2018-19 U.S. Ladies' figure skating

[frida80]

Anybody want to take about Hanna Harrell. She has to take some time office early in the season because of an injury, but she look like he’s improved a lot since then. I found this video from sectionals.

https://youtu.be/D8EL1Jgm4Rw

 

[tothepointe]

She had a huge piece of tape on her groin muscle. I knew something was up from the start. Adrenaline and determination will kill the pain and keep you focused. I wouldn't say it was major injury. Just one that was enough to cause her some pain. They probably did some local anesthesia and kept it moving.

Gosh I don't blame her for keeping it underwraps especially with first alternative Wagner sniffing around the Olympic village all ready to go at a moments notice. (Yes I know she had other reasons to be there but I can see from Mirai's perspective that might have been a motivating factor based on previous experience. Plus you never know if they would have pulled her from the team comp in lieu of putting Karen in or swapping out the Shibs for Hubbell and Donahue)

 

[CellarDweller]

The issue isn’t whether or not fans have realistic expectations of her placement. The important thing is how competing at Nats - and the possibility of a low placement - will affect Gracie, not us.

Exactly!

I'm hoping that Gracie looks at her performance on the GP series, and opts to not compete, and returns next year. When Gracie originally came on the scene, there was a fire to her that is missing now. She needs to first take care of herself, and regain her mental strength and competitive fire. Neither one of those things will just come back overnight.

She needs to focus on getting those in place, and then she'll be ready to come back to competitive ice.

 

[Skater Boy]

I hope she skates, too. The fans already have realistic expectations of what her form will be like, so no one will be disappointed with a low placement.

Gracie is an adult and of course should do what Gracie wants and what is best for Gracie. The challenge or perhaps problem is us - the public, the fans - that undoubtedly influences or affects her. It is great she has a lot of fans and they want to see her skate but maybe that is part of the problem. Someone paid her way to nationals last year and so many people are vocal about wanting to see her skate even if it is a single axel. Gracie has raced through this challenging time like I have described a person drowning flailing and panicking with no time to chill out. I wonder if she wasn't so loved and this is not to be mean and didn't have the resources so available if we would see such a return or so fast of a return. If it had been some unknown would anyone care or would there be resources to allow such a come back not to mention get a GP event.

I would love to see her skate to her full potential but I also would like to see her happy and not so "panicky". In some ways all this "LOVE" maybe forcing this woman to retrun to quickly.

Gracie regardless of whether she wins another medal has been anazing skater with great accomplishments. I admire her right now that despite her health issues and family pressures or challenges she continues on with life - skating or not. Amazingly Sarah Hughes, Emily Hughes, Michelle Kwan et al have moved on with life without really skating. It is possible. Maybe she needs to face the real world and perhaps work at a retail store like many other young people have.

I think at Worlds we will see Bradie and maybe Mariah. I think Alycia is a wildcard as are many others. There has been some suggestion Ashley will return. It would be interesting for sure. NBC or the US skating market is looking for a good story. Gracie might be part of it - they could milk it even if she does what she did at Russia aas there is not much more. Bradie is the odds on favorutie but she isn't at least now an overly engaging personality. Mariah isn't a real challenger. Ashley probably isn't in shape to really challenge but her personality would sell tickets. I was listing to TSL talk about Angela Wang - she is just too inconsistent. Courtney Hicks seems to have been aroudn forhever even though I am sure that is not the case.

 

[GoodMorningGrapeseed]

Wait Alysa Liu is going to be at nationals too? Is she planning to do 3A?

 

[macy]

I'm really clueless as to where her form is, or even was at Rostelecom. Based on the planned elements submitted, you'd think she has all her jumps back. After watching the practices in Russia, I was doubtful she could execute anything beyond a 2Lz reliably. A lot of the criticisms that apply to her skating at Rostelecom (taking a GP spot, not being prepared for international competition, etc) don't apply to her skating at Nationals, so hopefully she can do her best and simply view 2019 Nationals as step 2 in her road back.

nerves played a huge role in how gracie skated. i don't think she was fully prepared to skate in an event that big, and when you've been away from competition for so long, it's extremely hard to come back to that. it's a matter of her getting repeated exposure to that kind of environment again and again, so for that reason alone i hope she doesn't pull out of nats. the more she competes, the better off she will be.

 

[Icey]

Have there been any updates about Gracie? Will she still skate at Nationals?

I've wondered if she was too traumatized by what happened to even get back on the training ice immediately.

 

[Sjs5572]

Wait Alysa Liu is going to be at nationals too? Is she planning to do 3A?

Yes. She is planning a 3A in the short and two 3A in the long prigram.

 

[Icey]

Bradie had too many under rotations at Golden Spin.

 

[chuckm]

Bradie had too many under rotations at Golden Spin.

She couldn't have had too many, because she WON.

 

[tothepointe]

Bradie had too many under rotations at Golden Spin.

Underrotations are the thing for the season for everyone. They seem to be more commonly called than before. I think this is a good thing overall as long as everyone is getting called for it.

I don't think Ashley will be at Nationals because I'm pretty sure I remember her on instagram mentioned she'd missed the deadline to register for nationals at the start of the season and seemed to be relieved about it. She's already coaching in Boston and working on launching her new website. I don't think she'll be competiting this season.

 

[tothepointe]

nerves played a huge role in how gracie skated. i don't think she was fully prepared to skate in an event that big, and when you've been away from competition for so long, it's extremely hard to come back to that. it's a matter of her getting repeated exposure to that kind of environment again and again, so for that reason alone i hope she doesn't pull out of nats. the more she competes, the better off she will be.

She doesn't need repeated exposure to that. She's already that. The stressor is not what she needs. She needs the training and prepareness so during times of stress she can still perform to a level that makes herself proud. Elite competition is not really a platform that enables personal redemption. If she's looking for that there she is most certainly looking for it in the wrong place. But that's ok she'll figure that out.

 

[sheetz]

I think if Ashley were going to be competing at Nationals she'd be training in California with Raf.

 

[Seren]

The other thing with Gracie that is that even if she skips nationals this year- if she comes back in good form next year (not even worlds 2016 form, just good form) they would likely give her the host spot at SA. That might be motivation enough to not skate in Detroit if she isn’t really ready.

 

[Jammers]

To be honest i'd rather not see Gracie again if it's going to be a repeat of COR. I didn't expect her to be back in the competition form that was a major contender in most every event in 2014-16 but seeing someone who was so good when she was on struggle to even do doubles now i'd rather she retire and remember how good she was then see that again and see her finish last at Nationals.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

To be honest i'd rather not see Gracie again if it's going to be a repeat of COR. I didn't expect her to be back in the competition form that was a major contender in most every event in 2014-16 but seeing someone who was so good when she was on struggle to even do doubles now i'd rather she retire and remember how good she was then see that again and see her finish last at Nationals.

It's hard. I know that Gracie wants to come back and do this for herself, but people are always going to compare her to where she was at her peak. It's one thing if she's well prepared and just succumbs to nerves, but if she doesn't even have the technical arsenal to not finish last then maybe shows like SOI would be better venues for her to showcase her skating.

 

[gkelly]

Underrotations are the thing for the season for everyone. They seem to be more commonly called than before. I think this is a good thing overall as long as everyone is getting called for it.

The rules have changed. Instead of calling < for jumps that are underrotated by "more than 90 degrees" the cutoff is now "90 degrees or more." So some borderline jumps that wouldn't have been called in previous seasons now would be, according to the rules.

And it's possible that change has also caused tech panels to review more jumps.

 

[Casual]

nerves played a huge role in how gracie skated. i don't think she was fully prepared to skate in an event that big, and when you've been away from competition for so long, it's extremely hard to come back to that. it's a matter of her getting repeated exposure to that kind of environment again and again, so for that reason alone i hope she doesn't pull out of nats. the more she competes, the better off she will be.

I agree. When one falls off the horse, the best way to deal with the nerves is to get back on ASAP. The longer one waits, the harder it will be. Persevering is the best way to tame anxiety, in order to move forward after failure.

The difference between winners and losers (in life) is not about not making mistakes or never failing, or waiting for just the right moment to win "for sure". It's about being brave enough to put oneself up to ridicule and continued failures, and still not giving up.

Gracie should do what's best for Gracie. If competing is good for her comeback training, she should compete - and to hell with the critics, IMHO. I don't think her choice in life is skating vs. "working in a retail store" as someone so unkindly suggested.

 

[Tavi...]

I agree. When one falls off the horse, the best way to deal with the nerves is to get back on ASAP. The longer one waits, the harder it will be. Persevering is the best way to tame anxiety, in order to move forward after failure.

The difference between winners and losers (in life) is not about not making mistakes or never failing, or waiting for just the right moment to win "for sure". It's about being brave enough to put oneself up to ridicule and continued failures, and still not giving up.

Gracie should do what's best for Gracie. If competing is good for her comeback training, she should compete - and to hell with the critics, IMHO. I don't think her choice in life is skating vs. "working in a retail store" as someone so unkindly suggested.

While I agree with what you said about falling off the horse, that doesn’t mean Nats - which is as high stress an event as Rostelecom- is the appropriate place to do it; starting with a club competition and shows this spring might serve her better. I hope she’s getting good guidance.

 

[theharleyquinn]

While I agree with what you said about falling off the horse, that doesn’t mean Nats - which is as high stress an event as Rostelecom- is the appropriate place to do it; starting with a club competition and shows this spring might serve her better. I hope she’s getting good guidance.

I agree. I don't understand why Gracie's comeback has to be all or nothing.