Local Look
National champion Allison Baver didn't always have speed skating in her sights. Born in Reading, Pa., Baver competed in the national roller skating championships in Philadelphia at age 11. She then attended Wilson High School in West Lawn, Pa. where she took up soccer and cheerleading. She didn't start speed skating until her junior year. She became a member of the U.S. short track speed skating squad in 2002. She also placed seventh in the 500m event at the 2006 Winter Olympics and won the 2007 U.S. National Championship. As her skating career began to thrive, she stayed true to her Pennsylvania roots and attended Penn State University where she earned a bachelor's in marketing and management. While she's currently in Colorado preparing for the 2010 Olympics, her heart remains in her home state. Her non-profit foundation "Off the Ice" was inspired by meetings she had with Philadelphia youth.
