Longtime figure skater opens Saugus school

SAUGUS – Former Saugus resident Jackie Harris Mercurio said she got her first taste for ice skating at Hockeytown on Route 1 in Saugus when she was just 3 years old.Now, after 30 years as a figure skater traveling through most of central Europe and Canada as part of the U.S. National Team, Mercurio is back at Hockeytown to teach the sport to which she has dedicated most of her life.?We start at 3 years old and go all the way to adults,” said Mercurio, who lives on the Lynn side of the Lynn/Saugus border now. “We have people that have never been on the ice before that want to get some instruction before they start out all the way up to advanced skaters.”Boston Common Skating School opened three weeks ago and just had its third session this past weekend.?We rent ice time through the rink and you can run your own thing on the ice whether it be figure skating, hockey or learn to skate like we are,” said Mercurio, who has also been running a skating school in Boston for 10 years.But while she said she doesn?t have many students yet, Mercurio noted she tries to keep class sizes small, about six for each teacher.Mercurio works in construction full-time, but called teaching skating her “give back.”?I?ve been skating for 30 years and I?ve been able to travel around the world and train under some of the most amazing coaches, and have had some great opportunities,” said Mercurio. “Now it?s my turn to try to teach kids the same things that I learned growing up.”Mercurio said she has more than 500 signed up for her Boston class and is hoping she will be able to get similar numbers in Saugus as winter approaches.?It?s my first couple of weeks in Saugus and not everyone is thinking skating yet,” said Mercurio.Mercurio grew up figure skating and playing hockey, and said when your dad drops you off at the rink every week, skating “becomes part of your life.”?I tried to walk away a couple of times, but every year I get more and more excited for it,” said Mercurio. “I decided to open up a learn to skate school because that was the most fun part of my skating growing up.”Mercurio has skated in singles and synchronized skating events for the U.S. National Team, and said some of her best memories of competing are when there was no competition at all.?My fondest memories of skating in general is being able to travel and skate with my friends,” said Mercurio. “Skating for me was always very competitive ? and having your friends around you and being able to do fun things were my favorite times because when you?re competing all the times it?s serious and stressful.”But even while she was able to travel the world, Mercurio said she always wanted to come back to Saugus to teach.?It was kind of my goal when I started,” said Mercurio. “I lucked out and got into a great school in Boston, and always wanted to come home and start something at Hockeytown. It was just the right time. I have tons of family that live in Saugus and lots of friends that have little kids.”Boston Common Skating School classes are held on Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. and Sundays at 4:30 p.m. Classes cost $20.More information, including registration forms, can be found at bostoncommonskatingschool.com.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].