Johnny Weir Makes a Coaching Change | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Johnny Weir Makes a Coaching Change

Sylvia

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 25, 2003
Wow I did not realize his coach had trained under Carlo Fassi. I wonder did she have any success in her career?
From her coaching bio at her rink: Priscilla Hill was
the youngest quadruple gold medalist in the world with golds in figures, freestyle, pairs, and dance by age nine. At age 11, she became the youngest skater to compete in the Senior Ladies event at the U.S. Nationals. Priscilla was the first woman to land a triple loop in competition in 1975. In 1981, she won Silver at Nationals and placed 7th at Worlds.
 

flying camel

Medalist
Joined
Nov 16, 2005
Looking at the world stats really show how successful we have been at the worlds. It's so fascinating. I have never seen those list. Some fan I am! Thanks Sylvia
 

Hsuhs

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Didn't know Galina Zmievskaya coached 2 girls back in 1996: Jessica Mills and Alicia Cavanaugh. I found this info in an old US Nats report:

http://www.frogsonice.com/skateweb/reports/1996-nationals.txt

One more old Nats impression:

Scott Davis' jumps were all there in practice, which is good because he didn't do anything but jumps in practice. I hate hate hate the choreography that Zmievskaya/Petrenko are doing for him. It is perverse. On the other hand, he looked relaxed and in good spirits all week, for which I am thankful. He is so much better-looking off the ice, when he's not contorting his face. I really wish somebody would forbid him to look at the judges or the audience when competing.

From: http://www.plover.com/colorcommentary/usnats1997.html
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Do people ever talk about whether a specific player should retire? How many of the players on the 49ers today also played during the era that they dominated?


Steve Young and Jerry Rice both come to mind... Joe Montana was like Michelle Kwan - no one ever wanted to see him retire, save for those fans that weren't die hard San Fran fans (ie Cowboys, Bills, Packers... lol) but Jerry Rice was the biggie I think even my parents believed his time had passed... but he's still a legend, and will always remain as such...

I'm not an online football fan at all, so I can't say for sure if it's discussed... but Jerry Rice has been labeled as someone who stayed far too long...
 

jennylovskt

Medalist
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
Thanks, Kathleen!

It's great for Johnny to realize the necessity of changing. I didn't mean to say that Priscilla Hill is not good enough any more. She is an excellent coach. I think the reason Johnny has stated is so true and as expected. I've read somewhere that Galina Zmievskaya has been called the "Iron Lady". Is her coaching style similar to Tatiana Tarasova's? If it is, it really raised my hope for Johnny. I wish Johnny would learn from other skaters' experiences and mistakes, especially from Sasha Cohen. I hope Zmievskaya could give him the very much needed pressure in training without resistance soon after. I hope she could be the one who pushes Johnny to the top. It's been great with Victor Petrenko aside.
 

Skate@Delaware

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
Wow...this kind of shocked me!

I do wish Weir all the best in this new partnership, and do hope he meets all the goals he sets for himself!!!

Having said that: Johnny, please, please, please consider doing run throughs of your programs (often); please, please, please consider doing some kind of off ice endurance and muscle training (you need power to work through nerves and to land 3x3's and a quad), and please, please pretty please keep those wonderful smooth liquid like edges!!!! oh, and have fun too ;)
I agree! His on & off-ice training is somewhat lacking (don't flame me-I've watched him "train"). He spends a lot of time sitting/standing around talking...drinking coffee.

Which brings up another tidbit-you can't train like an athlete if you don't eat like one! Small wonder he has no endurance-he eats nothing for fuel (coffee is not food for fuel).

Even my coach has me do 4-5 runthroughs-back to back weeks before a competition to buid endurance. And I'm old!!!:biggrin: (ok, old fart stepping down from lecture box).
 

momjudi

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Under Priscilla Johnny was on ice for three hours a day and doing pilates as his only off ice training twice a week. What kind of schedule does Galina have for her students?
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I agree! His on & off-ice training is somewhat lacking (don't flame me-I've watched him "train"). He spends a lot of time sitting/standing around talking...drinking coffee.

Which brings up another tidbit-you can't train like an athlete if you don't eat like one! Small wonder he has no endurance-he eats nothing for fuel (coffee is not food for fuel).

Even my coach has me do 4-5 runthroughs-back to back weeks before a competition to buid endurance. And I'm old!!!:biggrin: (ok, old fart stepping down from lecture box).
Thanks S@D for those tidbits of Johnny. Reading about his training confirms my thinking that all is not well with him personally. When I've been upset about something (not work related), I lost appetite. It's good that it is coffee and not booz.

I'm beginning to understand more about the coach change. He had to get away from that environment. I think it is a step in the right direction. Hope so.

Joe
 

Vodka Shot

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 2, 2006
Any gossip about Johnny Weir coming from the University of Delaware rink isn't the most reliable...:sheesh:
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
if the skating habits of his are true then he truly is a great skater... if he's so ill prepared and still able to pull a half way decent program out...

just saying *shrugs*
 

waxel

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Okay, off topic a bit. Not speaking about Weir. (Have no real knowledge of his training regimin.)

But I've never understood the wisdom of not doing run-thru's. I've heard of numerous skaters over the years who train "sequences" of a program, or "jumping passages" but rarely do full run-thru's. Don't get it. I work in the theater and run-thru's are your friend. That's how you work on establishing and maintaining flow, communicating with your audience and getting the performance into your "muscle memory." If I were a coach you'd better believe my skaters would do multiple run-thru's. Regularly.
 

seafoam

Rinkside
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
if the skating habits of his are true then he truly is a great skater... if he's so ill prepared and still able to pull a half way decent program out...

just saying *shrugs*

My thoughts exactly. Imagine what he could do if he didn't just sit around drinking coffee and watching the soaps all day. :laugh:

waxel said:
But I've never understood the wisdom of not doing run-thru's. I've heard of numerous skaters over the years who train "sequences" of a program, or "jumping passages" but rarely do full run-thru's. Don't get it. I work in the theater and run-thru's are your friend. That's how you work on establishing and maintaining flow, communicating with your audience and getting the performance into your "muscle memory." If I were a coach you'd better believe my skaters would do multiple run-thru's. Regularly.

ITA. As far as I know, the only rational Johnny has given for not doing them is that he doesn't like to do them. Not a good enough reason, IMO.

I don't know her attitude about run-throughs, but from what Johnny said about working with Tarasova, she insisted on him doing his step sequences over and over again, until he hated them, lol. But it seemed to pay off. His SS in his Rondo, Otonal, and Swan programs were outstanding. In comparison to those, his steps in his SP last season were slow and labored at times--and that program was his strong suit compared to the FS.
 

capcomop

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Here's a link to statements Johnny sent to me on IFS:

http://www.ifsmagazine.com/forum/

I can understand some of what Johnny is saying. I became very, very close with my vocal coach and it got to the point that I wasn't making progress because of the relationship. It was part him because he didn't feel comfortable pushing me and being mean when needed and it was part me because I knew I could coast with him and rely on the relationship. We both recognized it and even talked about it, however the ultimate end of the conversation was that I WAS RESPONSIBLE for my progress, not him.I had to find the motivation to practice and go full out in lessons.
That is what bothers me about Johnny's comments. Yes, a new coach will offer a change and probably new motivation, but only for a time. If the true desire and motivation does not come from inside he will end up switching coaches right and left always looking for that shock to get him moving without sustaining force.
A coach can yell and demand and require and expect, but the individual is the one who has to respond. If the motivation and desire to work hard in the ugly confines of a practice rink isn't there with someone you like and trust, then the psuhing and shoving of someone you don't really know and believe in yet will get just as frustrating!
 

Hsuhs

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Yes, a new coach will offer a change and probably new motivation, but only for a time. If the true desire and motivation does not come from inside he will end up switching coaches right and left always looking for that shock to get him moving without sustaining force.
A coach can yell and demand and require and expect, but the individual is the one who has to respond. If the motivation and desire to work hard in the ugly confines of a practice rink isn't there with someone you like and trust, then the psuhing and shoving of someone you don't really know and believe in yet will get just as frustrating!

I feel the same way. But Johnny's going to have to figure this one out on his own. And I'm sure he will. I just hope it'll happen around October/ November.
 
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