Already a figure skating veteran at just age 19, Fil-Am sensation Sofia Frank tempers expectations and prioritizes mental health as she takes on Asia’s best in her Asian Winter Games debut in Harbin, China

MANILA, Philippines – For years, Fil-Am figure skater Sofia Frank has been a fixture of Philippine winter sports competitions, winning multiple competitions as far back as her early teenage years.

Now 19 years old, the daughter of Bb. Pilipinas-Maja 1990 Precious Tongko-Frank continues to be at the top of her game as she now eyes another career milestone: to debut at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China starting this Friday, February 7.

One of the 19-strong Philippine delegation aspiring for historic medals at the continental meet, Frank made it a point to take the gravity and magnitude of her upcoming responsibilities in the rearview mirror and just focus on what she can do now to help herself.

“I’ve been focusing on my mental health, and I think it’s really starting to help me out with training on and off the ice. So, I’m really excited to go to Harbin and showcase what I can do,” she told Rappler in an exclusive interview.

“I think figure skating especially is a very mentally challenging sport. A lot of people really like to say that it’s 80% mental and 20% physical just because it’s a very rigorous sport. Having the pressure of always wanting to be perfect and feel like you’re good enough is tough.”

Already exposed to the world of skating, and eventually figure skating, since the tender age of three, Frank has made it a point to tweak her approach to the sport she has known all her life, in order to adapt to new obstacles and opportunities, like her first foray into senior-level competition at the Asian level.

“When I’ve been doing this sport for as long as I have, you have to be mentally strong in order to keep going and be successful. I’ve really just taken a lot of time for myself, and I’ve gotten into coloring more. That’s really been helping me calm my anxiety down,” she continued.

“Reading a book, just talking to my siblings and my parents about how I’ve been feeling, talking to a therapist as well, and just really being able to talk to somebody about how you’re feeling and how you’re doing has really helped my mental state a lot.”

Tongko family dominance on display

Apart from representing the Philippines on the Asian level, Frank was also slated to honor the family name on a bigger platform as she was set to join her uncle, snowboarder Adrian Tongko, in what would have been a 20-person delegation for the country.

Unfortunately for the Tongkos, Adrian suffered an untimely knee injury while training in Japan and was forced to pull out of the Asian Winter Games mere days before the competition proper.

Nonetheless, Sofia is elated that the Tongko family is in a rare position in the winter sports world, with multiple family members competing near the highest competition levels possible.

“I think it’s insanely cool. I think in another recent interview, I had said that I’ve never met him, and I’m really excited,” Frank continued.

“I’ve seen his videos on Instagram, and they’re sick. I would love to be able to snowboard like that, so I’m really excited.”

Tempering expectations, focusing on improvement

Though the family reunion-slash-first meeting would have to be put on hold, Frank is nonetheless laser-focused on the task at hand: giving further glory to her family and country, while still tempering expectations for the sake of what’s ultimately more important long-term, her mental stability.

“I don’t really have any expectations. I’m just thinking more about doing it for myself and just having a good time and trusting myself. I think if I expect too much of myself, that’s where I really start to lose confidence because I just put too much pressure on myself,” Frank said.

“I don’t think I’m going to hold a very, very high expectation for myself,” continued the reigning Southeast Asian Open Trophy champion and multiple-time Philippine record holder. “I think what I really just need to focus on is trusting my training and competing against myself and making myself happy.”

Frank is slated to compete in the short program and free skating events running from February 11 to 13 at the back end of the weeklong Asian Winter Games. – Rappler.com