by Matteo Morelli
Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez are a younger workforce representing Nice Britain. Of their first 12 months as senior skaters, they competed on the European Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania, and on the World Championships in Montreal, Canada, the place we spoke with them about their journey as junior skaters and the way they really feel stepping as much as senior degree.
James Hernandez (JH): We’re actually completely happy that we did what we got down to do, which is simply to skate our best possible and the way we all know we will. We skilled rather well for this occasion, to show issues round since Europeans, making an attempt numerous new approaches to our coaching and doing all the pieces we will as athletes to try to make the top consequence nearly as good as doable. To simply miss out on this manner (they had been the primary workforce that didn’t qualify for the free), you want we might go and do the free as a result of we’ve achieved all of the arduous work on it as nicely.
Phebe Bekker (PB): It’s a disgrace that we couldn’t present our new and improved free, however to compete on that world stage was nonetheless superb. Even throughout practices, I used to be smiling the entire time, I actually loved this occasion. I felt like Europeans acquired the most effective of me and I felt very overwhelmed. I harassed myself out numerous the time, so I didn’t get to benefit from the little moments of competing at that large occasion. We didn’t have any strain on us at Worlds, however we really did set a aim to qualify for the free. The truth that we had been so shut nearly looks like we’ve achieved that aim. It’s not precisely what we wished, however we did the most effective we might, we did a skate we all know we will do. It doesn’t matter what the rating is, you’re doing it for your self and for the followers to take pleasure in watching as nicely.
20 is just not a big sufficient variety of groups to get into the free dance!
PB: 20 out of 36 is simply greater than half and there may be a lot high quality on the market. We had been doing the mathematics: we knew we had been rating twenty first, we simply tried to not stress ourselves out with it.
You talked about Europeans, saying that you simply had been a bit harassed stepping into the occasion. You had a mistake there that was a bit pricey, however now {that a} little bit of time has handed since that competitors, how do you’re feeling about it?
PB: The coaching going into Europeans was superb nonetheless, talking for myself, I discovered it actually arduous to coach for it mentally. It was manner greater than something we’ve ever skilled. It was our first senior ISU occasion, we didn’t do any of the Grand Prix. I used to be so overwhelmed! I beloved it, nevertheless it was distressing and I didn’t know how you can deal with it. After our rhythm dance, I felt prefer it actually did disappoint me as a result of I do know we might accomplish that significantly better and I used to be getting actually in my head concerning the purpose why I do what I do. Going into the free skate, I used to be in survival mode, considering of getting to remain on my ft and simply maintain it going and benefit from the course of. Then I acquired the flu as quickly as we got here again from Europeans, so I used to be in mattress sick for per week and that was our break day, so I didn’t actually get a lot break day afterwards. I got here again on the ice and it was actually robust to get going and anybody on the rink might see that I used to be not in an incredible place. However we each work with one another and I can lean on James to essentially assist me out. We modified our mindset fully: it took the Europeans to shift our headspace into what we wish, to concentrate on our motivations and objectives behind all the pieces. We used that as a seven-week plan to how can we show ourselves at Worlds.
The British ice dance motion goes by means of a renaissance, with you being out of any doubt a part of it. This 12 months, you bought a silver medal at British Nationals, behind Lilah Worry and Lewis Gibson.
PB: We had been so excited, we acquired our first point out on the BBC sport web page!
JH: Coming to all these occasions with them (Worry and Gibson) is nearly like seeing the place we all know we’d wish to be. Them too weren’t qualifying for the free after they first began and had been low down at Europeans. It takes these seasons and the mandatory time to show your self. They’re opening alternatives for us, getting these spots at Europeans and Worlds. We’re actually appreciative that we will have these competitions to develop and actually get us in a spot for the subsequent few years.
PB: On the Europeans, it was so particular to have a full workforce with three dance groups (and two pairs) for Nice Britain! It’s inspiring for us, and we hope we will encourage the younger generations as nicely, as a result of it’s a arduous sport and it’s arduous to rise up these rankings.
I wager you’re looking ahead to the 2026 Europeans in Sheffield, UK!
PB: Sure! Desirous about the group at Europeans and Worlds, the crowds in Sheffield will probably be superb!
Let’s take a look at your first senior 12 months. How did you reside the transition from junior to senior?
JH: Oh, it’s actually a giant factor! It’s a entire completely different ball sport in senior. It’s not a lot about programmes being 20-30 seconds longer, it has extra to do with the usual of the competitors: all people brings the best possible. The eye to element at each occasion is one thing that we’ve seen so much this 12 months. We have now made little errors right here and there and also you get punished for them. We have now already discovered that the usual that it’s important to come to competitors with could be very tough and a giant step up. I believe we now know that that is the expectation. No matter occasion you’re going by means of, whether or not it’s a Challenger occasion or Worlds, skaters will probably be displaying up and skating being rather well ready. I believe that’s what we’ll take into subsequent 12 months. I do know we’ll most likely be between 15 and 22, in that vary. Annually what you hopefully goal for is to shifts upwards, supplying you with the additional motivation.
PB: I believe it has been a change in mindset as nicely. Final 12 months, it was all about preventing for podiums and medals, however clearly it isn’t what we’re aiming for now, we’re doing this for ourselves, we’re discovering and creating ourselves whereas having fun with the method. I believe it has been behind my thoughts to not evaluate ourselves with the remainder of the juniors shifting up. We had been all on the identical plain area and now you set off in senior an everybody has their other ways of becoming into it.
You might be nonetheless a brand new workforce, having been collectively for nearly three years. How did your partnership begin?
JH: Throughout Covid, my earlier partnership ended and Penny Coomes, considered one of my coaches, knew what to do about it: she known as Phebe’s coach on the time.
PB: I had a earlier accomplice for a 12 months and was then on the lookout for a accomplice simply as Covid began, in March 2020. I had a check out in the summertime of 2020 in France, the place I used to be staying at a number household. I used to be nonetheless residing within the UK again then however I had all the pieces sorted out, I used to be additionally learning French. Then at midnight we get a name from Penny Coomes, she noticed me reposting one thing on Instagram of somebody saying “good luck in France” and she or he mentioned that James had break up up along with his previous accomplice, asking if I used to be considering going to America for an prolonged trial. I wasn’t fairly positive, however deep down I knew I wished to do it, it was the chance of a lifetime.
JH: Due to the journey bans, we needed to fly to Serbia after which New York, however we had a month in Serbia due to it, so we had an opportunity to bond. We then went to the US and had our check out.
Plainly you had a superb connection from the beginning!
PB: We really knew one another very briefly, we had been in the identical residence rink for some time. I used to be a child doing jumps and he was along with his earlier companions going to Junior Grand Prix. Our mums had been associates!
So that’s the begin of your junior profession.
PB: We had a two-month trial, after which James mentioned I used to be acceptable! (she laughs) We noticed the potential instantly and have become formally a workforce. Our first Junior Grand Prix was my first worldwide competitors ever, it was a really attention-grabbing begin.
You achieved crucial outcomes, together with two silver Junior Grand Prix medals, and then you definately had a fourth-place end each on the junior Grand Prix finals and at Junior Worlds. What’s your reflection in your final junior 12 months?
PB: There may be positively some underlying fireplace from junior that we dropped at senior. We have now progressed far more than we thought we’d: it was a tremendous season, we had been the primary workforce for Nice Britain to medal at a Junior Grand Prix and to qualify for the Last.
JH: As a result of we achieved so many firsts that season, they didn’t really feel like losses. However once you look again and assume how shut you had been, there’s a little little bit of disappointment in that. However we’ve a small medal from Junior Worlds and I believe the groups that we had been up towards had been way more established than us. We had been fortunate to be the place we had been, and deserved it. In the end the season ended on a tough observe, lacking out at Junior Worlds, which I don’t know if I’ll by no means not be unhappy about. We wished greater and higher issues. We made errors within the remaining, it’s important to study from these classes, they actually educate you.
PB: Everybody else was established, we had been fortunate to be in that blend with these nice skaters. It was stunning for us at first, however we realised we belonged there. Once we acquired the third place at Junior Worlds within the rhythm dance we realized we might do that. It’s a disgrace that there have been 4 groups that had been simply nearly as good as each other. It was upsetting, I nonetheless watch that Kiss & Cry and get emotional. We had an incredible junior 12 months, however that is senior, that is what counts. I do know we will do rather well and I see us in World medals in time. We’re nonetheless one of many youthful groups!
After three years collectively, do you already see an evolution in the way in which your relationship is shaping up?
JH: We’re very reverse, we strategy moments of stress and moments of happiness in reverse methods. However this season, we discovered to belief and respect what the opposite particular person does. We get it now, that has taken time.
PB: We’re opposites, nevertheless it has benefitted us in numerous methods. We have now one factor that the opposite particular person doesn’t have. Opposites appeal to! As a workforce, we’ve numerous nice attributes, which is a bonus for us. We have now positively change into extra snug with one another, additionally when we have to have tough conversations. I’m very pleased with our relationship.
JH: The aim is to get to that stage the place communication is on such a excessive degree that you’re on the identical web page, like right here at Worlds!
What age had been you once you began skating and ice dancing?
JH: I used to be 4 years previous and I’ve achieved it my entire life. I did free model and dance for a very long time, however I acquired fed up of falling over, I used to be not superb at leaping and thought ice dance was extra for me. I had my first accomplice once I was eleven!
PB: I began skating once I was eight, I had no connection to the game: none of my household skated and I didn’t even watch it. I went to the Saturday morning public skating and it began from there. I did free model and solo dance, I beloved free model. Then somebody informed me to strive ice dance and that’s once I began to assume ‘wow, that is superb’. I spoke to Ben Augusto the opposite day. I didn’t even recognise him! That’s as a result of I by no means watched skating rising up. I began dance in 2019, I didn’t do dance till I had a accomplice and truly the primary ever time I watched ice dance was Tessa Advantage and Scott Moir’s Moulin Rouge on the 2018 Olympics.
JH: I used to be occupied with the those that we’ve met once we had been younger in these ice rinks in England. My previous coaches are nonetheless in touch with my mother: my first coach messaged my mother saying she was seeing us competing at Worlds. You don’t take into consideration this stuff, however that particular person did form me to the place I’m now, she was part of me attending to and competing on this stage. I believe that’s an superior factor about sport life. These folks initially, they performed a task in your profession, no matter that position was, and listening to them say that they’re so proud is superb.
Are there any skaters that you simply take a look at and also you get impressed by?
PB: Undoubtedly Tessa and Scott. I believe Tessa is such a tremendous skater, I actually take a look at her and I see what I could possibly be. I actually get impressed by her.
JH: For me, it’s our coach Nick (Buckland)! Once I was actually younger, they had been skating at excessive degree and had been in the direction of the top of their profession. I keep in mind watching them in Sheffield, and requested for a photograph with them. I used to observe their Michael Jackson programme, just about every day. He’s an unimaginable skater, one of many biggest skaters of the previous twenty years. He’s so good, it’s annoying typically once we train on daily basis and he, with out even warming up, can be demonstrating one thing I can’t do with such ease! It’s nice as a result of that can be a part of getting that fireside set off for us.
Final query: off the ice, what are your passions and pursuits?
JH: I really like golf. I do love being exterior and I like nature, so I’m wanting ahead to when the climate will get beautiful. I will probably be taking part in as a lot golf as I can, having fun with the offseason and with the ability to have a bit of bit additional time for this stuff that make us human in addition to an athlete. I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing associates I haven’t seen in a very long time. I stay up for seeing my household too, we spend so little time at residence with them that it does make it actually particular when you’ve got per week to see them. I’m actually wanting ahead to that.
PB: I at all times hate this query! I really feel like I got here from the UK to America and I’m nonetheless determining my life. Clearly, I’ve hobbies and passions I’m considering, however I simply love going to the rink after which hanging out with associates, having fun with the time that I’ve. I’m hoping to start out teaching quickly, it’s simply tough as a result of I don’t have a particular visa to take action. I used to be home-schooled for an extended time frame and I’ve simply completed highschool, so I’m within the interval of limbo proper now, determining what I wish to do. It’s at all times necessary to have one thing else as nicely, however I simply love hanging out with associates, with the ability to be social, going out and exploring issues. There’s something actually particular in doing this.
This was a reasonably good reply! Thanks a lot to each of you, it was beautiful to get to know you a bit extra.
