Secret of Success

An Olympic gold medalist says it's all about hard work, self knoweldge and technical understanding

By Joey Cheek
 

It was ten years from the day I first put on ice skates to the day I found myself standing on the top of the podium at the Winter Olympic Games in Torino.

Since then, I have given numerous motivational speeches and answered lots of questions. But one subject rarely comes up: How was it that of all of the skaters I competed against over the years, I was the one who landed on top?

There were lots of factors: talent, hard work, "wanting it more."

But the single most important reason for my success is this: I am a student of the sport.

If you examine my race results, you will see slow and steady progress. I was never the most talented skater. But I worked harder than most, although not all. (I think Derek Parra deserves that honor). And I was excellent at finding my weaknesses and developing a plan to overcome them.

When I was 17 and in my second year of my transition from inlines to ice, I had the bad habit of raising my hips on my push. I would sit very low until my recovery leg came close to my body. Then I would "pop up" and push before returning to a low position.

This was a serious problem. The one constant of all of the best skaters in the world (Chad Hedrick, Joey Mantia, Shani Davis) is that their hips always stay rock solid.

So I started doing exercises (curved slideboard, dryland in a mirror, video analysis) to drill myself on correct technique. I kept it up for three years and by the 2002 Olympics, I had some of the most stable hips in the world — and an Olympic medal (bronze in the 1000m).

Every skater can learn to better understand the technical aspects of skating.

Start by noticing what the best athletes do consistently. Study their videos. Talk to coaches.

Then apply what you learn.

Remember that every time you lose, you have the opportunity to learn. If you make learning part of your everyday training regimen, you will be thrilled at the results.

And one day, you may also find yourself on top step of the podium.

Dec. 22, 2006

Joey Cheek is a former inline speed skater who who a gold and silver medal in speedskating at the 2006 Winter Games in Torino. He became one of the lasting stars of the Games when he donated his winnings to Right to Play, a group that helps needy children in Africa. Now 30, he is a junior at Princeton University, where he is majoring in economics and pursuing a minor in Chinese. He continues to be involved in Team Darfur, a group of athletes trying to raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, Sudan.