| Margie
Weiss laughs when she remembers that Spiderman was one
of the few toys her son ever played with and emulated
so much.
“I
guess because (Spiderman) was so active just like Michael
who liked being upside down and jumping around just
like Spiderman. Mike wasn’t the sedate child,”
Margie said.
The fascination
with Spiderman hasn’t gone away for Michael. He
was rounding up some of his friends on the Champions
On Ice tour to catch the opening night showing of his
comic hero.
Mother’s
Day brings back fond memories for Margie.
Mike’s
norm in his childhood was growing up with two older
athletic sisters, Genna and Geremi, who sometimes enjoyed
picking on their little brother. Genna used to use Mike
for a chair. “One day Geremi told me, ‘Mom,
remember when we used to pick on Mike? We’re really
sorry now!’ “
Margie was
a national gymnastics champion; father Greg was on the
1964 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team; Geremi was an international
gold medalist in figure skating; and Genna a Junior
World diving champion.
Michael
has added his share of shiny hardware to the family’s
showcase of achievements. The two-time U.S. National
Champion and two-time World Bronze medals are among
his cache of awards.
Earlier
this year, Michael was fighting for a berth on the U.S.
Olympic team and knew his skating future was at stake.
He had to garner all his strength to pull out a bronze
medal with a gutsy free skate, but Margie said she wasn’t
concerned.
“Watching
him compete was not hard until three years ago,”
Margie said. That was when Michael won his first U.S.
Championship. Margie said shows are a lot more relaxing,
even while babysitting Lisa and Michael’s children.
The Olympics
at Salt Lake City proved to Margie that all the years
of hard work and sacrifice were worth it. “I was
so proud of Mike. It was awesome to see how he handled
the Olympics. Whether he succeeded or failed didn’t
matter to me. But to watch the maturing of the person
– that is fun to watch.”
Margie takes
special pride this Mother’s Day when she reflects
how proud she is of what her family has accomplished.
“We achieved as a team,” Margie said.
It was a
working athletic triangle – parents, coach and
athlete. “We knew it had to be a team effort to
reach goals. Sometimes the parents had to be in charge,
sometimes the coach, and sometimes the kids had to lead.”
Margie said
her and Greg’s athletic experiences proved to be
invaluable to their children. “Getting to the top
by yourself is not fun. A lot of athletes have to do
that. I don’t think that is as satisfying.”
Margie and
Greg allowed Michael to find his niche in sports. It
was a journey that Margie thought was important for
her son.
As a Junior
World champion, there was some concern that Michael
would continue to play football and hockey, thus risk
injuring himself. “Mike would tried hockey and
found out that he could hold his own with others. And
he would try other sports. When he realized that he
could overcome peer pressure because he could do the
same things his friends were doing, he got more comfortable
in skating.”
When the
Champions On Ice tour stopped near there home in Fairfax,
Va., Michael invited the cast and crew over to his house
for lunch and relaxation.
Soon, a
trampoline is hauled out of the garage and the neighbors
are entertained by some of the world’s most elite
athletes. And whose idea was that?
It was the
parent responsible for the softer, gentler pushing of
the son.
It was Mom.
Visit
Margie's Web site
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