Figure skating is true blessing to award-winner Kurt Browning

When Kurt Browning was 6 years old, his father built him a skating rink in the back yard of their home in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada. The rink consisted of four plywood boards, snow around the edges and the ice.

"As a kid, I remember playing with my white German shepherd on the ice," said Browning. "He'd get my puck and run away, and I would run after him with my skates on through the snow and rocks. My dad had to put a muzzle on the dog so it couldn't pick up the puck."

Browning, 34, has placed first in three World Professional Figure Skating championships. He also won the 1997 Canadian Professional Championships.

Browning plans to skate on Thursday at the First Union Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township for the Target "Stars on Ice" show. Scott Hamilton, Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Ilia Kulik, Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, Yuka Sato, Denis Petrov, Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur, and Steven Cousins are scheduled to take part.

Backyard skating rinks are common in rural Canada, said Browning. Every kid in town owned a pair of ice skates. As he grew older, it became less popular to figure skate, but Browning was having so much fun he forgot to quit.

"There was one other older person in town who was a great athlete and a figure skater," said Browning. "So I thought, 'If he can do it, then so can I.' "

Browning's biggest rush comes from the power he finds on the ice. "You can fly 17 or 18 feet through the air across the ice under control," said Browning. "I go to work every day and people applaud. Anyone who gets a standing ovation at the end of a work day is pretty blessed."

When he was 22 years old, Browning was the first person to land a quadruple jump in competition. He performed the feat at the 1988 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

"It was something I did to say, 'Hi, here I am,' " said Browning. "I wanted to bring some attention to myself. It was almost as simple as ... I wanted to land it in competition so that the girls would notice me."

A portion of the proceeds from the "Stars on Ice" tour will go to the Target House in Memphis, Tenn.

"We just gave them a check for $250,000," said Browning. "Scott Hamilton has also donated a workout room."

Browning stressed that Scott Hamilton fans should be sure to see this show because it could be the last time Hamilton visits Wilkes-Barre Township.

"He's not retiring, but he's definitely not doing full tours anymore," said Browning. "So we are paying homage to him on this tour. The show is centered around him. Depending on your mood, the ending is inspirational or tearful."

Whenever Browning's family reflects on the journey from their backyard skating rink in Canada to Olympic arenas across the world, Browning's father is speechless at the thought of his son's success.