Taschlerová & Taschler on a journey to realize their targets

By Matteo Morelli | Skating Picture by Robin Ritoss

Representing the Czech Republic, Natálie Taschlerová & Filip Taschler are a partnership that’s constantly enhancing and keen to point out their full potential. They’re at the moment coaching on the Younger Goose Academy in Bolzano, Italy, with a group of coaches that features Matteo Zanni and Barbora Silná. We met them after they competed at Grand Prix of Espoo, and talked about their journey as siblings ice dancers, how they arrange their targets and work in the direction of them.

Taschlerova & Taschler after the Rhythm Dance at Grand Prix Espoo. Picture by Matteo Morelli.

Natálie and Filip, thanks for locating a while to speak to us at Grand Prix of Espoo. With Sheffield, that is your second senior Grand Prix occasion. How do you are feeling after having accomplished each competitions?

Filip Taschler (FT): We’re so proud of each our rhythm dance and free dance! It was a lot better than Sheffield. We arrived right here with out expectation and it was extra relaxed for us. Total, it was very nice and we discovered a strategy to take one other step ahead.

Natálie Taschlerová (NT): Sure, I agree. The work that we tried to place in after Sheffield in only one and a half week paid off and we’re actually blissful about it. We made some very small modifications that in all probability nobody can acknowledge. 

FT: We’re so fortunate that our coach (Matteo Zanni) cuts the music. He has his pocket book subsequent to the ice and modifications it instantly as we go, so we’ve got new music for each competitors! 

Your free programme presents a robust theme about nature and the planet. How did you provide you with that concept and the way did you develop it? 

FT: This was my concept from already two years in the past, once we completed the junior season. I noticed this idea with a synchronized skating group. I used to be shocked they did a local weather change theme and located it actually sturdy and provoking. We mentioned this concept with Matteo and he was blissful to attempt to develop it. The music had way more phrases at first of the season, however we obtained some suggestions that it was perhaps a bit too political, so we labored on some modifications to maintain it extra impartial and focussed on nature as a theme. 

Let’s have a look at while you began skating. How previous had been you while you first put skates on, and the way did you find yourself skating collectively as a group? 

NT: I began skating once I was two, Filip began when he was 4. We will principally say we’ve got been skating for complete our lives! We each began in single skating, we tried synchro, after which Filip approached ice dance whereas I used to be nonetheless in singles, however then I received injured. I broke my arm whereas doing gymnastics, and from then I used to be scared to leap, and everybody was telling me that I had good skating abilities and I ought to strive the ice dance.

FT: At that time, I used to be not so proud of my ex-partner, so we determine to strive skating collectively, and right here we’re!

Do you suppose the truth that you’re siblings lets you be extra direct and clear with one another?

NT: For positive. It’s referred to as household enterprise for a motive! Now we have a really pure connection and we’re having fun with extra time collectively now, which is nice. 

FT: Now we have such a robust connection earlier than a contest, and generally when I’m nervous she will really feel it instantly. Now we have ups and downs after all, however it’s regular. We’re additionally working with a psychological coach. Total, we’ve got a robust connection on the ice, and skating helps us to enhance our relationship. 

Let’s have a look at your senior profession thus far. You competed at some worldwide occasions already, nevertheless the Covid-19 pandemic noticed a sequence of occasions getting cancelled over the past couple of years. How did you reside this specific time in current historical past?

FT: We had been actually fortunate as a result of our ice rink in Italy was open on a regular basis. We had actually strict restrictions, however we had been skating rather a lot. Our coach is wonderful, he retains saying that in each scenario we’ve got to consider the constructive facet of it. So we used that point to enhance and deal with our fundamental aim, the Olympic Video games. 

NT: And in addition I believe this era of COVID-19 helped us to get extra used to residing in Italy, to fulfill new individuals and get into the life there, as a result of it was the primary season that we spent within the nation. So, we received nearer with everybody and that was good. 

You talked about the Olympic Video games had been your aim: you managed to make that dream come true! How did you reside this distinctive expertise? 

FT: It was very hectic as a result of I received injured and I needed to miss the summer season preparation. It was exhausting, I believed my dream was gone, however I labored rather a lot with my psychological coach and we made it occur! We certified and it was a tremendous expertise, being on the ice with all the highest groups was so inspiring. We tried to soak up every thing from our time there.

NT: Going again to the household enterprise we talked about earlier, it was good to realize our aim for our mother and for our dad, as a result of we had been all the time speaking about it with them. We sacrificed rather a lot, together with spending time with our father within the Czech Republic. We left for the USA with our mother and we stored going, which was actually exhausting however in the long run, that is what paid off. Total, we had a tremendous time. The entire month there was fairly lengthy, however once we received to the competitors it actually felt that we had been on the Olympics. 

Speaking in regards to the future and your goals, have you ever received a transparent path in thoughts that you simply need to observe? 

NT: The aim is that we need to assault as a lot as doable on the Europeans, the spots are open for everybody proper now, and we’re enthusiastic about that. We set the targets, however we all the time go away them open as a result of we skate for ourselves, not only for the medals. Additionally at this Grand Prix in Espoo, we didn’t get a medal and perhaps we had been dreaming about it, however on the finish we had been tremendous blissful as a result of we skated clear and improved. 

Having the suitable assist to realize your targets is essential, and appears like your coaches are very a lot in your facet. How would you outline your relationship with them?

FT: I believe it’s a fairly sturdy one. It feels extra like a household relationship in a method. Barbora (Silná) has been working with us since once we began our junior years. Now we have a extremely deep connection along with her and in addition with Matteo, who was the primary one who informed us that our father died. They’re attempting to place 100% in for us and to push us working in the direction of our targets to make them occur. Typically, it’s exhausting to work with us for positive, due to the strain we’re below and, let’s say, as a result of we’re nonetheless children in a method!

NT: By rising up, we respect the connection greater than earlier than. Particularly me, once I was youthful I used to be fairly one thing for Matteo’s nerves, so we respect them working with us!

FT: The group in Italy is wonderful and it’s beginning to develop, and in addition the ice dance motion within the Czech Republic is beginning to develop rather a lot. In our group in Bolzano, we now have the Georgian couple (Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya) with us, so we’re extra aggressive at coaching which is best for all of us to push ourselves.

The group spirit was noticeable in Sheffield, the place each you and the Georgian couple competed.

NT: We loved it rather a lot, it was a brand new expertise for us as a group to go together with two {couples} and one coach, but it surely was wonderful. On the follow classes, we had been giving one another the look and saying “let’s go”!