I don't necessarily mean the trial balloon scenario in an entirely negative way, and I'm not entirely convinced that it's right..just leaning that way. I would hope no skater was simply being used by their federation. Maybe Jana truly has no feasible option for a partner in Russia at this time. Z/S are indisputably at the top of the coaching field now.They would be fools to leave behind what they worked so hard to build. They've made lives for themselves, formed emotional, as well as professional ties where they are. They have as much talent available to them as a coach could wish for.
They've said they would be willing to take on a Russian team, but the RSF may want to be completely sure they treat all their students equally before they commit a team they see as already having great potential to them. ( Didn't many of us feel B/A were given short shrift by Linichuk once D/S came under her wing ?)I think the RSF would want to be sure their team wouldn't find themselves in such a situation. They know they couldn't hope for favoritism , but maybe fairness would be enough. They'd want to be sure though.
The only problem with this theory is I'm not sure that a partnership that involves Marina's own son, is a suitable "test ballon." Frankly I worry that this situation is going to hurt some of Russia's extremely talented junior teams, with the Russians pushing Fedor/Jana, even if the other teams are better.
I don't think focusing one team of coaches is the way to go for Russia. I don't think ONE pair of top coaches was what made the Soviet system successful. I think it was the fact that training was based big time on talent, not your money. (although politics played a role). And the fact that they not only had strong top coaches, but they had strong lower level coaches working with their young skaters developing strong basics. The Russians might not be able to convince Igor and Marina to come back, but they just might be able to convince some of their other coaches to come back.. The US economy isn't going so well, and well Igor and Marina have pretty much a political strangelhold on US dance. The Russians might be able to convince a talented coach like Angelica Kryolov to come back if the price is right... They could also have their other very successful coaches help train younger coaches too. I think it would be just foolish for the Russians to sacrifice Jana, or some of their young ice dancers future success for the hopes of getting one team of coach.
And besides I have a feeling if the Russians were able to establish a successful system that was more humane but based on their old system of developing talent (like subsidized lessons). People like Igor and Marina might 10 years from now, actually be more interested in coaching Russians. They know how well that system works.
And really Zhulin is starting to develop a quite strong team himself. He's doing great work with his young teams and there's talk that he's even having Stavisky working with his young teams....I just think things are already looking up for them in Ice dance with their younger talent, and they need to focus on those things, and building a new system. Not on one group of coaches.
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