OLYMPIC SIBLINGS HAVE DREAMS BESIDES SKATING

Wayne and Natalie Seybold from Marion, Ind., never thought when they started skating 18 years ago _ on roller skates _ that they would go to the Olympics and perform professionally as ice skaters.

But they did.

Children's Express interviewed them recently after a performance in Carmel.

The brother-sister team started roller skating at ages 9 and 7, respectively, at a roller rink two blocks from their home.

"When we started skating we didn't really think we'd make a career out of it; we just started skating for fun," said Natalie, 26.

They roller skated for four years before switching to ice skating in 1976 because they could make a career in ice skating.

"I don't think anyone really inspired us to skate. I think it was just something we were introduced to through public skating, and we enjoyed doing it. And we just had the desire within ourselves to do it," Natalie said.

Family has played a major part in their success.

"We're nothing without each other," said Wayne, 28.

"Yeah. In skating, it's such a specialized sport that once you make your mark in whatever event, that's the event that you would make your career in," his sister agrees. "And we made our mark in pairs skating. First of all, I hate skating by myself. It's too lonely out there. So we'll always skate together."

Their career has been decorated by many awards. In 1982 they won the junior national titles at the junior national championship in Indianapolis at Market Square Arena.

Their biggest reward was getting to the Olympics in 1988, but that was no easy task. Money was the problem, but their hometown helped their dreams come true.

"It was a very neat thing for us. Because in 1987, our parents said, `You know, we don't have the money,' " Natalie recalls. "Our hometown raised all the money."

"We went to the Olympics, and it was like we were skating for ourselves, our country and our town," she says. "We competed in the Olympic Festival, which we won twice."

With all these awards came lots of work, and Wayne has a lot of advice for youngsters.

"The biggest advice that I could give to . . . aspiring skaters, or for that matter (to kids in) any athletic field, is never give up, (and) to set goals for yourself.

"Always remember to stay well-rounded and keep your education and your sport in perspective . . . instead of giving up your education for your sport. Eventually your education is really gonna enhance your sport."

Their career has consisted of a series of goals: first making it to the Olympics as amateurs, and then turning professional with the Ice Capades in 1990 and trying to make every performance the best it can be.

Now their goals have shifted away from ice skating. "We've gotten to the point, too, that we have individual goals in life," Natalie said. "Like we both want to have families, and we want to get married. And then, we each also want to have another career."

Another goal they have is to attend college. "The only thing that we both missed out on that we want to do one day is go to college," she says. "But college is always there. . . . We just felt like skating was something that we can't do when we're 30 or 40."

But unfortunately, they have an obstacle to overcome before they can continue with their plans. Natalie was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor early this year.

After their current tour is over, Natalie must make one decision before all others: to have doctors remove the tumor or leave it alone. She is getting opinions from several doctors.

The Seybolds will be back in their hometown April 8 for a special performance, at 8 p.m. in the Marion High School gym. Tickets are on sale through TicketMaster for $20, $15, and $12; and $10 for senior citizens.