Pair of Algonquin brothers have ice running through their veins

Putting her son on the ice was a non-negotiable proposition for this Algonquin mom.

It didn't matter how loudly Rockne Brubaker yelled and cried.

Monica Brubaker had paid for the ice-skating lessons her son wanted so badly at what was then the Polar Dome in East Dundee.

At the last minute, 5-year-old Rockne had a change of heart and didn't want the lessons.

Mom tried to get her money back, but officials told her there were no refunds.

So mom insisted Rockne had to skate.

Rockne threw himself on the ice and screamed, then tried to escape -- but Mom blocked the door.

It was a terrible, embarrassing scene that drew a lot of stares from parents, teachers and fellow skaters, she recalled.

"I just crossed my arms and looked very stern and said, 'Mommy paid for this, so you're going to skate,' " she said.

Rockne eventually realized this was a losing battle, so the defeated little boy sucked it up, dried his tears and obeyed his mother.

It turned out to be one of the best decisions he'd ever made.

Budding champion

This week, Rockne Brubaker, now 21, will compete in the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul, Minn.

He'll skate with his partner Keauna McLaughlin in the pairs competition during a long and short program.

Last season, the pair won the gold medal at two Junior Grand Prix events, took the U.S. National Junior title and won the World Junior Championships.

Those wins helped the team qualify for these nationals.

Yet Rockne, a graduate of Jacobs High School, isn't the only Brubaker competing this week.

His kid brother, Collin, 18, will join him at the national championships, but as an ice dancer with his partner, Rachel Tibbetts.

Collin, who laced up his first pair of skates when he was 8, started skating for two reasons.

One, it's a family tradition. And two, after seeing the success Rockne enjoyed, Collin decided he wanted to be a star in his own right.

He's coming off his most successful season.

This season, the pair placed fifth at the Junior Grand Prix and first in the Junior Pacific Coast Sectional.

As for making his national debut, he's equal parts nervous and excited, because there will be thousands of people, television cameras and news crews.

"There's a lot more hype to it than just skating in a regular competition," he said.

And the more he trains, the more he'll be comfortable competing at such a huge event.

The Brubaker brothers live and train together in Colorado Springs, an arrangement they say helps take off some of the pressures of competing.

While Collin is making his first appearance in the national competition, his brother is a veteran skater who has competed in the nationals four times before.

"I never dreamed of doing something like this," Collin said from Colorado Springs.

With all that experience, Rockne takes his brother under his wing, passing down what he's learned on the ice.

Together, the Brubakers motivate and support each other, keeping themselves fired up for competitions.

"To have someone around like that, it really makes it easier," Rockne said.

Staying grounded

It's not unusual for siblings to skate in national competitions.

Scottie Bibb, a spokeswoman for U.S. Figure Skating, said brothers and sisters from six other families will join the Brubakers on the ice.

The sport has taken the brothers to competitions all over the world.

And at every turn, they face fans and autograph seekers.

It's easy to get sucked into all the hoopla, but the Brubaker brothers say they've got the secret to staying above it.

For Collin, it's all about leading a well-balanced life that doesn't revolve around skating.

"Whatever happens at the rink that day, I just leave it at the rink," he said.

In his spare time, he hangs out with friends, goes to school at Pikes Peak Community College, plays video games and reads National Geographic.

Rockne, who is enrolled at the University of Colorado, puts his heart into turning out the best performance he can for his fans.

"I just try to take one thing at a time and I look at it as I've done well, but I've still got a lot to accomplish," he said.

Olympic dreams

That includes the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

It would be the pinnacle of Rockne's career if he and his partner snagged a medal in pairs skating -- something the U.S. hasn't done since 1988.

"To be able to get a medal for the U.S. is our biggest goal," he said.

Collin Brubaker mainly is interested in taking ice dancing as far as he can. And if that includes the Olympics, that's even better.

"When I get out of the sport, I want to have no regrets and I want to be able to look back and say I did the best I could, to the maximum I was capable of doing," he said.

But for now, the brothers can't wait to be reunited with their family.

The Brubakers last saw their parents, Monica and Rockne Sr., older sister Shauna and baby sister Maria -- a sophomore at Jacobs High School -- for four days in Algonquin over the Christmas holiday.

This time, a 20-member delegation that includes those four, other relatives and friends are making the six-hour road trip to see Collin and Rockne in St. Paul on the ice.

"I'm extremely proud of them not just for this, but as people," their mother said. "I count my blessings every day."

Algonquin ice kings

What: Brothers Rockne and Collin Brubaker of Algonquin will compete this week in the U.S. Figure Skating Championship in St. Paul, Minn. Rockne, 21, is a pairs skater. Collin, 18, is a pairs ice dancer.

TV: The nationals air throughout the week on WMAQ-TV Channel 5. Check your local listings for exact times.

When: Collin skates Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Rockne takes the ice Wednesday and Saturday.