Ladies LP 2:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday | Page 17 | Golden Skate

Ladies LP 2:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday

Medusa

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Yeah, she's only 16. She's got time, but sometimes I worry if getting older = understanding the magnitude of the pressure = loss of consistency.
Perhaps coaches, federations, fans and journalists should broaden their minds a bit and start to accept that sometimes the development of a skater, especially a female skater, should also be allowed to take some time. That people shouldn't just be aiming for that one chance and make the skaters pull off all the Triples and 3-3s right away.

We now have got several examples of skaters who took their time, or had to take their time - and were at the top of their game at a later age. Rochette, Arakawa, Suzuki, Phaneuf, Meier... Those are all skaters who weren't the wunderkinds (or they were and had to fight to get back) and trashed the competition at Junior Grand Prixs with 3-3s. And maybe, if coaches slow down the development a bit, concentrate more on skating skills, precise technique - there would also be less injuries and therefore the skater would be longer be able to skate at a competitive level.
 

i love to skate

Medalist
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Perhaps coaches, federations, fans and journalists should broaden their minds a bit and start to accept that sometimes the development of a skater, especially a female skater, should also be allowed to take some time. That people shouldn't just be aiming for that one chance and make the skaters pull off all the Triples and 3-3s right away.

We now have got several examples of skaters who took their time, or had to take their time - and were at the top of their game at a later age. Rochette, Arakawa, Suzuki, Phaneuf, Meier... Those are all skaters who weren't the wunderkinds and trashed the competition at Junior Grand Prixs with 3-3s. And maybe, if coaches slow down the development a bit, concentrate more on skating skills, precise technique - there would also be less injuries and therefore the skater would be longer be able to skate at a competitive level.

Fantastic post Medusa! :bow:

Slowing down development is the most important thing. I find coaches (often in the US) praise a skater for getting triples and triple triples at a young age; even when their technique is horrendous or they are obviously cheating the jump. Having poor technique ignored is just going to hinder the skater later on as they further their career. Examples - Meissner and Zhang.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Perhaps with the new focus on correct jumping technique, things will change. It has to be kept in mind that these things weren't so important a few years ago when these skaters were going through that phase.
 

Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Yeah, she's only 16. She's got time, but sometimes I worry if getting older = understanding the magnitude of the pressure = loss of consistency.

Yes, certainly.

Mirai has immense talent, though, and I really hope she gets it under control by next season. America needs a new star in figure skating and she has more potential than anyone else.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Bravo, Medusa! What an eloquent post on a really crucial subject. For years it has bothered me deeply to watch a constant succession of promising sprites whose bodies or spirits give out early on. On the surface, it looks as though that's just a natural effect of the way girls' bodies develop mixed with the demands of all those triple jumps. But then someone like Shizuka comes along, twenty-four or however old she was in 2006, and kind of tall in the bargain. And she had triple-triples! Though she didn't do one during her Olympic program, she was capable of it. Then I have to ask myself, why are we using up these little girls when there's a better way to create good female skaters?
 

schiele

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Bravo, Medusa! What an eloquent post on a really crucial subject. For years it has bothered me deeply to watch a constant succession of promising sprites whose bodies or spirits give out early on. On the surface, it looks as though that's just a natural effect of the way girls' bodies develop mixed with the demands of all those triple jumps. But then someone like Shizuka comes along, twenty-four or however old she was in 2006, and kind of tall in the bargain. And she had triple-triples! Though she didn't do one during her Olympic program, she was capable of it. Then I have to ask myself, why are we using up these little girls when there's a better way to create good female skaters?

:agree::agree:
 

Binthere

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2008
Mirai's comment in K&C both broke and filled my heart. Didn't she say something like "I just want to go home and practice" Was sad for her disappointment but inspired by her fight
 
Top