Who are some coaches who come to mind who trained only one highly successful skater and were never heard from again. Some to come to mind for me are:
Robin Wagner- I dont really count her "blip" with Cohen
Alex McGowan
Joanne Barbo
Such a shame about Robin Wagner too. She is such a wonderful and kind lady.
Christy Kjarsgaard Ness. She trained a couple elite skaters after Yamaguchi but only had real success with Kristi.
Didn't she coach Chen Lu to 1998 bronze?Originally Posted by eyria
The PSA gives a developmental coach of the year EDI award to recognize the coaches who develop skaters in their early competitive careers.
http://www.skatepsa.com/Joint-PSA-USFS-EDI-AWARDS.htm
Developmental Coach of the YEAR In recognition of new talent and superior teaching technique for a coach who has a career record of helping athletes develop to higher levels of the sport and as human beings. A nominee for developmental coach must never have had a national champion and should be recognized for their work with skaters below the senior level.
Recipients
2011 Kori Ade
2010 Jim Peterson, Lyndon Johnson, Allison Smith
2009 Jim Peterson,
2008 Yaroslava Netchaeva, Iouri Tchesnitchenko
2007 Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
2006 Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
2005 Tammy Gambill
2004 Pamela Gregory
2003 Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
2002 Not awarded
2001 Pamela Gregory, Jeff DiGregorio
2000 Barret Brown, Thomas Lescinski
1999 Tom Zakrajsek
1998 Igor Shpilband, Elizabeth Coates
1997 Megan Faulkner
1996 Peter Oppegard
1995 Traci Coleman
I thought of counting her. She did coach Susan Humphries to make the Olympic team in a big upset, knocking off longtime top 10 World skater Karen Preston, then placing top 10 herself at Worlds. She coached Nicole Bobek once, but to no real success.
Alex McGowan is working at a more grassroots level now in Nevada. Students love him by all reports.I was never a fan of Robin Wagner. YMMV, but I found her to be all about herself, not her skater....
How about Linda Leaver on this list?
Priscilla Hill with Johnny Weir? I can't remember what skaters she has now.
This is an interesting thread - sorry to see it is not as popular as I'd like.
One thing I would point out is that many of these "one-hit-wonder" coaches specialize in beginning/mid-level skating and are not necessarily looking to be the next John Nicks or Frank Carrol. Most of these coaches are simply laying the foundation for the "big-name" coaches - who take on skaters and "finish" them. The real grunt work is done, IMO, by the beginning/mid-level coaches.
Occasionally, we'll see a coach/skater combo who sticks it out for the long-haul. IIRC, this was the case with Scott Hamilton and Brian Boitano. Several more recent skaters/coaches are Pricilla (sp) Hill and Johnny Weir, Robyn Wagner and Hughes to name a few.
Unfortunately, coaching at the lower level is not taken as seriously as it should. How many times do we see a promising young skater come around with some serious technique issues that seem to have been ignored. Too many of these coaches are just too eager to push students up the testing ladder even when the technique is not sound. I understand the desire to achieve testing goals but with the dismay of figures and the lack of fundamental skating skills theses days, it's all about preforming tricks - technically sound or not.
Having said that, I think those of us in the skating community owe these coaches a big round of applause for all of their hard work - which often goes unnoticed when a skater hits the "big-time" and moves to a more prestigious coach who can "finish" them.
After Johnny, Priscilla had Ashley Wagner and Armin Mahbanoozadeh for a while. But I don't know who she has now.
Good to hear. Didnt he and Thomas completely break off any relationship or contact after the 88 Worlds.Alex McGowan is working at a more grassroots level now in Nevada. Students love him by all reports.
Linda Leaver is a great one. Cant believe I didnt think of her. Definitely a one hit coaching wonder.
Laura Galindo as well for sure, but was she even Rudy's real coach.
Suzanne Bonaly was a terrible coach, Surya's success had absolutely nothing to do with her I am sure. Definitely a one hit coaching wonder though.
Priscilla Hill seems to have coached a large number of decent skaters.
What about Manon Perron, did she have any other elite skaters besides Joannie? Although maybe she doesn't count since she is working for Skate Canada now.
The first coach to come to mind was actually Slutskaya's coach. I believe that slutskaya is the only one who reached their peak success while being coached by her.
Well, there was this chick, wearing this dress.
Since she never did anything in seniors -- and as far as I know did not move to another coach before retiring -- one could say she reached her peak success with that junior world medal.
OMG...Robin Wagner.
Last edited by lavender; 11-20-2012 at 03:43 PM.
i think its detrimental how most lower-level skaters tend to change coaches every few years, if not more often that that are usually take from more than one primary coach. About 70% of the skaters I skated with with took from multiple coaches in a week, and then would move on entirely to another rink and another set of coaches. I think there is something to be said from consistency...
Charlene Wong coached Mirai Nagasu for two years when she had that success as a junior and her first year as a senior before Mirai went to Frank Carroll.
Last edited by Tinymavy15; 11-20-2012 at 07:55 PM.
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