State of US Ladies in skating III: 2014-15 Season

[Sandpiper]

Her SP is pretty mature.

I think the SP was a step in the right direction. However, I don't like her LP... but she does seem to be hitting her jumps there.

 

[R.D.]

The problem is her long limbs among other things tend to make Polina look very young and youthful. Peter Pan is not helping, it is exacerbating the issue. She needs a make over to look 16 going on 17. Right now she looks much younger than her age. She could get a makeover to look like a mature composed 16 year old young lady and I think that would help. She needs to try to at least look high school and right now she looks much more junior high/middle school to me. A makeover to be more mature does not mean she needs to look college.

I still fail to see why this would be a problem for her, though. As in something more urgent to fix than, say, working on mental toughness.

Besides, in the above mind set, what would such a "makeover" entail anyway? (Afraid to ask... )

 

[kwanatic]

I don't think Polina needs a full makeover, but I do think she needs a redo for her hair and costume in the FS.

I love her SP look and I like the program as well. I actually like her Peter Pan FS. It's light and youthful but I don't find it to be juniorish or too young. It's a lovely program. It probably lacks the impact she needs to really stand out but it is a nice program.

The hair and dress in her FS do make her look juniorish though. Her "look" is too young in that program. The pink and the sparkles and the ruffles and the hair jewels...it's scream "My Little Pony" to me. I'd like to see her in something like this or this. She needs something that will inject some maturity into her look but still fit the overall feel of the music. I think Kiira's style would look good on Polina...

 

[MoonlightSkater]

It does seem like 16 is the age when many lady skaters start to have to adjust to different bodies. And then again at 18. It's rough, nobody wants to see a talented skater peak at 15, especially when they haven't reached the goals they might be seeking. I think even Michelle Kwan struggled around that age for a little bit. Good for Polina for being matter a fact about it. She strikes me as having her head screwed on well. It's a pity that she is struggling this season when it you really wanted her to make her mark but she doesn't sound like she is in despair or getting burned out or anything. And it's not an Olympic year.

I think you're onto something with this whole post. If there is any year to learn to adjust, this is the best year for it. No need to panic or rush when you can take your time and come out better for it.

 

[ice coverage]

Beverley Smith
‏@BevSmithWrites

Gracie Gold, best bud of Taylor Swift, says stress fracture in her left foot is totally healed. 3Lutz-3toe on the sked for nationals.
12:42 PM - 13 Jan 2015
https://twitter.com/BevSmithWrites/status/555102555949527040​

 

[StitchMonkey]

I still fail to see why this would be a problem for her, though. As in something more urgent to fix than, say, working on mental toughness.

Besides, in the above mind set, what would such a "makeover" entail anyway? (Afraid to ask... )

Ditching the fairy music would be a great start and would not be the end of the world. Maybe makeover is too strong a word. I see Polina as someone who naturally seems young, so when you take a young skater, who looks/reads young, and have her skate to young seeming music and in young seeming costumes. It kinda adds up. It is too much. It starts to be too easy to look at her as someone who is "promising" and will do well "next year". She needs to send the message she is not a up-and-comer but a current threat. As cruzceleste said she should look/skate her age. Right now I think she is too young seeming.

Other issues may be more pressing. I am not sure it is mental toughness. She does seem to be tough. And she is clearly pissed when she does not do well. I think it is more just needing to get things to come together. More like metal cobwebs she needs to clear through.

 

[jenaj]

She needs a serious makeover. I know she is 16, but she needs to present a more mature skater.

I agree. That LP dress in particular looks like something a little girl would wear when dressing up as a princess. And Peter Pan, really? She also needs to get rid of the braids in her hair and the headbands.

 

[jenaj]

I'd like to see her in something like this or this. She needs something that will inject some maturity into her look but still fit the overall feel of the music. I think Kiira's style would look good on Polina...

LOL! No offense to Polina, but that is setting the standard pretty high!

 

[R.D.]

Beverley Smith
‏@BevSmithWrites
Gracie Gold, best bud of Taylor Swift, says stress fracture in her left foot is totally healed. 3Lutz-3toe on the sked for nationals.
12:42 PM - 13 Jan 2015
https://twitter.com/BevSmithWrites/s...02555949527040

Thanks and that's good to hear - as suspected, Wagner will have some work to do if she wants that title back.

 

[jenaj]

Polina is pretty focused on her technical elements in her press conference, but the real story, at the international level at least, is her PCS. It has come down to earth--where it should be for someone who is still just up from juniors.

 

[jenaj]

Beverley Smith
‏@BevSmithWrites

Gracie Gold, best bud of Taylor Swift, says stress fracture in her left foot is totally healed. 3Lutz-3toe on the sked for nationals.
12:42 PM - 13 Jan 2015
https://twitter.com/BevSmithWrites/status/555102555949527040​

Is Gracie really "best bud" of Taylor Swift? I hope not. It's just another celebrity trying to insert herself somewhere to steal a little bit of the limelight.

 

[humbaba]

I don't think Polina needs a full makeover, but I do think she needs a redo for her hair and costume in the FS.

I actually like her Peter Pan FS. It's light and youthful but I don't find it to be juniorish or too young. It's a lovely program.

I love Polina's FS. It's one of my favorite programs of this season. ITA that Polina needs to change her hair and FS costume. That pink, fluffy concoction screams "My Mom made this for my dance recital". Polina is tall and willowy and could look very elegant. I'd love to see her with simpler, more contemporary hair and costumes.

 

[Chris_E]

Thanks and that's good to hear - as suspected, Wagner will have some work to do if she wants that title back.

It won't be a cake walk for Gracie either!

 

[R.D.]

It won't be a cake walk for Gracie either!

Sure won't. She is defending champ after all.

 

[ice coverage]

Is Gracie really "best bud" of Taylor Swift? I hope not. It's just another celebrity trying to insert herself somewhere to steal a little bit of the limelight.

Off topic, but ...:

Swift and Gold both recently tweeted photos of a "girl's" outing that included Lorde as well. Swift referred to the other two as some of her favorite people to hang out with (not an exact quote). So the Swift/Gold friendship does appear to be a lasting one -- not just a Sochi-related thing.

LOL, are you saying that Swift is trying to steal Gold's limelight?? :think:​

 

[Mrs. P]

LOL, are you saying that Swift is trying to steal Gold's limelight?? :think:[/INDENT]

Yes, because the musical artist whose newest album has gone Platinum and has tons of fans needs to steal the limelight of someone who placed 4th in the Olympics.

 

[louisa05]

Yes, because the musical artist whose newest album has gone Platinum and has tons of fans needs to steal the limelight of someone who placed 4th in the Olympics.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[ice coverage]

Is Gracie really "best bud" of Taylor Swift? I hope not. It's just another celebrity trying to insert herself somewhere to steal a little bit of the limelight.

Yes, because the musical artist whose newest album has gone Platinum and has tons of fans needs to steal the limelight of someone who placed 4th in the Olympics.

:agree: Exactly my point, Mrs. P.

But no more absurd than interpreting jenaj's post the other way around. It referred to a "celebrity" stealing the limelight ... and Gracie is not a "celeb" (except within the skating world), IMHO. A national champion in a non-mainstream sport, yes. Celeb, no.

(LOL, I myself am much more interested in GG than in TS, but even I would consider Swift a gen-u-ine celebrity. )

 

[Mrs. P]

Taylor Swift is a pretty down to earth person, however, as famous as she is. She is good about responding to fans...So I think her friendships are pretty genuine.

 

[ice coverage]

......So I think her friendships are pretty genuine.

Yes, that is what I was trying to say to jenaj in the first place :yes: -- that the friendship btwn TS and GG is not a sham.

(LOL, I see that the skating reporters -- Hersh, Rutherford, Zaccardi, McCarvel -- also are getting sidetracked by the TS/GG friendship. The reporters are bantering on Twitter about its newsworthiness, or lack thereof.)