"the way Eteri yells at her for falling on a quad..." - Have you ever been to the rink where up to 20 athletes skate at the same time? Within 5 meters you don't hear each other because of the steel on the ice screams. There are various music in different sectors for separate skating groops performing their coaches' exercises. Moreover, if you waste time to come & talk to the coach it will take up 40% of your training time. Have you been at the ice rink, have not you?
I saw this picture of training in NA clubs. It is convenient when the coach gets money for the ice time not for the result.
Hi Truman...
I'm having a hard time understanding when you are quoting vs speaking in your posts...suggest you use the reply-to-post to quote instead..
It sounds as though your comments are based on how Russian training centres organize the ice vs North American practice.
I think that it's really valuable for you to provide a reality check about Russian ice protocols and training situations for those of us who are trying to assess the situation from North American eyes...
I don't think we can criticize Eteri for following Russian ice protocols...
So, a couple of points of information about the differences ... hoping I'm not going too off-topic ...
First, when skaters in NA are in a private lesson, they are constantly monitored by the coach and are expected to return to the coach for feedback after each element, or sequence or run through. Coaches who bellow across the ice disturb others and are increasingly less common. But skaters spend a large portion of each session working independently while their coaches are working with others.
Second, in NA, only one central sound system plays on a rink...so there is only one skater's music playing at once. There is often a board with a wait list for turns with the music.
During practice, the skater, team or group that "has the music" has absolute right of way on the entire rink. Others who are training on the same ice are expected to give way or "make a hole" so skaters with the music can do their programs.
Clearing space is really critical for elements that require a lot of speed on entry. Sometimes during a critical run through, the other skaters will just move back to the boards and wait until it's done.
Third, there are not usually large groups working in different sectors except in the lowest entry levels coming out of basic skating.
Coaches may work with very small groups in semi-private lessons of 2-3 skaters, rarely more unless it is a designated spins or skills session where jumps are not allowed.
There are also regularly scheduled stroking classes with only one large group.
Lastly, I'd like to point out that the Russian way of organizing the ice and NA probably both have pros and cons. But the two approaches can't really be combined.
As a matter of ice safety, skaters and coaches need to all share the same approach to organizing the ice.
I am aware of at least one situation in NA where a coach who had come from Russia tried to have large groups working in a sector of the ice, or run a stroking class for only that coach's students while other coaches were working with their students and waiting for the music for run throughs. This led to concerns from other coaches and skaters about safety and concerns about fair access to the full rink for run throughs.
Bottom line, getting back on topic, I agree with you that taking one aspect of Eteri's coaching style out of the context of how Russian rinks are organized, and comparing it to Brian's who works with skaters in under a very different set of ice management rules, is unfair.
and tbh I will be one of these people who will think negatively about it.
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