things.
Gabby is also working with a variety of coaches to work on her jumps and spins. With an indication of microscopic distance, her remarked, "She is THIS close to landing her axel jump consistently." He explained that the axel jump is the sort of a "right of passage" for all the skates and is probably one of the most difficult jumps for intermediate skaters to land.
This year in competition, Gabby moved up to a new bracket. While last year she was able to clean up in the lower brackets, this year has been a "toughy". Her coach, Dorothy, says that the kids in this bracket tend to stack up because they can't advance until they land an axel jump.
Joe explained, "So, what happens is that the kids, mostly the older kids, stay in this bracket for sometimes years, never really advancing, and giving them the advantage of being polished in their programs and adding a lot of confidence."
Gabby, however, is in there fighting and being competitive, so she's holding her own. She is so tiny and the other skaters in the bracket are bigger, so it stands to reason they jump higher and skate faster.
Her dad says this doesn't seem to deter Gabby, who is working even harder on her technique. "Gabby can land the axel and the 'double-sow' but just not enough where we feel she can pass her skating test. It's best not to rush these things. She's still our baby girl.
The Nieto's headed to Tulsa, Okla., last Thursday for a competition. The was was a different group of skaters, a new arena and in a different region.
The past year, the Nietos have traveled around Houston, and Austin for competitions. Next year, if all goes well, Gabby will be competing in Cape Cod or Boston.
The plan is to get Gabby recognized at the regional and national level and then make a run for rankings in a few years. That's what happened with Tara Lipinsky, also of Sugar Land, who won the gold in the Olympics and then went pro. It also happened with Rosenberg's Burt Lancon, who competed in the Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, and later skated at the Star Dust in Las Vegas for years before retiring.
Every competition that Gabby skates in is tracked by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA). Depending on the competition and her placement, she will get "points" and qualify for regionals, sectionals, and nationals. On those years that host the Olympics, the national team becomes the Olympic team. For others, they represent the United States in the Worlds.
Gabby has a lot of family, friends, and fans that keep up with her. Joe maintains a "blog" at http://gabbynieto.blogspot.com
There are also links to pictures and other information.
Joe has brought Gabby by our office before. Years ago, his brother Sammy worked at the H-C and their dad retired at the press room.
"Gabby always wants to come see you and we've tried a few times on Friday, be we just miss you. I will try to catch you before Gabby goes back to school. Hopefully, we will have great news from Tulsa."
And, they did. We learned about it by calling Little Gabby on Joe's cell phone as they arrived in the Houston area Tuesday afternoon.
All of Gabby's hard work obviously paid off.
Gabby captured the gold medal on her third and final event. But, first there was a little consternation when she scratched on the first two when she skated Thursday night after they got there and again Friday morning.
Things looked bleak at that point. Gabby told her parents, "I worked so hard and the judges aren't seeing it."
"Just keep trying your best," Joe said. "And she did. ON Saturday morning she skated the most beautiful program I ever saw her skate. In the ordinals, she got one's all across from the four judges," he told me when he got his turn on the phone. Her music was "Legends of the Fall" which was choreographed by Dorothy. Margaret Ganst, Dorothy's mother, made Gabby's dress.
Another Sugar Land skater, Sarah Bloom, was also in the competition and won the bronze medal.
Win, lose, or draw, the plan was for the Nietos to stop by Dallas on the way back home to Sugar Land for a couple of days with Joe's Uncle Roy DeLao, Susie's brother.
"He's a hoot!" Joe said. They were also going to have a "vacation day at Six Flags over Texas and look for the little old man (from the commercial)."
The music the little man dances to is the "ring" grandson Andrew put on our own cell phone.
