Tamara Moskvina: “We need to prepare good programs, keeping an eye on what they are doing in other countries. They, after all, also keep us in their sights and are not sitting idle.”

Tamara Moskvina about test skates and suspension of Russian athletes.

original source: fsrussia.ru dd. 12th September 2024 by Olga Ermolina

In the interview, Tamara Moskvina talks about the purpose of test skates, whether it can be considered as performances or show, the challenges that may arise at the start of the season, and why athletes and coaches need “feedback” from the audience. Here’s a translation of her comments.

“Q: Tamara Nikolaevna, it was under your initiative that the national team test skates in recent years have been organized in this format – with an audience. A few years ago, they were held exclusively for specialists and resembled training sessions more than performances – athletes would skate parts of their programs with stops, which made it difficult to form an overall impression of the programs. You have consistently mentioned in the press that test skates should be spectacular, with filled stands. Now, thanks to Channel One, they even feature athletes appearing on a red carpet.

Tamara Moskvina: Honestly, I do not take responsibility for promoting the public nature of the test skates. But the fact that our federation organizes these test skates is wonderful. Why? Because it’s necessary to see the current state of the programs and performance levels of the national team athletes. It’s important to understand that these skates at the start of the season are not meant for athletes to perform at their maximum, which they should be during the season, but to allow federation members, the judges’ panel, and the athletes’ own coaches to monitor the state of the programs, elements, and athletes’ form.

Q: Clearly, the form depends on the individual’s competition plans – some might start in a week, others in a month and a half.

Tamara Moskvina: It’s important to explain to the audience that the skates are not expected to show full programs with all elements, including complex ones, in season costumes. This decision is up to the coaches and athletes. A program can be planned but not yet perfected, as they say, wise men don’t show half-finished work. I’m not saying coaches and judges don’t understand this, but athletes need to perform their programs in the preparedness they have at the time to get necessary remarks and recommendations from the specialists.

Surprisingly, the complexity of the test skates lies in the fact that they are performed in front of an audience. And the audience perceives it as a show and expects the athletes to perform at full strength, with complex content, and in new costumes.

Based on my experience, I know that many costumes are not ready yet, and performing in last year’s… Most likely, old costumes may not suit new programs by music, plot.

Nevertheless, test skates are undoubtedly necessary, but each coach will make decisions depending on the health of the athletes, the level of preparedness, and plans for the season. Forcing form for the sake of skates is harmful and unnecessary. Fitting programs, details, artistic design, acting skills, costumes – these are tactical moments. Everything in its time.

Q: In other words, should federation leaders not make significant conclusions based on the skates?

Tamara Moskvina: I remember my pair, Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev, not being in shape at the skates, and someone almost dismissed them afterward. But at the main starts, they skated beautifully, and our most famous coach and respected commentator said: “Tamara, what did you do with them? It’s like night and day.”

Back then, at the beginning of the season, Natalia and Artur and I had only just arranged their program. But the federation said, “It needs to be done,” and I, as a disciplined person and a coach myself, knew it had to be skated at the test skates. Illness is one thing when you objectively can’t perform, but unpreparedness is another. The reasons for unpreparedness can be different. Let the athletes see it for themselves, compare themselves with others. There’s a psychological aspect here too. Some need a push, others need to be slowed down if athletes are in competitive shape, yet the competitions are a month away. Each coach understands this for themselves. From the outside, it looks like: “Oh, these are good; those still have a long way to go.”

There have been cases where the first showing of a new program met with criticism, yet at the main starts of the season, the same program was called a masterpiece. It’s just necessary to understand the purpose of test skates, their goal.

Pre-season skates are conducted not only in our country but in other countries too. In the USA, Canada, and Germany, they happen earlier. But everyone has their system of preparation. There’s no standard.

Q: But even before the test skates, you show the new programs of your skaters at a rink in Igora – a resort area near Saint Petersburg. Why?

Tamara Moskvina: The athletes have new programs; where else can we organize their public display to get “feedback,” to see the audience’s reaction to the new program? The performances in Igora are different from what we see at test skates. We don’t have technical specialists, the judges’ panel coming; primarily, we are interested in the audience.

We don’t set up this event solely as program skates. It’s more like an open training session for figure skating fans, with entertaining moments. Coach Moskvina puts on skates, steps onto the ice, holds a microphone, skates alongside the athletes, comments, explains, introduces participants, asks questions they respond to. This display involves recognized athletes, champions, as well as juniors, and even those aged 8-9, and for young skaters, it becomes a learning experience.

We teach the youngsters presentation of programs, interaction with the audience, how not to react to mistakes, how to overcome setbacks. Suppose a young athlete falls; I say: “Come on, try again. The audience came specifically to see you. Look, there’s your mom sitting. Let’s show her and everyone what you can do.” It’s crucial for beginners. Not to fear the audience, to feel the arena, to show what you’re capable of.

We film everything on camera and then analyze with the coaches what needs to be added to the programs, musical moments, observe how the athletes behave, teach someone to work under fatigue, note other nuances. This involves not only technical remarks but also psychological, behavioral aspects, which are established during such performances.

Q: You’ve been conducting these events in Igora for quite some time.

Tamara Moskvina: Several years, and they’ve already become traditional. Each year before the season starts, as situations change, leaders change, etc., I call and ask: “Please tell me, do you still want this?” And I hear in response: “Of course.”

Understand, Igora is a prestigious resort near Saint Petersburg. And the annual traditional performances of our skaters add variety to the cultural program for the vacationers. These events are free, but we have a mutual interest with the organizers: we perform, they provide us with full stands. Not just resort visitors come but also residents of nearby villages, country houses, and rest homes. Someone learns that there is a rink in Igora and starts visiting it, using the opportunities and conditions provided by the resort.

Q: Tamara Nikolaevna, any remote comparison is incorrect, but based on past seasons, can we say that the absence of international competitions and the isolation of our sport are decreasing the level of Russian figure skating?

Tamara Moskvina: Remote competition is not indicative, and I am against remote comparison. If there is to be a comparison, it should be the level of our athletes among themselves over recent seasons. But as a coach, I’ll say: we are not sitting idle; we are still preparing for competitions. And it doesn’t matter what kind of audience is in the stands, whether they speak Russian or are foreigners. And it doesn’t matter where the competitions are held, whether it’s Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, Saint Petersburg, Moscow… Geography doesn’t mean we make programs worse for our audience, and then they will become better when we are allowed to compete internationally. No. We must prepare good programs for the audience, keeping an eye on what they are doing in other countries. They, after all, also keep us in their sights and are not sitting idle.

The holy place is never empty. If there are no Russians, other coaches still work, athletes work, federations work. They also improve, some succeed, some don’t, and in some disciplines, they have always been leaders. So, we won’t be throwing caps at anyone now. People don’t even wear caps anymore. We need to prepare competitive athletes who want to perform at competitions for any audience, judges. And those who are undecided about whether to continue skating in sports—it’s their right to continue or not to continue. We don’t force anyone.

Q: In your sports career, you have experienced various moments. Do you perceive what’s happening now in our sport as one of the most challenging periods?

Tamara Moskvina: Not at all. Previously, circumstances were such that we went nowhere, watched competitions on TV, and thought, “We’ll do better!”

It’s like with students. An athlete starts performing poorly, doesn’t get selected, doesn’t travel anywhere, and I as a coach am with them. And what? At the 2006 Olympics, my pair Obertas – Slavnov took 8th place. I didn’t throw myself into despair, didn’t start drinking. I worked further. Prepared the next generation. If there were no strong athletes, that means I worked at a lower level. I would still be preparing athletes because it’s a calling. A coach, an educator — it’s a calling. Not like; there were champions — I was with them, but if there are beginners or juniors, then it’s time to finish, to leave for another profession.

Q: At what point did you realize that this was your calling?

Tamara Moskvina: At no particular point. I’ve always been doing this. It was interesting for me to coach. To improve. To see what others were doing, how they were doing it, so that the athletes we worked with could catch up with the best. There was an example. Yes, those athletes were with other coaches. So what? There was a desire and aspiration to do better so that my athletes could also please the public. And when I stand at the boards after a skate and look at the stands, seeing excitement on people’s faces, it gives me as a coach satisfaction and pleasure. That is what I continue to work for.”

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