TAHbKA
Cats and garlic lover
- Messages
- 22,292
Two blasts from the past, so why not.
Link
`Right hand to the sholder, straight the left, don't life the sholders. The knees and the feet together, tight'. Not taking her sight off the camera Kostornaya for a second turns off the microphone and tells me `I'll finish the lesson soon and will be good to talk'. Half an hour later giving her time to dress warmer and move from the off ice fascility into the ice we begin.
EV: Working with the pupils online - is it an investment into your future coaching profession or just a way to earn some money?AK: Think we should start with saying Gosha and I have a club - Team Kostornaya & Kunitsa. We started with the basic lessons then started grouping the kids. Now we have about 5-6 groups, I work with 4 of them and the pregnancy does not prevent me from continuing the way you had just seen me.
EV: The girl on the screen was quite an adult
AK: It's an amateurs club that unites people of different ages and different levels. But I try not to work with the kids younger than 5.
EV: Why?
AK: First of all the littke kids need much more attention in order to teach them right from the very beginning. Second at that age they can aim for a professional group, not an amateur and perhaps have a future in figure skating. Of course many things have to go a certain way in order for that to happen, but the odds the kid may become a professional skater are higher. Grouping these kids with those who will most likely just skate for the fun of it is not quite a good idea.
EV: For Georgi and you the club is a hobby or a serious business project?
AK: We first started it just to see whether we can do it. While we were giving extra lessons in 3 different rinks, on the mass skates frankly, I was in awe the silly things some coaches are doing. It's wong, it's unneeded. It was such a shame to watch it happening. So I thought if we go on skating ourselves and yet have a lot of experience and, most importantly, know how to teach, why not do it constanty. After all I began coaching when I was 18 and was doing it all the time, every day no matter how seriously I was practicing. The only time am not on the ice is during the vacation but even then I would give an online lessons.
It's not even much about the money - our main income is from the shows. Just the more the club developed it became obvious it may become our separate business project. Though am not much of a business woman: almost everything I earn I immediately waste for some additional things for the club- bringing a choreographer, renting an off ice space, organizing a dance class, some othr stuff.
EV: Inventing myself a fun thing to do and paying for it?
AK: Quite. Just to keep our athletes happy.
EV: While watching your class I recalled your coach Elena Zhgun who not only was working as coach but teaching in the academy. Your tone was such of a lecturer.
AK: Well, yes, I like Elena's way of teaching. She was my coach the longest time -from the age of 8 till 13. And only later I realize how lucky I was to work with such a coach during my most important sports years.
Now am attempting to create a similar communication way with my pupils. Unfortunately it does not work for everyone. There are kids who need a calm and explicit explanation where the arms and the legs should go. Some need to be barked at. But since I mainly work with the kids I really have to watch my language.
EV: I.e. there are some strong words in your lexicone?
AK: Never towards the pupils. I never mean to offend or put someone down. When emotional I can say some things to Gosha when we are training together, but it's really just an explosion of emotions and a lack of understanding.
EV: There is a belief in the sport that the girls work the best when the pupil is always a bit ashamed for being too fat, too lazy, not working hard enough. I heard the same about you - that you had to be held on the edge all the time.
AK: I was always quite allright with the critique of such kind. I can't say I was indifferent for the things that were said. I took that into an account but realized how objective these sayings were. I do have my own eyes and can compare myself to the others. But all and all I don't like such an approach where you are always ashamed and guilty. It's much nicer workin when there is an understanding that the coach and the skater are moving in the same direction.
Whether you'll listen to the coach or not is a different matter. But in general by the age of 12 most of the athletes in our sport understand what are they doing and why.
EV: Your pregnancy - a sponaenous decition or long planned one?
AK: More of a second. Gosha and I realized the Olympics will not happen to us any time soon, it's silly even to mention. Our sport demands the coordination. Especially the pairs skating, where you are not in control of everything yourself. For 2 years I was falling from the lifts, throws, split twists, i.e. was falling on the ice from quite a heigh and broke quite a lot of bones. But it's not even that - no one is immune to the injuries on the ice.
I just realize that there is plenty of time till 2030 if we are aiming there. What can happen to my body till then, if even now, at the age of 22 my medical history is a great thing for any doctor. Will my body suvive another 5 years of such practices, will I be able to have children? Of course sport is a way of life, love, but I do want the usual things as well - a family and children and not to be sorry when I'm 50 that I missed the opportunity.
EV: That's clear, but when you are in the sport it's hard to step out of t here.
AK: Gosha and I thought for a while before making a decision. Having a child is not like having a new dog. When we started the consultations and the medical tests it became clear things were not the best. So the pregnancy indeed was a great New Year's present for us.
EV: Is it not too dangerous to go on skating on the ice when you're to give birth in a couple of weeks?
AK: To go on the ice and just glide around is no risk. Even at my current state I can show some elements and spin. I only fell once during my pregnancy and even that was in the hospital and not on the ice: they didn't put the sign `wet floor' and I splat leaving the doctor's. Was luck am an athlete and to do a split is a normal for me. Someone else would have to get stitches.
During the last 8.5 months there were not dangerous situations on the ice. Obviously am not jumping or doing anything complicated. But am sick of having to control my every step.
EV: Do you miss the practices?
AK: I miss having no restrictions on the ice. The normal practice is a constant overcome. It's hard but you go there and do it. It hurts but you go and do it. You feel you can't anymore and still you go and do that. Sometimes I can't even answer myself why am I doing that but that overcoming is the most satisfying.
EV: Do you really plan to come back for the 2030 Olympics?
AK: We plan to come back by next September's test skates. We have already decided to keep the old LP and haven't yet tought of the SP. As for the shows, if all goes well I'd like to be back in November.
EV: What is the goal coming to the ice? Just not to be home alone?
AK: Right now the time goes so slowly mainly because neither my mom nor the doctors allow me to work the way I'd like to. So I work quitely. I do the online trainings and don't reveal how much time do I spend on the the rink - I know they will be cross.
When I have a free time I come to Gosha's practices just to see him and Anastasia Korobeinikova working, how ready are they. Sometimes I really want to comment but my husband doesnt' like it when I do. So when I just can't contain myself I send Rosliakov a message and tell him what I think. I know it's their job and am not related to it, but I want Gosh to look great on the ice no matter who he skates with. So he will be preceived as a great athlete and a great partner.
EV: I was quite startled learning Georgi has to renew his skating rank. How come he still doesn't have a master's level?
AK: Its' rather easy. In the singles he always lacked something - either the number of competition participants was not enough or the judges' qualification was not enough or somethign else. There are quite a lot of holes in the beurocracy. In order to get a master level in the pairs we had to skate clean with no deductions. Last season we only did the main competitions and the goal was to show what we are capable of. Which is always a huge risk especially when there is no consistency. Even in the practices not everything worked for us so when stressing out something would pop up. For example I would always fall from the throws.
Had we had a bit more time we could had picked some competitions where people come just to get their levels. To skate with an easier content knowing it would be clean and he'll get his level. But it is what it is.
EV: Did the coaches take into an account you preferences for your husband's new skating partner?
AK: We needed a girl of a certain age who has a certain level and is a pair skater. The only thing I asked is for her not to be heavy so his back would not be injured. Anastasia was ideal. She've been skating in Rosliakov's group for a while and was just left with no parter at a certain point. Second we managed to negotiate the conditions where everyone wins no matter that it's only a one year partnership. For both Gosha and Anastasia it's a wonderful opportunity to keep practicing - it's always better skating in a pair than alone. There is an opportunity to progress, to gain a level, no one is limiting the competitions they can participate.
EV: Do you assme you may love being a mom so much that you will not come back to the ice?
AK: I think I will indeed love it, but we have moms who are willing to help so we will probably find a way to combine the family life with the sport and not have to give up anything.
EV: What is your family life now? Do you live separately from your parents?
AK: Yeah, not so far from Medvedkovo where till recently we were pracitcing. But next week we are buyng a house. We spent quite a wile deciding what do we want - this type of house or that, a townhouse. In the end we decided on a townhouse not far from Moscow. It was the best option for us.
EV: What kind of a homekeeper are you?
AK: Am trying to make our home nice. No matter what I do am going to keep doing it till the result is ideal. Hence our home is always clean, there is always food in the fridge, everything looks nice. Even the dishes are seasonal - the mugs, the plates, the cultry. Think we have 5 different sets. It takes too much space but I can't even imagine having a new year's without the new year's dishset. I just love decorating the house. Even if am dead tired I'll still find time and will to wash the floor one more time, to tidy up, to wipe some dust, to make food.
EV: What is your special dish?
AK: I love experimenting, but within the sane boundaries. Sometimes I try something and Gosha decides what does he prefer. The most time consuming are the cakes. It's not a one day work. First the base, then the filling, then cremes, then combining it and the the decor. Of course I don't often do that, just for the special ocasions, but sometimes I just want to surprise.
EV: Do you have time to watch the major competitions where the Russian athlets do not participate?
AK: Yes. Am interesting seeing what is going on, what are the new findings, what is the progress. I recall a while ago everyone were criticizing Malinin he can only jump and will never skate nice, but he is a god of skating now.
EV: What is the most important thing in the pairs skating for you?
AK: It's always means a lot when the pair looks like one on the ice. I don't like it that many try to get that one by pretty easy steps. Some basic steps, walts and loop three turns and some basic steps. Look at us, we are so beautiful, kudos to us, we are gliding in parallel on the straight line. But really guys the only reason you have lines is because you just skate on the line. On the other hand when there are more complicated steps and positions involved it's hard to look as one without a certain amount of work the same move will look different even if you are twins. I think the contemporary pairs skating should aim for more complicated small moves without missing out on the main elements.
EV: Are you worried by the time you and Kunitsa are back to the competition the pairs skating will progress too much?
AK: If it will - willl catch up. Not a big deal. Nor the first for us.
Link
`Right hand to the sholder, straight the left, don't life the sholders. The knees and the feet together, tight'. Not taking her sight off the camera Kostornaya for a second turns off the microphone and tells me `I'll finish the lesson soon and will be good to talk'. Half an hour later giving her time to dress warmer and move from the off ice fascility into the ice we begin.
EV: Working with the pupils online - is it an investment into your future coaching profession or just a way to earn some money?AK: Think we should start with saying Gosha and I have a club - Team Kostornaya & Kunitsa. We started with the basic lessons then started grouping the kids. Now we have about 5-6 groups, I work with 4 of them and the pregnancy does not prevent me from continuing the way you had just seen me.
EV: The girl on the screen was quite an adult
AK: It's an amateurs club that unites people of different ages and different levels. But I try not to work with the kids younger than 5.
EV: Why?
AK: First of all the littke kids need much more attention in order to teach them right from the very beginning. Second at that age they can aim for a professional group, not an amateur and perhaps have a future in figure skating. Of course many things have to go a certain way in order for that to happen, but the odds the kid may become a professional skater are higher. Grouping these kids with those who will most likely just skate for the fun of it is not quite a good idea.
EV: For Georgi and you the club is a hobby or a serious business project?
AK: We first started it just to see whether we can do it. While we were giving extra lessons in 3 different rinks, on the mass skates frankly, I was in awe the silly things some coaches are doing. It's wong, it's unneeded. It was such a shame to watch it happening. So I thought if we go on skating ourselves and yet have a lot of experience and, most importantly, know how to teach, why not do it constanty. After all I began coaching when I was 18 and was doing it all the time, every day no matter how seriously I was practicing. The only time am not on the ice is during the vacation but even then I would give an online lessons.
It's not even much about the money - our main income is from the shows. Just the more the club developed it became obvious it may become our separate business project. Though am not much of a business woman: almost everything I earn I immediately waste for some additional things for the club- bringing a choreographer, renting an off ice space, organizing a dance class, some othr stuff.
EV: Inventing myself a fun thing to do and paying for it?
AK: Quite. Just to keep our athletes happy.
EV: While watching your class I recalled your coach Elena Zhgun who not only was working as coach but teaching in the academy. Your tone was such of a lecturer.
AK: Well, yes, I like Elena's way of teaching. She was my coach the longest time -from the age of 8 till 13. And only later I realize how lucky I was to work with such a coach during my most important sports years.
Now am attempting to create a similar communication way with my pupils. Unfortunately it does not work for everyone. There are kids who need a calm and explicit explanation where the arms and the legs should go. Some need to be barked at. But since I mainly work with the kids I really have to watch my language.
EV: I.e. there are some strong words in your lexicone?
AK: Never towards the pupils. I never mean to offend or put someone down. When emotional I can say some things to Gosha when we are training together, but it's really just an explosion of emotions and a lack of understanding.
EV: There is a belief in the sport that the girls work the best when the pupil is always a bit ashamed for being too fat, too lazy, not working hard enough. I heard the same about you - that you had to be held on the edge all the time.
AK: I was always quite allright with the critique of such kind. I can't say I was indifferent for the things that were said. I took that into an account but realized how objective these sayings were. I do have my own eyes and can compare myself to the others. But all and all I don't like such an approach where you are always ashamed and guilty. It's much nicer workin when there is an understanding that the coach and the skater are moving in the same direction.
Whether you'll listen to the coach or not is a different matter. But in general by the age of 12 most of the athletes in our sport understand what are they doing and why.
EV: Your pregnancy - a sponaenous decition or long planned one?
AK: More of a second. Gosha and I realized the Olympics will not happen to us any time soon, it's silly even to mention. Our sport demands the coordination. Especially the pairs skating, where you are not in control of everything yourself. For 2 years I was falling from the lifts, throws, split twists, i.e. was falling on the ice from quite a heigh and broke quite a lot of bones. But it's not even that - no one is immune to the injuries on the ice.
I just realize that there is plenty of time till 2030 if we are aiming there. What can happen to my body till then, if even now, at the age of 22 my medical history is a great thing for any doctor. Will my body suvive another 5 years of such practices, will I be able to have children? Of course sport is a way of life, love, but I do want the usual things as well - a family and children and not to be sorry when I'm 50 that I missed the opportunity.
EV: That's clear, but when you are in the sport it's hard to step out of t here.
AK: Gosha and I thought for a while before making a decision. Having a child is not like having a new dog. When we started the consultations and the medical tests it became clear things were not the best. So the pregnancy indeed was a great New Year's present for us.
EV: Is it not too dangerous to go on skating on the ice when you're to give birth in a couple of weeks?
AK: To go on the ice and just glide around is no risk. Even at my current state I can show some elements and spin. I only fell once during my pregnancy and even that was in the hospital and not on the ice: they didn't put the sign `wet floor' and I splat leaving the doctor's. Was luck am an athlete and to do a split is a normal for me. Someone else would have to get stitches.
During the last 8.5 months there were not dangerous situations on the ice. Obviously am not jumping or doing anything complicated. But am sick of having to control my every step.
EV: Do you miss the practices?
AK: I miss having no restrictions on the ice. The normal practice is a constant overcome. It's hard but you go there and do it. It hurts but you go and do it. You feel you can't anymore and still you go and do that. Sometimes I can't even answer myself why am I doing that but that overcoming is the most satisfying.
EV: Do you really plan to come back for the 2030 Olympics?
AK: We plan to come back by next September's test skates. We have already decided to keep the old LP and haven't yet tought of the SP. As for the shows, if all goes well I'd like to be back in November.
EV: What is the goal coming to the ice? Just not to be home alone?
AK: Right now the time goes so slowly mainly because neither my mom nor the doctors allow me to work the way I'd like to. So I work quitely. I do the online trainings and don't reveal how much time do I spend on the the rink - I know they will be cross.
When I have a free time I come to Gosha's practices just to see him and Anastasia Korobeinikova working, how ready are they. Sometimes I really want to comment but my husband doesnt' like it when I do. So when I just can't contain myself I send Rosliakov a message and tell him what I think. I know it's their job and am not related to it, but I want Gosh to look great on the ice no matter who he skates with. So he will be preceived as a great athlete and a great partner.
EV: I was quite startled learning Georgi has to renew his skating rank. How come he still doesn't have a master's level?
AK: Its' rather easy. In the singles he always lacked something - either the number of competition participants was not enough or the judges' qualification was not enough or somethign else. There are quite a lot of holes in the beurocracy. In order to get a master level in the pairs we had to skate clean with no deductions. Last season we only did the main competitions and the goal was to show what we are capable of. Which is always a huge risk especially when there is no consistency. Even in the practices not everything worked for us so when stressing out something would pop up. For example I would always fall from the throws.
Had we had a bit more time we could had picked some competitions where people come just to get their levels. To skate with an easier content knowing it would be clean and he'll get his level. But it is what it is.
EV: Did the coaches take into an account you preferences for your husband's new skating partner?
AK: We needed a girl of a certain age who has a certain level and is a pair skater. The only thing I asked is for her not to be heavy so his back would not be injured. Anastasia was ideal. She've been skating in Rosliakov's group for a while and was just left with no parter at a certain point. Second we managed to negotiate the conditions where everyone wins no matter that it's only a one year partnership. For both Gosha and Anastasia it's a wonderful opportunity to keep practicing - it's always better skating in a pair than alone. There is an opportunity to progress, to gain a level, no one is limiting the competitions they can participate.
EV: Do you assme you may love being a mom so much that you will not come back to the ice?
AK: I think I will indeed love it, but we have moms who are willing to help so we will probably find a way to combine the family life with the sport and not have to give up anything.
EV: What is your family life now? Do you live separately from your parents?
AK: Yeah, not so far from Medvedkovo where till recently we were pracitcing. But next week we are buyng a house. We spent quite a wile deciding what do we want - this type of house or that, a townhouse. In the end we decided on a townhouse not far from Moscow. It was the best option for us.
EV: What kind of a homekeeper are you?
AK: Am trying to make our home nice. No matter what I do am going to keep doing it till the result is ideal. Hence our home is always clean, there is always food in the fridge, everything looks nice. Even the dishes are seasonal - the mugs, the plates, the cultry. Think we have 5 different sets. It takes too much space but I can't even imagine having a new year's without the new year's dishset. I just love decorating the house. Even if am dead tired I'll still find time and will to wash the floor one more time, to tidy up, to wipe some dust, to make food.
EV: What is your special dish?
AK: I love experimenting, but within the sane boundaries. Sometimes I try something and Gosha decides what does he prefer. The most time consuming are the cakes. It's not a one day work. First the base, then the filling, then cremes, then combining it and the the decor. Of course I don't often do that, just for the special ocasions, but sometimes I just want to surprise.
EV: Do you have time to watch the major competitions where the Russian athlets do not participate?
AK: Yes. Am interesting seeing what is going on, what are the new findings, what is the progress. I recall a while ago everyone were criticizing Malinin he can only jump and will never skate nice, but he is a god of skating now.
EV: What is the most important thing in the pairs skating for you?
AK: It's always means a lot when the pair looks like one on the ice. I don't like it that many try to get that one by pretty easy steps. Some basic steps, walts and loop three turns and some basic steps. Look at us, we are so beautiful, kudos to us, we are gliding in parallel on the straight line. But really guys the only reason you have lines is because you just skate on the line. On the other hand when there are more complicated steps and positions involved it's hard to look as one without a certain amount of work the same move will look different even if you are twins. I think the contemporary pairs skating should aim for more complicated small moves without missing out on the main elements.
EV: Are you worried by the time you and Kunitsa are back to the competition the pairs skating will progress too much?
AK: If it will - willl catch up. Not a big deal. Nor the first for us.
