How can we best show our support to the beleaguered Ashley?

skateluvr · Jan 19, 2014

Other than a fan fest thread in the fan fest that she likely won't see, I noticed many "I feel Sorry for Ash because." comments/dedicated threads. What would the internet savvy GSers recommend? Is there anyone besides me who wishes her well, and is getting concerned she is going to Russia with a lot of negativity due to the USFS decision in her favor?

If anyone does a petition or provides a link to some encouraging thing being sent her way, let me know. I always thought Miarai a gret skater, am not anti-Mirai, but do support the USFS decision as it seemed best for the team. Ashley is very outgoing and very supportive of the other skaters, even those she competes against. If things are really that negative in the media, is any Ashley uber or just fan doing something we can all do to wish her well? I hope she can skate her best, and her best is darn good. I am not all that nationalistic-rather sad for my country -but as far as FS goes, I am rooting for my team, and I do like the skaters we are sending to the Olympics. I am getting concerned reading this board. Ashley has worked all her life for this moment and I want to support her. USFS mmade the decision, not Ashley. I like her and her skating. If anything is happening to promote asley by fans please let us know. I hope I am not alone in wanting to take a brick off her back. Go Ashley and team USA!

dorispulaski · Jan 19, 2014

If she has a Twitter, you could tweet your support.

Memelah711 · Jan 19, 2014

Ashley has a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can send her message there. You could also send a snail mail letter!

skateluvr · Jan 19, 2014

I'm not much into facebook. I saw the "social newtwork" movie and decided not to add to his income stream. Twitter sounds easy, 14 characters? So, I have to sign up for twitter, then just tweat? Is this easy enough for a social media beginner? I will try it. I hope she is getting good twitters.

ice coverage · Jan 19, 2014

Memelah711 said:
Ashley has a Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can send her message there. You could also send a snail mail letter!

Wagner also has a tumblr account.

Memelah711 · Jan 19, 2014

For Twitter, all you have to do is sign and start tweeting. Sadly, I have seem some nasty comments on her Twitter and photos she has posted :disapp:

I didn't know she had a tumblr, I will have to check it out.

RABID · Jan 19, 2014

Memelah711 said:
For Twitter, all you have to do is sign and start tweeting. Sadly, I have seem some nasty comments on her Twitter and photos she has posted :disapp:

I didn't know she had a tumblr, I will have to check it out.

I thought she was taking a break from all social media till after the Olympics? From what I have been reading from around the internet she pretty much had to. Poor girl was being crucified.

skateluvr · Jan 19, 2014

I am now a tweeter, and have sent a good tweet to her. She has a lot of followers, 26,000 I think. There are stunning pics from covergirl there. She is beautiful, really. I did not see anything negative. I am surprised Mirai can get 5,000 sigs on a petition this fast. I am surprised no one did that for Ashley, like her mom, lol. Well, I hope people will get behind her. We can only hope Mirai's ubers will forgive her for accepting the decision made by the big wigs of USFSA. I just want her to skate like she can. No double footing. She needs her 3x3s. I am always surprised that Artunian who is this big deal jump coach doesn't seem to make much difference. I think that after doing thousands of jumps, it is tough to change as you get older like Ash and my fave Rippon. (former fave-I am now a Jason uber, and I have NEVER been an "uber." I feel it is too close to fanatic.)

Anyway, it is easy to sign up and easy to use.

noskates · Jan 19, 2014

Maybe by everyone ceasing to pick apart everything she's done for the past few years? Sometimes I think fans are the worst enemies. Ah hah! Skateluvr. I'm trying to find a Team Brown t-shirt. Some people had them at Nationals but I could never get close. I've been an uber fan of Jason's since the first time I saw him skate!

Tonichelle · Jan 19, 2014

dorispulaski said:
If she has a Twitter, you could tweet your support.

she does but she's taking an extended break from social media because of the ugliness that has been spewed at her.

She has an official website that you can sign her guestbook, they may also have an address to write her.

coppertop1 · Jan 19, 2014

I feel for her too, she's skated well this year, she has a bad outing and now people are saying she has no chance, she's' done, Gracie will beat her, etc. Skaters don't need fair weather fans like that. Best thing we can do is cheer her on and let her know we believe in her.

skateluvr · Jan 19, 2014

Tonichelle said:
she does but she's taking an extended break from social media because of the ugliness that has been spewed at her.

She has an official website that you can sign her guestbook, they may also have an address to write her.

thank you. she has really paid for her trip. may she skate the best of her life. oh, all my faves do not fit podium!

skateluvr · Jan 19, 2014

noskates said:
Maybe by everyone ceasing to pick apart everything she's done for the past few years? Sometimes I think fans are the worst enemies. Ah hah! Skateluvr. I'm trying to find a Team Brown t-shirt. Some people had them at Nationals but I could never get close. I've been an uber fan of Jason's since the first time I saw him skate!

I'd love to see him repeat those skates and somehow win the gold. Imagine the imploding heads everywhere if a second American with great everything wins with no quad!!!! Oh, the joy! As Dickkie Button would say! LOL.

coppertop1 · Jan 19, 2014

skateluvr said:
thank you. she has really paid for her trip. may she skate the best of her life. oh, all my faves do not fit podium!

Definitely. She's paid her dues, she's worked hard since 2010 to improve. I think she still has a shot at a podium. It's the Olympics, anything can happen. She doesn't need fair-weather fans who are pitying her because she's overtaken by Gracie. I like her, I hope she does well.

Alex D · Jan 20, 2014

Many skaters can be contacted in one way or another. Sadly this also opens the doors to abuse

Maybe make a fan thread here and post her the link by PM.
However, unless she has an account here - she wont be able to see it.

Trewyn · Jan 20, 2014

I really wish there was a way to let Ashley know there's a LOT of people that support her. Ever since the hate & death threats on Twitter, I've felt miserable as a fan. Her lifetime dream of skating at the Olympics is about to be fulfilled but people seem set on turning it into a nightmare for her. That's just awful. I still think she's an underdog for a bronze, but more than that, I hate that people are writing her off altogether, like if she can't get a medal at the Olympics her skating career is over. And that's not at all the case.
For one I hope she gets to skate in the Team Event. It'll (hopefully) be a good 'icebreaker' to get used to Olympic spotlights. I assume Gracie & Ashley will both skate, one of them SP and one of them LP? At least I'm really hoping for that. That way, individual medal or not, she (and Gracie for that matter) will have a good shot at an Olympic medal.
Other than that, I don't think Ashley will retire after the Olympics. She'll definitely go to Worlds, especially if she didn't get an individual medal. Without Yu Na, Carolina, Mao... (assuming they will retire after worlds, which, other than Yu Na, is not sure yet?), Ashley will have a great shot at a medal. Of course the Russian girls and Gracie will be tough competition, but Ashley has beaten all of them before, multiple times even.

I hope practice is going well for her. The triple-triple looked pretty solid earlier in the season, hopefully she can get it back. Most of all, I hope she's got the fire in her belly and the confidence to match going into Sochi. I hope she's not paying attention to petitions (I think most of the people who signed it have no real clue as to the selection criteria etc) and the ludicrous stuff about racism.

I think her SP looks awesome, it's original and it suits her. Samson & Delilah was a great program for her and if she skates it with confidence, like she did several times last season, it's an absolute treasure. She's a great personality and I really hope the Americans appreciate having such a strong skater in their team - ranked third in the world and with several gold medals in her pocket

(Us Belgians have only Jorik in the Men's even to root for

- great guy though he is)

Sorry for the kind of stream-of-thoughts kind of reply. This has taken up so much 'brooding time' for me since Nationals and I feel like I really needed a moment to let it all out

RABID · Jan 20, 2014

Trewyn said:
I really wish there was a way to let Ashley know there's a LOT of people that support her. Ever since the hate & death threats on Twitter, I've felt miserable as a fan. Her lifetime dream of skating at the Olympics is about to be fulfilled but people seem set on turning it into a nightmare for her. That's just awful. I still think she's an underdog for a bronze, but more than that, I hate that people are writing her off altogether, like if she can't get a medal at the Olympics her skating career is over. And that's not at all the case.
For one I hope she gets to skate in the Team Event. It'll (hopefully) be a good 'icebreaker' to get used to Olympic spotlights. I assume Gracie & Ashley will both skate, one of them SP and one of them LP? At least I'm really hoping for that. That way, individual medal or not, she (and Gracie for that matter) will have a good shot at an Olympic medal.
Other than that, I don't think Ashley will retire after the Olympics. She'll definitely go to Worlds, especially if she didn't get an individual medal. Without Yu Na, Carolina, Mao... (assuming they will retire after worlds, which, other than Yu Na, is not sure yet?), Ashley will have a great shot at a medal. Of course the Russian girls and Gracie will be tough competition, but Ashley has beaten all of them before, multiple times even.

I hope practice is going well for her. The triple-triple looked pretty solid earlier in the season, hopefully she can get it back. Most of all, I hope she's got the fire in her belly and the confidence to match going into Sochi. I hope she's not paying attention to petitions (I think most of the people who signed it have no real clue as to the selection criteria etc) and the ludicrous stuff about racism.

I think her SP looks awesome, it's original and it suits her. Samson & Delilah was a great program for her and if she skates it with confidence, like she did several times last season, it's an absolute treasure. She's a great personality and I really hope the Americans appreciate having such a strong skater in their team - ranked third in the world and with several gold medals in her pocket (Us Belgians have only Jorik in the Men's even to root for - great guy though he is)

Sorry for the kind of stream-of-thoughts kind of reply. This has taken up so much 'brooding time' for me since Nationals and I feel like I really needed a moment to let it all out

I haven't seen everything on the net and I for one only know what is said on social media as a side consequence from reading about it but I am going to go out on a limb and say most of the ugliness is coming not from fans of figure skating but from non-fans. Fans are passionate but at least they are informed, to varying degrees. I think Ashley understands that.

Olympia · Jan 20, 2014

I can't imagine the mentality of people who would send death threats to a young girl who has done nothing but skate in competitions.

I hope Ashley is made aware of the support she has not just from Ashley fans but from skate fans. Maybe the way to do it is to communicate with her coach or her facility, either electronically or by snail mail.

Greekmango · Jan 20, 2014

this thread reminds me there are good people out there. we should hope for everyone to skate to the BEST of their abilities, and let the 'chips fall where they may' as Kristi Yamaguchi's coach said.

ranjake · Jan 20, 2014

Great post, Trewyn. I hope Ashley knows a lot of fans are wishing her all the best luck in Sochi

How can we best show our support to the beleaguered Ashley?

skateluvr

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl

Memelah711

skateluvr

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605

Memelah711

RABID

skateluvr

noskates

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

coppertop1

skateluvr

skateluvr

coppertop1

Alex D

Trewyn

RABID

Olympia

Greekmango

ranjake

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