Caroline Zhang's 2009-10 season

**Andalusia** · 06-12-2009, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by cornell08

The fact that Charlene Wong let Mirai even compete last season on that injured ankle makes me wonder if she's the woman to do it

I don't think Charlene can be blamed for this. It's been reported that she wanted Mirai to take some time off to let her ankle injury heal, but Mirai and/or her folks insisted otherwise.

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that Caroline's new coach will be someone based in CA.

**janetfan** · 06-12-2009, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by cornell08

I think its imperative that her next coach be someone who has an inspired vision and stands his ground on it. Caroline really needs to be pushed out of her comfort zone and to change her bad habits-- with good instruction of course. The fact that Charlene Wong let Mirai even compete last season on that injured ankle makes me wonder if she's the woman to do it-- or Nicks for that matter given his old interviews saying how "Sasha runs the show" (even though he seems like a darkhorse for the job now based on the rumor mill)

The suspense is killing me!

Someone can correct me if I am wrong - but I believe Charlene was at odds with Mirai and her parents about last season. I think Charlene advised Mirai to take time off to let her injury heal but was overuled.

**cornell08** · 06-12-2009, 09:29 AM

Yes, that is exactly the point. She was at odds, and yet she was 'overruled'. Mirai had a pretty painful injury-- coaches need to be able to persuade students and parents who are at odds with their instruction when it is necessary.

**Wrlmy** · 06-12-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by janetfan

Someone can correct me if I am wrong - but I believe Charlene was at odds with Mirai and her parents about last season. I think Charlene advised Mirai to take time off to let her injury heal but was overuled.

You're right. And Charlene wasn't so discreet about it either.

**antmanb** · 06-12-2009, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by cornell08

Yes, that is exactly the point. She was at odds, and yet she was 'overruled'. Mirai had a pretty painful injury-- coaches need to be able to persuade students and parents who are at odds with their instruction when it is necessary.

Well when it concerns a minor it is the parent who has overall control over the child does or does not do. The coach can make the recommendations he or she requires but it is up the skater/parent whether to take that advice or not. If the skater is a minor the the parents have to be trusted to make the right call and allowing a child to skate with a serious injury is IMO, the parents fault not the coaches.

Ant

**cornell08** · 06-12-2009, 09:43 AM

I never said it was her fault-- if you reread my comments I merely say that she was unable to persuade them otherwise. Believe it or not, many coaches are able to dissuade students/parents from competing injured-- and I don't that that has nothing to do with their style of instruction or their resume.

**janetfan** · 06-12-2009, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Wrlmy

You're right. And Charlene wasn't so discreet about it either.

I am not sure if I see any need for Charlene to be so discreet about it. She is entitled to protect her own reputation. If I had a kid skating I think I would trust Charlene to be their coach because what is more important than your kid's health? If Mirai and her parents were so determined to skate through the injury what options did Charlene really have? She could have walked away - in which case Mirai might have continued skating anyway. And wasn't there also ten other coaches involved with Mira

**Wrlmy** · 06-12-2009, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by janetfan

I am not sure if I see any need for Charlene to be so discreet about it. She is entitled to protect her own reputation. If I had a kid skating I think I would trust Charlene to be their coach because what is more important than your kid's health? If Mirai and her parents were so determined to skate through the injury what options did Charlene really have? She could have walked away - in which case Mirai might have continued skating anyway. And wasn't there also ten other coaches involved with Mira

She has every right to protect her reputation, but IMO any family situation/conflict should remain confidential. From Charlene's remarks I gathered Mr and Mrs Nagasu were encouraging Mirai to appear in number of shows despite the injury. What I gathered might have been entirely false, and in that case, completely unfair to them. At the end of the day, it's the coach's job to dissuade/pursuade his/her pupils to compete. If her best interests lied in protecting her reputation, she should have dropped Mirai instead of portraying negative image of Mirai and her parents.

LKR722 · 06-12-2009, 10:18 AM

I can't wait to hear who her new coach is. I'm hoping it's Don Laws, but wish Caroline the best whoever it is. Hopefully we'll hear something today soon.

**cornell08** · 06-12-2009, 10:20 AM

I'm happy whoever she chooses

I hope she doesn't announce it late in the day!

**janetfan** · 06-12-2009, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Wrlmy

She has every right to protect her reputation, but IMO any family situation/conflict should remain confidential. From Charlene's remarks I gathered Mr and Mrs Nagasu were encouraging Mirai to appear in number of shows despite the injury. What I gathered might have been entirely false, and in that case, completely unfair to them. At the end of the day, it's the coach's job to dissuade/pursuade his/her pupils to compete. If her best interests lied in protecting her reputation, she should have dropped Mirai instead of portraying negative image of Mirai and her parents.

Was it realistic that Mirai's injury could be kept confidential or that Charlene should be forced to lie about the situation. If the truth seems to cast a somewhat negative light on Mirai and her parents then that would be a problem of their own making. But I understand there are needs for confidentiality at times and honestly I don't know much about this except what I have read in an article or here at GS.
I think it is possible Charlene may have chosen to stay on with Mirai because she might care for her and thought she could help her from making the injury worse or career threatening (by favoring a leg it becomes easier to blow out a knee or injure a back, etc) . Then there are the remarks that Mirai was training with many other coaches - didn't Frank Carroll say "there will be no more coaching by committee with Mirai." My point being that whether or not Charlene walked away if is very doubtful that with all the other coaches around that Mirai would have stopped training.
Whatever - I mostly agree with you. Without knowing what really went on it is hard to place blame either on Charlene or the family.

**antmanb** · 06-12-2009, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by cornell08

I never said it was her fault-- if you reread my comments I merely say that she was unable to persuade them otherwise. Believe it or not, many coaches are able to dissuade students/parents from competing injured-- and I don't that that has nothing to do with their style of instruction or their resume.

I did read your post but it seemed to be suggesting that Wong was somehow unable to do her job properly by not persuading the Nagasu family to make Mirai tak etime off to allow her injury to heal. It is clear from the comments made to the media that Wong tried but the family did not agree, which is why i pointed out that once the coach has tried to pursuade the family of the best course of action there is nothing more they can do, it is up to the family to make teh final decision. In that regard i don't think Wong did anyhting wrong and tried her best.

Ant

**feraina** · 06-12-2009, 12:46 PM

Hmm, the first thing I did waking up was to check all the usual places to see if Caroline has announced her new coach yet. The suspense, the suspense!

Isn't she going to Champs Camp today? And she'll be very busy there. Is there going to be an article on Icenetwork that's going to discuss her coaching change?