Figure skater Nicole Bobek has had her share of ups and downs. In 1995 she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, stamping herself as the best female American skater. A series of injuries set her career reeling, but in 1997 Bobek again displayed her talent, earning a bronze medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and repeating that performance in 1998. A self-described free spirit, she has challenged the figure skating establishment with her clothes, off-ice behavior, and unpredictable skating performances. Bobek has continued to skate for one reason: she loves to entertain.

Growing up

Raised by mom

Nicole Bobek was born August 23, 1977 in Chicago, Illinois. She was raised by her mother, Jana, after her father left home. Jana Bobek escaped from communist Czechoslovakia in 1968, sneaking away alone on a train as a 21-year-old. (Communism is a governmental system characterized by a classless society and the common ownership of...