Injury inspires figure-skating Cadet to serve
By Vern Hockney
Staff writer
Morgan Clark dreamed of one day competing in the Olympics, to be cheered on by her countrymen as she battled for the gold medal, for the ultimate world title.
“From the get-go that was my goal … the Olympics,” Clark said. “Go big or go home, you know?”
By chance, Clark discovered her passion, figure skating, at 5 years old after watching a family friend perform one day. But Clark’s mom would not be so easy to convince. She told her daughter she would have to learn to roller skate first, and within half a year, Clark was a natural.
“Mom would say, ‘I was just hoping you would get cold or fall down and want to go home,’ “ Clark said.
But her dreams would be thwarted by a series of injuries – not the chill of the ice – until one final blow crushed her dreams of skating for the Olympic team. Still, Clark’s spirit, enthusiasm and go-get-‘em attitude still burns inside and is helping her at the Leader’s Training Course this summer.
Cadet Morgan Clark with Co. E 2/321st Inf. from Seattle Pacific University, climbs over the bridge at stream crossing on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Sarah Gordon
“I don’t remember anything except being very competitive,” said Clark, a Cadet with Co. E 2/321st IET.
In her first competition at the age 6, Clark took first place and at the age 9, she won two world titles while skating with the International Skating Institute. But that first trophy holds a special place in Clark’s heart.
“It still sits on my nightstand because it is my most prized trophy,” Clark said.
Skating consumed Clark’s life. She skated nearly every day and when she wasn’t skating, she was doing exercises like Pilates or ballet to help her in the rink.
“I never said the Pledge of Allegiance because I was always late (to school),” Clark said.
Events during high school, however, caused Clark to slow down and eventually reprioritize her life’s goals.
Her streak of bad luck began when she pulled her groin muscle, had appendicitis and mono. These ailments hampered how often she could skate.
Then last year, her senior year of high school, she was running when she broke her right ankle in three places and “that was the end all, be all.”
“Rainy Seattle left some nice muddy grass around a curve,” said Clark, 18.
And that was where her dreams of skating halted, but not her competitive attitude. A member of her high school’s Navy JROTC program, she was doing push-ups the day of her surgery so she could compete with the JROTC physical training team.
“I think I needed to reprioritize, and it got me more involved in my high school JROTC,” Clark said. “I don’t think I would be here if it wasn’t for living through that experience.”
Clark began attending Seattle Pacific University as a sophomore with 45 college credit hours she accrued during high school.
Capt. David Proctor, the scholarship enrollment officer from Clark’s host school, University of Washington, described her as a hard-charger who always tried to improve. Her ankle still gives her problems on occasion, but not enough to quit LTC.
Clark described an incident at Where Eagles Dare, where she bumped her ankle on one of the ropes and it became sore and tender afterward.
“It’s just annoying,” she said. “I would rather go out and hit it full force and kill it because that is my competitive nature.”
Your Grandmamom is SO proud, as should she be! We have been Dean Winner’s friends for 40 years and are so happy Margo has come into his (and our) lives. Strong soldiers are America’s power and pride. Good for YOU!!!! Love, Deana and Brian Martin in Olympia, Wa.