Kristi Yamaguchi Quotes

I don't know how many people really knew who I was before the Olympics and that's the fun thing of the Olympics - you get to know someone who captures your heart, hopefully.

Every day, someone realizes a dream. I believe dreams help light our darkness and give us the push we need to move across the rink of life.

I'd try to channel my nervous energy in a positive way into strength and endurance. It didn't always work.

At 6 years old, the ice became a place for me to express myself. Because I was so shy off the ice, it became my safe haven, with music and freedom and self-expression. That was my emotional outlet.

I'm always looking for inspiring ways to stay motivated and stay active.

Once you have a child, your heart is forever outside your body. I totally understand that now.

Being an athlete, you know how to train and prepare your body for a performance and you're able to do it under pressure.

I never wanted to feel I hadn't worked hard enough.

As a teenager especially, I just wanted to do my thing and not be noticed.

I feel like I missed out on the regular high school social life, but that's the way I chose to be.

Now, I am thrilled to be a wife and mother, and I hope to be as good of a mother as my own mother, Carole.

Winning in women's singles felt surreal. I felt that everything I had done - the hard work, the tough times - was all worth it.

The past couple years training with Kurt have really brought inspiration into my skating.

I always try to start out with some type of goal. Then I work backward and think of what I need to do to get there, and give myself smaller goals that are more immediate

Childhood reading is so important.

There are two or three performances in your life that are absolutely on, where all the planets are lined up for you and you feel you're invincible.

Training for the Olympics was a lifelong endeavor and took many years.

Probably a few weeks after I was born I started having casts put on my legs to straighten them out. After that corrective shoes and with a brace in between.

Having achieved my own dreams, I want to give to kids who are less fortunate, who struggle with everyday obstacles. I want to give them something positive in their lives: support.

As a professional, I think we're not being judged solely on technical ability anymore. People really want to be entertained and enjoy what they're watching.

I didn't want to skate for someone else or for certain marks.

One of my mottos not only just in skating but in life in general and I try to enforce it as well, is like no regrets and just like going for it.

Dorothy Hamill was my big idol as a kid. She'd won the Olympics in 1976. She was America's sweetheart with her personality, her talent, her haircut.

The good feeling I get from contributing rivals anything I felt on the Olympic stand in Albertville.

I burnt myself out of skating. I was ready to focus on being a mom.

I don't mind the sparkle - I think it's kind of a tradition in skating. I don't think the men really need sparkles, but for the women it's part of the glamour of our sport.

Figure skaters have awful perceptions of hockey players.

Before turning pro, I would never have just left my skates sitting in the locker room unattended.

Skating was something I really wanted to do; my parents knew nothing about it. They said they'd support me as long as I was trying my hardest and enjoying it.

My experience at the 1992 Winter Olympics was my fulfillment of dreaming the Impossible Dream.

I'm kind of a homebody. My husband says I like to just stay home and do nothing, but that's just how I am.

In terms of my career, having the gold definitely changed my life. The Olympics are different, you know? They're every four years and it's such a small group.