Daisuke Takahashi

Newbiespectator said:

http://cuppa-chino.deviantart.com/art/Daisuke-Takahashi-440749139
A bit of Daiskue fan art to liven up your life.
My sister drew it, she's a genius. :

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ioanap said:

I have actually seen that before! Did your sister draw that? Wow, she really is a genius. Very, very, talented!

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Newbiespectator said:

http://cuppa-chino.deviantart.com/art/Daisuke-Takahashi-440749139
A bit of Daiskue fan art to liven up your life.
My sister drew it, she's a genius. :

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Newbiespectator said:

oops! sorry, didn't know it was already posted. Yup. She does great portraits. Unfortunately, I can't get her to watch figure skating with me any more since Daisuke is taking the year off. She says she can't watch it without him. I'll keep trying though.

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ioanap said:

No no, it wasn't posted on the forum, I was the one who found it on deviantART because I'm uploading my own portraits there

Aaw, I understand your sister very well

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Newbiespectator said:

Did you post your portraits somewhere? I'd like to see them!

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ioanap said:

These are going to look amateurish after your sister's drawing but here they are

Daisuke
Yuzuru
Mao

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Newbiespectator said:

Color pencil?

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How Daisuke Takahashi, too kind a soul, has been nurtured shared his Coach Nagamitsu
9/14/2014 Asahi.com
On September 4th, Utako Nagamitsu, a figure skating coach who has supported, empowered and brought up Daisuke Takahashi of men’s single to one of the world’s top skaters, gave a talk in the event of “The World of Figure Skating”, a lecture/talk show of Asahi Culture Center held at Sumitomo Hall in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Mrs. Nagamitsu, who is a coach of Ice Skating Club of Kansai University as well as a member of board of directors of Association of Japan Figure Skating Instructors, talked about the turning point of her life seeing the Sapporo Olympic Games ’72, the base philosophy of instructing, her feelings toward Takahashi and so on. We’ll look into her account to see what made Takahashi who was “too kind to be successful” into the top athlete of the world level ---.
(N = Utako Nagamitsu, G = Taisuke Goto, Asahi sports writer)
-- Finding her career shocked by the performances of skaters from overseas
G: What is a coach of figure skating all about?
N: I think (learning figure skating) is some little experience of tasting the real world of one’s society before actually going out there to handle it. I would be happy if my students become tough individuals to be a member of the society after going through different experiences, such as, facing irrational things, giving the efforts ending in failure or having the dreams actually come true.
G: What attitude of mind do you pass down to your students?
N: This is a sport scored by judges and you can’t do it alone but you get to be supported by many. Also I’d like them truly learn that they carry the credibility of the Japanese on their shoulders when they go out to the world. To Takahashi I naggingly insisted the manners for him to stick to for behaving honorably as Japanese. I kept showing how he should let ladies pass holding the door or manners at tables and such. Takahashi has complied quite well with the orders of his boss. (Laughing from the audience)
G: Mr. Takahashi has the image of great step. What makes good quality step?
N: Good step consists of; easy movements, earning speed, not losing, at each turn, the trace of the curve before and after draws beautiful arch. Also fluidity and the knee flexibility.
G: Why did you decided to be a coach in the first place?
N: I went to see Sapporo Olympics (’72) when I was Junior in college. I had so much fun watching the practice sessions of men’s single skaters there. They all had their own colors and different characters. In Japan men were all told to skate having their palms downward and parallel to the ice. If you had your arms swinging you got scolded, “stop shaking them!” But the skaters from the abroad I saw there danced really freely. I was shocked.
G: Who do you remember most?
N: Mr. Toller Cranston of Canada, Mr. John Curry of England and in the next Olympics Mr. Robin Cousins, those were really wonderful.
(The video of John Curry’s was played.)
N: Lori Nichol who choreographed Daisuke’s Free Program told him, “Watch his skating. Skate like he does.” The clean and precise edging and great control of his skating. He keeps his speed drawing the figure. Daisuke was surprised with it too. One kick makes a smooth and even gliding without losing the speed.
G: Their performances made you determined to be a coach?
N: Right. I felt that I wanted to build up attractive skaters like them.
G: So you had become a coach, and what kind of skaters you had brought up?
N: When I sent one to a competition with some elaborate choreography, I was told by an old man judge, ”why do you ever have to make a guy do such a flippant dance!?”
G: Now one has to dance to win.
N: Yeah. I always thought it has to be this way so I think a good era has come.
G: And Mr. Takahashi has carried such an era on his shoulders.
N: He is something special. Something about dancing or skating or expression or whatever. He is a skater I just have never really seen anyone alike.
G: What was your first impression of Mr. Takahashi?
N: He was a clear-eyed cute young boy in 8th grade. During the summer vacation there was a training camp at the Mr. Nagakubo’s place (who coached Takeshi Honda and Akiko Suzuki) in Sendai. He came to the camp to have Mr. Minoru Sano make his program. However, he only had two kinds of triple jumps, Salchow and Toe-loop. Both Mr. Sano and Mr. Nagakubo wondered how he could ever compete in the Nationals.
G: What about his dancing quality?
N: I think I’m the only one who got excited. (Laughing from the audience) I thought he was outstanding. The coaches around us seemed to be interested in his development but judged that he couldn’t compete with only two jumps.
G: Was it the first plan that Mr. Nagakubo and Mr. Sano would instruct him?
N: Right. He requested Mr. Sano to make his program but he had a sudden work appointment for a TV program in Tokyo. So I had it as a substitution. (For that Free program) it was “Warsaw Concerto”, my favorite piano piece. But he was just an 8th grader and even more child-like than his age. Mr. Nagakubo said, “Ma’am, this is too much for him. Why don’t you make it something more for a kid?” but I don’t have time for editing anything so I decided to start with it and see what happen. Then I got surprised. By then, I had choreographed for many students and you’d get pleased with having 2 or 3 back when you tell them to do 10. But when I told him 10, he returned it with twice or three times more out of it. He creates the atmosphere of it. We completed the program so fast so when it was time to make the finishing pose I felt, “I’m so sorry to have to make it end.” And Lori (who choreographed his Free program for Sochi Olympics) had said the same thing. She said, “It makes me sad to make the last pose.”
G: You thought you could see him forever?
N: It was so much fun. After that I asked him to show me his Short program and he said he had none. Kurashiki (Takahashi’s home in Okayama) is close to Osaka (where Mrs. Nagamitsu lived) so I told him to come to my place to make his SP as a sudden outcome.
G: I hear that Mr. Takahashi’s family did not have great resources for such expenses, so coming to Osaka must be a good saving.
N: He didn’t use Shinkansen Bullet train but conventional train line. Going back he used a Rapid train from Osaka station. It was so crowded with long lines of people waiting on the platform so I told him to wait a little more for the next train at the front of the new line. Because he was so exhausted after the practice he slept snoring in the back seat from the rink in Takatsuki to Osaka station. Like even drooling. (Laughing in the audience)
He waited in the very front at the platform. The train came and the doors opened, he let the aunties behind him go first, “Oh, go ahead, please” and went home standing after all. (Laughing in the audience)
He is the same way, even today.
G: They say he may be too kind as an athlete.
N: Right. He doesn't have the idea to sit and sleep going home so that he could rest.
G: What did you think about such a nature of his at first.
N: I sure thought he had a good nature, but he clapped when his rivals had nice jumps at the official practice session in the overseas competition. (Laughing in the audience) I wonder how he would end up.
G: How did you attempt to bring up an individual the opposite of the picture of a strong athlete?
N: He really has had a low self-esteem. He kept saying “I’m no good. I’m just no good”, so I was afraid that if I scold him he would be crushed and flattened. I couldn’t scold him so much. Only praising what he does well. I thought I should have been a little more severe but if I was, he might have quit long time ago.
G: The team was made to support Mr. Takahashi.
N: I think Daisuke whined and showed the weakness of his private self most to the trainer Mr. Watanabe.
G: What was the role of the coach Mr. Morozov?
N: I believe he is the person Daisuke couldn’t be here without. He brought up Daisuke’s self-evaluation. In first the season we had Nikolai to help him Daisuke had a bronze medal in the Grand-prix Final. For the first time as a Japanese man. It was 2005, a little before Torino Olympics. Daisuke and I were very happy for being on the Podium as the first Japanese (man). Then Nikolai asked, “you are satisfied, right?” and Daisuke shows the air “Of course, I am” then Nikolai scolded him very hard, saying “don’t be satisfied to be the third. Certainly you will be the very top.” I was surprised too but he did the right leading at the right time.
G: Wasn’t the fan’s power a big part of his growth?
N: For that, I really want to have this chance to say thank you. No matter where the rink is the voice of cheer for him was so strong and that must have helped him build his confidence. And in any country the Japanese fans have very good manners and greatly applaud skaters regardless of their nationalities. As a Japanese and a member of the skating circle I am very proud of them.
G: What is your thought looking back Sochi Olympics?
N: Oh, my, ... I still can’t see the videos of Nationals and Sochi. Well, uh..that’s the only thing I can say. They are probably the phases necessary to him.
G: Did you have a talk with him after Sochi?
N: After this season, I suggested if we should dissolve the team and make it to zero for now and he agreed.
G: Why making it to zero?
N: His friends from the college are now working as the major force of the society. But he had had it all prepared for him to do only skating. It might have something to do with his not having enough confidence in himself. He has much longer time in his life after the retirement so in order to make him gain confidence I just felt that he might as well let go the team and try something for himself.
G: Has he discussed with you if he will come back to compete?
N: I think he can take time to find his answer. I saw ice shows in this summer and I am both surprised and proud that now we can do so many different wonderful shows in Japan, and this is one of the ways as a skater. He is concerned how the skating rinks to survive and the younger generations to develop. Through these shows he may support for the skating rinks and break the ground for the post-competing life options of skaters.
G: Now he is having time of resting.
N: I was reading my diary during the 03-04 season that was when he challenged his first World championship. It is ten years since then. He has kept running. Now I felt that it’s good for him to have a rest.
G: What did you learn walking with Mr. Takahashi?
N: “Persistence makes you stronger” is for one of course, and there are many occasions that I felt “a predicament is a great chance”. It taught me not to give up, not to mope but to continue steadily and live positively.
G: Here I have a lot of questions from the people who came here today. Will you please answer them?
What parts should we pay attention in step to understand it more as a lay person?
N: The less skilled skaters would start in a great speed and lose it toward the end. A good skater would have a turn and still gain speed with it. Takahashi is good too but Mr. Patrick Chan and Mr. Takahiko Kozuka have great skills.
G: This one is about Mr. Takahashi. What programs do you like or have impressed you most?
N: I like them all. If I have to pick, the Free program he skated in Skate America (’05) where he won the title for the first time. He often had bad mistakes in Free programs after a good Short program performances, but that Free performance opened up a new door for him. Also the Short and Free skating in Vancouver (with which he won the bronze medal) were wonderful too.
G: While you have instructed and supported him all these years, what do you remember as things you felt difficult or great.
N: I was really blessed that I could see his skating every day. I lost track of myself running hard. I just wanted to make his skating seen by people and put him on the podium. The things I felt very difficult were probably too many now I can’t remember.
G: How did you handle when you faced a tough situation training him.
N: When Daisuke entered (Kansai) University and started the life in a city, he kept going out with his friends and didn’t do good practices so he had a terrible season. We had a big fight before the start of the season. Both of us cried. That’s when we opened up to each other and talked truly frankly for the first time. He thought “This is the only thing I got to do” at the time and came back to it.
G: What did you tell him?
N: I said, “No matter what kind of performances you did or what results or score you get I wouldn’t budge an inch and I’ll stand behind you. I won’t be surprised, so it’s just OK.”
G: You didn’t give him a tongue-lashing. Instead, you offered him words to express that you would stand by and accept just the way he was.
N: I once yelled at him hard when he had a terrible practice and he had a mini runaway at that time. It was a turning point for us that we could talk. I also said, “you can quit any time”, and added, “but if you do it, I will be standing behind you. No matter how bad you do I stand with you.”
G: Do you have any kind of music you want Mr. Takahashi to skate to?
N: He has never skated to the acoustic guitar so I asked him to try something like that. Like flamenco.
G: I really want to see it.
N: So do I. (Clapping from the audience)
G: Mr. Morozov always says something in his mouth watching him skate. (Laughing from the audience) What is he saying?
N: At a spin, he mumbles telling him “stay there, remain the position!!” He watches squeezing my arm so after the performance it hurts.
G: Some questions were addressed to me. “What kind of impressions do you have with each Japanese figure skater?”
---- When I write an article I try to find a point where children can find their role model. Mr. Takahashi is straight and open to accept his failures or weaknesses. A failure can be regrettable, but it’s a start for a success. I see the importance of learning and rising from a failure in Mr. Takahashi and thought it was great so I wrote that. Mr. Hanyu can put what was happening on the ice into precise words. He can see himself objectively. Mr. Kozuka can keep his frame of mind cool and flat. He is always stable. It’s important in figure skating.
G: You said it’s your own learning experience trying not to scold Mr. Takahashi, but you also said you could bear it watching his skating.
N: That’s true. I get so excited to have his new program done, wondering how it grows. I believe I have been such a blessed person.
G: What do you think of Mr. Takahashi's personality?
N: I thought he got his eyes so clear and beautiful when I met him for the first time. I love his being pure and genuine. I love such personality of his.
G: Do you think he would continue to compete?
N: I would be happy if he decides to do so. You can’t compare that great tension and the sense of release after with anything else. But this is not something I make him into. It’s what he chooses. I would like to wait for it.
I have had a lot of letters and encouragement from you. I would like to have this opportunity to show my appreciation to all. Thank you very much. (Applause from the audience)

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Newbiespectator said:

I got teary-eyed reading this. Thank you for posting.
Takahashi is SPECIAL. It doesn't matter if he does well or badly, he just makes you want to give him anything he wants.
He has a vulnerable quality and yet such inner strength at the same time. I want him to come back to skating soooo much. But most of all, I want him to be happy.
I wonder what kind of coach he'd be?

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Newbiespectator said:

I got teary-eyed reading this. Thank you for posting.
Takahashi is SPECIAL. It doesn't matter if he does well or badly, he just makes you want to give him anything he wants.
He has a vulnerable quality and yet such inner strength at the same time. I want him to come back to skating soooo much. But most of all, I want him to be happy.
I wonder what kind of coach he'd be?

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Hello!

After Friends on Ice I am back to Osaka and I got a hair-cut.
Tomorrow I'll post the pictures.

Although I've announced the book release for the Fall, it turns out I need a little more time to publish.

Please, wait just a little bit longer m(--)m
We'll re-edit it with new details and then I'll inform you here on FB when we can publish.

We are doing our best to release it as soon as we can.

Writer D

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"I really wanted to talk to Daisuke about this, but it was definitely too crowded not only with athletes but also with staff and officials to discuss such a matter in a loud voice, so we started to email each other by phone."

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