While preparing Petra's profile as one of the next Featured Skaters on Rocker-U, I came across a couple of interesting articles:
ACKER CHASING HER DREAMBy Stan Hudy, The Saratogian; Friday, Feb 6, 2009Photo Credit: Ed Burke, The SaratogianSARATOGA SPRINGS — Petra Acker likes to go fast — real fast.
That was her first inclination when the Clifton Park native decided to join the sport of speedskating after watching her grandfather, Howie Ganong, race around on the ice. Her ability within the sport and her passion for speed earned her a spot on the United States World Junior Long Track Speedskating team and a trip to the junior world competition in Poland beginning Feb. 20.
“I liked going fast and each time we skated with other people. I said ‘I know I can go faster, I can go faster,’” Acker said.
The 15-year-old has been skating for the past six years, learning to adapt to her chosen sport.
“You have to adapt and learn how to go fast, but still be in control,” Acker said. “Even now there are times when I don’t feel in control.”
Acker has had success in both long track and short track. She is currently the two-time short track national championship within her age group, a three-time North American short track champion in her age group and a national long track championship in her age group. She won a bronze medal at the U.S. Junior Long Track Championships in Minnesota, earning her spot on the Junior World team.
“They take the top two overall (finishers) then they take the next fastest time in each distance,” Acker explained. “I qualified in the 1,500 (meter), but I may skate more distances.”
While thrilled with the opportunity, she just missed out on qualifying for the short track squad.
“I was very disappointed,” Acker said. “I just had to pick myself up. In short track anything can happen. I have to pick myself up and move on.”
Long track contests are duals between two skaters competing on a 400-meter oval racing against the clock. Short track competition is determined on a 111-meter oval between groups of skaters involving heats, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
The sport came naturally for Acker.
“Being home-schooled we needed to have a physical education requirement and her grandfather skated,” her father, Don Acker said. “He took her skating, she just took to it and loved it. After a certain point it was time for her to be coached by Casey Wager and now she’s coached by Paul Marchese with the Saratoga Winter Club.
Acker has had success at both styles, but has had to come to accept where her body will take her in the sport.
“I’m perfectly built for long track,” the lanky teenager said. “I have a long push, stride ... but I still like short track. It’s way more exciting.”
When Acker began skating six years ago her first coach, Jim “Casey” Wager, saw that she was special and could reach the highest levels within the sport.
“It’s like building a house,” Wager said. “If you have a good skater you have to build them from the bottom up, with a good foundation. I’ve always felt that she was Olympic material and I really think that I am being proven right.”
Wager has coached more than 35 skaters, including several Olympians.
“They were all very good, but the temperament of skaters like Petra is completely different,” Wager said. “They are low-key kids. They don’t have tempers, they don’t throw their hats after a race.”
Wager remembers some of the early skating sessions with Acker.
“They have to like it,” Wager said. “I was told in the early years that Petra didn’t want to do it. She used to take and bring a bucket to the rink and play with a bucket. She would skate around, play around. It took me a while to get rid of the bucket. Now you have a very dedicated girl, who doesn’t give up easy, that’s a hard worker and very intelligent.”
The home-schooled teenager began to realize her potential approximately three years ago.
“It was the first time that I won nationals,” Acker said. “I had a successful weekend. I was getting personal bests and felt comfortable on my skates.”
From there she began to set goals for herself.
“Once she began to skate and have success at the national level she was gunning for (World Championships),” Don Acker said. “She was very aware of the different levels and what it would take. She works towards that.
“Her goal was making nationals and then the world team,” Don Acker said. “From there, making the Olympics is her ultimate goal.”
She will leave for Poland on Feb. 10 and this won’t be just a site seeing trip overseas.
“I want to go and experience everything, but it still comes down to me wanting to do my best,” Acker said. “I still think that I’m still too young, there are a lot of good girls there. I want to go and skate my best.”