Ashley and Gracie will be fine. They'll be fighting to be in the mix for medals at Worlds and Olympics in the coming years, and they'll get better. They're in a better position than the Russians because of the "weaker" competitive field in the US, so it's not like they will have to keep fighting to just stay relevant (but that doesn't mean they can slack off at Nationals, thankfully Polina finally taught them that lesson this year). Ashley will just need to keep her "aging" body in good shape, but I think she will be just fine. The quad strain worried me a little, but then she skated decently at TCC, so that restores some faith that she knows how to handle it. Gracie...one of the best talents in the world (I truly believe the gold medal will come down between Gold and Medvedeva, realistically). She's just got to find that inner fighter IN COMPETITION. Plus, she needs to find some smaller competitions for next season to compete in. She needs to actually practice WINNING. I still think she has time to figure this out, after she takes a very well deserved rest.
For the other US ladies...
Polina- extremely consistent. She desperately needs a fresh set of eyes, and she needs to get over her stubborness. She pushes back at the fact that her style has still not matured yet. YES POLINA, you have a very balletic line, but you need the STRETCH. Not to be snarky, but I think once those braces come off, her components will go up a few points (as will Satoko). I don't know about this Nam/Polina thing going on in the rink....it's cute, but if they want to be a champion, that may be a distraction.
Courtney- too sloppy. Just way too sloppy. Simple as that. She is a hard worker, and such a sweet girl. Plus, her jumps are explosive. However...they're too explosive. She has no control of her landings. This summer, she needs to focus on this the most. The artistry can wait....give me a few clean performances, and the components will start to steadily rise.
Mirai- Glad to see Mirai is starting to get her head on straight with Tom Z. as her coach. This season was a great refresher for her, and I like to think she was given that spot at Worlds as a gift for all her hard work and consistency. She'll just need to keep up the momentum, work on those pesky UR's, and try to keep working on that 3A. And give me a little more face. Ha!
Tyler Pierce- I hope this won't turn into a Karen Chen case next year. Her 3Lz-3T is looking GOOD! Hopefully she'll get some GP assignments and start laying out some groundwork for her career. Out of all the younger US women, right now, she seems to be improving the most. Just give me some good clean programs at the START of the season next year. The beginning of the season is always a hint to what the end of the year will look like.
Karen Chen- fix the boots, c'mon! The growing years are upon this girl.
People say she didn't do so well on the GP, but I actually thought two 5th places finishes wasn't something to shake a finger at for a first year senior. Like Courtney, Karen needs to work on the consistency.
Hannah Miller- getting better!!! Rafael is truly a magician. I think she's starting to get the hang of things, she'll just need to work on the UR's/2 foots. I don't think she's someone who falls a lot while in competition (a few pops though). Hannah also seems to have a good head on her shoulders, understands what she needs to work on. I like her style, hopefully we'll see an upward trajectory.
Mariah Bell- This girl will need to dump the sweet persona if she intends to fight for medals. She has a georgeous, natural style and a perfect figure for an ice skater. Simply put, she needs a consistent 3-3. I seem promise with her, I think she just needs to discover her own standing in the field, what works best for her. She's got a good team behind her, I have faith she'll come back.
Lastly...Vivian Le- Not a huge endorsement for this girl YET, but I like that she's got a pretty consistent 3-3 in her arsenal already. She actually needs to focus more on her other "simpler" jumps (the Loop especially). If she builds up her consistency this coming year, she certainly could become a star. These years in the junior ranks are so crucial to breaking through the mold later on.
I do believe that the Ladies fields in the US is quite strong. Definitely not as strong as Russia or even Japan, but Rafael Arutunian has a point that in the US, it's the SKATER who makes themselves rise to the top, not the coaches or the federation.
One last point about Gracie Gold, this girl says she hopes to retire after 2018. I know skating is hard to keep wanting to train for, but Gracie shouldn't put that on her shoulders. Take note from Carolina Kostner, Mao Asada, and even Ashley....skaters are staying in the game longer. Even if Gracie wins in 2018, I still would like her to push until 2022. She can do it.
