I know it's blasphemous to mention Alissa and Yu-Na in the same sentence, and you'll probably have to say a Hail Yu-Na as penance right after typing up that response, but I was speaking relatively - I was trying to make the point that, when considering the overall number of triples both girls attempted (4 to 6, sorry), Alissa's performance doesn't look so bad under that light.
This turned out to be a very bad year for Alissa.
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I know it's blasphemous to mention Alissa and Yu-Na in the same sentence, and you'll probably have to say a Hail Yu-Na as penance right after typing up that response, but I was speaking relatively - I was trying to make the point that, when considering the overall number of triples both girls attempted (4 to 6, sorry), Alissa's performance doesn't look so bad under that light.
It looks bad in the light of the double axels and Yu-na's hard combinations had in comparison to Czisny. And Kim always attempts at least 6 triples, Alissa normally 4.
Clarification to my previous post: Yu-Na landed 5 triples and Alissa, on the surface, landed 4. Alissa was probably unaware at the time that her loop was UR, so at least the number of triples she initially seemed to have completed indicates that she put a good fight in the LP. I wasn't taking into account the combos that Yu-Na did (actually, Alissa did 2 2As to Yu-Na's 3), and I'm in no way saying that Alissa's jump layout is as hard as Yu-Na's. I was just referring to the overall number of triples completed.
That's possible too. How does she do in training and practice though, when the pressure's off?
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- Jun 21, 2003
Of course she can jump. :yes: Alissa is one of the few U.S. ladies who can do a true triple Lutz. Her flip is pretty good. Her double Axel is fine. She has done all of these jumps literally hundreds of times.
But sometimes she doesn't. That's what "inconsistent" means. IMHO the reason for this inconsistency is simple performance anxiety.
If Alissa could jump she would be attempting more in the long program...
I'm puzzled about this, as I was with Sasha Cohen. Also with Bebe. Are they just bad competitors, or do they have basic jumping problems that plague them even in practice? The fact that Alissa had bad practices in LA, after training hard all season, makes me think that she just has bad jumping technique/issues that make her success rate low. And then in a pressured competition situation, the pressure and nerves just make those weaknesses even more apparent and the hit rate even lower. I've also heard that Bebe doesn't have very good practices even at home. Maybe also Sasha back in her competitive days?
Or is it that Allisa actually has great jumping technique when practicing at home, but can't jump when it comes to competitive ice, even during practice? I mean, she's got really bad problems with nerves if she forgets how to jump even during official practices. How can one possibly expect her to compete well if she can't even practice well with few spectators around and no scores on the line??!
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- Jun 21, 2003
I guess we have different definitions of what "can jump" means.
Red Dog said:
In her first competition of the season she did 6 triples.
3Lz+2T
3F
3Lo
2A
3Lz
3T+3T
2A
In her second competition (Nebelhorn) she did the same except she backed off of the triple-triple and did 3T+2T instead, but she also did 2A+2T inplace of her first solo 2A
At Skate Canada she did the same except as Nebelhorn except no +2T on her 2A.
At Eric Bompard she had a terrible beginning, falling on her first two jumps, but probably planned the same jump layout except that she did a 2A+2T+2T.
She was planning to work the triple-triple back into her program for the end of the year, but it didn't work out. Even so, I think her basic program was something like this (5 triples)
3Lz+2T
3F
3Lo
2A+2T+2T
3Lz
3T+2T
2A.
For next year she could substitute 3F+2T (which she has done in the past and is quite within her ability) for 3T+2T, then substitue 3T for her last 2A.
There's you 6 triple program. Now all she has to do is execute it!
I think it's the nerves more so than technique issues. Her better skates are mostly from "B" events and GPs. She had her worst skates at both worlds she entered. She had lots of issues last season as well.
Caroline might not have the best jump technique, but she always delivers. With accomlished skaters, nerves and pressure are the biggest issues IMO.
Caroline might not have the best jump technique, but she always delivers. With accomlished skaters, nerves and pressure are the biggest issues IMO.
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- Jun 21, 2003
I have heard from member of Alissa's Army of friends, coaches, and advisors that she often has really good practices at home, where she hits jump after jump after jump.
However, she does have a problem where she rushes a jump, her head turns to the side, her shoulders get ahead of her feet, and then she is in trouble. (Dick Button pointed this out once when Alissa fell on a jump.)
So I think it is a combination of bad habits returning when the pressure's on and just plain stage fright during performances. I have seen Alissa freeze up and fall even in shows, like when she did some COI stops a copuple of years ago. Again, performance anxiety, even if nothing was on the line as in a competition.
I think her coaching team has been working like the devil on that. That is why she seems so deliberate, careful and slow sometimes. She is trying to "take each element as it comes," trying not to rush, trying not to give in to nerves.
I don't know exactly what Sasha's problem was. It seemed like little lapses of concentration -- but that doesn't make sense, because what else do you have to concertrate on for those four minutes except your program. Sasha, unlike Alissa, feels very comfortable in the spotlight and loves to compete and perform, whereas I think Alissa finds the experience a terrifying ordeal.
Actually, I think 99.9999% of all people choke up a little when the chips are down, some more than others. The ones that don't -- they are the Tiger Woods and the Michael Jordans.
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- Sep 14, 2008
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No, I think it's inconsistency. Alissa's jumps in the SP at Nationals were excellent.
At Worlds she seemed to revert to her old technique, which is disappointing.
I think she did it best at Nationals. The first half of the program at Nationals was brilliant and created such a wonderful effect.
Her jumps at Worlds didn't have the same quality. The Loop was tighter, the Flip didn't have as much height, and a very slight bobble on the first 2Axel caused her to not put the 2toe on the end. The program didn't build as well.
But, last year, Ashley Wagner got 16th.I know USFSA had no choice but to send Ashley because Caroline, Rachael and Mirai were too young. This year,it seems USFSA did not have much choice but sending either Alissa or Caroline. And they chose more mature and somehow more experienced Alissa.I am not saying they made a right decision, but it is really hard when there are not many choices. But this year, I am sure they know that Rachel and Caroline are going to be their first choice.And hopefully, injured-free Mirai will come back , too.
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- Feb 5, 2004
I don't think it's so much a question of what else do you have to concentrate on for those four minutes but rather - everything you have to blot out for those four minutes.
When adrenaline is up, nerves are high and the spot light is on you, it's blotting out everything else that comes into your brain, any creeping doubt (I two footed all attempts at the triple lutz in the warm up, can I land it now?), psyching yourself out (concentrate on the program, concentrate on the program....oh no i've been concentrating so much on telling myself to concentrate that i'm 30 seconds in and I've failed to actually concentrate!) That internal monologue needs to switch off. That's the hard part.
Ant
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- Jun 21, 2003
That is a great pyschological insight.
Prokofiev said:
Actually, they did not have any choice about sending Alissa, because Alissa was national champion. They could have sent Caroline instead Rachael, but there is no reason to think that Caroline would have done better than Rachael. They did not have the option of sending Rachael and Caroline.
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The reason why Alissa doesn't do two flips is that she often gets a edge call on the flip, and sometimes underrotates it as well (she got both calls on her solo 3F at 4CC).
She's had a pattern this season of having maximized her jump layout early in the season, but then backs off on the combinations as the season progresses. There was no 3-jump combination at Nationals, 4CC or Worlds, and the 3T+2T (which was 3T+3T at the beginning of the season) became 2T+2T at Nationals and just 2T at Worlds.
She's had a pattern this season of having maximized her jump layout early in the season, but then backs off on the combinations as the season progresses. There was no 3-jump combination at Nationals, 4CC or Worlds, and the 3T+2T (which was 3T+3T at the beginning of the season) became 2T+2T at Nationals and just 2T at Worlds.
That is a great pyschological insight.
Actually, they did not have any choice about sending Alissa, because Alissa was national champion. They could have sent Caroline instead Rachael, but there is no reason to think that Caroline would have done better than Rachael. They did not have the option of sending Rachael and Caroline.
Well many people feel they cheated to have Alissa as the National Champion so they could take her to worlds.
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- Mar 14, 2006
This experience proves (to me, anyway) that the USFSA should be free to choose whoever they think will get the job done at Worlds. Nationals should be part of the equation, not the sole determinant.
That said, I loved Alissa's FS - I watched it on Youtube and thought, "THIS is skating." I was proud of her for coming back, and it's a beautiful program. I hope she keeps it next season - until she can do it with seven triples - while rubbing her tummy and brushing her teeth!
That said, I loved Alissa's FS - I watched it on Youtube and thought, "THIS is skating." I was proud of her for coming back, and it's a beautiful program. I hope she keeps it next season - until she can do it with seven triples - while rubbing her tummy and brushing her teeth!
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- Jun 21, 2003
It will be interesting to see what they do in selecting the Olympic team. The announcement of the new rules makes it clear that placement in 2010 U.S. Nationals will still be the mst important single factor.
The most important factor that reaches back to the previous season is placement at Worlds. So Rachael will go into the Olympic season with a little head start.
Still, it's a new season. I am sure that the USFSA hopes that two clear winners will emerge from the Grand Prix season, and those same two people go 1-2 at Nationals.
To me, the trouble with the USFSA International Committee arrogating to itself the freedom to "choose whoever they think will get the job done," is that then the selection process turns into politics and lobbying.
