Translation of Kikuchi-san’s book. A friend shared the earlier parts of the Chinese translation with me, so I decided to start from the beginning. Little Yuzu is too adorable. :))
Chapter 1, part 1. On the balance beam, the boy who is out of the ordinary.
If there are gifts from heaven, then for Yuzuru, that would be the “ability to draw attention”. Yuzuru came to my clinic for the first time when he was in elementary school 2nd grade; he had sprained his ankle because of jump training. When his ankle healed, he started to come for “torso training class” that I conducted.
The Yuzuru exercising in the gym, and the Yuzuru talking non-stop in the clinic, are like 2 different people.
Firstly, his body movements are completely different from the ordinary child. His body posture is very good, all his movements contain a sense of rhythm….. Perhaps these are also the special qualities of a figure skater.
For example, his running. Usually when children want to run fast, even if the posture is good, the legs will make uncontrolled heavy steps. But Yuzuru ran lightly and rhythmically. And it didn’t slow down his speed. The way he ran gave a gentle and graceful feeling, there’s always something that draws your attention. "What an interesting little fella,“ he left a deep impression on me.
But, in my training class, he wasn’t so enthusiastic all the time. Although he was working hard at figure skating, he often slackened for training in the gym. Like running with not much power, or being sluggish with exercises, I often had to hold up the shinai (t/n. light bamboo sword for kendo practice) and roar at him. When I did that, Yuzuru would yell, "Waa~~ no!!!!” and start running to escape. Chase battles like this between us were always going on. (t/n. so funny!)
Another area that made me feel “this little fella is really interesting” was during circuit training. This is a way of training by combining a few different items like running, hurdles and simple jumps. It is an effective exercise for the respiratory system, so I often get the children to do it.
That day, the last item was walking on the balance beam.
For Yuzuru with his well-developed motor nerves, he walked across the beam too easily; this was very boring to me. "What happened? You simply walked across? What sports are you training for? Don’t you have to show beauty? So do it!“ I gave ridiculous instructions like that.
He started to walk on the beam while making figure skating poses. Standing around watching him were some children who were quite mischievous. To be made to do figure skating poses and movements in front of everyone, normally you would feel that you’re being made fun of, and feel conflicted.
However, Yuzuru confidently and naturally showed signature figure skating moves in front of his peers. In this sport of figure skating, if you feel embarrassed by the movements or the costume, you will not be able to keep going. Especially for a boy.
But Yuzuru is like the main character that draws attention, in the good sense of the word. And in his posture and movements, there is some power that strongly attracts you.
Watching him do all those skating poses, "Ah this child must really be in love with figure skating, from the bottom of his heart,” I thought.
How passionately do you love what you are doing? Not just for figure skating, but for any situation, passion is the best short-cut that leads to progress.
Chapter 1, part 2. Growing kids are “good at making requests”
Yuzuru trained at Konami Sports Club, Izumi Ice Rink (the current Ice Rink Sendai); after training, he came to my clinic, it’s something he had to do everyday.
If there was a problem with any part, I would treat that part. If there was no pain anywhere, I would do a massage for him and taping. Besides this, he also participated in the ‘Sunday night training’ in the gym, so I saw Yuzuru almost every day.
Initially he was quiet and spoke few words, but before I knew it, he had already become very talkative. But most of what he said were related to figure skating.
“Axel is like this, Loop is like that,” he would be telling me endlessly as I was treating him. I had no concern for figure skating at all, so I could only say, “I don’t understand all these things you are saying!” "Stop chattering and receive the massage properly.“ But still, he went on and on by himself. From that time, that child’s mind thought about figure skating only.
We saw each other almost daily, but I had never heard him say "I want to play” or “I don’t want to skate”, these sort of complaints.
When Yuzuru was in lower elementary school, I think because of a large amount of figure skate training and also the thought that it’s a girl’s sport, he told his family, “I want to play baseball,” but he had never said such things in front of me.
(*notes by me, not from the book: In his autobiography, Yuzu said whenever he told his parents he felt like playing baseball instead of skating, they always said OK but he himself never made the switch in the end.)
Elementary school students will naturally talk about TV games and comics. But at that time I never heard him talk about these topics. I heard him say he watched TV, so I asked him what programme. Turns out, he was just watching a video of Plushenko’s performances. And he watched it over and over again everyday, until the video tape was worn out and could not be played anymore.
Yuzuru came to my clinic after training ended, always at night. I had to extend the opening hours of my clinic. Everyday, my clinic was open until late, waiting for Yuzuru to come over.
“Sensei, tomorrow I will come again after training, is that alright?”
Saying these words, this child who was only in 3rd or 4th grade of elementary school implored me with an apologetic face.
If parents asked me this, I could still refuse in some way, but to an elementary school kid, I could only reply, “Okay! I will keep my clinic open and wait for you, just come over.”
To a child working hard, I wanted to give a helping hand in any way, I guess it’s quite natural to have that thought. And without me realising, I started to look forward to his arrival each time.
From here we can also see, from that young age, Yuzuru was already very good at making requests.
But it was not only Yuzuru who was working hard. Between his home and my clinic, you need to take a car. Accompanying him here always, was his father.
And also, I heard from Yuzuru himself, that his mother and sister worked on his figure skating costumes, sewing on glittering crystals one by one, late into the night.
After hearing this, all the more I wanted to support him.
2004 October, All-Japan Novice B Championship that elementary 3rd and 4th grade students participated in (9-10 years old), Yuzuru competed in this for the first time and won the championship. As a skater, he was growing well.
Not only Yuzuru, the children who joined the Sunday night torso training class were all “good at making requests”, all full of enthusiasm, they made me want to support them from the bottom of my heart.
(t/n. awww…….. Kikuchi-san is really a kind and soft-hearted grandpa.)
Translated by me from a Chinese translation by QuailAries@weibo, much thanks to her. Please consider buying the Japanese book to show your appreciation: HERE. I have just placed my order.
(pic: screenshots from gif by redfar@tumblr)
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