![\"jason_rohene\"](\"http:\/\/figureskatersonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/jason_rohene.jpg\")
<\/a>After returning home from Sochi, appearing in select Stars on Ice<\/em> shows last summer, and meeting the President of the United States, Brown put his away his beloved \u201cRiverdance\u201d program and began working on two different programs with his longtime coach Kori Ade and choreographer Rohene Ward. While his short program to Little Walter’s \u201cJuke\u201d featured more of what Brown\u2019s personality is like off the ice, his free skate program to Maxime Rodriguez\u2019s \u201cTristan & Iseult\u201d showed more of Brown\u2019s maturity and growth as a skater. Brown said he was ready for whatever Ade and Ward came up with.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is awesome to have a coach and choreographer who are confident and believe in themselves and believe in me in a way that they are like, \u2018We have a plan, we know what is going to happen next\u2019,\u201d Brown said when talking about his programs.<\/p>\n He debuted his programs at the ISU Challenger event, Nebelhorn Trophy, and won the gold medal after he placed first in both the short program and free skate. However, Brown\u2019s big season debut would take place right in his own backyard. Brown was selected to compete at Skate America, which was held at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, just a short drive from Brown\u2019s hometown. The arena was packed with Brown\u2019s family and friends, as well as hundreds of fans dressed in their \u201cTeam Brown\u201d T-shirts. While the arena atmosphere was electric, the jitters and nerves of performing in front of a hometown crowd did not get the best of Brown. He captured the first silver Grand Prix medal of his career.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was unbelievable seeing the overwhelming support from family and friends. That was what was so special about that event,\u201d exclaimed Brown. \u201cIt was home, everyone came out to support me. I just felt so proud to be from Chicago. Winning a medal in front of them was just an awesome bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n Skate America was also the start of Brown\u2019s partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Charities. However, what many people may not know is that Brown\u2019s work with them started before that event. Two years ago, Brown was asked to do an event with the charity in Colorado Springs. It was there that he decided he wanted to do more to help this cause.<\/p>\n \u201cI just fell in love with the families, fell in love with the cause, \u201csaid Brown. \u201cI was so moved by them.\u201d<\/p>\n From there, Brown decided to come up with ways that he could help the organization and be a part of it while involving the sport he loved and the people who support him. That\u2019s when he decided to donate the stuffed animals that he receives on the ice to the kids who are served by the Ronald McDonald House.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is something that the audience can get involved in,\u201d Brown added. \u201cIn skating, people show their love and support by throwing stuffed animals on the ice after a performance. So I kind of want to pay it forward\u2014they show their love and support to me and we are all going to show our love and support by donating the stuffed animals from the ice to the Ronald McDonald House charities.\u201d<\/p>\n It went so well in Chicago that Brown got to do it again at the U.S. Championships in Greensboro and World Team Trophy in Tokyo. Brown hopes to continue to do this at every event in which he competes.<\/p>\n After Chicago, Brown returned to Russia to compete in his second Grand Prix event, Rostelecom Cup. This was Brown first trip to Russia since the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. After finishing in seventh place in the short program and fourth in the free skate, Brown would finish in fifth overall, missing his chance to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona, Spain. The event was an emotional and difficult one for Brown. Brown’s agent, Shep Goldberg, had passed away the morning Brown had left for Russia. As a tribute, Brown dedicated his free skate at Rostelecom Cup to Goldberg. Brown admits it wasn’t a perfect skate and that he gave it his all, just like Goldberg did.<\/p>\n After returning home from Russia, with no Grand Prix Final to prepare for, Brown used the additional time to start training for the U.S. Championships in Greensboro. After winning silver at the 2014 U.S. Championships, Brown was considered a favorite for the title in Greensboro and all eyes were on him to see how well he would do. But the added pressure didn\u2019t seem to get to Brown. He won the short program with the second highest point total (93.36) in U.S. Championships\u2019 history and was the leader heading into the free skate.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was insane. I was expecting to go out there and skate the best that I could. I was ready and I was trained,\u201d said Brown. \u201cBut when the scores came up, I was like, \u2018Oh my God, what is happening? This is so exciting.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>