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STEPHEN GOUGH, U.S. National Short Track Coach Ohno Zone Interview, January 2003, page 3 of 3 Part 4: Short Track in General
OZ: What insight(s) do you wish you had been given when you were just starting out as a skater? (e.g., things that took you a while to figure out, that could have saved you time if someone had just told you to begin with) SG: Short track technique is pretty difficult and it took me a long time to really get it. I think more emphasis there when I was younger would have helped. Otherwise it was mostly things I had to learn about myself and the mental side to training and competing. OZ: What do you think the future holds? How can US Speedskating capitalize on the great publicity from the Olympics to make the sport more visible and popular for both spectators and participants? SG: It is an interesting and exciting time to be in this sport, especially in the US. We need to be free and forward thinking in how the sport gets presented and marketed but we cannot be foolish either. I think the more television coverage we get the better and we have to continue to get our name in the press through our results. As far as helping the sport for participants, we need to establish a development model that will meet the needs of all our membership, from clubs and masters skaters to national and Olympic level athletes and programs. At this stage I think we should be doing what we can to help all these new clubs (and future Olympians) survive and grow. OZ: What are YOUR long-term goals for the future of U.S. Short Track? SG: I’d like to play my part in building a strong organization. This means running a short track program that is consistently successful year in year out and assisting with the establishment of a solid club and domestic program and feeder system. OZ: What is your reaction to the reported absence from Salt Lake City of the Asian teams in Feb. (due to the Asian Winter Games taking place at that time)? SG: I haven’t really given it too much thought. It will make for a different dynamic in the racing and we may see some new faces on the podium. [Note: Since submitting the questions, we have learned that China intends to send a team to World Cups 5 and 6, and Korea may do the same.] Stephen Gough returns Apolo's skate guards Can Am #1, Montreal, October 2002  courtesy Addi OZ: How are relations with the Koreans nearly one year after the Olympics? SG: I think things are normal. There were some good races at the World Cups in Europe. This is a non-issue for us and is something that is more likely to get played up in the media. Part 5: The Role of Fans OZ: There will be many Ohno Zone fans in the stands at the Oval in February. Can you recommend some things fans should look for or be aware of to better understand and enjoy short track as spectators? SG: I guess one thing fans should understand is that skaters will not necessarily put everything into every race. There is a lot of strategy involved and they will not always skate to win just to qualify for the next round. Other than that, come ready to yell and have a good time. OZ: How do you deal with the apparent financial shortfall that US Speedskating is experiencing? Any idea as to what is being done to remedy this, so as not to lose the enormous momentum from SLC 2002? SG: There’s not really too much I can do about it. I focus on helping our athletes as best as possible, given the restrictions placed on our team, financial or otherwise. Obviously the overall state of the economy is a big factor here as that affects sponsor dollars both with USS and the USOC. The other issue with sponsors is that there is now a tendency to focus on the summer sports until after 2004. This is nothing new, but it is a reality that we have to face every four years. To keep the momentum from my end though is quite simple. Ensure that the athletes continue to perform and or improve. OZ: In your opinion, is there anything that fans can do to make a difference in these areas, to encourage both greater media exposure for short track and also encourage increased funding for the sport and the federation? SG: Hopefully the fans will continue to support our athletes and events. The more people who are interested in the sport the better off we’ll be. Apart from that I think it would take a lot of proactive fans to really make some change. But you have to start somewhere. OZ: What do you think it would take to get U.S. television to air short track on a more frequent basis? SG: I think somebody needs to be able to make money off the airing of short track events in order for us to get more coverage. Until its profitable for a network to air an event, there will likely be another event somewhere else that is more profitable. Also, there aren’t that many events to begin with and considering that 4 of the 6 World Cups are held outside of North America, it creates additional logistical problems for a network. I also think the current system and mentality we have would need to change a little to accommodate more television coverage. OZ: What is your favorite country or city to compete in? In which country does short track attract the most fan support? SG: I always like competing in Montreal since that is sort of home for me. The venue is excellent and you have a pretty knowledgeable crowd. The most fan support I have seen over the years is usually in Korea or China, but we are seeing more and more fans in every city we visit. OZ: Do you have any other thoughts as to how fans can make a difference in supporting the team and the sport in general? SG: I think that short track is a very difficult sport. It requires many, many skills – physical, technical, tactical and mental. All of the athletes put in a lot of time and dedication to their sport but few have the opportunity to succeed at the Olympics or World Championships. Sometimes making a semi-final can be the highlight of a skater’s season. So please support all the skaters. They are all trying hard and are proud to represent the USA. << Back to page 1 | << Back to page 2 Ohno Zone Home |
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