History of the Preston Figure Skating Club
For more than six decades, Preston Figure Skating Club has grown through the dedication of coaches, volunteers, families, and skaters who shaped our community. Our history is filled with achievements, but also with the people who made them possible.
1950s–1960s: In the Beginning
The Preston FSC was formed in the fall of 1958 with a membership of about 50 skaters and quickly grew from there. Under the careful direction of coach Fay Love, the club showcased its talents in its first carnival in 1961, “Rhapsody.”
By the 1964–1965 season, coaches Bonnie Goss and Kerry Leitch trained the first team of 13 skaters for the Western Ontario Sectional Competition.
Coach Kerry Leitch
1965–1970: The Start of the Podium
In 1965–1966, the sectional team grew to 29 members and the club celebrated its first gold medals: Jane Patterson (novice ladies) and Barbara Schilling (junior ladies).
Preston Memorial Auditorium circa 1960
1970s: A Decade of Champions
1971: Janice Maikawa & Reed MacDonald earned Preston’s first medal at Canadian Championships, placing second in novice pairs.
1973–1975: Kathy Hutchinson & Jamie McGrigor became junior pair champions in 1973, placed 3rd as seniors in 1974, and represented Canada at Worlds. In 1975, they won silver at Canadians and finished 14th at Worlds.
Mid‑1970s:Sherri Baier (Phelan) & Robin Cowan captured the Canadian novice pairs title in 1975, won World Junior Pairs in 1976, and later represented Canada at Worlds.
Late 1970s:Paul Mills & Josie Franc (Jamieson) won the junior world title in 1977. Lloyd Eisler & Lorri Baier earned silver in junior pairs in 1978 and won Junior Canadians in 1979. Beccy Gough (Magliarisi) & Mark Rowsom finished third at World Juniors.
Lorri Baier & Lloyd Eisler
Sherri Baier & Robin Cowan
Becky Gough and Mark Rowsom
Kathy Hutchinson & Jamie McGrigor
Josie France and Paul Mills
1980s: Rising to the World Stage
In 1981 Lorri Baier & Lloyd Eisler finished ninth at the World Championships. Two years later Eisler and his new partner Katherina Matousek were 10th while Cynthia Coull & Mark Rowsom were ninth.
Eisler & Matousek finished 8th at the 1984 Olympics while Melinda Kunhegyi & Lyndon Johnston were 12th. Eisler & Matousek continued to improve in 1985, capturing a bronze medal at Worlds, while Kunhegyi & Johnston finished 5th.
Coull & Rowsom finished skating together with a bronze medal at the 1986 World Championships. Denise Benning & Lyndon Johnston finished sixth in the 1988 Calgary Olympics and fifth at Worlds, while Christine Hough & Doug Ladret were eighth in Calgary and ninth at Worlds.
Cindy Landry teamed up with Lyndon Johnston for the 1989 World Championships where they captured a best‑ever silver medal.
Katherina Matousek & Lloyd Eisler
Denise Benning & Lyndon Johnston
Melinda Kunhegyi & Lyndon Johnston
Cynthia Coull & Mark Rowsom
Christine Hough & Doug Ladret
1990s: Continued Success
At the 1991 Worlds, Hough & Ladret finished 11th and finished ninth at the 1992 Olympics. In 1992 Jodeyne Higgins & Sean Rice finished third at Canadians while Kevin Wheeler & Michelle Menzies finished fourth.
In 1993 Higgins & Rice advanced to the World Championships finishing 10th. They returned to the podium in 1995 with a bronze at Canadians and finished 14th at Worlds.
The 1997 Novice Pair Bronze Medalists were Ashley Daly & Greg Moore. At the 1998 Canadian Championships, Samantha Marchant won bronze in junior ladies. Elisabeth Rumble & Mathew Hickey finished 4th in Novice Pairs.
Melissa Mazzon & Mark Leslie finished 1st at the North American Challenge in pairs, while Matt King finished 3rd in men’s competition. In 1999 Krista Ricciatti & Shawn Verasammy won the Juvenile Pairs title. Melissa Masson & Mark Leslie won gold at the Junior Grand Prix in Ostrava.
Christine Hough & Doug Ladret
Jodeyne Higgins & Sean Rice
2000s: Skaters Across All Disciplines
At the 2000 Canadian Championships, Alyssa Wise & Ricardo DiNucci finished 4th at Novice, while Mazzon & Leslie finished 3rd in Junior. That summer Shannon Smith & Chris Hube finished 2nd in the North American Challenge.
In 2001 Krista Ricciatti & Shawn Verasammy finished third in pre‑novice at the Junior Canadian Championships. In 2002 Carolyn McEwen & Gord Willemse finished 4th in Junior at Canadians.
Aimee Collier & Chris Richardson represented Canada at the 2002 North American Challenge. Claire Daugulis & Bryce Davison competed at their first Junior Grand Prix event in Phoenix.
At the 2003 Senior Nationals, Collier & Richardson placed 3rd in Junior Pairs. Bryce Davison finished 3rd in Junior Men. Taylor Steele & Dan Jackson trained at PFSC weekly and finished 3rd in Pre‑Novice Pairs at the 2004 Junior Nationals.
Carolyn McEwen & Gord Willemse
2010s: A New Era of National‑Level Development
The 2010s marked a renewed period of competitive growth for Preston Figure Skating Club, with athletes advancing through Skate Ontario and Skate Canada pathways in singles, pairs, and STAR disciplines. PFSC skaters continued to qualify for Sectional, Provincial, and National events, earning strong results across multiple levels and contributing to the club’s reputation for developing well‑rounded, technically strong athletes.
A major highlight of the decade came from Jamie Knoblauch & Cody Wong, who trained out of the Champions Training Centre (Team Preston) in Cambridge. Together, they represented Canada internationally in Junior Pairs, including an assignment to the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Saransk, Russia (2016).
In the same season, Knoblauch & Wong captured gold at the 2016 Canadian Novice Pairs Championships. The team also earned recognition locally and nationally, receiving honors such as the George Hill Team Award and being celebrated at the City of Cambridge Athletic Recognition ceremonies.
Throughout the decade, PFSC expanded its coaching team, strengthened off‑ice training programs, and modernized technical development. The 2010s laid a strong foundation for the club’s continued success into the 2020s, with PFSC skaters consistently demonstrating dedication, resilience, and pride in representing Preston at home and across Canada.
Jamie Knoblauch & Cody Wong
2020s: Renewal, Resilience, and a Modern Home for PFSC
The 2020s brought a period of disruption and rebuilding for Preston Figure Skating Club. Through the challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic and years of construction‑related interruptions, PFSC skaters and families showed exceptional resilience. Training continued wherever possible, athletes progressed through STAR levels, and skaters returned to competition as events resumed across Skate Ontario.
A defining change of this decade was the complete renovation of Preston Memorial Auditorium, giving PFSC a refreshed, modernized space to train in after years of uncertainty. The updated facility represents a new chapter for the club. One shaped not by ease, but by perseverance, adaptability, and the strength of the PFSC community.
With expanded programming, renewed energy, and a new generation of skaters rising through the ranks, the 2020s reflect PFSC’s commitment to growth and excellence, even in the face of significant challenges. This decade stands as a testament to the club’s determination and pride in its long-standing legacy.
The Newly Renovated Preston Memorial Auditorium