I don't think you can completely discount the lure of fame. Sarah the OGM winner got special treatment and invitations to all sorts of fun events. That would be hard for any teenage girl to give up. By skating with SOI for one year, she renewed her celebrity status. Sarah may be back at college, but she is working on a made-for-TV special "Sarah Hughes & Friends". If she hadn't done SOI, maybe that wouldn't have happened for her.
From what I have read, Sarah is training again, so it's still possible that she'll get back in shape and regain some of her lost skills, although competitive skating would be a stretch while she's going to school---at least for now. But it seems Sarah is keeping all her options open.
From what I have read, Sarah is training again, so it's still possible that she'll get back in shape and regain some of her lost skills, although competitive skating would be a stretch while she's going to school---at least for now. But it seems Sarah is keeping all her options open.