Joseph Mero

Joseph Mero (born c. 1965) is an American former pair skater. With his skating partner, Katy Keeley, he won silver at the 1984 St. Ivel International, gold at the 1986 Skate America, bronze at the 1987 Skate Canada International, bronze at the 1987 NHK Trophy, and bronze at the 1988 Grand Prix International de Paris. They are four-time U.S. national medalists, having won bronze in 1987 and 1989, and pewter in 1986 and 1988.

Joseph Mero
Bornc. 1965 (age 57–58)
Height6 ft (183 cm)[1]
Figure skating career
CountryUnited States
PartnerKaty Keeley, Tammy Crowson, Maria Lako
CoachJohn Nicks
Retired1994

Personal life

Joseph Mero was born c. 1965. His father, Joseph Mero Sr., worked at a paper plant in Detroit, and his mother, Bernie, had emphysema.[1]

Skating career

Early career

Mero began roller skating as a five-year-old and switched to ice skating six years later.[1] Competing with Maria Lako, he placed 5th in junior pairs at the 1983 U.S. Championships. He and Tammy Crowson won the junior bronze medal at the 1984 U.S. Championships.

Partnership with Keeley

Mero teamed up with Katy Keeley in 1984. John Nicks served as their coach throughout their career as a pair.[2][1]

Keeley/Mero's first international medal, a silver, came at the 1984 St. Ivel International in England. They stepped onto a national podium for the first time at the 1986 U.S. Championships, taking the pewter medal for fourth place. The following season, they won gold at the 1986 Skate America and bronze at the 1987 U.S. Championships.

In the 1987–1988 Olympic season, Keeley/Mero won bronze at the 1987 Skate Canada International and 1987 NHK Trophy before placing fourth at the 1988 U.S. Championships. In 1988, Keeley sustained a concussion at an ice show in London.[1]

1988–1989 was Keeley/Mero's fifth season together. Granted free ice time at the Ice Capades Chalet in Costa Mesa, California, the pair was training on-ice daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.[1] They won the bronze medal at the 1988 Grand Prix International de Paris and then received bronze at the 1989 U.S. Championships.[3] After nationals, they decided to retire from competition.[2]

Partnership with Urbanski

He skated one season with Calla Urbanski in 1993-1994,winning the Eastern Sectionals but placing 7th at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Ban by USFSA

He is now banned for life from the USFSA and Professional Skaters Association after a hearing found him guilty of Code of Ethics violations relating to harassment and abuse.[4]

Competitive highlights

With Keeley
International[5]
Event 84–85 85–86 86–87 87–88 88–89
International de Paris3rd
NHK Trophy3rd
Prize of Moscow News4th
Skate America1st
Skate Canada4th3rd
St. Ivel International2nd
National
U.S. Championships5th4th3rd4th3rd

With Lako and Crowson
National
Event 1982–83
(Lako)		 1983–84
(Crowson)
U.S. Championships5th J3rd J

With Calla Urbanski
National
Event 1993-94
U.S. Championships7th

References
  1. Ludovise, Barbie (January 29, 1989). "Differences Melt Away When This Pair of Skaters Take the Ice". Los Angeles Times.
  2. Elfman, Lois (August 14, 2014). "Former pairs skater Keeley brings teamwork to OR". IceNetwork.com.
  3. Hersh, Phil (February 12, 1989). "Scrutiny Of Judges Comes Too Late". Chicago Tribune.
  4. GRIEVANCES / PERSONS BANNED OR SUSPENDED FROM U.S. FIGURE SKATING MEMBERSHIP / PERSONS PERMANENTLY BANNED FROM U.S. FIGURE SKATING
  5. "Results Book, Volume 2: 1974–current" (PDF). Skate Canada. Archived from the original on September 20, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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