Coaching Changes...Good or Bad?

Piel · Feb 16, 2008

Coaching changes usually are met with either a "Yes....it's about time!" or "What in the world are they thinking?" Do coaching changes bring about the intended result..................or more simply are they worth it? Historically have skaters who change coaches had more success in competitions or at least become happier skaters in the process?

bekalc · Feb 16, 2008

Piel said:
Coaching changes usually are met with either a "Yes....it's about time!" or "What in the world are they thinking?" Do coaching changes bring about the intended result..................or more simply are they worth it? Historically have skaters who change coaches had more success in competitions or at least become happier skaters in the process?

I think it depends on the situation and reason for the changes... Not all coaching changes are alike..

jennylovskt · Feb 16, 2008

On top of my head:

Sasha Cohen left Tarasova, bad decision.
Sasha Cohen left Robin Wagner, not bad decision.
Michelle Kwan left Frank, bad decision.
Johnny Weir left Priscilla Hill, good decision.

gio · Feb 16, 2008

jennylovskt said:
Sasha Cohen left Tarasova, bad decision.

I agree and I'll say it was a very bad decision, IMO!!!

It depends on the situation if it is bad or good.

Piel · Feb 16, 2008

Who's changes resulted in better finishes/higher rankings? AND considering how brief a skating career can be, is the time needed to adjust to a new coach (which usually also means relocation) worth it? A former well respected and knowledgible GS poster once said that a skater loses a year with a coaching change.....what do you think?

Snowgirl · Feb 16, 2008

Yagudin left Mishin for Tarasova, good move.

skatergirl45 · Feb 16, 2008

Miki Ando left (I beleive) Carol Heiss Jenkins???

Anyways, that made her into a much better skater.

ps-It might be some other japanese girl....... I am not sure.....

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 16, 2008

jennylovskt said:
On top of my head:

Sasha Cohen left Tarasova, bad decision.
Sasha Cohen left Robin Wagner, not bad decision.
Michelle Kwan left Frank, bad decision.
Johnny Weir left Priscilla Hill, good decision.

Just to make it more accurate.
Sasha's mother arranged for Sasha to train with Tarossova. At the breakup
Tarassova suggested Sasha train with Wagner. At the breakup
Sasha returned to Nicks. She earned a Silver medal at 2006 Olys.

Priscilla Hill went to Tarassova to ask her to train Johnny Weir for a few months.
Tarassova after a short while left Sasha and Johnny to go to Russia.
Johnny remained with Hill until they reached an agreement and he looked for
another Russian coach. What will happen at Worlds, we don;t know.

Just before 2002 Olys, Kwan shocked the skating world when she left Frank and Lori with no reasons given. She went on to win the 2003 Worlds.

One can only give an opinion on whether these changes were for the good or not.

Personally, I do not put total blame on coaches. It's the skater messing up, too.

Rumors about Mao and Rafael would only be my opinion and not important, and we'll see how Kimmie and Callaghan do for the short time at Worlds.

Joe

Tinymavy15 · Feb 16, 2008

jennylovskt said:
On top of my head:

Sasha Cohen left Tarasova, bad decision.
Sasha Cohen left Robin Wagner, not bad decision.
Michelle Kwan left Frank, bad decision.
Johnny Weir left Priscilla Hill, good decision.

agree with you. thet kimmie moved on was greeted almost all of us as a "good choice." often there is a lot more than meets the eye. a skater anc coach might not have persoanlities that match.. i precict a daneille/frank breakup within the next year...just from what I have seen at the rink and what i heard.

jennylovskt · Feb 16, 2008

Joesitz said:
Priscilla Hill went to Tarassova to ask her to train Johnny Weir for a few months.
Tarassova after a short while left Sasha and Johnny to go to Russia.
Johnny remained with Hill until they reached an agreement and he looked for
another Russian coach. What will happen at Worlds, we don;t know.
Joe

My information was at one of the GP events this season, probably CoR, while Tarasova was as a commentator for Russian TV, she praised Johnny's extraordinary talent and went on to say that Johnny approached her and asked her to be his coach several years ago, Priscilla Hill begged her not to take Johnny.

beep_beep · Feb 16, 2008

jennylovskt said:
My information was at one of the GP events this season, probably CoR, while Tarasova was as a commentator for Russian TV, she praised Johnny's extradinary talent and went on to say that Johnny aproached her and asked her to be his coach several years ago, Priscilla Hill begged her not to take Johnny.

Wow ! Is that really true ? I'm asking because it sounds like a huge accusation to make in national television (world TV, if you count internet streams). Were there any repercussions to that statement ?

On the topic: yes, I do think Weir leaving Hill was really good for him (at least it looks like it so far...)

Tonichelle · Feb 16, 2008

Gregory & Petukhov made great strides with their coaching changes first to Morosov and then to Linichuk... unfortunately we won't know until at least next season how their latest change will help/hurt them in their standings...

jennylovskt · Feb 16, 2008

beep_beep said:
Wow ! Is that really true ? I'm asking because it sounds like a huge accusation to make in national television (world TV, if you count internet streams). Were there any repercussions to that statement ?

I don't know thereafter. My guess is it was happened long time ago, so it didn't matter now.

Johnny doesn't want to hurt Priscilla Hill in any way. She was like his second mother. How many skaters praised whole heartily for their former coaches? Johnny is one of them. He is so sweet! Priscilla Hill is a nice lady. I don't want my information to cause any turmoil on her.

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 16, 2008

jennylovskt said:
My information was at one of the GP events this season, probably CoR, while Tarasova was as a commentator for Russian TV, she praised Johnny's extradinary talent and went on to say that Johnny aproached her and asked her to be his coach several years ago, Priscilla Hill begged her not to take Johnny.

I'm not negating your source, but I distinctly remember reading that Johnny and Priscilla split amicably, and he was looking for his present coach whom he had met sometime earlier, and she coaches in America. I can believe he had contacted TT after the split with Priscilla, but I do not know that for sure, and I can believe TT refused him. She has other male skaters for international competition, and would Johnny live in Moscow?

It's the topic of the thread of changing coaches. IMO, Johnny's style has changed dramatically from TT to the present coach. Whether it proves to be a contender in this Worlds, is a wait and see. He really hasn't increased his Tech so far as I can see.

Joe

Tonichelle · Feb 16, 2008

Joe - jennyskate was referring what Tarasova was talking about a conversation that happened several years ago. Not this year.

He worked with her a few summers back, IIRC, and perhaps that is when he was thinking of switching. While she was still here in the states. I don't think Galina was his second choice for a coaching change before the current season.

pista04 · Feb 17, 2008

I think for some skaters, its less of a good/bad career move and more of a good/bad character move. You might think that Cohen leaving Tarasova is a bad move for her skating, but for her skating to evolve, she needed change and growth as a person, and I think that her little coach journey did just that.

Nicks put it best: when she left, she was a girl. When she came back, she was a woman. I believe that, throughout her journey's, she always knew that John Nicks was at home, and that one day she would return. Theres one quote that I just love: "The farther you travel, the closer to home you become." (or something like that...haha)

momjudi · Feb 17, 2008

Joesitz said:
I'm not negating your source, but I distinctly remember reading that Johnny and Priscilla split amicably, and he was looking for his present coach whom he had met sometime earlier, and she coaches in America. I can believe he had contacted TT after the split with Priscilla, but I do not know that for sure, and I can believe TT refused him. She has other male skaters for international competition, and would Johnny live in Moscow?
Joe

I believe Johnny wrote in one of his journals or said in an interview that the federation and his mother said "no" to his training outside the United States so he had to look for a Russian coach who lived in the States. He had met Galina when she was working with Sasha, he knew Viktor from COI and it came together from that.

leon · Feb 17, 2008

Just a thought stolen from Kierkegaard

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."

Joesitz (RIP) · Feb 17, 2008

Tonichelle said:
Joe - jennyskate was referring what Tarasova was talking about a conversation that happened several years ago. Not this year.

Sorry, but it read like this year. But it was Priscilla who approached TT to help Johnny, and while TT was in Connecticut, she agreed for the summer months. Sasha was there too. When he broke with Priscilla, there was no animosity.

He worked with her a few summers back, IIRC, and perhaps that is when he was thinking of switching. While she was still here in the states. I don't think Galina was his second choice for a coaching change before the current season.

Your first sentence is conjecture, although plausible.

My conjecture, I don't think he knew Galina at that time of TT and certainly not as a possible coach. I believe he met Galina in Torino or some other city long after TT had gone back to Russia. There is a story on what transpired with Galina somewhere.

Can I answer the question of the topic. NO. I don't know if the change was worth it. He's lost his Otonal which enhanced his already style. I believe Galina was trying to make him more bravuro with the use of so many mannerisms. Hard to tell if it worked in the GPs with Evan faultering. We'll see more at the Worlds. (His zillion devoted fans will love him whatever.)

Joe

momjudi said:
I believe Johnny wrote in one of his journals or said in an interview that the federation and his mother said "no" to his training outside the United States so he had to look for a Russian coach who lived in the States. He had met Galina when she was working with Sasha, he knew Viktor from COI and it came together from that.

Interesting. I didn't know Sasha worked with Galina. Was this before Wagner or after Wagner and before Nicks?

Joe

momjudi · Feb 17, 2008

Joesitz said:
Interesting. I didn't know Sasha worked with Galina. Was this before Wagner or after Wagner and before Nicks?

Joe

My mistake, I got my Galinas mixed up, Sasha's mom is also a Galina. But Johnny does know Viktor from COI and it was Johnny's mom who called Galina Z. and made the appointment for Johnny to meet with her last April. Johnny and his mom had made a list of all the Russian coaches working in the United States who were not overloaded with students or coaching other male senior skaters.

Coaching Changes...Good or Bad?

Piel

On Edge

bekalc

jennylovskt

gio

Piel

On Edge

Snowgirl

skatergirl45

Joesitz (RIP)

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win

jennylovskt

beep_beep

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

jennylovskt

Joesitz (RIP)

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll

pista04

momjudi

leon

Joesitz (RIP)

momjudi

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