Cohen and Nicks Plan for Success | Page 3 | Golden Skate

Cohen and Nicks Plan for Success

Peggy

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Red Dog said:
No, no, what I'm trying to say is that this mindset is what gets her down every time (IMO), and also why she might see anything else as a failure. IMO she'd benefit from finding a different approach to her competitions.


What approach would that be? I'm pretty sure Michelle would have retired by now if she had won a gold instead of a silver her first Olympics. They are all skating for the gold and I'm sure that is why they get nervous. (IMHO)
 

ceg15

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
No, no, what I'm trying to say is that this mindset is what gets her down every time (IMO), and also why she might see anything else as a failure. IMO she'd benefit from finding a different approach to her competitions.
-Originally posted by Red Dog.

I see where you're coming from now. I agree that maybe it would benefit her to approach her competitions ina differnt way if that will help her focus more on her program, her jumps, spins and everything she knows she has to do. Maybe this is what Nicks will work on with her. It will be so interesting to see at Nationals and Worlds-she just might pull off one or two clean programs!

What approach would that be? I'm pretty sure Michelle would have retired by now if she had won a gold instead of a silver her first Olympics. They are all skating for the gold and I'm sure that is why they get nervous. (IMHO)
-Originally posted by Peggy.

Maybe the approach would be focusing more on doing her personal best, and achieving her personal goals and staying concentrated on the task at hand.
 

Peggy

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
ceg15 said:
.

Maybe the approach would be focusing more on doing her personal best, and achieving her personal goals and staying concentrated on the task at hand.


I agree with you & I hope Mr. Nicks encourages that.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Peggy said:
What approach would that be? I'm pretty sure Michelle would have retired by now if she had won a gold instead of a silver her first Olympics. They are all skating for the gold and I'm sure that is why they get nervous. (IMHO)


This quote by ceg15 basically summarizes what I mean:

"Maybe the approach would be focusing more on doing her personal best, and achieving her personal goals and staying concentrated on the task at hand."

In addition to that, she can't control how the other skaters do or who wins, so I would think she should focus on "skating her best" now, worry about winning later. JMO, of course.
 

CanadianSkater

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 30, 2004
Cohen........

Sasha wants results and she feels that different coaches may be able to help her but she eventually has to be able to take the ice and perform. She needs to stop skating for the Holy Grail and skate because thats what she loves to do :agree:
 

Skate Sandee

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Peggy said:
What approach would that be? I'm pretty sure Michelle would have retired by now if she had won a gold instead of a silver her first Olympics. They are all skating for the gold and I'm sure that is why they get nervous. (IMHO)

I don't know why you'd be pretty sure of that. In 94, Kwan clearly stated she wanted to compete at 3 Olympics (Nancy Kerrigan relayed that story again at last year's Nationals), and right before 1998, Kwan said she'd want to continue even if she won gold in Nagano. Before 2002, she speculated that she'd be around as an eligible skater until 2007. Of course she still lives day be day, but she's certainly given indication that the pure feeling of competition is what drives her. Of course she wants to win, but she skates more for herself, because that's the only thing she can control.

There are some things out of a skater's control. Winning is not within the control of a skater due to a little thing known as judging. All a skater can do is skate their absolute best. So if the focus is on skating a clean and inspired program RATHER than "I have to skate to win", perhaps that would be a mindset that would take some of the pressure off Sasha. She's got to stop skating to win (which she can't control), and start skating with the goal of executing all her planned elements well. Ironically, such an approach would most likely garner her gold medals.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
There are some things out of a skater's control. Winning is not within the control of a skater due to a little thing known as judging. All a skater can do is skate their absolute best. So if the focus is on skating a clean and inspired program RATHER than "I have to skate to win", perhaps that would be a mindset that would take some of the pressure off Sasha. She's got to stop skating to win (which she can't control), and start skating with the goal of executing all her planned elements well. Ironically, such an approach would most likely garner her gold medals.

ITA.
 

ceg15

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
Sasha wants results and she feels that different coaches may be able to help her but she eventually has to be able to take the ice and perform. She needs to stop skating for the Holy Grail and skate because thats what she loves to do
-Originally posted by CanadianSkater

I agree with this aswell. She has to skate for her love of the sport and her love of competing not just to win. I really think now that having winning is everything on the mind the RedDog said is really throwing off her mindset.

I agree with you & I hope Mr. Nicks encourages that.
-Originally posted by Peggy.

Yes and I hope Mr. Nicks does encourage that-like I said focusing on doing her personal best and achieving her personal goals, and staying concnetrated on the task at hand. i think this would do her a world of good. And, she ahs to remember the winning is just the icing on the cake. Your personal goals and personal bests and lo9ve for competing and the sport come first.
 

Crizzy

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Do you guys think Sasha approach her skating in a defense mode or attack mode?

Even though she never won a worlds or nats title to defend, she was very close to winning on nats and worlds and I feel that instead of attacking, Sasha started defending something she didn't have in her hands yet. Why do you guys think?
 

ceg15

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
Yes, I see what you mean. In my mind, even if a skater has a title to defend, don't skate defensively, skate with determination, and attack it. If you think about defending it you might get off beat a little because all you can think of is how band you want to keep the title. That's just my opinion. I think that Sasha has been skating defensively but I've also seen alot of times, her skating with attack-which is much better for her and definitely suits her personality more. I hope John Nicks can really help her out for Nats and Worlds. I really hope that we see a new and improved Sasha because she is one skater with loads of talent. :yes:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Crizzy said:
Do you guys think Sasha approach her skating in a defense mode or attack mode?

Even though she never won a worlds or nats title to defend, she was very close to winning on nats and worlds and I feel that instead of attacking, Sasha started defending something she didn't have in her hands yet. Why do you guys think?

I wonder if there is a difference between defensive skating and conservative skating. I would consider something like what Kwan did in SLC "conservative" skating (didn't want to risk too much by being liberal) and what cohen did at Nats or Worlds "defensive" skating (she was in a position to win, and seemed to be skating "not to lose", rather than "to be the best"). Hmm...

I think conservative skating would be not performing up to your capability out of fear that in doing so you might make more mistakes. Defensive skating might be "tentative" or "fearful" skating where the anxiety of either defending a title or gaining a title might interfere with going out and "attacking"...just food for thought.
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Red Dog said:
I wonder if there is a difference between defensive skating and conservative skating. I would consider something like what Kwan did in SLC "conservative" skating (didn't want to risk too much by being liberal) and what cohen did at Nats or Worlds "defensive" skating (she was in a position to win, and seemed to be skating "not to lose", rather than "to be the best"). Hmm...

Michelle Kwan gave a strong example of "defensive" skating at Nagano. She skated a great long program, but she was skating to defend the gold medal and the first place position she took into the long program. She lacked the fire and go-for-it attitude she had at Nationals in 1998.

Tara Lapinski, on the other hand, skated to "win" at Nagano. She skated as though she had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and she went for it, bigtime.
 

Fossi

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
I think Sasha always skates in the defensive. I think in her mind she believes the title is already hers, and after she nails the SP, she gets over confident and blows the LP.
Either way, Kwan didn't skate conservatively at SLC, neither did Sasha or Irina. Sasha went out there, thinking she was going to "pull a Lipinskim and retire" (as Sasha herself has said in interviews), but Sasha's best wasn't good enough.
Kwan went out there and choked. Irina went out there and choked. Both girls could've won easily, but the Olympic pressure got the best of them.
Sarah went out and skated her heart out. The night belonged to her. Sarah didn't think she stood a chance to win that gold, but she went out and skated her best. She didn't just assume that the gold was hers and get overconfident.
Maybe that's one lesson Robin was trying to teach Sasha and Sasha wasn't ready to hear it.
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I don't think Kwan or Slutskaya choked. They didn't skate their best by any means but far from choking. IMO choking is when you don't do anything right.
 

gezando

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Peggy said:
What approach would that be? I'm pretty sure Michelle would have retired by now if she had won a gold instead of a silver her first Olympics.

I am pretty sure you are wrong. Quoting from the most recent press conference:

I know you’ve been asked this. Would you be doing this if you had still won the gold at the Olympics.
MK: It’s tough to answer – I think I would be. .... I think I would still be competing. "

BTW, Michael Phelps just mentioned that he is going for 2008.
 

gezando

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Crizzy said:
Do you guys think Sasha approach her skating in a defense mode or attack mode?

Neither, she does not have anything major to defend, and she did not attack either . In QR 2003 worlds, even though she landed 7 triples, but looked like she did not want to be there, same thing happened in world 2004 lp
 

Peggy

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
gezando said:
I am pretty sure you are wrong. Quoting from the most recent press conference:

I know you’ve been asked this. Would you be doing this if you had still won the gold at the Olympics.
MK: It’s tough to answer – I think I would be. .... I think I would still be competing. "

BTW, Michael Phelps just mentioned that he is going for 2008.


Hey, I might be wrong but most Olympic skating gold medal winners have been offered some pretty good business deals. Competition skating is not cheap and unless these skaters come from very rich families, I imagine most will move on to a professional career.
If Michelle was into the love of competition, I think she would have been competing in the Grand Prix series the last few years. I can't think of any lady gold medal winners, in the free world, that still competed for another gold. We will never know the answer to this question for sure because Michelle has not won the OG yet. This is not a put down to Michelle--JMO. I wish her well even tho she is not my favorite these days.

As for Michael Phelps--I don't think a speedo and pool time cost what skates, ice time, skating dresses do. I don't think you can compare the two sports for continued amateur competition. This is JMHO also.
 

Piel

On Edge
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
But Kwan has fared better endorsement wise that those who have won the OGM over her. She does not come from a wealthy family but touring with COI, her deal with Disney, and other things have made her a very wealthy woman. Not participating in the grind that is the GP may have helped her extend her eligible career. IMO she has the choice between skating in every competition which increases wear and tear on the body and a greater chance of injury or she can pick and choose to compete in the competitions that are most important to her. So far this has worked well for her.
 

ceg15

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2004
I am pretty sure you are wrong. Quoting from the most recent press conference:
I know you’ve been asked this. Would you be doing this if you had still won the gold at the Olympics.

MK: It’s tough to answer – I think I would be. .... I think I would still be competing.
BTW, Michael Phelps just mentioned that he is going for 2008.
-Originally posted by gezando

For a minute I ws surpirsed that she said that if she had already won an OGM she would keep competing. But now it doesn't surprise me, She seems like the type of that just keeps on going and never stops because she loves it so much even if she has already won the olympic gold. You don't see alot of skaters sticking around nowadays after they've won an OGM or maybe just an O medal because they've been offered endorsements with companies where they'll make money and offered contracts with ice shows. Awhile ago, when they weren't endorsements or contracts for ice shows like SOI or COI being offered to skaters who had made high achivements or medaled at the Olympics so they just stayed elidgible and kept on skating and won more OGM or O medals. For examble Gordeeva and Grinkov-they won two OGM medals and there's more too that I just can' think of at the moment.

And about Michael Phelps, yes as said above by Peggy a speedo and pool time doesn't not cost half as much as what figure skating does. He won 8 medals at the last olympics, 6 gold. Perosnally, I think he sould retire he doesn't need anymore medals but then again he's only 19-so young....A couple days ago there was an article in the paper about him being charged for drinking and driving and this wasn't the first time.....seems when young athletes become celebrities this sometimes happens. :sheesh: :) I know this is off-topic (about Michael Phelps) It's JMO. :)
 

Skate Sandee

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
And for those that love to point out that Michelle would skate the GP is she REALLY loved to compete, misses the point that Michelle herself gives. She's been through the GP many times already. She's pounded herself with triple jumps for eons. Now it's about quality versus quantity in terms of competitions. Sure there are skaters that are older than her. But hardly any of them have her competitive record. She's picking and choosing now.

And I see nothing inconsistent with that approach and her attitude that she loves competition. She must love it if she's still practicing on the ice full time just like any other skater that is doing the full GP circuit. That tells me she must love competition if she's willing to toil in practice away from the spotlight for just a few competitions. Again: quality vs. quantity at this stage in her career.
 
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