Mother's day, Figure Skating Mom and Olympic Games Ads.

I originally wrote this posting in Korean in early May and translated it today to keep my promise with Jessica and Kathy.

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When I saw around at Youtube, I happened to find London Olympics advertisement by P&G at Gracie Gold’s Youtube channel. 

She checked the video as “like.”

I thought P&G launched Olympic Advertisement so early because Mother’s day was approaching.

While South Korea has parent’s day on May 8th in every year, the U.S. celebrates mother’s day and father’s day separately.

(Mother’s day is the second Sunday in May and Father’s day is the third Sunday in June. Actually, I think Father’s day doesn’t draw many attention…alas..)

In December 2010, I stayed in the U.S. That was my first winter in the U.S.

The P&G's advertisement for London Olympics reminded me of its ads during 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

"Kids" - 2010 Winter Olympics Commercial

Never Walk Alone - 2010 Winter Olympics Commercial

At last season, I had many opportunities to meet and chat with figure skating moms at rinks, when I watched figure skating competitions in person.

I would like to tell those stories.

1) An usual figure skating Mom

When I visited a skating rink at competition, I happened to meet many figure skating moms.

Interestingly, skaters resemble their mom.

Like Mother, like daughter!

There are no skaters who are not sincere, if they have good mom.

I could meet many figure skating moms at Korean Nationals.
Fortunately, I happened to meet many sincere and considerate people.

Just before senior free skate, a woman stood behind the stands because there were no vacant seat.

A man in front of her, said hi to her and offered his seat to the lady.
Even though she refused courteously many times, he finally stood up and made a room for her.

However, the seat was located at the corner of the row, if she seated herself, which would made others in the row stand up.

The audiences at the row told her to go by, but she tried to jump over the chair not to bother other audiences but it was not easy to jump.

Finally, instead of jumping she nearly put herself in between seats and walls and made herself seated at the seat.

Although it was resurfacing time, she didn’t want to bother other audiences.
As soon as she seated herself, I finally could recognize her.

She is Yuna Kim’s mother.
Me-Hee Park, the CEO of All That Skate company in charge of publicity of the Nationals.

PS.
After I posted this, I could find other postings about Yuna’s mom at the Nationals.
Not only I but also other figure skating fans had been also touched by her attitude.



2) “I just hope she is injury free and enjoy skating”
 

Fortunately, last October, I could go and watch US North Atlantic Regional, which was held at a rink near from my house.

The impressive skater at the Regionals is neither the regional champion nor the skaters who advanced to Sectionals but a skater who placed 13th and failed to qualify for Sectionals.

The reason why I remember the skater is that I happened to be seated next to her mom and chat with her.

When I watched Sasha Zheng Gonzalez’s short program, I wondered why she skated so cautiously.

After her short program, her mother told me that she had gotten serious injury at her foot and three months had not passed since he came back to rink.

She said, “I am so proud that she came back in spite of her injury.”

She added, “I just hope she is injury free and enjoy skating” and “Sasha hopes to continue her skating as a competitor even after coming through her injury.” 

Sasha was a senior at a high school in New Jersey and practiced at a skating club at New York.

On the last day of Regionals, Sasha appeared at Senior Free Skating.

Sasha’s mom told that they already checked out to come back home, because they need time to prepare Sasha’s application for university.

It seemed tough that Sasha and her mother juggled her study and skating
I realized that figure skating mom’s life is not easy anywhere.

At free skating, Sasha didn’t show good jumps.
Her mother was watching her daughter’s free skate with nervousness.

When I saw her,

I realized each skater could be recognized by detached figure skating fans according to their scores, but anyhow they are the most beautiful skaters for their each mom.

Since then, I stopped assessing rotation of Sasha’s jump and just cheered for her.

When I watched her and her mother’s smile after competing, I was sure what figure skating meant to them.

After competition, Sasha and her friends took a picture at the rink.
I wished if I would watch her performance at the next regionals again.

I cannot wait to see a college student skater, Sasha at a rink.

3) Butterflies in Her Stomach

Fortunately again, 2011-2012 Eastern Sectional was held at Jamestown, NY.

I thought it would not happen again that Regionals and Sectionals were held so near from my house within 10 years from now.

I couldn’t miss this good opportunity to see sectionals in person.

At the Eastern Sectionals, I found a brilliant skater who has good jumps at an official practice.

She is Jessica Hu, a junior skater from North Carolina.

Among junior competitors at Eastern Sectionals, she got the highest score at her Regionals, 137.37.

Even though she had to elaborate her artistry and choreography, she got good height and distance in her jumps.

 

 

At the official practice, I happened to find a woman watching Jessica carefully.
She looked like Jessica’s mom.
She seemed so anxious while watching her daughter’s practice.

Before going to James Town, I already checked most competitors’ past competition records.
I learned that Jessica had already failed in qualifying Nationals at novice level two times as 5th place.

The difference between 4th place and 5th place is just one but you can imagine easily what the difference means. Going Nationals or going home.

Even at 2009-2010 sectionals, she placed 4th at both short skating and free skating but unfortunately placed 5th overall.

Jessica’s mom reminded me of a familiar woman, my mom.

Because I cannot forget the facial expression of my mom’s, when I left home to take my Korean SAT examination.

I had already failed in getting admission two times from the university and that was my third attempt. Then, a South Korean high school student could only apply for a college at one time. 

If he or she didn’t get admission, he or she had to wait for one year as skaters have to wait for Nationals.

Her facial expression overlapped with my mother’s face then.

Jessica’s short skating was to start.

Jessica made mistakes on her triple Lutz which she had succeeded in landing in previous practices.

She got 44.33 which is 5 lower than her score at regionals. 

She placed 2nd after short program but difference from 2nd place to 9th place was just within 10 points.

The result of free skating would decide who would qualify for the Nationals.

It was a shame for Jessica not to get higher scores, because she has a strong point at triple Lutz.

Also she must have got pressure, because she had jinxed previous sectionals.

On the next day, just after Jessica finished her official practice, I happened to meet Jessica and her mother at the fast food restaurant next to Rink.

She was scheduled to compete at free skating.

I just would like to encourage her, because I remember how I felt at my third SAT attempt.

However, I am so shy that I hesitated.
Finally I talked to her.

“You must be Jessica Hu. right? Can I take a picture of you?”
She said with bright smile, “Of course” and posed for a picture.

After taking a picture, I said to her,
“Your short program was so great and impressive. I saw your jumps through the official practice this morning. 

I am sure you will deliver at your free skating.”

She answered, “Thank you so much. I will”

After Jessica left to prepare for her free program, her mother and I talked about her previous sectionals.

Jessica's mom, Kathy told me that it is so tough in competing at Eastern Sectionals because the field was so deep,
and added that she already experienced failures two times.

I said, “I am sure that this time she will advance to Nationals, don’t worry, she will deliver”


Kathy didn’t seat herself before Jessica skated at free skate. She stood at back of the stands.

Jessica was appearing on the rink for warm-up as last group.
She looked so nervous.

 

 

Jessica was the first skater at the last group.
She was posing for her free skating.

Jessica seemed to fight with Butterflies in her stomach through her free skating.

She landed her triple Lutz, her strong point

But, she faltered at her triple Salchow.
She began being melt down gradually, as if she forgot her decent jumps.
Haste choreography and distracted extensions followed.

She was not able to show what she really could do.

Jessica seemed disappointed.

She got 125.59 as overall scores which was 10 points lower than her scores in the Regionals.

She seemed discouraged but her mother tried to make her keep her chins up.

She placed 1st tentatively but five competitors still waited for their turns.
Within 4 places, you would qualify for Nationals.
Other five competitors have good quality skills as Jessica does.

....

However,

Finally,

Jessica Hu
Qualified for Nationals by getting 3rd place.

She would leave for San Jose
For the Nationals which she had always dreamed of.

Epilogue
 

"Don't try to kill your butterflies in your stomach, instead, make them fly over the ice rink."

Just before U.S. Nationals I sent e-mail to Jessica and her mom, Kathy.

Because I thought that her first Nationals would be great pressure as much as exciting.

At the e-mail, I linked a video, Yuna Kim’s Youth Olympic Games promotion Video.
“Gets ready to compete”

http://youtu.be/CDNWqipYG-o

(You can assumed it from Jessica’s free skating costume.

Her idol is Yuna Kim.
Her programs were “Danse Macabre” and “Scheherazade.”)

I got her brief reply,
“Thanks for sending the links to me. They are very helpful. I will do my best in the National.”
 
However, unfortunately, Jessica didn’t show her potentials at 2012 US National at Junior in San Jose.
She got 110.12 which is 27 lower than her regional scores and placed 11th among 12 participants.
 
According to her mother’s mail after Nationals,
Jessica didn’t deliver not only because she was so nervous but also because she didn’t know there was something wrong with her skate blade which led to losing her jump consistency.

My mother has told me that my failures at college application had been so little thing which would be compared with other followed accidents which happened to me, because I have made her care about me in many ways.

I think someday Kathy also will remember this season as one of reminiscent as my mother does my SAT.

Also Jessica will attend bigger competitions and will show someday her potentials with her butterflies flying over a rink beautifully.

For figure skaters,
Mom is the closest friend, a meticulous coach and loving family.
Sometimes they argue with each other but shortly they became get along well.

So their relationship between figure skaters and their mom is more intimate and touching than any other relationship.

At "Star on Ice" I watched at Hamilton,
Joannie Rochette reminded me of her performance at 2010 Olympics at Vancouver.
Her mother must watch her performance from heaven with smile and must be proud of her.
 
A few days later, there would be Korean Parent’s day.
After posting this, I called my mother in South Korea.
“Mom, I am all right. Don’t worry about me and please be healthy”

I would like to end my posting with London Olympic Games advertisement.