Best coaches in the world in each discipline?

ffionhanathomas · Jul 28, 2013

Who does everyone think are the best coaches in the world in each discipline, or do you think they're all as good as eachother?

I thought it might be an interesting discussion!

ffionhanathomas · Jul 28, 2013

In ice dance, I think Marina Zueva is incredible, as not only does she coach the normal things but also her choreography is great across all the disciplines!

sky_fly20 · Jul 28, 2013

Zueva is also renowed for recycling programs and plagiarism

singles:
Krall, Orser, Nicks, Mishin

Ice Dance:
Shipilband

Pairs;
Moskvina - the good ol' days

gmyers · Jul 28, 2013

Dance-zueva
Pairs-still going to say moskvina
Singles - morozov or orser

sky_fly20 · Jul 28, 2013

gmyers said:
Dance-zueva
Pairs-still going to say moskvina
Singles - morozov or orser

I dont get the Zueva credits, she's not a real coach
she is more like a choreographer abeit recylcing it again and again

gmyers · Jul 28, 2013

sky_fly20 said:
I dont get the Zueva credits, she's not a real coach
she is more like a choreographer abeit recylcing it again and again

This is totally accurate! However her top 2 teams are top 2 in the world! If ice dance judges love recycling then she will give them all the recycling they can swallow!!!

Jammers · Jul 28, 2013

Where is Patrick Chan's coach in this discussion? Oh wait he doesn't have a coach. :laugh:

ForeverFish · Jul 28, 2013

Singles: Mishin, Nicks, Orser

Dance: Zoueva

phaeljones · Jul 28, 2013

singles: Orser, Carroll

Olympia · Jul 28, 2013

Isn't it great that Orser has become one of the best coaches?
Carroll definitely for singles, and Mishin. What about Nobuo Sato of Japan? I'd put him in the top ranks.

For pairs, Moskvina still heads my list. She's not just a wonderful coach but a great and innovative choreographer. And shouldn't we include Yao Bin for pairs? He practically birthed the Chinese pairs program, though it seems to be entering a dormant period right now. Look at the three pairs he did shepherd onto the world stage.

I don't know which of the two, Zoueva or Shpilband, is responsible for most of the incredible quality of the Canton ice dancers, but one or both of them should definitely be on this list. I'd add Betty Calloway, Torvill and Dean's coach.

Tarasova's track record goes across several disciplines. She started out with ice dancers, including Olympic champions Klimova/Ponomarenko and Bestemianova/Bukin and ended up coaching both men and ladies to OGMs, including Arakawa, Yagudin, and Kulik. She didn't coach them from scratch but seems to have had a hand in their final development.

dorispulaski · Jul 29, 2013

Pairs: Moskvina & Yao Bin (especially because he took China from also ran status to a world power in pairs)
Dance: I'd give it to Shpilband over Moskvina, because he took the US from also ran status to a world power in dance, and because he appears to truly have been the technical force between the Shpilband/Zoueva pair. You can always pay a choreographer separately, but the technical coaching is where the rubber really meets the road

Singles: Mishin, with a shoutout to Tarasova from the past

Reginald · Jul 29, 2013

Ladies: Tammy Gambill

This woman has completely changed both Caroline Zhang and Karen Chen.

Before Caroline went to Tammy, she had a mule kick to the moon. After only a few months with her, the mule kick was practically gone.
Tammy enabled Caroline to win a bronze medal at 4CC's making Caroline the only US lady with multiple ISU Championship Medals.

Before Karen Chen went to Tammy, she was under rotating many jumps an landing almost on the side of her skate. After, her jumps looked much improver and her JUNIOR score of 61.34 is the highest SP score posted by a US lady this summer, junior or senior.

karne · Jul 29, 2013

See, I don't agree with Tarasova being mentioned in a "best coach" poll, particularly for singles.

The men she's "coached" to success came to her with all the goods already. Kulik had his impeccable jump technique from Kudriatsev (sp?) already. Yagudin had his Mishin technique. Even Kovtun got his technique elsewhere. She's more of a choreographer than a coach.

Macassar88 · Jul 29, 2013

Singles:
Mishin for jumps; Nicks/Orser for packaging; Morozov for consistency/confidence and politicking

Pairs:
Steuer, Moskvina, Yao, Vasiliev

Dance:
Shpilband, Zhulin, Krylova

Macassar88 · Jul 29, 2013

karne said:
See, I don't agree with Tarasova being mentioned in a "best coach" poll, particularly for singles.

The men she's "coached" to success came to her with all the goods already. Kulik had his impeccable jump technique from Kudriatsev (sp?) already. Yagudin had his Mishin technique. Even Kovtun got his technique elsewhere. She's more of a choreographer than a coach.

This is very true - Tarasova actually tried to change Yagudin's technique, but he refused to let her make any changes.
And Kovtun and Sotnikova both get their technique from Buyanova

NYscorp6 · Jul 29, 2013

My choices:

Single: Mr. Nicks, with a shout out to Carlo & Christa Fassi.

Pairs: Tamara Moskvina

Ice Dance: Marina Zuoeva & Igor Shpilband

Jaana · Jul 29, 2013

Singles: Carroll, Orser and Nicks

TontoK · Jul 29, 2013

I happen to like Marina's "recycled" choreography... if that's what it is.

However, if the top 2 teams retire after Sochi as expected, Shpilband's camp could begin to sweep medal stands again.

merrywidow · Jul 29, 2013

Singles:Carroll, Nicks, Orser, Mishin & Sato. Interesting I chose all male coaches?
Pairs: Moskvina
Dance: Shpilband

bebevia · Jul 29, 2013

Olympia said:
Isn't it great that Orser has become one of the best coaches?

This reminds me: he stepped up as a named coach only after Yuna. His interests were kids, amateurs, and leisure skaters, and Yuna crew spent a long time persuading him to be her (an elite skater's) coach. I guess she changed his likes on coaching competitive skaters. Although Orser was unnamed partly by his choice, his career and connections (besides fair coaching style & commitment) definitely made it easier for his coaching fame once he became confident.

On the same note, I wonder how many unnamed talented coaches are out there that weren't lucky enough to coach a (potential) celebrity skater. Many should be glad to be recognized, but don't have the resources, opportunities, vigour, or sadly, talents - all four are needed in becoming recognized in any field. Also, sometimes, certain styles are inadequate for beginners but good on elites, but often the effect unknown even to oneself before tried; and one often must prove with a random baby who will by miracle continue working with the coach into seniors after realizing his/her talent. I assume quite a few, but who knows unless we've gone through each, if they indeed are just unlucky or not?

Skaters with serious potentials choose to work with tried-and-proven ones; the more skaters a coach tries, the better he/she becomes at it; it takes one success to advance. No one can or should risk a serious skater to an uninsured choice, but at the same time, I really wanna see more than a handful of named & talented coaches managing the elite skater pool; I'm no mess seeker, but do want more competition than that. Dilemmas.

Best coaches in the world in each discipline?

ffionhanathomas

ffionhanathomas

sky_fly20

Match Penalty

gmyers

sky_fly20

Match Penalty

gmyers

Jammers

ForeverFish

phaeljones

Olympia

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

Reginald

Match Penalty

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

Macassar88

Macassar88

NYscorp6

Jaana

TontoK

Hot Tonto

merrywidow

bebevia

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