Mirai is not done / Splits from Frank Carroll | Golden Skate

Mirai is not done / Splits from Frank Carroll

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
According to a recent IN article:

"'Last year I was really upset watching worlds,' she said. 'I was in Canada with Lori [Nichol], and it made me feel really upset that I wasn't there. But this year, it didn't really bother me. Last year it would have really brought me down, but this year, it's motivation for me to do better next year.

'I think the past couple of years, I've just put all of myself into skating, and this year I'd like to try to balance everything,' she said. 'Skating will always be my No. 1 priority, but it's nice for me to have something else to think about. It does upset me that I'm not at worlds, and it does upset me that I didn't do as well as I could have at nationals, but it's something to motivate me for next year.'

To bring some balance to her life, Nagasu has gone back to school, at Pasadena Community College.

'I'm taking art classes, which is a lot of fun,' she said. 'And I just got my driver's license, so I'm driving to school by myself.'"

...

"For the moment, Nagasu has been training in a local rink by herself, in addition to spending three hours a day in school.

'I haven't been traveling to Palm Springs because I'm not training my programs,' she said, 'So I'm skating at my local rink and just enjoying myself. Being in the real world makes me see how much I love the skating world. It's nice to have a balance of school and skating. I can appreciate how much work goes into both.'"

looks like we'll see an improved Mirai next year! :yay:
 

jcoates

Medalist
Joined
Mar 3, 2006
Nice to see that she's starting to take more responsibility for herself. Even if she never reaches her skating potential, taking these steps will help her build a life for herself now and after skating.
 

brightphoton

Medalist
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
It's good that she'll have a life outside of skating. It's not healthy to dwell on one thing for such a long time. Skating should really be a 3-4 hour a day activity.
 

sweetskates1

Medalist
Joined
Feb 5, 2012
Mirai is a natural champion if only we could see her skate like one during both portions of international competitions!!
 

macy

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
^maybe we'll see that next season since this is her second worlds she's missed in a row.
 

cjsk8fan

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 11, 2005
Look how long it took Kostner to be a champion. Mirai will get there, she just needs time.
 

tampro1

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 30, 2005
According to a recent IN article:

'I think the past couple of years, I've just put all of myself into skating, and this year I'd like to try to balance everything,' she said. 'Skating will always be my No. 1 priority, but it's nice for me to have something else to think about. It does upset me that I'm not at worlds, and it does upset me that I didn't do as well as I could have at nationals, but it's something to motivate me for next year.'

To bring some balance to her life, Nagasu has gone back to school, at Pasadena Community College.

'I'm taking art classes, which is a lot of fun,' she said. 'And I just got my driver's license, so I'm driving to school by myself.'"

...

"For the moment, Nagasu has been training in a local rink by herself, in addition to spending three hours a day in school.

'I haven't been traveling to Palm Springs because I'm not training my programs,' she said, 'So I'm skating at my local rink and just enjoying myself. Being in the real world makes me see how much I love the skating world. It's nice to have a balance of school and skating. I can appreciate how much work goes into both.'"

looks like we'll see an improved Mirai next year! :yay:

:laugh: I'm sorry but taking art classes and skating is not a balance or the real world. She sounds so clueless. Maybe she should work a full time job and see if she prefers that to serious training. If the last two years is the result of putting all of herself into her skating, she's done. She skated Nationals like someone who trains alone at a local rink. Elite world class athletes do not train by themselves. That is NOT putting all yourself into your skating. That explains her performances the last two seasons. Help....Mirai has fallen and she can't get up...help! :bang:
 

ManyCairns

Medalist
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Country
United-States
I was thinking along tampro1's lines but I couldn't think of a way to say it diplomatically. Although of course some balance is good in life, my reaction was huh??? You mean that's how she competed when she was putting her all into skating?? So how is parsing out her time going to make her skating better?

But heck, of course I don't and can't really know how much of herself she's put into skating so far. But just from the outside I'dve been more likely to guess she had lacked focus on skating the last few seasons, rather than had too much focus.

Regardless, hope she finds what works for her. Maybe she really does need some other outlets. But those comments made me think more "Mirai is done" rather than "Mirai is not done." She doesn't sound like good competition results are a goal.
 
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hurrah

Medalist
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
If it was a mental block of some sort that stopped her from being able to fully immerse herself in skating, I can see the need to reorganizing her life so that she feels happier. I hope she'll find a way to find the right balance, because I would love to see her skate as joyfully as she did at Vancouver.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Many people who saw her practices at Nationals thought it was a done deal that she was going to win because her run throughs in practice were so good, it was only when she got into the performance that she had the deer in the headlights look. That could actually be related to too narrow of a focus or focusing narrowly but on the wrong thing (outcome/result) rather than being unfocused. This could be a good thing for her and an opportunity to get some perspective (even if it's skewed).
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I was thinking along tampro1's lines but I couldn't think of a way to say it diplomatically. Although of course some balance is good in life, my reaction was huh??? You mean that's how she competed when she was putting her all into skating?? So how is parsing out her time going to make her skating better?

But heck, of course I don't and can't really know how much of herself she's put into skating so far. But just from the outside I'dve been more likely to guess she had lacked focus on skating the last few seasons, rather than had too much focus.

Regardless, hope she finds what works for her. Maybe she really does need some other outlets. But those comments made me think more "Mirai is done" rather than "Mirai is not done." She doesn't sound like good competition results are a goal.

Her problem might be that the only 'important' thing in her life is skating. She actually skated better competitively when she was still in high school - splitting her time between skating and studies. For some people, school is a distraction - i.e. Paul Wylie won his Silver medal at 92 Olympics after graduating from college. Others need a variety of activities in life to keep them focused on time management and to get a 'break' from their focus. It's possible that Mirai became too focused on winning and that doing other things will remind her to enjoy herself. Michele Kwan also took a couple of classes each semester while skating - she said it gave her a break from just thinking about skating and reminded her that there is a world beyond skating.

If this is what Mirai needs to do to get her mojo back, then people should be supportive, not disparaging. People are different and need to figure out what works best for them.
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Look how long it took Kostner to be a champion. Mirai will get there, she just needs time.

What? When Kostner first started, she was doing 3F-3T, 3Lutz-3T left and right. Kostner was a world medalist at Mirai's age. Kostner had no weakness technically. She just had to skate clean. Mirai has dubious edge on both her flip and lutz, she doesn't have a Salchow. If Kostner had a skate of her life like Mirai did at the Olympics, I'm very sure she won't be 4th.
Not the same.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
If this is what Mirai needs to do to get her mojo back, then people should be supportive, not disparaging. People are different and need to figure out what works best for them.

ITA. Most of us here agree Mirai needs to make some changes to her personal routine to try and regain her best results. Taking classes part-time seems like a well thought out decision that might work for her. From nationals practice reports it sounds like she is just on the cusp of translating her great practice skating into a competitive performance, so I think maybe something to distract her from the pressure seems like the perfect solution.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
What? When Kostner first started, she was doing 3F-3T, 3Lutz-3T left and right. Kostner was a world medalist at Mirai's age. Kostner had no weakness technically. She just had to skate clean. Mirai has dubious edge on both her flip and lutz, she doesn't have a Salchow. If Kostner had a skate of her life like Mirai did at the Olympics, I'm very sure she won't be 4th.
Not the same.

Yeah I also don't agree with the Kostner comparison. Both have had issues delivering under pressure but, to me, that's where the similarities end.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Kostner had no real competition in her country, so she was able to compete at every Worlds starting in 2003. Over that 10-year period, she had her ups and downs, but she won 4 medals (including 2012 WC) and never finished lower than 10th at Worlds.

Mirai has plenty of competition at home, which on paper should have spurred her on to skate her best at Nationals, but for some reason that has not been the case. Since the 2010 Olympics, she doesn't seem to have the incentive to win that is the hallmark of a true champion.
 

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Kostner had no real competition in her country, so she was able to compete at every Worlds starting in 2003. Over that 10-year period, she had her ups and downs, but she won 4 medals (including 2012 WC) and never finished lower than 10th at Worlds.

Mirai has plenty of competition at home, which on paper should have spurred her on to skate her best at Nationals, but for some reason that has not been the case. Since the 2010 Olympics, she doesn't seem to have the incentive to win that is the hallmark of a true champion.

Kostner was 12th twice at Worlds....

I think for Mirai, she's not really a fighter. She gives up on the rest of her program when something goes wrong. She has to change her mind-set 'cause I believe she does have the technical ability, and artistry to be a WC.
 

AlexaD

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
I am glad she is realizing there is a life outside of skating. That may help her not put so much pressure on herself when she competes.

That said, she doesn't sound like - at the moment, anyway - that she has the competitive fire needed to be among the best of elite figure skaters. Skating by herself is all well and good to a point but I hope it is just a temporary thing and that she is serious about working hard next year.
 

Dragonlady

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
When I first saw her skate as a Junior, I thought Mirai would be the next big thing in US Ladies' skating. She's not, and I don't think she ever will be at this point. I don't think she wants it enough and I think she has serious work ethic issues.
 

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
When I first saw her skate as a Junior, I thought Mirai would be the next big thing in US Ladies' skating. She's not, and I don't think she ever will be at this point. I don't think she wants it enough and I think she has serious work ethic issues.

Know this is a Mirai thread, but i feel the same way about Javier Fernandez and now Adam Rippon. They just aren't committed athletes.
 

Irishflip

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2011
Kostner had no real competition in her country, so she was able to compete at every Worlds starting in 2003. Over that 10-year period, she had her ups and downs, but she won 4 medals (including 2012 WC) and never finished lower than 10th at Worlds.

Carolina finished 12th twice at worlds. I do agree that she had no competition compared to America which seems to be full of people who peak at nationals, so that makes it really difficult. This year was really her big slump considering she won the short at nationals and beat out both other medalists there for the four continents bronze medal. I think every skater is entitled to one or two horror seasons.
 
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