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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2010 /  Local Olympian

by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published February 19, 2010

Photo Courtesy of Pettit National Ice Center Jilleanne Rookard, of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven, trains at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee.

WOODHAVEN — The crowd of several dozen that gathered in Our Lady of the Woods Parish social hall was disappointed they didn't see their friend on the television broadcast of the Olympics, to be sure.

But the group of choir and prayer group members still cheered on and supported Jilleanne Rookard, 27, an Olympic speedskater. She finished 12th in the women's 3,000-meter event Sunday, and has three more events this weekend and next week.

The gathered crowd, which included her brother, niece, nephew, church friends and plenty of food, all spoke of their friend as being a humble, talented, kind young lady. Family friend Dee Lassen said Rookard is not only an upbeat, happy and focused person, but she has a beautiful faith.

"She worked really hard to get where she's at," Lassen said, including giving up college, to train. Rookard, a champion roller blader, switched to ice about three years ago, and Lassen remembered Rookard telling her how clumsy she was on her new skates.

But the road to the Olympics has had difficulties — Rookard's mother died of multiple myeloma in December, although she lived long enough to learn that her daughter had made the Olympic team. Lassen, who called Rookard's mother, Claire, Rookard's biggest supporter, said Rookard had held Lassen up spiritually at the funeral — and even sang.

Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic Reyna Cheslick and Jennifer Cisco, Our Lady of the Woods members, add a message to a "Go Jill Go" sign to be given to Rookard when she returns.

Choir member Yvonne Patterson, who made a "Go Jill Go" sign that party attendees signed to give to Rookard later, remembered that Claire Rookard pushed Jilleanne to train, even when being cared for by her daughter. "Her mother lives on in her," Patterson said. "She's inspirational, to anybody of any age. She walks in the room and the Holy Spirit just glows within her. She's an awesome young lady."

Fr. Rick Macey, pastor of Our Lady of the Woods, also remembered Rookard's mother pushing and encouraging her daughter through hard times and disappointments. "Her mother was her greatest cheerleader," he said.

Fr. Macey said he would see Rookard practicing at a nearby park, working on her distance event on her roller blades. "Jill should be recognizable — she has a unique smile," he said. "She's really a lovely lady in many different ways."

Mario Amore, the parish's former music director and now a seminarian at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, became friends with Rookard when she joined the choir. He said his friend has a good spirit.

"You never think you know anybody who would make it that far," he said of her making the Olympic team. "She's very good, but she never liked to admit it. She's always thankful to God for her gifts and abilities."

Brian Rookard, one of Jilleanne's six siblings, also came to the parish party, being involved at Our Lady of the Woods through their mother. Although he couldn't be in Vancouver with the rest of his family for the entire time, he was planning on leaving today to catch the last of her events.

He wasn't surprised to see so many people gathered together to support his sister, who has been skating since she was 11 months old. "She always worked hard," he said. "She's very deserving of this — she dedicated her time to this."

He said although the family mourned the loss of their mom in December, her passing also allowed Jilleanne to focus on her training without having to worry about how their mother was doing back home. Their father passed away when Jilleanne was 18.

"Jilleanne always said it was great mom got to know she had made it," he said.

Six of the seven siblings live in the area, and the other is still only a few hours' drive away, so the family has always been close, Brian Rookard said, and owns Skateland roller rink in Woodhaven. "We all work together at the rink — we help each other out, have dinner together, do something together."

He said there are a lot of kids at Skateland who Jilleanne has taught to skate, and one of those happened to be at Sunday's church party. Brandon Lassen, 10, grandson of Dee Lassen, said Jilleanne was a good teacher.

"I got my roller skates on, and we went on to the rink," he said. "She taught me how to roll around. She taught me how to stay on my feet."