Before a stop on the Stars on Ice tour, Olympian and U.S. champion Bradie Tennell caught up with NBCSports.com/figure-skating, discussing what she learned from the post-Olympic year and what direction she wants to go next season.
This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
NBC Sports: How would you evaluate this season?
Tennell: It was a bit challenging. It didn’t go quite the way I expected it to or hoped it would. I think I learned a lot and there were some very valuable lessons that I’m glad that happened. Looking forward, I know how to better handle some situations now because of the year that I had. I’m just really grateful for all the experiences. Of course, my skate at worlds was everything that I wanted to do all season. So, I was really happy with that.
NBC Sports: It sounds like now is a good time in the quad to maybe learn those things.
Tennell: For sure. If it was any time to happen, I did it at the right time.
NBC Sports: What were some of those lessons?
Tennell: Not to let the unexpected bring me down. When I’m out there, just trust myself more, not have so much self-doubt. Because I know I’m trained. When I go to competition, I’m trained, I’m ready. I know what I’m doing. This year, when I stepped on the ice, I started second-guessing myself. That’s where some of those under-rotations came from. So then of course the self-doubt crept in even further. It’s cyclical. I think I need to believe in myself and keep that confidence moving forward.
NBC Sports: Where does that get the worst for you? Does it happen mid-program, if things start to fall apart? Before the music starts?
Tennell: I think it’s right before the music starts. In that second or two of absolute dead silence, all those thoughts come racing into your head. You’re like, “No! I’ve got this!”
NBC Sports: Looking ahead, have you started looking at music? Will you work with choreographer Benoit Richaud again?
Tennell: Yes, I will be working with Benoit again. I am looking for music. That’s very challenging for me – just because I’m so picky. I’m still in that process.
NBC Sports: Last season you had one program from both worlds, the modern and the classic. Is that something you want to try again?
Tennell: Not necessarily. I know I want programs in two different genres to show a wider range. I definitely wanna have programs that are very different from each other, I’m just not sure what yet.
NBC Sports: It seems like tour is the place to experiment with new programs. Can you tell me about your program to “Stay” and “Diamonds” by Rihanna?
Tennell: I love my costume for it. It’s the black unitard, super cool. I think people really like it. It’s something different for me. I can’t say I would’ve thought that I would pick it, but Benoit and I were just listening to music one day and I was like, ‘Oh I could kinda get into this.’ And he’s like [in an accent] ‘OK, we make program.’ I was like ‘OK! Sounds good!’
NBC Sports: You clearly give him a lot of room for input.
Tennell: Yeah, he’s amazing. He’s got such a vision for everything and he challenges me a lot, which is really great. I’m really glad that he does that. He’s pushed me out of my comfort zone but that’s really helped me grow as an athlete.
MORE: Bradie and Benoit’s vision for “Romeo & Juliet”
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