Rachael defers Stanford, skates for another year?
Racheal's mom says that she is using 2010-11 as a "transition" year and that they are looking at new coaches. Maybe she wants to move to the Bay area and start working with coaches there? I personally am very surprised at this, after all the time and commitment Racheal showed for her studies and how excited she seemed about college I thought she would get going this year. After all, can she really improve on her last season? Top 10 at Olympics and Worlds, National Champion?
I was pretty surprised by her decision as well. I'm not sure what she still hopes to achieve next season.. Otoh; Rachael does really love skating and loves competing so I guess that's where this is coming from. New coaches? Tom Z. hasn't been able to do *anything* about improving her posture at all. She actually had better lines when she competed at her first Sr Nationals in 2007. So maybe looking at things from a new angle will be good for her. Also; I don't know anything about technique, but looking at Rachael's toe jumps; she may not have a mule kick but she does kind of twist her body in weird way; so maybe some new technical coach could help her.
So transition year.. Bay coaches.. She seems to be looking into the possibility of continuing to compete while she's studying..
Best of luck to her. The girl clearly loves to skate, and certainly is capable of improvements yet - so why not?
Rachael is a hard worker. When she gets problematic feedback, she'll work at it, till there is no problem. I see her as a technical skater who can improve easily in her technique. However, she does not please the European judges as a performance skater. The question is can she improve in that area? Speed; Flow; Attack where needed, and show those qualities as stylistic without hesitation. I would suggest a more selected type of music.
Do you have a link please?Originally Posted by Tinymavy15
http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_15011075
I think her SP worked well for her last year. Showed off her personality. Her freeskate, on the other hand...
It seems to me that at the start of last season Mirai had her work cut out for her and as the season went on we saw progress.
I saw almost the opposite from Rachael. Her GP season was not successful even though she had been favored by US Skating with her assignments.
By the time Worlds came around Rachael's 3x3 was gone, her lutz's looked a little wonky, the mule kick on her flip became more exaggerated and her spins became sloppier. Sure it is a long season but for such a hard worker I saw deterioration rather than improvement in her technique. Her minimal presentation skills could not compensate for this and thus her placements at the Olympics and then Worlds were not as good as expected and appeared to be a step backwards from the previous season. Like Caroline we see Rachael's skating is also too slow when compared to the elite skaters.
Hard work is necessary and admirable - but talent is essential when competing at the highest levels.
The best two performances we saw from a US Lady last season were from Mirai. Her Worlds SP and Olympic LP proved she can compete with the elite Intl Ladies. I hope Mirai will continue to work hard because she appears to be immensely talented and could become a steady podium contender at the most important Intl events.
Rachael can comeback strong this year too but wil have show some real improvement to challenge for international podiums. Is hard work enough? Think of Evan........
To me Rachael seems like the type of skater who peaks at the middle of the season. This season, she struggled a bit at CoC, had a great FS at SA where she took silver, had two solid programs at nationals where she won the title, had a very good SP and a solid LP in Vancouver, then when Worlds rolled around she was struggling again. Rachael did not do the 3-3 at last years worlds either.It seems to me that at the start of last season Mirai had her work cut out for her and as the season went on we saw progress.
I saw almost the opposite from Rachael. Her GP season was not successful even though she had been favored by US Skating with her assignments.
By the time Worlds came around Rachael's 3x3 was gone, her lutz's looked a little wonky, the mule kick on her flip became more exaggerated and her spins became sloppier. Sure it is a long season but for such a hard worker I saw deterioration rather than improvement in her technique. Her minimal presentation skills could not compensate for this and thus her placements at the Olympics and then Worlds were not as good as expected and appeared to be a step backwards from the previous season. Like Caroline we see Rachael's skating is also too slow when compared to the elite skaters.
Hard work is necessary and admirable - but talent is essential when competing at the highest levels.
The best two performances we saw from a US Lady last season were from Mirai. Her Worlds SP and Olympic LP proved she can compete with the elite Intl Ladies. I hope Mirai will continue to work hard because she appears to be immensely talented and could become a steady podium contender at the most important Intl events.
Rachael can comeback strong this year too but wil have show some real improvement to challenge for international podiums. Is hard work enough? Think of Evan........
I think hard work CAN be enough IF a skater really works on his/her weaknesses. Due to Rachael's body type, she's never going to have full split spirals, but actually I don't find her spirals that bad - they aren't great, but they are fine. The things she needs to work on most are spins, speed, and flow out of her jumps. I've seen her do nice camel spins with the donut position before that are quite nice and wonder why she doesn't do them in her programs. Also, a few years ago I actually quite liked Rachael's skating - I think at that age she was more musical, had crisper spins and better packaging. I hate to be like this but I think Rachael has gained a little weight this year, and it's understandable, that often happens senior year, because in previous years I never ever thought of her as being chunky in the least. When she was 14 and 15 she wasn't a baby ballerina like Mirai and Caroline but she was certainly tiny. I think her build and the unflattering costumes make it seem like she's even sloppier than she is. I'm sure she can work on her issues, but she just might never be very artistic, like Kimmie Meissner. The other thing is that she may have passed her peak already, also like Kimmie Meissner.
Here's fatso at her senior prom.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3601346_n.jpg
I felt the opposite. I thought her free skate was fine, but in her short program she was trying too hard to be somebody that she is not (flirty McGirty).
Last edited by Mathman; 05-05-2010 at 09:58 AM.
Rachael's prom picture is very nice - but not so sure if I think her schoice of skating costumes is the best.Here's fatso at her senior prom.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...3601346_n.jpeg
I felt the opposite. I thought her free skate was fine, but in her short program she was trying too hard to be somebody that she is not.
I sort of agree with RD about her programs and enjoyed her SP last season.
Out of curiosity what did you think Rachael was supposed to be in her LP?
I think as long as she enjoys herself she (or any skater) should continue. University will always be there but these years of competition won't last long.
"Here's Fatso" made me LOL for real. Then it is her choice of skating costumes which are not good!
I have seen that picture, she looks great, and I never said she was fat, because she isn't, but last season she looked even smaller. That blue LP dress made her look really thin, and in the years before last year she hadn't hit puberty so obviously she was little. It could have just been the costumes last year that were more flattering though.Here's fatso at her senior prom.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3601346_n.jpg
I felt the opposite. I thought her free skate was fine, but in her short program she was trying too hard to be somebody that she is not (flirty McGirty).
As for her programs last year, the LP was a snooze and the SP was nice but maybe a little boring. Her costumes last year were fab though and so much more flattering than her ones this year. Royal blue, dusky purple, and yellow are good colors for her, not hot pink and fire engine red. Also, Rachael does better with straps because her shoulders are narrow and a bit hunched.
I haven't heard anyone say that for such a long timeHere's fatso at her senior prom.
It would be silly to suggest she is anything but slender, but she is definitely not as toned as other athletes. I think that's what silverlake22 was trying to say.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks