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Skaters

Grant Hochstein

Born:

July 16, 1990

Birthplace:

Warren, Mich.

Height:

5' 5"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Detroit, Mich.

College:

Wayne State University (2014)

Training Town:

Artesia, Calif.

Club:

SC of New York

Coach:

Peter Oppegard, Karen Kwan-Oppegard

Choreographer:

Karen Kwan-Oppegard (SP), Peter Oppegard, Karen Kwan-Oppegard (FS)

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

*Two-time U.S. pewter medalist (junior in 2009, intermediate in '04)

SKATING NOTES

Started skating at age 9 after being inspired by watching Michelle Kwan in the 1998 Olympic Winter Games ... Previously coached by Lindsay O'Donoghue (1999-2012).

PERSONAL NOTES

Mom is Joyce Eberling ... Siblings are Veronica (19) and Nicholas (16) ... Dog is Kingston ... Graduated Anchor Bay High School in June 2008 ... Studying history at Wayne State University (Detroit) ... Supports the Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society and the Michigan Humane Society.

CONNECT WITH ME

Twitter: @Grant_Hochstein
Facebook fan page
Official site

IN MY WORDS

If I wasn't a figure skater ... I could afford to go to the grocery store.

I look up to ... my mom. She is such a strong person and has made so many sacrifices to give me and my siblings everything we need to be successful in life. She has showed me what true strength is. She was a single mom and raised us on her own for a long time and still managed to keep my sister and me skating. She is truly an amazing woman.

My favorite thing about being a figure skater is ... just simply skating. I love being alone on the ice and just skating across the ice. I love the smell of an ice rink, especially after the ice is newly resurfaced.

My figure skating heroes are ... Michelle Kwan. The way she managed to stay on the top of the skating world for so long is amazing. Even more impressive is the way in which she skated. She moved from the tips of her fingers down through the end of her boots. She drew you into her performances and made you feel as if you were skating along with her. I don't know if we will ever have a skater like her again. I also admire her transition into the real world from skating. She has handled herself so professionally throughout the years and I admire everything about her.

I manage my pre-skate jitters by ... jamming out to some good music. I usually put my headphones on and get into my own little world. There is so much happening around you before you skate that it helps to create this little bubble. Most of the time I'm dancing around and making a fool of myself, but I don't really care because I'm in my own world. It's there that I can really focus in on what I need to do and relax so I can just skate.

My favorite thing about performing is ... making the audience feel like it is a part of your performance.

After I'm done skating, I want to ... be a skating coach. I would also love to take some time and travel around Europe.

My hobbies are ... reading and taking care of my dog, Kingston. I adopted him in November 2010 from the Michigan Anti-Cruelty Society. He is very attached to me and I love to spend as much time with him as I can to make him happy.

Something most people don't know about me is ... I have a tattoo on my left ribs. It says "Together Forever" in Sanskrit. My sister and I both got them before I moved to California. She is my best friend.

The best moment of my figure skating career thus far was ... winning the short program at the 2010 World Junior Championships. The way in which I skated was expected, but the result was not. I skated with my heart and enjoyed every single moment of that performance. I broke my personal best score by over five points. It was an extremely gratifying accomplishment.

MY FAVORITES

Warm up music: Britney Spears

Jump: Triple Lutz

Thing to do on a day off: Go to Disneyland

Way to relax: Read

Book: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

Olympic sport: Gymnastics

Beverage: Water

Snack: Peanut M&Ms

Food: Anything my mom makes

Program of my career: My "Sleeping Beauty" short program. The program had a great rhythm to it and so much passion. I started out down on one knee and did this cool spin down on that knee around once the music started. I just love the way the program built throughout, from slow and gentle, to quick and passionate. The final footwork sequence into my combo spin was so cool and moved across the ice so well, especially when I was skating a clean program. It was definitely a great program!

Costume of my career: My short program costume from the 2009-10 season that was also my free skate costume from the 2008-09 season. I designed it off of this "Faberge" egg that I bought at the 2008 Gardena Spring Trophy. It was blue and gold with all of these criss-crosses on it. I took it to my costume designers and said that I wanted them to make me a costume that looked like the egg, and that's exactly what they did!

I PREFER

Gloves or No Gloves

E-Reader or Book

Jump or Spin

Theater or Rental

Homecooking or Restaurant

Treadmill or Trail

Short Program or Free Skate

Pre-competition nap: No

PAST SEASON NOTES

2013 Season Notes
SP Music: "La Califfa" by Ennio Morricone
FS Music: Selections from King Arthur and Troy by various artists

Costumes designed by Luanne Williams and Stephanie Miller
2011 Season Notes
SP Music: Jules Massenet's "Suite No. 3" and "Herodiade" performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
FS Music: "Adagio" from Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian

Costumes designed by Luanne Williams and Stephanie Miller ... Goals are to medal at the 2011 U.S. Championships and make the 2011 U.S. World Team
2010 Season Notes
SP Music: Music from Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky
FS Music: Music from Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky

Costumes designed by Luanne Williams and Stephanie Miller
2009 Season Notes
SP Music: "Seville" from Mission Impossible II by Hans Zimmer
FS Music: "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" by Sergei Rachmaninoff

Costumes designed by Luanne Williams and Stephanie Miller
2008 Season Notes
SP Music: "Europa" and "Black Magic Woman" by Santana
FS Music: "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" by Sergei Rachmaninoff
2006 Season Notes
SP Music: Music from Casablanca
FS Music: Music from the Henry V soundtrack by Patrick Doyle
2004 Season Notes
Won the intermediate pewter medal at the U.S. Junior Championships

IJS Personal Bests

U.S. QUALIFYING COMPETITION

U.S. Champs senior men's FS (skaters 1-10) Watch
U.S. Champs senior men's SP Watch
U.S. Champs - Senior Men's FS (Skaters 10-20) Watch
U.S. Champs - Senior Men's SP Watch
2011 U.S. Championships - Senior Men - Free Skate (Skaters 11-22) Watch
Skate Canada - Men - Free Skate Watch