Tamara Moskvina, "ATHLETE AFTER THE OLYMPIC GAMES - like a horse after the races"
If there is a figure skating eighth wonder of the world - so it's Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Smirnov. And their coach Tamara Moskvina, managed once again, after heavy, incompatible with the professional career of their wards back injury in the clip figurnokatatelnoy elite. While - Russian. So far - no peculiar duo ultra-si. But as well as the season is just beginning skaters.
- Tamara, do not you think that there is some kind of higher intelligence, which through injury Kawaguchi and Smirnov has once again gives you a kind of promise: "Tamara, that's enough, stop it already?"
- ... It would be completely out of your character.
- It's not me. And in athletes. They should not think that they can quit when they are hard. I eventually also go with them in a bundle. As once was along with Lena Berezhnaya after her injury. The easiest time to say that we can not continue to work together. And to refer to the advice of doctors: Lena it really was deeply sick man, when I got out of the hospital.
- Did you have then at least some doubts about the further work with this athlete?
- No. We did everything very consistently. First sat down with Anton Sikharulidze, whom Lena tied very warm and friendly relations, all discussed and came to the conclusion that our task - as much as possible to restore the Lena in terms of health, and not in terms of skiing. Although when Berezhnaya first time after the injury came to the rink and said she wanted to ride, I said to myself mentally, "Tamara, you sit in jail." But she really wanted to. So I thought over and repeatedly miscalculated every step, after discussing all the nuances of a large number of doctors. While many criticized me then, they said that for the sake of their ambitions I'm ready to ditch the sick child.
- How do you know what happened ?
- So me and the person talking about it, and the press wrote repeatedly.
- That you hurt?
- No. Because I myself knew that this is not so. I knew that Lena, to feel healthy, the opportunity to ride and perform much more important than I, as a coach. The same thing is happening with Yuko.
- It is believed that any test that is sent to the person carries a sacred meaning. You had to wonder what the fate of so much unkind to you with Yuko?
- Maybe it's just a fee for my previous success - life something striped. On the other hand, when we with Igor Moskvin had to return to Russia from America, Yuko, you might say, has forced us to find her partner have to start seriously its train, ie extended, and my own life coaching, too.
- The main thing is that the coach liked himself. I can not say what level he is capable of becoming a coach - it always depends on the athletes, too, but I would like to continue to work in the school when the finished roll.
- No. We did everything very consistently. First sat down with Anton Sikharulidze, whom Lena tied very warm and friendly relations, all discussed and came to the conclusion that our task - as much as possible to restore the Lena in terms of health, and not in terms of skiing. Although when Berezhnaya first time after the injury came to the rink and said she wanted to ride, I said to myself mentally, "Tamara, you sit in jail." But she really wanted to. So I thought over and repeatedly miscalculated every step, after discussing all the nuances of a large number of doctors. While many criticized me then, they said that for the sake of their ambitions I'm ready to ditch the sick child.
- How do you know what happened ?
- So me and the person talking about it, and the press wrote repeatedly.
- That you hurt?
- No. Because I myself knew that this is not so. I knew that Lena, to feel healthy, the opportunity to ride and perform much more important than I, as a coach. The same thing is happening with Yuko.
- Maybe it's just a fee for my previous success - life something striped. On the other hand, when we with Igor Moskvin had to return to Russia from America, Yuko, you might say, has forced us to find her partner have to start seriously its train, ie extended, and my own life coaching, too.
- I nevertheless thought that after Kawaguchi injured, you have tried to some extent to redirect his life: to tackle the problem of school, pulled to the active coaching Sasha Smirnov.
- What am I supposed to do? Walk with Yuko on procedures and wait for her, sitting at the door of the dressing room? To tear the Achilles tendon - a year - half recovery, even in a young athlete: as experts once said to me. I was simply obliged to calculate all the possible options. Including the most negative. Therefore, Smirnov continued to ride - so as to start training, if your partner suddenly delayed recovery or she does not want to continue to ride. When Kawaguchi began to go on the ice, she saw that her return to nobody delivers inconvenience. In the sense that no one is messing with it at the expense of some other work, but at the same time everyone is ready to help if the need arises. I am often asked, by the way, why do not I put Sasha on the other partner. But I'm such a possibility is not even considered.
- That is important for you to let your competitors know that the coach will not betray them in any situation?
- What am I supposed to do? Walk with Yuko on procedures and wait for her, sitting at the door of the dressing room? To tear the Achilles tendon - a year - half recovery, even in a young athlete: as experts once said to me. I was simply obliged to calculate all the possible options. Including the most negative. Therefore, Smirnov continued to ride - so as to start training, if your partner suddenly delayed recovery or she does not want to continue to ride. When Kawaguchi began to go on the ice, she saw that her return to nobody delivers inconvenience. In the sense that no one is messing with it at the expense of some other work, but at the same time everyone is ready to help if the need arises. I am often asked, by the way, why do not I put Sasha on the other partner. But I'm such a possibility is not even considered.
- That is important for you to let your competitors know that the coach will not betray them in any situation?
- You could say that. in general it has always been important human side of the relationship for me. Although from a business point of view, it may seem wrong to someone.
- Smirnov you like as a coach?
- For some reason I thought that you can afford to see poluvzglyada coaching spark in man. Similarly, as the sport - to the athlete.
- Do you think in vain, it's easy. Besides it is not always possible. As long as the athlete grows opinion about it may change more than once. In this regard, I like to give an example of Lena Bechke, which came to me at the rink in the 12 years after it was expelled from the dance group. From dance! In those days it meant not only an end to his career, and bury once and for all sportsmen. Lena was the second in Europe and in the world at the Olympic Games.
Similarly it happens with the coaches. When I started to work, it is not assumed that ever come out on level Helena Tchaikovsky, Tatiana Tarasova. Moreover, I never put such a goal. But remember well, my husband, when I started to train on their own, said, with regard to some of my ideas: "Do not do it do not work.".
I then ditched a decade, trying to get things done. And then she said to herself: "Tamara, what are you stupid warned you about this ten years ago!". Since then I have never hesitated to watch others work, and to ask if something does not understand.
- How, in your opinion, Kawaguchi and Smirnov was able to remain competitive?
- Technically, we have restored all of the elements except for quaternary emissions.
- Will try to recover them, too?
- Yes. Everything else is impossible to predict. It is necessary to wait for the event. It is clear that the guys have dropped out of the cage and much missed. Restored, while others went forward. But it's kind of a given, then do not have to complain. Here in Sochi we have the opportunity to compare themselves with other Russian pairs, but this is not the world level since the World Cup, our duo is still lost.
- For you it was a surprise?
- No. I would rather call it a natural process. The fact is that after the Olympic triumph of an athlete is always in dire need of a rest. Physical, psychological, organizational. I would not even call it a vacation, and some set of measures designed to ensure that athletes have coped with their new status. Here in this situation just got two pairs Tatiana Volosozhar / Maxim Trankov and Xenia Stolbov / Fedor Klimov. Ideally, they should give an opportunity to relax, leaving the rest of the right to break forward and catch up. But that did not happen. But the Canadian-Chinese "locomotive", on the other hand, scored the course.
- Whose progress seems most important to you?
- First of all, it is the Canadians (Megan Dyuamel / Eric Radford -. Note EV.). Even if they remain on the already reached a technical level, the accumulated reserves could be enough. They quite successfully develop the artistic side of skating and thereby continue to progress. Coaching a team that works with these athletes, it can brilliantly. Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Musso trying to realize their ambitions in a somewhat different way, but also very successful.
- Did you hear a sudden, but it seems to me that you have a lot in common with Alena - constantly searching for new ligament elements, even if these elements are not encouraged rules. Take, backspin, which recording is not so long ago surpassed the Internet: when a partner, rather than to lower his partner on the ice, it translates into support.
- We have tried to perform this variant even with backspin Julia Obertas and Sergei Slavnov, if you remember. We must in fact constantly thinking of the Account and you can stand? How do I get paid attention to you? Alain Bruno is necessary in any cost to catch the same Canadians, so they work in technical terms very seriously. Plus - there must be some things that are able to turn the program into a "candy".
- Do you think that compete Savchenko and masses will just with Canadians?
- And with the Chinese too. Just in China, many things have changed, including the partners, so at the moment it's difficult to predict what would happen.
- You several times during his coaching career had to withdraw athletes from the state "burnout" and lead them to the next Olympics. In this respect there is some technology or whenever this condition manifests itself in different ways?
- Athlete especially need to "let go": give him the opportunity to experience the results achieved, to enjoy it. This is not just a vacation from exercise. Most of constant concentration and maximum impact on competition for a sufficiently long period of time. This state always has long-lasting effects that can not be measured by any instruments and the existence of which you will learn only when confronted with them.
- It changes and training work, too?
- Of course. It is necessary to replace a part of training demonstrations, and learn to invent some new elements to change the consciousness of the athlete in an unexpected direction for him - so that only the end of the season posleolimpiyskogo gradually bring the person to his usual work. And it makes it so that it is not pressed the constant need for someone to prove something. And even more to prove something against those athletes who did not participate in the Olympics and does not know what it is.
- But you know perfectly well that in the head of any champion with victory firmly stuck on the idea that it is the whole range of needs.
- To do this coach, and must understand what is happening with his athlete. And precise control, the athlete began serious work really rested. And not because someone is waiting for the result of it.
- When did you first encounter with this phenomenon?
- I do not remember. And if I do not remember, then it is possible to overcome without major problems. Knowing myself, I can assume that, most likely, I was talking with someone who has it all took place. With Tchaikovsky, with Tarasova, Igor Borisovich. I watch what with its champions did Stanislav Zhuk. And ask questions. Certainly there were some mistakes, but that is normal when you learn something.
On the whole, I then understood the main thing: that the athlete after the Olympics - as a racehorse after the races. Wherein the first step is to wrap up, give her a drink and a good rest. It is clear that if instead hlestanut horse whip, it will rise and may be able to run for some time. Perhaps even quickly. But then to fall and die. Therefore, groom, in a sense - the coach it is necessary, first of all, understand that you are going to go with the athlete on or not? If so, it requires a lot of patience and big powers.
- Is it from you as the coach, did not require a permanent result, when the wards began to win?
- Of course they demanded. But somehow he managed to evade. Write off some things to injury, illness, something else. Just in this respect it is very important to spread all clear in his own mind. Sit down and think about what is really important, and what you can not pay attention to you and your athlete. It is not always an athlete interest coincides with those of the same federation - this, too, must be ready.
- You have made an arbitrary program to Kawaguchi / Smirnov part of previous programs, as well as musical accompaniment selected "Moonlight" by Debussy. Why?
- Leave the old program was forced necessity: the fact, to fully restore health, to make the new setting and vykatat them takes a very long time. Which we do with Yuko and Sasha was not simple. "Moonlight" - absolutely "their" product. Besides, I assumed that the music of this kind will not be riding this season one. If we talk about the programs of the leading Russian pairs, so it happened. That is our choice paid off.
- How do you manage to guess things like that?
- Simple logic. Well, a little guesses. Those Canadians are unlikely to be able to skate well the lyrics, and it is unlikely to try to take. Chinese can, but only to go on about the "European" orientation of this season. Waiting for them at the same time some especially strong, probably still not worth it. Aliona Savchenko and his current partner is able to roll lyrics brilliantly, but even if that happens, the comparison with Savchenko - is not the worst thing in our situation.
- The record in itself, this situation has taught you, as a coach, something new, or whatever it is you were already so many times, it does not require any special tricks and skills?
- All of this, of course, happened repeatedly. So I'm going to a well-known way in which the main thing just to support both partners in all respects.
- So you - like that sherpas, that is Mount Everest, helping to haul cargo, and in the process ensures that the customer is not dead?
- Well, not to this extent, but the watch is definitely for the fact that my skaters recovered, morally oppressing ourselves in the process. To do this, you can not force people to work. We need to clearly ensure that the athletes themselves feel that they can. That they were the initiators, but I do not. This is especially important in relation to Yuko: it sits firmly in mind that the word coach - the law in any situation. What if the coach said - you need to go out and do. Therefore, I am very careful in his words, I do not want to overreact.
At the moment, I assess the situation quite soberly: physically Kawaguchi and Smirnov objectively weaker than they were in the best years, it is technically too. Their prestige in the international arena fell as rating, that is, until all is not so great for us. But do not put the same because of this handle on the chest and not to lay down in the coffin? It's a great illusion that the rest all goes smoothly and seamlessly. And in addition, each "drop" causes a person to grow and acquire some new qualities.
- I am the way, it seemed that the emissions technology has become our athletes a different, more amplitude.
- And there is. With such a load on the foot path is greatly reduced. I analyzed the emissions performance of the Chinese pairs and found that all of them make this element is not so much up as long. And what sometimes looks scary from outside - when your partner throws a partner at polkatka - in fact nothing more than a desire to reduce the likelihood of injury to a minimum. As the phone: if you drop it on the floor from a height, he will break. If you start passing, it is likely to remain intact. Pure mechanics.
- The fear that the pain would come back, among Yuko not?