Paul Wylie Honored For His Achievements, Will be Inducted Into Hall of Fame at 2008 U.S. Nationals Options

[IFS Photos]

Paul Wylie Speaks From The Heart
On Eve of U.S Hall of Fame Induction

Interview Courtesy World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame - Linda Famula

Paul Wylie, the 1992 Olympic silver medalist, will join Janet Carpenter, Todd Eldredge and Charles A. DeMore on the red carpet at the 2008 U.S. Hall of Fame induction ceremony which will be held during the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Minneapolis, Minn. (Jan. 20-27).

Wylie, a five-time U.S. national medalist, reflected on his career and shared his thoughts on his upcoming induction.

WFSM: You had both a successful career as an amateur and professional. Did you enjoy one particular phase of your career more and why?

Wylie: "I have to be honest that I enjoyed my professional career more than my amateur career, but it's not such a simple answer. My career changed overnight once I won the Olympic silver medal. That particular credential enabled me to experience the professional career I could
only have dreamed of.

I loved the Olympic experience and competing with other guys who pushed me to be my best. Also, nationals was always a highlight of the year with an electric atmosphere, difficult to match at most other events. However, for me, skating was not simply an athletic pursuit, but also an expression. In my pro career I was more free to be creative, to use music and to take the time to develop themes and emotions, in addition to the difficult elements that provided tension and explosive highlights to complement and to ground the choreography. In pro skating I was able to perform more to my strengths as the competitions and shows were built more for the whole package of the performance (rather than testing the difficulty of the parts).

Also, from the time I was 4 until I was 25, most of my skating time was spent practicing and attempting to perfect the compulsory figures, an event skating jettisoned in 1990. It seemed I was always coming from behind in the school figures (or the short program). I had moments of brilliance in the free skating, but I had moments where I had great difficulty (unfortunately, I hold onto these more).

My favorite event was the free program, because I could really show my strengths as an all-around skater, but the first 50% of the competition usually had me coming from behind.

During the time I was a professional, (1992-1998), there were many different competitions with top-level skaters pushing me to perform my best athletically AND artistically. We did not stop competing when we turned pro, and we also were able to perform on tour in Stars on Ice. Stars was a particularly satisfying experience where I felt I could play four or five different "roles" per show and my solo performances were given Tony-Award winning lighting and costuming, in addition to incredible choreography from Mary Scotvold.

I also enjoyed playing a part in the group numbers with my generations' greatest skaters. Incredible "pinch-me" opportunities I had in Stars: Becoming part of an international "family" of performers who are all incredible and living alongside them for 60+ performances (sometimes that was trying, but mostly, it was great); performing with [Jayne] Torvill and [Christopher] Dean and Ekaterina Gordeeva in a Bach Suite; skating in incredible opening and closing Numbers to the music of Queen, the Rolling Stones and The Beatles with Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Katarina Witt, Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, Peter and Kitty Carruthers, Kurt Browning, etc.; skating in Brazil, Mexico, Europe, Japan, as well as the US and Canada. We were always in motion and always creating and performing. That was such an exciting time in my life and taught me so much.

But at the end of the day, it was a thrill simply to skate. And there were days when I just enjoyed putting on music and going out there to be free on the ice - no audience, no judges, no rewards, nothing but the edges and the incomparable feeling of speed and control over a frictionless surface, dancing and being alive."

WFSM: What was your most memorable skating moment?

Wylie: "Albertville, 1992. Against the odds, I delivered the best performances of my career when all the chips were down. There was so much personal drama in it for me. It was my last performance of my amateur career, and I had made the team by one-tenth of a point. Reporters and judges were all calling on me to retire in my final season, but God was able to turn all of that around into a "happy ending," re-writing the end of my career with an exclamation point! Sure I trained harder and better for the event, but I believe the kind of turnaround I experienced was only possible with God's help, and he used the foolishness of my small, checkered figure skating career as an example of Grace."

WFSM: With your wife being a former college hockey player, have you gotten your family involved in skating yet?

Wylie: "Hannah [my daughter] has skated a few times, but I don't think it is her passion quite yet. But we live in Charlotte, NC, so skating and hockey are not exactly the most important things here."

WFSM: You are still involved in skating through an "Evening with Champions" and commentating for ESPN? Can you talk about these connections?

Wylie: "Yes, I have maintained my involvement in skating through “Evening with Champions,” ESPN, and even a bit of coaching here and there. I hosted An Evening With Champions again this year and welcomed Emily Hughes to the ice at Harvard for the first time as a student in the College! What a thrill to share the Harvard-Skating experience with such an effervescent, talented skater! Also, as ESPN's analyst for the Grand Prix Series and international events, just about every weekend in the winter brings an opportunity to interact with the great skaters of today through preparing and commentating on their incredible efforts. That has been a wonderful blessing."

WFSM: What does it mean to you to be inducted into the U.S. Hall of Fame?

Wylie: "I am so honored to be inducted into the US Hall of Fame. I join so many incredible champions in the sport and I was deeply moved when I received the call. As a young skater in Dallas, Texas, I never dreamed of the career I had as a skater. I am so thankful to my parents, to my coaches, and to my sponsor for believing in me."