Kristi Yamaguchi Bringing Friends and Family Together for Show
 Rachel Worth/WENN |
Family and friends are two of the most important things in Olympic skater Kristi Yamaguchi’s life. Those influences are what led the skater to begin the Kristi Yamaguchi Friends and Family Ice Show four years ago. After Kristi’s oldest daughter Keara Kiyomi, 5, was born, the 37-year-old realized that "All of us skaters, we were friends growing up together, competing against each other, touring together, then we all had families and drifted apart." So beginning what Kristi calls "a celebration of family," the show gives everyone "a chance to reconnect and skate together" but is "also a chance for our children to make friends and get to know each other." The show is also an opportunity for Kristi to skate with Keara, who will be performing with her mom during the event for the first time.
Keara and her younger sister Emma Yoshiko, 2 ½, have been "on ice since they could walk" and are "skating recreationally right now" and "having fun." Not only have they earned their skating skills from their mom, but also their dad, professional hockey player Bret Hedican. Despite having two parents who skate in some capacity professionally, the couple are "really exposing them to everything — soccer, tennis, music" so that their daughters can choose what they enjoy.
"We want to let them choose what they want to do rather than force them into skating. Of course, if they decide they want to become skaters we’ll wholeheartedly support them."
The girls may decide that they want to follow in Kristi’s footsteps when it comes to dancing after watching her win on Dancing With the Stars last season. The reality show experience "wasn’t too bad" when it came to balancing her family life with DWTS, thanks to a few factors like "the kids were young enough that they were able to come with me out to Los Angeles, and after a couple weeks the hockey season ended and my husband was able to join us." The family also "rented a condo and relied on grandmas, aunts and in-laws to baby-sit, because I was gone eight to 10 hours a day."
Source: Arizona Central
October 10th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
They’re such cute little girls! We live in the same area and I saw them at the mall a couple months ago. It was one of those “hmmm, have I seen them somewhere?” scenarios where I went on CBB later and thought “Oh yeah! That’s who they are!” Both of her daughters were utterly adorable and very well behaved. Unfortunately for them, they were also both dressed in pink and my little man LOVES a girl in pink! He wouldn’t leave them alone! Kristi was just so nice about it, though, incredibly gracious (though her girls were afraid of my son!). Definitely very down to earth and friendly, something I’m sure you can’t say about every celebrity you randomly meet.