Journey on ice and water

Many in the crowd will grab a snack or drink between periods at the Feb. 6 Crimson men’s contest at Bright-Landry Hockey Center, but those who do will risk missing the figure skating performance from Caitlyn Kukulowicz.

Kukulowicz, a junior concentrator in human developmental and regenerative biology, is a former competitive skater (and current Radcliffe lightweight rower) who was a two-time Canadian national competitor, 2022 junior Ontario champion, 2023 Skate Milwaukee silver medalist, and 2024 senior Ontario bronze medalist.

Kukulowicz, who has also performed at An Evening with Champions, has a special connection with skating, having picked up the enthusiasm for it from her late mother as well as her father, former Harvard hockey player Shayne Kukulowicz ’84.

“I think I started skating as soon as I could walk,” said Kukulowicz, who grew up in Toronto. “My dad wanted to teach my brother and me at a very young age. Growing up in Canada, it was what everyone did — we would throw water down and make a backyard rink.”

Initially splitting time between hockey and figure skating, Kukulowicz ultimately gravitated toward the latter because of the love her mother, Elizabeth Gill ’85, had for the sport.

“I loved that figure skating had both the physical and athletic element, and an artistic element. I’m passionate about it and loved competing,” Kukulowicz said.

“Figure skating is incredibly demanding, both physically and mentally,” her father said. “Caitlyn has developed incredible mental toughness as well as physical skill over the years. It is a tough sport to watch for a parent. At competitions, your child is out on the ice alone in front of 12 judges and spectators. Nevertheless, watching your child in those circumstances is incredibly inspiring.”

Kukulowicz kept up with skating with her mom, who battled a cancer diagnosis and at times watched her daughter’s competitions on Facetime from treatment rooms and hospital beds.

“You walk into the boathouse at 6 a.m., and music is blasting, and everyone is on the erg machines. Joining a team was the best decision ever.”

“My mom was my biggest supporter. She would spend hours every day driving me back and forth to rinks that were far away from our house,” Kukulowicz said. “She was the first person to celebrate my successes and console me after bad performances. She always encouraged me with my dreams, no matter how big and unrealistic they sounded.”

After Gill’s death in 2020, Shayne continued to support his daughter’s figure skating ambitions.

“My dad became the first person I wanted to hug after winning or losing. I think both my parents understood how hard I worked and how badly I wanted to succeed, and they never put extra pressure on me to be perfect or do more.”

At Harvard, Kukulowicz has kept her skates laced, having performed at the annual Jimmy Fund benefit An Evening with Champions, which raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The annual event, organized by Harvard students, has generated millions of dollars and typically features a mix of rising elite competitors and Olympic champions.

This year Kukulowicz joined in with a group of figure skaters who perform during intermissions at Harvard men’s and women’s hockey games.

“It’s so nice to skate on Harvard ice, and every single year I cherish the moment,” she said.

Kukulowicz has also broadened her athletic horizons. She joined the women’s Harvard-Radcliffe lightweight rowing program last year after hearing about an information session from her roommates. The team atmosphere hooked Kukulowicz immediately.

“The energy was amazing,” she said. “You walk into the boathouse at 6 a.m., and music is blasting, and everyone is on the erg machines. Joining a team was the best decision ever. One aspect you don’t have with figure skating is the team element — it’s a very solitary sport, and the training is very individual.”

On the water, Kukulowicz is often in either a scull or the first varsity 4 boat in the two-seat for the Crimson. She is looking forward to getting back on the water this spring, but skating holds a special place in her life and her family’s.

“Watching my daughter perform at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center is one of those ‘circle of life’ moments that Caitlyn’s mom and I dreamed of,” Shayne Kukulowicz said. “To make it even better, the first time she performed at that arena for Evening with Champions, she surprised me by skating to my favorite song, ‘Forever Young.’”

 “Performing in front of such an awesome crowd in an iconic rink is amazing,” Caitlyn said. “It’s amazing to share the ice with such amazing athletes.”