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The very pleasant and admirable, Parra, who is of Mexican descent, spoke to us about things ranging from growing up in a poor neighborhood in California to the biggest joys of his life -- winning a gold medal in the Olympics and becoming a father. This interview was conducted by Mercedes Marrero, Latinosportslegends.com. MM: It seems you were enjoying yourself on the skating floor, tell me a little about yourself and how you started skating. Parra: I started speed skating when I was growing up a kid in California. I didn't have much money and every evening there would be a two lap race for a Coke ticket. I didn't have any money to buy any food or drink, so I started racing to try to get a Coke ticket, that's how I got involve in speedskating. As far as today being on the floor, the surface here, I love talking to people and teaching them about skating, the techniques, and share my passion with them. MM: I've never rollerbladed and you make it seem easy, what techniques were you showing them at the clinic in Central Park (NYC)? Parra: Just basic ones, I had beginner and intermediate skaters, so just basic ones on how to get better feeling for skating and better control for skates, so that they can excel in each level, because many skaters just try to get on the skates and just go. MM: What other sports did you play during your childhood? Parra: I played baseball, football, wrestled -- just none of those sports attracted me like skating did. I don't know what it was -- going fast or what. As a skater, it was easy traveling and seeing different parts of my city or different parts of the state. There were a good group of people I'd like to be around with, that's what got me into it and kept me going. MM: I understand you are getting a Hispanic Heritage Award? Parra: Yes! Next month (September). MM: How do you feel about it? Parra: It's an incredible honor. I didn't realize I had such an incredible impact with the Hispanic community and I'm learning that as I go along back home to California and see the kind of impact it has on young Latinos everywhere. It's a great honor and I hope that people can kind of learn, I should say learn from my example but kids see what I've done and know anything is possible no matter who you are or where you come from. MM: Was winning the gold medal in the Olympics your biggest accomplishment? Parra: As an athlete yes, I think having my daughter, finding Jesus and getting married are my biggest personal accomplishment. My daughter and then skating as far as what happened in my life, in that order probably, cause I think you have to have prospective in life and have priorities. Definitely having my daughter born was a new birth for me in my life. It changed who I was and now I'm a father. MM: What other things would you like to achieve -- what are your goals? Parra: Having a positive impact on society right now. For me to get where I'm today, I got a lot of help from many people and my goal now is to try to give back, so that other people know that you can't do it alone. You have to have help and to be able to look around and surround yourself with people who will believe in you and that will help you, otherwise, I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for just hundreds of people. MM: What's next for Derek Parra? Parra: Continue to skate right now and prepare for next Olympics if we could go that long. But the most important thing is to have a good family life, and if my wife and I can't juggle the family life and skating, then I'll stop skating, go back to Florida and live there with just my family. Thanks to Patrick Quinn and Derek Parra for this interview.
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August
2002 --
Olympic Gold Medallist and world-record holder in speed skating, Derek Parra
took some time out while participating in a roller skating clinic in
NYC to sit down and speak with Latino Legends in Sports.|
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