Interview with Rika on FS Life vol. 21 (5/29/2020): International shipping is available from this seller.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/フィギュアスケートLife-Vol-21-扶桑社ムック/dp/4594615392?language=en_US
Translation of excerpts:
--How did you spend your days while you took a season off? (Interview was in March in Naboya)
R: For the first time there was a 6-month period when I didn’t skate at all. I tried doing various things and I had fun, but I began to want to skate. I resumed practice, and after not skating for 6 months I realized skating meant so much to me.
--What made you decide to take a season off? Did you get exhausted?
R: Rather than being exhausted, I didn’t feel like going to the rink. I didn’t feel like skating either. I couldn’t go there at all. At the same time, I also thought, “I will be even worse if I take time off, because I’m already in bad shape.” and “Once I take time off, I may not be able to come back.” so I didn’t want to take a leave, and I was worried and stressed over it like that for a long time. Then I happened to remember the previous season and it occurred to me that when I was not myself it didn’t do me any good forcing myself as I couldn’t get good results, and I was no longer a young student and it may be a good idea to take a break once to do something else, rather than spending meaningless time repeating the same thing. I talked with my coach and he agreed with me. That’s how I finally decided to take a season off.
--You must have worried a lot.
R: I agonized over it. Even after I decided to take time off, I murmured inside “Awww,” for a while, but when I asked myself if I could skate, the answer was no. At times I was afraid I would not be able to come back, but I even felt resigned to that idea, thinking I should just accept the reality if things didn’t work out. Therefore, I left behind skating boots and gear in Canada (laughs).
....to be continued
https://www.amazon.co.jp/フィギュアスケートLife-Vol-21-扶桑社ムック/dp/4594615392?language=en_US
Translation of excerpts:
--How did you spend your days while you took a season off? (Interview was in March in Naboya)
R: For the first time there was a 6-month period when I didn’t skate at all. I tried doing various things and I had fun, but I began to want to skate. I resumed practice, and after not skating for 6 months I realized skating meant so much to me.
--What made you decide to take a season off? Did you get exhausted?
R: Rather than being exhausted, I didn’t feel like going to the rink. I didn’t feel like skating either. I couldn’t go there at all. At the same time, I also thought, “I will be even worse if I take time off, because I’m already in bad shape.” and “Once I take time off, I may not be able to come back.” so I didn’t want to take a leave, and I was worried and stressed over it like that for a long time. Then I happened to remember the previous season and it occurred to me that when I was not myself it didn’t do me any good forcing myself as I couldn’t get good results, and I was no longer a young student and it may be a good idea to take a break once to do something else, rather than spending meaningless time repeating the same thing. I talked with my coach and he agreed with me. That’s how I finally decided to take a season off.
--You must have worried a lot.
R: I agonized over it. Even after I decided to take time off, I murmured inside “Awww,” for a while, but when I asked myself if I could skate, the answer was no. At times I was afraid I would not be able to come back, but I even felt resigned to that idea, thinking I should just accept the reality if things didn’t work out. Therefore, I left behind skating boots and gear in Canada (laughs).
....to be continued