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KIDS' QUESTIONS

April 2002

2002 Four Continents champion Jenny Kirk answers your toughest questions! The response to Kids' Questions continues to be impressive, so keep those questions and photos coming every month! Check back next month for Stephanie Kalesavich and Aaron Parchem's answers to your questions.

Jenny Kirk

Q: How old were you when you started to skate? When you first started skating, did you want to go for the Olympics, or were you just skating for fun and you progressed from there? Deanna Johnson, 7, Everett, Mass.; Tara, 16, Alpena, Mich.

JK: Before I started skating lessons, I was a pretty serious gymnast. Any dreams up until that point in my life of going to the Olympics were always associated with my gymnastics. After my ninth birthday, I decided that gymnastics was getting too dangerous for me. So, my mom decided to sign me up for figure skating lessons because I live in New England, and she figured I would like to know how to at least skate around the rink! I immediately loved skating! I found that skating combined the athletics from the gymnastics that I had taken so much of and the artistry from all the ballet classes. From there I entered local competitions, and the rest, I guess, is history!

Q: What does your daily schedule consist of, and how long do you train each day? Devin Miller, 11, and Lanna Gallo, 13, Delaware

JK: Monday through Friday I live on Cape Cod, and I go to Harwich High School from 7:30 until 11:00 each morning. Then I drive to the rink where I warm up for about an hour and begin skating at 12:10 p.m. I skate three hourlong sessions in a row and finish around 3:30 p.m. A couple of days a week I have a workout session with my strength coach after skating, and then I go home and start my homework!

Q: What is your most memorable skating moment? Danielle Barnet, 15, Wolcott, Conn.

JK: Wow, this is a tough one! Of course, I have so many memories in my head from winning competitions and standing on top of the podium. However, probably the most memorable moment was when I finished my short program last year at the U.S. Championships in Boston. The whole week I had to deal with pressure from the media because the U.S. Championships were in my hometown, and it had gotten to the point where it was a little bit overwhelming. To top it off, I had to skate my short right after Michelle Kwan and Sarah Hughes, who each got standing ovations. I was really nervous because short programs are never that fun, and I knew I had to nail it! I just have the best memory of finishing my program, watching the people in the crowd stand up and getting this total rush from skating so well. A lot of times if I'm having a hard time during practice I think of that moment, and it makes me motivated to train.

Jenny Kirk

Q: Congrats on your win at Four Continents! Since you didn't go to the Olympics, how did you use that time, and what are your goals for next year? How will your experience this year affect your practicing and your competitions? Stacy, 16, Mountlake Terrace, Wash.

JK: Thank you! After Four Continents, I took a little break from skating. I spent time resting my body and getting caught up on all my schoolwork. After taking time off I came back to the ice, and I got a new show program and started working on different elements that I want to put in my programs for next season. My goals for next year are to do well internationally and make the World Team. I feel like winning Four Continents has made me want to train harder for next season and has given me a lot of confidence in my skating.

Q: What is it like training with such a famous coach? Kara Francavillo, 11, Glen Rock, N.J.

JK: I have been very fortunate to have had Evy and Mary Scotvold as my coaches. I have learned so much from both of them. They have given me a lot of knowledge on what it is like to be a skater at a top level because of their experience with coaching many other successful skaters.

Q: What is your favorite part of your long program in 2002? Alan, 10, Fort Myers, Fla.

JK: My favorite part from my long program, I would have to say, is my footwork at the end. I really like how the music builds, and at this point in my program I can always start to feel the excitement from the audience. Also, the only other jump I have left in my program is a triple Salchow so I know all I have to do is hold on and enjoy the end of my program.

Q: Can you give me any advice or tips on landing a double Axel? I loved your “Puttin' on the Ritz” program. Kaitlin, 14, Lincoln, Neb.

JK: Thank you! Well, I think a lot of people would agree with me when I say the double Axel is probably one of the hardest jumps you will ever have to learn! One thing you should try is if there are off-ice mats in your rink, practice the jump off the ice everyday. This will get your body into the feeling of the 2 1/2 rotations. If you've mastered that, then put two-pound weights on each of your ankles and practice it this way. Just remember to always be careful and be patient!

Q: When competing in a big competition like the U.S. Championships, what do you think about when you're on the ice? Alynn Amelia, 12, Yarmouth, Mass.

JK: One of the most helpful tips on competing that I have ever learned is not to think while I'm skating. I usually try to completely clear my head before my program begins and then just let my body do what it has been trained to do. I never like to think before I go into my jumps, but sometimes during my choreography I think about how cool it is that I'm performing in front of so many people!

Q: You travel all over the world to places that you've never been before. How do you prepare yourself for your trips and the conditions you might encounter? Do you enjoy traveling? Bernadette, 10, West Bahlou, Kan.

JK: I love traveling to different cities within the U.S. and various countries. Although, sometimes it's tough because you can never really prepare for what you might encounter when you arrive at certain places. I think the hardest part of traveling for me is knowing what type of weather to pack for! For example, when I went to L.A. for the U.S. Championships, it was so warm it felt like summer. I couldn't believe that I was walking around outside in a tank top when it was 30 degrees back at home! Then, a week later I went to Korea where the rink was freezing, and I had to deal with a mixed bag of weather. I think it's important to keep an open mind when traveling and just take what you can from the experience!

Q: What are your goals on ice and off ice in four years? If college is in your mind, what are you going to major in? Victoria Cai, 12, Millis, Mass.

JK: I've decided that I am going to hold off on college applications for at least another year. It's been tough this last year in keeping up with school and skating, and I've decided that I want to give 100% to my training the next four years. My goal for next year is to make the World Team and do really well internationally. I think winning Four Continents has really made me hungry to begin next season and start competing!

Q: I think you have the sweetest attitude and a great perspective on skating — I admire you a lot for that. How do you manage to keep such a positive attitude after all you've been through? How did the loss of your mother affect your skating, and how did you stay motivated afterwards? Julia Lee, 14, Sunnyvale, Calif.; Gracie, 11, New York; and Jamie, 16, Tucson, Ariz.

JK: First of all, thank you so much! This past year has been a lot harder for me than I think a lot of people really ever knew about. I think when my mom got sick, I didn't ever want to think about it or how bad it was. Somewhere in the back of my head, I believed that things were going to go back to normal, and I didn't need to worry about her not ever being with me. Since she's passed away, the hardest part of not having her around is going to competitions and not being able to share my experiences with her. I wouldn't have ever been able to get through this past year without the support of my friends and family. They are really what kept me going, and I will never be able to thank them enough!

Q: Do you ever get nervous? If so, what do you do to calm yourself down, and how do you handle your nerves? Kayley, 12, Waterloo, Iowa

JK: I always get nervous! I think it's almost essential to get at least a little bit nervous before a competition because it's your mind's way of telling your body that this is important, and now is the time when it counts! Usually, if I compete at night, I like to spend the day with friends thinking about other things totally outside of skating. I've learned that once you get to the rink then it's time to think about skating, but off the ice it's important to think about other things or else you'll drive yourself crazy! Usually right before I get on the ice to compete I run through my program a bazillion times in my head, and I cut it down into sections. This helps me to pace myself and visualize myself skating a clean program over and over again.

Q: How does it feel when you are competing with the best skaters and you realize that you are the champion? Luisa Fernanda Vela Montaudon, 12, Mexico City

JK: Usually at competitions I don't think about the other skaters I have competed against, I just focus on what I have accomplished on the ice. Winning a major competition is indescribable! It's the best feeling when you finally realize that all the hard work in practice has paid off.

Thanks Jenny!