I knew without doubt that I would try and continue my education as I was skating. Tessa Virtue More Quotes by Tessa Virtue More Quotes From Tessa Virtue We wanted to make a bit of a different statement, and if that was bringing a certain edge or sexuality or darkness or a contemporary feeling to it, mission accomplished I guess. Tessa Virtue sports I was so lucky. I grew up with an incredibly strong grandmother, mother and sister. All three, independent, fierce, clever women who were hard workers, had goals and visions for themselves, and were really ambitious. And, they didn't apologize for those goals. Tessa Virtue goals sister women mother My mom has always shopped for me. I'm so lucky that I have an in-house stylist. Tessa Virtue me always lucky mom I definitely dress based on my mood. Tessa Virtue based definitely dress mood Obviously, I've reaped the benefits of sport and activity. But not many girls, as it turns out, even have the resources available to them to be physically active or to maintain that as they go through high school. Tessa Virtue high go high-school school It's nice to socialize with some normal students, and kind of separate from my skating life with academics. Tessa Virtue some nice students life School for me has always been a really great balance with the skating. Tessa Virtue great me balance school In my family, education was always important. Tessa Virtue always family important education There's something about an Olympic Games and representing Canada and being part of that greater team, so when we're 70, we'll be wanting to be Olympians still. That stays with you, I think. Tessa Virtue think you canada team The challenge is to balance the technical elements and what is required of us with being artists and telling a story. Tessa Virtue challenge story being balance We're so excited to skate in a Canadian market. Tessa Virtue skate canadian market excited The honour of carrying the Canadian flag... brings with it a sense of duty, privilege, and above all, great pride. Tessa Virtue flag great duty pride I can get very quiet and internalize things. Tessa Virtue get things i-can quiet Truthfully, what we do in training is 10 times harder than what we ever have to do in a competition. Tessa Virtue ever than training competition Sometimes you forget how good it feels to just move, to express, to make different shapes, and let your body be free. Tessa Virtue good you forget sometimes When I'm not on the ice, I do interval work on the bike or the elliptical, trying to mimic a four-minute routine. But it doesn't come close. Tessa Virtue bike routine work trying My cottage is on Lake Huron and it's always nice to have the chance to get away and hear the waves crashing while reading a good book. Tessa Virtue good chance reading book I'm quite fair and I need to protect myself with a good ball cap. Any time I can rep the Jays or the Leafs is great. Tessa Virtue great good myself time You put yourself in the public eye. You're kind of an open target. Tessa Virtue yourself you target eye Experience is a really wonderful thing, and in a way we've been fortunate to have had so many ups and downs in our career, and a lot of struggles and a lot of sacrifices. But again, that's just an athlete's story. Tessa Virtue story ups-and-downs experience way