Anthony DeLuca

Anthony DeLuca and partner Jessica Gaudy hope to place well in the World Roller Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, China. (Scott Swetnam, SS Pro Photos / September 14, 2013)



DeLuca's morning routine is atypical for the average American 23-year old but most 23-year-olds don't have a shot to become a world champion figure roller skater like DeLuca does.

Early mornings aren't the only sacrifice DeLuca, who grew up in Baltimore, makes in pursuit of his dream. He hopes to place well in the World Roller Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, China, but he doesn't make money skating and needs a job to afford the travel expenses.

So between his two-hour workout and time spent caring for the animals on his farm, DeLuca works about 10 hours a day at a CVS pharmacy.

"There's not very many people out there that would do what he does," DeLuca's mother, Marie DeLuca, said. "He's very dedicated and very driven."

DeLuca said he might get one day off each week at CVS. Skating practice, however, is every day.

"Obviously, it's a schedule that creates long days and lots of hard work, but it's worth it," DeLuca said. "I get a chance to compete and do what I want to do."

There are small technical differences, but figure roller skating is similar to figure ice skating: Competitors perform a routine and are awarded points by a panel of judges for technique and skill. DeLuca said there are about 300 competitive artistic roller skaters in the United States.

DeLuca competes in solo competitions but also competes with a partner, Jessica Gaudy, who lives in Kissimmee, Fla. Every other weekend, DeLuca flies out to meet Gaudy in Florida, and the pair practices their routines at Gaudy's family's rink.

"It's great that he's able to come train so often," Gaudy said. "It's really a big commitment for both of us, but it's something you have to do to reach this level."

Though DeLuca doesn't take a break from roller skating, he said he's not at risk of getting burnt out, considering he's done it his entire life.

Marie DeLuca, came from a family of artistic roller skaters and competed in the sport herself. By the time Anthony DeLuca was 3 years old, his mother had already helped him strap on skates and was taking him to the rink.

DeLuca quickly took to the sport and spent much of his childhood on skates, coached by his mother at first, though she ultimately yielded that job to others.

"It's kind of like teaching your kid to drive a car," Marie DeLuca said. "Eventually, it helped him more to be with other coaches."

DeLuca now trains with Ron Fitzgerald, a member of the USA Roller Sports Competitive Coaches Roller Skating Hall of Fame.

Only once, when DeLuca was about 13 years old, did he decide he needed a break. He even considered giving up the sport entirely.

He still had fun roller skating, but he felt he needed to focus on schoolwork and wanted to try his hand at other sports DeLuca also played baseball and fenced as a teenager.

"I just devoted so much of my life to roller skating and I had always been doing it," DeLuca said. "I thought I wanted to have more free time to do some other things."

So DeLuca took time off from skating to focus on playing baseball and hanging out with friends, but he couldn't stay away from the rink for long. About a year after giving up competitive artistic roller skating, DeLuca realized he didn't have the same drive and passion for other things.