Chan tries to stay razor sharp | Golden Skate

Chan tries to stay razor sharp

Taan

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/chan-tries-to-stay-razor-sharp/article1986444/
And he’s also looking ahead at the rest of his life. Last month, he was accepted into a unique university in Colorado, which will allow him to train while studying international economics. He will take one course at a time, each running 3 ½ to 4 weeks before he writes an exam. The classes at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, where Chan trains, run from 9 a.m. to noon local time.

“Skating is just a sport for us,” said his mother, Karen. “We like learning. He can also reach for the top in something else.”

“You have to keep working the muscle,” said Chan, referring this time, to his brain.
 

brightphoton

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Oh my goodness, I love Patrick. I'm rooting for him to get gold at World's :p He should ask Alissa and Michelle for homework help. They both got degrees in international economics.

Also what happened? The article says his coach is Christy Krall, but I thought his coach was Lori Nichol.
 

brightphoton

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Yeah, Chan had a big breakup with Don Laws from Florida. Then he went to Lori Nichol in Colorado ... I think, anyway.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Yeah, Chan had a big breakup with Don Laws from Florida. Then he went to Lori Nichol in Colorado ... I think, anyway.

um Lori Nichols is a choreographer... I didn't realize she was coaching... thought he was taking from the Colorado team. Knew he wasn't with Laws anymore. his loss, IMO.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Lori Nochol had been Patrick's choreographer but was also more than that. She is also a licenced coach. Don Laws got upset when Patrick started spending time with Christy Krall, whom Laws introduced to Patrick as a jump coach specializing in Dartfish software. Laws dumped Patrick just before the Cdn Nationals and a month and a half before the Olympics, when Patrick had just recovered from an injury and H1N1, so Patrick has had both Nichol and Krall as his coaches. I've alwasys liked this arrangement because Lori takes care of performance and Krall takes care of the technical side. Lately it's been just Christy with him at competitions. The women have a more holistic approach to Patrick's training, paying attention also to his diet, off ice training, etc. but he is actually training fewer hours on ice than before, taking advantage of the great Colorado outdoors to golf and mountain bike on weekends. I also like that Krall is not averse to Patrick having other mentors and that he is always ready to aknowledge them.

Going to high school in Toronto and training in Florida was very hard on Patrick. He trained every day and was very lonely. He had to share a motel room with his mom, eating microwaved dinners on the bed. In Colorado Springs, he and his mother each has a room in a family friend's house and Patrick enjoys eating at a kitchen table. Having all those training mates also suits the very social Chan though he had to learn to make best use of his ice time. The high altitude contributes to his stamina, evident in his LP performance, though Law scoffed at it since "Vancouver is at sea level."
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
This sounds like an ideal training life, because it's a life as well. Splendid! And praise for his family, who encourage him to be more than a skater.

I'm always thrilled when I hear of a skater continuing with his/her education, either during the competitive career or after it. It's an extra reason that I hold Michelle, Alissa, and Paul Wylie in high esteem, and it keeps Tim Goebel up on my list despite the fact that I was never a huge fan of his skating. One of my biggest disappointments with Tara was that she ended her education as well as her skating career so early.

This will give me one more reason to cheer for Patrick in the Worlds. But I'm not turning aside from Takahashi, either. Oh, the delicious agony!
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Patrick has expressed his gratitude that Krall took him on when she had chosen not to coach full time. I think, like Mr. Colson who was in his 80's when he took on Baby Patrick, Krall saw how special Patrick was. He is such a motivated athlete now and the result is evidently tremendous. This interview with Kurt in Turin is excellent in shedding light into his psyche at the time, a summery of the year. BTW, he was just 18, turning 19 when hit with H1N1, injury, only 2 competitions before the Olympics at home with all the pressure, and the unexpected coaching change.

BTW, as discussed on the Patrick Chan AND Don Jackson thread, he was to perform after Worlds with a skating club to raise funds for a skating scholarship he set up in honour of Mr. Colson. With the Japan disasters and postponed Worlds, he still honoured his commitment and the event was repurposed for Japan aid, with his fees and the proceeds split for both Japan and the scholarship. I'm rather proud of the fact that about 1400 attended this community event with no other big names. Canadians love figure skating and their skaters. :thumbsup:
 

wallylutz

Medalist
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
? When did Lori start coaching?

Lori Nichol has been listed as a coach of Patrick Chan for over a year. I am surprised you haven't heard about this. She appeared with him and Christy Krall together on many occasions at Kiss&Cry at various competitions.

Evidently, this led to accusations on the part of some well known haters who cried foul and said that it was Skate Canada who strong armed Lori Nichol into coaching Patrick Chan and used her influence to lobby the ISU judges in giving Chan high PCS scores. They cite the fact that Nichol would use Patrick Chan in seminars to judges as a backdoor way that how she lobbies for her one and only prominent student.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Lori Nichol has been listed as a coach of Patrick Chan for over a year. I am surprised you haven't heard about this. She appeared with him and Christy Krall together on many occasions at Kiss&Cry at various competitions.

I don't pay attention to Chan news, in all honesty.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
So there are reasons Lori Nochol has kept a low profile as Chan's coach and has not shown up at K&C with him for a while now. Patrick has been training mostly in CS but she is supposed to view his training videos and in frequent discussions with him besides the choreography sessions in Toronto. Andy O'Brian designs physical training program for Patrick, Dancer Kathy Johnson helped with performance but ended up inspiring quad success, and Brian Boitano's advice was sought out for competitive mental strength. Team Chan has been working out rather well IMO.

I tried to extract information from the article with a different perspective ;):

"Chan lost a competition to two American skaters but blames it on being Chinese. He is jealous of the winner, Ryan Bradley, and complains that Bradley was out of control............... "
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
"Chan lost a competition to two American skaters but blames it on being Chinese. He is jealous of the winner, Ryan Bradley, and complains that Bradley was out of control............... "

:laugh: Ooo, you're bad. I hope no one reads this thread without reading the original article first. :)
 

Bluebonnet

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
I tried to extract information from the article with a different perspective ;):

"Chan lost a competition to two American skaters but blames it on being Chinese. He is jealous of the winner, Ryan Bradley, and complains that Bradley was out of control............... "

Hey, some readers might take it as for real.:biggrin:

Glad that Chan is putting study into his life and considering the life after skating as well. That's the Chan and his value we know! Good for him!:thumbsup:
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Hey, some readers might take it as for real.:biggrin:

What? I only told the truth from his own mouth, nothing below the accepted journalistic standard of the day. An editor, with readership in mind, would probably write the headline in the vein of:

"Chan Alleges Racism In Loss, Accuses Winner Bradley As Out Of Control."

Now a tabloid, or AP at Olympics time, would likely write something like:

"In spite of admission of inferior skills and jealousy, a bitter Chan nonetheless charges racism in his loss to two American skaters in a recent competition. He also blasts the winner, current US Men's champion Ryan Bradley, as completely out of control."

The forums worldwide would light up with gleeful condemnation of his shameful behaviour, with posts such as "This is just like the arrogant little brat we know Chan to be. What a disrespectful sore loser!" and much more creative, and sometimes even funnily sarcastic, posts.

OK, back to the article, Universities these days really do adapt to today's varied lifestyles and needs, don't they? Interesting that Patrick can take consecutive intensive courses instead of several simultaneously over a semester. For someone who doesn't like to multitask, yet having an athletic career while studying, this seems like a very good plan.

Having the opportunities to travel the world for competitions and shows probably contributes to International Economics as several top skaters' choice of field of studies.
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
OT, but I was skimming the last post and thought I read "universities... field of figure skating studies." Wouldn't that be the day!
 
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