I wrote these on the plane on the way home from Cleveland. I'm not sure if you all are interested or not, but I am posting them anyway. I thought that maybe it would give you all a little insight as to what we see from behind the scenes...
The 2009 AT&T US Figure Skating Championships are now behind us, but the memories of that magical week will not soon be forgotten. There were some amazing performances that will be etched in my mind for many years to come, and there were some low points that I wish that I could forget. It is a priveledge to cover skating events for Golden Skate, and I’d like to share some of the highs and lows from the week from an insider’s perspective.
Highs:
• The new partnership of Cadee Denney and Jeremey Barrett is as good as those who have been buzzing about it online for months. Their competitive nerve in the face of such pressure bodes well for them in the coming Olympic year. Skating insiders say that Caydee is so well built for pairs skating, that they expect to start seeing throw triple axels and quads from her sooner rather than later. I’m not one for pushing one’s luck, but if anybody can do it, and make it consistent, I think that this team is the one. Jeremey is a great partner who lifts Caydee into these throws with perfect timing. Caydee rotates so quickly that she has her rotations complete long before she has to think about landing on the ice. This gives her the luxury of time to control the landing, which should make them very consistent as they begin to compete for medals internationally.
• Watching 15 year-old Mirai Nagasu mature into a woman right before our very eyes was a definite highlight. After her poor short program, the reigning champ wrote herself off as lazy, and said that she knew what she had to do in order to have a great season next year. When preparing for her free skate just steps away from the mix zone, I saw a skater in crisis battling the worst case of stage fright I have ever seen. As she wiped tears from her face in her starting position, I knew that it would be one of those moments that a champion remembers for the rest of her life. Mirai went out and fought for everything that she did, and gave perhaps the gutsiest performance of the championships. Don’t write her off yet. I think that we will see something special from this young lady once her injury has properly healed.
• I am honored to have witnessed Katrina Hacker’s farewell performances live, and to hear what she had to say after she closed the door on her nationals career. Katrina’s short program brought tears to my eyes not because she skated cleanly, but because there was a beautiful story behind the skating, and I feel lucky to have been invited into her world for those three minutes. Katrina will be missed, but she says that she will always skate. Selfishly I hope that she remains a part of skating in one shape or another. With a lutz and a flip, Katrina could have been one of the greatest skaters of all time. Without them, she touched my heart.
• While I am on retirements, let me mention Larry Ibarra, the son of coach Dalilah Sappenfeld. Larry has been a pairs skater for many years, and decided to call it quits after Cleveland to go into the family business. I had the opportunity to speak with Larry and his partner, MeeRan last season, and you just could meet someone more genuine. Larry is perhaps the rebel in skating, with complete with piercings and tattoos, but he is one of the most polite and kind skaters on the ice. I believe that we will see lots of Larry in the future, standing at the boards with National and Olympic champions yet to come.
• Keegan Messing. I’m not sure how much I can say about this kid to do him justice. Keegan is a one-of-a kind skater and person. His can-do attitude and ambition to succeed are so infectious that I find myself listening and watching him to learn how to bring more of that into my own life. Keegan is 100% kid, and his mom should be commended for allowing him to do something special all the while keeping him young. Whether Keegan ends up as a National Champion or leaves the sport tomorrow, I will always have a gauge from which to measure all future junior men. This gentleman has been a great pleasure to “know”.
• Listening to former champion Evan Lysacek speak after one of his worst performances was something that I will never forget. Obviously disappointed, it was the first time that I believe that I saw just how much skating means to him. Evan has always been passionate on the ice, but he somehow hides behind a proper public relations machine off the ice. Evan’s disappointment was evident not only in his face, but in his words. “The National Championships mean so much to me,” Lysacek said with regret. Gracious in defeat, Lysacek won’t let this set back hinder his confidence. That is why I am boldly predicting him to finish on the podium at Worlds. And this year, it just might be Evan’s year to win.
• The press conference after the Championship Original Dance might have been one of the funniest that I have ever attended. Roommates Charlie White and Evan Bates had to be separated by Meryl Davis to bring a sense of calm to the room. Like a parent, Meryl refused to allow the two to sit next to each other after the free dance competition. One has to wonder what Meryl will have to do once Alex Shibutani moves in with the joksters. Heaven help her if they all end up on the same podium!
• Amanda Evora’s reaction to skating so well in the free skate. Partner Mark Ladwig admitted that it meant as much to him, but “Unfortunately I express myself differently than Amanda”. Ummm… that is what we like about your partnership, Mark. You and Amanda compliment each other so well, and we want to see you succeed.
Lows
• All of the withdrawals from the competition. Like them or not, the pre-event withdrawals of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, Kimmie Meissner, and Emily Hughes was just sad. I’m hoping for a speedy recovery for all of them, and wish Belbin and Agosto the best of luck at the World Championships. But I have to wonder if we will ever see Kimmie or Emily on the scene again? And what of the withdrawals once the event started? Watching Scott Smith graciously say goodbye before the short program was heartbreaking. Then Jennifer Wester and Daniil Barantsev withdrew before the free dance. Jennifer so loves skating that I hope that they get another shot on the Grand Prix next season. And count me in as a Nicholas LaRoche fan. This young man has been through way more than any person ever should have to endure, and withdrawing from the competition is just another disappointment for the former junior national champion.
• Watching Andrea Best falling out of a lift, landing on her wrist, and almost on her partner. This is the third horrific pairs accident that I have witnessed live, and I hope that I never see another one. Be safe out there, skaters!
• The entire competition for former champion Johnny Weir. Whether you believe him or not, Weir is still recovering from the affects of getting sick over the holidays. Having just dealt with a bout of food poisoning, I can attest to the fact that it takes a while to recover from losing fluids and a bunch of weight. Weir hadn’t any weight to lose, and most of his likely came from muscle mass. Johnny has to live with his result, but I hope that he can get healthy, get stronger, and come back next season hungry.
• Having to listen to the soundtrack to “The Gladiator” a bazillion times during the junior pairs free skate. It’s beautiful music, but it should be retired. Along with Malaguena, Tosca, Bolero, Carmen, Turandot, Spartacus, and anything else with someone’s name in the title. I have some suggestions. Someone PLEASE skate to the theme from “Six Feet Under” for a short program and wear black pleather outfits and lots of shadowy eye makeup. How about “An American Symphony” from Mr. Holland’s Opus? It has all of the makings of a memorable performance, complete with a celebratory footwork section, a fierce spiral section, and a kick-pow final jump crescendo in which I envision a skater screaming in delight after a clean program. Oh, and I shan’t forget the overture from the London production of “Gypsy”. There is something for everyone in that piece… it’s flirty, it’s fun, and it is so a great short program.
• Watching Brooke Castile resign herself to missing her jumps in the free skate. Brooke and Ben are such a beautiful team, and it is sad that they have had so many injuries. Be careful in the off-season, stay healthy, and come back next season with passion to win. You needn’t look any further than your training mates Chloe Katz and Joseph Lynch.
•
The 2009 AT&T US Figure Skating Championships are now behind us, but the memories of that magical week will not soon be forgotten. There were some amazing performances that will be etched in my mind for many years to come, and there were some low points that I wish that I could forget. It is a priveledge to cover skating events for Golden Skate, and I’d like to share some of the highs and lows from the week from an insider’s perspective.
Highs:
• The new partnership of Cadee Denney and Jeremey Barrett is as good as those who have been buzzing about it online for months. Their competitive nerve in the face of such pressure bodes well for them in the coming Olympic year. Skating insiders say that Caydee is so well built for pairs skating, that they expect to start seeing throw triple axels and quads from her sooner rather than later. I’m not one for pushing one’s luck, but if anybody can do it, and make it consistent, I think that this team is the one. Jeremey is a great partner who lifts Caydee into these throws with perfect timing. Caydee rotates so quickly that she has her rotations complete long before she has to think about landing on the ice. This gives her the luxury of time to control the landing, which should make them very consistent as they begin to compete for medals internationally.
• Watching 15 year-old Mirai Nagasu mature into a woman right before our very eyes was a definite highlight. After her poor short program, the reigning champ wrote herself off as lazy, and said that she knew what she had to do in order to have a great season next year. When preparing for her free skate just steps away from the mix zone, I saw a skater in crisis battling the worst case of stage fright I have ever seen. As she wiped tears from her face in her starting position, I knew that it would be one of those moments that a champion remembers for the rest of her life. Mirai went out and fought for everything that she did, and gave perhaps the gutsiest performance of the championships. Don’t write her off yet. I think that we will see something special from this young lady once her injury has properly healed.
• I am honored to have witnessed Katrina Hacker’s farewell performances live, and to hear what she had to say after she closed the door on her nationals career. Katrina’s short program brought tears to my eyes not because she skated cleanly, but because there was a beautiful story behind the skating, and I feel lucky to have been invited into her world for those three minutes. Katrina will be missed, but she says that she will always skate. Selfishly I hope that she remains a part of skating in one shape or another. With a lutz and a flip, Katrina could have been one of the greatest skaters of all time. Without them, she touched my heart.
• While I am on retirements, let me mention Larry Ibarra, the son of coach Dalilah Sappenfeld. Larry has been a pairs skater for many years, and decided to call it quits after Cleveland to go into the family business. I had the opportunity to speak with Larry and his partner, MeeRan last season, and you just could meet someone more genuine. Larry is perhaps the rebel in skating, with complete with piercings and tattoos, but he is one of the most polite and kind skaters on the ice. I believe that we will see lots of Larry in the future, standing at the boards with National and Olympic champions yet to come.
• Keegan Messing. I’m not sure how much I can say about this kid to do him justice. Keegan is a one-of-a kind skater and person. His can-do attitude and ambition to succeed are so infectious that I find myself listening and watching him to learn how to bring more of that into my own life. Keegan is 100% kid, and his mom should be commended for allowing him to do something special all the while keeping him young. Whether Keegan ends up as a National Champion or leaves the sport tomorrow, I will always have a gauge from which to measure all future junior men. This gentleman has been a great pleasure to “know”.
• Listening to former champion Evan Lysacek speak after one of his worst performances was something that I will never forget. Obviously disappointed, it was the first time that I believe that I saw just how much skating means to him. Evan has always been passionate on the ice, but he somehow hides behind a proper public relations machine off the ice. Evan’s disappointment was evident not only in his face, but in his words. “The National Championships mean so much to me,” Lysacek said with regret. Gracious in defeat, Lysacek won’t let this set back hinder his confidence. That is why I am boldly predicting him to finish on the podium at Worlds. And this year, it just might be Evan’s year to win.
• The press conference after the Championship Original Dance might have been one of the funniest that I have ever attended. Roommates Charlie White and Evan Bates had to be separated by Meryl Davis to bring a sense of calm to the room. Like a parent, Meryl refused to allow the two to sit next to each other after the free dance competition. One has to wonder what Meryl will have to do once Alex Shibutani moves in with the joksters. Heaven help her if they all end up on the same podium!
• Amanda Evora’s reaction to skating so well in the free skate. Partner Mark Ladwig admitted that it meant as much to him, but “Unfortunately I express myself differently than Amanda”. Ummm… that is what we like about your partnership, Mark. You and Amanda compliment each other so well, and we want to see you succeed.
Lows
• All of the withdrawals from the competition. Like them or not, the pre-event withdrawals of Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto, Kimmie Meissner, and Emily Hughes was just sad. I’m hoping for a speedy recovery for all of them, and wish Belbin and Agosto the best of luck at the World Championships. But I have to wonder if we will ever see Kimmie or Emily on the scene again? And what of the withdrawals once the event started? Watching Scott Smith graciously say goodbye before the short program was heartbreaking. Then Jennifer Wester and Daniil Barantsev withdrew before the free dance. Jennifer so loves skating that I hope that they get another shot on the Grand Prix next season. And count me in as a Nicholas LaRoche fan. This young man has been through way more than any person ever should have to endure, and withdrawing from the competition is just another disappointment for the former junior national champion.
• Watching Andrea Best falling out of a lift, landing on her wrist, and almost on her partner. This is the third horrific pairs accident that I have witnessed live, and I hope that I never see another one. Be safe out there, skaters!
• The entire competition for former champion Johnny Weir. Whether you believe him or not, Weir is still recovering from the affects of getting sick over the holidays. Having just dealt with a bout of food poisoning, I can attest to the fact that it takes a while to recover from losing fluids and a bunch of weight. Weir hadn’t any weight to lose, and most of his likely came from muscle mass. Johnny has to live with his result, but I hope that he can get healthy, get stronger, and come back next season hungry.
• Having to listen to the soundtrack to “The Gladiator” a bazillion times during the junior pairs free skate. It’s beautiful music, but it should be retired. Along with Malaguena, Tosca, Bolero, Carmen, Turandot, Spartacus, and anything else with someone’s name in the title. I have some suggestions. Someone PLEASE skate to the theme from “Six Feet Under” for a short program and wear black pleather outfits and lots of shadowy eye makeup. How about “An American Symphony” from Mr. Holland’s Opus? It has all of the makings of a memorable performance, complete with a celebratory footwork section, a fierce spiral section, and a kick-pow final jump crescendo in which I envision a skater screaming in delight after a clean program. Oh, and I shan’t forget the overture from the London production of “Gypsy”. There is something for everyone in that piece… it’s flirty, it’s fun, and it is so a great short program.
• Watching Brooke Castile resign herself to missing her jumps in the free skate. Brooke and Ben are such a beautiful team, and it is sad that they have had so many injuries. Be careful in the off-season, stay healthy, and come back next season with passion to win. You needn’t look any further than your training mates Chloe Katz and Joseph Lynch.
•
It was a thrill to be there (and enjoy the experience with the very knowledgeable/enthusiastic kwanfan1212 and her mom). Your thoughts echo many of ours regarding these nationals.
