2019-20 U.S. Ladies Figure Skating

[mimithemermaid]

Gracie herself said she is sharing her story in hopes it helps others. Shedding a light on something other girls could be struggling with in the skating community might give them the strength to open up to those around them. I don't know why anyone wants to read anything differently into this. It is a good thing for stories like hers to come to light because it really can help young struggling athletes to see someone as prolific as her has struggled as well. I don't think she has some odd motive or thing she's trying to accomplish, she's just sharing her story as she wants to. It shows she has come to terms with a lot of what happened.

She's also shown maturity in how she presents it and how she doesn't blame people. Because it seems like she was questioned about things at that time and she admitted she wasn't forthcoming. People struggling from mental illness or addictions often do shrug aside help when help is offered. It doesn't mean no one noticed or no tried to check in on what was going on. She likely presented herself on the outside much differently from what was going on inside. She's not telling her story to blame anyone, she's telling it because it happened and she has stated before she hopes that it can help with the stigma of mental health issues in sports.

Plus, Gracie doesn't owe anyone her story -- she is free to tell whatever parts of it she chooses at whatever point and via whatever method (interview, video, personal instagram post, etc.). There are surely parts of the story she doesn't necessarily want to tell or just aren't necessary/relevant in an interview format because it's impossible to tell a full and complete story in an eleven-minute video.

The video shows maturity on her part and it seems as though she's clearly done lots of thinking about what happened and how it happened. Her stated goal of hoping her story can help others and help reduce stigma seems very consistent to me with how she spoke about her experiences in the most recent video interview.

 

[moonvine]

What's your read on it?

My read on it is that she actually wants to skate. Sorry, I think I was not clear in my response to you. The particular part to which I was responding was your thought she may retire after Nationals. I don’t think retiring after Nationals is her intention. The amount of work she’s done to get this far is literally incomprehensible to me. Going to Nationals and retiring is not her goal IMHO.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

My read on it is that she actually wants to skate. Sorry, I think I was not clear in my response to you. The particular part to which I was responding was your thought she may retire after Nationals. I don’t think retiring after Nationals is her intention. The amount of work she’s done to get this far is literally incomprehensible to me. Going to Nationals and retiring is not her goal IMHO.

I also agree that it isn't her intention. Nationals is her first test to see where she is relative to the other Olympic hopefuls, and given the rapid improvements she's made I don't think she's come close to her potential best form yet. I could see her bowing out before 2022 if she isn't getting to where she's among the top 5 or so contenders, particularly if we end up with only two spots after 2021 Worlds. But I think she will give it a go for at least the next full season, especially if she's able to earn international assignments that will let her bye through Regionals/Sectionals.

 

[Casual]

My read on it is that she actually wants to skate. Sorry, I think I was not clear in my response to you. The particular part to which I was responding was your thought she may retire after Nationals. I don’t think retiring after Nationals is her intention. The amount of work she’s done to get this far is literally incomprehensible to me. Going to Nationals and retiring is not her goal IMHO.

Oh, I agree. I don't think her intention is to retire, she wants to skate! What I meant was that whatever happens (and often skaters have little control over life), it's good for her to get her story out there. Not just for now, but thinking about the future.

 

[bubblecherry]

When is US Nats?

 

[chuckm]

The Junior events start Tuesday 1/21, and the senior events on Wednesday 1/23. The event ends Sunday 1/26 with the Men FS followed by the Gala.

 

[ice coverage]

YOG update:

Per USFS assignments page, Hanna Harrell withdrew on Dec 31, and Kate Wang was added on Jan 1.​

ETA:

I forgot to say that the highest NQS scores (any age, any level) belonged to (in decreasing order) Alysa, Hanna, Audrey, Kate.​

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I thought the most interesting part of the new NYT article on Gracie Gold is that she wants to start a mental health wing at the USOPC training center in Colorado Springs.
That could be a helpful resource for athletes from many sports, not just figure skating.

 

[macy]

YOG update:

Per USFS assignments page, Hanna Harrell withdrew on Dec 31, and Kate Wang was added on Jan 1.​

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I thought the most interesting part of the new NYT article on Gracie Gold is that she wants to start a mental health wing at the USOPC training center in Colorado Springs.
That could be a helpful resource for athletes from many sports, not just figure skating.

oh no, that's not a good sign headed into nationals in 3 weeks but as much as i would love to see her there, she needs to put her health first. no need to risk skating on injury this early out from the olympic year.

i also wanted to point that out from the NYT article. i think it's fantastic Gracie wants to take her experiences and use them to help others. she would be the perfect person for the job.

 

[frida80]

YOG update:

Per USFS assignments page, Hanna Harrell withdrew on Dec 31, and Kate Wang was added on Jan 1.​

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I thought the most interesting part of the new NYT article on Gracie Gold is that she wants to start a mental health wing at the USOPC training center in Colorado Springs.
That could be a helpful resource for athletes from many sports, not just figure skating.

Well I saw this coming. She’s pulled out of four consecutive international assignments, so this isn’t a big surprise. I’m just worried that Katie hasn’t had enough time to prepare. Anytime a skater is called as a sub, it throws the skater off and often leads to bad results. Even if you know you’re a substitute, it’s still never enough to fully prepare a skater for unexpected moments like this.

 

[crazydreamer]

Such a shame that both Ting and Hanna have been sidelined this whole year. The US bench was finally filling up.

 

[moonvine]

oh no, that's not a good sign headed into nationals in 3 weeks but as much as i would love to see her there, she needs to put her health first. no need to risk skating on injury this early out from the olympic year.

i also wanted to point that out from the NYT article. i think it's fantastic Gracie wants to take her experiences and use them to help others. she would be the perfect person for the job.

What? She is not injured.

 

[natsulian]

I just hope Hanna and Ting fully recover and are back to take some names domestically and internationally next season. Best of luck to the both of them.

 

[macy]

What? She is not injured.

she's been WD all season because of injury, unless something new happened?

 

[Jammers]

Such a shame that both Ting and Hanna have been sidelined this whole year. The US bench was finally filling up.

Yeah without two of the girls who finished in the top 5 the field is looking real weak now. Guess this means another year in Juniors for Hanna. I figured she would be moving up next season but who knows now.

 

[moonvine]

she's been WD all season because of injury, unless something new happened?

I’m sorry. I read that incorrectly. The second half of the post was referring to Gracie so I thought the entire thing was.

 

[Makemi]

YOG update:
Per USFS assignments page, Hanna Harrell withdrew on Dec 31, and Kate Wang was added on Jan 1.

Yay for Kate but nooo for Hanna I was really hoping her assignment for YOG meant she was recovered but now I'm seriously thinking she's not going to make it to Nationals. That makes me so sad, I loved her Nationals skates last year and was hoping she could put it together again.

 

[princessalica]

Several days ago, apparently, Zhang(I'm assuming Emily) is listed to compete at Mentor Torun Cup. I think that is wise of USFS, since she scored so well at sectionals. I was surprised that they hadn't added her to the international selection pool or given her an assignment. I just checked the international selection pool, and she still is not listed - and no other Zhang is listed.

 

[princessalica]

Just realized that the ladies short program is currently going on and Emily will be skating within the hour. She is 9th to skate. There is a free livestream and live results. I'll post after the segment has ended, but I hate to miss seeing a US lady skate. I don't see any big names, and so if she skates as she did at sectionals, she could possibly even win this event.

 

[mrrice]

Just realized that the ladies short program is currently going on and Emily will be skating within the hour. She is 9th to skate. There is a free livestream and live results. I'll post after the segment has ended, but I hate to miss seeing a US lady skate. I don't see any big names, and so if she skates as she did at sectionals, she could possibly even win this event.

 

[princessalica]

Sorry, I just keep thinking - so there is no way that Gracie can compete at Four Continents. Mentor Torun Cup is literally the last competition she could possibly skate at before Four Continents. I think that they were considering that Emily Zhang might place high enough to go, especially if some higher than her are too young to compete. I don't know that this will be the case, but Gracie will not have the minimums to compete. If she does well, I wonder if they will send her to an international competition after Nationals (like Bavarian Open?) to get qualifiying scores - and of course that is dependent on Gracie doing well enough at Nationals to need those scores. - I think if Gracie is top 5 or 6 - based on sectionals its a stretch, but looking at her improvement trajectory then possible, They might want her to have a qualifying score just in case for Worlds. they might end up kicking themselves for not sending Gracie to Torun - I think Emily felt the pressure - Has she had international competitions before??