Nagasu | Golden Skate

Nagasu

kalle

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Any news about Mirai, training situation, new programs etc?
Is there any chance that she might get selected for the World Team Trophy?
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
I think Mirai needs to go out and live on her own and become a more mature adult because she seems less mature then someone like Grace Gold at least in how she approaches her skating. The cute act isn't working anymore and she's at a crossroads. She's not considered the future of US skating like she was only a little over a year ago.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I agree it would help Nagasu to make her own decisions about what she wants to do and where she intends to go.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
In fact, I think that's a good idea for anyone. If you're living someone else's dream, it never works that well. If skating successfully is really Mirai's dream, I think she has the tools to attain it. But maybe her goal was to go to Olympics and be US champion. She has achieved both of those goals. When she thinks about it, she might decide it's time to move on. Or not.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
^ true, she really has accomplished a bit if you think about it. US champion, 4th at Olympics (probably should have been bronze medalist IMHO), top 10 at worlds. Unfortunately so far that year seems to have been her peak, and perhaps she's lost the love for skating. Simply reading about her commute made me exhausted (and brought back memories of my own commute I had to make to school a while back, so I can relate in a way). But maybe moving closer isn't enough. She would also need a source of motivation. The state of US ladies' skating has not improved since Vancouver, and Nagasu really COULD be our best if she kept up that level of performance...but if you're not enjoying it any more, a break is necessary.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Mirai's family doesn't have the money to fund a separate residence for her. She'd have to get a job in order to support herself, and that would take time away from her training.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Mirai's family doesn't have the money to fund a separate residence for her. She'd have to get a job in order to support herself, and that would take time away from her training.
But they do to drive back and forth 4 hours a day? I think they could swing the money for a room in someone's home...
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Nagasu has to decide what she wants in life. She needs to look at what she has talent, energy, emotional support, financial support even her physical attributes and come up with a game plan to achieve what she wants and when she wants it. This may mean retirement. Pragmatically speaking the driving is expensive and tiresome - inefficient use of time so she has to figure out something. Maybe Frank Carroll isn't the answer anyways. As for the bronze medal sorry folks Mirai was clean but didn't have the power of Rochette or Asada (Rochette almost beat Asada for silver it was close). Mirai also skated to Carmen but lacked the character of Carmen often smiling like a beauty contestant throughout the graceful and lyrical routine - another problem Carmen is power, romance and drama -Mirai's Carmen was another top American skating feminiely, gracefully but not in character. Joannie despite her few tiny glitches had farm more amplitude which translates to GOE's plus though no one noticed her programs were really COP friendly - transitions and all. Still Mirai was wonderful.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I don't think she needs to make any drastic lifestyle changes like moving away from home. She got to the top before living at home, so there's no reason she can't do it again. Moving out isn't going to make her skating more mature; better choreography will. Even with her programs this year, had she been clean she would have medalled at Nationals and likely made the World team. What she loses in commute time she might make up for in the comfort and security of living with her family.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Mirai has alluded to the fact that her family has extremely high expectations when it comes to her performances, so living at home may bring so much pressure that it more than outweighs 'comfort and security'.
 

Jammers

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 4, 2010
Country
United-States
Mirai hardly put anything into her choreography this season. Yes maybe the programs weren't the best but she skated like a zombie with no fire or passion. The best skaters can take an average program and make something of it.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Mirai's family doesn't have the money to fund a separate residence for her. She'd have to get a job in order to support herself, and that would take time away from her training.

The 4 hours she spends in a car daily takes time away from her training and money away from her parents as well though.... she's not in school AFAIK, she'd have time for a job if she lived closer to the rink and wasn't spending all those hours in a car every day. I mean, she'd be busy, but so many skaters are these days doing highschool or college and skating at the same time. Working isn't that uncommon either, especially as a coach, then she could stay at the rink and make money at the same time. Idk. I think she could manage fine. Most skaters train what, 3 or 4 hours a day? If she's not taking college courses, that leaves plenty of time in the day to work.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Mirai has alluded to the fact that her family has extremely high expectations when it comes to her performances, so living at home may bring so much pressure that it more than outweighs 'comfort and security'.

If that's the case, I'm sure she would be pressured even more to delivered if her family is accruing the additional cost of housing and training elsewhere. There are, I'm sure, two sides to this story. From the family's perspective, they are making tremendous sacrifices for her skating, and by some accounts she isn't giving it her "all". If she is financially able to make it on her own, and her family's pressure is too much, she would have left. If she is dependent on them financially and wants to leave, she should go to school or find a less expensive hobby. She can't expect not to have pressure to deliver when they are paying for very expensive coaching and she isn't trying her best.
 

Sylvia

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 25, 2003
Nagasu mentioned in her pre-Nationals media teleconference call that her mother was driving her to the Palm Springs/Cathedral City rink a couple times a week (not 5 days a week) and that she also trained at the rinks in Artesia and Lake Arrowhead.

She is scheduled to perform in the Skating Club of Boston's 100th anniversary production of ICE CHIPS as a special guest with Lysacek on March 31st at 1 pm and 7 pm, and April 1st at 2 pm at Harvard’s Bright Arena in Cambridge, Mass., so it's likely we'll hear more news about her then.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
It seems that Mirai thrives with a good training partner (Evan) and consistency. She was at her best when she emulated his training habits.

Since Frank moved, she's not skating at the same rink as she was during the last Olympics. Thus, the long commute a couple of times a week.

It seems that she either needs to leave Frank to work with someone every day in the immediate area or she needs to move closer to Frank to work consistently with him.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
If that's the case, I'm sure she would be pressured even more to delivered if her family is accruing the additional cost of housing and training elsewhere. There are, I'm sure, two sides to this story. From the family's perspective, they are making tremendous sacrifices for her skating, and by some accounts she isn't giving it her "all". If she is financially able to make it on her own, and her family's pressure is too much, she would have left. If she is dependent on them financially and wants to leave, she should go to school or find a less expensive hobby. She can't expect not to have pressure to deliver when they are paying for very expensive coaching and she isn't trying her best.

This is a situation that has ended with a promising skater giving it up altogether. Ann Patrice McDonough had a parent who was so strict and demanding of her that AP became more and more unhappy and finally quit. When I see Mirai's expressionless performances I am reminded of AP.

Sometimes parents become too involved in their children's training to the point where they become a demotivator. Yes, parents are paying for the training, but it's better to be supportive of the child's efforts instead of being overcritical of the results.
 
Last edited:

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
It is too bad that all Nagasu threads point out a difficult situation with no current remedy unless Mirai wanst it bad enough to order her life differently. I am sure Frank could find her a very nice skating family and she could resume working hard. The other possibility is looking at other top coaches who might want to work with her. Maybe kristy Krall would welcome Mirai, and she could train with the best skater and current winner of all. Again, she has to move away, but she would be doing that if she were going to college instead of doing elite skating.

You can't feel sorry for Mirai if she and her family/team don't change the failing formula into a winning one. She has the talent, but maybe is getting tired of the whole thing. Watching Ashley's star rise above her own and hearing all about Gracie Gold, maybe Mirai is discouraged. She had a couple glorious seasons. She may not evolve into what we all needed but she is in charge of how much she wants to train, or change her life. I was frustrated watching her this season, and thought it was wrong music, dull choreo, unattractive costume-all needed change. But mirai does not perhaps want to make the change to become the best. She may lack the killer gene that Yuna, Mao, Miki, Plushenko and others had to move faraway to be the best, try something new. Mirai maybe has tasted what is needed and is unwilling to do that. She's a sweet girl. I wish her the best. Maaybe we will see 2010 Mirai again, or maybe we won't. She was wonderful, and her two programs were wonderful to watch. She belonged there with Yuna, Mao and Joannie. No one will forget her who watched the skating Olympics. She has achieved much.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
I wonder if Mirai would ever go to Orser? I remember an article after the Olympics came out and Brian was complimenting Mirai and said he'd like to coach her/a skater like her or something. He seems to have helped Elene and especially Javi become more consistent, and with Yuna and Adam gone and Christina likely to switch her training base to SCOB either this upcoming year or the year after depending on when she starts Harvard, he would likely have enough time to devote to Mirai. It seems like they have a nice setup at the Cricket Club and that his skaters enjoy living and training in Toronto. Idk. Could potentially be a good move. Plus then she'd be close to Lori and could work with her more often.
 
Top