Johnny Weir Makes a Coaching Change

[waxel]

I agree with speculation that this change could mean a return to a more serious attitude toward his skating. Yes, he has many other interests. But he's smart enough to know that the more successful he is as a skater, the higher is "name quotient" becomes in general. I think he realizes he can still get more mileage out of skating as a champion to help create his "brand."

And I have no problem with him wanting to train with Russians. Who cares? I care about him skating up to his best potential and if that means training with Chinese, French, Africans, Canadians, or a pack of wild wolves ... whatever.

Yes, two disappointing seasons. I'm still not ready to rule him out. He's never been particularly prone to injury and I would like to think his best performances are yet to come.

 

[seafoam]

Did others hear the rumour that it was Priscilla dropped Johnny?

Not really. Just idle speculation from the usual suspects

While I'm sure Johnny can be a challenge to coach, I figure it's also been rewarding in many ways. Plus, there are those snazzy fur coats

I have no trouble believing that they mutually agreed that it was time for a change. Maybe a bit of burnout on both sides.

Best of luck to Johnny--and Priscilla.

 

[jennylovskt]

Whoever Johnny wants to change to, I think it's time to change. I hope he has chosen the right one - the one that Johnny would listen, the one that Johnny would adore, the one that Johnny would fear (a little), and the one that could understand him.

I think it's so important that someone could make Johnny listen, and do the coach's way, not Johnny's way in training.

I wish him good luck in the up coming season!

 

[netnuts]

lost cause

Looks to me Johnny is a lost cause.

 

[STL_Blues_fan]

I hope it works out for Johnny and that we will see better results.

I was always under the impression that Nina was the choreagropher, whereas Galina did the coaching?

Johnny is an adult, he is allowed to be facinated with any culture he wants to. Of course, I would have no issues if he trained with Russians - many other American skaters do that. However, I would like to point out that Galina, Nina and Victor are Ukrainians, not Russian.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The bottom line on all this, is that the skater must work to improve his technical or clean up his act. The skater is the one who is out there showing the judges what he can do, not the choreographer.

Many fans of Sasha could never find fault with her competitions. They were almost unanimous that it was Robin's fault that she didn't win. This is absurd, and with due respect to Sasha, the winners of those competitions did skate a better program that night!! Robin was not on the ice..

Johnny is still Johnny. He is in a slump. His way of getting out of it, is to change coaches. Fine, let's let him do just that, but don't put any blame on Priscilla for the slump.

Joe

 

[Hsuhs]

This is a complicated issue, IMO. For one, many blamed Marina Anissina for the last season's fiasco. I can understand Johnny's desire to change things for the better. Seems like Johnny thinks that the change must come from outside. And this means, of course, a new coach, someone who is the best out there. It's just that I was surprised to learn it was Zmievskaya.

It's not only a new regiment for Johnny, there will be other stressors, too: a new place to live, a different ice, no old friends, less contact with his family etc. And at the same time he'll have to deal with the skating-related problems. Is he capable of handling of all these things? I don't know. I hope so. There is a chance it will work out for him, against all logic.

But what if it doesn't? What will happen then?

 

[Jaana]

However, I would like to point out that Galina, Nina and Victor are Ukrainians, not Russian.

LOL, I mentioned Russians. Should have clarified it to mean Russians in broader sense = former Soviet Union.

 

[flying camel]

Well Johnny is not the only skater out there who needs a new coach. A lot of people have been saying that Alissia should move on now recently Kimmie. So, I guess its up to the skater to decide. Besides Most top skaters want a top coach but they seem to want to train where threy can get the most attention. So, if you go to someone like Morosov who won't be his top skater. Maybe that was part of Johnny's decision with Galinia.

 

[seafoam]

Johnny is still Johnny. He is in a slump. His way of getting out of it, is to change coaches. Fine, let's let him do just that, but don't put any blame on Priscilla for the slump.

Joe

I haven't noticed anyone blaming Priscilla. The general feeling seems to be that Johnny hasn't been as disciplined as he should be as far as training is concerned. He's a grownup. It's past the time when he should be looking to his coach to baby him along.

 

[sillylionlove]

I know that Priscilla was also coaching skaters not on the senior level and maybe caused Johnny to change coaches

The reason I said this is because I read somewhere that she was not able to go to a competition with him because she was coaching someone at the regionals.

 

[jennylovskt]

I know that Priscilla was also coaching skaters not on the senior level and maybe caused Johnny to change coaches

The reason I said this is because I read somewhere that she was not able to go to a competition with him because she was coaching someone at the regionals.

Maybe this was just a perfect excuse for not wanting to go to SA.

 

[Angelluv]

I know that Priscilla was also coaching skaters not on the senior level and maybe caused Johnny to change coaches

The reason I said this is because I read somewhere that she was not able to go to a competition with him because she was coaching someone at the regionals.

Priscilla was snowed in at a Regional in New York back in October while Johnny was at Campbell's. However, Priscilla did make it in time to be with Johnny before the competition began.

 

[waxel]

In my opinion Weir would need a coach and choreographer who both are CoP-wizards, really understand the system.

I would assume that Victor Petrenko is part of Camp Zmievskaya. Being that he is an ISU technical specialist (caller), it would seem that having his input could be invaluable.

And not to get to far off topic, but another skater wanting to make a change is Parker Pennington who apprently has left Colorado Springs to train with Audrey Weisiger.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

The reason I said this is because I read somewhere that she was not able to go to a competition with him because she was coaching someone at the regionals.

Shades of Cohen/TT and Griazev.

btw. Who pays for the coaches/choreographers trips? I presume the skater. If not the Federation but I don't think the team should pay.

Joe

 

[momjudi]

No, in the past Johnny requested not to be assigned Skate America because it coincided with regionals and Priscilla would not be able to be with Johnny at SA. This did not cause a problem between them because IMO, Johnny never wanted to do SA anyway, he prefers CoR, NHK etc.

I think a change was needed because Johnny has been with Priscilla since he was 12 years old, he considers Priscilla not only as a friend but a second mother and like many other 22 year olds, Johnny no longer listens and does eveything mommy tells him to do.

 

[Zanzibar]

This coaching change has been in the works for quite awhile now.

I don't think there is any bad blood at all between Priscilla and Johnny, rather it's just that both have realized that for something to change....something needs to change.

It doesn't matter whether it's a "good" change or a "bad" change because so far all of that is in the future, to be determined by the results - or lack of them - this coming season, and the season after that. At this point, with some obvious stagnancy in his competitive results, Johnny needed a change so I look at this as a very positive step and I have been hoping this would occur for the last year. I think Priscilla is probably a wonderful person (dont' know her personally but am going off of everything Johnny has told me) but he needs to be seen in a different way by a new set of eyes...and more importantly...he has to respond to that new influence.

 

[momjudi]

Just curious on timeframe, was Johnny considering a change in coaching before he lost his national title or was that the wake up call that a change was needed?

 

[Jaana]

Just curious on timeframe, was Johnny considering a change in coaching before he lost his national title or was that the wake up call that a change was needed?

Even bigger wake up call should have been his dropping from 4th to 8th place at Worlds in two years, in my opinion. That affects the judging of his performances in international events, I have understood. I doubt whether those international judges care much if he was 1st, 2nd or 3rd at US Nationals.

 

[Angelluv]

Just curious on timeframe, was Johnny considering a change in coaching before he lost his national title or was that the wake up call that a change was needed?

I appreciate your point momjudi because US Nationals was always an important competition for Johnny. It must have been hard on him when he lost it after three consecutive wins.