Anna Shcherbakova: “On the ice, we are not young girls and boys, but professionals in our field with a lot of experience and knowledge.”
Interview with Anna Shcherbakova for Hello! magazine. About the professionalism of figure skaters, being a host at the TV show “Ice Age” and the attitude to social life.
source: Team Shcherbakova
Every time it is very exciting to watch your performances on TV, the thought always slips through: what do you feel there – under the cameras, under the gaze of the judges, under the pressure of the audience…
Anna Shcherbakova: Perhaps, for those who watch broadcasts of even major competitions, it seems that we are still children.
But the person you see on the screen, whether he is 15, 17, or 18 years old, got on the ice for the first time at the age of 3. And they began to compete at the age of 5 or 6. Responsibility grows gradually, and over time, it becomes easier to cope with excitement.
Competitions such as the World Championships or the Olympics did not come out of the blue. We took small steps forward while learning to overcome our fears.
On the ice, we are not young girls and boys, but professionals in our field with a lot of experience and knowledge.
And what qualities do you need to have in order to become a professional figure skater?
Anna Shcherbakova: Of course, this is primarily about diligence and hard work during training. This is the first and most important thing!
You must also have, if not talent, then at least abilities for a specific sport. Body structure and coordination are important. But these are natural data that, even in childhood, give an understanding of who is better at what, where it is easier to develop.
Yes, and the ability to cope with excitement and self-control are also important. Medals are awarded only at competitions, so it is important to show the best result at the right time.
About the Ice Age
How was the shooting?
Anna Shcherbakova: The first shootings were difficult and exciting for me. I had no idea what was required of me, what was waiting for me.
It took some time to adapt, but then I worked on the mistakes and tried to improve, and in some ways I definitely became better.
In the Ice Age, many participants opened up for you from an unexpected side. How has the show affected you personally?
Anna Shcherbakova: Probably I’ve become more open. Being a host is not the same as going on the ice and skating a program. After all, I need to communicate, to initiate a conversation with people I don’t know.
This is unusual for me, in my life I never do this. I am a rather closed, not very sociable person. The Ice Age helped me loosen up a bit.
Was there a desire to become a participant yourself, looking, for example, at Evgenia Medvedeva or Elena Ilinykh?
Anna Shcherbakova: I was offered to participate, but now I’m definitely not mentally ready for this. I understood this even before the project because I was used to trusting only myself on the ice.
I can’t skate in a pair and trust another person yet. I always look with bated breath at the performances of pairs, even professional ones.
When a girl is in a lift at a high altitude above the ice, I want her to be put back as quickly as possible.
About social life
You live in a certain mode, but can you allow yourself to get out of it? And how do you get back to it?
Anna Shcherbakova: In general, any person exists in some mode. Education, activities, and hobbies. My regimen has long been associated with daily workouts from morning to evening.
Now one half of my schedule is training, the other half is shooting, events, and new projects.
Do you feel comfortable in the secular part of your life?
Anna Shcherbakova: I’m still getting used to it. The more shooting and secular exits, the better I feel there, but, to be honest, I feel more comfortable on the ice. I’ve been skating since the age of three, and on the set I have spent much less time.
What is your typical day now?
Anna Shcherbakova: Days are not the same for me now. I’m used to everything being scheduled a year in advance: daily workouts at the same time. Warm-up, ice, cool-down, and study. That’s all.
And now for me, a person who is used to doing everything according to a schedule, it’s a little unusual. I open the plan for the week. and at different times I have completely different things to do.
Are there times when you can afford to disengage, get away from the sport, competitions, and training, and just relax?
Anna Shcherbakova: After training, I rest on the set, and after shooting, I rest in training. That’s how we live.
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