Magdalena Pałasz: Not Giving up on Pursuing Dreams

In the conversation with Gabriela Koziara, she talks about her beginnings in skiing, injuries, and long returns to fitness, the joy of being a ski instructor, television appearances, managing social media, and other aspects of her life.

We are after the first performances of our ski jumpers this season. How would you summarize these two weekends from an expert's point of view?

Certainly, it's much better than last year. I think the results are very promising: two victories for Dawid, followed by Piotrek's podium. This is already much more than we had last year. This year's competitions could be very interesting because, as I said, after four events, the guys are in excellent form, and I think there will be a lot happening.

When it comes to organizational problems related to snow, such as weather forcing the postponement or cancellation of competitions, how do you view it?

In Wisła, athletes were jumping on artificial surfaces. Many voices claim that this diminishes the sport and significantly worsens the spectacle.  I would take into account that this season will be very long. It started earlier and will end later, partly due to the World Cup. Competitions are held in early hours, and as you mentioned, on artificial surfaces. It's good that there is a possibility to organize it as a compromise, but watching ski jumping on snow, with white surroundings, is pure pleasure. There are certain factors beyond our control, and these conditions are insurmountable. We can appreciate the option of using artificial surfaces when there is no snow, but on the other hand, it would be much nicer to cheer for our jumpers jumping on snow from start to finish. Let's not forget, it's a winter sport, and the summer Grand Prix is an addition, so we do miss that snow.

Staying on the subject of ski jumping, I wanted to ask about your opinion on the current state of this discipline in Poland. What are our prospects for the future when the era of Kamil Stoch and Dawid Kubacki comes to an end?

I think the Polish Ski Association should consider that we may someday lack young athletes willing to engage in ski jumping. The fans will always cheer, whether we have a few athletes or just one, but we lack a new generation. There are junior names emerging, but there are no transitional age groups. We have Kamil, Dawid, Piotrek, older athletes, then a gap, and then the juniors. My age group, from which athletes like Andrzej Stękała, Aleksander Zniszczoł, or Jakub Wolny emerged, is missing. There's a gap because then there's only Paweł Wąsek and the younger athletes. They are now around 22 years old, but there aren't many of them. It's three athletes, and perhaps one of them will resign, leaving two, and soon it may turn out that someone doesn't see their future in ski jumping, leaving us with fewer athletes. Juniors are there, but they also need time to reach the highest level and take over from the older athletes. It could be a problem, visible even in younger age groups – there aren't as many athletes as there were before. I hope it's just a pessimistic approach, and it won't be like that. However, I think it's worth considering. Looking at women's ski jumping, there's nobody there. There are a few girls now, mostly from high school classes, who will have to make an important decision: either continue jumping, commit 100%, knowing it will give them a future, or give up and go to regular school, study, and manage their lives somehow. If some of them choose the latter option, we may have a problem.

And what would you point out as the reason for this state of affairs? Because the Polish Ski Association is known primarily for favoring and supporting ski jumping. So is the system stuck, or do we lack those willing to engage in this discipline?

As for favoritism, ski jumping may have been prioritized for a while, but I think rightfully so. Ski jumpers, after all, bring significant benefits to the association and represent our country at a very high level because they are among the world's top athletes. I know there are rumors that everything is for the ski jumpers, but I think if other disciplines had as many good athletes, no one would give up; they would try to push it even further. Why do we lack athletes? I have no idea if it's because everything has become computerized, kids prefer playing on tablets or sitting in front of a computer screen rather than going out and exerting themselves. Unfortunately, one training session is enjoyable, but the next one will require more effort and might not be as likable. Certainly, there's a lack of young children, although I see clubs paying attention to this, conducting recruitment. However, it's not as numerous as it used to be. From my age group, it's just me and Andrzej Stękała left, and out of a class of 30, there were 10 of us from ski jumping and Nordic combined, which is one-third. Everything is gradually thinning out. Another issue is that without competing at the highest level, it's difficult to sustain oneself solely from the sport. Financial problems arise, not all parents can help, so everyone wakes up to reality when they don't achieve spectacular results, but they still have to make a living.

Moving on to you and your jumping, I wonder why you chose ski jumping in your life and what ultimately decided that when it came to making life choices, you stuck with sports?

My adventure with ski jumping started with my younger brother. It's a bit unusual that it wasn't my older brother but my younger one who started jumping first. When I changed primary schools, our parents moved us to a school in the countryside. The club coach and the PE teacher encouraged us to engage in any sport. We participated in cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, biathlon, so it wasn't initially ski jumping. Honestly, it never occurred to me that I would jump on skis. I enjoyed skiing downhill when our parents took us to the slopes on weekends, but I never thought I would end up on a ski jump. But it happened, and I don't regret it, although with the knowledge I have now, I would do some things differently. When I decided to go to a sports school, I knew I wanted to do it, so I definitely knew what I was getting into. There were morning trainings, then school until 6 p.m. In the first year of junior high, I had to commute, and only from the second year did I live in a dormitory. It was very tiring; I came home around 8 p.m., quickly did my homework, and went to bed. In the morning at 7 a.m., I had to leave because there was no good connection for training, so I arrived an hour early to Zakopane and walked to the ski jump. In the third year of junior high, I decided that it was the last year in this school and I had to decide: either I put 100% effort into training and achieve some results, or I go in a different direction. Everyone realizes that ski jumping ends someday. An injury can come or something else, and suddenly you're left in the cold. Sticking with ski jumping is thanks to my parents. It's solely because of them that I can afford to jump, and it's been like that from the beginning. They incredibly supported me and my brothers because all three of us were jumping. Whatever we did, they were always behind us. I remember many times they got up early to take us to training if, for example, the coach couldn't or they traveled with us to some competitions so we could compete, even if nobody else was going. I have to emphasize that it's all thanks to my parents, and I definitely couldn't afford to focus only on ski jumping even now when I'm working. My parents openly said that if any of us decided to train or continue studying, go to college, which would require dedication, they are behind us, and we can count on their support.

When you decided on ski jumping, were you not afraid of being judged differently in a male-dominated environment?

After all, women's ski jumping is still a niche. Going to the first training, I wasn't sure what I was doing :) I just wanted to try. I never felt excluded in any way. As for elementary school, it was mainly boys I trained with. In junior high, I was a bit scared when I went to a sports school. I was the only girl in the group and in the whole school who was signed up for ski jumping and Nordic combined, as they were combined in one group back then. I joined a group where there were really tough guys, so I was a bit shocked. At the beginning, I addressed the coach as "sir," didn't know what was going on, only boys around me, and the age range from the first year of junior high to the third year of high school, so some were already adults. As for girls, there were Asia Gawron (two years older than me) and Asia Szwab - two years younger. There were two girls from my age group, but they quit skiing very quickly; I didn't really get to start competing with them. Those girls were practically nonexistent. It was a niche, and even the boys didn't really know how to approach us. There were many acquaintances, so I and the other girls who were jumping at the time were among their friends, so they knew each other, making it easier for them. I was among my friends, neighbors, my brother, so it was a fairly closed circle. But when I went to junior high, at first it was like, "Magda B., Magda aside, the rule is that we don't talk to her, because she's a girl, she will definitely tell the coach if we do something wrong." I was subjected to tests, to see if I could belong to their team or not. They did something specifically to see if I would back off and say something. I even had initiations at camps. It's known that even today, when a new athlete joins the group, they have to be initiated. But later they got used to me, I also knew they always had my back, although it looked like we were equals, in moments when I needed support, I knew they would stand up for me. We were equal among ourselves, but in moments when I needed support, I knew everyone was behind me.

Did you feel at the beginning that you were dealing with tough competition?

From the very beginning, when I decided to start attending ski jumping training sessions, I was pushed forward. I had to catch up in the shortest time possible with what the other girls had achieved over a longer period. Coaches always wanted me to do what they did, to chase them. At that time, I had to compete with Asia Szwab, who was two years younger than me. There were only a few of us in Poland, you could count us on one hand. It wasn't a problem to compete in tournaments; all you had to do was show up, and you would end up on the podium in the Lotos Cup. There wasn't much competition, but you still had to present yourself. Over time, I realize that what I was doing to qualify for competitions was nothing, and now I would be ashamed if someone took me to them. Maybe I would approach it differently, but at that time, I knew I had to take small steps to make one bigger step, and you can't skip certain things to reach the highest level. It wasn't until later that I felt the lack of experience on small jumps, which other girls had time for. I always had to chase someone, I never had time to work calmly, sit down, think, or rest. But at that time, I wasn't aware of it; I wanted to do it, I saw others doing it, so I wanted to as well. Sometimes I gritted my teeth, I was afraid, but I kept chasing and never gave up. In a way, it's still the same until now. No one will wait for you to catch up with us at your own pace at such and such a level. Everyone wants to be better and doesn't wait for you to consider whether you really want it. You have to chase, and that's how it's been until now.

In 2013, you participated in a mixed competition alongside Kamil Stoch and Maciej Kot. I wonder how monumental that experience must have been for you. Did you feel nervousness, pressure from their side not to make mistakes?

Of course, I was very scared. If such a situation happened now, I would be even more scared. At that time, I enjoyed those jumps, even though they were mediocre. I had support from the beginning. I can't say that I heard any complaints from the guys about a bad jump or that I brought shame, etc. I remember the moment when they came to the locker room and said there was nothing to worry about. We were somewhat thrown into the deep end because not only was it the inauguration of the World Cup, but also our first jumps on that hill in Lillehammer, everything was new. Suddenly, from lower-ranked competitions, you jump to the highest level and jump alongside Kamil Stoch. With the same number, third in order, because first jumped Asia Szwab, then Maciek, then me and Kamil. It was a mixture of great emotions and fear with excitement. I remember it like through a haze because that stress overwhelmed me a lot. I wasn't entirely aware of what was happening then. In a sense, we made history, and no one can take that away from us. Of course, everyone would like it to look much better, but at that moment, we couldn't do anything more. The guys didn't expect anything from us. They knew they were doing their jumps, and we were doing what we could at that moment, and no one demanded anything.

At the point when your career was gaining momentum, you had an accident. What lesson did you learn from that difficult moment for an athlete?

In general, accidents have a big impact on me. The first accident happened during training before the Junior World Championships in Predazzo. I was in shock, but I was so pumped up that I didn't worry about what happened then. Falls you experience as a child or junior certainly don't affect you as much as they do an adult. It's only then that you start to realize what could have happened and what impact it could have had on you. At the time of the accident, I was so overwhelmed that I didn't think about it. They took me to the hospital by ambulance, there was no way for me to contact anyone to pick me up because no one went with me. I lay half-naked in the hallway, no one spoke English there, only the translator I got lent me his phone. I tried to remember where I lived and in which hotel. They found that name, called the reception, and it just so happened that the guys from the team came to that hotel. Someone from the Polish nation informed the coach, and the coach came for me. I remember my eye being taped because I had a hematoma in my eye, I could barely see, I was lying in a neck brace, with scratches. The coach picked me up from the hospital, and when we arrived at the hotel, all the representatives of the individual countries were walking because it was the opening ceremony of the championships. I waved to my friends through the car window, and we went to the hotel. It seemed to me that everything was okay, but I was on such an adrenaline rush that I wasn't aware if something was wrong. I remember laughing hysterically at something and not remembering what, and then sitting there crying. Asia Szwab was with me at that time, and she was experiencing it too because it affected everyone around me. When we went to sleep, I asked Asia to hold my hand, and if I felt bad, I would squeeze it, and she would know something was wrong. I couldn't sleep for a long time; I woke up in the morning and went for a walk with the coach. The guys were training, and I was recovering, wondering whether to tell the coach that I wouldn't be able to compete because the competition was the next day. I went out the door, slid down the wall, the physiotherapist helped me, and I said I couldn't compete. I lay down, everyone came to me, reassuring me that it was my decision, etc. About two hours before the start, I went to the coach and said that I would compete after all. Now, thinking about it, I can't believe what guided me to make that decision. I remember arriving at the ski jump, taking off my collar so that no one would make a fuss that we decided to compete in such a state. I went and jumped. Maybe that accident didn't have such a big impact on me; a few days later, we went to Hinzenbach, and there I scored my first World Cup points. Honestly, the whole journey from Predazzo to Hinzenbach was probably my worst trip ever. I was in so much pain that I couldn't sit there. I kept asking to move the chair, fix something, etc. That accident didn't break me mentally, but every subsequent one, about which few people heard, did. Only the last accident two years ago was widely publicized, perhaps also because my reach on social media increased, and I became more popular. What happened then really shook me. Throughout my life, I never really thought that getting out of bed would be a challenge for me, that I would have to ask someone for help. In the meantime, I also underwent knee surgery, and I also thought that I would grab my crutches, get up, and walk. But it didn't happen that way, and that accident made me realize how everything can change literally in a second. When you're physically active, you don't realize how lucky you are to be able to do everything yourself. If I didn't train, if I broke my leg or something, I would feel like I hadn't done anything physically, but here you wake up every morning for training, then do something, go for a walk, while lying in bed, I called my dad in the next room to lift me up. It brought me down to earth a lot. That accident really affected my psyche, especially concerning ski jumping. I'm unable to pass certain issues anymore; it seems to me that my awareness of what could have happened is huge, and I would probably prefer not to know certain things. Only when I watched the report on "Dzień Dobry TVN," did I learn that the ski that came off and slid down the slope missed my head by an inch or two. When I heard about it over a year after the accident, I was shocked because nobody wanted to tell me anything; it was as if it never happened. I had an accident. I was absent for some time, and when I came back, I was already training. Nobody ever brought up the topic. When I heard about it in the interview with coach Jakub Kota, it felt like it happened yesterday. I couldn't comprehend that something really serious could have happened to me. I received the same information from the doctor at the hospital. With that awareness, you go and sit on the beam. You know that it can happen again every time, so the psyche plays a big role here. I'm not afraid to jump, but I'm afraid to make a move that could greatly affect my jumps. At this point, I'm in training, following the training plan as usual, but it's not how I would like it to be. I have a mental block; it's hard for me to say that I'm afraid. I'm not scared, but when the wind comes, I know that something in my head triggers the thought that something might happen, that maybe I'm not stable enough in the air to handle these conditions. It's about the fear of one element. It's literally about the takeoff, to direct your body more forward. It feels like diving headfirst. You never know if it will succeed or not. It's something I miss in these jumps. Whether it's a matter of getting over it or if I'll never do it again, I have no idea. It's an element that may or may not work. It's hard for me.

Did you seek help from a psychologist right after the accident? Did you work through the situation with someone or with yourself?

Previous falls and the whole situation that happened in women's ski jumping, because it wasn't always just a sporting issue, mentally brought me to the bottom. We still hear about conflicts, communication problems within the group. As they say, that's how it is with women. Here it's not always entirely the women's fault. At one point, I had no life outside of ski jumping because I would return home from training, rest, and my parents would tell me to meet up with friends, to relax. There was a time when I was very pleased with the cooperation with the psychologist, but unfortunately, our paths diverged; she got pregnant, so we only had online conversations, and it's just not the same as talking in person. I later realized that she prepared me so well that I could handle everything on my own, but it turned out that it didn't work that way. That's when I started working with another psychologist who also helped me a lot, and again, I believed that I could take care of myself because I know myself. Before the last accident, I went to see a specialist, a psychiatrist. It was hard for me; I had to attend several visits. Some issues couldn't be overcome without medication, so I was in a major slump. My parents turned out to be the biggest support again. Without them, I wouldn't have made it. Every time a problem arose, they were by my side. Whether it was an argument with the girls at training or bad jumps, they knew everything. When I came home, I had to talk to someone, and it's hard to confide in a friend who has no idea what sports, training, etc., look like. Some things cannot be understood without being in it. I had to talk to someone, and it was always my parents. After the last accident, I realized that I was aware of what had happened. There were moments when, at the very beginning, I had nowhere to vent when I couldn't return to the ski jump. I couldn't work my upper body, grip something with my hand, or anything. I had tremors; my cervical spine hurt, and I couldn't sleep for weeks because I could only sleep sitting up, leaning my head against something. It was very mentally exhausting, but I'm aware of what happened. I'm sure working with a psychologist would help a lot, but I don't know if I want to go back to all of that. Starting a new collaboration with someone means going back to every aspect from the beginning. Nobody wants to hear about the last week; everyone wants to hear about what happened a year ago, two years ago, and I don't want to go back to that. I wouldn't want to bring back bad memories from skiing. At this point, I don't have a problem with the coaches. I'm not interested in the problems between the girls in the team. I just go to training, laugh with the girls who are in Kuba Kota's group. They are young athletes, so there's still some fun. Kuba is a very ambitious coach, and there's probably less fun than I had at their age, so the training is at a high level, but there's still laughter and childish joy. I really like that, and I definitely wouldn't want to get involved in the problems that occurred when I was a competitor.

How important are training sessions for you at this moment? For many athletes struggling with depression, they often turn out to be the best method of recovery.

I think ski jumping will be with me for the rest of my life. I wondered if it made any sense, if taking someone's time was okay because I don't know how everything will turn out. Previously, I escaped to work. I went to work in a nearby bar, but at some point, I got so involved that I forgot about life around ski jumping. It was supposed to be my escape; I was supposed to go there when I needed contact with people. At first, that's how it looked; I was happy because no one asked me, "how was training, how was jumping, did you improve anything?" Nobody cared about that. When I came back from competitions, they were happy, they wanted to see the medal. From that perspective, I had great support, but when I told them that I jumped badly and didn't want to talk about it, nobody touched that subject. Certainly, at the beginning, when I returned to training, it was a way for me to vent. I needed physical exhaustion so that I wouldn't feel like thinking, just falling asleep. It quickly brought me down to earth how quickly you can drop from a certain level. As easy as it is to fall, it's very hard to come back. After the first training session, I even posted on Instagram that I was back and it's harder than ever before. They were sprints, skips, a few rebounds, and I felt like I was running a marathon. I didn't completely give up physical activity because, while being blocked in the temblak and collar, I went to a nearby gym with a friend. He set up a bike with a backrest for me to pedal on. They told me, "Not yet, wait a little longer." I tried to maintain my form, but it quickly slipped away from me. These workouts were my anchor, they gave me strength, made me want to get back to it very quickly. Besides, even during the fall, when I saw that my ski had come off, I had this slow-motion feeling. I thought to myself, "Oh no, and I already told myself that if I fell again, I wouldn't come back." And a moment later, "No, I have to, because new jumps are opening in the summer in Zakopane." I debated with myself in the air, and I knew I would return to the ski jump, but I thought it would be easier for me. Now these workouts are important to me because, although sometimes I complain that I have to go to training, I think everyone feels that way sometimes. I subordinate everything to training. I am a skiing instructor, and it's not like instructing has overshadowed ski jumping because in the morning I have training, finish it at 11, go to the slope, and then I ski until 8, but in the morning, I have training again. Everything still revolves around ski jumping. Even being in the studio at TVN or Eurosport, everything is still additional. Someone might say, "Oh my God, she's still jumping, why does she need that?" But nobody gives me that right, nobody can forbid me from jumping because I don't get anything from anyone except the time of my coaches and the support of my parents. It's my business, just as I don't forbid anyone to run, I would like people not to take away from me what I do. Being in the team, I had to constantly prove something to someone. Now I don't have to prove anything; I do it for myself, and I'm aware that someone might say, why am I doing this. I do it for myself because I just want to. I think that's the most important thing in all of this. If I say enough and don't want to do it anymore, nobody can forbid me because at this point, I don't have to.

Are you facing negative comments on social media?

Yes. I can't please everyone. Although honestly, I expected a bigger wave of hate. As for my TV appearances, many people support me, congratulate me. I look at it from a slightly different perspective than the hosts or Kuba Kot, who is a coach, because I'm still involved in ski jumping as an athlete. Everyone expresses their opinion, but as I said, there have been waves of hate and comments like, "What has she achieved to judge Kamil or any of the guys?" Let's consider that I'm not judging them. I'm just expressing my opinion on a given topic, and everyone has the right to it. Just like all the haters who have a problem with me. They just sit at home in front of the computer and write comments like, "Pałasz is this and that." I express my opinion publicly and I don't offend anyone. Even if these jumps don't go as we would like, I know that I will never say anything bad about the guys. The opinion that we expected more or that we thought the guys would jump better is not criticism towards them. It's just a statement of fact. I love those "internet Januszes" who have a problem with the fact that I haven't achieved anything, or who am I to speak up. However, I must have done something in my life to be sitting there and not them. I warmly greet them, especially the gentleman who picks on the color of clothes I wear and always has the most to say, so I reply: I'm looking for a stylist! :)

I think what you're talking about may stem from the fact that people don't know your story, and instead of learning more about you, they give themselves permission to criticize and judge.

Yes, I don't even expect people to know me, but if someone is even slightly interested in ski jumping, they really didn't have to become a world champion for a fan to associate me with participating in the mixed team alongside Kamil Stoch. If someone is a ski jumping enthusiast, they will somehow associate me by name or Google it. Now access to information is so wide that you can even find out a shoe size. It's not a problem to find out who's in the studio. If someone has a problem with that, I don't have any influence on it anymore. God forbid, I don't block anyone in the comments; someone is positive and praises my work, someone, on the contrary, just like I can judge someone, but I think it's not worth approaching certain issues negatively. Sometimes it's worth listening, reading, learning, and then expressing your opinion.

And what about television? Did you immediately know you wanted to go to the studio and be an expert, or did someone convince you?

I received a call from Paweł Kuwik from Eurosport asking if I would like to come. It was last year in October or November, and at that time, I declined. I claimed that I wasn't suitable for it, and at that time, I was also leaving with my sister to visit a friend in Spain. It just so happened that I had a trip planned and couldn't make it. For the first studio session of the season, they invited Kamila Karpiel instead. When I came back, I received another call, and Paweł said it was just a one-time thing. I agreed, went, and I've been there ever since :) When I finished last season in Planica, the publishers and producers were pleased with my work and how my presence influenced the studio, so I got the unofficial information that they would like to continue the collaboration. Throughout the summer, I juggled various jobs and waited for the start of the winter season because I knew they would want to reach out to me at some point. They did, we agreed on the terms, and now we have a few trips planned because a few broadcasts will be aired from the ski jumps, thus adding more variety to the season. I'm happy with this collaboration because it's not just about advertising but also presenting myself, and it will definitely have a positive impact on my future, whether I want to become a coach, collaborate with a club, or start something of my own. 

Moving on to the topic of building my own image, have you noticed a significant increase in followers after appearances in the studio? Has this changed your approach to maintaining your content?

Certainly, there has been an increase in followers, and a few new ones appear after each appearance. Of course, there are also those who leave because not everyone wants to only hear about ski jumping or scroll through my posts where we sit in the studio. However, media activity has definitely influenced my recognition. As for the posts and content I add, I still do the same as before. I even received a few messages asking to add more photos, stories. People seem to be curious about how it looks from the other side, especially since they can see it from both the athlete's perspective, where I add videos from training sessions and save them in stories, and from the TV side: how we sit in the studio or what it looks like backstage. This leads to collaborations. I even recently posted that I have entered into a partnership related to clothing. It's a big plus for me because, regardless of who knows me, they know that I don't usually appear in heels and a dress every day. I prefer sweaters, hoodies, and sneakers. My wardrobe is quite extensive, but I don't have that many elegant clothes, so it's great that someone decided to offer me a collaboration. In the meantime, I've also had smaller projects with a cosmetics company and other companies. I don't pay attention to the timing of posts; I usually do it in the afternoon when everyone is calm, but only because it's more convenient for me. Once I talked to friends who are strictly involved in marketing and advertising. They told me that if you have something interesting, whether you add it on Monday or Friday, at 8 am or 8 pm, it doesn't matter. If people follow you and are curious about what you do, they will look anyway. The key is consistency. I'm average with that because sometimes I don't add anything for a long time, only some individual stories. I know it's important, but I don't focus that much on social media because I mainly use Instagram, I have a private Facebook, and I use Twitter mainly when I'm in the studio. Media isn't really my thing.

You mentioned collaborations, so I'll ask, do they appear frequently, or do you somehow select them?

Not all companies expect me to advertise their products or tag them on social media. Some companies simply send me gifts, which I consider presents. There's a company called Noszecochce, with which I've never had any contract, but since our first contact back in 2014, I've always received gifts from them. We're like a little family. When holidays come around, I get mugs, sweaters, hats. They've done a lot for me, and I have tremendous support from them. I received masks with the letter "M" on them when COVID hit, and I was all covered in "M's", and they teased me if I had anything without that letter :) There are also collaborations where someone specifically asks for a photo or a story, like if I played a game. I don't reject anyone; I don't have so many offers that I could juggle between them and choose. There is some interest, but it's nothing specific.

Maybe more of them will appear soon, and you'll be flooded with collaborations, and you'll have to choose :)

It would be nice because it's always a benefit for me. Although I think it's a mutual benefit because there are some reaches, and sometimes I see that I don't have that many followers, but the posts actually reach a much wider audience than just my account. I would like someone to show interest, but I think it would have to come from me. I would have to write to someone and suggest they might be interested because, as my sister says, no one will chase after me if I don't express interest. Sometimes it's also worth taking the initiative, and I have to admit she's right.

Do you receive messages from fans on social media? Do you notice increased interaction when you appear on TV?

Directly after the broadcast, my parents always tell me how I looked. I can't have my hair like that, or that makeup. My grandfather is also the first to comment. Just today, when I was talking to him on the phone, he said, "Your hair looks great." They are the first people to have something to say, and in a way, they are the most important because I can't please everyone. Indeed, many people write, many friends who congratulate me, even though they didn't know I would be there. Sometimes they say to me, "I'm sitting, watching TV, suddenly I see you!" And I say, "Well, look, I was there all last year." Not everyone knows yet, but there are many people I don't know who write to me. There's always a comment about my outfit. Now, I'll definitely add more photos and stories because of collaborations. Sometimes girls asked me about the blazer, pants, etc. Knock on wood, I haven't encountered criticism regarding my appearance. The only thing that happened once was when one man criticized that I always wear black. But I like black, so what can I do? I feel comfortable in this color, and that's probably the most important thing. No one else had a problem with it, so it just stuck in my memory. Maybe if it was written by a woman, I would think, "Yeah," but I also accept feedback from a man. Recently, I appeared in pink, so I hope I pleased that gentleman :)

Do comments about your level of expertise, language use, only relate to your appearance?

I remember once some gentlemen criticized me for swearing on air because I said "darn." It sparked a wave of comments telling me to think about what I say because every other word is "darn." So, I went back to that recording, and I didn't think my statement would evoke such emotions. When there are positive comments, they sometimes relate to my appearance, which is flattering, but also makes me think, "Oh." Sometimes I go to their profile, see their wife, child. They are the best experts on appearance. I always wonder if they would be willing to make such comments about their significant others. Some comments are really unnecessary and out of place because they are just rude. It doesn't make me sad as much as it annoys me. They're poorly worded comments about my language, knowledge, etc. I realize it's not the highest level, but I just speak as I do every day. Sometimes I do lack words, especially since there are competent people in the studio, both Sebastian and Damian know their stuff. Their diction and pronunciation are top-notch, but I think people understand me and have no trouble understanding what I'm saying. So, I haven't encountered any major criticism. There are occasional comments, but it's not something I worry about. Although I'm more concerned about one bad comment than ten positive ones.

What are your plans for the future? Apart from ski jumping itself, perhaps the role of a TV expert suits you well, since you seem to excel in it.

My dream has always been to become a coach. Initially, I wanted to be a physical education teacher, but when I saw the salaries of teachers, I changed my mind :) I'm joking, of course, but the financial aspect is definitely important. A few years ago, I mentioned that I would like to have my own group of girls. I think I'm able to make it happen, although after seeing and experiencing the collaboration with girls who are going through adolescence, it's an incredible challenge. Perhaps I didn't see some behaviors in myself when looking from the outside, but now I notice them. I think it's worth considering because a girl who is growing up finds it easier to talk to a woman about some issues that have a significant impact on training. I would definitely like to think about it. I don't know if I will want to start my own group because it involves a significant financial investment that I don't have. Maybe I will join a club and support kids there. I don't hide the fact that I love working with children, and even when I'm on the slope, I'm just waiting for some kids, preferably the youngest ones. Sometimes other instructors laugh at me, asking if I realize there's a bigger ski lift nearby because I often spend the whole week on the "magic carpet" with kids and don't get off it. In the future, I definitely want to stay involved in sports in some way. Whether as an instructor, coach, sports will definitely have a place in my life. It may end up that I will work elsewhere, and it will be my additional job. I don't know where I'll be in a few years, what I'll be doing. It's hard for me to determine that. As for the studio and TV work, absolutely, if the other side is interested. As I said before, it's my showcase, and it doesn't negatively impact my image in any way; on the contrary, I benefit from it. That's why I would like to continue this collaboration.

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