Knierims to be coached by Aljona Savchenko

[happycamper2554]

this ice network article made me more skeptical of this arrangement. Alijona seems all over the place with shows and coaching and potentially coming back to competition herself. I'm worried this going to fail spectacularly. I also think not having one consistent home base is going to be a problem. Also Savchenko has never been a coach, sure she's a champion skater. But being good at something doesn't always mean you'll be a good coach. I guess i'm the only one who sees this ending poorly. Then again it can't get much worse for them then worlds so we'll see. I like them, so I hope it works out, but i'm skeptical

 

[crankyintheAM]

this ice network article made me more skeptical of this arrangement. Alijona seems all over the place with shows and coaching and potentially coming back to competition herself. I'm worried this going to fail spectacularly. I also think not having one consistent home base is going to be a problem. Also Savchenko has never been a coach, sure she's a champion skater. But being good at something doesn't always mean you'll be a good coach. I guess i'm the only one who sees this ending poorly. Then again it can't get much worse for them then worlds so we'll see. I like them, so I hope it works out, but i'm skeptical

I just read the article and I have to agree. Aljona really sounds like she's all over the place. I hope it will somehow work out for the Knierims.

 

[SnowWhite]

I do wonder about some of the logistics of all of this. Aljona says Bruno will help her, Alexander König, Jean-François Ballester.

But we have:
- Bruno and Jean-François in La Chaux-de-Fonds, SUI
- Alexander König in Berlin
- Aljona with Alexa and Chris in Oberstdorf and Chicago

So when Aljona and Bruno have shows (and they have a lot), it's not quite as simple as leaving Alexa and Chris with Alexander or Jean-François. Either one of them has to come to Oberstdorf/Chicago, potentially leaving other students they are coaching, or she'll have to find someone else to work with them.

If not for all the shows S/M are doing, it would be simple. Aljona would be with them all the time, and they could work with Bruno, Alexander and Jean-François from time to time/when they are in the area for extra expertise. But it doesn't sound as though there is someone who would be able to consistently work with them when Aljona is at shows as of now. Of course, they may find someone we don't know, but part of the appeal for me was that Alexander and Jean-François are very good coaches, so it's too bad that Alexa and Chris won't be consistently working with either of them along with Aljona.

I'm sure they'll be able to find a way to make it work, but the logistics of the whole plan don't sound ideal to me.

 

[asp11]

I do wonder about some of the logistics of all of this. Aljona says Bruno will help her, Alexander König, Jean-François Ballester.

But we have:
- Bruno and Jean-François in La Chaux-de-Fonds, SUI
- Alexander König in Berlin
- Aljona with Alexa and Chris in Oberstdorf and Chicago

So when Aljona and Bruno have shows (and they have a lot), it's not quite as simple as leaving Alexa and Chris with Alexander or Jean-François. Either one of them has to come to Oberstdorf/Chicago, potentially leaving other students they are coaching, or she'll have to find someone else to work with them.

If not for all the shows S/M are doing, it would be simple. Aljona would be with them all the time, and they could work with Bruno, Alexander and Jean-François from time to time/when they are in the area for extra expertise. But it doesn't sound as though there is someone who would be able to consistently work with them when Aljona is at shows as of now. Of course, they may find someone we don't know, but part of the appeal for me was that Alexander and Jean-François are very good coaches, so it's too bad that Alexa and Chris won't be consistently working with either of them along with Aljona.

I'm sure they'll be able to find a way to make it work, but the logistics of the whole plan don't sound ideal to me.

I agree with all of this; I really hope it works out for the Knierims, as well as for Aljona and Bruno.

 

[perspicuosity]

I do wonder about some of the logistics of all of this. Aljona says Bruno will help her, Alexander König, Jean-François Ballester.

But we have:
- Bruno and Jean-François in La Chaux-de-Fonds, SUI
- Alexander König in Berlin
- Aljona with Alexa and Chris in Oberstdorf and Chicago

So when Aljona and Bruno have shows (and they have a lot), it's not quite as simple as leaving Alexa and Chris with Alexander or Jean-François. Either one of them has to come to Oberstdorf/Chicago, potentially leaving other students they are coaching, or she'll have to find someone else to work with them.

If not for all the shows S/M are doing, it would be simple. Aljona would be with them all the time, and they could work with Bruno, Alexander and Jean-François from time to time/when they are in the area for extra expertise. But it doesn't sound as though there is someone who would be able to consistently work with them when Aljona is at shows as of now. Of course, they may find someone we don't know, but part of the appeal for me was that Alexander and Jean-François are very good coaches, so it's too bad that Alexa and Chris won't be consistently working with either of them along with Aljona.

I'm sure they'll be able to find a way to make it work, but the logistics of the whole plan don't sound ideal to me.

This could work. The Kneirims are not a new team. They may be able to be very independent for periods of time. They need a jump coach, and they need different programs, and they need someone to build them up mentally. Those are bigger picture things.

Plus, skating in shows is not taxing for Aljona -- I'm sure she'll be texting Alexa 50 times a day to make sure they're following the practice schedule.

 

[asp11]

This could work. The Kneirims are not a new team. They may be able to be very independent for periods of time. They need a jump coach, and they need different programs, and they need someone to build them up mentally. Those are bigger picture things.

Plus, skating in shows is not taxing for Aljona -- I'm sure she'll be texting Alexa 50 times a day to make sure they're following the practice schedule.

I hope you're right, perspicuosity!

 

[LRK]

It's funny, what I most took away from Aljona's interview was her enthusiasm. She seems to see possibilities rather than problems - that problems are there to be overcome.

I think what she especially can give the Knierims is a new perspective - another way of looking at things. That doesn't mean that Delilah did anything wrong, or was lacking in any way. After all, they will be building on the groundwork that she laid for many years. It's just that sometimes a new way of looking at things, a new perspective, a fresh set of eyes, can be very beneficial.

 

[Lamente Ariane]

I think what she especially can give the Knierims is a new perspective - another way of looking at things. That doesn't mean that Delilah did anything wrong, or was lacking in any way. After all, they will be building on the groundwork that she laid for many years. It's just that sometimes a new way of looking at things, a new perspective, a fresh set of eyes, can be very beneficial.

Agreed wholeheartedly. I'm also very interested to see what kind of programs the Knierims will have with Aljona at the helm, since her team has consistently found unusual and previously unused music the last few years especially. I hope for something they can really connect with too.

 

[SnowWhite]

Agreed wholeheartedly. I'm also very interested to see what kind of programs the Knierims will have with Aljona at the helm, since her team has consistently found unusual and previously unused music the last few years especially. I hope for something they can really connect with too.

Yeah, that'll be interesting to see. The past couple of seasons, S/M have worked with John Kerr/Sylvia Fontana and Christopher Dean . Aljona said that Benoit Richaud did Alexa and Chris's programs, so they should have a different feel.

 

[el henry]

Agreed wholeheartedly. I'm also very interested to see what kind of programs the Knierims will have with Aljona at the helm, since her team has consistently found unusual and previously unused music the last few years especially. I hope for something they can really connect with too.

Alexa and Chris did *try* for unusual last year, with a Rohene SP to Paint it Black. I really liked it, but unfortunately I don’t think they connected to it, and quickly switched back to their old one. If they try different this year, I hope they like it better.

 

[skylark]

Alexa and Chris did *try* for unusual last year, with a Rohene SP to Paint it Black. I really liked it, but unfortunately I don’t think they connected to it, and quickly switched back to their old one. If they try different this year, I hope they like it better.

Yes, but remember that cute interview where Chris laconically said, "We got talked to" (LOL) on two separate occasions. Once, to switch back to their old SP, and then to switch back to their old FS. Not sure which came first.

I thought this was one of the (many!) interesting things Aljona said in the interview:

Also, they love each other, as they are a married couple. They need to show that more. All this will make them more powerful and more enjoyable for people to watch. http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/05/17/276810168​

Their connection on the ice is one of the greatest things about Aljona and Bruno. And she knows the difference, (in my opinion, she and Robin didn't have it, or at least didn't show it to others). And Aljona has spotted that as something Alexa and Chris have, but she wants them to show it more, so that audiences can feel the emotional depth. Personally, I thought Alexa and Chris showed it more at 2017 4CC and Worlds, probably because all the emotions were so close to the surface, having just gone through Alexa's illness. Since Aljona has experienced the difference herself, she'll be very well qualified to help K/K bring it out more visibly.

The plan does sound a little "all over the place." But sometimes what artists (on ice, in this instance) need is loosening, opening up of the horizons. I'm really looking forward to seeing what effect all this will create in Alexa and Chris.

AND ... if Aljona can help them be more mentally strong in competition, and do the jumps more consistently in competition, wow, won't that be something!

 

[NoNameFace]

While Aljona's interview sounds a bit chaotic indeed, I do believe that does not mean the cooperation will be in such manner. She sure has many ideas regarding coaching and maybe just has no fullest plan how to facilitate them. Besides, this is a new situation, both for her and for Knierims and there are suppose to be some adjustments and organizational work done to work out all kinks and stabilize relationship.
Then, I think that Knierims may need a polish and to be given a certain new perspective about their skating under new coaching team - maybe to popular belief, I think about them as a quality team, with skills and potential on a very high level, but with consistency issues and jumping problems. In my opinion they do not need a complete remodelling - they need that work done in problematic areas and them gel this renewed quality inside their skating which I have no doubt will flourish more with better jumping and consistency adding to confidence. The improvement in skill could give them a right boost, but maybe having Aljona by their side with all this experience and perspective will be even more important in terms of this whole process.