Zijun Li's Future

neraiselle · Mar 31, 2014

dcehedy said:
I'm pretty sure it is allowed, when Zijun was a junior skater she and other 2 girls were sent to US training for some time (about 1 year?). I just don't know whether they'll find foreign coaches for senior skaters as well. If they do, hope they can find one for Han Yan, too.

Well I remember watching a clip on Lu Chen long time ago about her training in the U.S. with the choreographer, but having to return to China promptly after the business (choreography) was over. I might not be 100% right on details as it was a long time ago that I watched it and my memory has surely faded. But also again, things could have changed a lot regarding this foreign-coach rule (?! if there is any) over the years.

hippomoomin · Mar 31, 2014

Good point. Due to the depth of figure skating in China, Zijun never faced any challenge from other skaters in China, and does not have the mental strength as Russian and US ladies. This is reflected in the type of music she can interpret too. She is over 17, but her presence looks 3 years than Anna, two years younger than Julia… Switching coach and getting outside of China is the best thing for her; otherwise, she would never get to top 8 again.

noidont said:
She needs to move abroad to train and gets away from the protection around her. Athletes in China train and eat without having to worry about much and naturally they are not as mature as their contemporaries in the west.

bunnychan · Mar 31, 2014

JayW said:
Off topic, but still regarding Zijun.

I feel the fact that Zijun is so pretty and adorable helps her a lot, at least for her confidence. Given time and good coaching, I am sure she will be thriving to a better level.

However, the mother nature isn't that nice to the other Chinese skater, Kexin Zhang. Though a better jumper, I can almost feel her pain during the Olympics. The lack of eye contacts with audience was a sign of low confidence. It must be so difficult for her to train with Zijun.

I have to admit I never liked the overhype of Zijun. The year before Zijun hit seniors, Kexin got fairly good results and then had trouble adjusting. Then Zijun hit seniors and also got good results but then went downhill. I don't see that Zijun has a distinct advantage at this point except that she's cute, which gives her more confidence. (Personally, I think Kexin is beautiful, just in a more mature, quiet way, rather than being the princess-type that tends to sell well in skating.)

I think Zijun will be fine--she's just going through a period of illness and body-changes. Everyone loves her everywhere, so it's hard for me to be that concerned she'll lose her confidence.

What I am worried about is Kexin, who has made multiple mentions on her weibo that she's thinking of leaving. I like her, and I think she has some potential if anyone could convince her to relax when she's performing.

Figuring · Apr 1, 2014

dcehedy said:
I'm pretty sure it is allowed, when Zijun was a junior skater she and other 2 girls were sent to US training for some time (about 1 year?). I just don't know whether they'll find foreign coaches for senior skaters as well. If they do, hope they can find one for Han Yan, too.

Zijun Li, Kexin Zhang, Bingwa Geng were sent to US to be coached by Mingzhu Li in 2009. After one more years the three improved a lot and came back to China. Thus the Chinese Federation invited Mingzhu Li back to China to continu to coach the three girls in 2011. Han Yan's coach is Shuguang Jia, who started to coach him since he was six years old. He doesn't share coach with Zijun Li. In China Ladies, Men, Pairs, Dance are divided seperately, which means a coach who coaches men will never coach a lady, vice versa.

Actually Mingzhu Li is hired as a "foreign" coach because though she is Chinese, she has worked for quite a long time in US. A foreign coach is payed much more money than a local coach. The Chinese Federation does invest a lot in Ladies in recent years. Money paid for Mingzhu Li accounts for most of the budget for figure skating in the last four years.

It is said that in Mingzhu Li's contract she is asked to make at least one Chinese lady on top ten in sochi. She didn't accomplish the goal and didn't get along well with the Chinese girls, so she will not continue the cooperation with the Chinese Federation. I myself quite doubts if Chinese Federation will send any skater to foreign coaches for a long time, since there's no precedent. The investment in lady didn't bring ideal results. Men never gets high investment. I hope something will change.

hippomoomin · Apr 1, 2014

Well, I don't think the coach is to blame that neither Kexin nor Zijun was in top 10 at Sochi if Zijun was not even with her coach for several months. With a new coach, Zijun still has a lot to work on. I seriously think moving somewhere else with a foreign coach is the best way to reinvent her skating.

CPWest · Apr 1, 2014

bunnychan said:
What I am worried about is Kexin, who has made multiple mentions on her weibo that she's thinking of leaving. I like her, and I think she has some potential if anyone could convince her to relax when she's performing.

i am pretty sure kexin is moving on. she mentioned that she did not feel the passion for FS and it would be a pain to continue. she is currently in her home city and already has plans for the next chapter of her life after her injury is healed.

cornell08 · Apr 1, 2014

I find it interesting that China doesn't have foreign coaches for figure skating, given it often hires foreign coaches for other sports, like soccer (which is hopeless) and aerial skiing. And its not like aerial skiing has a bigger following in China or makes more money. Sports China has traditionally prided itself on being strong with Chinese coaches only like table tennis and platform diving, I can understand sticking with Chinese coaches....but why figure skating?

CPWest · Apr 1, 2014

cornell08 said:
I find it interesting that China doesn't have foreign coaches for figure skating, given it often hires foreign coaches for other sports, like soccer (which is hopeless) and aerial skiing. And its not like aerial skiing has a bigger following in China or makes more money. Sports China has traditionally prided itself on being strong with Chinese coaches only like table tennis and platform diving, I can understand sticking with Chinese coaches....but why figure skating?

It has a lot to do with politics in funding allocation I am pretty sure. You are right about the tens of millions of euros spent in hiring soccer coaches which basically benefited nothing. If a fraction of that amount had been spent in FS, there would have been a completely different picture. Well, a sad topic!

bunnychan · Apr 1, 2014

CPWest said:
i am pretty sure kexin is moving on. she mentioned that she did not feel the passion for FS and it would be a pain to continue. she is currently in her home city and already has plans for the next chapter of her life after her injury is healed.

She's made multiple comments about wanting to leave, but there is no official retirement announcement that I've seen. Plus, Song Nan's in his hometown right now, and he's not retiring, as far as anyone knows, just home because he's sick and didn't need to practice for Worlds.

CPWest · Apr 2, 2014

bunnychan said:
She's made multiple comments about wanting to leave, but there is no official retirement announcement that I've seen. Plus, Song Nan's in his hometown right now, and he's not retiring, as far as anyone knows, just home because he's sick and didn't need to practice for Worlds.

This is what I concludeed from her recent conversations with her acquaintances and fans in weibo. We will know before the next season.

mirai4life · Apr 2, 2014

Worried about her too

anyanka · Apr 2, 2014

Does Lu Chen coach? Can we send Li to her and to Petrov?

elee63 · Apr 3, 2014

Remember when Lu Chen trained in the US for a bit and was summoned back? How much influence does the Chinese Skating officials/ the government have in the designation of coaches really? Because therein would lie the problem. It doesn't just have to be foreign coaches, it's the lack of young blood in the coaching community, as well as the unwillingness of reaching outside that might be holding these kids (zijun, the novices who disappear) back.

CPWest · Apr 3, 2014

anyanka said:
Does Lu Chen coach? Can we send Li to her and to Petrov?

i am not aware that Lu Chen and her husband have produced any skater notable on a competative level yet. i was browsing Lu Chen's weibo a few days ago and saw her posts of college admission letters of a former student. it seems like that many of her students (from wealthy families) learned skating from her in order to gain an advantage to be admitted by prestigious universities around the world.

OS · Apr 3, 2014

Sad to read this thread but perhaps unsurprising. Zijun is going through a tough time, I consider it a slump after wild success mixed with growing spurts. She does take it hard though and deleted all her weibo post history (imagine someone delete all their facebook/twitter/blog history in one go) except recent post competition drinks picture with other skaters.

I expect she will come back stronger next year, like Gracie and other newbies, just give them time. People can be too fickle after one or two bad results. Zijun really only started training properly after New Years according to her old weibo entry.

CPWest · Apr 3, 2014

elee63 said:
Remember when Lu Chen trained in the US for a bit and was summoned back? How much influence does the Chinese Skating officials/ the government have in the designation of coaches really? Because therein would lie the problem. It doesn't just have to be foreign coaches, it's the lack of young blood in the coaching community, as well as the unwillingness of reaching outside that might be holding these kids (zijun, the novices who disappear) back.

If skaters are on the national team, the cost of their training (living expenses, coaches, etc) is all paid by the Chinese skating fed, hence, the skating fed has a final say in all the arrangements of the skaters. since there is always the cost and benefits problem involved in the decision, i don't think they will send zijun to a top coach abroad. if she has have established herself as a medal contender for the OG 2018, there might have been a different prospect (seems like a chicken and egg scenario).

lbc2138 · Apr 3, 2014

os168 said:
I expect she will come back stronger next year

I hope so too! I remember watching her before her spout with puberty and her jumps reminded me of a young Yuna Kim. They were quite big and to me at least, technically perfect. Puberty can be quite a struggle, growing up in front of everyone isn't easy too. I hope her coaches and herself make the necessary adjustments to come back with great programs next season.

I think she's grown up beautifully: http://31.media.tumblr.com/a05f54b81bd21b0a520b23c8ec9ddaed/tumblr_n39b4sUR3t1r1m530o2_250.jpg

(I love that picture a little too much)

Zijun Li's Future

neraiselle

hippomoomin

bunnychan

Figuring

hippomoomin

CPWest

cornell08

CPWest

bunnychan

CPWest

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anyanka

elee63

CPWest

OS

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