McHenry Community High School alum Brooke Gewalt has come a long way from her hectic ice skating training schedule during high school. But even after earning a spot on the U.S. Figure Skating National Team, Gewalt is still finding time to share her passion with her hometown.
Brooke, who finished 14th in the nation at the most recent U.S. Figure Skating Championships, is headlining the first “Heart of the Fox” event Dec. 20 at McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes in downtown. (The original Dec. 13 date was changed due to weather.)
She’ll skate, sign autographs and even teach skating from 2-4 p.m. at the outdoor ice rink in Miller Point Park, 1204 N. Riverside, adjacent to the outdoor McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes. Hosted by the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, the event includes photo opportunities, raffles and more.
Gewalt, a 2022 McHenry High School graduate, said she’s looking forward to giving an up-close view of ice skating to the community.
“Figure skaters are often overlooked. A lot of people don’t understand what truly goes into it,” said Gewalt, who competes nationally and internationally. “I think an event like this one is a great way for me to show skating to my town.”
These days, Gewalt’s schedule is filled with training early in the morning, online classes at McHenry County College, teaching skating classes at the Crystal Ice House, then more training. In high school, she was at the rink early, then at school, then back to the rink. In both cases, add in the time spent traveling and competing.
“The high school did a lot to accommodate my training,” Gewalt said.
Now this coming January, she’ll compete in her third U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but for the first time as a top 18 skater in the nation. This will also be a qualifying event for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Italy Feb. 6-22.
Gewalt takes the busy schedule in stride, noting that the work is worth it if you are doing something you love. Her advice to others is to believe in yourself and keep pushing
“I always knew I would do something amazing in skating. I think that is the mindset you have to have,” she said. “If you want to do the extraordinary things in life, you have to do the extra work.”
