Laci Stapp is an aspiring Olympic athlete. Laci has been roller or ice skating
since the moment she could stand. Born on December 20, 1993 in Columbia, South
Carolina, Laci began roller skating at the age of two. Her roller skating
career began in Augusta, Georgia, where she was coached by Kathy Nave.
Traveling an hour to practice in Augusta she would train from 2-3 hours, 6
days a week. She competed in many events across the South eventually placing
at the Southern Region Championships and competing at the USA Roller Skating
National Championships. Laci did well but wanted more, the Olympics. That
would be a problem. Artistic Roller Skating is not included in the Olympics,
only Worlds. Her coach seeing that Laci's dream was to go to the Olympics,
suggested that her parents, Jacquie & Jeffrey Stapp, try her in ice
skating. There she might be able to capture her dream.
Off went the entire Stapp family to the Augusta ice rink and began
lessons. It was an easy transition for Laci. She knew she belonged to ice
skating from the moment she set her foot on the cold, clear ice rink. At six
and a half years old she began ice skating full time. Beginning with classes,
and moving quickly to private lessons and long hours on the ice. The
instructors saw talent, desire and a work ethic rarely found in one so young.
Within months Laci was taking tests and wanted to compete. She had her chance
at a small meet in Augusta and was immediately hooked on ice!
Lessons in Augusta lasted about six months. The traveling was taking a
toll of the family so they looked closer to home for a coach. Iceland in
Columbia, South Carolina, which was about 30 minutes from her house, would be
the next stop. Bethany Everhart, the director of the ice skating school at
Iceland, coached Laci for a short time. But once again Laci was going to
be looking for a new coach as Bethany explained to Laci and her parents, that
in order to make it anywhere in ice skating she must go North. Once again Laci
would travel to move up the ladder towards the Olympic Dream.
Lady luck was watching over Laci. In 2003 two Russian ice skating
coaches, Oleg and Natalia Efimov, had moved to Raleigh, North Carolina looking
for students to train kids at the Olympic level. So the next stop would be to
Raleigh, NC, where only one lesson with these special coaches and Laci and her
mother and sister were on the road once a week to Raleigh. Like many Olympic
bound ice skaters, the family was divided with the skater and one parent on
the road while the other, in Laci’s case her dad, stayed at home taking care
of the house and working to pay the bills. Laci, her sister, Tare, and mom
would stay in a hotel for about 4 days or however many days they could afford,
with Laci taking lessons from Oleg and Natalia. When she was not taking
lessons, her mom and sister would watch her practice those new skills every
day for hours. When she was not at the rink practicing, there was home
schooling to keep up with daily. The Efimovs coached Laci for about three
years. She competed in competitions all over the North and South going to
major competitions, including regionals. She did very well, coming in the Top
4 or 5.
The family was struggling to pay the bills. Ice skating is very
expensive but with such a talented young lady her family would do anything to
see her achieve her dream. Laci always felt God had given her this special
talent for a reason but it was hard to be away from her dad, aunt and animals
at home in the South Carolina. She was very homesick. Mom and her daughters
had finally rented a small apartment but it was not going to be possible to
unite the family and the costs of two residents was taunting. Laci prayed for
help never giving up always hoping that some how she could have her family and
skate in the same town.
In
April, her father was driving home from work and was hit by a drunk driver
when he was turning into the driveway. Laci, her mom, sister, and aunt were at
yet another competition at the time. After Laci had competed that
evening, the dreaded phone call came. After getting off the phone, they packed
their clothes and drove home. Her dad recovered, but Laci felt it was becoming
too hard on the entire family traveling to and from Columbia to Raleigh. A
decision was made; the family would stay together in one home in Columbia. She
and her parents would look for a coach in South Carolina that could take her
to the Olympic level she needed. As time ticked by, she practiced on her own,
her mom at her side through all of this. Mom had sat through hours of lessons
and listened so she helped with what she had learned.
November 2005, brought a great change and her prayer was answered. Two
Olympic coaches, Evy and Mary Scotvold, moved to Aiken, SC, and were coaching
in Augusta, Georgia. Her career had gone in a full circle. Having
coached Nancy Kerrigan and Paul Wylie, they were well known. Laci having been
without a coach for about a year and a half was delighted and excited to get
lessons from them. She started taking lessons in November and has been with
them since. Mary told Laci's mom, she is a very good athlete, has definite
talent in this sport, and has wonderful work ethic. Laci is not a stranger to
hard work knowing that it is the only way to get to the Olympics. To win, work
even harder. She trains 6 days a week for 2-3 hours. When able to afford
lessons, she gets two lessons, one from Mary and Evy, and one from her other
coach Libby Chabot-Lundeen. She works really hard, striving to be the best.
Laci realizes she is truly blessed and that God has given her a gift.
At thirteen she knows it takes time and patience, hard work and dedication, to
make it in this sport. She has the hunger and drive to be America's next
Olympic Figure Skating Champion. Because she knows her dream is right in her
grasps, and she isn't going to give up until she captures her dream.
