The Drive of a Young Champion: A Special Episode of Average Sucks

About this episode

In this episode, Michael Bernoff interviews his daughter Maya about her passion for figure skating and the drive that fuels her competitive success.

Have you ever watched a young athlete perform at a high level and thought, Where does that kind of drive come from? In this electrifying episode of Average Sucks, we uncover the answer. Some kids discover a passion so strong that it fuels them to excel—transforming their love for an activity into a relentless competitive fire. And in the pursuit of excellence, they develop an extraordinary set of life skills that set them apart. Our guest? My daughter, Maya Bernoff. From the moment she stepped onto the ice as a little girl, she felt something powerful—like she had found her place. Skating isn’t just a sport to her; it’s where she feels most alive. And that passion? It’s what keeps her pushing, competing, and winning. Her results speak for themselves. Maya competes in over 50 events annually, traveling across the U.S., and more often than not, she leaves with a medal around her neck. At just 12 years old, she’s already earned five national gold medals at the 2023 and 2024 National Showcase competitions hosted by U.S. Figure Skating. In this episode, we dive into the mindset, habits, and strategies that fuel her success, including: Belief in Yourself: Maya’s philosophy? Love…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Bernoff

Guest: Maya Bernoff

Topics covered

• youth sports
• figure skating
• personal development
• competitive mindset
• entrepreneurship

Keywords

• youth athlete
• figure skating
• national gold medals
• competitive drive
• entrepreneurial spirit

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S. Figure Skating

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