Maureen: I have rephrased the questions...to shorten things up a bit (2 pages Word document in full)
http://www.km.ru/magazin/view.asp?id=F5FC5936BB564CBFAAE96D4C7F4B3725
Interview with Maria Butirskaya
RE; feelings at time of retirement
“of course, I remember this moment. I was fairly old for an athlete….I can say that figure skaters are much luckier than many other athletes because I was able to quit sports in a smooth way – it just flowed into lots of show skating, pro competitions. So the figure skaters’ career doesn’t end abruptly. Of course, I missed the adrenaline I got at competitions. It helped that I had a name and people didn’t forget me. I was in demand in other fields. There were invitations to host a TV program, do different TV projects… Nothing could replace sport, but it helped. In general, I really wanted to rest at first because I was tired of the constant pressure. I got bored of resting quickly because I was missing what wouldn’t happen in my life anymore was what had given me such joy.”
Q. Why coach?
“Two years ago I got the offer to be head coach of a skating school. Of course, I agreed and really took to this work. I look at the girls that I’m coaching and I can see how hard it is for them and I don’t feel the need to skate in big sport anymore. I like that I can tell them something and they can do it.”
Q. Pro skating?
“I tried lots of things. If I get an offer, my attitude is – cool. For example, I agreed with pleasure to host a TV show. I understand that to do it professionally, I’d need to study and start working in this area much earlier. TV work should be done by pros. It’s funny, but I also tried acting. The same thing, “Do you want to try?” _ “Sure!”. It was interesting to be on the inside of this profession, but I won’t try to be an actress, because it’s not me, it’s foreign to me. I have several actress friends who just laugh at people who try to take acting seriously without education, experience or anything. I don’t want to be laughed at. To try it – sure, with pleasure, but not get all in there.”
Q. Housewife?
“I couldn’t do that. Probably it’s in my character. I had a “home” period, when I just gave birth to Vladik. It was like a holiday, and I spent all day with him. To be honest, I started to feel depressed.”
Q. Did son’s birth help you “leave sports”?
“I think I already did that before, when my first students appeared.”
Q. You’re a new coach and mom… how often do you see son?
“In the evening, I try to spend all my time with him. It seems he was just born, and is only 3 months old. He’s already a person. Each day he does something new, starts to turn over, talk, smile. It’s a pity to miss these moments, because I realize he’ll grow and that won’t come back.”
Q. Will you “give him” to sports?
“We’ll definitely try”
Q. Which one?
“Skating is out because he is a boy. Dad wants him to do hockey. But we won’t force our child to do sports in any case, but definitely try. We’ll bring him to the pool to learn to swim. I want him to learn tennis. Then he can choose which sport he likes best. Who knows maybe he’ll be a music composer or famous artist?”
Why is figure skating ruled out?
“Male figure skaters get offended when I say skating isn’t a men’s sport. Yes, there is men’s singles and great skaters – Yagudin, Plushenko, Petrenko, Urmanov. They are my friends and say “how can you say such tings about us?” I think it’s just lucky for them that they are in demand and are great examples of real masculine skating. But I still think that hockey is a better sport for boys. I’d rather give my son where he is in better hands. Why tempt fate?”
Q. Does it help to both be athletes in marriage?
“I think that it helps my husband that I was an athlete. He gets advice from me, shares. I understand his condition when he loses a game or match. I try to support him and get him set properly before a big start. He’s not a star or great athlete yet, but I try to help him find himself in his profession. He also understands that my work is connected with sport. He even comes and watches how the girls are growing at practices.”
Q. Do you ever skate together?
“We did yesterday, but it’s rare. Vadim had no where to train, so he came to me. I prefer that he hide the skates so I don’t see them.”
Q. What do you do together for fun?
“We sometimes go to karaoke. We love to sing. Vadik sings pretty well, but as for me – they say a talented person is talented in everything. I am able to do lots of things – cook, drive, do different sports well, but I cannot sing. But when a person can’t do something that is what he loves best. When we go, we’ll sing duet. We even have some songs that we learned in 2 voices.”
Q. What do you sing
“The fabulous duet of Alla PUgacheva and Vladimir Kuzmin “2 Stars”. Can you imagine how it sounds? If Alla Borisovna [Pugacheva] heard us, she would ban us from singing her songs at karaoke forever.”
Q. About singles/attitude/marriage.
“Yeah, well you’re always on your own and responsible for yourself. We live together, but anything can happen in life. What if he stops loving me and leaves for somebody else, and I’m not used to living alone. I need to rely only on my own powers. That’s why I need the job that I went back to 2 months after the birth. I do it just for me.”
Q. Can you ask for help, or do you just rely on yourself?
“It’s rare that I ask for a favor. If a situation is hopeless, then I can turn to my friends. They are great and really reliable people. I try to solve everything myself though. Same with work. I would never go ask for myself. Usually I get offers and I try not to turn them down. But I don’t like to ask, and I’m not good at it. Although sometimes I think I could, but I don’t take advantage of it.”
http://www.km.ru/magazin/view.asp?id=F5FC5936BB564CBFAAE96D4C7F4B3725
Interview with Maria Butirskaya
RE; feelings at time of retirement
“of course, I remember this moment. I was fairly old for an athlete….I can say that figure skaters are much luckier than many other athletes because I was able to quit sports in a smooth way – it just flowed into lots of show skating, pro competitions. So the figure skaters’ career doesn’t end abruptly. Of course, I missed the adrenaline I got at competitions. It helped that I had a name and people didn’t forget me. I was in demand in other fields. There were invitations to host a TV program, do different TV projects… Nothing could replace sport, but it helped. In general, I really wanted to rest at first because I was tired of the constant pressure. I got bored of resting quickly because I was missing what wouldn’t happen in my life anymore was what had given me such joy.”
Q. Why coach?
“Two years ago I got the offer to be head coach of a skating school. Of course, I agreed and really took to this work. I look at the girls that I’m coaching and I can see how hard it is for them and I don’t feel the need to skate in big sport anymore. I like that I can tell them something and they can do it.”
Q. Pro skating?
“I tried lots of things. If I get an offer, my attitude is – cool. For example, I agreed with pleasure to host a TV show. I understand that to do it professionally, I’d need to study and start working in this area much earlier. TV work should be done by pros. It’s funny, but I also tried acting. The same thing, “Do you want to try?” _ “Sure!”. It was interesting to be on the inside of this profession, but I won’t try to be an actress, because it’s not me, it’s foreign to me. I have several actress friends who just laugh at people who try to take acting seriously without education, experience or anything. I don’t want to be laughed at. To try it – sure, with pleasure, but not get all in there.”
Q. Housewife?
“I couldn’t do that. Probably it’s in my character. I had a “home” period, when I just gave birth to Vladik. It was like a holiday, and I spent all day with him. To be honest, I started to feel depressed.”
Q. Did son’s birth help you “leave sports”?
“I think I already did that before, when my first students appeared.”
Q. You’re a new coach and mom… how often do you see son?
“In the evening, I try to spend all my time with him. It seems he was just born, and is only 3 months old. He’s already a person. Each day he does something new, starts to turn over, talk, smile. It’s a pity to miss these moments, because I realize he’ll grow and that won’t come back.”
Q. Will you “give him” to sports?
“We’ll definitely try”
Q. Which one?
“Skating is out because he is a boy. Dad wants him to do hockey. But we won’t force our child to do sports in any case, but definitely try. We’ll bring him to the pool to learn to swim. I want him to learn tennis. Then he can choose which sport he likes best. Who knows maybe he’ll be a music composer or famous artist?”
Why is figure skating ruled out?
“Male figure skaters get offended when I say skating isn’t a men’s sport. Yes, there is men’s singles and great skaters – Yagudin, Plushenko, Petrenko, Urmanov. They are my friends and say “how can you say such tings about us?” I think it’s just lucky for them that they are in demand and are great examples of real masculine skating. But I still think that hockey is a better sport for boys. I’d rather give my son where he is in better hands. Why tempt fate?”
Q. Does it help to both be athletes in marriage?
“I think that it helps my husband that I was an athlete. He gets advice from me, shares. I understand his condition when he loses a game or match. I try to support him and get him set properly before a big start. He’s not a star or great athlete yet, but I try to help him find himself in his profession. He also understands that my work is connected with sport. He even comes and watches how the girls are growing at practices.”
Q. Do you ever skate together?
“We did yesterday, but it’s rare. Vadim had no where to train, so he came to me. I prefer that he hide the skates so I don’t see them.”
Q. What do you do together for fun?
“We sometimes go to karaoke. We love to sing. Vadik sings pretty well, but as for me – they say a talented person is talented in everything. I am able to do lots of things – cook, drive, do different sports well, but I cannot sing. But when a person can’t do something that is what he loves best. When we go, we’ll sing duet. We even have some songs that we learned in 2 voices.”
Q. What do you sing
“The fabulous duet of Alla PUgacheva and Vladimir Kuzmin “2 Stars”. Can you imagine how it sounds? If Alla Borisovna [Pugacheva] heard us, she would ban us from singing her songs at karaoke forever.”
Q. About singles/attitude/marriage.
“Yeah, well you’re always on your own and responsible for yourself. We live together, but anything can happen in life. What if he stops loving me and leaves for somebody else, and I’m not used to living alone. I need to rely only on my own powers. That’s why I need the job that I went back to 2 months after the birth. I do it just for me.”
Q. Can you ask for help, or do you just rely on yourself?
“It’s rare that I ask for a favor. If a situation is hopeless, then I can turn to my friends. They are great and really reliable people. I try to solve everything myself though. Same with work. I would never go ask for myself. Usually I get offers and I try not to turn them down. But I don’t like to ask, and I’m not good at it. Although sometimes I think I could, but I don’t take advantage of it.”
