Kimmie Meissner finds 2nd life on ice...

[Jennifer Lyon]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/bs-sp-olympics-kimmie-meissner-0204-story.html

She assesses her former self from the perspective of a 28-year-old who’s living a life in full. Meissner rekindled her romance with the ice, first by coaching kids who reminded her how innocently she’d loved the sport and then by skating with her old compatriots in professional exhibitions. She graduated from Towson University in 2014 and made plans to become a physician’s assistant. She moved to downtown Baltimore, where she works as a part-time physical therapist at Johns Hopkins Hospital and trains her 4-year-old Australian shepherd, Keats (after her favorite Romantic poet), to be a therapy dog. She talks of joining Michael Phelps and others in speaking out about the darker moods that sometimes consume athletes in the wake of Olympic glory.

 

[Mrs. P]

That was a good story. I never realize how painful it was for her to make that transition -- I knew somewhat because her career ended so erruptly, but the story really did a good job explaining it.

 

[yelyoh]

Good article. There was a film documentary several years ago about the young girls (now women) who were in various productions of Annie, the musical. I'd like to see a figure skating version.
I'm happy for Kimmie as she shapes her life into one that will bring her satisfaction and joy.

 

[GGFan]

Oh I thought this was going to be an article about her reincarnation as Bradie Tennell

 

[Skater Boy]

Kind of the forgotten champion. Nice lady but hightly forgettable Even with the triple axel for some reason skaters like Nicole Bobek, Caryn Kadavy, Gracie Gold, AshleyWagner and Sasha Cohen will be remembered more. I hope she finds her bliss.

 

[Jennifer Lyon]

Good article. There was a film documentary several years ago about the young girls (now women) who were in various productions of Annie, the musical. I'd like to see a figure skating version.
I'm happy for Kimmie as she shapes her life into one that will bring her satisfaction and joy.

I saw that documentary. Yes, I agree a skating version would work. We would probably see many parallels between the skaters and the former Annie kids.

 

[largeman]

Kind of the forgotten champion. Nice lady but hightly forgettable Even with the triple axel for some reason skaters like Nicole Bobek, Caryn Kadavy, Gracie Gold, AshleyWagner and Sasha Cohen will be remembered more.

Those ladies can go on and be "remembered" by people all they want. Kimmie Meissner is the one who can say, "I am a former world champion."

 

[iluvtodd]

Thanks for the article link. Good for Kimmie!

 

[sarama]

I loved the article. I think it is common (and not just for Olympians) to feel lost at times in life Often when we face big changes, everything starts to look out of our control, because we feel unprepared and therefore vulnerable. It's tough take charge again of your life, and let the past be the past.

 

[da96103]

Good article. There was a film documentary several years ago about the young girls (now women) who were in various productions of Annie, the musical. I'd like to see a figure skating version.
I'm happy for Kimmie as she shapes her life into one that will bring her satisfaction and joy.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya tomorrow, is only a skate away.

 

[Skater Boy]

Those ladies can go on and be "remembered" by people all they want. Kimmie Meissner is the one who can say, "I am a former world champion."

So true but not worth much if no one cares. But that wasn't my point lol. My real point was there are more to life than triple axels and world titles. I am glad she found who she is and what she wants

 

[Spirals for Miles]

Kimmie just tweeted that she loves the article!
It's so surprising that she's only two years older than Ashley...

 

[Scout]

Kind of the forgotten champion. Nice lady but hightly forgettable Even with the triple axel for some reason skaters like Nicole Bobek, Caryn Kadavy, Gracie Gold, AshleyWagner and Sasha Cohen will be remembered more. I hope she finds her bliss.

Kimmie's name will continuously come up in discussions over time about American women who have landed a triple axel or American women who have won a World Championships. Over time, as the sport evolves, and triple axels among ladies becomes more common, that one might get forgotten. But Kimmie is the most recent ladies world champion for the US, and world championships is history that cannot be taken away.

 

[Skater Boy]

Kimmie's name will continuously come up in discussions over time about American women who have landed a triple axel or American women who have won a World Championships. Over time, as the sport evolves, and triple axels among ladies becomes more common, that one might get forgotten. But Kimmie is the most recent ladies world champion for the US, and world championships is history that cannot be taken away.

I think people are taking my post in the wrong way. Kimmie will be talked about as she did a 3A and has a world title but despite that for whatever reason the world, the media, the fans do not embrace her like other skating stars. It isn't mean, it is just some people have that spark and some don't.

 

[LiamForeman]

Nice article. I'm glad she's put her career in perspective. Olympian, National Champion, World Champion. She has a lot to be proud of. I know it sounds so cliché, but she was the living definition of the puberty monster. You'd think though that kids who excel pre-puberty would expect they would lose their skills once they matured, especially a female skater. I'm glad she achieved quite a lot in her short time near the top. Even though that 3axel would never have been ratified by an international panel, at least she's remembered for a valiant attempt at it.

 

[Inessence]

So true but not worth much if no one cares. But that wasn't my point lol. My real point was there are more to life than triple axels and world titles. I am glad she found who she is and what she wants

Kimmie and Sarah Hughes should get together and form a "Don't You Forget About Me" Club.

 

[LiamForeman]

Kimmie and Sarah Hughes should get together and form a "Don't You Forget About Me" Club.

Who is Sarah Hughes?

 

[ancientpeas]

Who is Sarah Hughes?

Emily Hughes' sister.

 

[Spirals for Miles]

Who is Sarah Hughes?

The 2002 OGM in ladies. Over Michelle Kwan, Irina Slutskaya, and Sasha Cohen, to name a few...

 

[brightphoton]

Does anyone know what happened to Kimmie Meissner? Did she get injured, or go through puberty? It seemed like one moment, she was World and National champion, and then she was at 2008 Nationals and unable to land any triples ...