Carried over from the 2009-10 thread:
Originally Posted by cornell08
It's the start of a brand new season, so I'm taking the initiative to create a new thread for Caroline Zhang.If someone has a more creative title for this thread, please suggest it.
I'm told that she is still training with Coach Li Mingzhu in Artesia, CA.
Wow. If she really managed to get rid of the mule kick that'd be awesome.
That sounds like a great miracle!
I want to see this first. At the beginning of last season there were people who told us the same, and said that her speed was much better than before .... and then?? Nothing! The same worse technik, no speed .... so, wait!Carried over from the 2009-10 thread:
It's the start of a brand new season, so I'm taking the initiative to create a new thread for Caroline Zhang.
I'm told that she is still training with Coach Li Mingzhu in Artesia, CA.
And one point more. Nobody is able to change the technik so much, which is necessary for Caroline, because her technik is sooooo bad!
Don´t think that I don´t like her. I saw her at her first Junior World, and she really was a cute there!
But her skating skills and technik are not good enough for an American Senior lady.
I really hope for the whole skating world, that we don´t lose a big talent, which Caroline is, because we need every talent for this sport!
I hadn't watched this before - here is Caroline's 2010 4CC Bronze medal winning LP.
Looking at this it is easy to see that Caroline has some very nice qualities but also needs to work on some problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOkkpgnKCbo
For comparison, here is Sasha skating to the same music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px2VRUSQAKg&NR=1
Last edited by janetfan; 04-21-2010 at 10:34 AM.
I think Caroline really does try and improve but she looks positively frozen when she competes. I think she gets very nervous and tends to just shut down and try to "get through" the program. She needs to learn how to relax and perform to the music which will put her in a better place mentally to try her new technique.
Glad to hear she is looking better, I hope they really work on the double axel as well, IMO that is always her worst jump to watch.
Mavy, when I read your observation about Caroline, I suddenly thought of this week's episode of Dancing with the Stars. When Pamela Anderson's turn came up, I was struck by how at ease she looked. She was previously a nondancer, but she always seems to be doing a good job of creating a "performance moment." Nothing seems to throw her. Now, Pamela Anderson is not someone I ever was a fan of, and I didn't expect to like her at all, but her sense of relaxed enjoyment has won me over. It occurs to me that though basic talent, technique, and hard work are certainly important, one of the great X-factors in a successful competitive attempt is the ability to be comfortable under the spotlight. It's one reason Katarina Witt was so successful, and Naomi Nari Nam in her brief career. I don't know if this ability is innate, or if it can be developed. But I hope Caroline manages to locate it within herself, because I'd hate to lose her as a top-level skater. She has a lot to offer. (I wish Czisny could have figured it out, too, but maybe when she's skating in shows instead of in competition, her jitters will diminish.)
I was also surprised when I saw that report from Colorado. Is it really possible to re-work jumps in 3 months? I guess we will see how she's doing at Golden West in August.
I think it's possible to work on the jumps in 3 months but Caroline always seems like she is improving on her jumps early in the season but once the season has started in the past by Nationals they are as bad as ever.
I am hoping that now that Caroline is almost 17 she has matured and realizes what needs to be done so that she can remain competitive on the senior level. I feel that if she has another season like her past season she is done. She really needs to break down her technique and improve even if it is only baby steps, or otherwise she will be left behind. Last season she regressed. She was plagued by injuries that were caused imo by her growth spurt and her poor techique which took her out of contention in every major competion she was in except for 4CC. As a fan of Caroline last season was painful to watch.
Yes, last season was painful except the end. At least her 4CC bronze will almost guarantee 2 Grand Prix events. She won't have to go through Sectionals.
Indeed, 4CC was the best thing that happened to her in a long time. Seeing her face light up with joy when she saw her score made my day. But I also fear that the success made her complacent about staying with Mingzu Li.
It's possible that no ELITE coach wants to risk their rep on FIXING her issues. Perhaps she as tried to get someone and they just wont take the risk. Its often viewed as the coaches fault if things dont work out. Having said that, I hope she turns herself around, because I love her line.
Everytime I think of Mingzu Li I also think about Chen-Lu
Did Mingzu teach and train Lulu or was it done by committee? Maybe different coaches for jumps, spins, etc,?
I always see Caroline's bios with two coaches listed - Mingzu Li and also Sandra Holmes.
I believe Mingzu is Caroline's primary coach but am not sure about the role of Sandra Holmes.....
I think I also read once that Caroline has a jump coach who she has worked with for years.
Would that be Sandra Holmes by any chance?
Perhaps she's just not ready or is not aloud to leave home yet and is sticking with what she has now for now. She can get lessons from a decent jump coach and a skating skills coach without changing head coaches.
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