WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Jozef Sabovcik loves his life in Bountiful, Utah, where he lives with wife Jennifer Verili and sons Blade, 21, and Jozef Jaden, 10.
at sports, neither has a passion for it. Sabovcik got to celebrate his adopted home-
town with performances in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Win- ter Games. He said time has erased thoughts of the frigid cold, and thinking of that time only brings the warmest memories. He even got to meet the members of the iconic rock band Kiss. “Everybody came together for the right rea-
sons,” he said of the Games held just five months after 9/11. “Salt Lake City did a great job of pull- ing it off. I’m very proud to have been a part of it. What are the odds a Slovakian is actually go- ing to do an Opening Ceremony in the United States?” Reflecting on his competitive days, Sab-
ovcik said his two European titles were a high- light, especially successfully defending the title. Obviously, the Olympic medal is close to his heart.
“I don’t really remember the skating much;
Sabovcik turns 50 this month, but he still loves the thrill of performing.
the idea that they have to warm up with it. “It is a shame because I think a lot of the
gracefulness has kind of gone out of the sport,” he added. “You have to live within the parame- ters of the IJS (international judging system).” He misses the powerful crossovers that skat-
an hour or so.” Every year until he turned 44, he would per- form a quad on his birthday. For his 50th birth- day on Dec. 4, Sabovcik may just take the day off from the rink. Tese days, he’s coaching six days a week at the South Davis Recreation Cen- ter in Bountiful, Utah, about five minutes from his house. “I have some adult students, I have kids —
novice, intermediate, juvenile, pre-juvenile, little ones,” Sabovcik said. “I do edge classes with my kids. I basically come up with a set of exercises that hopefully mimic whatever the figures did for us. It took a little while for them to get used to
ers like Brian Boitano performed so impressively. Sabovcik expresses admiration for all the skaters competing under IJS. He particularly enjoys watching Stéphane Lambiel, and appreciates how Lambiel kept his individuality while competing. Sabovcik is extremely content with family life in Bountiful (just outside of Salt Lake City), where he moved in 1995. He has been married to second wife Jennifer Verili, a former U.S. com- petitor he met in Sun Valley, for 14 years. Tey find Bountiful a great place to raise a family. “I think I was always sort of destined to live
here,” Sabovcik said. “When I was growing up, I was always fascinated with America — American music, literature. As a little kid, I was into racing cars. Tey were doing all the land speed records out here on the Salt Flats. I remember watching on TV. It seemed like such a mythical place. “We like living here,” he continued. “It’s
quiet. You are near a big city. Utah is growing as a state. It’s family oriented and it’s good for us. Tere’s nothing we don’t like.” Older son Blade, 21, is now living on his
own, working and studying film in school. “He wants to do anything and everything
around film,” Sabovcik said. “He wants to be be- hind the scenes. He doesn’t want to be in front of the camera. He wants to do video editing, sound editing, directing — everything.” Younger son Jozef Jaden, 10, is in fifth grade and an avid drummer. While both kids are adept
Sabovcik displays his athleticism at an event in 1979. SKATING 9
it was one of those times where I was totally in the zone,” he said of his Olympic programs. “I remember a very brief moment during my long program when it was almost over and I had done all of my triples and everything. I knew I skat- ed well. I saw Robin Cousins, who was my idol. He was commentating and he was on his feet jumping up and down. Tat was very special. Of course, sharing the podium with Brian [Orser] and Scott [Hamilton], because we were already friends.” He and Hamilton still text each other each
year on Feb. 16 marking the anniversary. Te friendships that have lasted for decades are what Sabovcik treasures most. In the mid-1990s, Sabovcik began to skate
to music by Bruce Springsteen. At the 1995 World Team Trophy he debuted a program to the song “Trapped,” which quickly defined him as skating’s rock ‘n’ roll guy. At the time separated from his from his first wife, two-time Canadian champion Tracey Wainman, and embroiled in a bitter custody battle, he poured his emotions into the program. “Te whole crowd was on their feet,” Sab-
ovcik said. “For me, that was incredible, because I was always considered a technical skater. Tis was an artistic program and I got 10s for it. It was validation that I’m not just a jumper, but I can deliver something else.” Over the last 18 years, Sabovcik has per-
formed several Springsteen programs and even got to meet Te Boss about a decade ago. Te Sabovciks have lived in their house in Bountiful for 12 years. He admitted it’s still a work in progress, because he likes doing home renovation and repairs himself, and with his hec- tic schedule it takes a while to complete projects. Tey have an herb garden and he bakes bread. “I like being a father. I like being a husband.
I like being a coach,” Sabovcik said. “I’m very fortunate that not only do I still skate, but I still have opportunities to perform. “I have had an interesting life and I have an
interesting life,” he added. “I really like my life now.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOZEF SABOVCIK
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOZEF SABOVCIK
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOZEF SABOVCIK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76