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Focused Nguyen doesn't feel pressure of big stage
Canadian champion reflects on breakthrough year as season concludes
This season, a 16-year-old Canadian prodigy with an infectious smile stepped onto the ice at the world championships for just the second time in his career. In Shanghai, Nam Nguyen found himself surrounded by an audience giving him a standing ovation -- the same kind of hearty welcome given to well-known skaters, like Nguyen's training mates, Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and Javier Fernández, who earned Spain's first world title.
Nguyen, who had recently taken his first Canadian title, finished fifth overall at the 2015 World Championships, performing two technically clean and artistically entertaining programs that were fun and flawless. Despite the success, Nguyen doesn't focus on his placement in the final standings.
"I don't think about the results too much, to be honest. I'm only concerned with how well I skate," he said.
A favorite word psychologists like to use when speaking about teenagers is "maximalism." The theory goes that for the majority of young people, including athletes, the world is divided into good and bad, and achievements can be seen through an "all or nothing" prism, which, sooner or later, can lead to disappointment when real life doesn't live up to expectations.
Nguyen is an exception to this line of thinking. His motto could be: "Take it easy, man!"
When he performs, there is an impression of lightness and ease to all of his technical elements and program components. He doesn't seem to be affected by the pressure that comes with competing on the world stage.
"I don't feel any sort of pressure, because I love to perform in front of a huge audience. They give me energy," the 16-year-old said.
Connecting with the audience is not an easy thing for many skaters, especially younger ones. Nguyen has the rare ability to not only get the crowd involved but also get a response from the fans. He believes that excelling in this facet of skating is more than just a matter of talent.
"I think it can be learned through constant performances, and I know how to do it," he confidently declared.
Just as big a challenge in the sport today is maintaining an optimal balance between the complex technical requirements and artistic expression.
"I usually practice sections of my programs quite often with the jumps, and also maintain the artistic side of the program every day so that I can get used to it," Nguyen explained.
Many have noticed the high level of endurance, and even courage (remember Hanyu's collision with Han Yan at the Cup of China?), that is characterstic of the students of Brian Orser. Last year, Nguyen's coach noted that both mental and physical preparation is crucial in training. He even developed special software, the Peak Performance Skating app, to bring his ideas to any skater.
"Preparation is a very big thing in order to become successful," Nguyen said. "If you have a good preparation, you will have a good result. With Brian's app, I can visualize my success and feel super prepared, because that's what the app does: It mentally prepares you for the competition."
Nguyen is the youngest of the trio that some fans call "The Cricket Brothers," due to the name of their skating club -- Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club. Nguyen's older "brothers," Hanyu and Fernández, are more established in the sport, and he makes sure to learn from his counterparts.
"It feels so cool to be training with two of the world's best figure skaters," Nguyen said. "Every day, I get to learn from them and just apply it to my own skating. I want to learn their speed and power going into the jumps, as well as their ease."
Nguyen's Olympic hopes await, but he already knows what it means to perform at the prestigious event. He was just an 11-year-old skater when 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek introduced him to a crowded arena at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, where he took part in the exhibition gala.
"I remember every feeling of it! It was such a neat experience for me to be with all the Olympic athletes in the same area, because I could feel the pressure from them," he said.
Next week, Nguyen will have a new competitive experience, representing Team Canada at the 2015 World Team Trophy in Tokyo.
"I heard that a lot of people say that it is a really fun event. I just want to enjoy the event as much as possible and to show everyone my best performance!" he said.
With the 2014-15 figure skating season all but completed, Nguyen has next year to look forward to.
"I just want to do the same thing like this year, and maybe even better," he said. "There are so many things that I need to improve on, and that's how I become successful."
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