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Q&A with Team Citi Member Evan Lysacek: Hard Work and Overcoming Mental Hurdles

February 06, 2014

Join us as we profile nine Team Citi athletes on the Citi Blog as part of our Every Step of the Way program.

Today we're featuring Evan Lysacek, 2010 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist in men's figure skating. He supports Figure Skating in Harlem, a non-profit program that uses academics and figure skating to empower girls in some of New York City's most underserved areas.

Evan's first encounter with the sport was far from love at first sight. See what fueled his progress.


Q: You were 8 when you got on ice for the first time, and you did not like it. Tell us about that.

A: I went to the local rink outside of Chicago with my older sister and we were both going to start skating. She was naturally talented at most sports, so needless to say that she got on the ice and skated away. When I stepped onto the ice, before my second foot even hit the ice I went down. I tried desperately to get up but I just kept falling over and over. Somehow I found my way to my feet and I said, "That's it, no more skating." My mom asked, "Well, why?" I told her I wanted to quit skating because my sister was better than me. She said, "Evan, if someone is better than you at something, then you have to work harder than them." That stuck with me for my entire life.

Q: Tell us about your first major competition.

A: My first real competition was the Upper Great Lakes Regionals, and it qualified me for the Junior Olympic Championship. I didn't know anything about skating at the time. I remember the other skaters in the group standing where I was getting off laughing at me. I didn't know if it was because my technique was funny, because I was wearing a sweat suit, or because my parents cut my music at home on our double cassette tape deck. But I just knew I didn't really belong in this world. So when I qualified for the Junior Olympic Games, no one was more surprised than I was.

Q: You faced some challenges at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin when you were hospitalized. Tell us about that experience.

A: I got to the rink, and I did not feel like myself. I finished that program missing two jumps and a spin. I've never been so humiliated in my life. I felt like it was over. I woke up the next morning in a medical clinic in Turin. My coach walked into the room and said, "You'll just rest today, and then we'll be good for the long program tomorrow." I said, "Are you joking? I want to go home." He said, "Okay, if you want to walk away now, it's your decision but you have worked hard to get here." A little reverse psychology snapped me right out of it. The next day I didn't feel any better, but I pushed through my routine and nailed one exercise after another. I ended in fourth place.

Q: Tell us about the program you support.

A: Figure Skating in Harlem is the first program in the country that uses academics and figure skating to change young lives. We work with girls from some of New York City's poorest communities. Our mission is to help instill leadership skills, confidence, and academic achievement, and we do this by promoting physical, emotional and intellectual well-being.

Learn more about how you can support Evan and Figure Skating in Harlem.

 

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