EPILOGUE: THEIR PARTNERSHIP
During one of our first encounters with Romain, while reflecting on Gabriella and Guillaume’s story, we asked the coach about the dynamic of their partnership throughout the years – and how his students changed compared to the moment they left Lyon some years ago, to follow him in Montreal.
“Ha!”, we remember the coach’s first reaction to that. “Thank you for keeping this question for the end of our talk!”
“Of course, they were very young then, and they grew, they went through a lot, but I think they didn’t change because of skating. They changed because life changed for them, and they evolved as persons, as adults.
But, at the same time, they are the same [smiling]: they have a lot of humour, they’re fun, we joke a lot together…
As for the work with me, it’s the same: I’m their coach, and I treat them like partners. We are partners in work and in life – and maybe, when they are going to stop… I have skaters who became my friends after [finishing their careers]. One of my first students, from 25 years ago, became a friend of mine, he was the witness of my wedding. But you never know how a relationship after a career can work…
Maybe I will answer this question at the end of Gaby and Guillaume’s career – now, it’s still day by day, the relationship coach-skaters is not done yet”.
“I’M DOING THE BEST FOR THEM TO SUCCEED”
In November 2021, we come back to that.
“The evolution of me and Gaby and Guillaume… it’s a long time relationship. It’s a relationship of respect, and it’s more and more equal.
It’s not like: No, you do this, you do that! And they were never a problem. But now their voice is bigger and bigger, and it’s normal, I think. You can’t train adults like you train kids. And champions too! It’s not only the age, but when they’re four-time World champions, you can’t say: Do this, do that! And: I’m right – and you’re wrong! That’s not the way – and it won’t work, not in our system.
Over the years, the bubble grew, it opened – and now… they are not free [smiling], because we still have to train them, but they know they have the freedom to choose their lives.
None of us, Marie-France, me, we don’t control them.
And I always said that: I’m not their father. Never. I never wanted to take that role – I am their coach. We have a great relationship – they know they can count on me, and they did-là, many times [laughing], and if there’s a problem, I’m always there – but it’s a very business-relationship.
After, when they stop, if I become their friend, or someone they want to call, or a colleague, it’s fine. But today, while they are still skating and they are, bah, my responsibility, it’s all very business and I’m doing the best for them to succeed”.
But with this possibility at the horizon that Gabriella and Guillaume will end their career at the end of the season, does the coach feel that a chapter in his life as well is about to close?
“Bah, yes – but for five minutes! But I’m not someone who looks back, I’m not old enough to say: Ah, pictures…”
The coach bursts into laughter, while trying to push emotions aside. “No – I am emotional, but I hide it! And with the mask is easier now”.
Romain won’t look at the pictures yet, but we’ll come back to a couple of moments here and there, throughout the years
GABRIELLA AND GUILLAME HAVE THE FINAL WORD: “HE’S NOT JUST A COACH TO US – HE’S COACHED US IN OUR LIVES AS WELL”
A day later, still in Turin, at Gran Premio d’Italia, at the end of a lengthy talk with Gabriella and Guillaume – the 20 months of absence from the competitive scene, their preparation and programs for the Olympic season – we bring up the same topic.
How did the relation with Romain evolve throughout the years – how is it, actually?
To all of us watching, they’ve always seemed a team within the bigger team of Ice Academy of Montreal, sharing the good, the bad, the common goals, a bond that is particular – a sort of complicity surrounding them from the moment they started working together.
Gabriella and Guillaume’s first reaction to this is all smiles.
They didn’t see the question coming, and need some time to broaden the perspective. After all, how can you summarize something that goes so far in their personal journeys, in just a couple of sentences?
“You saved the best for last”, Guillaume laughs.
Gabriella nods: “Oh, wow, that’s a huge question! – I haven’t thought about it, really. And it’s true that we’ve been knowing each other for a while, because we’ve started training full time with him, in Lyon, when we were 17. But, before that, we knew each other already, from the summer camps…
And we created our relationship when we were teenagers, young teenagers, and now we’re adults, and we still have kind of the same… not relationship, obviously, but the same dynamic.
So it’s just… He’s someone that knows us so well…”
Taking the time to think while answering, Guillaume adds with a smile: “I think we were very intimidated by him in the beginning [while Gabriella laughs, an honest, open laughter: Yes!], we had a lot of respect and admiration for him.
Just, because, you know, obviously from who he is – and I think as we grew up, we kind of got closer, and it’s true that he’s always been a very important pillar, and a guide, like we trust his judgment 100 percent. You know, we followed him through the Atlantic…”
Remember: they would come to train with Romain, in Lyon, in June 2012 – and move to Montreal, to continue to be trained by him, in June 2014. And that’s a huge commitment, if you think about it.
Guillaume: “Exactly, we stayed two years in Lyon and then… I think we knew that he was thinking of leaving Lyon, and it was pretty clear for us that wherever he was going, we would follow. It was very clear!
And I think he knows us probably sometimes better than our own parents.
I mean, we spent our biggest moments with him – and, obviously, with Marie and Patch too, we’re just like a big family, but it’s true that Romain has always been a guide. When it comes to skating, I think he’s always been very committed to our success.
But he’s not just a coach to us – he’s coached us in our lives as well. He’s always been a very important person in our training and our lives”.
***
Story by Florentina Tone © Inside Skating
Homepage/opening photo by Askar Ibragimov at 2021 Finlandia Trophy, in Espoo
Photos accompanying the story by Wilma Alberti, Julia Komarova, Natasha Ponarina,
Florentina Tone, Askar Ibragimov, Alberto Ponti
Other photos: International Skation Union & embedded from Getty Images