2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[Jeanie19]

As far as the six minute warm up, I can't even watch it because I'm afraid someone will get hurt. So if Aliona doesn't want to do jumps, I don't blame her. And the practice skates are scary too. There have been collisions. Shun Sato got injured at Skate America during a practice.

I hope Aliona lands her 3A's at IDF .

 

[florin]

You could have stopped your whole post there.
There's a lot you don't know, and a lot you're intent on not knowing. But I won't waste my time arguing with someone like this. Bye.

You need understand that empathy can be expressed in different ways. For me, empathy is when you patiently give your attention to someone. Attention and personal sincere participation are the most valuable resource in this world. When they say "amazing", "wonderfull", "everything will be fine" at the most important, critical moment of your life just to get your money (as it would probably be in America) - for me it's not empathy, it's the opposite of that.

When Daniil clarified "no, I don't think she has problems with motivation" and he starting to explain carefully to the journalist "people are different, it is necessary to take into account individuality, it is difficult for some to make a routine" etc - he showed true empathy. If he didn't care about Alyona, he would just say - the athlete doesn't work enough in training. why? i don't know, i don't care, it's okay - we have five more of these

I see the coach's attempt (maybe a little clumsy) to break an invisible wall. "I saw your sincerity, let's speak sincerely."

 

[alexocfp]

Why are you naming her an entitled Diva? It removes all credibility from your post. Grow up.

Because she acts like that. Be objective. She returned to the people she abandoned and isn’t doing what they want her to do.

She should be working 10 times as hard to please them since they were nice enough to give her a second chance.

Plushenko didn’t fight to keep her either. It can’t be the coaches faults at this point.

 

[el henry]

....
​

Well, I can't be responsible for everything everyone has always said about Daniil, so I'm sorry if my post seemed part of piling on. I only even read the article because it was next up after the Brian one.

I stand by what I said about the mean girl. I see nothing "tough love" or mature or commendable in that one statement. Perhaps he let frustrations get the better of him when he made it. I don't know.

And I'm not understanding the rest of the post, unless it's "Nyah Nyah you are too", which makes no sense to me. But I will bow out here now as well

 

[alexocfp]

If Danny G wants a long career coaching, at some point he’s going to have to learn to deal with situations where he has to help a struggling skater endure.

At the moment he reminds me of a young real estate agent who has entered his father’s business during a real estate boom.

The bubble never lasts and eventually one day just swapping out a skater with a younger model when it gets too hard won’t be an option.

He has had an 8 year career. So it’s already been long.

And if you know how to adapt and scout correctly, it can last forever.

Good sport teams have been good for 125 years.

 

[silveruskate]

Heard it here first folks!! Aliona does nothing but eat popcorn and sit on her hands. She doesn't train and simply relies on her ability and talent. It's possible to become one of the best figure skaters in the world without it. Nothing she's ever done in figure skating is attributed to any hard work from her. No matter that other skaters struggled around the same age and she has had injury and Covid. Landing her first 3A since early 2020. What's a 3A? She has definitely not improved at all! Aliona is an evil entitled Diva, how dare you think any different. She doesn't need to say a single word in this recent situation, you can just sense that Diva energy written all over her. But wait. Of course I'm saying all this because I have her best interest at heart. I only love her and want her to do well. Love you Aliona.

 

[florin]

But I will bow out here now as well

I believe you are capable bow out a dozen times in one evening

 

[Tokyo Drift]

Do you need some special photo hosting there?

Then perhaps GS doesn't recognize them as pictures.

For embedded medias it as to be an approved site (sites listed when you click on the icon).
For images it has worked for me so far, maybe the extension of your image is not compatible (it works with direct links ending with .gif & .jpg, maybe not for .png or .webp )

 

[Lzbee]

Like I said in the last part of my post, something else happened before the post I think.

The post is probably a “straw that broke the camels back” type of situation.

It still doesn't matter. It's literally his job not to take it personally.

You know, if she's the worst then he could've just let the results speak for themselves and not given Team Tut terrible PR.

 

[Ella339]

Obviously there is a lot I don’t know. But you prefer to take the entitled malcontent diva’s side. And it’s your right.

But the things I do know about are public record. Leaving a coach, leaving a second coach, being given a second chance and not improving.

It’s nothing personal, I would love to see her become great again.

But at this point, her coaches are telling you she is difficult to work with. And her record of leaving and returning shows that. (...)

Why are you naming her an entitled Diva? It removes all credibility from your post. Grow up.

+1

If I may, I'll also add that the #MeToo movement has shown very clearly that labelling women "difficult" has been used over and over to discredit them, when very often, the problem was not on their side; quite the opposite...
(As for the "too emotional" comments that sometimes pop up regarding Aliona, those take us all the way back to the 50s "hysterical woman" trope... Let's not, please.)

If it were the first time TeamTut resorted to such tactics, they might be given the benefit of the doubt.
But since they've done this kind of thing countless times before, I'm sorry to say: they don't have any credibility either.

 

[MiraiFan]

+1

If I may, I'll also add that the #MeToo movement has shown very clearly that labelling women "difficult" has been used over and over to discredit them, when very often, the problem was not on their side; quite the opposite...
(As for the "too emotional" comments that sometimes pop up regarding Aliona, those take us all the way back to the 50s "hysterical woman" trope... Let's not, please.)

If it were the first time TeamTut resorted to such tactics, they might be given the benefit of the doubt.
But since they've done this kind of thing countless times before, I'm sorry to say: they don't have any credibility either.

You make a really good and important point here...

 

[florin]

For embedded medias it as to be an approved site (sites listed when you click on the icon).
For images it has worked for me so far, maybe the extension of your image is not compatible (it works with direct links ending with .gif & .jpg, maybe not for .png or .webp )

okay, let's try

florin is trying to calm everyone down (and this is his main message) - "Guys, nothing terrible is happened, everything is okay"

Alyona's fans:



it's work thanks

 

[MiraiFan]

I have no personal investment in the arguments here but as a coach (not skating) I know this: There are kids who are easy to work with--they listen, are coachable, do what you ask, make all the corrections, and constantly want to improve. And there are other kids who are more challenging and require time, care, and perhaps some extra motivation or simply just a confidence boost. For the coach it's more work. It's sometimes frustrating. But when something finally clicks for the challenging kid, it can be fantastic. I truly believe that a GREAT coach is able to work with a variety of different personalities and bring out the best in all of them. Clearly, Mr. G doesn't think he needs to do this since girls are breaking down the doors to get into his rink and he's too arrogant to invest in anyone beyond his favorites. And FWIW, I have NEVER trashed any of my students--not to other coaches, not to their teammates, not to parents. Never ever. It's how a professional behaves, no matter what level of sport.

 

[readernick]

Very simple reason Daniil says these things. They want their coaching team to be viewed as perfect so anytime a skater is struggling or , like Aliona, didn't really improve much after returning to their camp the fault has to be laid at the skaters feet. They want the fandom to be for the team and not individual skaters and clearly it works because anytime a student leaves the posters here who were elusive in their praise of one skater or another suddenly start seeing all that skater's faults and failures. Struggling from depression and COVID-19 after effects that's your fault. Dealing with anorexia that's your fault, too. Really tall man with bad jumping technique that as a result leaves you inconsistent, sorry that's on you and I'll say rude things about you in the press anytime you don't perform to my standards. Did you grow a lot and go through normal changes that happen to young women? Only lazy young women would allow such a terrible thing to happen. This coaching team isn't the only team to do things like this Mie Hamada used to trash her students in the press when they struggled. Her abusive behavior was then revealed and came as no shock. Plushenko has said some questionable things although , at least, it wasn't about his current students. Even Frank Carroll, once got so frustrated with Gracie Gold that he made a rude comment. Many coaches have said questionable things once or twice but few have done it with the consistency of Team Tut. I really can't understand how grown adults don't know when to shut their mouths and since it keeps happening it's clear it isn't a one time slip , it's a conscious choice.

You know, people were upset by what Brian said ( even though all we have is a translation that may or may not be accurate) but he was right to praise Mishin. Mishin is far from perfect, but he stands by his skaters and doesn't trash them in the press everytime they underperform. Tuk went through long periods when she lost jumps and consistency. Mishin didn't trash her, he just kept doing his job. Sofia S. has been struggling the last few years, Mishin doesn't go out and talk about how lazy she is for going through body changes as a teenage girl that led to a loss of consistency he just keeps coaching her.

I work with teenagers and , yes, they are difficult. They have problems. Sometimes they are lazy. There are many ways you can motivate them, but trashing them in public isn't one of those ways. It's sad when adults show less maturity than the students they teach.

Edit: Just want to add that the silent technical mastermind behind Team Tuk , Sergei Dudakov is professional. He rarely comments to the press and when he does he keeps it professional. Not fair to lump him in with the two other prominent members of that team.

 

[alexocfp]

Heard it here first folks!! Aliona does nothing but eat popcorn and sit on her hands. She doesn't train and simply relies on her ability and talent. It's possible to become one of the best figure skaters in the world without it. Nothing she's ever done in figure skating is attributed to any hard work from her. No matter that other skaters struggled around the same age and she has had injury and Covid. Landing her first 3A since early 2020. What's a 3A? She has definitely not improved at all! Aliona is an evil entitled Diva, how dare you think any different. She doesn't need to say a single word in this recent situation, you can just sense that Diva energy written all over her. But wait. Of course I'm saying all this because I have her best interest at heart. I only love her and want her to do well. Love you Aliona.

I for one do want her to succeed. More great skaters increases the competition and makes everyone better.

But it won’t be done by treating her like a perfect human being. She needs to be told some inconvenient truths. And her coaches are telling her those.

Her quitting on her programs, which is something even her own fans have mentioned, is a bad habit.

Sometimes you need tough love. Someone should have told her that after her music was given to someone else, she could either fight and get it back by outperforming her rivals and becoming top dog, or leave forever and go somewhere where she can make them regret they let her go. She chose the worst option, returning.

And once she see returned, did she put her head down and please the coaches. No.

I think people are upset that TT isn’t letting her run the show. And they shouldn’t.

She won’t improve her skating until she improves her attitude.

 

[alexocfp]

+1

If I may, I'll also add that the #MeToo movement has shown very clearly that labelling women "difficult" has been used over and over to discredit them, when very often, the problem was not on their side; quite the opposite...
(As for the "too emotional" comments that sometimes pop up regarding Aliona, those take us all the way back to the 50s "hysterical woman" trope... Let's not, please.)

If it were the first time TeamTut resorted to such tactics, they might be given the benefit of the doubt.
But since they've done this kind of thing countless times before, I'm sorry to say: they don't have any credibility either.

Yeah, the too difficult statement just came out of the blue. Let’s just ignore the that she leaves and returns to coaches and when given a second chance, continues to screw it up.

For comparison sake, Maia was called a weak link by sore loser Medvedeva and nobody got as upset by this which was worse because a few people skated badly but she was singled out. There wasn’t the same outrage. And Maia didn’t leave or sulk, she came back stronger and overtook Alena that was given way more opportunities and had a lot of bad behavior excused.

And I’m sorry, not being half arsed to do the drills your coaches are telling you you do (AFTER you abandoned them and returned) is diva behavior. It looks even worse when Anna had an injury and got back to almost her best in a few months. That’s the measurement stick in skating now. And were is the lie in labeling her a malcontent? Is she not dissatisfied and rebellious. Do we need to post her reaction in the K&C after the Russian cup final (where she abandoned a second coach)


And TT don’t care that she was the best at one point in the past. She isn’t now. She has even been surpassed by Liza, that has been in the game way more.

People are getting upset she isn’t being coddled. Why should she, TT don’t need her in the least now.

 

[Decoder]

I have no personal investment in the arguments here but as a coach (not skating) I know this: There are kids who are easy to work with--they listen, are coachable, do what you ask, make all the corrections, and constantly want to improve. And there are other kids who are more challenging and require time, care, and perhaps some extra motivation or simply just a confidence boost. For the coach it's more work. It's sometimes frustrating. But when something finally clicks for the challenging kid, it can be fantastic. I truly believe that a GREAT coach is able to work with a variety of different personalities and bring out the best in all of them. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Clearly, Mr. G doesn't think he needs to do this since girls are breaking down the doors to get into his rink and he's too arrogant to invest in anyone beyond his favorites. And FWIW, I have NEVER trashed any of my students--not to other coaches, not to their teammates, not to parents. Never ever. It's how a professional behaves, no matter what level of sport.

I agree with everything you said until the ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| (I inserted). Danill and the team are still working with Aliona, she is making progress, the season is not over yet. I don't think what Danill said is trashing her. I am still waiting for a fantastic result. Maybe (just maybe) Daniil's words are that final click?

 

[florin]

I work with teenagers and , yes, they are difficult. They have problems. Sometimes they are lazy. There are many ways you can motivate them, but trashing them in public isn't one of those ways. It's sad when adults show less maturity than the students they teach.

I bet that among your teenagers there is not one who is in a situation at least approximately resembling the situation of Alyona. Will any of your students have a fateful event in the next few months that can radically change their lives? About the return of your teenager to you, did the state TV channel shoot a separate news video a few minutes long? Did your teenagers start a professional career, actually at 8-9 years old, and at the national level at 12-13?

I am more than sure that it is not. Therefore, attempts to equate ordinary schoolchildren with Eteri girls are simply ridiculous. They live in another world, they are selected by the smallest sieve from a huge number of applicants.

 

[alexocfp]

I have no personal investment in the arguments here but as a coach (not skating) I know this: There are kids who are easy to work with--they listen, are coachable, do what you ask, make all the corrections, and constantly want to improve. And there are other kids who are more challenging and require time, care, and perhaps some extra motivation or simply just a confidence boost. For the coach it's more work. It's sometimes frustrating. But when something finally clicks for the challenging kid, it can be fantastic. I truly believe that a GREAT coach is able to work with a variety of different personalities and bring out the best in all of them. Clearly, Mr. G doesn't think he needs to do this since girls are breaking down the doors to get into his rink and he's too arrogant to invest in anyone beyond his favorites. And FWIW, I have NEVER trashed any of my students--not to other coaches, not to their teammates, not to parents. Never ever. It's how a professional behaves, no matter what level of sport.

I agree. TT has Kamila, Anna, Trusova, and Maia buzzing and they are 4 different types of personalities.

 

[alexocfp]

I bet that among your teenagers there is not one who is in a situation at least approximately resembling the situation of Alyona. Will any of your students have a fateful event in the next few months that can radically change their lives? About the return of your teenager to you, did the state TV channel shoot a separate news video a few minutes long? Did your teenagers start a professional career, actually at 8-9 years old, and at the national level at 12-13?

I am more than sure that it is not. Therefore, attempts to equate ordinary schoolchildren with Eteri girls are simply ridiculous. They live in another world, they are selected by the smallest sieve from a huge number of applicants.

Bingo.

The skaters aren’t normal girls and in this pressure situation they need to always work harder than the day before and take everything that comes their way. Including getting bad press and being criticized by the coaches publicly.

If Russian figure skating treated the skates the way some want (delicately), they wouldn’t be the powerhouse they are.

Age doesn’t mean anything. They aren’t average teenagers to begin with. Or else they wouldn’t have gotten this far.

Obviously, Eteri’s success has become the envy and scorn for some.

And Alena has become a proxy war in that fight. Alena is going to lose that war. At some point, she will get released and that will be that. Then what?

Also, a lot of people are having a hard time accepting that more likely than not, the Alena era is over if she doesn’t change what she is doing now.