No lady has defended her U.S. title since Michelle Kwan last did it … in 2005. There were a few who could have. But, pressure, injuries, and rising young stars have kept the roller coaster going strong.
Once again, though, the current ladies champion is in prime position to be the first back-to-back champion in seven years. But, we’ll get to Ms. Wagner in a moment.
The rest of the field provides some seriously interesting possibilities.
With Alissa Czisny forced to withdraw after dislocating her hip in her late-season debut, Mirai Nagasu becomes one of the most notable “veterans” in the field. And yet, her own personal roller coaster has been no secret. After parting ways with Frank Carroll after last season’s disappointing end, she has taken on more responsibility in her skating, it seems. And, she’s happy again.
But, happy and mature are only part of the equation — she still has to prove she can put down back-to-back clean (read: no underrotations!) programs that are filled with elite-level transitions and in-betweens. Her average scores on spins this season top the field of U.S. ladies, and her program component scores keep her in the hunt.
Technically, Christina Gao can put up a good fight. We saw it at Skate America, where she took home silver behind Ashley Wagner. As Gao’s season progressed, she struggled more and more. But, she is averaging the highest free skate base value of the American girls … even if only by less than a point over Wagner.
For Gao, her program components go as the technical elements do — when she’s on, she’s glorious. But when she’s not, things fall apart across the board.
Then there’s the battle between the girl still trying to claim her elite spot and the girl with the potential to snatch it all away.
That would be Agnes Zawadzki — last year’s bronze medalist — and newcomer Gracie Gold, the future of American ladies skating.
Zawadzki is another skater with all the talent in the world. She has jumps that are larger than life, but all too often she misses in just enough ways to take herself out of the running. Meanwhile, Gold has no doubts about where she sees herself in the national mix. Despite missing the Grand Prix podium in her first senior season, she believes, according to her comments to reporters last week, that she’ll “fit right in” with the country’s best senior ladies.
It may not be quite that easy, though. She’s struggled mightily in her long programs this season, changing the content as she goes sometimes in order to make up for a miss earlier in the skate. The one thing that hasn’t changed? Her triple lutz-triple toe combination. She’s raking in more than 11 points on average for that element alone in the free skate.
But, then there’s Wagner.
Gold at Skate America. Gold at Trophee Eric Bompard. Silver — despite a nasty fall in the free skate — at the Grand Prix Final.
In a world of inconsistencies, she’s been as consistent as anyone. In fact, her short program scores actually went up by roughly three points each event. Her free skate totals have been within a few points of each other (except for the Final …).
Despite the fact that she’s only doing a triple-double combination in the short, she still has the highest average score on that element in the short, compared to the other top U.S. ladies who are doing triple-triple combinations. Her grade of execution scores, coupled with much improved program components, make everything she does, even if it’s not as technically difficult, extremely valuable.
The reality is, this title is hers for the taking.
Now, she has to go out and do her job. That hasn’t changed. But if she does, one of the World Team spots is as good as hers. A more interesting story, perhaps, is the other spot.
Is this the year Mirai makes her comeback? Does Agnes avoid the little bobbles? Can Christina regain her early-season form? Or will Gracie prove she belongs on the world stage?
Be sure to follow me on twitter (@FromTheBoards) for updates from Omaha. And, if you’re an instagramer, give me a follow at tarabethw for photos from the week.
She had only skated one clean program since the 1998 Olympics. After placing second in qualifying, and third after the short, she was in the “worst case scenario,”meaning she needed the leader — Maria Butyrskya — to finish 3rd or lower, and she needed to win the Free Skate.
Plus, she was skating first.
Then, the haunting vibrations of The Red Violin swept through the Palais des Exposition and Michelle Kwan crafted, perhaps, the most magical moment of the 2000 World Championships.
Every move was assured, from the opening triple loop, to the stunning triple toe-triple toe combination. Her spins were improved, her footwork was quick and sharp, and her presentation was, well, Kwan-esque.
There was nothing she needed to do in that program that she left undone. No extra turnout on a jump, no slippery edge in a transitional step. Not even a finger misplaced. She skated both the most technically difficult program of the night, and the most emotionally complex program of the night to win her third World title.
Michelle Kwan became the first American woman to reach that mark since Peggy Flemming. Michelle had officially reached legend status.
And, as usual, coach Frank Carroll said it best when he said of Kwan’s forward progress: “That’s the way of sport. You have to continue to make progress, or you’ll get left in the dust.”
Now, some 12 years later, a pair of American girls hope to follow in the path the Flemmings and Kwans of the world made. But, it won’t be easy.
The number of ladies who could win this title is a little ridiculous. Between Carolina Kostner, Mao Asada, Ashley Wagner, Akiko Suzuki, Alissa Czisny, and Alena Leonova, things could get a little crazy. But then you throw in Kanako Murakami, Valentina Marchei, Elene Gedevanishvilli, or Viktoria Helgesson, and it gets even more dicey.
Carolina Kostner is, perhaps, the closest thing to a “favorite.” She presents an interesting situation, though. She doesn’t have a triple lutz, and has only recently added a triple flip back into her programs. Some find that terribly unjust, when there are other girls (including Ashley Wagner) using all of the different triple jumps. But, what Carolina has is win-induced confidence. She’s had a stellar season, and she knows it. That could play very nicely into her hands, as she’s the only lady to take the top of the podium consistently all season.
Ma Asada is a former champ. She’s struggled the last few years, dedicating herself to reworking her jump technique. And it shows. She’s back to smiling when she skates, and floating across the ice, and making triple jumps look easy. At least most of the time. She still has a tendency to underrotate jumps, and she gets a little off and pops a jump or two here and there. Asada is talented to the max, but far from consistent.
Alissa Czisny has all the qualities you want in a great champion. All except consistency (yes, I sound like a broken record. There’s an obvious pattern developing here.). To get on the podium, she needs to skate two clean programs. Clean Programs.She can’t miss her jumps, because she doesn’t have the complexity in the choreography to make up for it. As much as her spins wow us, they can’t do all the work. She seems motivated, though, and this could be her time to shine.
Suzuki and Leonova tend to be hit or miss. Akiko has effortlace elegance on the ice. But she can crash and burn on occasion. As can Leonova (who doesn’t share the same elegance in the least).
Despite all of the possibilities, all eyes may be looking towards American champ Ashley Wagner. Not because she’s been there, done that, but because she hasn’t, and yet she notched a score at Four Continents that put the rest of the world notice — she has arrived. And with even more planned difficulty in Nice, could she take her third title in a row?
There is a part of me that wants to go all in, to believe in the improbable. She’s charming me more and more with each competition, and it would do my heart good to see her win. But, there’s too much unpredictability in this event to call it her way just yet.
In fact, calling it at all is almost pointless but, here’s my attempt.
Who will take the challenge head-on and who will get left in the dust? However it unfolds, I hope we’re graced with at least one program that sticks in our minds the way Michelle’s The Red Violin has.
The Senior events kick off later today with the Pairs and Ladies Short Programs. If you need a refresher on the contenders and potential surprises, look back here for Pairs and here for Ladies.
What magic words would YOU tell Mirai?
Meanwhile, we’ve all been sounding off on Twitter for weeks about who needs what to win. So, here’s your chance — channel your inner Frank Carroll, and offer up some last minute advice for your favorites, your Fantasy picks, or just someone you think might need a little word of encouragement!
Speaking of Frank Carroll, how ’bout I start withMirai Nagasu?
She’s the kind of skater you dream of coaching (or at least, I would dream of coaching someone with her natural talent, if I was a coach). And yet, she can’t seem to make everything “click” in competition. The nerves do her in. She panics. Focuses on how bad it is to be nervous. Or now bad she skated last time out. Or how desperately she wants to win.
My advice to her: Don’t think, just do.
She honestly has it all. She has to forget about what that means, forget about how much she hates to lose, and forget the idea that nerves are a bad thing. Change those nerves into energy and the adrenaline into focus, and just do it (Nike was really onto something with that one way back when…)
How ’bout reigning champ Alissa Czisny?
Her focus has been pretty clear. Her reconstruction of a career — and, really, a skater as a whole — is inspiration in and of itself. And yet, she’s struggled to feel “on” this season. Now, she’s set to begin her title defense.
My words of the day for her: Calm and courageous
“Calm” is often how I’d describe her skating style. Sometimes, though, her competition style is anything but calm. She, too, needs to close her eyes, take a deep breath, listen for the first note of her music, then just let it flow. All the while, channeling the courage it takes to put yourself on the line for the sake of a dream. Courage into each jump, calm flowing out of it. That’s a winning combination. (more…)
Okay. So, I know this is a terribly belated blog post, but as I mentioned on Twitter, I got hit pretty hard with a cold that has kept me pretty out of it since Wednesday. Thank you to those who expressed their concern. I’m getting there…it’s just taking me a while. But I finally feel like I can think clearly enough to write something intelligent, so I’m back. A few days late…but think of it this way – now you don’t have to wait so many days till the next post!
Oh, and I know I said I’d have a vlog with this post, but…this being sick thing has me all out of whack, so I promise, a video blog wouldn’t be my best idea tonight! So we’ll keep working on that for another post.
I have plenty of skating news to chat about, but before I get to that, I wanted to make a quick comment on an issue entirely unrelated to skating but directly related to my own sports broadcasting aspirations.
You may have heard this week about a situation with the New York Jets where a female reporter claimed she was treated poorly both on the field and in the locker room. This prompted an investigation that questioned the professionalism of the Jets players as well as of the reporter, Inez Sainz. If you’re not familiar with the story, the idea is, Sainz was treated inappropriately because she’s an attractive female who wasn’t taken seriously by the players.
Why am I talking about this reporter and a football team in a blog all about skating? Good question. I guess it matters to me, so I figure I’ll share it with you.
See, I have my own goals in the sports broadcasting world, and I’ve seen first hand how challenging it is to be taken seriously as a woman in the sports world – a “man’s world.” So when I started seeing the various reports and responses to this story with Sainz, naturally I formed my own opinion. I have to say, I was a little surprised by the reaction from some other female sports journalists/reporters, some claiming, essentially, that Sainz asked for it. Don’t get me wrong, the pictures on her website and the image she’s chosen to create for herself send a very different message than anything I’d choose for myself. However, she is still a media professional, and in a work situation, it’s unfortunate that she had to deal with inappropriate reactions to her presence.
That said, I also understand those who feel the story was blown out of proportion. I actually agree. I’m very much aware of the challenges I face as a woman in this industry, challenges that include occasionally uncomfortable situations. The fact is, it’s part of my job to figure out how to deal with those challenges, and to gain the respect of those I work with and for.
I won’t make a judgment about Sainz’s decision making as far as how she presents herself. I won’t make a judgment about what was done or said to her by the players (I wasn’t there…so that isn’t something I can decide). What I will say is, as females in this business, we have enough of a hill to climb that we don’t need to make it more difficult by establishing an image that contradicts the credibility we are trying to achieve. But we also should be afforded the respect any professional deserves, in the locker room, on the sideline or in the studio. Ladies – we can be more than a pretty face. Don’t let the stereotype keep you from pushing the boundary and respecting your self enough to demand the same respect from our peers.
No worries…that’s the end of my non-skating rant! Now on to the good stuff.
Since I finished my analysis of the skaters ranked on icenetwork.com, I figured I’d change it up a bit and talk about the sometimes unsung heroes – the coaches. There are some amazing coaches in this business. Coaches in general are so inspirational to me. These are the people who take raw talent and turn it into greatness. They take physical skill and add mental strength. They learn just the right thing to say to give their athletes confidence to succeed. And yet, when things go wrong, the coach is the first to go. They take on all that responsibility to help someone else win. So, here’s to all the great coaches out there, and here’s to a few specific coaches in skating. These are basically my top 5 – the coaches I think are making a big difference in skating right now. (This is in no way an exclusive list or the only top 5 there could be. It just happens to be my top 5.)
5. Tom Zakrajsek
The Broadmoor Skating Club coach in Colorado may not have reigning world or Olympic champs just yet, but he’s got quite the program going there in CO. He seems to have built up a great relationship not only between himself and his skaters, but between the skaters themselves. A lot of good things have come from the club in CO, and Zakrajsek has had a hand in several top U.S. skaters – formerly coaching Jeremy Abbott, now training Rachael Flatt, Ryan Bradley, Alexe Gilles, and Brandon Mroz…to name a few. He’s certainly got a good thing on his hands as those skaters move up the ranks.
4. Brian Orser
Despite the off-season drama surrounding Orser and Yu-Na Kim, there’s no denying he was the perfect coach for her leading up to her Olympic victory. His ability to communicate with his athletes and inspire confidence in them is such a powerful quality. Now that Kim has moved to LA, Orser still has some top prospects that can continue his growing legacy – Adam Rippon and Christina Gao (who just won the silver medal at the Junior Grand Prix in Austria this weekend!). I think Orser will rebound from the recent drama and I know I’m looking forward to what his skaters bring to the ice under his guidance.
3. Igor Shpilband
I believe it is thanks to Shpilband’s coaching team and the American duo of Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto that ice dance is what it is in N. American today. He has taken the new scoring system and run with it, taking his top skaters with him. Belbin and Agosto left him a few seasons back, but he still had the top two teams in the world in Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and Meryl Davis and Charlie White. There’s no denying that Shpilband made those two teams into the magnificent competitors they are. He’s pushed ice dance to the next level, and is creating something of a dynasty that’s looking to live on for a while to come.
2. Yao Bin
If we want to talk about single-handedly altering the course of a nations figure skating future, this is the man to talk about. His story is one for the history books – literally. From finishing dead last as a competitor to his determination to never let another Chinese pairs team feel that same embarrassment, he is the stuff of legends. Now, not only is his most beloved team the reigning Olympic champs, but his pairs program has pushed the discipline to whole new heights…literally. The technical elements are superior among all international teams, and now we’re starting to see new emotional and lyrical improvements as well. His teams may not win every event, but they’ll always be challenging for the top spot. And when they win, he wins. And it’s wonderful.
1. Frank Carroll
I suppose there is a slight chance this pick is a little bit biased. So many of my own personal favorite skaters have been coached by Carroll, but even without that fact in play, I think Frank is one of the greatest coaches of all time. He only has 1 Olympic champion, but the legacy he leaves with his athletes is far greater than even that 1 notorious win. Whether he was settling Michelle Kwan with words like “Undaunted courage” or teaching Mirai Nagasu by telling her she’s not allowed to cry at a competition, he, as Evan Lysacek has said, always knows the perfect thing to say to give his athletes the courage and the confidence to succeed. But not only does he teach them to succeed, he teaches them to do it right. He teaches sportsmanship, he teaches class. He makes sure his skaters understand the value of their fans, and the value of hard work. He love the sport and inspires the same love in his athletes. Mirai Nagasu has said she thinks he’s the best coach in the world…Mirai, I completely agree.
So, what do you think? Who’s your pick for best coach in the world? Comment here or tweet your response @fromtheboards. I’d love to know!
Today, I figured I’d dive in a bit to my expectations or predictions for some of the top ladies skaters heading into this season. We’ll start with my ideas about the current world rankings for the ladies and how their seasons might play out, based on what’s gone on with them this off season.
But first!
When I began this blog, I said there would be stories. Well, this is a story day. And I’m super excited about this one.
I recently had the intense privilege of seeing a young skater recognized on national television. But this was not just any young skater. This young boy is a star…that much I knew from the very first time I saw him skate, back when he was 4 years old.
The current Novice Men’s national champion, Nathan Chen, skates out of Salt Lake City, Utah.
When I was living there, I also skated in Salt Lake City, Utah. (See where this is going…?)
Basically, I skated with Nathan Chen when he was 4 years old.
This January, he blew away the skating world with his performances in Spokane to win the Novice title.
This summer, he was named the ABC News person of the week (check out the video below…).
Okay, so it’s not like I can take credit for anything. But I do want to say, I called it!
I remember being at the rink trying to work on my own skills, but getting caught up watching this little tiny kid who was already better than I was! My mom would be at the rink with me, and one day we were leaving and noticed a newspaper article on the bulletin board – it was all about the 4 year old and his early success. I remember like it was yesterday, turning to my mom and saying, “Mom, remember his name. Because he’s gonna be a star one day, and when he is, I want to be able to say I skated with him before he was famous!”
Flash forward a few years…talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy, eh? The kid’s incredible.
But he wasn’t always the 10-year-old whiz kid who could throw a triple jump at the drop of a hat. Don’t get me wrong, he always had “it,” but I watch him in the days where he was learning how to do a proper scratch spin.
Now, explaining anything to a 4 year old is complicated, but trying to explain the proper technique – specifically, how pulling your arms in slowly throughout the spin will increase the speed – takes patience and skill.
That’s exactly what was happening the day I remember most clearly.
Nathan was working on a program to “Three Blind Mice,” but his coach was trying to get him to be more precise with his scratch spin.
(Time out: for those of you who may not be familiar with the technical terms, the “scratch spin” is usually one you’ll see at the very end of a program. The skater is standing straight up, arms out to either side, and as they spin, they slowly pull the arms in…or up…to increase the speed.)
Nathan’s coach stopped him and said, “Imagine you’re hugging a giant marshmallow as you spin, and squeeze it to your chest.”
Let me tell you, the kid’s quick. Because just that much of a visual made all the difference.
And clearly, he’s just as quick today. He’s also determined. And charming. And quickly becoming the one to watch. Now, he won’t be old enough for the Olympics in Sochi 2014, but I bet he’ll be a force to be reckoned with by then!
Anyway, All of this to essentially say, I’m so proud of my little skating friend from so many years ago that I couldn’t help but share. I can’t wait to watch him through the years. He’s definitely got a forever-fan in me!
Now, check out the video (and poke around the related videos too, because they’re all great!)
All right. Back to business. The ladies of 2010, shall we?
According to the world rankings on icenetwork.com, Queen Yu-Na is, of course, #1. The question for this season is, while she wont’ be competing in the GP series, will she compete at Worlds, and will she be able to put aside the coaching drama as well as the expectations of being the Olympic champ, to perform up to her own very high standards?
Always seeming to be tied together in one way or another, #2 on the list is Kim’s long-time rival, Mao Asada. Amidst the rumors surrounding the Kim/Orser split was one in particular that was potentially the cause for the tension – Mao’s camp wanted on board the Orser Express. Who knows what was actually said, who was approached, what was being considered, but there’s no doubt that Asada has been living in the shadow of Yu-Na for the last several seasons, and she’s none too happy about it. The question for Mao this season will be, have the new rule changes (specifically regarding the 3 axel points footwork levels) done enough to even her up with those, like Kim, who rack up the points in areas of footwork and spin difficulty? For me, personally, I need her to actually connect to her performances for her to ever match the magic of a Yu-Na Kim or Mirai Nagasu, who we’ll get to later on.
#3 on the world list is Asada’s Japanese compatriot, Mikki Ando. She’s a strange one to me. She always seems to do just enough to win a few titles every year, but she never has it all together at once. Sure, she won the World Titles in ’07, but her technique hasn’t improved since then, and if I had to comment on last year’s programs, I’d say they were terrible for her style, well, whatever style she may have. I think she’s a sweetheart, but if she doesn’t change some things this season, I’m not sure she’ll be able to keep up.
Canadian sweetheart, Joannie Rochette, is 4th on this list. She’s a champion through and through. I adore her maturity on the ice and thought last year’s programs were brilliant. She’s not competing in the GP series, either, so that opens up another spot for someone – perhaps one of the young American stars (Nagasu finished just behind Rochette in Vancouver). That said, I’d love to see Joannie come back to competition. I think she really hit her stride last season and her determination to compete with the young guns was evident, and it paid off. She created such a lasting memory at the Olympics, skating despite the tragic loss of her mother, that I can’t help but pull for her in whatever she decides.
Laura Lepisto of Finland and Akkiko Suzuki of Japan come next in the rankings, and these are two skaters who performed well last season, but will really have to step up their game in order to really compete for the top spots. Laura is a beautiful, classic skater, but her jumps occasionally fail her. However, with two of the top five out of the GP, she may have a chance at a break through year. She’s just gotta make sure those triples are consistent and that her footwork/spins aren’t too simplistic.
Carolina Kostner comes in at #7. She’s quite a story, herself. Working with Frank Carroll last season did her some good, but I worry that she’s too much of a head case to ever make it to the top. I hate to say that about anyone, but the girl just can’t get things back together. This season could be a make-it-or-break-it year for her.
Russian Alena Leonova is another pretty girl who needs to step up her game. I haven’t seen too much out of her that makes me lean one way or another, but post-Olympic years always seem to be the time for skaters like Alena to be the surprise. Russia’s about ready for a new world power, so I’m sure she’ll be working hard to climb her way up the world ladder.
American Rachel Flatt makes the top ten, ranking at #9. Rachel is a doll. She’s smart, funny, dedicated, and consistent. But she sometimes (well, most of the time) lacks the spark…maybe the sparkle…to pull off a standing-O type performance. She may skate very well this season. I just hope she finds a way to shine beyond the consistency and really let the programs sing. That said, she should be right up there through the Grand Prix season, in my opinion.
Filling out the top 10 is Kiira Korpi, followed by Kanako Murakami. I’m not hugely familiar with these two, so I’ll reserve judgment until I see them in their first Grand Prixs.
Mirai Nagasu is ranked #12, and for me, she’s one of the top candidates for a break-through year. All right, I know I’m more than a little biased because I adore her, but I really do believe she had the goods. With Frank Carroll on her side, she could be dynamite if she can get the technique down pat, and stop doubting herself. I am expecting big things from her, but only because I truly believe she’s World Champion material.
Two other Americans fall in behind Mirai: Ashley Wagner and Alissa Czisny. Wagner has potential to move up in the rankings. She had a good season, but unfortunately missed the Olympic team. She’ll be looking to make amends for that. Alissa….well, I love her. But I’m not sure she’s ever going to break through anymore than she did a few years back. She just doesn’t compete well under pressure, no matter how badly I want her to. We’ll see. Maybe she’ll prove me wrong.
Cynthia Phaneuf, Polina Shelepen, Elena Gedevanishvilli, and Ksenia Makarova, are next, and again are skaters who’ve had some success, but are looking for some consistency. Ksenia is a new Russian hope and I believe she has a great chance at having a good season.
Caroline Zhang and Fumie Suguri wrap up the top 20. These two skaters are on completely opposite ends of their careers, but strangely are facing similar mountains to climb this season. Caroline is to Mirai what Mao Asada is to Yu-Na Kim. Sort of, at least. They both came up about the same time, are good friends, but their careers have separated dramatically in the last season or so. Last year was a disaster for Caroline. I never felt like she was really enjoying skating. Now, with a new coach, she’ll try to redeem herself and gain back the momentum she had that lead everyone to believe she was the biggest hope for a return of American dominance in ladies skating.
Fumie on the other hand, has had her day in the sun. She’s been the warrior that paved the way for the multitude of Japanese stars, yet, along the way, she’s kind of been left behind. Every year people expect her to retire, but every year she decides she wants to train a little more, compete a little longer. She just loves it. And, like Caroline, she’s going to want to prove she’s still got it. Last I heard she was having trouble getting the funding she needed to continue to skate, so we’ll see if she ends up on the world scene for another season or not.
Phew! That was a lot of analyzing. But it’s got me all worked up for the Grand Prix to start. Did you notice it’s September? That means less than 2 months till the first Senior Grand Prix gets underway!
Next time we’ll talk about the top 20 men…which could be very interesting.
What a whirlwind of a weekend! Yes, for me personally, but also in the skating world.
Champs Camp wrapped up this weekend for the Team USA skaters, and with that, the news came pouring in. A few things stood out as particularly interesting to me.
For the short whilte they lasted, I was a big fan of the US pairs team of Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker. They just had something so special, the “it” factor, if you will. Of course, it helps that they’re both naturally gorgeous, and together on the ice they make a beautiful image. But their movement and their pairs skills seemed to have so much potential…untapped potential, really. I was devastated for them when they missed the Olympic team with the disastrous performance at Nationals in 2010.
Likewise, I was disappointed when they split after the season. I understand Keauna’s desire to explore other options. But it’s still unfortunate that their success was cut short. Plus, I adore Rockne and hated to think that he’d miss out on following his own dream.
Now for the rumor – sources say that Rockne may have found a new partner. While it was rumored that he had skated a bit with US singles star Sasha Cohen, that seemed to be more for a show than for competition. Now, it appears 2009 U.S. novice ladies silver medalist Mary Beth Marley may be the lucky girl who gets to skate with the charming two-time national champ. Mary Beth is adorable. She’s young (9 years younger than Rockne, to be exact), and has little to no pairs experience, so this may not be perfect immediately, but she’s definitely got the spark. Look her up on youtube to see a little bit of what she has to offer.
If they want to compete this season, they have to submit all the paperwork for Sectionals by September 1st. Plus, they’ll have a lot of practicing to do. This isn’t a team that will come together overnight. So that ice time will be critical. Like I said, I adore Rockne, so I really hope this works out.
Now for injuries – Mirai Nagasu ended the Olympic season with a glimpse of what could be, and a realization of what she had to do to get there. She managed a spectacular (and unexpected) 4th place finish in Vancouver, just behind Canadian sweetheart, Joannie Rochette. But after another surprising 1st place standing after the short program at Worlds, she gave away every chance for a medal in the long. This season, she says she’s working on confidence as well as technique, but her summer training was hampered by a stress fracture in her right ankle. Off the ice for six weeks, the US silver medalist still maintained her charm.
According to this article at from icenetwork, she sparkled at her Champs Camp photo shoot, winning over the room with her wit. No doubt, the girl’s a comedian. Just watch a press conference where she’s speaking. She speaks her mind, and she charms the crowd in the process by piling on the humor! I love it.
I love her skating, too.
Despite the injury, she’s managed to put together two new programs that are, in the starlet’s own words, “Brilliant.”
Her short is to selections from The Witches of Eastwick soundtrack, and her long is to John Williams’s Memoirs of a Geisha, which, I do believe, are fabulous choices for her! She’s been working with Lori Nichol on storytelling for her short, and developing her maturity for the long, and I can’t wait to see these programs. (Probably can’t tell, but I’m a big Mirai fan. She’s something special, and I’ve said that since her first senior season. …when she won the National title, I was feeling pretty good about calling it!)
Feeding off the energy in that article, I’d say Mirai is back, and more passionate than ever. She’s got what it takes, she just has to believe it. And with music she adores, she just might be there.
Mirai can hit the ice again on September 1st, so there’s no doubt Frank Carroll will work her and those programs hard to be ready for the Grand Prix season.
Also hoping to get some momentum back is Mirai’s close friend and co-starlet, Caroline Zhang.
I saw this little pint-sized wonder girl training in Artesia, Ca about 4 years ago, and was wowed by her spins, but bothered by some of her technique. Looks like her disappointment last season showed her the same thing. She’s changed coaches (yet another one!) to train with Tammy Gambill and choreographer extraordinaire, David Wilson. And from the sounds of things, they’re attacking some of her biggest faults – that high leg kick on the Lutz jump (as well as the edge take-off), and her nearly nonexistent speed, especially out of the double axel.
I’ll admit, I haven’t been too excited in jumping on the Caroline bandwagon, but when I read that her short is to Libertango, I was suddenly pretty stoked to see this from her. She’s always brought a sense of drama to the ice (when she’s not skating to music that seems to lull herself to sleep!), so a tango seems unbelievable for her. Plus, with improved confidence and technique, as well as a pinch of pixie dust from David Wilson, this season could be something special. I really do hope she holds it together.
Now for a video that may very well define the future of US skating for the men: Jason Brown’s remarkable Free Skate from the first Junior Grand Prix event in France. Check it out! Seriously…watch it. He’s something else.
Until then…
(Don’t forget to follow me on twitter – @FromTheBoards)
Now that you know when my skating saga began, I turn next to where my perspective was shaped – St. Louis, 2006.
Based on my newly found passion for figure skating, I was beyond thrilled to realize that by the time the 2006 U.S. National Championships came around, I would have moved from Utah to Iowa, and be a mere five hours from the best skaters in the nation. I determined then and there to be in attendance that week, whatever the cost.
Now, I’m not one to settle for less than the very best, and this was no exception. I didn’t just want tickets to the events. I wanted GOOD tickets. Not only that, but I didn’t just want tickets to the EVENTS, I wanted All-Event tickets, which included passes to every single practice session, too. (Try telling a 16-year-old dreamer something’s impossible…chances are, the kid will prove you wrong!)
So I spent the entire summer before my senior year in high school working almost 40 hours a week to pay for 2 sets of All-Event passes (I’d talked my daddy into going with me, but I had to buy!). Before the summer was through, I’d purchased the tickets that would change my skating experience forever.
Then, it was just a matter of waiting ’til January. Talk about waiting an eternity….I thought it would never come!
The day that I left school early to hit the road for St. Louis, I couldn’t have been more excited. (Okay, I probably could have. I’d been devastated that my hero, Michelle Kwan, was injured and had to withdraw from Nationals, but even still, I was positively giddy!)
That night, as we walked into the arena for the pairs practice, I was floored. I couldn’t believe this was really happening. My mind was racing, but my heart was racing faster. I’d never been to an event so grand, much less an event that meant so much to me. As we walked toward the ice, my dad looked over at me and said, “Breathe, Tara. Breathe!” I guess my jittery excitement was rendering useless even the most involuntary functions…like breathing!
No worries, though. Clearly, I remembered how to breathe, and we headed down to the boards.
I couldn’t believe we were actually allowed to sit that close. I mean, our tickets for the events were good, but front row? Right behind the coaches? I could actually HEAR the conversations between Rena Inoue and John Baldwin as they chatted with their coach? Impossible.
But it was possible. And totally the coolest thing ever.
That week, I had up-close-and-personal interactions with some of my favorite athletes in the world. I had my picture taken with Evan Lysacek, got autographs from Michael Weiss and my boy, Timothy Goebel, along with Sasha Cohen, Emily Hughes, Alissa Czisny, and the legendary coach, Frank Carroll (who said, “You don’t want my autograph!” after I asked for it. Oh yes, Frank, I most certainly did!).
At one particular ice dance practice, I was fascinated by the intensity of Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto. Ben is hilarious off the ice, but he turns it on the second he steps out there, whether it’s to compete or to practice. Tanith is truly gorgeous, and she was matching Ben’s intensity, that’s for sure.
Funny story about them – they were practicing in their competition costumes, and Tanith’s dress was decked out with black feathers. Well, those feathers needed some work, because by the time the practice was over, nearly half of them had fallen off. As the couples were coming off the ice at the end of the session, a couple of the guys were talking – one coming off the ice, the other getting set to head out onto it. They were commenting about the quality of the ice and how good it felt out there, and one guy said, “Yeah, the ice is great, but half of Tanith’s dress is all over it!”
Here’s the feather dress: (Note: It was altered…i.e. featherless…by the Olympics!)
While getting the autographs and photos is cool, it was these little moments that made me realize how different things were from the boards.
Another “from the boards” experience came at one of the men’s early morning practices. My dad and I had arrived at the arena a bit early to stake out our spot for the day. We’d decided that the best spot was right in front, just by the tunnel where the skaters come out. Not only for the sake of autographs was this the best, but for the experience of being at such close proximity to the skaters and their coaches as they headed out to the ice.
This particular morning, one skater came through the tunnel 15 minutes or so before they were opening the ice for the session. The skater was Jordan Wilson, a skater from Santa Rosa, CA. For the next 15 or 20 minutes, we chatted it up like we were besties, talking about how he wasn’t used to these early morning practices, what he was most excited about, how the ice was, and what he wanted to do beyond skating.
He may not have been the at the top of the pack competitively, but that morning, he became tops in my book, because I’d met him at the boards and realized how real his life was beyond skating.
From that same place at the boards, I saw Dick Button studying the competitors, I saw Coach Nicks talking Sasha Cohen through a cautious practice, and watched Johnny Weir interact with a, shall we say, “dedicated” fan who’d gotten his name tattooed on her ankle. It was all so different from this spot at the boards. But it wasn’t all smiles there, either.
I saw dance teams leave the ice in a huff after bombing an element three times in a row (literally, “bombing”…it was a lift and he basically dropped her on her face three times in a row. Bad day, anyone?). I saw big name skaters ignore little girls waiting for autographs, and I saw up-and-comers stressing over nailing a triple lutz.
But mostly, I saw a whole new world (Aladdin, anyone?) and I most certainly didn’t dare close my eyes. I wanted to see it all, take it all in, memorize it, remember it, treasure it. This wasn’t just a sport I’d see from a distance anymore. It was a sport filled with real people and real drama that I’d seen from the most real angle of all – from the boards. The same angle a coach sees it, the same way competitors see each other, and the only way to get a real sense of the personalities and the pressure of this beautiful, challenging, technical and magical sport.
When I saw Rena Inoue and John Baldwin land history’s first throw triple axel, the feeling was electric – not just because they’d come back from a frustrating short program to win a national title in record-breaking style. Not just because the entire arena felt the shock wave blast from the ice up into the nose-bleeds. But because I’d been there – I’d seen the doubt, the determination, and the danger all week as Rena soared through the air, working out all the bugs so they’d be ready on game day.
Now, as a new season rushes in, I still take every chance to see things “from the boards.” And while I may not be standing at the boards ever time, I most certainly look to them. Because it’s from there that my perspective changed, and it’s from there that the magic truly begins.
Until next time…
Pictures: follow me on Twitter for links to all my photos from Nationals in St. Louis – twitter.com/FromTheBoards
No lady has defended her U.S. title since Michelle Kwan last did it … in 2005. There were a few who could have. But, pressure, injuries, and rising young stars have kept the roller coaster going strong.
Figure Skating: From the Boards 