Bradie Tennell announces coaching change

[natsulian]

Bradie Tennell announces coaching change from Denise Myers and Jeremy Allen to Tom Zakrajsek. Tennell will relocate her training area to Colorado Springs and she says that she looks forward to what this change will bring alongside thanking her longtime coaches.

Link: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...bradie-tennell-announces-coaching-change.aspx

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Tom's statement via Twitter:

After three weeks of specific work on the 3A it is getting ready to be put in the oven and we are working on recipes for a couple of quads.

Link: https://twitter.com/CoachTomZ/status...130053120?s=20

 

[Lunalovesskating]

To Tom Z of all people? Sigh.. Bradie... why?

 

[Jeanie19]

Bradie Tennell announces coaching change from Denise Myers and Jeremy Allen to Tom Zakrajsek. Tennell will relocate her training area to Colorado Springs and she says that she looks forward to what this change will bring alongside thanking her longtime coaches.

Link: https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/...bradie-tennell-announces-coaching-change.aspx

I'm surprised. She's been so quiet this off season, she has had time to decide what to do. Who else trains at this camp,?

 

[flanker]

To Tom Z of all people? Sigh.. Bradie... why?

I'm not so familiar with the situation, I only saw some Zakrajsek's students at JGP, they skated with relative success. Is there a reason why he shouldn't be the optimal choice?

 

[macy]

I'm not so familiar with the situation, I only saw some Zakrajsek's students at JGP, they skated with relative success. Is there a reason why he shouldn't be the optimal choice?

he is more of a technical coach than anything, his skaters usually are not known for being super well rounded or artistic. which is a bit concerning for me with Bradie, because her artistry has been her biggest weakness, although its improved. i assume she went to him for work on a 3A and/or quad.

we saw the decline in Mirai's overall skating when she moved to Tom and began working on her 3A. the rest of her skating suffered. i hope the same doesn't happen to Bradie.

 

[fzztsimmons]

I honestly don't think this is a good move for Bradie, she is known to UR and with Tom Z's rep it's even more likely her jumps will be scrutinised. She has done well with her previous coaches, and she's keeping Benoit who choreographs well for her, so I can only assume she's looking for a 3A/Quad, but I don't see Tom Z as someone to help her with that

 

[Lunalovesskating]

I'm not so familiar with the situation, I only saw some Zakrajsek's students at JGP, they skated with relative success. Is there a reason why he shouldn't be the optimal choice?

Tom Z. only cares about jumps and is not even the best at teaching that to be honest (see Vincent's UR issues, Young You had to get her 3A fixed by Hamada since hers never got around with Tom). He does not work on artistry, on choreo, on skating skills on anything. There is a reason why so many skaters left him the past few years. I watched so many of his skaters since the early 2000s, it is always the same... jump jump jump.. no work on skating and then his skaters get hammered with low PCs, UR calls and never achieve great results and then leave him.

 

[Skatesocs]

I watched so many of his skaters since the early 2000s, it is always the same... jump jump jump.. no work on skating and then his skaters get hammered with low PCs, UR calls and never achieve great results and then leave him.

Someone will @ you for it.

So let me be the first to @ you. There did exist Abbott and Farris. Beyond that, yes. His issues are well known.

 

[theharleyquinn]

I wonder if Bradie had much ice time during the summer. We've seen that Tom Z worked very hard to get skaters like Vincent ice time during quarantine, and Mariah, Amber, and Alysa were reportedly skating. If she wasn't able to train much over the past month or so, she could be feeling behind and want a coach that can guarantee her ice if things take a turn for the worse in the fall.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Someone will @ you for it.

So let me be the first to @ you. There did exist Abbott and Farris. Beyond that, yes. His issues are well known.

I think Farris and Abbott had nice skating skills despite Zakrajsek, not because of him... they got better in that respect after they left him (to Krall/Allen and Sato/Dungjen respectively). Camden Pulkinen could be considered in the same boat too.

 

[Skatesocs]

I don't see how Abbott didn't have good SS when he was with Tom Z - of course he developed with Sato, but he had already got incredibly strong basics when with Tom Z (he trained as an Ice Dancer initially actually). Nor did I see bad choreography there. I think he and Farris were just naturally artistic. Tom Z didn't develop that - but he didn't kill it, so it's certainly false that he never had any with strong skating skills and artistry, which is what I tried to respond to if you notice. The biggest example I'd give for Tom Z grinding out quality is Mirai Nagasu.

 

[flanker]

he is more of a technical coach than anything, his skaters usually are not known for being super well rounded or artistic. which is a bit concerning for me with Bradie, because her artistry has been her biggest weakness, although its improved. i assume she went to him for work on a 3A and/or quad.

we saw the decline in Mirai's overall skating when she moved to Tom and began working on her 3A. the rest of her skating suffered. i hope the same doesn't happen to Bradie.

Tom Z. only cares about jumps and is not even the best at teaching that to be honest (see Vincent's UR issues, Young You had to get her 3A fixed by Hamada since hers never got around with Tom). He does not work on artistry, on choreo, on skating skills on anything. There is a reason why so many skaters left him the past few years. I watched so many of his skaters since the early 2000s, it is always the same... jump jump jump.. no work on skating and then his skaters get hammered with low PCs, UR calls and never achieve great results and then leave him.

Thanks for your explanations.

 

[trkvy]

Good for her. Maybe she will finally get good choreo.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I think it's a good move for Bradie. Tom Z got Mirai her 3A, and Bradie needs to up her technical game.

As much as people are worried about her overall skating declining (which is possible), she needs more firepower to compete with the Russians/Kihira/Liu. If she wants any hope of a medal in 2022, getting a 3A/quad is a must.

 

[Seren]

My guess is that Bradie went to Tom Z based on his reputation as a technical coach. I think she sees increasing her tech content as the path for her to be more successful. Tom Z has his faults but he did help Mirai land a 3A late in her career which is nothing to sneeze at, but at the same token he never helped her improve artistically. Artistry is one of Bradie's weaknesses so I'm curious how they are going to address that. Time will tell if it was a good move or not.

 

[b-man]

I'm surprised. She's been so quiet this off season, she has had time to decide what to do. Who else trains at this camp,?

Last I heard, Ting Cui was with Tom.

 

[mrrice]

Tom is fine for jumps but who will be choreographing her programs? Colorado is a gorgeous state so, the environment is perfect. She'll also be around a ton of talent which is great.

 

[theharleyquinn]

Tom is fine for jumps but who will be choreographing her programs? Colorado is a gorgeous state so, the environment is perfect. She'll also be around a ton of talent which is great.

She is sticking with Benoit as her choreographer. However, I wonder if she will actually be able to work with him in person at any point.

 

[natsulian]

Tom's statement via Twitter:

"After three weeks of specific work on the 3A it is getting ready to be put in the oven and we are working on recipes for a couple of quads."

Link: https://twitter.com/CoachTomZ/status/1296874742130053120?s=20

 

[Scott512]

To Tom Z of all people? Sigh.. Bradie... why?

A lot of people are wondering that Luna. Especially as she had her best year ever as a senior by a good old country mile.

By the way isn't it well after the transfer period?