Moeller looking to finance Olympic ice dreams

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A fundraiser to further skater Jordan Moeller’s training is scheduled for Friday. | Supplied photo

Updated: February 13, 2012 9:17AM

For a change, Jordan Moeller won’t be competing in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships when the event unfolds Jan. 22 to 29 in San Jose, Calif.

The Richards High School junior, the 2010 Men’s Intermediate national champ and silver medalist last year in the Novice Division, failed to qualify for the nationals after stepping up to the Men’s Junior Division.

“He missed by 1.1 points,” Jordan’s mother, Martha Moeller, said Wednesday.

That Jordan would have qualified out of any section other than the always-tough Midwest with his career-best total of 153.89 only added urgency to a plan already in motion before November’s sectionals.

A fundraiser to benefit Jordan’s future training is being held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Richards. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children, and are available at the door or by contacting Debbie Swanson at (708) 699-5461 or Martha Moeller at (708) 927-8867.

“What we’re trying to accomplish is to raise enough money to be able to enhance his training,” Martha said. “If it wasn’t for the support he has now, he’d be done skating. We couldn’t keep him in it.”

In his first year competing at the junior level — one cut below the Olympic-caliber Senior Division — Jordan won the Upper Great Lakes Regional title in October. The top four at each sectional qualify for nationals, and Jordan was fifth at the Midwest.

At 16, Jordan was younger than all but one of the competitors to reach nationals. His age and relative inexperience suggest he has untapped potential, but tapping it costs money.

“We’re spending probably between $16,000 and $20,000 on his training,” Martha said. “Thirty (thousand dollars) or $40,000 would be more realistic to help him get more of what he needs.”

Predominantly, that is ice time. Though coaching and competition fees are not insignificant, Martha said, “The big chunk is ice time.”

Ice time, she said, ranges from $6 to $8 per half-hour.

“Jordan’s coach would like him to skate a minimum of three hours a day, six days a week,” she said.

Friday’s fundraiser includes dinner, catered by Beggars Pizza, and raffles.