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Elena Vaytsekhovskaya's interview with Viktoria Kozlovskaya for rt.com `I try to turn the loving mother mode off'
EV: You've been watching all Dmitrii and Alexandra's competitions ever since they paired up and began competing in juniors. Do you feel more like a mom or an unofficial member of their coaching team?
VK: Probably the latter. During the competitions I try to turn the loving mother mode off - it bothers. For me it's important that Sasha and Dima skate in a certain wave. They know how. At the same time I try to judge their elements, pairness and the elements fairly. It's important for me they skate clean. That they finish the programme feeling proud of what they did, understanding they have done all they had to. And the victory, should it happen, be completely clear.
EV: It seems your son is a person for whom everything must be right. Are there any conflicts with his partner because of that?
VK: No. When they just paired up they felt when each had to let go, not insist on being right. Even when they were disagreeing they always tried to find that one right way. There was no empty fighting.
EV: Was he an annoying kid?
VK: Never. Perhaps because even when he was little he was very mature. He always had his responsibilities, took part in discussions. I never had to raise my voice at him. At he same time he loved making his own decisions. I remember we were vacationing in France, we stayed in some castle. And Dima refused to go down for the breakfast wearing briefs and demanded to wear shorts and a bow tie.
EV: How did he start figure skating?
VK: He first trained in Zinaida Riabinina's group in St. Petersburg. Neither me nor my mother wanted him to become an athlete. We just thought it's a good thing for a kid to do sports. Besides, Dima loved skating.
EV: Did he want to be a pair skater from the beginning?
VK: Of course not. Which singles skater does? Besides, after Riabinina Alexey Mishin took him and for a while Dima was working in one of his groups. It was only later that Tamara Moskvina took him. Together we were able to convince him that in order to achieve something he has to understand his odds in pairs are higher.
EV: Why did you think so?
VK: It's what Riabinina believed. She kept insisting that Dima is a born pairs skater. Hence she was coaching him differently. In pairs the stress is on the different muscles, you don't have to be as flexible as in singles and the muscles have to develop in a different way. Even though Mishin said Dima would land a 4lz. He never doubted Dima would.
EV: Taking Dima spends most of his time with Alexandra are you friends with her family?
VK: Of course, we call each other all the time and discuss things with Olga and Igor Boikovs
EV: How often do they attend the competitions?
VK: Igor quite often attends the competitions and unlike me, he is a true fan. He even brings banners. I know his presence is very important for Sasha I think such warm family relationship form a potentially successful pair. though many think that their kids result depends on the coach only,
EV: Which competitions this season were the most nerve wrecking?
VK: The nationals, for course. It's not even about it being the deciding one for the Europeans and the Worlds. It was important for us to make it to the team fairly. To show we not only deserve the spot in the team, but are good for competitions. I.e. we didn't had to just qualify, but from the very beginning to set a certain bar. Of course things might happen when competing, take GPF. The guys were so ready for that competition.
EV: I.e. that defeat did not upset you too much?
VK: It's an experience. The ability to keep going when things go wrong. I wish it would never repeat, but no one is sorry it happened.
EV: Did you have a chance to see the practices in Graz?
VK: No, it's rather difficult here. But I know the first practice was not the best and Sasha had some trouble with the costume.
EV: What happened?
VK: Something was torn and it shook the guys. Actually it was a good thing. Dima came to my hotel after that practice. I looked at him and I knew he is focused. Perhaps those mishaps at the practices took off the silly confidence, all the unneeded drive. I even wrote my mom that I like his mood.
EV: Both Boikova and Kozlovskii speak a very decent English.
VK: Dima was always a good pupil. He graduated with high marks his highschool. I think it's a result of a very simple life. No matter how hard things were I always made him study and use his brains. He always read a lot and still does. He would eat in the car between the school and the practice, when back home he would rest because every minute was important. He didn't have time to be silly.
EV: At what point you realized he is serious about the sports?
VK: When Dima started complaining the coach does not give him enough attention. It was a big group and he wanted Zinaida Riabinina to work with him only. When Mishin took him Dima was flying. Imagine what it meant for a guy to train in the same ice with Evgeni Pluschenko, warm up with him and play football with him
EV: Did Kozlovskii ever try out with different partners?
VK: First he was skating with another girl. I can't even recall her name. But then she got an interesting offer and she just never came back to the practice. She just sent him a text message `Sorry, am done'. For two months Dima was skating alone, during that time we never even though pressuring Moskvina to find him a new partner. We felt the specialist of such a level has to make the decision herself. That's how Sasha came up. Though it took a while to convince her: every single lady wants first to win the Olympics.
EV: What helped them to team up?
VK: Sasha and Dima were friends when they were single skaters. I think that's what convinced Sasha in the end. `If it's with Dima, oh well, I'll give it a try'
EV: You've been watching all Dmitrii and Alexandra's competitions ever since they paired up and began competing in juniors. Do you feel more like a mom or an unofficial member of their coaching team?
VK: Probably the latter. During the competitions I try to turn the loving mother mode off - it bothers. For me it's important that Sasha and Dima skate in a certain wave. They know how. At the same time I try to judge their elements, pairness and the elements fairly. It's important for me they skate clean. That they finish the programme feeling proud of what they did, understanding they have done all they had to. And the victory, should it happen, be completely clear.
EV: It seems your son is a person for whom everything must be right. Are there any conflicts with his partner because of that?
VK: No. When they just paired up they felt when each had to let go, not insist on being right. Even when they were disagreeing they always tried to find that one right way. There was no empty fighting.
EV: Was he an annoying kid?
VK: Never. Perhaps because even when he was little he was very mature. He always had his responsibilities, took part in discussions. I never had to raise my voice at him. At he same time he loved making his own decisions. I remember we were vacationing in France, we stayed in some castle. And Dima refused to go down for the breakfast wearing briefs and demanded to wear shorts and a bow tie.
EV: How did he start figure skating?
VK: He first trained in Zinaida Riabinina's group in St. Petersburg. Neither me nor my mother wanted him to become an athlete. We just thought it's a good thing for a kid to do sports. Besides, Dima loved skating.
EV: Did he want to be a pair skater from the beginning?
VK: Of course not. Which singles skater does? Besides, after Riabinina Alexey Mishin took him and for a while Dima was working in one of his groups. It was only later that Tamara Moskvina took him. Together we were able to convince him that in order to achieve something he has to understand his odds in pairs are higher.
EV: Why did you think so?
VK: It's what Riabinina believed. She kept insisting that Dima is a born pairs skater. Hence she was coaching him differently. In pairs the stress is on the different muscles, you don't have to be as flexible as in singles and the muscles have to develop in a different way. Even though Mishin said Dima would land a 4lz. He never doubted Dima would.
EV: Taking Dima spends most of his time with Alexandra are you friends with her family?
VK: Of course, we call each other all the time and discuss things with Olga and Igor Boikovs
EV: How often do they attend the competitions?
VK: Igor quite often attends the competitions and unlike me, he is a true fan. He even brings banners. I know his presence is very important for Sasha I think such warm family relationship form a potentially successful pair. though many think that their kids result depends on the coach only,
EV: Which competitions this season were the most nerve wrecking?
VK: The nationals, for course. It's not even about it being the deciding one for the Europeans and the Worlds. It was important for us to make it to the team fairly. To show we not only deserve the spot in the team, but are good for competitions. I.e. we didn't had to just qualify, but from the very beginning to set a certain bar. Of course things might happen when competing, take GPF. The guys were so ready for that competition.
EV: I.e. that defeat did not upset you too much?
VK: It's an experience. The ability to keep going when things go wrong. I wish it would never repeat, but no one is sorry it happened.
EV: Did you have a chance to see the practices in Graz?
VK: No, it's rather difficult here. But I know the first practice was not the best and Sasha had some trouble with the costume.
EV: What happened?
VK: Something was torn and it shook the guys. Actually it was a good thing. Dima came to my hotel after that practice. I looked at him and I knew he is focused. Perhaps those mishaps at the practices took off the silly confidence, all the unneeded drive. I even wrote my mom that I like his mood.
EV: Both Boikova and Kozlovskii speak a very decent English.
VK: Dima was always a good pupil. He graduated with high marks his highschool. I think it's a result of a very simple life. No matter how hard things were I always made him study and use his brains. He always read a lot and still does. He would eat in the car between the school and the practice, when back home he would rest because every minute was important. He didn't have time to be silly.
EV: At what point you realized he is serious about the sports?
VK: When Dima started complaining the coach does not give him enough attention. It was a big group and he wanted Zinaida Riabinina to work with him only. When Mishin took him Dima was flying. Imagine what it meant for a guy to train in the same ice with Evgeni Pluschenko, warm up with him and play football with him
EV: Did Kozlovskii ever try out with different partners?
VK: First he was skating with another girl. I can't even recall her name. But then she got an interesting offer and she just never came back to the practice. She just sent him a text message `Sorry, am done'. For two months Dima was skating alone, during that time we never even though pressuring Moskvina to find him a new partner. We felt the specialist of such a level has to make the decision herself. That's how Sasha came up. Though it took a while to convince her: every single lady wants first to win the Olympics.
EV: What helped them to team up?
VK: Sasha and Dima were friends when they were single skaters. I think that's what convinced Sasha in the end. `If it's with Dima, oh well, I'll give it a try'
