Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season

[Groshkova]

It is one thing to teach a skater how to do something and another to polish, improve, add height, etc.

Brian has added a TON to Yu-Na's skating. He is also the coach who helped Rippon get his triple axel. Rippon was ignored under Morozov and skated like hell this fall as he was trying to basically train himself. Within a month after Nationals of working with Orser, Rippon was FANTASTIC and better than ever at Jr Worlds.

This is why I think people should give the Brian Orsers and Yuka Satos their due. Not only were they fabulous 'skaters skaters', they both competed at the top level and had issues with confidence/consistency that they eventually overcame. It will be invaluable to their skaters.

They both also had perfect technique that was NOT learned overnight.

I agree that Don Laws would be great for Zhang.

[LeCygne]

If it's true, I hope it IS a good change. My heart (unlike yours) sinks a little on hearing about all these coaching changes right before Olympic season. It seems desperate. But whatever is really happening, I hope it works out well for Caroline.

It does seem desperate, and I agree that the Olympic season is not the best time for a coaching change. But Caroline will hardly be the only one in that situation, and it's always better late than never.

[LeCygne]

Caroline's status on Facebook:

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." Alan Cohen

Hmm, interesting...

[Andalusia]

Caroline's status on Facebook:

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." Alan Cohen

Hmm, interesting...

I think it's just as good as official now, lol.

Rumour around the rink is that Caroline might be making a move to Florida. Are any other prominent coaches besides Don Laws and Richard Callaghan based there? I really hope Don Laws is the chosen one.

[Groshkova]

I so hope it is Don Laws. We don't need Richard to suck the life out of her. She isn't male so she won't develop some weird relationship with him.

Kimmie looked great in practice at Skate America last year and then crumbled back to her 2008 self. I just don't know.

Don Laws would be perfect.

[feraina]

I have no info, but I want to chime in that Don Laws would be *perfect*. Besides whatever his coaching skills, I think it would be immensely valuable for her to have Patrick Chan as a training mate. Actually, before COI went defunct, I thought how nice it would've been last summer if they had toured together on COI. Imagine some of the skating skills, speed, and edging from Patrick rubbed off on Caroline!!! And Caroline can maybe inspire him with a little more grace and extension (not that he's below average in either, but I think he can improve in both, and from his interviews it sounds like he has to fight a lot of external influences that categorize grace/extension as uncool in a male skater). I don't know how much time Patrick actually spends down in FL (I hope a lot, as it is the Olympic season, and he should maximize the amount of time he can spend with his coach), but I think whatever training time they can share would be really great for Caroline!

[Joesitz]

If only figure skating was really like Ballet, it would be great to see Chan/Zhang as a pas de deux No?

[Andalusia]

The way you've built it up now, feraina...I'd be so crushed if Caroline doesn't end up going to Don. There is a downside to her moving to Florida, though - how will you be able to keep track of her?

I could be wrong, but didn't Mr. Laws help out with Chen Lu at some point? It could even be that Li Mingzhu, knowing she couldn't help Caroline any further, recommended Don Laws as a replacement. And Patrick was at the WTT; could it be that Caroline and her mom met Don at the event and things progressed from there? I expect Mr. Laws is getting on in years, though, so maybe he wouldn't have travelled all the way to Japan just for a glorified cheesefest.

Speculation is such fun.

[feraina]

We have Groshkova to thank for planting the seed of this idea. I merely took the idea and fanned it (mixed metaphors, maybe I "watered" it).

[Groshkova]

You have to wonder if they sought out Frank Carroll as well. I'm willing to bet this change was thought out for a while, as was Mirai's. One must wonder if Frank Carroll and Shep Goldberg wanted to work so closely together again. Shep is usually very involved, so he likely helped set up whatever coaching change is happening.

[Mathman]

We have Groshkova to thank for planting the seed of this idea. I merely took the idea and fanned it (mixed metaphors, maybe I "watered" it).

Or did Groshkova strike the spark of this idea.?

[Tonichelle]

I agree Sarah's choreo was excellent. The problem was that Michelle did not sell that program, imo.

completely agree!

[Groshkova]

The only program I like less was her Bolero. I think both programs could've been exceptional if Kwan kept in ALL of the original choreography that was intended. She kept putting moves in and taking things out. Everything all together would've made both so exotic and choreographically interesting. Kwan stopped training her choreography as much once she went to UCLA and didn't commit to each and every step as much, thus she simplified some of her choreography to 'get it' quicker.

Those jumps at the end of the program would've been cool. Kawahara's choreography was definitely a challenge for Kwan and some of the choreography didn't seem natural for her and didn't exactly flatter her. She isn't the most flexible skater and some of the moves appeared awkward. Had she not panicked, which I believe she was period since the Olympics were coming up and she was likely reliving traumatic events, it would've been cool to see her stick with the original costume and choreography for a while.

Her lack of speed due to not having a coach to push her that season wasn't doing her any favors.

For this, we should slap Danny Kwan for mind-effing her.

Food for thought: Don Laws would've been a kickass coach for Kwan in 2001-02 and he will be kickass for Zhang this season.

[fliptart]

Hmmm, Caroline's Twitter status is more intriguing....

"Change is coming! A good one=D"

[Joesitz]

The only program I like less was her Bolero. I think both programs could've been exceptional if Kwan kept in ALL of the original choreography that was intended. She kept putting moves in and taking things out. Everything all together would've made both so exotic and choreographically interesting. Kwan stopped training her choreography as much once she went to UCLA and didn't commit to each and every step as much, thus she simplified some of her choreography to 'get it' quicker.

Those jumps at the end of the program would've been cool. Kawahara's choreography was definitely a challenge for Kwan and some of the choreography didn't seem natural for her and didn't exactly flatter her. She isn't the most flexible skater and some of the moves appeared awkward. Had she not panicked, which I believe she was period since the Olympics were coming up and she was likely reliving traumatic events, it would've been cool to see her stick with the original costume and choreography for a while.

Her lack of speed due to not having a coach to push her that season wasn't doing her any favors.

For this, we should slap Danny Kwan for mind-effing her.

Food for thought: Don Laws would've been a kickass coach for Kwan in 2001-02 and he will be kickass for Zhang this season.

Sheherazade is THE most perfect piece of music for skaters. The various rhythms, changes of tempo and changes of themes is hard to find in other pieces of music to satisfy the CoP or even the 6.0., and all of it is done with flow. Skaters are indebted to Rimsky-Korsakov(sp) for creating the bench mark musical piece for skaters. (While Carmen has rhythms and tempo changes, it does not flow from one piece to another).

Unfortunately, it was, imo, the beginning of the decline in Kwan's performances due to pain. But then she did a remarkable 2003 Worlds after Sher before falling back to the hip problems. I did think, however, that her SP Spartacus was on target for her unique style of figure skating.

What roll Danny played in this, we will never know.

For Caroline, it will be HOT and HUMID in Florida. One has to get used to it. Everyone lives in air conditioning all year. I hope that doesn't affect her.