Life After Competitive FS: your favorites

After I listened to Katia Gordeeva's TSL interview, I thought of creating a space where we can assemble what various skaters have shared on the subject. I'll start with quotes from two of Ashley Wagner's new blog entries. The links will take you to the whole thing, each is maybe 600-800 words. (the bolding is mine).

I liked that Michelle Kwan went into politics in the state department. I always thought that was brave of her to leave the skating industry, it’s scary out there.

I imagine it would be hard to go from being the top practitioner in the world at something to being at the bottom of a new career/endeavor. It's maybe similar to doctors and attorneys who burn-out and change careers, since they also put in so much effort to get there but have to start nearly from scratch when they do something else.

To move to the idea of what skaters have shared about their process:

In this week's TSL interview, Katia Gordeeva said that when she moved away from Olympic=eligible the first time, she didn't like show skating so much at first. But she loved skating, and she found things to love about show skating and went on from there.

I'm pretty sure she also alluded to how it was a little scary to have more freedom in their schedule, even in their choreography, in everything. Competitive figure skaters have so much of their lives planned to the letter. I imagine it's an easier transition to go straight to a very demanding, new endeavor like grad school, med school, etc. where you have to work hard. That's what they're accustomed to!

I remember Evan Lysacek saying that he wanted something that he could pour all of his passion into. Like he had with skating.

Also, I'd think that someone with a strong desire to coach or choreograph ... and the opportunity ... and, as some of them say, give back to the sport that has given them so much ... are fortunate. Of course, then it's a transition from being out front to being in a supportive role.