My daughter Jessica is seven 1/2 and fairly new to ice skating. Her first time at the Training Center, she took to the ice cautiously, skating around the edges of the wall-less rink. As she got braver, she skated toward the middle, and twice she bumped into a slender, blonde skater wearing a black skating outfit. I had been watching that skater, noticing how she glided gracefully around the ice, doing complicated jumps and spins while looking like a poised ballerina.

"That's the British National Champion," my friend Mark Hoffman, father of talented young Aaron Hoffman, leaned over to tell me.

"Wow," I replied. When the session was over, I grabbed Jessica and insisted on meeting the champion she had bumped into.

"Ah, Mom," Jessica protested shyly as we strode toward the glass doors. The skater helped us out by turning to Jessica, bending down, and saying,

"Oh, I'm sorry for bumping into you out there."

"This is Jessica," I said, tilting my daughter's face upward.

"Hello. I'm Tammy Sear," she replied with a smile and a soft British accent.

Jessica shook her hand, and I introduced myself. Tammy graciously allowed me to interview her, and we sat down outside in the sunlight.

I started with the obvious question.

Lonna: How long have you been ice skating?

Tammy: Since I was 9--for 15 years. I started in my hometown of Oxford. My brother and I watched a rink being built. We begged our parents for ice skating lessons, and a year later they gave us lessons as a birthday treat.

Lonna: Is skating popular in England? Do you get much support?

Tammy: Ice skating isn't popular in England like it is here in the U.S. 300 people came to watch me win the National Championship in November of last year. When I went to the World Championship in Nice this past April, 10,000 people watched. It was rather unsettling.

Lonna: How did you feel when you won the British National Championship Ladies Figure Skating title?

Tammy: Well, I knew I had won the short program. Evelyn Kramer, my American coach, was with me. She told me to remember that the long program was a different competition, that I was skating against different skaters. She helped me with the psychology of competition, to stay positive. I skated my best for the long program. Another skater did very well, so I wasn't sure who won. As I waited for the judges' decision, I crossed my fingers and kept saying, "Oh, please let me win!" When they announced the other skater's name as second place, I knew I had first. I was shaking all over.

Lonna: How did you end up in America?

Tammy: I came last summer to train for 6 weeks, then came back 4 weeks before the National Championship. People back home were so impressed with my progress that I returned to America this past spring, and now I consider it my home base. I love it here. People are very friendly and willing to help. The atmosphere here is great to train. I feel more at home here than training in England.

Lonna: I bet you miss home, though, right?

Tammy: I miss home really badly. I miss my comforts--my family, my car, living in the city, my mobile phone. But I don't miss the weather! I send e-mails to my family.

Lonna: Do you have any special needs?

Tammy: My country cut my support (I'm not in the summer Olympics!). I ride a bike. I'd like a lender car. I need companies to sponsor me. I've got a website--they could advertise there!

Lonna: So, what are your goals?

Tammy: I'm planning for the next British Nationals. I'm going to the Internationals, too. I'd like to win some prize money and pay for my parents to come out here. I'm currently coaching to make some extra money. I enjoy it, too.

Lonna: What would you say to a young skater like my daughter Jessica?

Tammy: Skating is a sacrifice. When I was sixteen, my friends would invite me to parties, and I'd have to say, 'no, I have to skate.' But, despite the hard work and sacrifice, you should skate because you want to, not because your parents are pushing you. You should have fun. Enjoy it!

Lonna: Were you ever discouraged?

Tammy: When I was 16, some judges told me that I wasn't going anywhere in skating and that I should give it up. I stayed at it because for me it's a love, a passion. It was nice to prove those judges wrong.

Lonna: Wow. Would you consider coaching Jessica?

Tammy: Sure, I'll coach her.

Our interview ended as Tammy left to pick up pictures that her parents sent her. Later she'll be practicing for the upcoming Hot Summer Nights on Ice show. If you're interested in sponsoring Tammy Sear, visit her website at www.tammy.org.uk.

On August 19, our local rink presented its last "Hot Summer Nights on Ice" show, "A Tribute to Rock 'n Roll." The show featured such skaters as Angela Nikodinov, Dan Hollander, Sasha Cohen, and Todd Eldredge, five-time U.S. National and World champion. Local skaters also took part in the show which was beautifully choreographed by award-winning Phillip Mills. A starry-light background, upbeat music, glittering costumes, and stellar skating performances produced a show Hollywood would envy. The feature skater was Todd Eldredge, who did his "For the Glory" program. His powerful skating style and impressive triple jumps awed the audience who applauded enthusiastically when he was done.
Before the show, Todd met me at the rink for an interview. As he walked up to me, I recognized him at once. He looked just like his photos, with curly dark hair and a nice smile. He was wearing a white ice skating t-shirt and blue sweat pants, and he had an easy-going, confident manner that made me feel less nervous. We sat at a snack table next to plexiglass while the cast rehearsed for the show. Todd seemed perfectly at ease and willing to talk about his skating career and future goals.

Q: I know that your hometown of Chatham, MA supported your training by rallying to raise money for you, and that you've given back to the community by establishing a sports park and financially helping young skaters. Do you have anything else to say about the support your hometown gave you?

A: There aren't enough thank-yous that I could say for that because I've been able to do just about everything I've wanted to do. It gives me a good feeling to know that there are still people out there who like to help others.

Q: What about the support you've given back?

A: Because of the success I've had at the sport and the way the sport has changed--with us being able to earn prize money and money for shows and competitions--I can help somebody from my own town or in that area to achieve their own goal with skating or some other sport. That gives me a good feeling.

Q: What about the support your family gave you?

A: My mom lived with me for about six years, so she was away from my dad while we were out in Colorado and San Diego. To be away from home, away from my brother, was difficult for her. But everybody would get together for competitions and holidays. It wasn't that bad. My family's been fantastic. They've obviously supported me throughout.

Q: And your coach, Callaghan?

A: It's a different kind of relationship, I guess you could say; you know, coach-student. Especially when you get to the level I'm at now and have been at. Anytime you talk about a great skater, you talk about his coach. The skater, obviously, is the one who has to go out and produce. But the hours and hours of practice are put in by the skater and the coach. If you skate great, people say, you get all the rewards. If you skate badly, a lot of the time people say it's the coach's fault.

Q: Did Callaghan ever make you do something you didn't want to?

A: Not necessarily something I didn't want to, but he would know when to kind of push it a little harder and when to back off a little bit. That's probably been one of the best things. If I'd been pushed at certain times when I shouldn't have been, I probably would have burned out. But he still challenged me, and that's the only way you're going to improve, to be challenged.

Q: What made you know you were destined to be a great skater?

A: I guess I didn't really know until I made the National Championships and was there for a couple of years and started improving and seeing results. I made my first Nationals in 1983, when Scott Hamilton was still competing. Brian Boitano was the next four years after that. To be able to compete against Brian in his last year of skating was great. That's kind of when I knew "I'm part of this now."

Q: Was that something you wanted when you were a kid?

A: Yeah, I'd always dreamed of skating in the Olympics and the Worlds. As I kept skating, I realized the dream more and more.

Q: Which, of all your programs, is your favorite?

A: I don't really have a favorite. Each program has something different about it that I like. Obviously the "First Knight" program that I used to win the World Championships was great--and the music was great. The one I'm doing tonight, from the Civil War, is called "For the Glory." It's one I really like. It has nice music, really powerful music. I think most of the programs I've done, that I like, have been a similar type style to that.

Q: How do you pick music to use with a program?

A: You go to the music store and buy a million CDs and listen to them until your ears fall off, and hopefully you find something. It's tough; it's not just myself. My coach will go over music to find something. It's an endless process because you always need something. You need competitive programs, show programs, competitive show programs--it's everything. You need new styles so that you don't always get stuck to one thing.

Q: What type of skate boots do you use?

A: Actually, I'm in Graf. They're made out of Switzerland. They're a little bit lighter, and my feet don't get as blistered up in them as with some other boots.

Q: What type of blades do you use?

A: Pattern 99.

Q: Why do you like them?

A: I started with them when I was 12 or 13 and have been with them ever since. I had a couple different ones here and there but have always gone back to Pattern 99.

Q: What advise would you give a skater just starting out (like my daughter)?

A: First, have fun at it. Enjoy skating whether you win a competition or not. There are so many different avenues of skating. I's not only the Olympics and World Championships, but you can have fun at skating, and that's one of the greatest things. Kids who want to get involved with it should have fun with it. If they want to get to the level of the Nationals or Worlds, they have to put in a hundred-percent effort. It's a lot of work to get there, but if they enjoy it--and love it--nothing will stop them.

Q: Growing up, how often did you skate each week?

A: When I first started, I was skating 3 times a week. Then I got better, had more lessons, and started skating 5 days a week. Now I do 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I get Sundays off [he smiled].

Q: What would you say to a young skater's family?

A: I think back about what my family did and their support. If any parents want to see their kid succeed in ice skating, remember--it's a sport. If the kid loves it, then just support him and say "that's great." I've seen some of the hockey parents. Some are great, but some get up there and say "kill that guy!" and go nuts. They're crazier than the kids out there skating. A lot of the time they pressure their kids to be the next great hockey star. Parent should support their kids and not push them. I've seen that too many times, and it just doesn't work out.

Q: What about all the money the skater's family puts into ice skating. It's tempting for a parent to say "get out there and skate; I'm paying for it!"

A: It's a tough call, a fine line. Obviously the financial aspect is quite high, with ice time, lessons, ice skates, and outfits. But you might ask how many kids you have and how many opportunities are they going to have to be able to do something they really love to do.

Q: What were the high points of your skating career?

A: Each time I won the National Championships or the Worlds. The highest was when I won the Worlds. I had always come close. I was third in '91, second in '95. So I was kind of knocking on the door. A lot of people thought "will he ever do it?" When I finally did it, it was an unbelievable satisfaction for me and for my family. Finally, all that hard work paid off.

Q: How did you feel when you were standing there, with your medal, and everyone watching you on T.V.?

A: You start thinking about all the different times you didn't want to go and ice skate and you didn't want to do this, and you didn't think you could, and you stand there and say, "well, this is why I did it, why I sacrificed so much for my sport."

Q: What has been the hardest obstacle to overcome?

A: Injuries are, in any sport. They're difficult to deal with because you want to go out and do this or do that, but when you're injured you can't yet. It's hard to hold back.

Q: What inspired you when you were discouraged?

A: When I had difficult times with injuries, my family and coach kept me going by still supporting me even when I had to drop out for awhile. They told me they'd always be there for me, and left it up to me about when I'd get back into skating. That was good because I could skate without the pressure. I came out of it and went to Nationals the next year.

Q: How do you relax to get away from the stress of skating when you need to (or do you ever really get away?)?

A: Oh no, I get away. You have to or you'd go crazy. I like to play a lot of golf. Also, I live on a lake, so I take the boat out to the middle of the lake and relax and listen to music.

Q: How do you focus your concentration when doing a difficult program (any hints to pass on about performing in front of people)?

A: It all depends on your personality. If you have the personality to go out and joke around with the crowd, then you'll obviously feel more comfortable. If you're more introverted, like I always was, then you'll go out there and do certain programs that are more contained with what you're doing. You don't reach out to the audience; you just do your thing. It works well either way.

Q: How do you focus your concentration?

A: Well, as far as competitions, you really focus on what you've done in training a million times. You don't think about the fifth jump when you first start. You've got to take it one step at a time. It makes the program feel shorter than it really is. You don't think about the program's whole 4 1/2 minutes and all the types of jumps: triples and quads and whatever. You start with the first jump and take that one. You check that one off and then go on to the next jump. And there are so many things in a program besides the jumps. If you lose your concentration, you'll go down, so you really have to stay focused for those 4 1/2 minutes. The way you approach it in practice is usually the way you'll approach it in competition.

Q: Did you ever have to pretend that no one was watching you?

A: No. I feed off the audience a little bit during a show or a competition. If you're skating well, the audience is really behind you. Or even before you start, you get a big ovation, and that really lifts you up and helps you go out and skate well.

Q: What have you learned about yourself in the two years you've been away from regular ISU competition?

A: I knew the two years were something I needed to do, to get away and get refreshed. You know, I've skated at this level for over ten years. Some people have only been skating at this level for two or three years. It was good for me, and it was also good for my skating to get away. I worked not just on my jumps, style, and different programs. I really worked on every other part of my skating. Actually, I think my skating is a little bit better today than it's ever been.

Q: How did the Pro-ams help?

A: They were good because they kept my competitive edge. The pressures are different because you're not going out to win the Worlds or the Nationals. You're going out there to skate well and skate for the audience. So that's basically different, but you're still skating against guys who have been skating for years like Elvis [Stojko] and Alexei [Yaguden], and you still have to be competitive with those guys. Especially for me because my intentions were to return to competitive skating again. I wanted to keep up with those guys. Like I have. Hopefully, we'll see what happens over the next couple of years.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: To compete this year in the Nationals and the World Champions and hope I make it ultimately to compete at Salt Lake City in the 2002 Winter Olympics. It's not so much that I want to compete there because I haven't won a medal yet. I haven't skated the performance that I want to skate. My short program last time at the Olympics was good. My long program, obviously, wasn't good enough. It's something that I want to do before I finish. I'd like to go out there and do the performance that I feel I can do.

Q: What's it like being in the Olympics?

A: The most exciting part of the Olympics is the Opening Ceremonies. You're there and you're part of it--the best athletes in all the winter sports in all the countries. You walk into the stadium, and you're part of the American Team. It's a great feeling to be part of that and to know that when you go on the ice you skate for that team.

Q: Why have you decided to return to Nationals?

A: I want to do it this year because I feel like I have to get in there this year and show that I'm going to be a contender for the Olympics. I need to get used to that kind of pressure again. It's been a couple of years for me, so it will take a little bit for me to get used to it again. That's why I'm starting this year.

Q: What challenges do you think you'll face at Nationals?

A: Besides the obvious--the other guys--I want to say that I don't really feel a lot of pressure on me because I haven't been there for a couple of years and I'm not defending the title. Whether I win or don't win, just to have a good performance is important. My best performances have not won. I've skated mediocre performances and won. It's very objective. One judge might like one style, and another judge will like another style. That's why you have nine judges, and hopefully five will go your way.

Q: How about challenges internationally?

A: The Russian guys--Yaguden and Petrenko--have skated well the last couple of years. There are a lot of guys out there who have been skating really well now. With a lot of people doing quads, it's something that is pushing a lot of skaters to a higher level.

Q: About the quad--will you be putting it in your programs?

A: Oh yeah, definitely.

Q: Do you think you'll need it to win either Nationals or Worlds?

A: My strategy depends on how the other competitors are skating. I may or may not use the quad, or maybe one instead of two.

We finished the interview, and Angela Nikodinov came by to greet Todd (they train at the same rink in Detroit). After chatting with Angela for awhile, Todd shook my hand and went to change for rehearsal. Later that night, as Todd flew through the air above the ice and did a triple axel to the rousing music of "Glory," I saw the joy on his face and understood a little about his love for ice skating. Skaters and their families should remember that, despite all the work and sacrifice, ice skating can be fun.

Questions mainly for Alexander (with input from Rafael)

Q: Tell me how you got started skating.
A: Alexander: I started skating when I was 6 years old. My grandmother took me to the ice rink, and I was in some special groups.
Rafael: He had hay fever and asthma. His parents wanted to develop him. They put him in the ice rink to stay healthy. There were two clubs at the rink: figure skating and hockey. At first, he played hockey. A coach saw him; he was a small guy, so he put him in the figure skating club. He developed his muscles; now he is a big guy.

Q: Where in Russia are you from?

A: Moscow.

Q: Are your parents still there?

A: Yes, my parents and my sister and my wife and kid.

Q: How did you start competing?

A: Alexander: Because I grew up and skated better. I kept going to higher-level skating groups and started competing.
Rafael: In the U.S.S.R., we had a system. Anybody could skate without paying. It was a government program. The government paid for everything, even coaches. The coaches saw who had talent. They would take support of a talented skater and encourage him to skate more. Alexander started to skate twice a week, then four times, then twice a day, and he became a professional skater. Alexander's coach before me was the first single skating Russian World Champion, Sergei Volkov. He is dead now. He had cancer. When Sergei became ill, he passed Alexander to me (in 1990). Shortly after that, he won the silver medal at Junior Worlds.

Q: What are your best skating accomplishments?

A: The bronze medal in the Europeans.

Q: What makes you want to skate?

A: That's my job. I like it. I spent all my life with it. It's what I can do the best. I feel the emotion of the music, and I think about some stories when I skate to the music. I skate with my heart. My coach works with me with his heart.

Q: Why did you decide to train in America?

A: Rafael: This is good altitude for us and healthy air. Everything is close. Fifteen million people live in Moscow and there are lots of old cars, so the air pollution is bad. Alexander is hoping to be on the Olympic Team, so he is getting prepared. Also, the people here are very nice. Christa Fassi and Mrs. Probst have done a lot to support us. I have a nice job, a nice place for training, a nice place to live. I love it here. I hope I can live here a long time, as much as they want me here. I've traveled a lot and seen lots of places, and this is one of the best I've seen in my life. It's not like an ice rink; it's like home.
Alexander: I agree with my coach. I appreciate all the help from everyone. The life is different, we had to move, and we had to learn a lot. The people have been very kind to us. Thank you very much.

Q: What are your goals for the future? After the Olympics will you continue to skate eligible?

A: Alexander: We have not decided yet.
Rafael: I hope he will stay professional. We will try to find some other stuff like more choreography. We want to do some shows for the American people, but we have to find out what they like. We will try to find something for everybody.

Q: Do you think your wife and child, who are still in Moscow, will be able to join you here?

A: Alexander: Yes, they will come in one month.
Rafael: My family will come for a visit --my wife and two children, ages 16 and 18. Alexander's family will stay longer. We hope they can live here with him.

Q: Was it hard to get a visa?

A: No, not for us. We got a special visa. So did our families.

Q: What advice would you give a beginning skater?

A: If you want to skate well, work harder. Listen to your coach and enjoy yourself. Enjoy skating.

Q: Are you working on new programs now?

A: Yes, the short program will be the same one (Armenian music). The free program will change--but it's a secret.

Q: Do you do a quad?

A: I do the quad toeloop, but we're working on quad salchow. We will decide later whether or not to use both.

Q: Do you like working with Rafael?

A: Alexander: Yes, we've worked together for 10 years.
Rafael: He has not another choice.
Alexander: If I didn't like him, I would move out.
Rafael: He grew up with me. I have to be polite with him because he is already a dad.
Alexander (laughing): Yes, Rafael is a young grandfather.
Rafael: I wish everybody had this kind of skater like he is. He is very kind and professional on the ice. I hope he will get his result. I hope so because he had a tough life, and he had lots of injuries. He was not always healthy, but he has a very strong heart and a very strong soul inside, so he fought and learned. He goes forward. I hope God will look after him and give him lots of success.

Questions for Rafael

Q: How did you start skating?

A: The first time I went, I was 7 years old, and nobody would take me. They said I was not good for skating and pushed me out. Then I found a friend who got permission for me to skate. During my time, big, tall guys were the fashion. But then it became time for people like me: strong and short. I started to skate. I wanted to skate, so I did. I did well for the country where I used to live, which was Georgia (in the U.S.S.R.). The ice was half the size of the rink here in California. I had to compete with people from Russia who had full-size rinks. I became top 10 in the U.S.S.R. I finished skating when I was 18 years old. My parents didn't have enough money to look after me, but I passed an exam for the institute for coaches. We learned about psychology, anatomy, and sports medicine. We had to get a diploma to be a coach. I moved from Georgia to Armenia and started to work. After 5 years, I had good success. In 1980, I had a skater who became 6th in Junior World Championships. I was just 22 years old. He beat all Russians and became Junior U.S.S.R. Champion. After that, the U.S.S.R. government moved me to Moscow because I had success in Armenia. I worked there for 18 years. It was a government program. Now it is opposite. Now everybody leaves Russia. There's no government money--just success. We are full of success.

Q: Do you have advice for beginning skaters?

A: Small kids need lots of sports to prepare their muscles--not just ice skating. Swimming, acrobatics, soccer, gymnastics, whatever. Then they can learn everything on the ice better. They have to start sports very young. They can go on the ice as soon as they can walk on it. But it has to be fun. Don't make them work straight away, or they will get bored, and they won't want to skate anymore. That's why I don't want to work with small ones--because I don't have enough English to make them have fun. They need a little bit of work, then a little bit of fun. Lots of work is too boring for little kids.

Q: What do you think it takes for a skater to become a champion?

A: I had one guy who was a very good coach. He would ask a beginning skater "What do you want to be? Why do you come on the ice?" If the skater answered "I want to be a champion," the coach knew he was close to being a champion. If the skater said, "Oh, I like skating; oh, I like fun; oh I like ice--it's cool," that skater was not likely to be a champion.

Q: Do you have a special technique you use for coaching?

A: I've worked for 27 years. For 23 years I worked for the Russian National Team. So all my life, it's competition. I didn't think about how to talk to kids or talk to parents. I would find something to beat somebody. If I had no success, I would have no money. When my student got prize money, he shared with me. So I had to work hard to make him better than everybody. My brain works for technique and how to get there. I was not thinking about the parents because they did not pay. Now that I coach here in California, the parents are paying me. So now I have to be not so tough with kids. But it is difficult to change. I'm tough, but I'm straight. If a skater does something wrong, I will say "it's not right. Let's do this better." Then the skater tries, gets better, and believes me. I will take a skater to the top. This is my way.

If you go to our local rink, you may see Evelyn Kremer walking toward you, her small dog Xena in her tote bag and a smile on her face. Evelyn loves the mountains and the small community even though she is a New Yorker at heart. At the rink, you'll see her on the ice, giving feedback to one of her skaters while bystanders keep watch on Xena. If you're lucky, you'll catch Evelyn between lessons and get a chance to talk to her.

Evelyn's parents left Northern Europe to flee Hitler before World War II. They settled in New York City, where Evelyn was born shortly after.

Her parents were both sports enthusiasts, and they took her to many sporting events. They brought her to an ice rink when she was nine years old and encouraged her to take figure skating lessons. At first, Evelyn did not want to skate. Then her close friend learned how to do jumps, and Evelyn (being the competitive person she is) had to learn also. That started her lifelong love of figure skating.
Evelyn trained under the great Gustav Lussi and was the first woman to win the Lake Placid Free Skating Championship. She was a member of the Brooklyn Figure Skating Club but could not join the more prestigious Skating Club of New York because she was Jewish. Ironically, Evelyn later became Chairman of the Junior Skating Club of New York, the club that had excluded her when she was younger.

As Evelyn got older, skating became more difficult for her. She entered a private high school in New York and had academic as well as weight problems. She dropped out of skating for awhile to continue her academics. She went to college and got her degree in elementary education. While in college, Evelyn met her husband Steven. The newlyweds needed money, so Evelyn started teaching adult figure skating lessons in 1971. Now she is a Master-rated coach and has World Coach ranking from the Professional Skaters Association.

"I had always wanted to be a teacher," she explains. "When I was little, I used to line my dolls up in a row and pretend to be the teacher. After I graduated from college, I taught third grade for awhile. I returned to college to get my Master's degree in psychology and counseling--which helps me with my coaching."

Evelyn has a daughter named Jessica (now 24). Jessica started figure skating as a young child, and Evelyn coached her. So Evelyn has seen skating from the view of a competitor, parent, and coach.

Robin Cousins was the first Professional to have a private coach. Evelyn accompanied Robin to his Pro competitions. Evelyn also coached Liz Manley and Caryn Kadavy for their Pro competitions. She coached Caryn to all of her professional titles, including the USFSA Pro/Am, Miko Masters, and US Open. She has also worked with World-Class amateur skaters, taking them to European and World competitions.

When asked how she ended up on the West coast, Evelyn replies, "Robin had always wanted me to come out to Southern California, and I did visit various rinks in the West. I ended up in California twelve years ago because my daughter Jessica wanted to train here during the summer."

Evelyn bought a house in California and commuted back and forth between New York and California. After Jessica went away to college, Evelyn moved to California semi-permanently. Her husband stayed in New York.

"We have a bicoastal marriage," she explains with a smile. "We have been married for 31 years. I just got back from a three-week stay there. There are times when the separation is difficult, but, without a doubt, I feel that this is the best place in the world for a figure skater to train. All the coaches here are highly qualified, and we all work so well together. The atmosphere in the rink is wonderful. We are supportive of the skaters and each other."

Christine Brennen from U.S.A. Today once called Evelyn "The Spin Doctor," and the name stuck after Evelyn did a T.V. interview with Dick Button on Wide World of Sports. Evelyn even had the name trademarked.

A few years ago, Evelyn was the official ice skating consultant for the film The Cutting Edge. She loved working on that project, part of which was filmed in Canada. The film's stars had never skated before, and Evelyn had to teach them.

"I learned to ski as an adult, so I had more understanding for what it is like to learn a sport as an adult," Evelyn explains.
Evelyn has a lifetime experience in figure skating. When asked what kind of advice she'd give a young skater, she replies, "If you love it, do it." As for parents of young skaters, she strongly urges them to "give their child emotional support. No one is more important to a skater than a parent. My daughter Jessica used to say, 'don't be my coach. Be my mother.'" Evelyn advises young coaches to remember to be positive and give praise when needed.

"I always try to end a lesson on a positive note. When a skater is frustrated because she can't quite get that new jump, I have her do something she does well. That way the skater ends the lesson with a positive experience. I do this with every level."

When asked if she has a favorite student, Evelyn says, "my favorite student is the one who tries to do his or her best. I have an adult student who recently had knee surgery. She was thrilled to be able to do a two-foot turn. The greatest reward, the greatest joy, is helping a skater do her best and feel a sense of accomplishment."

Q: Where are you from originally?

A: From Northern China, 1000 kilometers from Bejing.

Q: How old are you?

A: 26.

Q: How did you end up moving to Australia and skating for them?

A: I went to a training camp with my coach Andrew Wong, and he got a job over there. It's very hard to find a good coach, so I decided to follow him to Australia in 1993. The ice skating helped us to get our citizenship. I became an Australian citizen in 1996. I did the '93 Worlds in Prague. Because I waited for citizenship, I didn't compete for 3 years. I went back to competing in 1996.

Q: How many years have you been Australian National Champion?

A: I took my first title in 1996. I was Chinese National Champion before I left China, in 1991 and 1992.

Q: How did you first start skating, when you were a child?

A: I started when I was 7. My dad had a friend who was an ice skating coach (Mr. Lee). He often came to our house, and he saw me and said I should come try out. I did, and I liked it.

Q: Do you have a coach now?

A: I just changed my coach because I came here. I used to have a Russian coach, Marina Kursuviva. I was doing pretty well with her, and I like her a lot, but now I have a new sponsor, so I have an American coach --Christa Fassi. Next season, she's my main coach.

Q: How long will you be in California?

A: I'll be here the whole year around. I'm living at the training center. I'll be here until the end of summer, then I'm going back to Australia to do the Goodwill Games, then I'll come back, and I'll have 2 Grand Prix. Then I'll prepare for the Olympics. This will be my second Olympics.

Q: Do you miss Australia?

A: Yes, I do miss home because I've got a lot of friends and a lot of things back home, but here the training facility is good for skating, so sometimes you have to give up your life a little bit.

Q: Do you still have family in China?

A: Part of my family still lives in China--my brother and sisters who are married and have their own families. It would be hard for them to move. My older sister came over to Australia this year. My mom and dad live in Australia, in Brisbane.

Q: Do they ever get to come over here to see you?

A: No, they never actually go to the ice rink to watch me skate in the competitions. But they may come over here for a holiday sometime.

Q: How often do you get back to Australia?

A: Usually I come here for 2 to 3 months for training, then I go to a competition, then I get to go home for 2 or 3 weeks to take a break, then come back here again. So I get to go home a lot.

Q: Do you intend to keep competing after the Olympics?

A: I haven't decided yet. We'll see what happens.

Q: You do a quad jump, don't you?

A: Two quads--quad salchow and quad toeloop. I am working with Christa on a quad lutz.

Q: Do you plan to use the quads in your programs?

A: I'm going to see how it goes. If I can land them consistently, why not?

Q: Do you have any new programs that you're working on?

A: I'm doing a new short with the music from the film Pearl Harbor. I'm keeping the long one from last year with the music called "Journey of Man" from Circ de Solel.

Q: What is your favorite jump?

A: The lutz. I think people recognize me because of the lutz. They say I have a good lutz.

Q: What is your strength in skating?

A: The jumps. I'm still weak on the spins which I'm really concentrating on this year, to make more spins, new spins.

Q: What is your inspiration to skate?

A: Same as everybody--to try and do the best I can.

Q: Do you enjoy it?

A: I do enjoy it--sometimes. The boring training, you get sick of it once in a while, but, apart from that, I do enjoy it. When I was a little kid, I enjoyed skating every day. But when you get older, as a profession, as with everything, for awhile you get sick of it. Especially when you have a bad competition--you get down. Sometimes you have a good competition, but the judges put you down, and that's worse.

Q: Do you think you'll ever do anything else for a profession besides skate?

A: I don't know yet. I haven't reached that stage yet. I don't think I'll go in the shows and all that. I got a few offers, but I don't think I'll go in a show unless it's Champions on Ice. I like teaching. I like kids. I like to coach them, see them grow up. I enjoy them. That's why they like me.

Q: Do you have any hobbies or interests besides skating?

A: Yes, I play tennis and golf with friends. I like motorbikes, but they're dangerous. I had an accident, so I only watch now.

Q: Do you have any advice for young skaters?

A: If you want it more than everybody else, you have to work twice as hard. If you want the same as everybody else, you can go out and have a good time. It's always fair. You work for 5 points, you get 5 points. You work for 3 points, you get 3 points. If you work for 3 points, don't expect to get 5 points. It's a very fair game. How much hard work you do affects what good results you get.

Q: Do you have any advice for parents of skaters?

A: Support your skater as much as you can. Don't try to get involved between your skater and the coach. If you trust the coach, let it go. If the coach asks for your help in talking to the kid, you do that. The coach and the parent should work together to make the kid a champion. Don't ruin that. Don't say "I think you did this wrong." If you trust the coach, let it go. If you don't trust the coach, change the coach--easy as that.

Note: Anthony Liu is a Figure Skating Skaters' Representative to the International Skating Union. He attends Council meetings and speaks on behalf of his fellow skaters. He welcomes skaters' input (opinions, requests, suggestions) on anything that has to do with ISU-held events. You may contact him at 21/38 Barrett Street, Robertson QLD 4109, Australia Phone/FAX (61) 7 3272 9654 e-mail:ALCL97@hotmail.com

Q: What is new in your life?

A: I went on tour with Skate the Nation. It started in Ontario, Canada. It was 8 cities, the first tour I've done (I've done shows but not tours). We had a tour bus and traveled together. It was fun. Then I did a competition in Binghamton. Then I came home and did some shows for Miracle Net. It was nice to relax and have fun. Then I came back here and relaxed and didn't skate and took some time off. Then at the last minute Elena and I went to Moscow. We went to Russia for 2 weeks. That was a lot of fun. She showed me around the main places to see in Moscow. Her husband was there, and we watched Gizelle at the Bolshoi Ballet. You know, she danced there. It was interesting to see her reaction after not being there for awhile. The ballet was something I'll never forget. It helped me a lot with skating. We just got back last week, and I'm trying to get back into skating again. That was the longest time I've taken off, almost a month. But I felt like I needed it, and I feel ready now, fresh. I don't feel like I took off that long. Now we're trying to decide on programs for next year. And get ready for the Goodwill Games coming up in September.

Q: What are your other plans for this year?

A: We're getting the programs ready. Elena and I are going to do it with Gorsha. I'm going to do 3 Grand Prix and 2 Pro-Ams. Just skating. It will be the first time that I'm back in California full-time. It's a good opportunity to get onto the ice and work up here. I live with Elena up here, and I spend most of my time with her. I love it up here. It's beautiful, especially when the sun is shining. Everything is real calm, so it's easy to focus on your skating. No freeways or malls. It's good, especially when the season starts, and everything gets tense. It's good to come up here and focus on what you have to do. The altitude up here does make it easier when you go down to sea level. I'm not fond of the winter, though. I'm not a snow person. We're gone mostly during the winter anyway, for Nationals.

Q: How did you feel about your performance at Nationals?

A: Even now when I watch the tape, I'm just amazed. But I had no doubts. I didn't think about placing; I didn't think about making the World Team. To get ready for Nationals, I just came in here every day and did what I had to do. I would go on the ice, warm up, do my program, go over a few things, and that's it. Then I'd come back and do the other program. It wasn't like I was on the ice 5 hours a day working my brains out. It was smart training, and that's what built my confidence.

So when I went to Nationals I did my practices, did the same thing I did here. When they called my name, I just did exactly the same thing. It wasn't like I had to up the level 50% just for that performance. It was just basic, like everyday. That's what helped my nerves. Of course I felt nervous, but it wasn't nervous "how am I going to do, am I going to miss this?" I never even thought about missing or doing every jump. I just thought about each jump as it came. I didn't think about the end of the program when I was in the middle. I was thinking about what I was doing at the time. I think that was my most relaxed performance.

I had confidence in myself and with Elena. She's helped me--I can't even to begin to explain how much she's helped me. She's helped me believe in myself first. Everyone always told me "you have so much potential, you're so talented." I knew that, but first I had to believe that I could do it before people started to believe in me. And that's what she helped me do. She always believed in me. And so, with her being so close and knowing that she thinks I can do so much better, then it kind of makes me feel more confident in myself when I go out on the ice. That's another thing; we're a team, and all I see is her, and when I look at her, she gives me some kind of energy. At Nationals I saw her by the wall.

Another thing that helped me a lot was having such a close relationship with her off the ice. We go down to the mall together. We are such close friends. She knows so much about me. That helps me on the ice. She's an encouraging person, but she can be tough, too. It's not all smiles and fun. It's hard work. Sometimes there's tears, sometimes there's smiles, but that's all a part of the game.

Worlds is a different competition. We Americans don't have the qualifying like the Europeans do. They're used to that, but we do it only once a year, at Worlds. So it's a long week for qualifying. You have to skate your best, but you don't want to give 100%, but you know qualifying counts with the overall placement. So by the final program I felt a little more tired than I was for the qualifying. It was harder. It's exhausting.

Q: Are you working on any new technical moves?

A: Of course. Right now I'm just starting to get back into it, but I'm going to start working on jump combinations, everything: moves, styles, spins . . . you've got to keep rising to a different level. Everyone's doing triples now, triple this, triple that. But it's also how you put the whole package together. You have to pay attention to the small things like spins and the in-between stuff.

Q: How do you deal with the pressure?

A: If I'm confident in myself when I'm training here, then I don't have to worry, when I go to a competition, how I'm going to do. Before, I never knew how I was going to do. That's when the pressure comes, when you start doubting yourself. That's what helped me last year, feeling so confident in my training. When I went to Nationals, I didn't have all those things on my mind. I just had one thing on my mind: to go and do what I do everyday here. It makes it easier when I go to a competition, to kind of sit back and not pace the floor.

Q: How do you react to the audience?

A: The audience helps me, gets the adrenaline going in a good way. It's exciting. I don't get scared.

Q: What advice would you give a beginning skater?

A: Sometimes you get discouraged. You'll have a good day, and the next day comes, and you can't do anything. Even I have those kind of days. I think you have to not give up. I know it's easy to say. You don't have to get discouraged. That's what practice is all about. If everyone was perfect, why would we have to come to the rink everyday to train?

Q: How are you doing?

A: I'm doing really well. My back's healed, and I'm feeling really great. This week I'm training up here since my coach is in Mexico on vacation. It's a great chance to practice at the altitude I'll be later on at the Olympics.

Q: Do you have any new plans?

A: I'm getting ready for my competitive season. I've got a new long program, and I'm still looking for music for my short. And lots of practice for my new program.

Q: How are you doing emotionally. Are you dealing with any pressures or stresses?

A: Well, I had to be really careful at first with my back and make sure it was completely healed. Now it's much better and I make sure to take care of it. I always warm up before I skate and stretch, do a lot of stretching on the ice. Once a week I get a massage to get all my muscles back in alignment.

I really prepare at home, and then when I'm at a competition, then I know that I've done it before and do the same thing again. It helps to have your coach there, just like at home, training me.

Note: She's still designing her skating dresses and wants to someday have a fashion company.

Q: How do you think you'll do in the Olympics What's your goal?

A: My first goal is to get comfortable with my new programs so that they're easy for me and to do well in the fall and make it to the Grand Prix final and get a spot on the World Team, the Olympic team.

Note: She enjoys having the audience's support, especially toward the middle or end of her program because "you're not as nervous as when you first start."

She uses Klingbeil boots.

Q: What advice would you give a young skater?

A: Work hard and take advantage of all the time you have on the ice and warm up before you skate. That gets your muscles ready for all the jumps you have to do. And cool down for a few minutes afterward.

Q: What advice would you give to parents of a young skater?

A: Always be encouraging and, even if things are not going well, don't be negative, but just try to help them.

Q: Anything else you want to say?

A: Recently, I've signed up as the spokesperson for the National Beef Association, and I'm a spokesperson for young girls, to encourage them to stay fit and eat healthy.

"MARY COUENSE, FROM CHAMPION TO COACH"

By Celia "Maggi" Mitchell

At eight years of age Mary and her sister Frances were taken by their
father to Richmond Ice Rink in London. (Unfortunately this rink which
was built in the 1930's was torn down in the 1990's and the historic
rink of British champions is no more.) It was here that Mary
discovered she had the talent for figure skating and was overcome with
the desire to learn more, so her father bought boots and blades for both
girls that day. He enrolled her in the Saturday group class, but she was
so promising she started taking private lessons almost immediately.

Her progression was fast, and at twelve and a half she completed the
requirements in all three skating disciplines for the Gold Medals. The
Richmond Rink's Board of Directors was hardly ever seen outside the
Executive Offices, but as Mary was the youngest skater ever in Great
Britain to complete these tests, the board came out on to the ice to
award her the medals and congratulate her on her success.

Gladys Hogg, who trained almost all of Britain's Champions including
Robin Cousins, John and Jennifer Nicks, and Brian Tuck, became interested
in Mary who transferred to Queen's Ice Rink in London which had become
the Mecca for all aspiring champions.

Mary trained hard under Gladys Hogg as everyone including the author
knew what a tough coach she was. Gladys would make you skate until

your feet and legs had no feeling left
in them! Mary's training included ballet and acrobatics

(which gymnastics was called at that time ) Even though her training was intense, she always
found time to help fix other skaters' problems. She seemed to have a
compulsion to help others which would stand her in good stead in later years.

Mary was one of the few with the ability to jump in both directions, so she
favored Free Style, but in the late 1950's a decision was made by Gladys
for her to compete in Pairs and Dance with David Clements with whom she
skated under her maiden name. It was easy to combine training in the
two disciplines as pairs incorporated many dance moves. In the 1950's
pair teams were not allowed to do sustained lifts above the head, and it
was not until the Protopopov's at the 1960 Olympics that any such lifts were
seen and considered legal in Championship competition. The couple
competed at various levels until the 1958 British Championships. They
were far better than any of their competitors and won the Gold. Now it
was time to train for Worlds.

In 1961 Mary was training in Switzerland, as she did every Winter, to
compete at the 1961 World Championships. Unfortunately that was the
year of the terrible plane crash where the entire American Figure
Skating Team was killed, and as a result of this awful tragedy the World
Championships was canceled for the first time ever.

While training in Switzerland Mary decided to finish her amateur career
and become a coach. She taught briefly in Switzerland, and in 1964 Marie
Pearce, an American judge who was a good friend, invited Mary to come to
Wilmington, Delaware to coach in the U.S. Mary couldn't stand the
weather on the East Coast and was lured to the California sunshine to
teach at Culver City. After two weeks at Culver City Mary was on the
move again, this time to Pickwick Ice Arena where she stayed for twenty-
two years.

Mary also coached in conjunction with several other coaches, among them
Robert Paul and Frank Carroll. She was very involved in choreography and

usually choreographed most skaters' programs. Mary was very passionate about

teaching her students. Money was not a motivator for her, only the opportunity

to have her students be the best she could make them. Some of her students at

Pickwick were Wendy Burge, Rodger Berry, and Roy and Sandy Wagelein who

went to the 1968 Olympics. While coaching in Los Angeles Mary
choreographed the 1968 Olympic team's programs.

Mary did take a break from coaching from 1977 to 1983 while raising her
children, but the lure of the ice was too strong, and she was persuaded to
become a Judge. In fact, she judged the very first test session at our local rink.

She later went on to become the instigator of the accelerated
program for skaters to become judges at the Los Angeles Figure Skaing Club.

She eventually judged high tests in all disciplines and also served on several

USFSA panels for the education and training of judges.

In 1983 Mary started coaching part-time at our local rink and moved
here permanently in 1984. Jennifer Castle and Gina Liberty became
two of her first students, followed by John Filbig who became Pacific
Coast Senior Men's Champion and winner of the Golden Spin of Zagreb
while trained by Mary. When the Training Center opened Mary coached at
both rinks where she was the first International Staff coach. She had a
very successful partnership with Garnet Fiordilisi. They choreographed the
Summer and Christmas Ice Shows and were also back stage managers for the

Christmas and Summer ice shows for Mrs Probst. Mary coached National
competitors Doug Murray, Naomi Grabow, Sarah Alesefar, and most recently
Stephanie Chase-Bass.

Well, that's a brief glimpse into the past of Mary Couense, coach,
mentor, and friend. She is respected and loved throughout the world of figure skating.