Should coaches be in awe with their skaters/ students | Golden Skate

Should coaches be in awe with their skaters/ students

Should coaches be in awe of their star pupils

  • a star pupil is just another student

    Votes: 2 6.7%
  • teach as if s/he is another student, but take care to nuture their talents

    Votes: 14 46.7%
  • above all don't exploit their talents

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • all of the above

    Votes: 14 46.7%

  • Total voters
    30
  • Poll closed .

rtureck

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Last year Scott Williams said, "Michelle is already a piece of art, I just need to adjust the lighting a bit"

Now according to Hersh Article:

"Anybody would be surprised," Arutunian said in his self-taught, still developing English. "It's Michelle Kwan, right? Everyone wants to just talk with her, and I'm working with her. I think I am the luckiest man in the world."

I wish coaches should just treat their star pupil as just another student. I am not saying Scott Williams or Arutunian was/ is not.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept

In mid-November, Kwan took her boots to Rafael Arutunian, a figure skating coach with a cobbler's skills. Arutunian made some adjustments and watched her skate. Then he made more adjustments, watched her skate again and made some suggestions about technique. More adjustments, more suggestions.

After several sessions, Kwan asked Arutunian if he would like to help fix her skating as well as her skates. He was stunned.

"Anybody would be surprised," Arutunian said in his self-taught, still developing English. "It's Michelle Kwan, right? Everyone wants to just talk with her, and I'm working with her. I think I am the luckiest man in the world."

Arutunian, 46, who previously had coached in Russia and his native Armenia, moved to Lake Arrowhead with Abt before the last Olympic season. The talented but famously inconsistent Abt had the best results of his career in 2002--second in the European championships, fourth at worlds, fifth in the Olympics. Then Abt returned to Russia, apparently leaving his skills behind.

"He didn't stay here because of stupid," said Arutunian, not one to sugarcoat an opinion.

Kwan, 23, knew that sort of frankness was what she needed to improve as she prepared for January's U.S. championships, where she will compete for a record 12th straight time at the senior level. Two of her jumps, the loop and salchow, had become shaky. Sometimes it appeared she rested during programs.

At a recent practice, Kwan rolled through her four-minute free skate with a performance good enough to win another U.S. title. There was no chance for her to catch her breath in the four minutes, especially since her trademark spiral sequence has been shortened and there are more details that demand attention in the spaces between elements.

"You're taking up all my resting spots," she teased Arutunian.

The resting spots, she knew, were what judges and critics were complaining about, what she needed to get past.
 
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Germanice

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
"Before I start to work with her, I realize she is good: five-time world champion is five-time world champion," Arutunian said. "But when I start to work with her, I realize she is a genius on ice.
Well, I really wonder with how many US-$$'s (or vodka?) they fed the poor guy to make him stutter sheer delirious stuff like this! :laugh: This guy behaves just like one of her numerous worshipping US-fans, not exactly the right basic for a productive team-work.

Anke
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Every coach is different as their approach to their "protege" is different. It's really hard to say. I had a British ice dance coach who had a very "superior" manner about her. I don't know if coaches should be in "awe" of their pupils, but they should treat them respect and vice-versa. It takes real team work to produce a champion.
 

Pookie

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I don't think they should be in awe. There is nothing wrong with knowing you are teaching a great skater. The only wrong would be in saying they can't do anything to make them better. There is always room for improvement.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I was just reading in "Frozen Assets" by Mark Lund, about Tara and Richard Callaghan. Tara's mother, Pat Lipinski, is quoted extensively as saying that Callaghan ignored Tara, only gave her the lesson time that Tara paid for, not a minute more, that he was not her friend off the ice, did not help her get perks from the USFSA, was more interested in Todd Eldregde's career than in Tara's, etc., etc.

Callaghan replied that he tries to treat all of his skaters the same, whatever level they are at.

OT -- Mrs. Lipinski also is quoted as saying that Tara loved the one season she spent with COI, where all of the other skaters treated her like a little sister and went out of their way to include her in everything. But when she went to SOI Tara felt lonely, being in with a group of adult professionals that she did not have anything in common with (except for her special friend, Kurt Browning, according to Mrs. Lipinski's quotes).

Mathman
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I don't think Arturian is in awe. Maybe I'm reading between the lines but it sounds like he's sounding off to his slavic competitors, i.e., Mishin and TT, that he's training the World Champ.

Joe
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Yes, a coach should be in awe with their student if the student's name happened to be Silvio Smalun :love:
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I am thinking it's more a courtesy comment...like "Oh yeah, she's really wonderful because of all the great coaches and choreographers who have worked with her already" yadda yadda...Nothing like blowing pleasant smoke once in a while! :)

Kasey
 

curious

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
Joesitz said:
I don't think Arturian is in awe. Maybe I'm reading between the lines but it sounds like he's sounding off to his slavic competitors, i.e., Mishin and TT, that he's training the World Champ.

Joe


I doubt Mishin cares he is training the men world champ :D
 

Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
curious said:
I doubt Mishin cares he is training the men world champ :D
Actually, I remember reading an interview with Mishin. He mentioned that he does treat his star skaters differently. He even said that he believes Urmanov had all reasons to be angry with Mishin because back when Urmanov was the star Mishin did not treat him any different than other students.
 
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