Athlete profile: David Tamburrino

Posted: Tue February 3, 1998 at 5:00 PM ET

Athlete notes

Gilligan's Island and The Lone Ranger almost deprived the speed skating world of one of its most promising athletes..."When I was five years old I watched way too much television," explains Tamburrino. "My parents took me to the skating rink to get me away from the television and then they canceled the cable. I thought it was fun and I've been skating ever since"...to keep him away from the television during his limited free time and also to instill the value of a work ethic, Tamburrino's parents Cathy, a special education teacher, and Joe, a company recruiter, insisted that their oldest son get a job to pay for the mounting speed skating expenses..."I had my first paper route when I was 12 years old," remembers Tamburrino. "I paid for all my plane tickets, skates, and bikes. If I wanted to go to Nationals, I had to do what it took to make enough money. At that time I wasn't very happy about it, but looking back I think it helped me with my training...Tamburrino is kind of the Lone Ranger on the American team -- he delights in the 10,000 meters...at the 1997 World All-Arounds, Tamburrino placed 10th in the 10,000m, and 12th in the 1,500 and 5,000..."I do train hard, I am not known to be a slacker," says Tamburrino. "When you love to skate, training isn't a chore; it's just something you have to do, like brushing your teeth. [But] in past years, I've worked so hard that it's produced obstacles like chronic overtraining. If you put two pounds of food in front of me, I'll eat it and if you tell me to train for eight hours then I'll do it. This year I've been trying to become more moderated and I think it's helping me"...US Speed Skating has only about five coaches of national caliber, and Tamburrino is making his way through each of them..."Pat Maxwell was my first coach and he taught me how to skate," begins Tamburrino. "I worked with Dianne Holum next and she groomed me for long track. Then I worked with Mike Crowe who helped me achieve world class success. I have been very lucky in the coach department"...at the 1994 Olympics, Tamburrino skated what he describes the "race of his life" inside the Viking Ship in Hamar...he placed 22nd in the 1,500 meters...now, he looks to Nagano as an opportunity to make an international name for himself...."I've had my chance at the Olympic experience, but in ‘98 I want to take it a step further and be a contender"...Tamburrino is also hoping that the introduction of clap skates, which allow the skater's heel to come up from the blade, producing a full range of motion, will help him become that contender in Nagano..."Last year I was beat at the end of the season because I didn't have the skates," he explains. "I do like them, I just told myself that I was going to have to finish the season without them. Now, equipment plays such a huge role. You could be the best, but someone may beat you because they have the better equipment. You just have to have the clap skates. If it means buying a new set every month then you do it"...during his limited free time, David keeps busy by planning for his future in radio broadcasting..."I am taking over a show for an hour on a classic hits station and I hope it will give me some experience. I also send in Olympic diaries to USA Today's Nagano website to help me with my writing"...Tamburrino is a sophomore at Marquette University but is taking a break from classes until after the Olympics...he has two brothers, Mike and John, and a sister Jody...