Believe in Yourself and Realize that You’ve Done the Work

The last time an American man won Olympic figure skating gold, Evan Lysacek was a toddler. That was in 1988 when Brian Boitano edged Canadian Brian Orser in the Battle of the Brians on Orser's home turf in Calgary. Twenty-two years later, the Winter Olympics are back in Canada, and Lysacek, the defending world champion, is seen as the one who can end the U.S. drought.

This article from the NY Times details his akward beginnings and eventual rise to the top of the world standings. Yet now at his second Olympics, Lysacek, 24, is still looking for his first Olympic medal.

At the 2006 Turin Games Lysacek finished fourth, coming back from a 10th-place finish in the short program while battling a stomach virus.

“I remember how I felt at the last Olympics, and this time, I’m not going to have any regrets,” Lysacek said. “Back then, I was overwhelmed by everything, the opening ceremony and the other athletes and just everything about the Olympics. Now, it’s all business.”

This time around when Evan Lysacek begins his bid for gold in the men’s singles figure skating competition Tuesday night, he is more focused and understands what's most important to his chances:

“The biggest thing is going to be the mentality. It is important to know what it involves to be a winner, and my experiences and preparations have equipped me for that.”

“You have to believe in yourself and realize that you’ve done the work; I think about that a lot,” Lysacek said. “I let it all sink in after a practice where no one is cheering, no one is watching. It’s just me in a cold, stinky locker room, all by myself, exhausted.”

Be The Athlete You Know How To Be

Like almost every athlete competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics Katie Uhlaender is a tough competitor and incredible athlete.

The difference between Katie and the other Winter Olympians is that she heads into the Vancouver Games on the wake of four knee surgeries since April and her father's death last year.

Wednesday's article in the LA Times, covered her amazing story, the special connection with her father, and the way that relationship still shapes the way she competes even after he passed away:

Even as he was dying of cancer 18 months ago, Ted Uhlaender was coaching his daughter, Katie, on life and on giving the sport of skeleton her all...

The former major league outfielder who played for three teams, "had a Gran Torino way of looking at things, where actions mean more than words," said Katie, 25, referring to the Clint Eastwood movie. "I'm trying to live up to that."

For the longest time, Ted Uhlaender was always there, at Katie's track meets in junior and senior high school in Colorado and as she began working her way into the elite level of skeleton.

He urged her to fight her fears, recalling his own first at-bat in Yankee Stadium, his knees shaking, Mickey Mantle in the outfield, 60,000 spectators in the stands.

"There's only one thing you can do. Hit the ball," he counseled his daughter...

Then in 2008, Ted was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Stem cell transplants and chemotherapy followed.

Katie made plans to quit the U.S. team before the 2008-09 season to care for him, but Ted wouldn't hear of it.

"Why aren't you winning?" Katie said her father asked.

"I miss you. I don't want to be here. You're dying and I want to be with you," Katie said she replied.

"He said, 'You need to get that out of your head and do what you need to do because it's your responsibility as the No. 1 athlete in the country to compete.' "

Her toughness was tested again in April, when Katie shattered her right kneecap in a snowmobile accident. The injury required four surgeries and months of rehabilitation. She was unable to practice the explosive starts needed to compete at the highest level.

Once again she relied on the lesson's taught by her father:

"When I shattered my kneecap it forced me to get my priorities back in order. I think that was my dad's subtle way to give me a two by four to the knee to snap out of it.

"That's what my dad taught me. Never give up. Be the athlete you know how to be and suck it up. So I'm not going to make excuses and I'm not going to complain. I'm going to do the best I can and try to represent my country and my family and do what I know how to do."