Mao Asada: “If skaters don’t have a love for skating, they won’t be able to put in the effort to improve. No matter what happens, I want to guide them in a way that ensures they never lose their love for skating.”
Mao Asada launches “Kinoshita Mao Academy” to foster the future of skating.
original source: number.bunshun.jp dd. June 12th 2025 by Takaomi Matsubara
Mao Asada has announced a new chapter in her career as a coach. On June 12, she held a press conference to announce the establishment of the “Kinoshita Mao Academy” in partnership with the Kinoshita Group, a project dedicated to nurturing the next generation of skaters. Here’s a translation of Asada’s comments posted on Sports Graphic Number Web.
“I am taking a new step forward as a coach. I want to guide each skater with care and help them grow,” she told.
The Kinoshita Group, which has supported figure skating for over 20 years, established the “Kinoshita Skate Academy” in Kyoto in 2020 to develop skaters. Asada’s personal dream of becoming a coach aligned with the group’s vision, culminating in the creation of the “Kinoshita Mao Academy” in Tokyo.
Additionally, a “Kinoshita Mao Club” will be launched to introduce children to skating, allowing them to experience the joy and challenges of the sport.
“I want to expand the population of figure skaters, but more than anything, I want children to enjoy skating and discover the thrill of taking on challenges,” Asada shared about her vision.
The academy, which will open on August 1, will be based at the “Mao Rink Tachikawa Tachihi,” a facility that opened in November 2022 in Tachikawa, Tokyo.
The Kinoshita Group expressed hopes for the academy to nurture athletes who could one day compete in the 2034 Olympics. Asada herself shares this dream: “If this dream could come true, it would make me so happy. I want to aim high and work toward that goal.”
At the same time, Asada reflects on her new journey: “As a coach, this is my first real experience. I hope to start from the basics, learn along the way, and guide my students thoughtfully.”
To shape the training program, Asada drew from her own experiences as an athlete, focusing on creating an ideal environment: “When I was skating, my ideal program wasn’t just about practicing on the rink. It included ballet, training, rhythmic gymnastics, and dance – all integrated into one practice environment. I believe this holistic approach benefits skating, and that’s the kind of program we’ve created this time.”
Asada, who trained under many coaches during her career, emphasized how much she learned from their warmth and care: “All of my coaches were full of love, and I want to make sure I never forget that as I teach.”
For her, the essence of coaching lies in genuinely caring for the athletes. She believes this is the foundation of being a good coach: “If skaters don’t have a love for skating, they won’t be able to put in the effort to improve. No matter what happens, I want to guide them in a way that ensures they never lose their love for skating.”
When asked about balancing her coaching responsibilities with her career as a professional skater, Asada explained: “For now, my focus is fully on the academy, but in the future, it will be a half-and-half approach. Right now, I want to pour all my energy into this project.”
Becoming a coach has been a long-cherished dream of Asada’s. At the opening ceremony of the “Mao Rink” in November 2022, she said: “The first chapter of my life was as an athlete, the second chapter as a professional skater, and now, for the third chapter, I want to challenge myself as a coach.”
Seven months after that statement, Asada is now officially embarking on this third chapter. As she looks to the future, she remarked: “What makes figure skating incredible is that no two skaters are the same. Even if the choreography is the same, the way a program looks changes completely depending on who is skating. I think that’s the beauty of this sport, and I’m so excited to meet the skaters I’ll be working with in the future.”
Related topics: Mao Asada
Well, she’s right. If there is no love for what you do, there is no reason to push yourself.