What will happen to US ladies after 2018?

MarinHondas · Dec 4, 2016

Gracie has point blank said that 2018 will be her last season and Ashley has hinted at it. Both these women kept USA in the mix at international events. Winning grand prixs, winning medals at worlds, winning short programs at worlds(

) , winning national titles, winning gpf medals etc etc. The other US top ladies have not really been in the medal mix. Polina and Mirai come to mind. Mariah recently made a splash at SA but has not placed higher than 6th at nationals.Can she really be a threat to top russian and japanese ladies? She also is already 20. Meaning she probably will not stay longer than 4 more years. So who can keep the U.S. ladies..well...relevant? Or will the US ladies become irelevant once Ashley and Gracie retire?

mrrice · Dec 4, 2016

I think we'll be fine. Mariah Bell, Karen Chen and Emily Chan will all be younger than Ashley is now. Any US Lady, in fact any Lady who is 25 or younger has a chance to do well. Kostner came back specifically for the Olympics and she'll be 31 and no one is telling her to hang up her skates. I think we'll be fine. Now, when I say fine, it doesn't mean I think a US Lady will win the OGM. Med is hardly a Grandma and neither is Anna. I think someone in the current field is going to win in 2018 and if I had to pick one Lady from the US right now........I'd send Mariah Bell.

2 years is like a life time in skating. Tuk, isn't even in the GPF and 2 years ago she was the Champion of EVERTHING! I can't write her off as she has so much fire power when she's on. It's simply too soon to make a prediction. Ask me at this time next year and I'll have a better idea. Who knows if Polina will rise from ashes and finally win the US Championships and stay healthy for the entire season. Lastly, I've seen all these lists.......They contain Russia, the US, and Japan........You all seem to be leaving Canada off of your lists.......I have a feeling you'll be eating your words. Kaetlyn Osmond is only 20 years old. Gabby Daleman is only 18 and she is always a threat. IMO, She is the one who can rival the Russians from a technical standpoint and I think she handles her nerves better than Alaine. Who knows, after Worlds, Canada may have 3 spots as they've been having a great year.

puremagic · Dec 4, 2016

Polina Edmunds will take the throne.

ice coverage · Dec 4, 2016

angelicaamatina said:
Gracie has point blank said that 2018 will be her last season and Ashley has hinted at it. ...

When/where did Gracie say so definitively?

I recall only that she said 2018 possibly would be her last season.

(I wish her the best regardless of what she chooses to do. Just don't remember her saying that she already has made a decision.)

In any case, I do not think U.S. ladies will become irrelevant after 2018.
Mirai and Polina have won Four Continents medals. Mariah and Courtney have had GP success. And other ladies are coming along.

Seren · Dec 4, 2016

I think we'll be fine. And in truth, sometimes the power vacuum left by elite skaters retiring gives up and coming skaters a chance to really make their mark. I think it will be a strong motivator for skaters going senior around that time. I love our ladies now but I am excited for the next generation too.

dreamsk8 · Dec 4, 2016

US ladies will never be irrelevant. I thought it was the end of the US Ladies when Michelle Kwan retired :sad46: but life went on. There will always be new names and amazing up and coming stars. Just watch the US Nationals and not just the final group that's when you get to see all the great talent that is coming. :cheer:

Jammers · Dec 4, 2016

The Novice and Junior ranks look bare right now so after 2018 it's looking scary where the US will be. I don't see any of the younger Senior Ladies becoming contenders either. Karen Chen has yet to put it together and Mariah Bell is wildly consistent and i'm not sure she has the firepower to be more then a mid level skater. The US needs to build up the Novice and Junior ranks so by 2022 they will at least be competitive.

Nathan13 · Dec 4, 2016

Jammers said:
The Novice and Junior ranks look bare right now so after 2018 it's looking scary where the US will be. I don't see any of the younger Senior Ladies becoming contenders either. Karen Chen has yet to put it together and Mariah Bell is wildly consistent and i'm not sure she has the firepower to be more then a mid level skater. The US needs to build up the Novice and Junior ranks so by 2022 they will at least be competitive.

I don't really watch Novice, but Juniors is starting to shape up to be quite competitive...Starr Andrews and Kaitlyn Nguyen are my picks for the up and coming US Ladies

noskates · Dec 4, 2016

I don't think Polina will be a factor. I think she'll get more and more involved in college - much like Rachel Flatt did - and her skating will suffer. I also don't think Karen Chen will be a factor - at least internationally. i'm placing my bets on Mariah Bell. To say she was wildly inconsistent should be put in the past tense. This year she's been much more mature in all aspects of her skating. Gracie is younger than Ashley and may not retire after the Olys. Who knows!!!

Just my two cents.

sc8 · Dec 4, 2016

Nathan13 said:
I don't really watch Novice, but Juniors is starting to shape up to be quite competitive...Starr Andrews and Kaitlyn Nguyen are my picks for the up and coming US Ladies

We've been at the top in juniors before with Mirai and Caroline, but both had adjustments or inconsistencies at the senior level. Sadly, we don't have any junior ladies in the junior GPF, so I agree that we look bare. But, I am confident that at least one of our juniors or novice skaters will rise up and be in the mix by 2022 - at least that's my hope for them. The long stretches where we do not get a Worlds medal may become the norm for the next decade, but I hope we see a resurgence of skating. I like the new advertising campaign and hope it is successful at getting a swell in young skaters who will make us a powerhouse like we once were. I remember predicting years ago that Chinese women would become a competitive power as would South Korea, but that hasn't materialized as quickly as I thought it would. Part of the excitement is waiting to see what happens, but the junior ranks are pretty much dominated by Russia and Japan, so I expect they'll dominate the road to 2022. Our junior men look more promising as does the hope that Nathan Chen stays through 2022.

Icey · Dec 4, 2016

USFA will pay Michelle to return LOL Seriously, beyond the known candidates there are some young girls out there who might surprise us.

andromache · Dec 4, 2016

Gracie could definitely have another 4 years in her, given age and the fact she hasn't had an injury-ridden career. But she has to want to skate. I'm not sure if she feels that way now, let alone after the 2018 Olympics.

If Ashley wants to retire after 2018, she deserves to retire and to be congratulated for it. She ended the drought and kept the US ladies relevant through some fairly dry years, and she deserves a chance to rest and pursue something new or spend more time with that boyfriend of hers (assuming they're still dating?) I hope in the future she stays involved with skating as a coach (assisting Raf?) or gets into choreography.

As for the future of US ladies, IMO it looks pretty bleak. In part due to the lack of talent in juniors and in part due to the overabundance of talent in juniors elsewhere. But the US ladies being less-than-competitive isn't the end of the world (though they have a special place in my heart). The future looks bright in dance (holy cow too much talent to handle) and in men (not as deep as dance, but about equal or better in comparison with the rising talent in other countries).

US skating could have their very own Evgenia Medvedeva and figure skating's popularity probably wouldn't see any sort of boost here. So the decline of the ladies discipline in the US isn't the end of the world.

musicfan80 · Dec 4, 2016

I am optimistic about the U.S. ladies in general for this season and going forward, but I think it's too soon to tell how well anyone specifically do after this Olympic quad.

jrice314 · Dec 4, 2016

Tyler Pierce, Mariah Bell, Karen Chen and Bradie Tennell will probably all stay in after 2018. They all have work to do but I can see any of them making it to the top eventually. I watched the Midwestern Sectionals and Tessa Hong also looks like she could really shine someday. I wouldn't worry about US chances. We might not medal for a while, but the US will always be a major figure skating country.

Barb · Dec 4, 2016

the future with ladies does not look well. Time to realize that ice dance is their new era. Bright present and bright future.

mrrice · Dec 4, 2016

chapis said:
the future with ladies does not look well. Time to realize that ice dance is their new era. Bright present and bright future.

Who is Illia's daughter Liza competing for? Russia or the US? She looked really good at her last event.

skatelikewind1966 · Dec 4, 2016

noskates said:
I don't think Polina will be a factor. I think she'll get more and more involved in college - much like Rachel Flatt did - and her skating will suffer. I also don't think Karen Chen will be a factor - at least internationally. i'm placing my bets on Mariah Bell. To say she was wildly inconsistent should be put in the past tense. This year she's been much more mature in all aspects of her skating. Gracie is younger than Ashley and may not retire after the Olys. Who knows!!!

Just my two cents.

I concur, think Polina is looking to the next stage of her life. She reached the highest goal in athletics at a young age and then the injury.....time to move on.

I look at Tessa and Karen in the same light, don't think they are podium contenders internationally. Mariah may have turned the corner but I think she will always be that middle of the road intenational competitor - very good but just not great.

Unfortunately the Jr class of ladies is also lacking, lots of hope and potential but not one true funadamenyally solid skater with outstanding jump technique and eye-catching presentation. With that said, a couple of years to polish this box of diamonds may produce something that will at least shine, but way too early, IMO, to even speculate at this level.

Bonnie F · Dec 4, 2016

mrrice said:
Who is Illia's daughter Liza competing for? Russia or the US? She looked really good at her last event.

Liza is competing for the US and placed fourth at regionals to get to go to nationals for the first time. I think the general consensus is she needs to get her levels up on the spins and foot work to really compete.

mrrice · Dec 4, 2016

Risa said:
Liza is competing for the US and placed fourth at regionals to get to go to nationals for the first time. I think the general consensus is she needs to get her levels up on the spins and foot work to really compete.

Well, maybe it's the chance to see her Parents in person but, I hope she does well and continues on her upward trajectory. :cheer2:

Bonnie F · Dec 4, 2016

mrrice said:
Well, maybe it's the chance to see her Parents in person but, I hope she does well and continues on her upward trajectory.

I also loved her parents and hope she continues to improve.

What will happen to US ladies after 2018?

MarinHondas

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puremagic

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Seren

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dreamsk8

Jammers

Nathan13

noskates

sc8

Icey

andromache

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jrice314

Barb

mrrice

skatelikewind1966

Bonnie F

mrrice

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