Orser on Coaching Yuzuru & Javier to OG 2018

[Danny T]

Just saw this video posted on the Olympics Channel: link

After PyeongChang, Brian Orser gave an interview about Yuzuru and Javier's path to the Olympics and their dynamics at TCC. Beyond the two athletes, the interview offers some insight into the coaching team behind TCC, and how much of a team effort it was to get these two stars to the OG podium. I know Orser is definitely not a miracle coach (students do leave him when things didn't work out) but I think the team he has at TCC is really great at creating the package skater, so to speak, with the wonderful Tracy Wilson, Ghislain Briand, etc. They had their stumbles with both Javi and Yuzu, but they worked through it, and blessed us with two wonderful athletes to watch at PyeongChang.

Interesting highlights:
- Tracy has teenagers(TM) at home so she could understand the boys' teenage(TM) drama
- Javier & Yuzuru agreed they pushed each other forward in the sport
- Brian remarking on how rare it was both Yuzu & Javi stayed for 6-7 years because some skaters change coaches frequently - ok this is facts but I kinda feel some shade idk
- Brian, before Javier & Yuzuru left TCC for PyeongChang, reminded them that they have a team that has always supported them through the years
- Both Javi and Yuzu have not confirmed their future plans - Brian & team willing to wait for their decisions

Some interesting documentaries highlighting the coaching process for:
- Yuzuru (link) - with highlights on Briand's role, and detailed analysis on his layout plans (& maths skills he is going to need with the new judging rules)
- Javier (link) with the type of training & support Brian gave him, details on Yuzu coaching change in 2012, some insights on his 4th finish at Sochi, more Yuzuru & Javier dynamics helping them be better skaters (Yuzu motivates Javi while Javi allows Yuzu to unwind somewhat)

 

[Interspectator]

Thanks for sharing these here.
It's very interesting to see the dynamics of the Cricket Team and how they were willing to be flexible for Yuzu and Javi to get the best training for the Olympics. Either training together or training apart, whatever helped them to be in the right place physically and mentally for the biggest stage. It was good planning and teamwork. :thumbsup:

 

[iorii]

My favorite line is Brian's '--when they were making me crazy'

 

[tafattsbarn]

Brian seems like such an uncle to them haha, i'm glad that the team at TCC seems so invested in their skaters well being.

 

[cruzceleste]

It seems like TCC is really a team work, and is nice to see other trainers also get a little of the spotlight.

I can imagine Javier and Yuzuru getting on Borser´s nerves, the jokes of him having more hair 6 years ago, do look true...

I do wonder why so much secret at the beginning with Yuzuru´s change of coach... but looks like Japan does like dramatic´s things...

 

[Watch]

I do wonder why so much secret at the beginning with Yuzuru´s change of coach... but looks like Japan does like dramatic´s things...

If I had to guess, I'd say it was to prevent the Japanese media from hearing of it and getting the news out before the decision was finalised. Figure skating gets enormous media attention in Japan and top skaters, especially Yuzuru, are on the Hollywood A-list actor level of famous there. And this, of course, comes with tabloids running stories on every move he makes.

 

[cruzceleste]

If I had to guess, I'd say it was to prevent the Japanese media from hearing of it and getting the news out before the decision was finalised. Figure skating gets enormous media attention in Japan and top skaters, especially Yuzuru, are on the Hollywood A-list actor level of famous there. And this, of course, comes with tabloids running stories on every move he makes.

Maybe, but back in 2012, Mao, Akiko, Daisuke, Takahiko Kozuka were more know. Yuzuru officially was Japan´s #3 man (third in nationals, just won bronze at worlds)... so I would guess media would tail any of those skaters but the Yuzuru back then was just up and coming young skater...

 

[LucyH]

Just saw this video posted on the Olympics Channel: link

After PyeongChang, Brian Orser gave an interview about Yuzuru and Javier's path to the Olympics and their dynamics at TCC. Beyond the two athletes, the interview offers some insight into the coaching team behind TCC, and how much of a team effort it was to get these two stars to the OG podium. I know Orser is definitely not a miracle coach (students do leave him when things didn't work out) but I think the team he has at TCC is really great at creating the package skater, so to speak, with the wonderful Tracy Wilson, Ghislain Briand, etc. They had their stumbles with both Javi and Yuzu, but they worked through it, and blessed us with two wonderful athletes to watch at PyeongChang.

Interesting highlights:
- Tracy has teenagers(TM) at home so she could understand the boys' teenage(TM) drama
- Javier & Yuzuru agreed they pushed each other forward in the sport
- Brian remarking on how rare it was both Yuzu & Javi stayed for 6-7 years because some skaters change coaches frequently - ok this is facts but I kinda feel some shade idk
- Brian, before Javier & Yuzuru left TCC for PyeongChang, reminded them that they have a team that has always supported them through the years
- Both Javi and Yuzu have not confirmed their future plans - Brian & team willing to wait for their decisions

Some interesting documentaries highlighting the coaching process for:
- Yuzuru (link) - with highlights on Briand's role, and detailed analysis on his layout plans (& maths skills he is going to need with the new judging rules)
- Javier (link) with the type of training & support Brian gave him, details on Yuzu coaching change in 2012, some insights on his 4th finish at Sochi, more Yuzuru & Javier dynamics helping them be better skaters (Yuzu motivates Javi while Javi allows Yuzu to unwind somewhat)

Great videos, TCC does seem to have a knack of creating skaters who have the "whole package" - technical prowess combined with artistry. I have always been a fan of both Brian and Tracy.

 

[Danibellerika]

This video is really great. I think back to all of the crap thrown at TCC in the first half of the season, including Brian's gall bladder surgery. It was certainly not by chance or luck at all, but by all the day to day they put in to get to this fairytale end of a season. They are really made of tough stuff.

 

[yude]

- Yuzuru (link) - with highlights on Briand's role, and detailed analysis on his layout plans (& maths skills he is going to need with the new judging rules)

As I'm not a skater myself, I have been wondering about this for a long time. Is it usual for the skaters to remember all the numbers applied for each element or is it the coaches' thing in general? Because to me, Yuzuru looks like he is memorizing almost all the numbers including max GOE on the level of spins and steps. He said in the past that he was relatively a mathematical person, and actually he has been doing the math on the paper since he was young, which I was amazed at when I first saw. I'm pretty sure he is going to learn and analyze the new rules during the off season

I'm glad Briand had the spotlight in this video, maybe the first time for me to hear his voice

 

[dansams]

Is it usual for the skaters to remember all the numbers applied for each element

They are all counting pts. They all know how their competition'd score and what they'd need themselves.

It's interesting how Yuzu got injured training 4Lz cuz of Nathan, but was able to reduce his difficulty and win also cuz of Nathan.

 

[yude]

They are all counting pts. They all know how their competition'd score and what they'd need themselves.

Thank you. So they are able to explain BV or level on each element without seeing the score sheet or rule book, I really like to see other skaters doing it because I like when Yuzuru does it

 

[dansams]

I really like to see other skaters doing it

Sports is both mental and physical. The psychological warfare is real.

Nathan changed his layout at 6am on the day of the SP cuz he felt he needed to to beat Yuzu. (He beat Yuzu @ Rostelecom w/ the more difficult layout.)

I'm sure the team event also played w/ Nathan's mind. Funny how things worked out.

 

[Danny T]

I'm not a skater myself either, but I think most of them do. Or should anyway. Maybe some skaters just do whatever their coaches say, but I would think at least the top skaters that compete for the podium have solid grasp of their game plans. I think it's useful too, sometimes skaters yolo their layout when they popped a jump or something, and they needed to know what they should change on the spot to reclaim lost points. For the ladies, regardless of what I think about the scoring, I admire Zagitova or pulling another combo to make up for lost points; it saved her OGM in fact. For the men, I think Shoma mentioned that before he skated last at the Olympics, he already calculated what he needed to win. And I think I saw an interview/documentary of Yuzuru scrutinising his and all his competitiors' protocols before.

Oh, and I'm betting Yuzuru already broke out his calculators looking at the proposed IJS changes

 

[Danny T]

It's interesting how Yuzu got injured training 4Lz cuz of Nathan, but was able to reduce his difficulty and win also cuz of Nathan.

topic: Not sure I agree with this. Nathan is hardly the one Yuzuru trained the 4Lz for, it has always been his master plan since 2014 to up his tech 1 quad at a time, so after the 4Lo he was always going for it (and the 4A ) If anything, by his own words, Yuzuru admires Boyang Jin's 4Lz the most (and I agree - he has good taste lol). And I take offense at you saying he won because of Nathan ... but I won't go into the endless what-if game again.

 

[eaglehelang]

topic: Not sure I agree with this. Nathan is hardly the one Yuzuru trained the 4Lz for, it has always been his master plan since 2014 to up his tech 1 quad at a time, so after the 4Lo he was always going for it (and the 4A ) If anything, by his own words, Yuzuru admires Boyang Jin's 4Lz the most (and I agree - he has good taste lol). And I take offense at you saying he won because of Nathan ... but I won't go into the endless what-if game again.

On the 4Lutz thingy, I think Yuzuru started thinking of doing it after Boyang Jin did. Boyang was the 1st to do it in competition. I recall Yuzuru mentioning it during one of the post competition interviews.
Until Yuzuru is dubbed president of BoyangJin fan club by Yuzu fans cos of his admiration of Boyang's 4 Lutz

Shoma was the 1st to land 4 Flip which motivated him. Nathan was the 1st to land many quads in a program category.
And of course that 13 yr old kid at TCC who could already land quads

 

[dansams]

And I take offense at you saying he won because of Nathan.

Not sure how what I said was disrespectful to Yuzu. In the video you posted, Yuzu said himself that he was calibrating his layout cuz he didn't think Javi or Shoma could beat him cuz of TES. If Nathan had a clean short, no chance Yuzu "only" attempts 4S & 4T.

Bottom line: an injured Yuzu beat a healthy field for his 2nd Oly gold. Not sure if one can pay greater respect to a champion.

 

[Danny T]

Not sure how what I said was disrespectful to Yuzu. In the video you posted, Yuzu said himself that he was calibrating his layout cuz he didn't think Javi or Shoma could beat him cuz of TES. If Nathan had a clean short, no chance Yuzu "only" attempts 4S & 4T.

Bottom line: an injured Yuzu beat a healthy field for his 2nd Oly gold. Not sure if one can pay greater respect to a champion.

I agree with half of your sentence actually. He simplified his tech content because of Nathan's short (and what he knows of Javier & Shoma), that's true. But you also attributed his winning to Nathan, which I disagree. It's just my opinion and yours, it's fine.

 

[dansams]

And before anyone misunderstands, Yuzu's short in Pyeongchang was, by far, the most impressive performance at the Olympics.

While many still praise his free at 2017 Worlds, this was his greatest performance to date. And probably the signature moment of his career.

 

[FCSSp4]

Yuzuru's been training 4lo and 4lz since 2014, after Sochi. Brian himself said so. In 2015, Plushenko also knew of him training both quads. The reason he didn't bring it in soon is because a) he won't do a quad without steps going into it. Look at his ambitious entry into 4lo in LGC and Chopin. b) He's not the type to stack on quads but rather builds up on it season by season. c) he's not the type to care about who did what first