Natalie and Filip Taschler: “It’s not just the old style of being robots who have to grind and suffer. We’re making a big change, and I think we feel it – training can be much more effective when you go in wanting to enjoy it.”
Natalie and Filip Taschler are rediscovering joy in competition after burnout, focusing on mental health and personal growth following a move to Helsinki and changes in their coaching team.
original source: sport.ceskatelevize.cz dd. November 14th 2025 by CT Sport
After challenging seasons, ice dance pair Natalie and Filip Taschler are learning to enjoy competitions again. The Czech ice dancers speak openly about burnout and loss of self-confidence, which led them to fundamentally change their environment and approach. They moved from Italy to Helsinki and began working intensively with a sports psychologist and therapists. Here’s a translation of their comments.
Filip (26) and his sister Natalie (24) faced feelings of burnout after their career-best 2022/23 season, which ended with eighth place at Worlds. “The last two seasons were very stressful for us. There wasn’t enough confidence in what we can do, in our talent. I think we both lost ourselves a bit – who we are, what we want,” Natalie explained. They lost sight of the vision for their skating and how to inspire people. “So that people enjoy watching us, enjoy our dances, and feel what we feel,” she added.
Both realized they needed a change. Leaving their longtime coach Matteo Zanni took time. “Change is scary, there was some fear and nervousness because you’re stepping into the unknown. But it was worth it, and we’re glad we made this move,” Filip said.
They now work with a sports psychologist, focusing especially on their mental approach to competitions. “So we can enjoy competitions again, love them, and feel relaxed. We’re also working on our relationship – both professionally on the ice and as siblings. And on some personal matters as well,” Natalie said.
Both also have a psychotherapist to address personal issues. “We’re trying to move forward in personal development, too. I think we both enjoy it, and lately we’ve really gotten into learning about ourselves and trying to grow,” Filip explained.
They no longer focus strictly on performance, but also on their lives. “I think the better person I am, the better athlete I’ll be. I think this is starting to be applied in other sports, too. It’s not just the old style of being robots who have to grind and suffer. We’re making a big change, and I think we feel it – training can be much more effective when I go in wanting to enjoy it,” he added.
Last week, they competed in their first major event with their new team at the Grand Prix in Japan, finishing fourth. “I think it’s a good step forward. It was our first big competition with the new team, so we didn’t have huge expectations. Our free dance had more mistakes, but we tried not to think about the possibility of a medal, even though it was realistic. We’re just taking lessons and experience for the future,” Filip commented on their third consecutive fourth-place Grand Prix finish.
Their next event is next week “at home” in Helsinki. The Czech dancers are excited that many friends will be able to come watch. “Apparently the arena will be sold out because they scheduled it for later in the evening. It could be a great experience, especially with the duos competing. It’ll be like a mini world championship. So it’ll be fun,” Filip said.
Related topics: Natalie Taschlerova Filip Taschler
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