Alysa Liu Retires

[moonvine]

Boy, they are done. DUN I say. They deleted ALL IG posts. I wonder if they will start a whole new post-skating IG.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Boy, they are done. DUN I say. They deleted ALL IG posts. I wonder if they will start a whole new post-skating IG.

I actually like that. She's a young adult who has decided to no longer be a public figure. It's probably going to be good for her mental health in the long run to not be bothered by fans or detractors over her participation in an activity she's moved on from. We've had several great American skaters who have lost interest in any involvement with the sport after retirement (i.e. Kwan, Cohen, etc.), so to me there is nothing unusual about Alysa pursuing other goals.

 

[moonvine]

I actually like that. She's a young adult who has decided to no longer be a public figure. It's probably going to be good for her mental health in the long run to not be bothered by fans or detractors over her participation in an activity she's moved on from. We've had several great American skaters who have lost interest in any involvement with the sport after retirement (i.e. Kwan, Cohen, etc.), so to me there is nothing unusual about Alysa pursuing other goals.

But they continue to have a social media presence and sometimes post pics or whatever of when they used to skate. They don't erase their own history and continue to interact with their fans.

 

[4everchan]

But they continue to have a social media presence and sometimes post pics or whatever of when they used to skate. They don't erase their own history and continue to interact with their fans.

Perhaps but when they did compete, there was no social media... so as adults, retired figure skaters, they chose to build a social media for fans etc... Liu is a teenager. For now, I am guessing she wishes to focus on other parts of her life and not be distracted by fans. She probably wishes to have a "normal" teenager, college student life. Perhaps she's even created brand new social media that is private and for family and true friends only, that she can use as she pleases -i.e as a "banal" student/teenager. These athletes are human beings who deserve to make their own life choices : they do not belong to their fans and it's not up to us fans to dictate how they should behave or what they should do or not. BTW, she may open up (or not) a fan page later on. Those who know how much pressure it represents to have a "public figure" life on social media can appreciate her decision.

 

[katymay]

But they continue to have a social media presence and sometimes post pics or whatever of when they used to skate. They don't erase their own history and continue to interact with their fans.

She is applying to college. My youngest did the same thing-scrubbed all social media (at the beginning of Senior year) except for a pristine fb page that served more as a resume. The problem isn't HER posts, but things that other people post on her timeline that can show up and have a negative impact. The safest thing to do is just scrub the accounts. (And go to private accounts for your friends only)

 

[el henry]

I would suspect, without any knowledge at all, that Alysa has private “finstas“ for friends and family. Even with her public IG in the past, she would say “don’t ask me skating questions“.

She retired, she wants a normal “non-skating” teen life, and I admire that. Even if it does break my links.

 

[Amei]

She expressed an issue with figure skating fans and that she was done with skating. I wouldn't be surprised if she is getting rid of social media that was connected to figure skating. Honestly if you aren't trying to monetize your social media then it should be private where only those you know can see it

 

[moonvine]

Perhaps but when they did compete, there was no social media... so as adults, retired figure skaters, they chose to build a social media for fans etc... Liu is a teenager. For now, I am guessing she wishes to focus on other parts of her life and not be distracted by fans. She probably wishes to have a "normal" teenager, college student life. Perhaps she's even created brand new social media that is private and for family and true friends only, that she can use as she pleases -i.e as a "banal" student/teenager. These athletes are human beings who deserve to make their own life choices : they do not belong to their fans and it's not up to us fans to dictate how they should behave or what they should do or not. BTW, she may open up (or not) a fan page later on. Those who know how much pressure it represents to have a "public figure" life on social media can appreciate her decision.

I 100% agree that it's her choice to make. I just made note of it that I've not seen a skater do that and that she's very serious about being retired (including ice shows I would imagine). Eric Prober came close but he did leave 2 posts up.

 

[moonvine]

She is applying to college. My youngest did the same thing-scrubbed all social media (at the beginning of Senior year) except for a pristine fb page that served more as a resume. The problem isn't HER posts, but things that other people post on her timeline that can show up and have a negative impact. The safest thing to do is just scrub the accounts. (And go to private accounts for your friends only)

I'm so lucky that I'm 55 and I could care less, most stuff is public except now that my parents are on FB I hide everything from them that might upset them.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Perhaps but when they did compete, there was no social media

Yeah, things are much different now. When Michelle and Sasha competed, you had people bickering on message boards but not really cyberbullying them directly on social media. I'm appalled by what some people will say to these celebrities on IG and Twitter.

 

[moonvine]

I would suspect, without any knowledge at all, that Alysa has private “finstas“ for friends and family. Even with her public IG in the past, she would say “don’t ask me skating questions“.

She retired, she wants a normal “non-skating” teen life, and I admire that. Even if it does break my links.

I think I am not expressing myself well. I think she and any other skater (or any other person) should do what they want with their own social media. I'm sad that (what I see anyway) is a person that elite skating chewed up and spit out to the extent that she stated she never wanted to go back into an ice rink ever again.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I'm sad that (what I see anyway) is a person that elite skating chewed up and spit out to the extent that she stated she never wanted to go back into an ice rink ever again.

I'm sure being left out of the Olympic team event after being the best woman last quad, and especially all of last season, was hugely deflating. That was her one shot at an Olympic medal and the spot was instead given to a USFSA favorite.

 

[el henry]

I'm sure being left out of the Olympic team event after being the best woman last quad, and especially all of last season, was hugely deflating. That was her one shot at an Olympic medal and the spot was instead given to a USFSA favorite.

Is there a reason that you think this was not Alysa's choice?

If there is one thing I think I have learned reading about Alysa this year, it is that they are far from a "typical" skater in their approach, and they are not motivated by what fans may think is motivating.

After reading about the Chinese spying, and indeed the scary encounters that in fact happened in the Olympics, my conclusion is that the Team Event was Alysa's to turn down, and she did. The USFed would have been more than happy to name her, but she didn't want it. She wanted to attend the games at the last minute, and she did.

Of course, we don't know, and that is just my suppositions.

 

[Amei]

I'm sure being left out of the Olympic team event after being the best woman last quad, and especially all of last season, was hugely deflating. That was her one shot at an Olympic medal and the spot was instead given to a USFSA favorite.

She was hardly the best US skater of the quad sure she looked for a couple years as the most promising future,, and while she looked good at the Olympics her GPs this season weren't any better than Karen or Mariah

 

[moonvine]

I'm sure being left out of the Olympic team event after being the best woman last quad, and especially all of last season, was hugely deflating. That was her one shot at an Olympic medal and the spot was instead given to a USFSA favorite.

It was only their one shot at an Olympic medal because they chose it to be. They had had Covid and we don't know how much that affected their training time...and the whole weird spy situation....

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Is there a reason that you think this was not Alysa's choice?

If the spy situation was a concern, I don't know why she would attend at all. She could have won a team medal and not done the individual event as well, as the team event would also allow her to skate two programs but guarantee a medal.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

She was hardly the best US skater of the quad sure she looked for a couple years as the most promising future,, and while she looked good at the Olympics her GPs this season weren't any better than Karen or Mariah

I think she was the only skater who achieved the tier 2 qualification for earning a high score at an international event, as well as having the highest scores at GP events. On what basis do you feel Karen and Mariah had equally strong seasons?

 

[katymay]

I think she was the only skater who achieved the tier 2 qualification for earning a high score at an international event, as well as having the highest scores at GP events. On what basis do you feel Karen and Mariah had equally strong seasons?

Not just that, but Alysa had a track record of never allowing nerves to affect her in competition. Of the three girls she was the most dependable, one of the only people I've ever seen who seemed to enjoy the minute they called her name. Cutting her from the team competition was a real head scratcher for me-and I suspect it was a shocker for the the Lius as well. No I do NOT think it was Alysa's decision, and I hope she feels free someday to discuss it. (As Shcerbakova has done). What's more, I think her abrupt 'retirement' had a great deal to do with being shafted for the team slot. Not that she didn't want to move on in her life, I'm sure she did, but the USFSA made it easier for her to do it sooner rather than later.

 

[macy]

i was suspecting her account got hacked, but i hope it wasn't. a life without social media these days is probably a lot more peaceful.

 

[noskates]

Not a popular opinion but I will always believe she has retired for safety reasons. I think there is MUCH more to this story than just a teenager wanting to be "normal" - whatever normal is for a teenager. At her age, being left off of something would be discouraging but it's not like she didn't have at least one more quad in her.