Zen and the Art of Speedskating

Tucker Fredricks does not get the respect that he deserves as one of America’s best skaters.

Mass media has a short attention span, and other stories sucking up all the oxygen in the room, but if you look at world cup results, I believe in the past 4 years only Shani Davis has stood on more podiums for the USA than Tucker.

Here is Tucker, at the salt Lake world cup this year- even with a slip on the first turn, he was 3rd in this race.

Tuck was the overall world cup 500 champion two seasons ago, is in raging form this year, and is on the short list of people who are true medal contenders in Vancouver.

So why are my google news alerts for Speedskating filled up with news of other skaters?

Tucker himself is part of the answer, he is a low-key kind of guy, but it’s still wrong; so this interview is my small way to redress the media imbalance.

Welcome to the Blog Tucker!

Tucker: Other than the olympics, this is the moment I’ve been waiting for!

1. You won “fastest skater” competitions at youth hockey tournaments as a kid. When did you realize that you could be a very good speedskater?

I always thought i would be good at whatever sport I did. i started speedskating at age 8. Probably realized that I could be really good at 14 or 15 years old.

2. You have worked with Ryan Shimabukuro since you were 13. You have moved into the upper echelons of this sport together. What are the lessons was he drilling you on back then? Have they changed as you matured?

As a young skater, still in school, it was grades first. If you didn’t make the grade, you didn’t make the cut. Now, since we’ve been together so long, he trusts my judgment in the training aspect. If I feel I need more, I can do more. If I’m tired, he’ll let me sit one out.

3. I remember the day you broke Hiroyasu Shimizu’s 500m rink record at the Pettit national ice center. You made a statement that roughly said: “Well, Shimizu drives a Ferrari and I drive an old Mazda”

Does this show the challenges that American speedskaters undergo?

Shimizu was the first Japanese winter Olympian to win a gold medal so that made him rich and famous in japan. we are one of the few countries in the world if not the only one that does not get government funding and sponsors are scarce for Olympic athletes. So yeah its a little hard for us.

4. I have heard from other athletes, that the first time you go to the Olympics, it’s often about the experience/participation. But if you dedicate yourself to going over and over, you are sacrificing because you want to win. Does that feel true for you?

I don’t think I am sacrificing anything. I’m doing this because I love to do it. My parents are the ones that made the sacrifices.

5. Speedskating can be a physically, technically and emotionally brutal sport, what do you find really hard & have to work on all the time?

For the past 4 years, training hard has been fun for me, so the physical part is out. I try to block out things that make me emotional because that just leads to stress. So that’s out. I’m always working on technique. That’s the hard part.

6. Send me a photo that feels like “you” to you.

A perfect day in collalbo italy a few weeks before the 2006 olympics. From L to R, Kip Carpenter, a yawning Casey Fitzrandolph, Joey Cheek, me, K.C. Bouttitte

(Andrew Note: This is one of the most beautiful rinks there is, here is my picture from the tram that passes by the rink.)

7. Tell us something surprising about you or your life that those of us who know you through skating would never have suspected:

my aunt studied our family tree and i’ve been told we are directly related to sir isac newton

8. What is going on “under the hood” as you step to the start line in a 500m. What are you focusing on, what is your mental state?

Every time i step to the line i think i can win no mater how im feeling. i think i just tell myself “you got this”

9. It seems that more and more elite LT skaters are doing a ton of ST skating. I’ve seen you throw down hard on the ST yourself. Why do you think this is important?

It’s great for getting strength in the turns and over emphasizing the technique.

10. Sprinters are the ultimate technicians. Who are some of the athletes you admire, and why?

Shani’s turns. Nagashimas fluidity, Jojis straight aways. I just like watching them.

11. The USA has incredible mojo with the 500m at the Olympics. Fitzrandolph & Cheek, and before them Heiden, Mcdermott, Henry, Shea, Jewtraw. We are 7 out of 20 for gold medals in this men’s event.

Do you feel this pressure?

no pressure. i just want to make it 3 in a row for the U.S.A

Haiku Speed round.

1. Do you still have your first pair of skates? What are they??

yup. bauer hockey skates.

2. Favorite sprint-centric workout that you regularly do?

500m intervals

3. Favorite recovery food after a hard day?

mcdonalds. just for fun.

4. A quote that gets you fired up:

someones going to win. might as well be me. -Tucker Fredricks

5. Favorite city on the world cup circuit to find really good food?

I like japanese food, so, Nagano

6. Movie you never get tired of seeing?

dumb and dumber

7. What was the best Halloween costume you ever had as a kid?

power rangers. green ranger.

8. When wandering past a Barnes & Noble endless magazine rack, what ones do you reach for and flip through?

probably just keep walking..

9. If you could travel through a time-tunnel and give your teenage self a few words of sage advice, what would it be?

I could tell myself something but i probably wouldn’t listen

10. Most full time athlete struggles with injuries, what have been your weak spots?

lower back L4 L5 siatic nerv(SP) and shin fatigue

11. Why did you keep buying me drinks before the hall of fame banquet in April of 08? I ended up sledgehammered thanks to you. You had just won the 500m World Cup overall, I should have been buying you the drinks!

Andrew, that was my contribution to your blog.

12. I hear a number of the elite skaters are also golfers. Who is the best? Who is the best trash talker on the course?

Chad Hedrick is the best i think. The last four times i played this year i would have given him a run for his money. Tyler Goff is the biggest talker but he hasn’t come through for me when I’ve been on his team. Sorry Ty…

I want to end this with wishing Tucker the BEST of luck.

You might not read a ton about him in the run-up to the games, but there is an excellent chance the whole USA will know who he is the day after the 500’s.

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