KEARNS — When Tucker Fredricks lines up on the ice in Vancouver, he will be trying to reach just one goal.
"My real goal is to make my dad cry," he said. "Hopefully, I will skate good enough to make my dad proud and he sheds a tear and then I get to make fun of him."
Fredricks laughs at the possibility. But on a serious note, he says he really does want to make his parents — and himself — proud in his second Olympic Games appearance, where he will compete in just one event — the 500-meter long-track race.
"I'll be prepared this time," he said. "I just wasn't prepared (in 2006). I would show up for workouts and just go through the motions."
It wasn't until he finished 25th in the 500-meter long-track speed skating event that he realized what he was doing. Or more importantly, he realized what he wasn't doing.
"I was just relying on talent," he said. "I never really put the work in to be the best. I was kind of embarrassed in 2006 Olympics. I got beat by people I never raced against before. I didn't even know they were speedskaters. Something just clicked in my head. If I'm going to do this, I might as well give it 100 percent."
Since then, training has become Fredricks' passion.
He even signed on with 24 Hour Fitness to come up with a workout that now bears his name. Fredricks' workout is a stretching routine.
"I used to just go start my workout, but it really is important to stretch," he said. "My muscles are prone to tweaking, and stretching workout, a really quick warm-up, really makes a difference."
He has been religious about his training and it has paid off as he was third overall in the 2009 World Cup standings. He won a gold and a silver in World Cup competition, and he is the current American record holder in the 500 sprint.
Fredricks' attempt to earn a gold medal will last less than a minute, as he is only competing in the 500-meter event.
"I decided to put all my eggs in one basket," he said. "I've always tried other distances, but this just seems to be the best for me."
Fredricks grew up in Wisconsin and began skating at age 2.
"I started playing hockey," he said. "When I was 8 or 9 years old, my dad's friend was in the Madison Speed Skating Club and he invited us over."
It was not love at first sight — or first skate.
"I didn't really see the point to speedskating," said Fredricks, who was encouraged to take up the sport because he was so fast in hockey. "Hockey was so fun. I was always quick for a hockey player, but I wasn't awesome at speedskating right away. I went along with it because I figured it would make me better, faster at hockey."
He switched to long track and found it a better fit, although he does the shortest distance in that discipline.
"It's a really demanding sport," he said. "For me it was fun because it was so demanding and I was good at it."
It was during a speedskating session with his father that he realized he could go to the Olympics. So after he graduated from high school, he moved to Salt Lake City to train with the other members of the U.S. team in Kearns.
"They were all about five years older than me," he said. "I didn't realize how much hard work and dedication it took to be successful. The whole team kind of took me in and looked after me. I'm very grateful for that."
He hasn't had serious setbacks in his career, just the realization of how much sweat would go into any kind of success in speedskating.
"I can't think of a time I've been crushed," he said. "I've really been lucky."
FACES OF THE GAMES
Tucker Fredricks
Birthdate: April 16, 1984
Hometown: Janesville, Wis.
Other sports: Started skating when he took up hockey at age 2.
Favorites: Loves rap music and movies like "Stepbrothers," "Old School" and "Dumb and Dumber." He loves video games and poker
Interesting tidbit: He is engaged to former Japanese skater Eriko Seo. He spends his summers visiting her and while they've not set a wedding date, they plan to get married after the Vancouver Games.
e-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com