Effects of teen growth spurts on skaters

coppertop1 · Dec 12, 2013

spikydurian said:
Part of the fun in guessing. The girls you mentioned are/were good but just didn't managed to get on world podium. Sometimes luck may play a teen weeny part. To compete during the era where Michelle dominated in almost every competition, would mean many would have to fight for second or third place.

Oh, for sure. I'm cautious but I also can't help but think "Wow! Imagine when these Russian teens hit their true potential and really blossom, it will be AMAZING!" They have so much potential it's scary.

Well, it is good to have depth in Junior because this means that the chance of at least one of them making it right to the top is higher. I see the Russian babiy/babies dominating the ladies soon.

And Russia has so many young up and comers, it's insane! Not just the ones we see but 12, 13 year olds who do triple-triples etc. Russia is back on the ladies scene in a big way! I think they will be the main force, it makes me even project ahead to 2018! I love watching the juniors, it's a glimpse into the future!

spikydurian · Dec 12, 2013

coppertop1 said:
I love watching the juniors, it's a glimpse into the future!

Me too. Fun part to check again down the track, who prevails and who does not.

coppertop1 · Dec 12, 2013

Yup, you remember them as juniors and sometimes it's like "I knew they were destined for greatness" and sometimes it's like "What happened?" It's part of figure skating. And when a skater adjusts to their new height and weight, sometimes it helps them. They get more speed and power and with that comes bigger jumps, and also a more mature look. There are many reasons why a skater doesn't hit their potential, sometimes its' bad technique that's never fixed, like Caroline Zhang, sometimes a skater is their own worst enemy like with Mira Leung. Sometimes a skater doesn't hit their peak until their in their 20s, like with Costner or Rochette or Wagner. Some take time to regain their jumps, and patience is a virtue, like with Cynthia Phaneuf.

coppertop1 · Dec 16, 2013

I read an article in a skating magazine, when talking about skaters with eating disorders, and Evy Scotvold said "As soon as a girl has a nice body like the girl across the street it's over". Evy is said to be notorious for this kind of attitude. I wonder if there is a mentality among girls, though, of fearing puberty and maybe it would help if they were taught it's not a bad thing, and they can adjust their skating and even improve.

cjsk8fan · Dec 16, 2013

Growth spurt is not the only obstacle the young skaters face, emotional changes also take place. I have seen this in my own daughters. As preteens they were confident and didn't get nervous about performing, both atheltically and musically. They were not skaters, but were active in other sports. I saw changes through puberty. It saddened me that the once fearless performer became much more self conscious. It's difficult to watch this and be somewhat powerless to build back the confidence they once had. Nerves are tricky. The successful skaters are the ones that not only go through puberty with limited adjustment to body type but also to their mental state.

coppertop1 · Dec 16, 2013

cjsk8fan said:
Growth spurt is not the only obstacle the young skaters face, emotional changes also take place. I have seen this in my own daughters. As preteens they were confident and didn't get nervous about performing, both atheltically and musically. They were not skaters, but were active in other sports. I saw changes through puberty. It saddened me that the once fearless performer became much more self conscious. It's difficult to watch this and be somewhat powerless to build back the confidence they once had. Nerves are tricky. The successful skaters are the ones that not only go through puberty with limited adjustment to body type but also to their mental state.

I agree. When a skater gets self-conscious it can be very difficult when the pressure's on. Which is why I get very annoyed when people give up on a young skater who is struggling to adjust and likely, feeling self-conscious, and when people criticize their weight. These skaters have enough on their plate without the fair-weather fans proclaiming them hopeless. It's not easy being an elite-level athlete, and every athlete has their struggles.

spikydurian · Dec 17, 2013

I think physical changes are more profound in girls, and maybe so is the confidence issue because as and when girls mature, they become more conscious of their looks. If one lives in a society where society and peers place unrealistic expectations on physical looks, I assume the more dysfunctional the mental state of the person will be.

Perhaps if there are athlete mentors who can talk to these girls and their parents on what to expect, it may help some of them to regain confidence in themselves.

coppertop1 · Dec 17, 2013

spikydurian said:
I think physical changes are more profound in girls, and maybe so is the confidence issue because as and when girls mature, they become more conscious of their looks. If one lives in a society where society and peers place unrealistic expectations on physical looks, I assume the more dysfunctional the mental state of the person will be.

Perhaps if there are athlete mentors who can talk to these girls and their parents on what to expect, it may help some of them to regain confidence in themselves.

I agree, girls grow hips and breasts, and curves, and some skaters have curves. They need to be taught that it's not a bad thing, and that they shouldn't be expected to maintain the same wispy look they had at 14. That's an impossible standard. How many women still weigh the same as an older teen/adult that they did at fourteen? No one. I mean look at the difference between Michelle Kwan from 1994-1996 and from 1996-97. Men grow taller and they grow muscle. Plus, there's not the demand that men have ideal bodies.

I like the idea of athlete mentors, this is also where a female coach may help too. Give these teenagers the confidence that they'll survive and even be a better skater.

louisa05 · Dec 17, 2013

Research is revealing more all of the time that eating disorders have a physiological component that is part of the cause and cannot be triggered merely by words, images or even outside expectations. Blaming coaches, parents and fans entirely for any prevalence of eating disorders in sports is over simplifying those diseases.

Mrs. P · Dec 17, 2013

louisa05 said:
Research is revealing more all of the time that eating disorders have a physiological component that is part of the cause and cannot be triggered merely by words, images or even outside expectations. Blaming coaches, parents and fans entirely for any prevalence of eating disorders in sports is over simplifying those diseases.

In her interview with TSL, Mary Beth Marley emphasized that it wasn't anything with her coaches or anything anyone said that triggered the issue. She made a point of saying that the internal pressure she felt to be a certain type or to be successful was a bigger factor in the problem.

That said, I think some people are ridiculous regarding what is "ideal" for an athlete.

LRK · Dec 17, 2013

Whatever "triggers" it does not mean that we should not try to be responsible about what we say and do, though. I have no power over anyone else's actions or thoughts - but what I do and say, I can and should control.

coppertop1 · Dec 17, 2013

Mrs. P said:
In her interview with TSL, Mary Beth Marley emphasized that it wasn't anything with her coaches or anything anyone said that triggered the issue. She made a point of saying that the internal pressure she felt to be a certain type or to be successful was a bigger factor in the problem.

That said, I think some people are ridiculous regarding what is "ideal" for an athlete.

I agree. Some people can be unreasonable for what is ideal, not every skater looks like a ballerina, and comments about a skater's weight in general aren't productive. We're just speculating on ways to help rebuild a teenage girl's confidence.

Olympia · Dec 17, 2013

Effects of teenaged growth spurt on skaters:

1. Michelle Kwan looked like a mature artist instead of a cricket and could achieve skating immortality. (Envision Song of the Black Swan skated by thirteen-year-old Michelle.)
2. Irina Slutskaya could spring into the air like a leopard and power ahead of most of the competition.
3. Shizuka Arakawa could show us what truly majestic skating looks like.

coppertop1 · Dec 17, 2013

LRK said:
Whatever "triggers" it does not mean that we should not try to be responsible about what we say and do, though. I have no power over anyone else's actions or thoughts - but what I do and say, I can and should control.

ITA. We control what we say and think, and if we're being over critical of skaters, we should learn to be more positive.

Olympia said:
Effects of teenaged growth spurt on skaters:

1. Michelle Kwan looked like a mature artist instead of a cricket and could achieve skating immortality. (Envision Song of the Black Swan skated by thirteen-year-old Michelle.)
2. Irina Slutskaya could spring into the air like a leopard and power ahead of most of the competition.
3. Shizuka Arakawa could show us what truly majestic skating looks like.

Yup, growth spurts and maturing can help a skater when they harness their new strengths, as the three you mentioned did.

Effects of teen growth spurts on skaters

coppertop1

spikydurian

coppertop1

coppertop1

cjsk8fan

coppertop1

spikydurian

coppertop1

louisa05

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

LRK

coppertop1

Olympia

coppertop1

Similar threads

Connect with us