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KIDS' QUESTIONS
April 2003
U.S. senior ladies competitor Beatrisa Liang takes on the kids press and answers the questions you sent in!
Q: What skater do you most look up to and why? Kevin Durkin, 11, Norristown, Pa.; Tiffany, 14, Md.
Probably Paul Wylie. He has always been a great inspiration to me! I admire him for his grace on ice and for the fact that he never gives up. I also admire him for his will to return to school after he was done competing and hope that I will be able to as well.
Q: I'm working on my double Axel and triple toe. I can usually land my double Axel clean or cheated, but I want it to be clean and consistent. Do you have any tips I can use to help me? Michael Chau, 12, Oakdale, Minn.
First and foremost, keep working hard and don't give up. Focus on good technique. Once you get it clean with good technique, consistency comes with time.
Q: You are a rising star, and for someone so young, you have accomplished a lot. How does it feel to compete against the top ladies in the sport? April Clark, 14, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Jessica Mueller, 14, Wauwatosa, Wis.; Stephanie, 12, Danville, Calif.
Thanks for your kind compliments! It is a great honor to be able to compete with them. Every year, I still find it hard to believe that I actually get my name up there alongside those of the big stars. But it stimulates me to strive even harder to be a worthy competitor.
Q: How many hours a day do you spend on the ice training, and how many hours are spent doing off-ice training? Mallory Mae Carmichael, 9, Clearwater, Fla.
Since I go to full-time school, I don't have as many hours to skate. So during the school year I train two to three hours on ice per day and two hours off ice per week. During the summer it increases to 3 1/2 hours on ice each day and about 3 hours off ice per week.
Q: What do you like to do in your free time? Katy, 13, Fort Gibson
I love to read. Whenever I have free time in the car or at home I grab a good book and read. Secondly, I love to spend time with my sisters and friends. I enjoy my youth group at church, and sometimes help with babysitting or little kids' programs. Also, I try to put in a half hour or an hour of piano practice whenever I can, although I am not sure you can exactly call that "free" time!
Q: You are one of my favorite skaters. Do you have any tips for young skaters out there? Paulina, 13, Pleasanton, Calif.
Paulina, if you have a dream, keep following it. You should not give up just because something temporarily goes wrong, because there will be setbacks. Skate because you love to. However, try to be balanced and well-rounded. Life is full of interesting things to explore.
Q: Do you ever get overwhelmed with all of the pressure and intensity of competition? How do you handle the pressure of big competitions, such as the U.S. Championships? Amanda, 13, Bothwell, Ontario, Canada; Kayley Grant, 13, Waterloo, Iowa
Yes, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the pressure, but I have a great support team. My family and coaches help me a lot to overcome the pressure during each competition.
Q: At what age did you land your double Axel, and how long did it take you to land it? How long did it take before you could land all of your triple jumps? Kaitlin Welke, 16, Lincoln, Neb.; Michael, 12, Springfield
I landed my double Axel when I was 9 years old and in the intermediate level. It took me about nine months to get it clean and consistent. As for my triples (except the triple Axel, of course) I got them more or less consistent by the time I skated on the junior level.
Q: I'm currently working on making my scratch spin faster. Do you have any tips for getting more speed? Kate Alexander, Spotsylvania, Va.
Spins go faster when they are centered. The scratch spin is a little easier to get faster than most spins because of its tight position. Make sure to take advantage of the centripetal force by pulling your arms and legs in tight!
Q: What are your future goals? Do you plan to skate in the 2006 or 2010 Olympics? Katie Alary, 13, Thornton, Colo.; Ashley Foy, 13, Wilmington, Del.
My future goals include a U.S. title and a World title. Right now, I am working hard to get gradually closer to my goals. And, of course, one of the biggest goals would be to make the 2006 Olympics. But most of all, I hope that one day I can somehow contribute to elevating the sport to a new level – that would thrill my heart!
