Talkin' 'Bout Coaches, Their Styles and Approaches

[iluvtodd]

Wow! Thanks for the translations!

 

[Spun Silver]

Very interesting - thank you, mot. Sato is the ultra-serious, patient, humble builder of skating skills who doesn't focus on the goal but the process of "endurance and perseverance." Nagamitsu is the visionary who sees the potential of a young skater to go all the way to the top, and (with her own kind of humility) does whatever it takes to nurture his special artistic gift (and seems to have fun with him too). Very different personalities, both awe-inspiring in their different ways. Does anyone else thinkg Nagamitsu sounds something like Tarasova and Sato a bit like Frank Carroll without the sharp edges?

 

[ImaginaryPogue]

I don't know Tarasova well enough, but yeah, I agree with the Sato-Carroll comparison (without the sharp edges, as you say)

 

[blue dog]

Does anyone else thinkg Nagamitsu sounds something like Tarasova and Sato a bit like Frank Carroll without the sharp edges?

Except I don't think Tarasova has taken any singles skater that is near the developmental stages and turned them into champions. She takes skaters who already have good technique, then polishes them into champions. Nagamitsu looks like she may be willing to "coach from the trenches", so to speak, where she may take someone who is near the developmental stages of their training.

But both women do know their weaknesses and are willing to let students go to other coaches to get them the results they need.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Forget about medals. How many of these Japanese skaters did not go through the route of Morozov?

 

[mot]

I am overwhelmed by positive responses. Thanks everyone for taking time to read these translations. It was worthwhile, it seems, and I tremendously enjoyed doing it. It made me think really hard and ensure I understood each sentence, which I would have otherwise scanned through - translating something allows me to question whether I really understand the materials in the first place. So it's beneficial for me too.

Forget about medals. How many of these Japanese skaters did not go through the route of Morozov?

Morozov is another interesting coach indeed. I think the following Japanese skaters have been coached by him:

Former students of the Satos

• Shizuka Arakawa (only for 3 months, but Morozov was in Tarasova's team when Shizuka was with Tat. So he had choreographed her programmes before)
• Fumie Suguri (for one season)
• Miki Ando (since 06/07 season to current)

Also coached by Utako Nagamitsu

• Daisuke Takahashi (officially for 2 seasons only, but he was Daisuke's choreographer for 05/06 season, and Utako stayed with Daisuke as his sub coach, and looked after him while in Japan.)

By others

• Nobunari Oda (2 seasons)
• Daisuke Murakami (2 seasons, I believe) - by the way, he is now coached by Nagakubo while in Japan and by Frank Carroll while in US

For those who are interested, this is something I posted in another forum a while ago - what Dai and Miki had to say about Morozov:

Daisuke Takahashi on Morozov;

• Morozov taught me how great step sequences could be, by creating programmes which are highlighted by step sequences for me.
• He drew out the strength in me.
• While being with him, I started winning competitions. He gave me confidence; I used to underestimate myself but now I can assess my own ability more objectively, thanks to him.

(Note: he said all these after his rather difficult split with Morozov.)

Miki Ando on Morozov;

• It took two years, but there is mutual trust and respect established between us. I can say anything to him without worrying about its consequences.
• Even though he has many pupils, the ways he faces and treats each pupil are different. He understands different strength in each of them and tries to build upon it.
• It is great that he can show you step sequences by skating them himself. It's great to be able to see deep edges of a former ice dancer so close.
• It was his idea to have my Olympic season programme (Cleopatra) choreographed by Lea Ann Miller, as he thought it was time to try something fresh.

My understanding is that Morozov is a coach known for taking on young skaters, giving them confidence, and establishing their own unique and recognisable style. That's what he is trying to do with Amodio and Fernandez now, and one can say he's successful by looking at their competition success - regardless of whether we like that particular style or not.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

^^^^
Also Oda

 

[mot]

Utako Nagamitsu's relationship with Daisuke somehow reminds me of Machiko Yamada's (another important figure skating coach from Japan!) relationship with Midori Ito.

Both Dai and Midori are from families of rather modest means, and they would not have been able to continue skating without financial support from those who were impressed by their unique talent. Midori was sponsored by Yoshiaki Tsutsumi, a former owner of Seibu Railway Group and a die-hard figure skating fan, since she was a junior high school student. Officials of Okayama Skating Federation used to collect donations amongst themselves to send Dai to competitions abroad.

Midori lived with Machiko since she was 14, so that she could concentrate on skating. Utako invited Daisuke to live with her when he moved to Osaka to start university, in order to save on daily expenses, and he stayed there until 2009.

It's amazing to think until he moved to Osaka, Dai was practising at his home rink in Okayama, where no professional coach was available, during the week, and went to Osaka to be coached by Utako at weekends. He still managed to win the World Junior Title though.

 

[mot]

^^^^
Also Oda

Oda's in my list
I am afraid I do not have anything Oda said about Morozov at hand to quote, if that's what you are after - sorry.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Oda is one of the best 'whole package' skaters today, imo. He wasn't always. I think Morozov gave him the path to go after the audience which he was lacking.

The 6.0 was not just a separate great Tech and a great Performance, it was the mesh of both the Tech and Performance. The CoP treats them differently without meshing them.

 

[tripleaxle]

Thank you, mot, for taking the time to translate the articles. Really enjoyed reading them. It is great to learn the details about the coaches and their different styles. Japan has good coaches and skaters. I like their technique, very light, natural with good flow. Not forceful. I wonder how they do it. Hope all the skaters do well at the coming world championships.