Alissa Czisny injured during FS on Jan 12

[Olympia]

She thanked me for the good wishes. I sent her the list of multiple winners of U.S. nationals and she said she was honored and humbled to be among those great champions.

Math, what an inspired thing to send her. I think that's probably the very best thing she could hear right now: that she will always have a place in U.S. skating history. Good for you! (And it proves that math, in the right context, can be an emotionally sustaining force.)

[Skater Boy]

I think Alissa just wasn't ready to come back. It's no one's fault. Who can blame her? It's her last year before the Olympics. Everyone wants to make an impact in this season. So often, the preceding year's World's podium is the same as the Olympic podium. She probably felt fine and was doing well in practice, but this was the same hip she had surgery on. She probably needed to do another six months of PT before returning to competitive style skating. I hope Alissa can come back next year. She is still, to me, the most beautiful skater (skating-wise) of all of the current ladies.

I agree; right now she needs to be encouraed. I am sure in the back of her mind she is strulingwith is my career really over. Whatever she does I hope she heals and ets some ood supports. Her skating is truly beautiful when she is on - etheral.

[cjsk8fan]

I also got a reply a day after I sent her good wishes. What a sweet heart.

[kwanatic]

Even if this is it for Alissa, she has a lot to be proud of. 2011 was an amazing year for her and she proved that she does have the competitive fire to hold up under pressure. That was her peak season and I really don't think she could have done better than she did that year.

She's the most elegant skater the US has had since Sasha Cohen and is probably the best spinner the US has ever had. I've never been a huge fan of hers but I was very, very proud of her for what she accomplished that year. She earned her GPF and national title that year...I gained a lot of respect for her. I held a grudge against her for a while b/c of the 2009 nationals where she was gifted the title and wasn't able to place respectfully at worlds. I've always loved her skating though. Very smooth flow and ease over the ice...very elegant and mature...for a while there she was definitely the lady among the girls. And her La Vie en Rose program will always be a favorite of mine.

Right now I just want her to rest and heal up completely. She's got 8 months to heal up which means she might be back. If not, Alissa is one of the few who are in high demand when it comes to ice shows so she can have a very good professional career if she wants to continue skating.

[eyria]

Even if this is it for Alissa, she has a lot to be proud of. 2011 was an amazing year for her and she proved that she does have the competitive fire to hold up under pressure. That was her peak season and I really don't think she could have done better than she did that year.

She's the most elegant skater the US has had since Sasha Cohen and is probably the best spinner the US has ever had. I've never been a huge fan of hers but I was very, very proud of her for what she accomplished that year. She earned her GPF and national title that year...I gained a lot of respect for her. I held a grudge against her for a while b/c of the 2009 nationals where she was gifted the title and wasn't able to place respectfully at worlds. I've always loved her skating though. Very smooth flow and ease over the ice...very elegant and mature...for a while there she was definitely the lady among the girls. And her La Vie en Rose program will always be a favorite of mine.

This is a nice assessment of Alissa's career. I agree 2011 was the high point, and her victories were indeed well-earned that year. As you say, Alissa will certainly be remembered as an incredible spinner and one of the more elegant skaters to come out of the U.S. I am not a fan of hers. But there are good aspects to her career, and it is nice to highlight and remember them, as you have.

[hjm2013]

I also got a reply a day after I sent her good wishes. What a sweet heart.

She sent me a private email, too, and thanked me for the support. She is such a nice person. Good things will come her way.

[Icey]

I got a sweet reply from Alissa to my email message. Anyone else?

I got one yesterday too, Mathman.

Steve,

Thank you for the message and for the support and encouragement.

Best wishes to you,
Alissa Czisny

[golden411]

Dislocated hip ends Czisny's bid for third U.S. title
Skater injured herself on landing of triple flip at last week's Fox Cities Invitational

By Lynn Rutherford, special to icenetwork.com
(01/15/2013)
http://www.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

ETA:

Excerpt:

She was transported to nearby Appleton Medical Center, where Dr. Todd Smith, a specialist in orthopedic sports medicine, manipulated the hip back into alignment.

The 25-year-old skater was briefly sedated, and Dr. Smith was able to complete the treatment in half an hour, said Czisny's coach, Jason Dungjen.

Czisny's leg was placed in a stabilizing brace as a precaution, and she departed the hospital early Sunday morning.

"We were very lucky, in the sense that Roger Glenn (a longtime international judge) was there," Dungjen said. "He lives in Appleton and knows the former head of orthopedics (Dr. John Lindstrom) at the hospital. [Dr. Lindstrom] alerted Dr. Smith, and he met us in the ER, so Alissa got the best care she could have gotten anywhere."

Czisny has scheduled a follow-up appointment in Nashville, Tenn., next week with Dr. Thomas Byrd, who repaired her labral tear last year.

"They did a CAT scan in Appleton, which didn't show anything major," Dungjen said. "Right now, she is doing as well as can be expected. Obviously, she is going to be sore. Best case, some normal physical therapy will strengthen the hip."

[Icey]

that would be tough too - watching in Omaha - I always wonder where do these skaters get their money to go to such events when they aren't competing or whatever.

I have been wondering about health insurance. Since there is a high possibility for injury in the sport, are their premiums extremely high?
Are they able to get policies through USFSA? These operations some have are not cheap.

[Icey]

Well, the report sounds promising. Many with dislocated hips are immobilized in bed for up to three weeks.

[Mathman]

I held a grudge against her for a while b/c of the 2009 nationals where she was gifted the title...

I think your grudge is with the CoP. Alissa skated a fine short program and was quite justifiably 5.56 points ahead of Rachael, 6.84 points ahead of Caroline Z., and an insurmountable 15.47 points ahead of Ashley going into the long program. Nor were her PCSs inflated (37.98 TES, 27.77 PCS -- if anything her program component scores were held down to make some semblance of a competition out of it.)

In the long program Alissa fell once, giving back 4 points, but both Rachael and Caroline had their triple-triple attempts downgraded (correctly). Ashley gave a superb performance and rightly won the free skate (Rachael was second), but Ashley was too far behind to medal no matter what she did. Alissa's program components were in the mid-sevens, her rivals' in the mid to high sixes -- nothing scandalous there, given the grace and maturity of Alissa's skating despite errors.

Even so, Alissa was nervous in the kiss and cry. When her marks came up she said, "I was surprised a little bit. My short program saved me." As indeed it did. Under 6.0 Rachael would have won, 6 factored placements to 7.

[Olympia]

Golden411, thank you for the informative report. It all sounds very hopeful and promising. I'm relieved for her longterm health. If she's truly not too badly damaged, she can hope for a return to exhibition ice, which means that she could have a respectable stint as a pro skater--something I'd love to see considering the quality and grace of her skating.

Kwanatic, I agree with your assessment of her contributions to skating, except that I'd amend it to say that she is definitively the best spinner the U.S. has ever had, and better than about 99% of the spinners in skating history. Who would we put ahead of her besides Lucinda Ruh and, on the men's side, Stephane Lambiel? There were one or two others whose spins had not just the intricacy but the aesthetic appeal of hers. She still has a lot to offer skating, if we're lucky, but if I were Alissa, I wouldn't tempt fate and try competitive skating again, not in these dangerous days of CoP requirements.

[meem]

I got a sweet reply from Alissa to my email message. Anyone else?

Yes. That Alissa is such a sweetheart. In my note to her I mentioned that folks on the GS forum were discussing her contributions to figure skating & she acknowledged that in her response:

"Thank you so much for the encouraging message. I'm really grateful for your support, and please tell the others, too, thank you from me."

[demarinis5]

I got one yesterday too, Mathman.

Steve,

Thank you for the message and for the support and encouragement.

Best wishes to you,
Alissa Czisny

I was pleasantly suprised when I checked my e-mail this morning. I received the same reply from Allisa.

[kwanatic]

I think your grudge is with the CoP. Alissa skated a fine short program and was quite justifiably 5.56 points ahead of Rachael, 6.84 points ahead of Caroline Z., and an insurmountable 15.47 points ahead of Ashley going into the long program. Nor were her PCSs inflated (37.98 TES, 27.77 PCS -- if anything her program component scores were held down to make some semblance of a competition out of it.)

In the long program Alissa fell once, giving back 4 points, but both Rachael and Caroline had their triple-triple attempts downgraded (correctly). Ashley gave a superb performance and rightly won the free skate (Rachael was second), but Ashley was too far behind to medal no matter what she did. Alissa's program components were in the mid-sevens, her rivals' in the mid to high sixes -- nothing scandalous there, given the grace and maturity of Alissa's skating despite errors.

Even so, Alissa was nervous in the kiss and cry. When her marks came up she said, "I was surprised a little bit. My short program saved me." As indeed it did. Under 6.0 Rachael would have won, 6 factored placements to 7.

I felt like Alissa was overscored. It was another case of the judges doing what needed to be done to maneuver the skater they wanted into the position they wanted. Alissa was (like I said) the lady among the girls that season and the judges figured she fit the part of the champion, so they gave it to her. Alissa's program was lovely but her jumps were weak that night; her 2.5 triples (that loop was URed) beat not one but two programs with 6 triple jumps.

I felt both Rachael and Caroline got screwed over. Caroline was wonderful that night. That was the season her skating was good and she was consistently putting out 6 and 7 triple programs without error. And Rachael was in "Old Faithful" mode which meant she was cranking out 6 and 7 triple programs consistently as well. Both were stronger competitors and had stronger performances that night but were passed over in favor of a gorgeous skater with great spins and no jumps. That's just the reality of it.

Of course it wasn't Alissa's fault...it's always on the judges. But IMO Alissa had no business going to worlds that year. She's since redeemed herself in my eyes by winning nationals in 2011. There was no doubt in my mind she was far and away the better skater that night and she backed it up with a solid placement at worlds.

Still, I just don't think she deserved that title in 2009...