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Richard O‘Brien Chronicle Staft You might say Kathy Alcock passed an aptitude test when she went to roller skating coach Mickey Johnson seven years ago. Although Alcock was just nine years old at the time, Johnson was so sure she could make it as a roller skater she was willing to put money on it. The natural And now today Alcock, a 16â€" yearâ€"old Waterloo native who attends Grade 13 at St. John‘sâ€" Kilmarnock private school, is training to go to the world championships for seniors comâ€" petition in Bogota, Columbia, from Nov. 24â€"30. ‘"‘That‘s how much confidence she had in me. I was surprised and so was my dad." _ _ _ She‘s come a long after the surprise of hearing from Johnson tell how good she‘d become that time seven years ago. What Johnson was looking for was balance and coordination. ‘"If you don‘t have those two things you‘ll never make it in skating," said Alcock. "I‘m not trying to blow my own horn but I‘ve done some amateur coachâ€" ing and you can tell who‘s going ‘‘She said if I didn‘t make it to the nationals she would pay for my skates ($500), my amateur card ($1%/and my provincials expenses," said Alcock. Balance and coordination make this roller skater a success She didn‘t let her coach down that year as she finished third out of 14 skaters in elementary figures at the provincial level before edging out 24 other skatâ€" ers in national competition. to make it and who‘s not." Alcock skates for Phoenix, which is a local branch of Scooters Hamilton. Practices are held wherever and whenever there is a smooth flat surface and on Sunday Phoenix members were at Kitchener‘s Wilson arena, which will soon have ice for hockey players. They‘ve practiced in wareâ€" houses when rinks are unavailâ€" able and they usually put in 12â€"15 hours a week although they were Kathy Alcock up to 30 hours about three years ago in Guelph. Skaters also help operate club bingos and the time involved cuts down on other social activity. *"I don‘t usually go to dances and I don‘t go out with anybody," said Alcock. "If I go out it‘s with the skating crowd. We usually practice the entire weekend. It really takes a lot of dedication to be a skater." The trip to the world champiâ€" onships will be Alcock‘s first and while the thought of it makes her nervous she‘s looking forward to it although she‘ll have the disadâ€" vantage of being unknown to the judges. "It‘s desirable to be known but we‘re aiming for 10th at the worlds. The highest finish Canaâ€" dians have ever had is 10th." Another Scooters member making the trip to Bogota will be 12â€"yearâ€"old Jeffrey Kidd of Kitâ€" chener. Alcock also competes in novice dance with Larry Schmidt and together they‘ve won in the provincials and nationals. But there is no novice dance event at the world level. Looking ahead, Alcock also hopes to compete in the Panâ€"Am Games in Indianapolis in 1987 as well as next year‘s provincial, national and world events. After that, there is some possibility of roller skating becoming an Olympic event in 1988. WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1986 â€" PAGE 31 60 Schaetfter St., Waterioo â€" (519) 884â€"0860 (off Weber Street between King and Albert) OLYMPIC REGENCY SQ. COBBLESTONE PAVING STONE An interlocking curbstone that _ i and colors defines and hens your paving severa dod?:rs ‘mm- DRIVEWAYS, SIDEWALKS, * Coupon must be presented PATiOS, PARKING LOTS, when placing order AROUND SWIMMING * Coupon expires Oct. 31/86 END OF SUMMER CLEARANCE * SALE 5* Decraâ€"loc PAVING STONE D. Barnett & Co. Ltd. LOCâ€"WALL Curbâ€"Loc . .. 2 Ah. g STEP STACKER