Parra skates into life as author

When he's not on the ice at the Oval, 2002 Olympics speedskating champ Derek Parra can often be found working the floor at Home Depot in West Valley City.

Home Depot sponsors Parra through its Olympic Job Opportunities Program, and when Parra works in the store as a sales associate.

"I cut tile, cut carpet, demonstrate blinds and answer general questions," Parra said during an interview in the Deseret Morning News offices. "I often spend some of my time in the hardware department.

"Home Depot is a great company. I would not have had a chance to go to the Games without it. I needed a constant income. My wife was nicer to me because I could pay the rent.

"We're trying to get more athletes involved in the Home Depot program. You sign a contract and you have to do your 1,040 hours per year, whether in summer or winter. I work all summer as much as I can. They really support us."

Parra lives in Salt Lake City from mid-March to May each year. Most of the rest of the year is spent on the public-speaking circuit.

Lately, he has been out promoting his autobiography, "Reflections in the Ice: Inside the Heart and Mind of an Olympic Champion," which is available at Harmons markets, the Olympic Oval in West Valley City and the E Center . . . but not at Home Depot. (Parra's agent is currently negotiating with other booksellers to carry the book.)

He also tries to get in some skating on "different ice" each year, such as Calgary and Milwaukee, and very soon he'll try Norway.

His wife and daughter, however, live in Florida.

It's tough, but he knows it's only temporary. He's on the countdown now. Two more years and he'll be through.

Parra will stop skating after the 2006 Olympics and go into a business leadership program with Home Depot. Skaters usually quit before or while they're in their 30s, and Parra will be 35 in 2006.

Besides, he says, he's a family man. He'll be happy when he can move from Salt Lake City to Orlando to be with his family.

When he rented his Salt Lake City duplex, Parra thought his wife, Tiffany, would be living there, too. But she was lonely in Salt Lake City, because her family lives in Florida and Parra is gone so much for training.

"Derek is very busy," Tiffany said during a telephone interview from their Florida home. "He travels a lot. Not having any of my family around was difficult. I would love to be with him in Salt Lake, but it's not just 9 to 5 — he's gone from 7 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. We didn't even get weekends."

Tiffany is a roller skater, and she said she encouraged her husband to go for the Olympics one more time. "I wanted him to be satisfied. I didn't want him sitting in front of the TV wishing he had done this."