Alissa not aspiring to win? | Golden Skate

Alissa not aspiring to win?

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
http://www.toledofreepress.com/?id=4856

very good interview with alissa but what i found intersting was her last stament. Most skaters say they aspire to be National Champion, or World Champ, or i am going to win the olympics etc.. Alissa hopes she can quailify for and compete in Vancover in 2010. She dosnen't mention winning. I think maybe she is not competive enoughm and really dosen't care about winning that much. Great to hear, but perhaps that's why she dosen't show the "fight" some of the other girls show on competion ice. Maybe she winning dosen't matter that much to her. I hope that she gets the medals she deserves at worlds however. She is so charming to watch!:clap:
 

MKFSfan

Medalist
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Who knows...but I think Alissa confidence is so shaky, she probably thinks she can't win big events, that just being in the final flight, or qualifiying for Worlds/Olympics/GPF is realistic goals. I think if she were a newbie, or has won been on the podium more often, then she would be saying,"I want to win..."
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Who knows...but I think Alissa confidence is so shaky, she probably thinks she can't win big events, that just being in the final flight, or qualifiying for Worlds/Olympics/GPF is realistic goals. I think if she were a newbie, or has won been on the podium more often, then she would be saying,"I want to win..."
I think there is an order in getting to an Olys.

1. I want to qualify to go.
2. I want to skate my best.
3, I want to win.

Joe
 

chuckm

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Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
You mean Sylvia Fontana? Her goal was to make the Olympic team and qualify for the FS. She met both goals.

Alissa Czisny has been competing as a Senior at US Nationals since 2002, and this was her first time on the podium. Her next closest finishes were 7th in 2005 and 2006.

I think it is entirely realistic for her to have making the Olympic team in 2010 as her major goal.
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
You mean Sylvia Fontana? Her goal was to make the Olympic team and qualify for the FS. She met both goals.

And it sounds like Alissa has a similar set of goals.:agree: That is what I said. Something different in mind from what I said????

I think it is entirely realistic for her to have making the Olympic team in 2010 as her major goal.
So do / did I, and that is what I thought she might be saying too.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
This was a break out year at Nationals for her, and she was 3rd overall with a lovely free skate. I think Alissa is as competitive as the next skater out there, but she's also trying not to look like a diva like some other skaters who have never lived up to their potential **cough, cough, Sasha, cough, cough** who said things in the press about winning and being a champion WAY too early in the game. Her coaches have instilled in her the proper ways to handle the press and look like a good girl to garner support and fans.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think that's a very high and realistic goal for her. To be an Olympian? That's no small talk. She definitely took a huge step towards that goal by making the World team for the first time.

I don't doubt that she aspires to win...remember how I feel about these elite skaters steering clear of just admitting that simple fact. Actually that's one of the things I liked about Cohen- she didn't shy away from saying that she wanted to win. You got mostly hogwash from other skaters. That said, I think skaters on different levels have to be realistic about what they can actually achieve vs. their ambitions (i.e. Tugba saying she wants to be World champion- and kudos to her for saying so, too.)
 
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blackrose050

Rinkside
Joined
Jun 2, 2005
I wouldn't read too much into it. I'm pretty sure I've heard Alissa say before in other interviews that she does want to win and/or medal at Worlds and Olys.
She does need to continue to work on her nerves, but I think her competitive drive is just fine.
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
IMO, it is not uncommon for skaters to say the things that help them get into the mindset best suited for them to do well. I don't think that the "I just want to skate my best" is hogwash; I think it may well focus certain the skaters on doing what they can control instead of worrying about the things they can't control. Certainly, taking things in stages does not sound to me like the competitive drive is lacking; I think, instead, that she is focusing on one goal at a time, just the way some skaters reel off one element at a time, focusing on each one. The ones who do it that way end up often doing each one well - and the results are frequently what the skater wants.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think a skater can say she wants to win, yet when she goes out there concentrate on skating her best. Sure, they want to skate their best but what if they do and get 3rd? or 4th? Will they be happy...REALLY happy?
 

ArwenIcePrincess

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
I'm sure that in her heart of hearts Alissa truly does want to win the Olympics- however, I think she is being very classy in setting one goal at a time- once she has in fact qualified for the Olympics she can think about her placement. As wonderful as she is, with her current results it would be thinking too far ahead to proclaim to the world that she is going to be the Olympic champion.
 

heyang

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Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Wanting to qualify is certainly a worthwhile endeavor at this point. There's 3 more Nationals to go before Olympics and anything can happen. Based upon Alyssa's past history, she has said that she can outpsych herself if she has too much time to think. I think she said this in Ice Diaries. Some people just have to take one step at a time.
 

Eddie Lee

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 19, 2007
If Alissa could skate her best, minus nerves, she could snatch Olympic gold in Vancouver! I believe I'm only one of many who is convinced she has the skating artistry and skills to do so! She has recently made two small steps toward that achivement: Her National bronze (by winning the FP) and her recent bronze at 4C's. Now, if she could make top 5 at upcoming World's, followed-up with similar success in 2008 and then cap it off with a medal at World's 2009 in LA, who knows?
 

flying camel

Medalist
Joined
Nov 16, 2005
Maybe some people just don't believe in saying I want to win all the time. But I remember in one of those Ice Diary episodes she said she wanted to be the World Champion. I think she is working on being more confident. Eventhough she fell a couple of times at Four Continents it wasn't a total melt down like at Cup of Russia.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Is the ice diaries episode on youtube or something? I'd like to see it.
 

mhu714

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I love Alissa's skating. Her spins and spirals are as good as anyone in the world's. I also love her attitude, her lovely smile which comes out regardless of mistakes, and her intelligence. Unfortunately, whether it's lack of confidence, technique issues, etc, she does not appear to have the technical consistency to truly compete at the top levels. I would love to be proven wrong but that's what my eyes tell me. Alissa reminds me of Caryn Kadavy, another extremely lovely skater who was not consistent technically.
 

decker

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 6, 2006
Agree with Joe on the logical order of things. If she's got a plan, good for her.

I recently started back to school to get a Master of Public Health degree. I already have a master's degree ... in English. I set my goals for the heavy duty basic science classes accordingly. That has not prevented me from exceeding those goals. I view goals as the minimum acceptable-to-me result, not the maximum or only acceptable result.

In a sense, every athlete would like to win the gold medal at every competition. But you have to look realistically at where you are now and not overwhelm yourself trying to do it all at once or guaranteeing results beforetime. I don't see the problem with not making gold your minimum acceptable-to-you result.

Susan
 
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