Florent Amodio to Tom Zakrajsek and Ashley Wagner to John Nicks ? | Golden Skate

Florent Amodio to Tom Zakrajsek and Ashley Wagner to John Nicks ?

Jtsmith123

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
I got this from International Skating Magazine Facebook.


"Coaching changes seem to be the name of the game this off-season.

French star Florent Amodio has left Russia and will make Colorado Springs his new training base. He will train with Tom Zakrajsek.

America's Ashley Wagner has left Priscilla Hill and is moving to California to train with John Nicks".
 
A source is not provided for either coaching change, however. US Figure Skating will publish a press release to make Wagner's coaching change official (hasn't happened yet) -- hearsay info was posted at FSU yesterday. I'm also reading at FSU that Amodio may only be spending part of the summer in Colorado Springs.
 
I like the Wagner/Nicks team. He may be her last chance to let loose and just let the skating come organically. She want's it so bad...very Sasha like.
 
I am stunned by both moves. Priscilla and Ashely were like family and the Florent/ Morozov relationship seemed very good. maybe pressure from the Russian federation on that one? I wonder who Florent will use for chreo? Ashley moving to Mr. Nicks does not sound like the best move. he is very old now and besides his strength was not jump technique coaching. Ashley already has nice spin positions and stretch. She needs technique help. Maybe she should be going to Colorado Springs instead.

I wonder how P- Chiddy feel about a new rival at the rink?
 
What Florent feeded to the Facebook was this:

June
New-York with Nikolai Morozov
2 new programs

July
Colorado with Tom Zakrashek

August
Courchevel with Annick Dumont
 
Maybe he's with Tom Z just to work on something specific, like a quad (although Tom Z's approach, judging by Brandom Mroz, is to have the skater skate as slowly as possible to get into the jump so even that's not a great thing). Let us all hope and pray (and if necessary call in favors from the mafia) that the very talented Florent Amodio doesn't get squandered by Tom Z's coaching.
 
If this does pan out, will Florent be Tom Z's first international skater? Having such a flamboyant guy around could potentially help Brandon Mroz up his artistic quality.
 
If this does pan out, will Florent be Tom Z's first international skater? Having such a flamboyant guy around could potentially help Brandon Mroz up his artistic quality.

Why would just a few weeks' stay make it Z"'s"?
Or do you mean the first foreign skater he ever worked for?
 
I wonder how P- Chiddy feel about a new rival at the rink?

I think he is attracting skaters to train there. Amodio is no rival, being a little older and yet quite a bit behind Chan in all aspects of skating. OK, except for emoting in place, which he may stop doing so much if he leaves Morozov. However, it sounds like Morozov will choreograph both his new programs.
 
There are lots of reasons Amodio might skate for a bit at CS.

Maybe Tom will help him recognize that skating to lyrics is not the best idea in your LP?
Maybe he just wants to train at altitude to develop stamina?

Or work on avoiding edge calls, and on perfecting a quad?

Maybe quality of ice at his home rink is lousy in summer.

Maybe he wants to check out what Chan does in training on a regular basis?
 
Most of Zakrajek's skaters have decent Tech Elements. It's their performances that are not winning any medals. I'm not sure if Z has anything to do with the choreography which does not show any of his skaters' styles. Seems to be Coach v. Choreographer.

What Amodio is doing there is most likely working on a problematic element, and his stay in Colorado is short. It's also a good place to get used to the high climate.
 
Is it true that foreign skaters had to leave Russia?

yeap, huge immigration wave :p Although scientists foresee the whole south hemishpere to move on the north the next decades due to temperature change. But foreign skaters will go the opposite way:)
 
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yeap, huge immigration wave :p Although scientists foresee the whole south hemishpere to move on the north the next decades due to temperature change. But foreign skaters will go the opposite way:)

:laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
So in no humor mode, about the foreign skaters : to my knowledge but maybe I m wrong so far the only skaters who have officially left a russian coach and "left the country" is P/B and as it came out there were more problems with Zhulin than just being from Russia. I dont know any other skater for now. By Sochi time this might change.:)
 
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Priscilla and Ashely were like family

Wasn't her relationship with Johnny seen the same way? I wonder if her, being the common denominator, has something more to do with it....=/

I am, however, excited to see Ashley and Nicks; Nicks became a father to Sasha. However, Sasha's nerves never quite got to OGM status, and her jumps never perfect....

.....maybe Dungjen and Sato could make some more magic with Ashley. =]
 
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