Figure skating: Matt figures he is ready for big test

Jan 17 2010 by Stuart Rayner, Sunday Sun

At 19-years-old, Matt Parr has already had his share of setbacks. Now the man from North Shields tells STUART RAYNER wants to prove he has learnt from them

They got him into the sport at a young age, paid to keep him there and even encouraged him to move away and work full-time with coaches Debi and Simon Briggs.

He recalls: “My sister used to skate and one day – when I was seven – I went along.

“I can’t really remember my first session, or anything like that. The first competition I really remember watching was the 2002 Olympics.

“I was 11 when I was first in a Great Britain squad.

“I guess when I was that age I didn’t realise the expectations on me. I’ve kind of got used to it now.

“I don’t get any funding, it’s quite a poorly-funded sport in this country. It’s all down to my parents, really. I’m full-time and it wouldn’t be possible without them.”

His dedication even saw him leave North Shields for Dundee.

“My parents are still based at home,” he says. “They just felt I needed a change, so I gave it a go.

“I was about 16. It just seemed the right thing to do.

“I knew quite a few of the skaters there, so it wasn’t that difficult.”

Figure skating’s image is improving thanks to the success of TV’s Dancing on Ice. Parr appreciates what it has done for the sport, but skating with a partner is not for him.

“The learning to skate programmes always build up when things like Dancing on Ice are on,” he says. “I don’t know how many people carry on afterwards, though.

“I don’t think I would work very well with someone else. I get annoyed with myself quite easily, so it could be even worse for someone else.”

Anyone interested in sponsoring Parr can email him at matt.parr@yahoo.co.uk