US-Pairs
- Thread starter April
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2003
It's always been a little slumpy.
1. More fame and forutne could be had for a single skater in US.
2. Americans tend to be more independant.
3. We don't have a big tradition to build on.
4. Russian skaters, back in the day, were all but forced to do pairs.
5. With the US usually taking a medal or two in the singles and the USSR taking a medal or 2 or 3 in pairs & dance, both sides of the cold war could leave having saved face.
6. It's dangerous, in addition to scary.
7. Considering all of the pairs females who get slapped around by thier partners, maybe US ladies are too strong to stick with that bs.
just some theories.
1. More fame and forutne could be had for a single skater in US.
2. Americans tend to be more independant.
3. We don't have a big tradition to build on.
4. Russian skaters, back in the day, were all but forced to do pairs.
5. With the US usually taking a medal or two in the singles and the USSR taking a medal or 2 or 3 in pairs & dance, both sides of the cold war could leave having saved face.
6. It's dangerous, in addition to scary.
7. Considering all of the pairs females who get slapped around by thier partners, maybe US ladies are too strong to stick with that bs.
just some theories.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Good list, Berthes G. Not much interest in Pairs for Americans. They do look for the Ladies and somewhat less for the Men.
Joe
Joe
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I've also heard that it's hard to find a good partner where you live.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
because there are 4 times as many girls trying to make a name for themselves in skating than there are guys because of the homophobia that comes with the sport...
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
At my rink, there is ONE male skater. One. I occasionally skate at another rink, and there were two, but I'm not sure how much longer either of them will tolerate being called "fag" by the hockey players who practice later. The teacher in me did have a chat with the hockey players, but I don't know how much good that did.
Laura
Laura
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
I think that famous coach (non-white, I believe) suggested that Tai and Randy get together in pairs. What a team they were!! Absolutely brilliant but as luck would have, one heluva bad break. Maybe that coach, if she is still around, could pair up another duo.
Joe
Joe
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I wonder what we can do to get those 2 crazy kids to reinstate. They probably could have made the podium at last year's US nats splatfest, lol.
It is a shame that we didn't keep up that semi-tradition: Tai & Randy, Peter & Kitty, Watson & Oppegard. Things have kind of fizzled out since Kristi & Rudy broke up imho, in terms of major medal potential pairs.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Joe-
That "non-white" coach was Mabel Fairbanks. She had to bribe Tai and Randy with candy to get them to skate together.
That "non-white" coach was Mabel Fairbanks. She had to bribe Tai and Randy with candy to get them to skate together.
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
lil_icesk8er915 said:
I've read this too. You'd think with the deep field of ladies talent, there would be more ladies looking to move into pairs. We could maybe get some decent teams together. Who would be good candidates? I always thougt Tonia Kwiatkoski should have moved to pairs. She didn't have a hugely successful singles career.
Thoughts?
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Thanks DLk - Mabel Fairbanks! I was just wondering are there any Pairs coaches in the US? Even I&Z went with Moskvina. But it comes down to the interest in Pairs and working at a discipline which is highly dangerous and time consuming.
Joe
Joe
True, A lot of US teams are coached by Russian Coaches, but I don't think its due to lack of good American ones. John Nicks lives and coaches here and has done well, Johnny Johns in Detriot has coached teams to National titles, and a few UD coaches also have done some (Ron Ludington, S&D's old coach.)
I do think its more of a succes thing. All the little girls on the ice where I skate idolize and want to be a Michelle Kwan. No one's ever said they've wanted to be a Tai Babalonia or Irina Rodnina (sp on both.) Parents are the same way, IMO. They want their kids to have success by themselves, not with a partner.
I skated pairs for a little while, and I found it interesting that whenever non-skating people asked what kind of skating I did, when I told them "pairs" they'd always sort of look blankly at me and say "is that the kind (insert popular ladies single's skater's name here) does?" and I'd have to explain everything to them.
Maybe the public only views singles skating as "real" skating.
Laura
I do think its more of a succes thing. All the little girls on the ice where I skate idolize and want to be a Michelle Kwan. No one's ever said they've wanted to be a Tai Babalonia or Irina Rodnina (sp on both.) Parents are the same way, IMO. They want their kids to have success by themselves, not with a partner.
I skated pairs for a little while, and I found it interesting that whenever non-skating people asked what kind of skating I did, when I told them "pairs" they'd always sort of look blankly at me and say "is that the kind (insert popular ladies single's skater's name here) does?" and I'd have to explain everything to them.
Maybe the public only views singles skating as "real" skating.
Laura
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
I think this is an interesting topic and I agree w/ the reasons everyone has posted so far... there are a few male skaters at my rink and I guess that's fairly rare (even tho there are only 4-5 that I see regularly). I've never seen pairs practicing but that's probably bcs I only go to public sessions, not freestyle yet. Anyway I'm not sure about who should get together but I hope in the next few years we'll see a trend toward more American pairs skaters... I hope the field deepens a little bit!
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
I think it would be hard for parents to trust their kids' future on another kid's commitment, behavior, funding, etc. and "invest" in pairs skating for their kids. I could see that this would be considered more formidable than trying to make the 2006 US Ladies' team.
Even if the potential Kristi didn't go through a bad bout of puberty, she could get up and leave her Rudi. Even the Soviet Union couldn't guarantee that their best-laid plans -- when the girl was 11 or 12 -- would hold: Ulanov famously left Rodnina to skate with the #2 pairs woman. Later, Averbukh left Anissina for Lobacheva. Both times, the man left a stronger partner and competitor for his future wife. And there are a number of lesser-known pairs and dancers that have "re-arranged" their partnerships, based on their personal relationship.
Even if the potential Kristi didn't go through a bad bout of puberty, she could get up and leave her Rudi. Even the Soviet Union couldn't guarantee that their best-laid plans -- when the girl was 11 or 12 -- would hold: Ulanov famously left Rodnina to skate with the #2 pairs woman. Later, Averbukh left Anissina for Lobacheva. Both times, the man left a stronger partner and competitor for his future wife. And there are a number of lesser-known pairs and dancers that have "re-arranged" their partnerships, based on their personal relationship.
G
gr8mom
Guest
I wonder how many more teams would stay together if the parents would stay out of it!? My son and his partner are great together. They have a great rapport and have been successful in the 18 months that they have skated together; but the "mother-in-law"(?) is one tough cookie! She didn't like first coaching team's morals (rightfully so) so we left as a team and fortunately found a fantastic situation. Now she doesn't want to have to drive to the club which offers maximum pair ice. (Never mind that I willingly drove 2 hours a day for 15 months for first coach!) She thinks that we and new coach should drop everything to come to her. Small, rural arena w/no pair ice guarantee. Has called coach at home with threats that she will only travel twice a week in the Fall. Has consistantly commented on how frightening throws are and how her daughter hates them in front of daughter. Guess who now pops most throws?! Wonderfull new coach is getting ticked off and my stomach is in constant knots. We have stuck with it because the kids are happy and great as a team but there are limits. When Mother-In-Law won't consider team and thinks it is "all about her", it feels like time to start over and find a situation where all are commited to the TEAM. Maybe it's a case of grass is greener but we give too much to this to have so many tension headaches!
On second note; as mother of a male pairs skater, he actually gets a much better response from his peers and other males in general when he says that he skates pairs. It has a much more masculine image. We find a lot of people who gush about pairs over singles!
For what it's worth, I think that personalities, location and cost are the biggest problems we face in pairs.
On second note; as mother of a male pairs skater, he actually gets a much better response from his peers and other males in general when he says that he skates pairs. It has a much more masculine image. We find a lot of people who gush about pairs over singles!
For what it's worth, I think that personalities, location and cost are the biggest problems we face in pairs.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
gr8mother - Welcome to Golden Skate.
Your description of your son's Pairs situation doesn't really come across that well. It bodes major turmoil and split-up eventually. Of course, I would want to hear the side of the mother of the lady involved in the Pairs. Maybe, the kids can find the right atmosphere to resolve these problems.
Stage mothers can ruin things even if the offspring is a winner.
Joe
Your description of your son's Pairs situation doesn't really come across that well. It bodes major turmoil and split-up eventually. Of course, I would want to hear the side of the mother of the lady involved in the Pairs. Maybe, the kids can find the right atmosphere to resolve these problems.
Stage mothers can ruin things even if the offspring is a winner.
Joe
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2003
"True, A lot of US teams are coached by Russian Coaches, but I don't think its due to lack of good American ones. John Nicks lives and coaches here and has done well,"
Not for nothin, but John Nicks is Brittish.
In fact, most sucessful US singles skaters were coached by non US coaches as well. (Dick Button, the Jenkins brothers, Carol Heiss, Peggy Fleming, Doroty Hamill)
As for sucessful US pairs turning coach, both Peter Opelgard and Kitty Caruthers coach, but neither with much successs so far.
Not for nothin, but John Nicks is Brittish.
In fact, most sucessful US singles skaters were coached by non US coaches as well. (Dick Button, the Jenkins brothers, Carol Heiss, Peggy Fleming, Doroty Hamill)
As for sucessful US pairs turning coach, both Peter Opelgard and Kitty Caruthers coach, but neither with much successs so far.
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