When Tom Zakrajsek studies his star pupil, he notices someone different, a more mature, more refined figure skater capable of showcasing her skills at a much higher level.
“I know you need me less,” Zakrajsek told Rachael Flatt. “It’s OK. It’s a good thing.”
The Broadmoor Skating Club member is rapidly transforming, motivated by momentum from her first national title and a successful Olympic debut, as well as an opportunity to compete without the burden of school, now that she has deferred admission to Stanford.
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Flatt, 18, recently added a triple lutz-triple loop combination, one of the most technically demanding maneuvers in women’s figure skating, to short and long programs that allow her to skate more expressively, in the mold of a seasoned competitor on the senior circuit.
She took part in a U.S. Figure Skating camp last month at World Arena, and she’ll perform next week at the Colorado Springs Invitational at Sertich Ice Center, maybe her last tune-up for Grand Prix Series legs in October in Nagoya, Japan, and in November in Portland, Ore. She goes for her fourth U.S. Championships medal in January in Greensboro, N.C.
“I’m a lot more experienced now, so that is a huge confidence boost,” said Flatt, whose summer included a two-week vacation in Italy, a reward for graduating with honors from Cheyenne Mountain High School and getting into Stanford, where she’ll start next fall.
In looking at all of Flatt’s adjustments, Zakrajsek can’t deny the improvement.
“She’s becoming a young woman, and you see that in how she moves,” he said. “She’s very comfortable, she has a lot more command of the ice, just because she’s growing up.”
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