New Maria’s interview on the radio “SPORT FM”, recorded right after she had returned from Junior Olympic Games.
http://sportfm.ru/mediainfo/audio/detskaya-ploshchadka-s-darey-mironovoy-19-03-2016-gost-mariya-sotskova.html?sphrase_id=79070 No video, only audio track (my translation is not very coherent, sorry)
Asked about her first steps on the ice, Maria said, that at the age of 3 her parents brought her on the ice-rink. At first, she was very upset because it was cold there and because her coach seemed to be angry. But, gradually, she got accustomed to the atmosphere of sport. Her first competitions (championship of Moscow, 34 competitors), when she was 3-4 years old, changed her attitude to the process. She took 30-th place, but, as she felt, she performed well: attention of her coach, Svetlana Panova, became more intent.
As a coach, Panova is strict, but, being strict, she is attentive to her problems and supports her always. Being asked about her mom, Maria said, that she tries not to see her during competitions, because she (her mom) becomes too nervous and shares the agitation with her indeliberately. Her mom is frequently present on the trainings, sometimes tries to interfere, but Maria is always on coach’s side.
Asked about the remedy to cope with agitation, she said, that one must understand: why I’m doing it? what for? The correct answer will help. It’s impossible to avoid agitation totally, but it is possible to avoid a panic. Asked about how it happened, that she started to train in Panova’s group, she answered: “By chance”. This rink was the nearest to her home.
After Junior Worlds and Russian Student’s sports contest (in Saransk), she’ll have some rest and will prepare to the next season. At the age of 11-12 she faced with serious difficulties: she could do nothing on the trainings and firstly decided to stop. But she had some conversations with mom and coach, decided to continue and, gradually, everything normalized, and now she can’t imagine her life without figure skating.
Asked about school, she said, that it is impossible to combine sports with study process adequately. She attends school 1 time a week, and, during competitions, only 1 time a month. But she studies with personal tutors and by herself, after trainings. Biology and math are among of her favourite subjects.
Asked about a diet, she said, that she can permit oneself even pizza and an ice-cream, but in very limited measure. Asked about the day-regime, Maria said, that she is on the ice at 7 a.m. and returns home at 3 p.m. Trainings are 6 days a week, Sunday is day-off. Asked about her costumes, said, that they (she, her mom, coach and choreographer) imagine the outlines and make sketches. After that they give the result to her tailor. Asked about make-up, she mentioned, that at first all of this work was done by her mom, but now she do it herself.
Asked about her idols, she enumerated: Lambiel, Costner, Chan. Men’s skating is more interesting for her, than women’s because of the quads and the necessity to combine quads with skating, to “inscribe” them into the program. She tried to make quads, and even landed them, but they turned to be underrotated. She’ll try quad at the end of the season seriously.
Asked about spectators, said, that full-crowded arenas help to perform well because of applauses and support. Asked about kinds of sport that she like, Maria enumerated: callisthenics and curling. Hockey is not very interesting, because it is too tough.
Being asked about the way to the national team, she answered: to be not lower than 6-th on the championship of Moscow --- then to be 1-3 at the national championship --- than to become 1-3 on Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltia (you’re in the perspective team). Than you should to compete on the stages of cup of Russia and to go to final of cup of Russia ... (I didn’t understand properly, but it is rather long and difficult way). And, at the end, sportsmen, who took places from the 1-st up to 6-th , are in the national team. This way took her about 5 years.
Federation starts to view perspective skaters from about 8 - 9 years old, but you need to skate well even before this age to be ready at every moment. Asked about private life, she told, that today sport is on the first place, but, if a fellow appears, for whom her person is not indifferent, and it’ll be mutual... why not?..
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At the end she wished health and patience to all broadcasting listeners!
. She did great under what must have been a stressful situation that she had no control over (2 WDs from her teammates). She must have been under a lot of pressure to hold those 3 spots for Worlds next year. She could have imploded, but she fought for everything and didn't give up, so good for her 
. May next season bring her much success in the senior ranks 
Congrats to her and I hope she sees this as an opportunity to grow stronger. Success isn't always counted by the amount of golds you get.
