Sasha

[kyla2]

There is a wonderful article in SI on Sasha by E.M.Swift. It shows how well rounded she is and discusses her coaching changes in a very positive and respectful manner. Great article. It does note her parents are separated, which could not have been easy for her. You come away with a new appreciation for her. She comes across as much more mature now. The comment about wishing Michelle would retire is in there, but I think she realizes that wasn't the problem, that the issue was her. Sorry that I can't post a link.

 

[nymkfan51]

I had heard at Nationals that Sasha's parents were separated, but wasn't sure of it's validity. I guess this confirms it. It does make me appreciate more what she has been through. Having your parents break up has to be a very sad thing for any child to go through. It's no wonder she wanted to come back home to California.

I wish her well and hope she can hold it together in Torino.

ETA ... here is the link to the article ... the same article as in SI, but posted on the Olympic site.
http://www.usolympicteam.com/11506_43904.htm

 

[millie]

It's a very good read

QUOTE:
"Cohen started lifting weights. She began running and working on her cardio endurance. Today at 5ft2in's and 95 pounds, she built like a gymnist than a waif and can leg press 400lbs. "I feel now when I land jumps, I'm landing on a column rather than the spaghetti noodles like I skated in 2000" Cohen says.

 

[SkateFan4Life]

There is a wonderful article in SI on Sasha by E.M.Swift. It shows how well rounded she is and discusses her coaching changes in a very positive and respectful manner. Great article. It does note her parents are separated, which could not have been easy for her. You come away with a new appreciation for her. She comes across as much more mature now. The comment about wishing Michelle would retire is in there, but I think she realizes that wasn't the problem, that the issue was her. Sorry that I can't post a link.

Sasha is by no means the only elite figure skater whose parents are separated or divorced. Rosalyn Sumners, Jill Trenary, Debi Thomas, to name just a few, all competed as children of divorced parents. I'm sure it wasn't an easy situation for any of them, either.

Frankly, I wonder if the strains of Sasha's competitive career - her moving with her mother to the East Coast, etc. - contributed to the breakdown of her parent's marriage. I'm certainly not blaming Sasha for any of this. It's just that while you wrote that the the separation could not have been easy for Sasha, it must have been extremely difficult to maintain a functional family on both coasts of the United States. In other words, it was very hard for her parents as well.

 

[nymkfan51]

I'm sure separation and divorce are hard on all members of a family. But to start speculating in any way about why it happened, I honestly feel is none of our business. I'm sure others may have a different opinion, but I won't comment any more on this particular topic.

 

[SkateFan4Life]

I'm sure separation and divorce are hard on all members of a family. But to start speculating in any way about why it happened, I honestly feel is none of our business. I'm sure others may have a different opinion, but I won't comment any more on this particular topic.

I agree that it's none of our business as to why Sasha's parents separated. That is truly sad. However, as I wrote, the sport of elite figure skating is very hard on the family - parents and siblings. Remember that Tara Lipinksi and her mother moved to Detroit so that she could train under Richard Callaghan. Mr. Lipinski remained in Houston and only saw his wife and daughter once a month or so. They talked frequently over the phone, but that isn't the same thing as living under the same roof. Tara's mother practically gave her life away for her daughter's skating career. She attended every one of Tara's practices (!) and for all intents and purposes, did not have a life for a number of years.

Dorothy Hamill and her mother moved to Colorado and rented a small apartment in that city so that she could train with Carlo Fassi. Mr. Hamill and his other daughters remained home in Connecticut. That, too, must have been a real strain on the family.

And, not to mention finances. Good heavens! How many stories have we read of elite figure skaters and their families driving cars with 200,000 miles, eating endless meals of spaghetti, etc., and pinching pennies so that the kids could pursue their dream of figure skating.

It's a different story now, at least financially. To eligible skaters can make six-figure salaries with appearances in Champions on Ice, other shows, and commercial ventures.

But the strain on the family still is there. It isn't easy, I'm sure.

 

[millie]

He guys, is that all you got from reading the article, about her parents being separated. What about all of the other possitive things that were said. Seems like she's on top of her game and ready for the Olympics. Let the games begin.

 

[SkateFan4Life]

He guys, is that all you got from reading the article, about her parents being separated. What about all of the other possitive things that were said. Seems like she's on top of her game and ready for the Olympics. Let the games begin.

We have heard so much about Sasha -- yadda, yadda, yadda -- for such a long time. The news of her parent's separation, while truly sad, is really one of the first pieces of "new" news we've heard about her in quite a while.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Not surprised. Sasha attracts a wide variety of fans with her ballet-like poses, and of course that hyper extended free leg.

She's a good kid. I like her very much. I just wish she had put the energy in her skating after 2000 Nats that's she has this year. Well, never too late and I think she has a sure shot at this years Olys.

Joe

 

[jesslily]

I just read the article through the link in this thread. But I suspect Sasha's parents are separated or divoced for a while. Her few journals talked about buying house and decorating the house for "our three, me, my mom, and my sister". I was wondering why not mentioning her dad. Sasha also talked that she and her mom own the house...anyway, it's sad that she has to go though a family hard time while training for Olympics. But I am glad that she gets every thing on the right track, with her mom's support.

 

[kyla2]

Imo

Yes, the separation news is sad. But I loved the overall tenor of the article. She seems so much more together and mature. I loved the fact that she felt like she actually has a leg under her when she lands. It speaks to her very good conditioning. She also has other interests, which speaks well for her also. I do like this kid.

 

[tarotx]

What this does is put Sasha's coaching changes into perspective. TT couldn't handle training Sasha any more. She had too many ups and downs.

It seems Sasha's parents officially separated in October of 2004. That kind of puts Sasha and Robin in a different light. Two months after her parents separated Sasha was back in California and Nicks.

 

[millie]

Kudos, to Sasha. After reading the full contents of the article, you learn more about Sasha and what makes he tick. She seems to a nice down to earth girl that has everything finally under control in her life, on and off the ice. It seems that the three of them have a nice life and appreciate each other. Sasha's mother must be proud of her and her accomplishments. For a twenty-one year, her life seems to be on the tame side, with regards to clubing and drinking, that's unusual for a girl her age. Probably after the Olympics, her life might settle down and bit and get on with her life. Good luck Sasha and the rest of the skaters.

 

[mzheng]

What this does is put Sasha's coaching changes into perspective. TT couldn't handle training Sasha any more. She had too many ups and downs.

It seems Sasha's parents officially separated in October of 2004. That kind of puts Sasha and Robin in a different light. Two months after her parents separated Sasha was back in California and Nicks.

I got the hunch right then when I read Galina's words how she was back in California. Her mom said one night she was riding with Sasha, Sasha was unhappy, suddenly Sasha said "mom, I missed home(dad),...." I got the hunch that she might felt guilty or somewhat that she kept her parent seperating. Since her mom was companning her at east and left her dad alone back in California.

 

[R.D.]

probably one of the best (skating) articles I've read in a long time. It's like a mini-biography on her.

 

[JonnyCoop]

Can't wait to read this; is it in the Winter Olympic preview issue (which I just remembered I was supposed to pick up today, but forgot). It would be nice, for once, to read an article on Sasha wherein she is not being touted as the second coming of Laetitia Hubert......

 

[Misplaced Gymnast]

I could swear Sasha's dad went with them to the east coast. I seem to remember hearing about him a lot when the family first moved. Did he never leave California at all? Doesn't sound like what I remember.

 

[Rgirl]

Kyla--thanks for bringing the SI article to our attention. Brava!
NYMKFAN--thanks for providing the link. I would have been very cranky if I'd had to wait another hour for the newstand to open.

As so many other posters have said, best article on Sasha they've read. I think it is so especially in terms of insight, accuracy, and lack of bias. Even though the article is "pro Sasha"--I mean, part of the title is "Her Time Has Come"--it isn't written in a "Cohen can do no wrong" way. Along with positive comments about the changes in her training methods, writer EM Swift is also frank about Sasha's controversial decisions and inability to win a National or World title. Yet Swift also puts this in perspective both in the first two paragraphs of the article and in quotes by Sasha she uses later on--basically that success, assuming it comes, comes in many ways and, as has become almost a mantra for Cohen over the past year or so, "Everybody's different."

I also agree with Red Dog that it's one of the best--well, better --articles on an elite athlete I've read. I do, however, find one fault with Swift's analysis of Sasha's change in height and weight. Swift notes that in 2000, at 15, Sasha was 4'9", 79 lb. and describes her as a "waif." Swift then notes Sasha's off-ice training and how much weight she can lift or press, etc. and says Cohen is now 5'2", 95 lb. Swift compares Sasha's body today to that of a gymnast.

The thing is, what is considered normal weight gain for every inch gained in height is 5 lb. From 2000 until now, Sasha grew five inches (please, someone check me on this!) and gained 16 lb. Considering her growth in height, a normal weight gain for Sasha should have been 25 lb.

Of course athletes are not normal and weight in pounds does not consider percent body fat. Because fat is less dense than lean mass (bone, lean muscle), Sasha probably has a lower percent body fat now than she did at age 15 because she's been doing weight and cardiovascular training, plus, relative to each inch of height, Sasha weighs less at 5'2" than she did at 4'9", if you follow my drift.

My point is, sports science is now such an integral part of every track-and-field, running, gymnast, and so many other athletes' training that I would have liked Swift to include more stats than the changes in Sasha's height and weight and how much she can leg press. My reason is the danger for athletes who need to maintain a low body weight to cross the line from elite levels of fitness to eating disorders.

I want to make it VERY CLEAR that I'm not saying Sasha has an eating disorder. However, IMO, her weight per height is too low by about 5 lb. of lean muscle. People may say, "I'm sure Sasha has a nutritionist on her team" just as much as I'm sure she doesn't. In sports where low body weight is not an issue, such as tennis, yes, it is very common for elite or elite-track female players of all ages to consult with a sports nutritionist. Also, the US gymnastic team bucked the trend in gymnastics starting in the mid-90s by hiring a sports nutritionist so the female gymnasts could be has healthy as possible considering the low-body-weight demands of the sport. The year the US female gymnasts won the team gold medal at the Olympics, the team weighed more, on average, than any of the other teams competing.

Don't worry, I won't get started--or I should say really started. I'm just saying that I wish Swift would have included just a few more basic facts about Sasha's body composition in the article. Even every diet website on the 'Net discusses Body Mass Index (BMI).

So I'll shut up about that and comment on the REALLY egregious error in the article: The first time Swift refers to Robin Wagner it's as "him." Start cracking the whip on your fact checkers SI!

But all in all, especially for figure skating, and especially for ladies figure skating, I think Swift's article is the first I've read in a lay publication that really takes figure skating seriously as a sport, and I loved seeing that. Swift didn't mention Sasha's interest in make-up and fashion at all and only made one reference to high heels, which Sasha wore for Halloween.

Even with my personal pecadillos about wanting more training and/or body composition info, I still give Swift's article an A.

Now, we shall see...

Rgirl

 

[Alsace]

With the fact that all the athletes have to publish their weights worldwide (my mother doesn't know my weight), I'm not surprised that E. M. Swift couldn't get Sasha's BMI from her. Let the lady have some privacy!

 

[R.D.]

yeah...I don't get why he should have included more info (about her weight). In fact, I got more info from that article than I ever wanted to know. But that's JMO.