Shibutani siblings inspired by Boston pro teams
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea – Alex and Maia Shibutani head into the ice dance competition at the Winter Olympics seeking a place on the Pyeongchang podium and a spot in the legacy of Boston sporting success.
At first glance, there might not seem to be much in common between the ferocious physicality of the main American team sports and ice dance, but the Shibutanis, big New England Patriots fans who certainly were updated of the Super Bowl result Sunday, have often drawn inspiration from the iconic sporting institutions of the area.
And while their chosen Olympic discipline contains a strong element of grace and tranquility, the siblings draw several parallels that indicate ice dance might not be so different from the more recognized sports after all.
“Being a huge Boston sports fan you don’t need to look far for inspiration,” Alex Shibutani said. “When you need a bit of a lift I think back to the Red Sox winning their first World Series for 86 years or the mental strength of Patriots. Seeing the Celtics’ resiliency since losing Gordon Hayward to injury inspires me all the time, and Maia and I try to show that, regardless of our situation, you are always able to kind of make the best of the situation work to show what you are capable of.”
The pair now live and train in Canton, Mich., but bleed Boston green. Their parents met as Harvard undergrads, and Alex believes his career was kickstarted by being inspired to win a national junior competition days after the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series.
One of the most obvious parallels to major sports involves the use of detailed video analysis. Just like the video sessions that are routine in the NFL, the “Shib Sibs” frequently spend extensive time in front of the laptop to weed out small technical problems or scout the opposition.
“In that way video analysis is definitely a part of our training all year round,” Maia said. “Whether we are creating or trying to figure out how we want the entire program to be formed versus working on the small detail that is very helpful.”
Some figure skaters go out onto the ice with the primary objective being to put on a performance, making some watchers unfamiliar with the sport to see it as more of an art form than an athletic competition.
That could not be further from the truth with the Shibutanis. While their artistry is so good that even watching them train can be transfixing, there is no doubt the reason they skate is to win.
It is just the two of them, plus a small coaching and choreographic group, but Maia insisted that the same kind of resiliency that applies in team sports is also applicable to them.
“I think that the will to succeed and always believing in ourselves has been a huge part of our success,” she added. “Through the sport you really learn how to push yourself but then also persevere through challenging situations. We feel really lucky that we have experienced it together as a team, because every day Alex and I are motivated to make each other stronger, which makes our team the very best it can be.”
The vagaries of figure skating’s scoring system are perplexing, but there are ways for dance pairs to run up the score, racking up points with precise execution of technical elements. The Shibutanis have not only packed their program with as much technical difficulty as possible but also carefully studied exactly what international judges are looking for to maximize their score.
“The way the scoring works in ice dance is very specific so we have to make sure that our attention to detail is really on point,” Alex said. “A (blade) edge that is incorrect at the wrong time can drastically alter your score in a negative way, so we need to make sure to have that balance of strength and athleticism but also the finesse and the timing and the consistency to do it under pressure.”
Pressure might come in the dance and teams events. Because of team event rules, the USA can only switch out between the short program and free skate in two disciplines. It is possible that happens in the men’s and women’s individual sections, meaning the Shibutanis could feasibly skate twice, then twice again in the dance event.
More opportunities for success — more chances to follow in illustrious footsteps.