About Us

KIDS' QUESTIONS

May 2002

U.S. bronze medalists Stephanie Kalesavich and Aaron Parchem answer your questions aobut what it's like to be rising stars both nationally and in the world. Sasha Cohen will answer kids' questions for the October issue of SKATING. Ask Sasha a question!

U.S. bronze medalists Stephanie Kalesavich & Aaron Parchem

Q: When did each of you start skating pairs? How long have you been skating together? Christina Turmelle, Norwalk, Conn.; Kathryn McGee, 13, Grand Rapids, Mich.

AP: My singles career started winding down by the time I turned 20. A coach in Indianapolis convinced me to try pairs, which was something I had never really considered before. Steph competed in gymnastics before switching to figure skating. She did not progress too far within singles before she focused on pairs, and she won the novice title in her first year of pairs with another partner. We then got together in the spring of 1999.

Q: How did you guys find each other? I'm looking for a partner — do you have any advice to help me find one? Susanna, 12, Chicago, Ill.; Christina Turmelle, Norwalk, Conn.

SK & AP: We were skating at the same rink and looking for a new partner at the same time. We had the same coach, and he thought we should try out with each other. We feel we were lucky to have found a great partnership so easily, and luck has a lot to do with any skating career. But when you are looking for a partner, it helps to be seen at competitions and even other local rinks. Once word gets around that you are interested, chances are you will have a tryout in no time.

Q: What do you think you have to do as a team to become one of the top pairs teams in the world? Alison Przybyla, 9, Kansas City, Mo.

SK & AP: To be a top team in the world takes hard work and a lot of practice, but you already know that! You should set goals at the beginning of the season and work toward them throughout the year. What we try to do is consistently re-evaluate our strengths and weaknesses so we can change our training accordingly. Many times, how well you work is just as important as how hard you work.

Q: What's the one thing you like the most about working with each other? David, 13, Jackson, Miss.

SK & AP: Even when things get tough or frustrating, we always try to remember that we skate because it is fun. One of us always can crack a joke and lighten up the situation. Enjoying the time we spend together has made us appreciate each other as people and as athletes.

Q: How did it feel to win the U.S. junior title your first season together? How do you think you have gotten so good so fast? Joshua Smith, 10, Spokane, Wash.

SK & AP: Winning the junior title was definitely a surprise for both of us. At the beginning of the season, we thought if everything went well we could place in the top three. Because it was our first year, we didn't know what to expect or how we would react under the pressure. Our first-place finish gave us more confidence that we could be successful in achieving our goals.

Stephanie & Aaron in a press conference at the 2002 U.S. Championships

Q: Did it make you sad when you didn't make the Olympic or World Team this year? Are you planning to stay in skating for 2006? Ginny, 11, Philadelphia, Pa.

SK & AP: We felt that being the first alternate this year was an accomplishment in itself for us. We finished our year on a high note, and it will motivate us to keep training to become better skaters for the U.S. We would love to take another shot in 2006!

Q: How do you think all the stuff that happened in the Olympic pairs competition will affect you as a pairs team? How much do you worry about judging when you are skating? Kylie Flint, 12, Iowa

SK & AP: The controversy at the Olympics and the judging in the sport does not really affect us as far as how we approach competition. During competition, we only think about things that we can control, like preparing ourselves to skate as well as we can. Of course, we hope the judges are trying just as hard to do their jobs well, too.

Q: What is your most memorable skating experience? Juliann Kellams, 14, Edinburgh, Ind.

SK: My most memorable skating experience was being a part of the Goodwill Games this year. It was our first major international competition, and skating with some of the best teams in the world was really exciting.

AP: My favorite experience skating with Stephanie was probably the exhibition at [the U.S. Championships] when we won the junior title. I got a chance to meet and spend some time with a lot of people that I had only seen in passing or on TV. We also had never skated in front of such a big audience before. It was nice to feel like we were a little part of the big show.

Q: Who are some of your favorite skaters and why? Do you have a favorite pairs teams, past or present? Luis, 15, San Diego, Calif.

SK: My favorite pairs team of all time is Gordeeva and Grinkov. They were the first pairs team I remember watching on TV. They had a style and presence on the ice that set them head and shoulders above the top teams in the world.

AP: Over the last couple of years, I have really enjoyed the skating of Salé and Pelletier. This year at Skate Canada we competed against them, which was really cool. I talked about them so much that week that my coach got their autograph for me as a joke. I still have it in my room though!

Q: So many U.S. pairs teams keep breaking up. How have you been able to stay together and be successful? What advice would you give younger teams to stay together? Morgan Davis, 12, Boston, Mass.

SK & AP: Patience and understanding are very important in order to have a long and successful career as a pairs team. People develop at different rates and in different ways. Remember these things are not overnight accomplishments.

Q: Aaron, do you have a girlfriend? Stephanie, do you have a boyfriend? Is it hard to spend so much time with each other and still maintain other close relationships? Mandy Burks, 17, Los Angeles, Calif.

SK & AP: Yes, we both have significant others that are understanding of our situation and encourage us to reach our goals. Even though at times it is not easy, we both know we can find ways to make time for life outside of skating.

Q: How does diet, weight training and other off-ice training help you with your skating, and how important is it? Julia Porter, 9, Minneapolis, Minn.

SK & AP: Like any high level athlete, diet and off-ice work are key ingredients to success. We spend many hours weight training and working with our dance instructors while maintaining a diet to support our training needs. Rest is also an important part of training though — sitting on the couch and eating pizza every once in a while is a good way to end a hard week!

Q: Are you ever worried about getting hurt while doing difficult lifts? How do you keep yourself from getting hurt? Lauren, 13, Dallas, Texas

SK & AP: All of the tricks that we perform were learned off the ice — sometimes with a spotter for more difficult elements. Our coaches have us do off-ice lifting every day before we skate regardless of how comfortable we feel.

Q: If you could win a gold medal in any Olympic sport other than figure skating, what would it be and why? Erica Hurst, 15, Phoenix, Ariz.

SK: I would like to be a ski jumper, even though I'm really bad at skiing. I always wanted to go skydiving — maybe it would be similar to that.

AP: Is bowling an Olympic sport? Oh, well. I guess I'll have to be a curler.

Q: What do you want to accomplish in life outside of skating? James, 10, Memphis, Tenn.

SK: Someday I would love to go to design school. I think it would be so awesome to help design clothes for the runways or something. I also love to work with kids, so I'll probably coach for a while after we're finished competing. Right now, I'm just happy to be finishing my senior year in high school!

AP: Hopefully this fall I will receive an undergraduate degree in economics. When I have more time, I would like to go back to school to get a masters in that subject, or maybe an MBA. I have a feeling that coaching is in my future as well.

Thanks Stephanie and Aaron!