After the Olympics, Emily A. Hughes ’11 should be able to skate her way through freshman year at Harvard. The 2006 Olympian, 2007 U.S. National Championships Silver Medalist, and 2007-2008 Ec10 superstar sat down with FM after a performance at the charity benefit An Evening with Champions. The Apley Court resident spoke about the show, crazy skating outfits, and everyone’s favorite scary Russian, Oksana Baiul.
1. Fifteen Minutes: What was it like to be a part of An Evening with Champions now that you’re a Harvard student?
Emily Hughes: It was amazing. I mean they put so much work and so much effort into the show. Every years it’s a great show and this year my whole dorm came to cheer me on. It was a lot of fun to skate in front of the other students and everything.
2. FM: And how is life in the Yard treating you anyway?
EH: Life in the Yard has been treating me very well. I’ve met so many people and I have an awesome dorm so…
3. FM: Next month is the Harvard-Yale game and I know that your sister Sarah is a Yalie, is there going to be any rivalry there?
EH: There is always rivalry. Friendly rivalry though! But yeah I want to go and cheer for Harvard while she’s cheering for Yale and then put it in her face when we win!
4. FM: Speaking of your sister, the media always tends to draw comparisons between you. How do you feel about that?
EH: There are always comparisons with siblings but she’s at Yale and I’m at Harvard now, so there shouldn’t be any more comparisons!
5. FM: What kind of advice does Sarah give you before competitions?
EH: To go out there and have fun, and to “stay vertical.”
6. FM: You’ve been training with your coach Bonnie Retzkin since you were four. What has that been like?
EH: It’s been great to have that kind of figure where she’s pretty much grown up with me. And now it’s a little weird not seeing her every day and seeing different coaches, but sometimes change is good so we’ll see what happens.
7. FM: You once said that at 5’6”, you’re the skating equivalent of being able to dunk. Have you ever tried to use your height to intimidate the other skaters before they go out on the ice?
EH: Use my height to intimidate? There are some ways you can intimidate some skaters...I am one of the tallest which is funny because I’m only 5’6”. But yeah, I try to use my height to my advantage.
8. FM: If I were a skater I would be kind of scared of Oksana Baiul.
EH: (Laughing) Oksana… is hilarious. I’ve met her quite a few times and every time I always have a story about her that I can tell and laugh. She was here for Evening With Champions and she’s always funny to talk to.
9. FM: Last year you took silver at Nationals, and the year before you were in the Olympics. What do you have planned for this year?
EH: This year? I am looking forward to my first competition which is in a week, and training for nationals, which, as you said I got second in, so hopefully I can improve upon that.
10. FM: Access Hollywood made a big deal about you getting detention right before the Olympics; what happened with that?
EH: I’ve never gotten detention! I might have been late a few times...or a little more than a few times, but I had a decent excuse!
11. FM: “Blades of Glory.” what did you think?
EH: So funny. I enjoyed that movie so much... it was a positive kind of “make fun of skating” movie. They nailed some stuff right on the nose. It’s really funny. One of my friends bought me the bobble head of Will Ferrell so I have him on my desk in his little skating outfit.
12. FM: You’ve actually worn some pretty intense outfits in competition; what’s up with ice skating costumes anyway?
EH: Skating costumes–isn’t that why most people watch? There are always some crazy costumes out there. I try to stick with something I like. But you go to a competition and will always find some interesting costumes.
13. FM: Speaking of costumes, earlier this year I know that you went to a competition and forgot your dress back at the hotel... any other embarrassing pre-competition stories?
EH: That was pretty embarrassing... but I was focused: I had my skates and I was pretty ready to get out there. It would’ve been funny if I was out there in pants and everyone else had on their little dress. I think that was the most embarrassing one as literally five minutes before I had to go out, someone ran out with my dress because, yeah, otherwise I would’ve been out there in pants.
14.FM: You’ve done a lot of work to raise awareness about breast cancer; what are some of the projects you’re currently involved with?
EH: I’m involved with a lot of charity projects, specifically breast cancer because my mom was diagnosed about 10 years ago. She’s in remission right now so it’s all good. I was in a skating show in Ohio two weeks ago where the lady who put it all together was a breast cancer survivor and raised $150,000 from the show, so I love doing things like that and giving back. There are a number of other charities I’ve been involved with; my mom in April went to Prague to speak at a breast cancer conference and I went with her and I thought it was really interesting because there were doctors from all over the world to figure out how they can more efficiently treat breast cancer and promote awareness, and I thought it was a really forward-thinking thing that they were doing. So a lot of things like that, and local things from where I’m from. I think it’s great that I can use my platform in skating as a way to give back.
15.FM: And what else is keeping you busy right now?
EH: Besides going to class, skating, studying, and midterms, how can I be busy? I’m trying to balance everything and still trying to figure out a lot. It’s been a lot of fun the past months meeting so many people and starting this new part of my life!
