Kurt Browning Interview

[skateluvr]

Lots of skaters turn to coaching because they want to stay in skating, don't have a great education, as they sacrificed that to grab the ring in competition. Kurt can do anything, as he has had a very long lucrative pro career. He made big bucks in the SOI heyday doing US, Canada, and then Asian tours. I am sure he has invested wisely. The post whack skaters owe Tonya big time. I know she had a choice to do right or wrong. It still is tragic what she could have achieved with more believers around you.

I often think of the gender gap. Scott and Kurt can look, well, bald and cute as they have talent and Scott has a huge personality. Kurt has become a personality as well as footworker supreme. I think you see more former skaters who are women go for coaching little ones. Although, the top coaches seem to be more men...Frank, Brian, Tom, Nikolai. For top women, there seems to be a matter of a few less. Does Sarah's old coach do much these days? There is Tat of course at the top, Moskvina. I wonder if top male coaches and female coaches make the same per hour? I think women have more patience for teaching little ones. Maybe Kurt will dabble in elite coaching in a few years if a Yuna Kim walks in the door. That was lucky for Orser to win a gold medal at coaching so early in his career. Look how long it took Frank to get a old with Evan.

Well, coaches who provide the basics of these champions are the unsung heros. Frank (and Lori) are so responsible for MK's success. Frank is an old fashioned guy who learned from Maribel Owens, and he really took raw talent and made it into a work of art with Lori of course. Luck plus hard work. I think so many coaches do not get recognition nor the money as they toil 10 years or more to develop an elite skater. For those in the know, it might be an interesting thread, where we learn which coaches worked with top skaters when they were babies. It takes a lot of love, devotion and patience. To al the unsung coaches who toil every day in cold rinks, with golden hearts, I salute you.

I wonder speaking of coaches why R Callaghan is never seen at the boards with some skater? He was Tara's coach. I remember there were allegations but literally don't recall why, when, where, legit or not. I think Todd does some coaching with him in Fla, but how and why did he fall off the map? And of course, only substantiated answers should apply.

But back to Kurt, he has been splendid, and what he can do on hockey skates, most guys can't do on figure skates. As Tina Turner sang "You're simply the best, better than all the rest." Gold medal, gold schmedal. Kurt has no peer.

[dorispulaski]

Well, Callaghan moved to FL...that'll do it for you, right there.

[Olympia]

Kurt has a special gold medal, anyway. One of my favorite skating moments of all time is that time after 1994 when fans contributed jewelry and had it melted down into a gold maple leaf for Kurt. Completely deserved by Kurt both as a skater and as a man.

I agree with you, skateluvr, that we owe those hardworking basic coaches so much. When I see the failures of solid early technique in otherwise talented skaters, such as Zhang, I realize how crucial good early coaching is. You mentioned Frank and Lori. Michelle was coached by them at least since the age of twelve, which means that they had a lot to do with her meticulous technique. I remember reading that when CoP began, the technical advisors trained by watching ideal examples. I seem to remember that Michelle was one that they used for blade skills. (I'm sure they used Kurt Browning and Yuka Sato too!)

The kind of day-to-day work needed to cultivate that technique in a skater, endlessly refining the tiniest elements of form, takes a certain temperament. Not everyone can do it. I think Kurt has other skills (formidable ones!) and interests, but at this point, daily coaching isn't one of them.