WEBVTT
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[SPEAKER_01]: I am Jacob Satchez and you're listening to this week in Skating.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to this week in Skating, the weekly podcast bringing you the latest news from the world of figure skating.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Here are your hosts, Daphne, Gina, and let's say it.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Welcome back, it is Hispanic Heritage Month, which is an annual celebration of the history, cultures, and contributions of the US Latino and Hispanic communities.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Hispanic Heritage Month started September 15 and runs to October 15.
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[SPEAKER_03]: If you listen to our episode last week, you know we at this week in skating want to honor and celebrate our Hispanic and Latino figure skaters while also hearing their experiences, challenges, and perspectives as members of the Hispanic community.
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[SPEAKER_03]: So during this month, we will be having some conversations with them.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And today, we are joined by 2026 U.S.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Jacob is also an ambassador of diversify ice in organization that strives to support competitive figure skaters for minority groups So we want to welcome Jacob back to this weekend skating welcome Jacob Hi, thank you guys so much for having me
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[SPEAKER_02]: Well, as we mentioned before, that we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
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[SPEAKER_02]: So Jacob, can you start off by sharing your Hispanic background and your background in skating?
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[SPEAKER_01]: So my parents are both from Puerto Rico, to those who may not know exactly where Puerto Rico is.
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[SPEAKER_01]: It is an island off the coast of Florida and it is considered a U.S. territory.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So it is part of the U.S. but it's kind of secluded to its own little area.
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[SPEAKER_01]: and both my parents are Puerto Rican.
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[SPEAKER_01]: My mom was born and raised there and she immigrated to New York City when she was around five years old and my dad was also born in Puerto Rican descent in New York City and they both come from a full Hispanic household that they grew up in and they both
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[SPEAKER_01]: kind of had a similar story of immigrating to the city and they met in the city and from there they had me and my little brothers and are not my little brothers but my brothers um and I am one of three boys and I'm the middle child and I am also the only one in the family that is into
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I tried to make it there every year, but sometimes scheduling gets a little hectic and I'm not able to make it, but this past year I was able to go for a week in June.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I was very happy to do that, and it was really nice to kind of reconnect with my kind of community, and kind of like long distance family, so it was really really nice to reconnect with the culture.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I was going to wonder if you had any family still in Puerto Rico.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, yes.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I do have some cousins, aunts, uncles.
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[SPEAKER_01]: They are still living there.
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[SPEAKER_01]: My grandmother, she kind of goes between New York City and Puerto Rico.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Kind of depends on what time of year it is when it's when it's cold over here, she'll go over to the island when it's like
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[SPEAKER_01]: like the mainland.
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[SPEAKER_03]: So Jacob, what does being Hispanic mean to you personally and how is your Hispanic heritage influence to you are today?
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[SPEAKER_01]: For me being Hispanic means that I am part of much more than just a community but part of a huge family.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like Latino and Hispanic
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[SPEAKER_01]: kind of not secluded, but something that's very small compared to other nations and nationalities.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like being able to represent a small percentage of the athletic world in sport, I think is a great opportunity and it's something that motivates me.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, there's a lot of motivators, but for me, sometimes I find myself thinking back to that background and that family, that community that I'm part of and knowing that I have them behind my back, you know, that's that's a really big motivator because
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[SPEAKER_01]: Just the influence that I've had from my family, parents, and community, they've motivated me so much, and influence my kind of outlook on life a lot, and I really value that.
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[SPEAKER_02]: No, you said it, you know, as a skater.
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[SPEAKER_02]: and being Hispanic, your kind of scene is a minority amongst your peers.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Have you ever felt that way, especially in your skating, have you felt different because of your culture and your background?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, definitely.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think growing up, especially, I think, and if I didn't be more than it does now, I felt like, you know, I,
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was always kind of like, not the odd one out, but I was kind of like the one that was seen differently than others because, you know, inscading, especially there's not a big population of minority skaters, Hispanic skaters or skaters of color.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like we are automatically kind of,
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[SPEAKER_01]: We kind of stand out in the crowd.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And so when I was little, I felt that that was kind of a bad thing to stand out.
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[SPEAKER_01]: But now I've kind of matured into it and kind of seen that as an opportunity to kind of spread this awareness in sports or even like,
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[SPEAKER_01]: motivate a new generation of athletes who may not just be figure skatingers, but any athlete that looks like me has the same background as me or similar if I'm able to influence them in a positive way and motivate them to do anything that their heart desires, I think that's something that means a lot to me.
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[SPEAKER_02]: No, this past season was a great season for you, so how meaningful was it to represent both your heritage and the United States and have you felt that change as your career has moved and progress?
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[SPEAKER_02]: You have you felt that sort of change, how meaningful it is to represent your heritage
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think as I've moved up the ranks in sport and been to these big competitions and having the performances that I've had, I feel like I have reached a huge audience and I've received so many messages and positive comments for
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[SPEAKER_01]: from all my supporters and a lot of them have been from people who are of Hispanic ethnicity.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And they message me on Instagram saying, hey, your performance really inspired me to do what I love and for me to go out and do something that I was afraid of.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I've gotten all of these messages of people kind of thanking me and I felt so much love
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[SPEAKER_01]: from like everywhere and being able to represent my culture and my country on such a big stage and being able to do what I did was such a big moment for me and it's something I'm very, very proud of.
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[SPEAKER_03]: Can you tell us about your role with the Versify Ice?
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[SPEAKER_03]: How did that come about?
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[SPEAKER_03]: and minority culture in figure skating?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, so my role in diverse advice is I am an ambassador, so I feel like being an ambassador, I can use my platform to spread awareness of diversity and sports, not just figure skating.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like with this kind of role and opportunity,
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[SPEAKER_01]: a great opportunity for me to just branch out and just spread positivity, spread awareness, motivation.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I've been able to go to some diversify ice events and speak with the younger generation of kids coming up in the sport and being able to meet so many different people and I feel like that is
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[SPEAKER_01]: irreplaceable is something that you can't really create it's such an experience that is so like firsthand and I'm very glad that I was able to have those experiences and meet those people and I just want to continue to inspire and motivate anybody who has these doubts or these thoughts that just because they look different they can't do what everybody else does.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I was going to ask, what do you tell those young, you know, Hispanic fans or Latino fans or young, Hispanic Latino skaters who see you skate and say, oh, maybe I can do that.
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[SPEAKER_02]: What do you tell the future, you know, Hispanic and Latino skaters?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think the main thing that I say when I'm talking to these younger kids or even just my peers or even adults that I've met, I think the main thing that I really want to translate when I talk to them is just don't don't care about what people say or think about you.
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[SPEAKER_01]: like judgment.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think is your worst enemy and I always say your worst enemy is yourself and you just have to go out do what you want to do and you just can't think about anybody else says, everybody in the world is going to have their own opinions on everything and I think your opinion should be that you shouldn't care about other people's opinions.
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[SPEAKER_03]: What traditions or cultural values are most important to you and your family?
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[SPEAKER_01]: For me, since I've had a such a busy schedule with sport and skating, I haven't been able to have as many opportunities to spend time with my full family as other people may be able to, but for me I really value the holidays.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Those are very important to me.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Those are the times where the family kind of gets together like all together in one spot and we get to just catch up with one another enjoy Just the moment that we have together and we just appreciate each other's presence and it's always a fun opportunity when I'm able to just be together with everybody.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Is there a special food that you have during these celebrations that you enjoy?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I'd say any dish that is brought to any family dinner or family celebration, like I'm not picky, I don't have a specific one, you know, I think home cook meals are the best meals, so whatever my family brings, it's great.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, I didn't know if there was a, you know, a special Puerto Rican dish that you enjoy these, you know, holiday celebrations that is a favorite of yours or because I know Hispanic food is really good.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, it's very good, but I'm not a picky eater when it comes to my family's food and food that I
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[SPEAKER_03]: Yes, I just feel like homework meal comes with love like infused in it and so yes, it means more.
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[SPEAKER_03]: It tastes better.
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[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know why.
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[SPEAKER_03]: I think it's the whole package of it.
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[SPEAKER_03]: It's not just the food.
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[SPEAKER_03]: It's the whole creation of it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I agree.
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[SPEAKER_02]: So what challenges have you experienced as a Hispanic person or as a minority, especially in figure skating?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think my greatest challenge that I face so far is growing up specifically around juvenile through junior.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I felt like growing up I was in this generation of skaters that lacked skaters
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I always felt like I was the odd one out, but I was very fortunate that the people that I had around me and my coaching team, my rank team and even my competitors were very open to everybody and they were able to kind of include me and everything and I was able to have a good experience coming up.
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[SPEAKER_01]: and being able to be socially involved, I've heard stories from other people that I've met that that wasn't necessarily the case for them.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like that really influences my decision to kind of talk to the younger generation and just be like, you know,
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[SPEAKER_01]: Everybody has their opinions and you want to do what you want to do and to let anybody else stop you and I always encourage everybody Especially when I'm speaking to like the juniors coming up.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I'm always pushing the idea of meet new people meet new friends
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[SPEAKER_01]: create bonds, create connections.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like growing up having that experience really influenced my outlook and what I really want to put out into the universe and kind of share with the next generation.
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[SPEAKER_03]: What is one misconception about Hispanic culture that you wish people understood?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I think one thing is that I feel like a lot of people don't really see the depth of family behind everything.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And our culture, family is super important.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Family keeps us together.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Family bonds us, you know, we all value family over anything else.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I think not a lot of people know about how deeply valued each family has, or each person in the family has, you know, especially, I can say from my family, you know.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Everything revolves around family like we always try to create opportunities for everybody to kind of come together and we always value that time so I think one thing that also translate into other families and just members of this community is family and I think that's probably one of like the top of the pyramid things in Hispanic culture.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Well, speaking of family, I have to tell you something about your family.
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[SPEAKER_02]: I was on the flight home from Wichita to, I don't know where it was.
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[SPEAKER_02]: We were connecting with you and your family and your little brother was carrying one of your bears that you got thrown on the ice.
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[SPEAKER_02]: He carried this huge bear, the whole.
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[SPEAKER_02]: um and you yeah and your family again they were all sitting right around me but again you support they were there in your brother with the bear I won't forget that because he was you're in that bear and then I do remember your family last year in St. Louis being right at the boards when you had that really good free skate so your family is a
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[SPEAKER_02]: big support system for you.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And so I was not surprised to hear how much you've said your family is important to you.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And it's important to, you know, the Hispanic community that your family is kind of the thing for them.
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[SPEAKER_02]: So, but those were two like stories I wanted to share about your family specifically from your brother and that bear.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And then your family last year at the boards.
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[SPEAKER_01]: They, you know, they're, they're the best they, they really are and I know that they'll probably be listening and I know I want them to know that they, they mean a lot to me, no matter what and I know sometimes I, I'm very focused on skating and I'm not able to tell them and I don't have the time sometimes, but I want them to know that I, I really valued them in their support.
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[SPEAKER_01]: One thing that I'm very proud of is that I've embraced it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I know a lot of people who come up with this kind of background and they get into sports or into anything academic related where they're on a team or something and I know a lot of people shy away from it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: just out of instinct, but I feel like I've really took the time to embrace it and make it part of me instead of kind of separating myself from it and being able to take that and kind of run with it and know that I have support behind me no matter what is I think something I'm very proud of and that I wasn't able to let myself fall into that kind of kind of like pull back
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[SPEAKER_03]: Have you ever experienced stereotypes or assumptions because of your Hispanic heritage?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was in school until freshman year of high school.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So growing up, I think, especially like gym class and everything, you know, everybody wants a certain team of certain people, and I feel like sometimes I was one of the last people to get picked on the team or everybody picked the other boys on the other side of the room before they wanted to look at my side, you know?
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like there was some moments
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[SPEAKER_01]: kind of stereotype or like denied in a way, but you know, I went through that and I kind of learned from it and that kind of helped me just shape myself into who I am today.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Do you think being in a minority has changed the way you see the world?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think yes, but in a positive way, because you know, I think it's really helped me change my perspective on just society in general.
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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I, I'm the type of person now, I used to not be this type of person, but I love meeting new people and making new connections and meeting people from different cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like that's really influenced my,
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[SPEAKER_01]: my social ability of just being able to get out there and put myself out there and meet these people and kind of learn and I feel like inscading there are so many opportunities to do that because we travel so much that I think being able to just embrace that feeling of wanting to meet
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[SPEAKER_03]: What does Hispanic heritage month mean to you?
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[SPEAKER_01]: For me, Hispanic heritage month means just celebrating everything that comes with being Hispanic, celebrating tradition, background, heritage, being proud of it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think being proud of it is the big thing.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Being proud of your background who you are.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think celebrating it and also inviting others to celebrate it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: just celebrating as a community is one thing, but I think it's important that we also invite people to celebrate and join this community, even though they may not be, I don't know, Hispanic by blood, but they can be included in our tradition or anything that we do, I think including everybody is the right thing to do.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's something that I think a lot of
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[SPEAKER_01]: us as a community as like in a community.
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[SPEAKER_02]: I think we should open it and invite other people to celebrate with us now is there a person maybe even a skater that you looked up to that inspired you the most that was his panic.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I think a couple of names that I could say are Rokin Ward, Rudy Glendo, and Donovan Corrio.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like those three names were very influential growing up, you know, seeing skaters of color, and just the ethnic background similar to me were huge, especially Donovan.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a very inspirational and what he's doing
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[SPEAKER_01]: What he's doing for his country and for the sport is huge and being able to talk with him at these events and meet him, he's such a great person and I'm very excited to see that he is growing skating in Mexico and I'm excited to see where that goes.
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[SPEAKER_03]: What we last talked to you was before Nationals, before Junior Worlds, for Connids, Worlds, being an alternate for the Olympic team.
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[SPEAKER_03]: You accomplished quite a bit last season.
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[SPEAKER_03]: You got the poor continent's assignment, how did it feel going in knowing that you were
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, going into for continents was kind of crazy, you know, I came off of nationals and nationals was such a high for me that I think when I when I realized that like I'm going to for continents, I think I realized once I got there and once I was like in the press room doing the draw.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, wait, I'm at four continents.
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[SPEAKER_01]: This is crazy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I didn't really realize that I was actually competing at like one of the biggest competitions of the year until I was there, but it was such a great experience to just go there for the first time and to be amongst the top skaters that are eligible for four continents.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And being able to actually like be in the competition, like I placed pretty well compared to what I thought I was I was going to do I honestly was just going into for contents like okay first time I'm just going to enjoy it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I still remember even after the short program, it wasn't like perfect.
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[SPEAKER_01]: But I was still so happy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was just like, you know, I did it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I made my ISU championship debut.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I'm very happy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And even going into the free-to-date, I think going into that free-to-date in China for for continents, I had zero pressures, zero nerves.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was just there just to do it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I just remember
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[SPEAKER_01]: being in the moment for my free skate and still looking into the crowd and looking into who's here, who's watching the judges on the panel, who was sitting in the winners chair or the leaders chair.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I saw my coach.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I saw my friends in the team seats and I was able to see exactly who it was.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was just in the moment and I was just loving it and that was so much fun and I got to meet a lot of new skaters.
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[SPEAKER_01]: while I was there, and I think that was one of my highlights.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And then you did go to Malone after that, right?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I was there for 10 days in Bergamo, and then I was there to watch the first day of the team events for the Olympics.
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[SPEAKER_02]: How did that make you feel being at the Olympics?
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[SPEAKER_02]: Knowing that you're getting pretty close to possibly making the next so Olympic team?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was crazy because I remember walking in and I was just like in awe because, you know, seeing the Olympic rings on the ice, seeing the Olympic rings everywhere.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Um, seeing the Olympic staff and the skaters that I, I knew personally some of them on the ice practicing and competing and being able to look into the team box and be like, I know those people I am friends of the most of them and they're like, I, these are people I just saw at Nationals and we were all celebrating together like that we did it and they were all celebrating each other success.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I was just like, wow, and you know, I was able to spend time with Ilya while I was there and that was huge being able to be an Olympic venue.
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[SPEAKER_01]: attending an Olympic Games, like even though I wasn't competing, but we were there attending the Olympics was crazy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And it's just a moment that I will never forget.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And it's something that motivates me to be there instead of being somebody in the crowd, being somebody performing.
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[SPEAKER_01]: It's just, it's always there in the back of my mind, I'm just like, wow, like I was there.
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[SPEAKER_01]: But now I want to be there, you know?
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[SPEAKER_03]: on the ice here your name called you want the whole experience yes I can see where that would be motivating yes for your friends seeing them get their Olympic moment must be very motivating for you
26:54.390 --> 27:04.812
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was huge, and I was kind of bummed that I was able to watch the whole thing, but you know, I think it was good that I didn't stay because now I want to chase that.
27:05.233 --> 27:08.913
[SPEAKER_01]: So that when I'm there competing, I'm there for the whole time.
27:09.334 --> 27:11.114
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, here you go, Jacob.
27:11.374 --> 27:14.495
[SPEAKER_02]: I was there in Milan, but not for the whole thing.
27:15.015 --> 27:16.535
[SPEAKER_02]: So let's make a deal.
27:16.815 --> 27:23.257
[SPEAKER_02]: In 2030, you and I, both there for the whole thing, you're competing.
27:24.877 --> 27:25.898
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, you got to do it.
27:25.958 --> 27:26.358
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
27:26.818 --> 27:27.339
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's do it.
27:29.400 --> 27:34.623
[SPEAKER_02]: So then you also did junior worlds, and then you went to worlds.
27:34.643 --> 27:38.285
[SPEAKER_02]: So you had this, was this like probably the longest season you've had?
27:39.746 --> 27:41.927
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that was definitely my longest season.
27:42.848 --> 27:49.572
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, how was junior worlds and then getting to go to your first senior worlds?
27:50.277 --> 28:04.909
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for junior worlds, I think I went into that competition with this, not expectation, but this kind of like mental like feeling and thought of like this is my last ever junior competition.
28:04.929 --> 28:06.511
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to end it off the best I can.
28:06.531 --> 28:17.400
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think going into junior worlds, I mean, I was even talking with like Rio and some of the other skaters like we were all pretty nervous because we all knew this is like the end of junior.
28:18.317 --> 28:22.299
[SPEAKER_01]: Like this is it, this is our last hurrah, like what are we gonna do with this?
28:23.360 --> 28:29.803
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just remember being backstage for the free skate with us, I was walking around and so was Rio.
28:30.364 --> 28:32.245
[SPEAKER_01]: And we both were just nervous.
28:32.685 --> 28:38.408
[SPEAKER_01]: You could see it in our faces, like we were like give me another handshake, like like we got this, we got this, we got this.
28:38.808 --> 28:44.372
[SPEAKER_01]: Like all week there was like these nerves that we both had and it was just like
28:45.332 --> 28:54.124
[SPEAKER_01]: a crazy feeling, but I mean, I was pretty disappointed in the moment with my performance in the free skate, but at the end of it, I think.
28:55.131 --> 29:01.354
[SPEAKER_01]: I was happy with how I've developed starting from my first junior competition all the way up to my last.
29:02.274 --> 29:13.259
[SPEAKER_01]: And seeing that I've grown not only as a skater, but as a person through all this experience, it made me proud of what I accomplished during that week and it changed my outlook on it.
29:14.200 --> 29:16.001
[SPEAKER_01]: And it gave me motivation to,
29:17.021 --> 29:25.187
[SPEAKER_01]: continue to develop my person and my skating and just everything at overall to be the best that I can be.
29:25.527 --> 29:33.593
[SPEAKER_01]: And then going into senior worlds, I was just coming off of this like thought after junior worlds, I was like, okay, I'm done.
29:33.613 --> 29:37.055
[SPEAKER_01]: I took, I remember I came back from junior world.
29:37.115 --> 29:38.496
[SPEAKER_01]: I took multiple days off.
29:38.556 --> 29:41.238
[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't even talk to my coach, tell them that I was coming back
29:45.621 --> 29:53.965
[SPEAKER_01]: break, you know, and my coach was just telling me, he's like, you know, I have this itch that you should just practice.
29:54.365 --> 29:57.567
[SPEAKER_01]: You should just run through your steps in your choreo, just in case.
29:58.147 --> 30:03.070
[SPEAKER_01]: We know your second alternate, but there's this itch, you know.
30:03.090 --> 30:07.312
[SPEAKER_01]: And after that happens to mokey,
30:08.503 --> 30:09.964
[SPEAKER_01]: officially announces retirement.
30:09.984 --> 30:17.810
[SPEAKER_01]: I know he said something in the in the kiss and cry of four continents, but he confirmed it and then I moved up to first alternate
30:19.182 --> 30:24.726
[SPEAKER_01]: or no, I went from third to second, and then Maxim Namov was the first alternate for worlds.
30:25.227 --> 30:27.749
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, oh, okay, Max is never done worlds.
30:27.809 --> 30:28.970
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure he's gonna do it.
30:28.990 --> 30:33.213
[SPEAKER_01]: I, I don't know, I had no expectation.
30:33.273 --> 30:34.915
[SPEAKER_01]: I wasn't denial that I was gonna go.
30:34.935 --> 30:36.716
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, you know, I'm not going.
30:36.756 --> 30:39.138
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, this is not happening.
30:40.219 --> 30:41.720
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm just gonna stay at home.
30:41.780 --> 30:42.281
[SPEAKER_01]: That's it.
30:42.581 --> 30:43.942
[SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna go, they're gonna compete.
30:44.182 --> 30:45.043
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll be there next year.
30:46.312 --> 30:55.600
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and I was set on that and the the last two days before the deadline of the competition.
30:55.620 --> 30:59.343
[SPEAKER_01]: I, I was like, okay, we haven't gotten anything.
30:59.603 --> 31:00.023
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm done.
31:00.304 --> 31:03.826
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to go snowboarding and I'm going to take another week off.
31:04.847 --> 31:05.408
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's it.
31:06.112 --> 31:08.633
[SPEAKER_01]: And I go on my snowboarding trip, Saturday hits.
31:08.973 --> 31:19.675
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going up for my first run, God, I'm music on, my headphones, all strapped into my snowboard, fresh off the lift, and I feel my phone buzzing, right?
31:20.055 --> 31:28.137
[SPEAKER_01]: And I have my headphones, and I get the notification of my headphones saying that it's the director, hyperformance calling me.
31:28.478 --> 31:29.878
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, okay, I have to answer this.
31:30.398 --> 31:38.561
[SPEAKER_01]: But I'm probably, I'm sure that it's them telling me, okay, like you can, you're okay, you don't have to worry about coming to worlds, like have a good offseason, rest up.
31:39.001 --> 31:43.162
[SPEAKER_01]: But no, it's, I get a call and they're like, hey, we've had it with draw.
31:43.982 --> 31:45.523
[SPEAKER_01]: And we'd love to have you compete.
31:45.903 --> 31:50.605
[SPEAKER_01]: You have been nominated to compete for the United States at the ISU World Championships in Prague.
31:51.065 --> 31:54.426
[SPEAKER_01]: Please let us know in 10 to 15 minutes if you were able to attend.
31:55.306 --> 31:56.767
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like what?
31:57.668 --> 32:00.471
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, there's no way that I just got this call.
32:00.491 --> 32:04.234
[SPEAKER_01]: So I go down the mountain and I had like a really good run.
32:04.254 --> 32:12.480
[SPEAKER_01]: I was surprising and I go down to my parents are at the bottom of the mountain and I tell them I'm going to worlds and they thought I was joking.
32:12.500 --> 32:14.022
[SPEAKER_01]: They thought I was talking about snowboarding.
32:14.962 --> 32:18.544
[SPEAKER_01]: And no, I told them, I was like, no, I just got the call.
32:18.624 --> 32:24.727
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to worlds and I show them the caller, the caller ideal, my phone that I just had.
32:24.827 --> 32:25.547
[SPEAKER_01]: And they're like, what?
32:26.048 --> 32:27.108
[SPEAKER_01]: So then I call my coach.
32:27.588 --> 32:31.010
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, hey, I just got invited to worlds.
32:31.050 --> 32:33.011
[SPEAKER_01]: They had it with draw and my going.
32:33.751 --> 32:38.453
[SPEAKER_01]: And my coach is just silent for like 30 seconds.
32:38.474 --> 32:40.955
[SPEAKER_01]: And he tells me he's like, you know, are you ready?
32:42.178 --> 32:45.100
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, you know, I trained all year.
32:45.120 --> 32:47.721
[SPEAKER_01]: I had all these experiences.
32:48.642 --> 32:49.522
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure I'm ready.
32:49.562 --> 32:51.744
[SPEAKER_01]: I got this and he's like, okay, if you're ready, we'll go.
32:52.694 --> 32:55.696
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, okay, and I called back.
32:55.736 --> 32:57.297
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, hey, I'm ready to go.
32:57.797 --> 32:59.738
[SPEAKER_01]: Let me know the details and I'll be there.
33:00.679 --> 33:02.520
[SPEAKER_01]: And I had two days to prepare.
33:03.160 --> 33:05.501
[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't do programs for almost a month.
33:06.742 --> 33:18.869
[SPEAKER_01]: And I had two hours of practice because when I was preparing in my two days, I had one hour on Sunday because of all this hockey at the ring.
33:20.230 --> 33:27.136
[SPEAKER_01]: an hour and a half on Monday to practice and then I was off to Prague right away and I remember I landed I think
33:29.023 --> 33:41.334
[SPEAKER_01]: Tuesday, Tuesday afternoon, I went straight to practice, did my run-through on practice, did my jumps, and then I went through the next day, and then I competed in my shore, and it was the best short of the season.
33:42.535 --> 33:52.684
[SPEAKER_01]: I was over the moon that I even made the free skate, and it was just a moment and a half for me, my team, and just to see that I was able to do that was insane, and I
33:54.365 --> 33:59.526
[SPEAKER_01]: was in the second to last group, which is huge for me, like that's huge.
33:59.686 --> 34:03.107
[SPEAKER_01]: My first world's being in the second to last group, like that's insane.
34:04.107 --> 34:11.189
[SPEAKER_01]: And I do my gap day practice, and I watch the other men, and I'm just like, dang, this is crazy.
34:11.269 --> 34:14.430
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm I'm I'm watching Adam Seattle,
34:23.532 --> 34:25.713
[SPEAKER_01]: and I was just like in awe.
34:25.973 --> 34:38.659
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's videos that me watching practice ringside and just being like, wow, like I remember before my on the day of my free skate after my practice, before the competition, I stood after my practice to watch
34:39.579 --> 34:40.941
[SPEAKER_01]: the men's practice after me.
34:42.042 --> 34:48.270
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was just like soaking it all in and seeing all these all this great skating and these great skaters.
34:48.770 --> 34:53.156
[SPEAKER_01]: And then my free skate comes around and I was just there.
34:53.616 --> 34:54.717
[SPEAKER_01]: No nerves, nothing.
34:55.719 --> 34:55.899
[SPEAKER_01]: And
34:57.100 --> 35:23.298
[SPEAKER_01]: I had a great free skate, like sure I had a mistake on my second triple axle, but I held myself together and I was just so happy to be there in the moment and I remember hearing some of the replays of the commentary and everybody was saying there was not a moment where I wasn't smiling in that free skate even though it was supposed to be the sad emotional free skate it turned
35:25.700 --> 35:29.462
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, confident piece of art.
35:30.022 --> 35:34.084
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was able to do that on the ice and it was just surreal.
35:34.224 --> 35:41.687
[SPEAKER_01]: Like it didn't feel real at all until like I came back and I was just like, oh my gosh, I was at worlds.
35:42.107 --> 35:43.188
[SPEAKER_01]: Like this is insane.
35:44.422 --> 35:46.143
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, it was crazy.
35:46.163 --> 35:48.344
[SPEAKER_01]: You're 10 out of 10, what would you do again?
35:50.105 --> 35:54.967
[SPEAKER_03]: You don't want that good thing because they'll be another world championship here in March.
35:55.187 --> 35:56.287
[SPEAKER_03]: So, yeah.
35:56.307 --> 36:03.010
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and maybe you'll find out you're going to worlds before like two days before, whatever.
36:03.511 --> 36:06.312
[SPEAKER_02]: And not when you're coming down about when neither.
36:07.757 --> 36:08.158
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
36:08.759 --> 36:09.600
[SPEAKER_03]: So take a bite.
36:09.620 --> 36:12.746
[SPEAKER_03]: I haven't asked if you weren't competing as a figure skater.
36:12.786 --> 36:14.288
[SPEAKER_03]: Would you want to be a snowboarder?
36:14.829 --> 36:17.654
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, definitely somewhere around that.
36:18.635 --> 36:20.238
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I feel like I see myself.
36:21.278 --> 36:24.279
[SPEAKER_01]: either snowboarding or being a hockey player.
36:24.379 --> 36:24.819
[SPEAKER_03]: All right.
36:25.739 --> 36:31.721
[SPEAKER_03]: I had to ask because you seemed so into coming down the mountain and enjoying your snowboarding.
36:32.441 --> 36:36.822
[SPEAKER_03]: I just wondered if that was something that you were passionate about.
36:36.882 --> 36:37.782
[SPEAKER_03]: It seems like you are.
36:37.902 --> 36:39.763
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
36:39.783 --> 36:42.923
[SPEAKER_03]: So let's transition a little bit into this season.
36:43.163 --> 36:44.444
[SPEAKER_03]: How's your training going?
36:44.564 --> 36:46.504
[SPEAKER_03]: How is it different for you this year?
36:46.884 --> 36:49.345
[SPEAKER_03]: After all of those experiences you had last year?
36:50.440 --> 36:56.965
[SPEAKER_01]: The biggest change that I've noticed overall is just my approach into practice and skating.
36:56.985 --> 37:06.792
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like now I've had this taste of success and experience that it's something that's continuing to motivate me so I can reach that again.
37:07.712 --> 37:13.737
[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like that's changed my mindset instead of just skate, skate, skate to break through.
37:13.817 --> 37:17.739
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm skate, skate, skate to make it back because I feel like
37:18.748 --> 37:34.686
[SPEAKER_01]: Last year was a breakthrough season for me and then now that I've kind of broken through that to an extent, maybe not all the way, but I've given myself this this this opportunity now this season to kind of double up on that and.
37:35.667 --> 37:52.841
[SPEAKER_01]: improve and take use of all of this experience that I'm that I've gained and that I am yet to gain and use that to continue to be the best version of myself and I mean so far this season we've only had one event so far uh the keto sheet of cup.
37:53.743 --> 37:57.945
[SPEAKER_01]: not my greatest competition, but it was a great start for the season.
37:58.425 --> 38:02.408
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it was a very deep field, very intense.
38:03.388 --> 38:07.070
[SPEAKER_01]: But I was able to hold my own and do what I can do in the moment.
38:07.770 --> 38:14.414
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was happy that I was able to just get there from start to finish and finish over the 200 part,
38:17.095 --> 38:28.422
[SPEAKER_01]: So for me, that was huge, and being able to showcase my programs for the first time, I was happy with that, and I was able to show a couple of quads on practice, so that was also happy with that.
38:29.003 --> 38:32.445
[SPEAKER_01]: So it was a lot of positives that outweighed the negative.
38:32.505 --> 38:37.828
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was very happy, and now I'm preparing for my first double-gram preseason.
38:38.429 --> 38:42.592
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm looking forward to that, and that starts in about a month from now.
38:42.992 --> 38:45.674
[SPEAKER_01]: So I have a little bit of time now back at home.
38:46.634 --> 38:53.640
[SPEAKER_01]: I am ramping it up, getting my reps, or finding my programs, or finding my skating, my spins and everything.
38:53.801 --> 39:02.488
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes, speaking of your grand prize, I mean, the raining Olympic champion is going to be, it looks like at both of them.
39:03.589 --> 39:06.312
[SPEAKER_03]: That's, that's pretty wild to me.
39:07.991 --> 39:16.272
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it'll be very, very deep fields this year on my Grand Prix, so this year it will not be easy.
39:17.687 --> 39:23.628
[SPEAKER_01]: for me or other skaters is going to be very, very competitive, I think.
39:24.349 --> 39:33.291
[SPEAKER_01]: So stakes will be high, tension will be high, but I'm not going to fall into that tension because I'm there for me and my experience and my progression.
39:34.011 --> 39:40.492
[SPEAKER_01]: So I will be there to enjoy the experience of being able to participate in two grand
39:47.834 --> 40:00.261
[SPEAKER_01]: new crowds, a new, a new, like competitive system of six jumps and a choreo spin and new spin values and everything so I am looking forward to that.
40:01.162 --> 40:10.927
[SPEAKER_03]: This could be the last season that we have the Grand Prix looking as it does this year because the eye issue is proposing some pretty big changes.
40:11.868 --> 40:12.848
[SPEAKER_03]: How do you feel about that?
40:12.888 --> 40:16.070
[SPEAKER_03]: Like this could be the swansong for the Grand Prix that we see?
40:16.864 --> 40:18.426
[SPEAKER_03]: And next year, it could be really different.
40:19.407 --> 40:33.363
[SPEAKER_01]: I think in the direction that we're heading in, I think it will be interesting having a grand pre-sem, my final, and then having another grand pre-final of the normal six skaters will be interesting to see because
40:34.650 --> 40:39.835
[SPEAKER_01]: It kind of adds another level of competitiveness, because it's not only that you have to make the final.
40:40.596 --> 40:47.562
[SPEAKER_01]: Now you have to be top 12, go to the semi-final, then be top six and make it to the actual final.
40:48.063 --> 40:56.051
[SPEAKER_01]: And then now worlds will be combined worlds with speed skating, short track, sync row, and figure skating.
40:56.611 --> 41:09.894
[SPEAKER_01]: So that will be interesting as well and that's something that I hope I can make it there and experience that first year because I feel like that's going to be such a different experience and it's something that I really, really, and interested in what happens.
41:11.194 --> 41:16.175
[SPEAKER_02]: What have you thought about the changes with the just the six jumps in the Corio spin?
41:16.215 --> 41:19.856
[SPEAKER_02]: How have those changes been for you this season?
41:20.635 --> 41:21.696
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I think it's interesting.
41:22.256 --> 41:34.345
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, being able to have a little more time to showcase skating and being able to have a little more creative freedom with the Coriospin is really cool.
41:34.725 --> 41:39.968
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I got a lot of good feedback on my Coriospin in the last couple months and on my first competition.
41:39.988 --> 41:41.489
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was very happy for that.
41:43.990 --> 41:52.032
[SPEAKER_01]: But I'm very happy and I'm excited to see more skaters and what they do with this new set of rules.
41:53.052 --> 42:10.275
[SPEAKER_01]: I think for me with the six jumps, I feel like it's really cool to have kind of more of a balance and being able to pace myself through my program, like, okay, three jumps in the beginning, three jumps in the second half, perfectly equal.
42:10.835 --> 42:11.735
[SPEAKER_01]: boom, that's it.
42:12.815 --> 42:13.836
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's cool.
42:14.256 --> 42:17.857
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's also cool that possibilities of combinations.
42:18.437 --> 42:21.797
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I've been experimenting with combos for the last couple months.
42:21.857 --> 42:29.499
[SPEAKER_01]: And even now, like, I just recently posted a video on Instagram of me doing a triple axo, oil, or triple flip, double axo combination.
42:29.539 --> 42:35.541
[SPEAKER_01]: And I had something that I'm experimenting with because now I have the opportunity to try that.
42:36.121 --> 42:37.341
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's a huge combo.
42:37.861 --> 42:40.783
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think including that would be pretty cool.
42:42.003 --> 42:58.112
[SPEAKER_01]: Also having six jumps also kind of pushes me and skaters like me to push for the quad and push the quad get there get the quad in no matter what because in this day and age now that we've seen at all these are competitions already.
42:58.532 --> 43:02.494
[SPEAKER_01]: If you don't have the quad, you need to skate clean no matter what.
43:02.974 --> 43:08.346
[SPEAKER_01]: And even if you skate clean, there's still the chance that you still won't be in that top three.
43:09.526 --> 43:15.210
[SPEAKER_01]: because now that you're missing that one extra jump, that will affect everything else and that combination.
43:15.831 --> 43:33.605
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's kind of like a 50, 50, like you can go with less technical, but you have to skate clean to be in that top, or you can go higher with the technical and kind of be able to live off of that and kind of,
43:35.035 --> 43:35.895
[SPEAKER_01]: compete with that.
43:36.536 --> 43:39.397
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a, there's kind of like a trade off with it.
43:40.598 --> 43:46.781
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that will really make the composition this year very competitive.
43:47.201 --> 43:48.582
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm excited to see that.
43:48.942 --> 43:57.947
[SPEAKER_01]: And I am excited to continue to push myself to make the quad happen this year because I have very,
43:59.362 --> 44:08.266
[SPEAKER_01]: I hope that I will be able to include it this year and be able to land it clean because I'm been working really hard all summer.
44:09.286 --> 44:11.347
[SPEAKER_03]: Jacob, thank you so much for coming back on.
44:11.487 --> 44:20.491
[SPEAKER_03]: We're grateful that you were willing to come on and talk about your Hispanic heritage and then also get a skating update on how this season is going for you so far.
44:20.711 --> 44:24.353
[SPEAKER_03]: And reminisce a little bit about your great season last year.
44:25.002 --> 44:25.442
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
44:25.582 --> 44:27.184
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much for having me again.
44:27.904 --> 44:30.446
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for tuning in to another episode of This Week in Skating.
44:30.807 --> 44:36.651
[SPEAKER_00]: Remember, you can keep up with us throughout the week by visiting our website at www.thisweekenscating.com.
44:37.152 --> 44:39.233
[SPEAKER_00]: Connect with us on social media for additional updates.
44:39.634 --> 44:47.240
[SPEAKER_00]: You can find us on Twitter at This Week in Skating without the ease or Facebook Instagram and Threads at This Week in Skating.
44:47.800 --> 44:50.484
[SPEAKER_00]: You got a burning question or feedback for Gina Daphne or Mateo?
44:50.964 --> 44:55.510
[SPEAKER_00]: Reach out to us via social media or drop us an email at thisweekenscading at gmail.com.
44:55.971 --> 45:02.980
[SPEAKER_00]: And if you're really enjoying the show and want to support us further, consider joining our Patreon community at patreon.com slash this week in skating.
45:03.461 --> 45:05.283
[SPEAKER_00]: Until next time, have a nice week!
00:00.350 --> 00:03.564
[SPEAKER_01]: I am Jacob Satchez and you're listening to this week in Skating.
00:21.562 --> 00:26.964
[SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to this week in Skating, the weekly podcast bringing you the latest news from the world of figure skating.
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[SPEAKER_00]: Here are your hosts, Daphne, Gina, and let's say it.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Welcome back, it is Hispanic Heritage Month, which is an annual celebration of the history, cultures, and contributions of the US Latino and Hispanic communities.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Hispanic Heritage Month started September 15 and runs to October 15.
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[SPEAKER_03]: If you listen to our episode last week, you know we at this week in skating want to honor and celebrate our Hispanic and Latino figure skaters while also hearing their experiences, challenges, and perspectives as members of the Hispanic community.
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[SPEAKER_03]: So during this month, we will be having some conversations with them.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And today, we are joined by 2026 U.S.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Jacob is also an ambassador of diversify ice in organization that strives to support competitive figure skaters for minority groups So we want to welcome Jacob back to this weekend skating welcome Jacob Hi, thank you guys so much for having me
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[SPEAKER_02]: Well, as we mentioned before, that we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
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[SPEAKER_02]: So Jacob, can you start off by sharing your Hispanic background and your background in skating?
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[SPEAKER_01]: So my parents are both from Puerto Rico, to those who may not know exactly where Puerto Rico is.
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[SPEAKER_01]: It is an island off the coast of Florida and it is considered a U.S. territory.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So it is part of the U.S. but it's kind of secluded to its own little area.
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[SPEAKER_01]: and both my parents are Puerto Rican.
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[SPEAKER_01]: My mom was born and raised there and she immigrated to New York City when she was around five years old and my dad was also born in Puerto Rican descent in New York City and they both come from a full Hispanic household that they grew up in and they both
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[SPEAKER_01]: kind of had a similar story of immigrating to the city and they met in the city and from there they had me and my little brothers and are not my little brothers but my brothers um and I am one of three boys and I'm the middle child and I am also the only one in the family that is into
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I tried to make it there every year, but sometimes scheduling gets a little hectic and I'm not able to make it, but this past year I was able to go for a week in June.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I was very happy to do that, and it was really nice to kind of reconnect with my kind of community, and kind of like long distance family, so it was really really nice to reconnect with the culture.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I was going to wonder if you had any family still in Puerto Rico.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, yes.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I do have some cousins, aunts, uncles.
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[SPEAKER_01]: They are still living there.
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[SPEAKER_01]: My grandmother, she kind of goes between New York City and Puerto Rico.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Kind of depends on what time of year it is when it's when it's cold over here, she'll go over to the island when it's like
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[SPEAKER_01]: like the mainland.
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[SPEAKER_03]: So Jacob, what does being Hispanic mean to you personally and how is your Hispanic heritage influence to you are today?
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[SPEAKER_01]: For me being Hispanic means that I am part of much more than just a community but part of a huge family.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like Latino and Hispanic
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[SPEAKER_01]: kind of not secluded, but something that's very small compared to other nations and nationalities.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like being able to represent a small percentage of the athletic world in sport, I think is a great opportunity and it's something that motivates me.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, there's a lot of motivators, but for me, sometimes I find myself thinking back to that background and that family, that community that I'm part of and knowing that I have them behind my back, you know, that's that's a really big motivator because
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[SPEAKER_01]: Just the influence that I've had from my family, parents, and community, they've motivated me so much, and influence my kind of outlook on life a lot, and I really value that.
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[SPEAKER_02]: No, you said it, you know, as a skater.
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[SPEAKER_02]: and being Hispanic, your kind of scene is a minority amongst your peers.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Have you ever felt that way, especially in your skating, have you felt different because of your culture and your background?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, definitely.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think growing up, especially, I think, and if I didn't be more than it does now, I felt like, you know, I,
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was always kind of like, not the odd one out, but I was kind of like the one that was seen differently than others because, you know, inscading, especially there's not a big population of minority skaters, Hispanic skaters or skaters of color.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like we are automatically kind of,
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[SPEAKER_01]: We kind of stand out in the crowd.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And so when I was little, I felt that that was kind of a bad thing to stand out.
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[SPEAKER_01]: But now I've kind of matured into it and kind of seen that as an opportunity to kind of spread this awareness in sports or even like,
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[SPEAKER_01]: motivate a new generation of athletes who may not just be figure skatingers, but any athlete that looks like me has the same background as me or similar if I'm able to influence them in a positive way and motivate them to do anything that their heart desires, I think that's something that means a lot to me.
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[SPEAKER_02]: No, this past season was a great season for you, so how meaningful was it to represent both your heritage and the United States and have you felt that change as your career has moved and progress?
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[SPEAKER_02]: You have you felt that sort of change, how meaningful it is to represent your heritage
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think as I've moved up the ranks in sport and been to these big competitions and having the performances that I've had, I feel like I have reached a huge audience and I've received so many messages and positive comments for
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[SPEAKER_01]: from all my supporters and a lot of them have been from people who are of Hispanic ethnicity.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And they message me on Instagram saying, hey, your performance really inspired me to do what I love and for me to go out and do something that I was afraid of.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I've gotten all of these messages of people kind of thanking me and I felt so much love
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[SPEAKER_01]: from like everywhere and being able to represent my culture and my country on such a big stage and being able to do what I did was such a big moment for me and it's something I'm very, very proud of.
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[SPEAKER_03]: Can you tell us about your role with the Versify Ice?
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[SPEAKER_03]: How did that come about?
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[SPEAKER_03]: and minority culture in figure skating?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, so my role in diverse advice is I am an ambassador, so I feel like being an ambassador, I can use my platform to spread awareness of diversity and sports, not just figure skating.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like with this kind of role and opportunity,
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[SPEAKER_01]: a great opportunity for me to just branch out and just spread positivity, spread awareness, motivation.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I've been able to go to some diversify ice events and speak with the younger generation of kids coming up in the sport and being able to meet so many different people and I feel like that is
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[SPEAKER_01]: irreplaceable is something that you can't really create it's such an experience that is so like firsthand and I'm very glad that I was able to have those experiences and meet those people and I just want to continue to inspire and motivate anybody who has these doubts or these thoughts that just because they look different they can't do what everybody else does.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I was going to ask, what do you tell those young, you know, Hispanic fans or Latino fans or young, Hispanic Latino skaters who see you skate and say, oh, maybe I can do that.
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[SPEAKER_02]: What do you tell the future, you know, Hispanic and Latino skaters?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think the main thing that I say when I'm talking to these younger kids or even just my peers or even adults that I've met, I think the main thing that I really want to translate when I talk to them is just don't don't care about what people say or think about you.
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[SPEAKER_01]: like judgment.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think is your worst enemy and I always say your worst enemy is yourself and you just have to go out do what you want to do and you just can't think about anybody else says, everybody in the world is going to have their own opinions on everything and I think your opinion should be that you shouldn't care about other people's opinions.
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[SPEAKER_03]: What traditions or cultural values are most important to you and your family?
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[SPEAKER_01]: For me, since I've had a such a busy schedule with sport and skating, I haven't been able to have as many opportunities to spend time with my full family as other people may be able to, but for me I really value the holidays.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Those are very important to me.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Those are the times where the family kind of gets together like all together in one spot and we get to just catch up with one another enjoy Just the moment that we have together and we just appreciate each other's presence and it's always a fun opportunity when I'm able to just be together with everybody.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Is there a special food that you have during these celebrations that you enjoy?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I'd say any dish that is brought to any family dinner or family celebration, like I'm not picky, I don't have a specific one, you know, I think home cook meals are the best meals, so whatever my family brings, it's great.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, I didn't know if there was a, you know, a special Puerto Rican dish that you enjoy these, you know, holiday celebrations that is a favorite of yours or because I know Hispanic food is really good.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, it's very good, but I'm not a picky eater when it comes to my family's food and food that I
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[SPEAKER_03]: Yes, I just feel like homework meal comes with love like infused in it and so yes, it means more.
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[SPEAKER_03]: It tastes better.
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[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know why.
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[SPEAKER_03]: I think it's the whole package of it.
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[SPEAKER_03]: It's not just the food.
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[SPEAKER_03]: It's the whole creation of it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I agree.
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[SPEAKER_02]: So what challenges have you experienced as a Hispanic person or as a minority, especially in figure skating?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think my greatest challenge that I face so far is growing up specifically around juvenile through junior.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I felt like growing up I was in this generation of skaters that lacked skaters
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I always felt like I was the odd one out, but I was very fortunate that the people that I had around me and my coaching team, my rank team and even my competitors were very open to everybody and they were able to kind of include me and everything and I was able to have a good experience coming up.
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[SPEAKER_01]: and being able to be socially involved, I've heard stories from other people that I've met that that wasn't necessarily the case for them.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like that really influences my decision to kind of talk to the younger generation and just be like, you know,
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[SPEAKER_01]: Everybody has their opinions and you want to do what you want to do and to let anybody else stop you and I always encourage everybody Especially when I'm speaking to like the juniors coming up.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I'm always pushing the idea of meet new people meet new friends
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[SPEAKER_01]: create bonds, create connections.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like growing up having that experience really influenced my outlook and what I really want to put out into the universe and kind of share with the next generation.
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[SPEAKER_03]: What is one misconception about Hispanic culture that you wish people understood?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I think one thing is that I feel like a lot of people don't really see the depth of family behind everything.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And our culture, family is super important.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Family keeps us together.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Family bonds us, you know, we all value family over anything else.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I think not a lot of people know about how deeply valued each family has, or each person in the family has, you know, especially, I can say from my family, you know.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Everything revolves around family like we always try to create opportunities for everybody to kind of come together and we always value that time so I think one thing that also translate into other families and just members of this community is family and I think that's probably one of like the top of the pyramid things in Hispanic culture.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Well, speaking of family, I have to tell you something about your family.
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[SPEAKER_02]: I was on the flight home from Wichita to, I don't know where it was.
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[SPEAKER_02]: We were connecting with you and your family and your little brother was carrying one of your bears that you got thrown on the ice.
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[SPEAKER_02]: He carried this huge bear, the whole.
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[SPEAKER_02]: um and you yeah and your family again they were all sitting right around me but again you support they were there in your brother with the bear I won't forget that because he was you're in that bear and then I do remember your family last year in St. Louis being right at the boards when you had that really good free skate so your family is a
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[SPEAKER_02]: big support system for you.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And so I was not surprised to hear how much you've said your family is important to you.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And it's important to, you know, the Hispanic community that your family is kind of the thing for them.
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[SPEAKER_02]: So, but those were two like stories I wanted to share about your family specifically from your brother and that bear.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And then your family last year at the boards.
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[SPEAKER_01]: They, you know, they're, they're the best they, they really are and I know that they'll probably be listening and I know I want them to know that they, they mean a lot to me, no matter what and I know sometimes I, I'm very focused on skating and I'm not able to tell them and I don't have the time sometimes, but I want them to know that I, I really valued them in their support.
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[SPEAKER_01]: One thing that I'm very proud of is that I've embraced it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I know a lot of people who come up with this kind of background and they get into sports or into anything academic related where they're on a team or something and I know a lot of people shy away from it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: just out of instinct, but I feel like I've really took the time to embrace it and make it part of me instead of kind of separating myself from it and being able to take that and kind of run with it and know that I have support behind me no matter what is I think something I'm very proud of and that I wasn't able to let myself fall into that kind of kind of like pull back
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[SPEAKER_03]: Have you ever experienced stereotypes or assumptions because of your Hispanic heritage?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was in school until freshman year of high school.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So growing up, I think, especially like gym class and everything, you know, everybody wants a certain team of certain people, and I feel like sometimes I was one of the last people to get picked on the team or everybody picked the other boys on the other side of the room before they wanted to look at my side, you know?
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like there was some moments
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[SPEAKER_01]: kind of stereotype or like denied in a way, but you know, I went through that and I kind of learned from it and that kind of helped me just shape myself into who I am today.
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[SPEAKER_02]: Do you think being in a minority has changed the way you see the world?
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think yes, but in a positive way, because you know, I think it's really helped me change my perspective on just society in general.
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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I, I'm the type of person now, I used to not be this type of person, but I love meeting new people and making new connections and meeting people from different cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like that's really influenced my,
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[SPEAKER_01]: my social ability of just being able to get out there and put myself out there and meet these people and kind of learn and I feel like inscading there are so many opportunities to do that because we travel so much that I think being able to just embrace that feeling of wanting to meet
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[SPEAKER_03]: What does Hispanic heritage month mean to you?
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[SPEAKER_01]: For me, Hispanic heritage month means just celebrating everything that comes with being Hispanic, celebrating tradition, background, heritage, being proud of it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think being proud of it is the big thing.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Being proud of your background who you are.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think celebrating it and also inviting others to celebrate it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: just celebrating as a community is one thing, but I think it's important that we also invite people to celebrate and join this community, even though they may not be, I don't know, Hispanic by blood, but they can be included in our tradition or anything that we do, I think including everybody is the right thing to do.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's something that I think a lot of
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[SPEAKER_01]: us as a community as like in a community.
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[SPEAKER_02]: I think we should open it and invite other people to celebrate with us now is there a person maybe even a skater that you looked up to that inspired you the most that was his panic.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I think a couple of names that I could say are Rokin Ward, Rudy Glendo, and Donovan Corrio.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like those three names were very influential growing up, you know, seeing skaters of color, and just the ethnic background similar to me were huge, especially Donovan.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a very inspirational and what he's doing
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[SPEAKER_01]: What he's doing for his country and for the sport is huge and being able to talk with him at these events and meet him, he's such a great person and I'm very excited to see that he is growing skating in Mexico and I'm excited to see where that goes.
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[SPEAKER_03]: What we last talked to you was before Nationals, before Junior Worlds, for Connids, Worlds, being an alternate for the Olympic team.
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[SPEAKER_03]: You accomplished quite a bit last season.
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[SPEAKER_03]: You got the poor continent's assignment, how did it feel going in knowing that you were
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, going into for continents was kind of crazy, you know, I came off of nationals and nationals was such a high for me that I think when I when I realized that like I'm going to for continents, I think I realized once I got there and once I was like in the press room doing the draw.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, wait, I'm at four continents.
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[SPEAKER_01]: This is crazy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I didn't really realize that I was actually competing at like one of the biggest competitions of the year until I was there, but it was such a great experience to just go there for the first time and to be amongst the top skaters that are eligible for four continents.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And being able to actually like be in the competition, like I placed pretty well compared to what I thought I was I was going to do I honestly was just going into for contents like okay first time I'm just going to enjoy it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I still remember even after the short program, it wasn't like perfect.
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[SPEAKER_01]: But I was still so happy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was just like, you know, I did it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I made my ISU championship debut.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I'm very happy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And even going into the free-to-date, I think going into that free-to-date in China for for continents, I had zero pressures, zero nerves.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was just there just to do it.
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[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I just remember
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[SPEAKER_01]: being in the moment for my free skate and still looking into the crowd and looking into who's here, who's watching the judges on the panel, who was sitting in the winners chair or the leaders chair.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I saw my coach.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I saw my friends in the team seats and I was able to see exactly who it was.
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[SPEAKER_01]: I was just in the moment and I was just loving it and that was so much fun and I got to meet a lot of new skaters.
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[SPEAKER_01]: while I was there, and I think that was one of my highlights.
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[SPEAKER_02]: And then you did go to Malone after that, right?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I was there for 10 days in Bergamo, and then I was there to watch the first day of the team events for the Olympics.
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[SPEAKER_02]: How did that make you feel being at the Olympics?
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[SPEAKER_02]: Knowing that you're getting pretty close to possibly making the next so Olympic team?
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was crazy because I remember walking in and I was just like in awe because, you know, seeing the Olympic rings on the ice, seeing the Olympic rings everywhere.
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[SPEAKER_01]: Um, seeing the Olympic staff and the skaters that I, I knew personally some of them on the ice practicing and competing and being able to look into the team box and be like, I know those people I am friends of the most of them and they're like, I, these are people I just saw at Nationals and we were all celebrating together like that we did it and they were all celebrating each other success.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And I was just like, wow, and you know, I was able to spend time with Ilya while I was there and that was huge being able to be an Olympic venue.
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[SPEAKER_01]: attending an Olympic Games, like even though I wasn't competing, but we were there attending the Olympics was crazy.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And it's just a moment that I will never forget.
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[SPEAKER_01]: And it's something that motivates me to be there instead of being somebody in the crowd, being somebody performing.
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[SPEAKER_01]: It's just, it's always there in the back of my mind, I'm just like, wow, like I was there.
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[SPEAKER_01]: But now I want to be there, you know?
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[SPEAKER_03]: on the ice here your name called you want the whole experience yes I can see where that would be motivating yes for your friends seeing them get their Olympic moment must be very motivating for you
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[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it was huge, and I was kind of bummed that I was able to watch the whole thing, but you know, I think it was good that I didn't stay because now I want to chase that.
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[SPEAKER_01]: So that when I'm there competing, I'm there for the whole time.
27:09.334 --> 27:11.114
[SPEAKER_02]: Okay, here you go, Jacob.
27:11.374 --> 27:14.495
[SPEAKER_02]: I was there in Milan, but not for the whole thing.
27:15.015 --> 27:16.535
[SPEAKER_02]: So let's make a deal.
27:16.815 --> 27:23.257
[SPEAKER_02]: In 2030, you and I, both there for the whole thing, you're competing.
27:24.877 --> 27:25.898
[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, you got to do it.
27:25.958 --> 27:26.358
[SPEAKER_02]: All right.
27:26.818 --> 27:27.339
[SPEAKER_01]: Let's do it.
27:29.400 --> 27:34.623
[SPEAKER_02]: So then you also did junior worlds, and then you went to worlds.
27:34.643 --> 27:38.285
[SPEAKER_02]: So you had this, was this like probably the longest season you've had?
27:39.746 --> 27:41.927
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, that was definitely my longest season.
27:42.848 --> 27:49.572
[SPEAKER_02]: So, you know, how was junior worlds and then getting to go to your first senior worlds?
27:50.277 --> 28:04.909
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for junior worlds, I think I went into that competition with this, not expectation, but this kind of like mental like feeling and thought of like this is my last ever junior competition.
28:04.929 --> 28:06.511
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to end it off the best I can.
28:06.531 --> 28:17.400
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think going into junior worlds, I mean, I was even talking with like Rio and some of the other skaters like we were all pretty nervous because we all knew this is like the end of junior.
28:18.317 --> 28:22.299
[SPEAKER_01]: Like this is it, this is our last hurrah, like what are we gonna do with this?
28:23.360 --> 28:29.803
[SPEAKER_01]: And I just remember being backstage for the free skate with us, I was walking around and so was Rio.
28:30.364 --> 28:32.245
[SPEAKER_01]: And we both were just nervous.
28:32.685 --> 28:38.408
[SPEAKER_01]: You could see it in our faces, like we were like give me another handshake, like like we got this, we got this, we got this.
28:38.808 --> 28:44.372
[SPEAKER_01]: Like all week there was like these nerves that we both had and it was just like
28:45.332 --> 28:54.124
[SPEAKER_01]: a crazy feeling, but I mean, I was pretty disappointed in the moment with my performance in the free skate, but at the end of it, I think.
28:55.131 --> 29:01.354
[SPEAKER_01]: I was happy with how I've developed starting from my first junior competition all the way up to my last.
29:02.274 --> 29:13.259
[SPEAKER_01]: And seeing that I've grown not only as a skater, but as a person through all this experience, it made me proud of what I accomplished during that week and it changed my outlook on it.
29:14.200 --> 29:16.001
[SPEAKER_01]: And it gave me motivation to,
29:17.021 --> 29:25.187
[SPEAKER_01]: continue to develop my person and my skating and just everything at overall to be the best that I can be.
29:25.527 --> 29:33.593
[SPEAKER_01]: And then going into senior worlds, I was just coming off of this like thought after junior worlds, I was like, okay, I'm done.
29:33.613 --> 29:37.055
[SPEAKER_01]: I took, I remember I came back from junior world.
29:37.115 --> 29:38.496
[SPEAKER_01]: I took multiple days off.
29:38.556 --> 29:41.238
[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't even talk to my coach, tell them that I was coming back
29:45.621 --> 29:53.965
[SPEAKER_01]: break, you know, and my coach was just telling me, he's like, you know, I have this itch that you should just practice.
29:54.365 --> 29:57.567
[SPEAKER_01]: You should just run through your steps in your choreo, just in case.
29:58.147 --> 30:03.070
[SPEAKER_01]: We know your second alternate, but there's this itch, you know.
30:03.090 --> 30:07.312
[SPEAKER_01]: And after that happens to mokey,
30:08.503 --> 30:09.964
[SPEAKER_01]: officially announces retirement.
30:09.984 --> 30:17.810
[SPEAKER_01]: I know he said something in the in the kiss and cry of four continents, but he confirmed it and then I moved up to first alternate
30:19.182 --> 30:24.726
[SPEAKER_01]: or no, I went from third to second, and then Maxim Namov was the first alternate for worlds.
30:25.227 --> 30:27.749
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, oh, okay, Max is never done worlds.
30:27.809 --> 30:28.970
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure he's gonna do it.
30:28.990 --> 30:33.213
[SPEAKER_01]: I, I don't know, I had no expectation.
30:33.273 --> 30:34.915
[SPEAKER_01]: I wasn't denial that I was gonna go.
30:34.935 --> 30:36.716
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, you know, I'm not going.
30:36.756 --> 30:39.138
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, this is not happening.
30:40.219 --> 30:41.720
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm just gonna stay at home.
30:41.780 --> 30:42.281
[SPEAKER_01]: That's it.
30:42.581 --> 30:43.942
[SPEAKER_01]: They're gonna go, they're gonna compete.
30:44.182 --> 30:45.043
[SPEAKER_01]: I'll be there next year.
30:46.312 --> 30:55.600
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, and I was set on that and the the last two days before the deadline of the competition.
30:55.620 --> 30:59.343
[SPEAKER_01]: I, I was like, okay, we haven't gotten anything.
30:59.603 --> 31:00.023
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm done.
31:00.304 --> 31:03.826
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to go snowboarding and I'm going to take another week off.
31:04.847 --> 31:05.408
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's it.
31:06.112 --> 31:08.633
[SPEAKER_01]: And I go on my snowboarding trip, Saturday hits.
31:08.973 --> 31:19.675
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going up for my first run, God, I'm music on, my headphones, all strapped into my snowboard, fresh off the lift, and I feel my phone buzzing, right?
31:20.055 --> 31:28.137
[SPEAKER_01]: And I have my headphones, and I get the notification of my headphones saying that it's the director, hyperformance calling me.
31:28.478 --> 31:29.878
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, okay, I have to answer this.
31:30.398 --> 31:38.561
[SPEAKER_01]: But I'm probably, I'm sure that it's them telling me, okay, like you can, you're okay, you don't have to worry about coming to worlds, like have a good offseason, rest up.
31:39.001 --> 31:43.162
[SPEAKER_01]: But no, it's, I get a call and they're like, hey, we've had it with draw.
31:43.982 --> 31:45.523
[SPEAKER_01]: And we'd love to have you compete.
31:45.903 --> 31:50.605
[SPEAKER_01]: You have been nominated to compete for the United States at the ISU World Championships in Prague.
31:51.065 --> 31:54.426
[SPEAKER_01]: Please let us know in 10 to 15 minutes if you were able to attend.
31:55.306 --> 31:56.767
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like what?
31:57.668 --> 32:00.471
[SPEAKER_01]: I was like, there's no way that I just got this call.
32:00.491 --> 32:04.234
[SPEAKER_01]: So I go down the mountain and I had like a really good run.
32:04.254 --> 32:12.480
[SPEAKER_01]: I was surprising and I go down to my parents are at the bottom of the mountain and I tell them I'm going to worlds and they thought I was joking.
32:12.500 --> 32:14.022
[SPEAKER_01]: They thought I was talking about snowboarding.
32:14.962 --> 32:18.544
[SPEAKER_01]: And no, I told them, I was like, no, I just got the call.
32:18.624 --> 32:24.727
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to worlds and I show them the caller, the caller ideal, my phone that I just had.
32:24.827 --> 32:25.547
[SPEAKER_01]: And they're like, what?
32:26.048 --> 32:27.108
[SPEAKER_01]: So then I call my coach.
32:27.588 --> 32:31.010
[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, hey, I just got invited to worlds.
32:31.050 --> 32:33.011
[SPEAKER_01]: They had it with draw and my going.
32:33.751 --> 32:38.453
[SPEAKER_01]: And my coach is just silent for like 30 seconds.
32:38.474 --> 32:40.955
[SPEAKER_01]: And he tells me he's like, you know, are you ready?
32:42.178 --> 32:45.100
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, you know, I trained all year.
32:45.120 --> 32:47.721
[SPEAKER_01]: I had all these experiences.
32:48.642 --> 32:49.522
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm sure I'm ready.
32:49.562 --> 32:51.744
[SPEAKER_01]: I got this and he's like, okay, if you're ready, we'll go.
32:52.694 --> 32:55.696
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was like, okay, and I called back.
32:55.736 --> 32:57.297
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, hey, I'm ready to go.
32:57.797 --> 32:59.738
[SPEAKER_01]: Let me know the details and I'll be there.
33:00.679 --> 33:02.520
[SPEAKER_01]: And I had two days to prepare.
33:03.160 --> 33:05.501
[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't do programs for almost a month.
33:06.742 --> 33:18.869
[SPEAKER_01]: And I had two hours of practice because when I was preparing in my two days, I had one hour on Sunday because of all this hockey at the ring.
33:20.230 --> 33:27.136
[SPEAKER_01]: an hour and a half on Monday to practice and then I was off to Prague right away and I remember I landed I think
33:29.023 --> 33:41.334
[SPEAKER_01]: Tuesday, Tuesday afternoon, I went straight to practice, did my run-through on practice, did my jumps, and then I went through the next day, and then I competed in my shore, and it was the best short of the season.
33:42.535 --> 33:52.684
[SPEAKER_01]: I was over the moon that I even made the free skate, and it was just a moment and a half for me, my team, and just to see that I was able to do that was insane, and I
33:54.365 --> 33:59.526
[SPEAKER_01]: was in the second to last group, which is huge for me, like that's huge.
33:59.686 --> 34:03.107
[SPEAKER_01]: My first world's being in the second to last group, like that's insane.
34:04.107 --> 34:11.189
[SPEAKER_01]: And I do my gap day practice, and I watch the other men, and I'm just like, dang, this is crazy.
34:11.269 --> 34:14.430
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm I'm I'm watching Adam Seattle,
34:23.532 --> 34:25.713
[SPEAKER_01]: and I was just like in awe.
34:25.973 --> 34:38.659
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think there's videos that me watching practice ringside and just being like, wow, like I remember before my on the day of my free skate after my practice, before the competition, I stood after my practice to watch
34:39.579 --> 34:40.941
[SPEAKER_01]: the men's practice after me.
34:42.042 --> 34:48.270
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was just like soaking it all in and seeing all these all this great skating and these great skaters.
34:48.770 --> 34:53.156
[SPEAKER_01]: And then my free skate comes around and I was just there.
34:53.616 --> 34:54.717
[SPEAKER_01]: No nerves, nothing.
34:55.719 --> 34:55.899
[SPEAKER_01]: And
34:57.100 --> 35:23.298
[SPEAKER_01]: I had a great free skate, like sure I had a mistake on my second triple axle, but I held myself together and I was just so happy to be there in the moment and I remember hearing some of the replays of the commentary and everybody was saying there was not a moment where I wasn't smiling in that free skate even though it was supposed to be the sad emotional free skate it turned
35:25.700 --> 35:29.462
[SPEAKER_01]: you know, confident piece of art.
35:30.022 --> 35:34.084
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was able to do that on the ice and it was just surreal.
35:34.224 --> 35:41.687
[SPEAKER_01]: Like it didn't feel real at all until like I came back and I was just like, oh my gosh, I was at worlds.
35:42.107 --> 35:43.188
[SPEAKER_01]: Like this is insane.
35:44.422 --> 35:46.143
[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, it was crazy.
35:46.163 --> 35:48.344
[SPEAKER_01]: You're 10 out of 10, what would you do again?
35:50.105 --> 35:54.967
[SPEAKER_03]: You don't want that good thing because they'll be another world championship here in March.
35:55.187 --> 35:56.287
[SPEAKER_03]: So, yeah.
35:56.307 --> 36:03.010
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes, and maybe you'll find out you're going to worlds before like two days before, whatever.
36:03.511 --> 36:06.312
[SPEAKER_02]: And not when you're coming down about when neither.
36:07.757 --> 36:08.158
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
36:08.759 --> 36:09.600
[SPEAKER_03]: So take a bite.
36:09.620 --> 36:12.746
[SPEAKER_03]: I haven't asked if you weren't competing as a figure skater.
36:12.786 --> 36:14.288
[SPEAKER_03]: Would you want to be a snowboarder?
36:14.829 --> 36:17.654
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, definitely somewhere around that.
36:18.635 --> 36:20.238
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I feel like I see myself.
36:21.278 --> 36:24.279
[SPEAKER_01]: either snowboarding or being a hockey player.
36:24.379 --> 36:24.819
[SPEAKER_03]: All right.
36:25.739 --> 36:31.721
[SPEAKER_03]: I had to ask because you seemed so into coming down the mountain and enjoying your snowboarding.
36:32.441 --> 36:36.822
[SPEAKER_03]: I just wondered if that was something that you were passionate about.
36:36.882 --> 36:37.782
[SPEAKER_03]: It seems like you are.
36:37.902 --> 36:39.763
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, definitely.
36:39.783 --> 36:42.923
[SPEAKER_03]: So let's transition a little bit into this season.
36:43.163 --> 36:44.444
[SPEAKER_03]: How's your training going?
36:44.564 --> 36:46.504
[SPEAKER_03]: How is it different for you this year?
36:46.884 --> 36:49.345
[SPEAKER_03]: After all of those experiences you had last year?
36:50.440 --> 36:56.965
[SPEAKER_01]: The biggest change that I've noticed overall is just my approach into practice and skating.
36:56.985 --> 37:06.792
[SPEAKER_01]: I feel like now I've had this taste of success and experience that it's something that's continuing to motivate me so I can reach that again.
37:07.712 --> 37:13.737
[SPEAKER_01]: So I feel like that's changed my mindset instead of just skate, skate, skate to break through.
37:13.817 --> 37:17.739
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm skate, skate, skate to make it back because I feel like
37:18.748 --> 37:34.686
[SPEAKER_01]: Last year was a breakthrough season for me and then now that I've kind of broken through that to an extent, maybe not all the way, but I've given myself this this this opportunity now this season to kind of double up on that and.
37:35.667 --> 37:52.841
[SPEAKER_01]: improve and take use of all of this experience that I'm that I've gained and that I am yet to gain and use that to continue to be the best version of myself and I mean so far this season we've only had one event so far uh the keto sheet of cup.
37:53.743 --> 37:57.945
[SPEAKER_01]: not my greatest competition, but it was a great start for the season.
37:58.425 --> 38:02.408
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it was a very deep field, very intense.
38:03.388 --> 38:07.070
[SPEAKER_01]: But I was able to hold my own and do what I can do in the moment.
38:07.770 --> 38:14.414
[SPEAKER_01]: And I was happy that I was able to just get there from start to finish and finish over the 200 part,
38:17.095 --> 38:28.422
[SPEAKER_01]: So for me, that was huge, and being able to showcase my programs for the first time, I was happy with that, and I was able to show a couple of quads on practice, so that was also happy with that.
38:29.003 --> 38:32.445
[SPEAKER_01]: So it was a lot of positives that outweighed the negative.
38:32.505 --> 38:37.828
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was very happy, and now I'm preparing for my first double-gram preseason.
38:38.429 --> 38:42.592
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm looking forward to that, and that starts in about a month from now.
38:42.992 --> 38:45.674
[SPEAKER_01]: So I have a little bit of time now back at home.
38:46.634 --> 38:53.640
[SPEAKER_01]: I am ramping it up, getting my reps, or finding my programs, or finding my skating, my spins and everything.
38:53.801 --> 39:02.488
[SPEAKER_03]: Yes, speaking of your grand prize, I mean, the raining Olympic champion is going to be, it looks like at both of them.
39:03.589 --> 39:06.312
[SPEAKER_03]: That's, that's pretty wild to me.
39:07.991 --> 39:16.272
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it'll be very, very deep fields this year on my Grand Prix, so this year it will not be easy.
39:17.687 --> 39:23.628
[SPEAKER_01]: for me or other skaters is going to be very, very competitive, I think.
39:24.349 --> 39:33.291
[SPEAKER_01]: So stakes will be high, tension will be high, but I'm not going to fall into that tension because I'm there for me and my experience and my progression.
39:34.011 --> 39:40.492
[SPEAKER_01]: So I will be there to enjoy the experience of being able to participate in two grand
39:47.834 --> 40:00.261
[SPEAKER_01]: new crowds, a new, a new, like competitive system of six jumps and a choreo spin and new spin values and everything so I am looking forward to that.
40:01.162 --> 40:10.927
[SPEAKER_03]: This could be the last season that we have the Grand Prix looking as it does this year because the eye issue is proposing some pretty big changes.
40:11.868 --> 40:12.848
[SPEAKER_03]: How do you feel about that?
40:12.888 --> 40:16.070
[SPEAKER_03]: Like this could be the swansong for the Grand Prix that we see?
40:16.864 --> 40:18.426
[SPEAKER_03]: And next year, it could be really different.
40:19.407 --> 40:33.363
[SPEAKER_01]: I think in the direction that we're heading in, I think it will be interesting having a grand pre-sem, my final, and then having another grand pre-final of the normal six skaters will be interesting to see because
40:34.650 --> 40:39.835
[SPEAKER_01]: It kind of adds another level of competitiveness, because it's not only that you have to make the final.
40:40.596 --> 40:47.562
[SPEAKER_01]: Now you have to be top 12, go to the semi-final, then be top six and make it to the actual final.
40:48.063 --> 40:56.051
[SPEAKER_01]: And then now worlds will be combined worlds with speed skating, short track, sync row, and figure skating.
40:56.611 --> 41:09.894
[SPEAKER_01]: So that will be interesting as well and that's something that I hope I can make it there and experience that first year because I feel like that's going to be such a different experience and it's something that I really, really, and interested in what happens.
41:11.194 --> 41:16.175
[SPEAKER_02]: What have you thought about the changes with the just the six jumps in the Corio spin?
41:16.215 --> 41:19.856
[SPEAKER_02]: How have those changes been for you this season?
41:20.635 --> 41:21.696
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I think it's interesting.
41:22.256 --> 41:34.345
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, being able to have a little more time to showcase skating and being able to have a little more creative freedom with the Coriospin is really cool.
41:34.725 --> 41:39.968
[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I got a lot of good feedback on my Coriospin in the last couple months and on my first competition.
41:39.988 --> 41:41.489
[SPEAKER_01]: So I was very happy for that.
41:43.990 --> 41:52.032
[SPEAKER_01]: But I'm very happy and I'm excited to see more skaters and what they do with this new set of rules.
41:53.052 --> 42:10.275
[SPEAKER_01]: I think for me with the six jumps, I feel like it's really cool to have kind of more of a balance and being able to pace myself through my program, like, okay, three jumps in the beginning, three jumps in the second half, perfectly equal.
42:10.835 --> 42:11.735
[SPEAKER_01]: boom, that's it.
42:12.815 --> 42:13.836
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that's cool.
42:14.256 --> 42:17.857
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's also cool that possibilities of combinations.
42:18.437 --> 42:21.797
[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I've been experimenting with combos for the last couple months.
42:21.857 --> 42:29.499
[SPEAKER_01]: And even now, like, I just recently posted a video on Instagram of me doing a triple axo, oil, or triple flip, double axo combination.
42:29.539 --> 42:35.541
[SPEAKER_01]: And I had something that I'm experimenting with because now I have the opportunity to try that.
42:36.121 --> 42:37.341
[SPEAKER_01]: And that's a huge combo.
42:37.861 --> 42:40.783
[SPEAKER_01]: So I think including that would be pretty cool.
42:42.003 --> 42:58.112
[SPEAKER_01]: Also having six jumps also kind of pushes me and skaters like me to push for the quad and push the quad get there get the quad in no matter what because in this day and age now that we've seen at all these are competitions already.
42:58.532 --> 43:02.494
[SPEAKER_01]: If you don't have the quad, you need to skate clean no matter what.
43:02.974 --> 43:08.346
[SPEAKER_01]: And even if you skate clean, there's still the chance that you still won't be in that top three.
43:09.526 --> 43:15.210
[SPEAKER_01]: because now that you're missing that one extra jump, that will affect everything else and that combination.
43:15.831 --> 43:33.605
[SPEAKER_01]: So it's kind of like a 50, 50, like you can go with less technical, but you have to skate clean to be in that top, or you can go higher with the technical and kind of be able to live off of that and kind of,
43:35.035 --> 43:35.895
[SPEAKER_01]: compete with that.
43:36.536 --> 43:39.397
[SPEAKER_01]: So there's a, there's kind of like a trade off with it.
43:40.598 --> 43:46.781
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that will really make the composition this year very competitive.
43:47.201 --> 43:48.582
[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm excited to see that.
43:48.942 --> 43:57.947
[SPEAKER_01]: And I am excited to continue to push myself to make the quad happen this year because I have very,
43:59.362 --> 44:08.266
[SPEAKER_01]: I hope that I will be able to include it this year and be able to land it clean because I'm been working really hard all summer.
44:09.286 --> 44:11.347
[SPEAKER_03]: Jacob, thank you so much for coming back on.
44:11.487 --> 44:20.491
[SPEAKER_03]: We're grateful that you were willing to come on and talk about your Hispanic heritage and then also get a skating update on how this season is going for you so far.
44:20.711 --> 44:24.353
[SPEAKER_03]: And reminisce a little bit about your great season last year.
44:25.002 --> 44:25.442
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.
44:25.582 --> 44:27.184
[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much for having me again.
44:27.904 --> 44:30.446
[SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for tuning in to another episode of This Week in Skating.
44:30.807 --> 44:36.651
[SPEAKER_00]: Remember, you can keep up with us throughout the week by visiting our website at www.thisweekenscating.com.
44:37.152 --> 44:39.233
[SPEAKER_00]: Connect with us on social media for additional updates.
44:39.634 --> 44:47.240
[SPEAKER_00]: You can find us on Twitter at This Week in Skating without the ease or Facebook Instagram and Threads at This Week in Skating.
44:47.800 --> 44:50.484
[SPEAKER_00]: You got a burning question or feedback for Gina Daphne or Mateo?
44:50.964 --> 44:55.510
[SPEAKER_00]: Reach out to us via social media or drop us an email at thisweekenscading at gmail.com.
44:55.971 --> 45:02.980
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45:03.461 --> 45:05.283
[SPEAKER_00]: Until next time, have a nice week!
