KIDS' QUESTIONS
October 2007
October 2007
Kids' Questions with Tara Lipinski
Tara Lipinski, the 1998 Olympic champion, is busy with her acting career. She's appeared in several TV series, including “Seventh Heaven,” “Still Standing” and “Malcolm in the Middle” to name just a few. She has also attended various Hollywood-type events, including last spring's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Culver City, Calif. She also threw out the first pitch earlier this year at a Dodgers' baseball game. Lipinski would like to explore drama and film this year.
Now that you've been a successful actress, do you think you will ever take an acting role that requires either skating or a coaching role?
Jordan Rheanne Murphy, 11
Fresno
Tara: I really enjoy playing different characters. It keeps it interesting and challenging. I try to keep both my careers separate but I never count out any role until I have looked at the material.
Do you still skate at all? Can you still do all of your jumps and spins?
Debbie Williamson, 15
Elk Grove
Tara: I don't skate full time anymore since I have been acting, but for me skating is like riding a bike so I know if I ever wanted to go back to the ice at a higher capacity I could.
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| Tara Lipinski |
What do you miss most about competitive skating? Are you glad you retired when you did?
Lexie Frenz, 16
Portland, Ore.
Tara: I loved competitive skating and I love to perform for audiences. The best part of skating for me was when I was in the middle of a long program at a competition knowing it was going well. That was everything I trained for and pulling it off was simply a joy. I'm glad I retired when I did. It was my decision to move on to professional skating. My dream was to win Olympic gold. I had done everything I wanted to do in my amateur career, winning the Olympics, Worlds and nationals. I felt so blessed but I also felt ready to move on and build a career as a professional skater. I can't say I really miss competitive skating anymore. I have many great memories and feel very blessed to have had the amateur career I did.
Do you think that you were born with natural jumping ability or do you think that you had to really work hard to be able to jump the way you did at such an early age?
Julia Passaro, 6
East Northport, N.Y.
Tara: It's hard to say. Maybe it was a mix of natural ability and hard work. I think natural ability can only take you so far. Hard work is a much safer route. I don't think I would have succeeded without the hours and hours of training.
Do you plan on doing any future skating tours? What is the next acting job we will see you in?
Emily Clapp, 13
Wyomissing
Tara: Right now I don't plan to tour. I have been mainly focusing on television and doing sitcoms over the past few years. This year I would like to explore drama and film.
What was it like to win the 1998 Winter Olympics?
An Vuong, 16
Reading, Pa.
Tara: Winning gold at the Olympics was incredible. Sometimes I still feel like I have to pinch myself. The whole experience was amazing. The pride you feel representing your country, the spirit of the opening and closing ceremonies, the camaraderie of staying in the village, the pressure of competing and, of course, standing on the podium watching your flag rise are things you never forget.
We have all heard of you pretending to be standing on the podium receiving a first-place ribbon while watching the Olympics. However, some say you were 3 when that happened and I have also read you were 12. How old were you when that happened?
Stasia Casselman, 17
Ozark
Tara: I was actually 2 years old when this happened and this story has been misinterpreted over the years. My mom was watching the 1984 Summer Olympics. When the athletes were on the podium and the anthems were playing, I wanted to copy them. That's when my mom gave me some Tupperware to stand on.
I have all ways been so jittery in competitions that I totally flub everything. For example, in March at the end of a perfect program I totally flipped out on the easiest spin of the century – a scratch spin. I don't know why but I fell. Of course, I ended up at the bottom of results. How did you calm yourself at the Olympics?
Hannah Pryor, 11
Roswell, Ga.
Tara: When I hit the senior scene I would always have to deal with nerves. Everyone gets nervous and deals with it in a different way. So you have to figure out what works best for you. I focused inward and that seemed to work best for me.
You are my idol in skating and because of you I decided to skate. How did you learn to do the amazing triple loop-triple loop in your Olympic free skate? You made it look so easy and my coach said that combos with a triple loop on the end are really hard.
Katrina Stack, 13
Livonia
Tara: That's so sweet, Thank you. I trained for a long time on my triple-triples. I knew that it would be something to set me apart from the other skaters. I first worked the triple Salchow-triple loop and then the triple loop-triple loop. I always enjoyed working on triple triples. I never put my triple Lutz-triple loop into competition. The loop-loop was easiest for me.
Did you ever regret retiring when you did, at such a young age? Did you ever watch the competitions on TV and think, “I could have won that!” I have been off the ice for a while due to injury and I get so mad watching my friends skating all the time and I can't.
Yamito Kim, 10
Los Angeles
Tara: I never regret turning professional. Every U.S. Olympic champion before me turned pro after winning the Olympics. I know I was young but I achieved all my goals. There are times when I watch skating that I wish the new scoring system was in place when I competed. Skating is a sport and sports demand athleticism. The new scoring system makes you skate to your highest technical level and then presentation factors in, not the other way around. I also think it's less subjective. I watched the last two Olympics and I have to say there was a part of me that wished I could just go out there and do what I do best.
How do you feel about the current direction that skating is taking? Who are some of your favorite American amateur skaters?
Melissa Stein, 14
San Diego
Tara: Skating overall has lost a lot of its popular appeal over the past few years, maybe it's due to the judging scandals or maybe it's simply a cycle. I love this sport and hope it regains its past popularity. I have favorites but I never like to comment.
You are one of my favorite skaters. I started roller skating before ice skating, too, and I have a gray Arabian gelding similar to the one in your book. Do you ever ride horses any more? Do you have any tips for someone learning to do a double loop? I can make the rotation, but land it two-footed.
Emily Tharp, 10
Raleigh, N.C.
Tara: I no longer have my horse but I would love to ride again. To consistently land a loop jump (or any jump for that matter) it is important that you have good technique or you will always be fighting inconsistency. Your take off into the jump is important. As your jumps get stronger, the two-footing should go away. I'm sure your coach can help you with this.
