Does Mirai need a change of coach ? | Page 6 | Golden Skate

Does Mirai need a change of coach ?

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
To be fair, Mirai hasn't exactly made a case of further investment/attention by finishing 7th in Nationals in the last two years. Who would you put your resources toward, the skaters who are in the top 6 in the world or the skater who has yet to realize her full potential and hasn't made a world team in three years?

The attention to Agnes is a bit mystifying toward me...but aside from that I don't think the USFSA's priorities don't seem that far fetched.

Mirai still has an opportunity to prove herself in the U.S. She has the arsenal to do it. Ashley Wagner seem all but done after finishing 6th at 2011 Nationals and came back to win it all a year later. Mirai can rise to the occasion. If she does two fantastic programs at nationals and make the Olympic team (as she did in 2010) USFSA will take notice.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
^^^^
Exactly. Mirai has to show some return to her competitive edge for USFS to invest. She has the ability to do so, but...
 

wootie

Match Penalty
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
I'm not exactly sure what all the fuss about Mirai is. I mean, she was cute at the 2010 Olympics and showed some promise. But since then, I've found her skating to be very mediocre and mostly uninspired. Unfortunately, I think part of this attributable to her attitude and her appearance. She doesn't have a particularly striking persona on the ice and, well, her body shape isn't very graceful. Apparently she's funny and interesting off the ice but none of that translates on the ice.
 

Nadia01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
I sort of don't get this angst over Mirai either. She did well in Vancouver, but since then... Meh. There are other promising skaters who are actually improving little by little every season.
 

b-man

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
I don't see this vast group of skaters who are improving and shoving Mirai into the background. The US number 3 has been skating senior for 4 years, yet in 12 ISU international appearances has never exceeded a 166 score, was beaten in head to head matches with Mirai in GP's the last 2 years, and is not improving.

US number 4 is Hicks. She got one shot at a GP this year, scored a 162, way below Mirai's best this year. She has big jumps, but nothing else. Her skating was wild and unrefined when I first saw her as a junior in 2011, and it hasn't improved in 3 years.

US number 5 is Gao. She has been 5th at Nationals four years in a row. She seems to have an international ceiling of 175, never exceeding that score. I like watching Gao, but I don't see the improvement, and the judges don't either.

I do see some improvement in Cesario, but she is 20 years old, the same as Mirai. She got a 4th and 5th on the GP's this year, with a season's best slightly below Mirai's season best. She may be on Mirai's level now, but no better.

I see a lot of impovement in Edmunds and Karen Chen, both who should be forces in the next quad. Chen isn't ready yet. Edmunds is 15 and skated junior internationally. Her SB is 171, four points below Mirai. Edmunds may, or may not, be ready. Nationals will be a good test for her.
 

Sasha'sSpins

Medalist
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Country
United-States
I seriously doubt the USFSA is footing any of the bills there. More than likely Mirai has made some connections in Japan and they are helping her out. She's pretty popular over there and has been for a long time...

Plus, there's always that thought in the back of my head about Mirai's dual citizenship. She has until she turns 22 (I believe) to make her decision about it. When it was brought up back when she first came onto the scene I thought it was stupid to think she'd leave the US to skate for Japan...however, flash forward to now and you can see how it wouldn't be such a far-fetched idea.

The USFSA doesn't seem interested in Mirai anymore. They are putting all of their attention into supporting Ashley and grooming Gracie and trying to give Agnes a leg up...Mirai is barely an afterthought for them now. Meanwhile in Japan, all of their top ladies are supposedly retiring at the end of the season (Mao, Akiko, and possibly Kanako too). Japan has Miyahara but it's going to take her a few years to rise through the ranks especially with so many of the young Russians already at the forefront. In order to keep themselves in the standing, Japan is going to have to produce another skater. If the JSF is investing in Mirai, it could be a step in encouraging her to skate for Japan. Not sure it will happen but it is a thought...

That makes sense about the funding - and I agree about the USFSA. I believe they were done with Mirai 2 season ago. Last year imo she should have placed 2nd in the SP but they held Agnes up over her even with Zawadski's mistakes.

Mirai is only 20 and I believe that if she wants it she still has the potential to improve greatly and get back up there in the World rankings. Maybe some can't see the magic in Mirai but I do. I'd be sad if she were to decide to represent Japan instead of the States but on the other hand she has mentioned how her 'dream came true' training in Japan and if it means that much to her I say go for it - should she decide to compete for Japan. I hope she finds a way to keep right on training in Japan if she's happiest there and that she finds her mojo again. :)
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I don't see this vast group of skaters who are improving and shoving Mirai into the background. The US number 3 has been skating senior for 4 years, yet in 12 ISU international appearances has never exceeded a 166 score, was beaten in head to head matches with Mirai in GP's the last 2 years, and is not improving.

US number 4 is Hicks. She got one shot at a GP this year, scored a 162, way below Mirai's best this year. She has big jumps, but nothing else. Her skating was wild and unrefined when I first saw her as a junior in 2011, and it hasn't improved in 3 years.

US number 5 is Gao. She has been 5th at Nationals four years in a row. She seems to have an international ceiling of 175, never exceeding that score. I like watching Gao, but I don't see the improvement, and the judges don't either.

I do see some improvement in Cesario, but she is 20 years old, the same as Mirai. She got a 4th and 5th on the GP's this year, with a season's best slightly below Mirai's season best. She may be on Mirai's level now, but no better.

I see a lot of impovement in Edmunds and Karen Chen, both who should be forces in the next quad. Chen isn't ready yet. Edmunds is 15 and skated junior internationally. Her SB is 171, four points below Mirai. Edmunds may, or may not, be ready. Nationals will be a good test for her.

I think perhaps what people are talking about are career trajectory.

Mirai's personal best total of 190.15 came at the 2010 Olympics. Her personal best in the SP (70.40) came at 2010 Worlds and her personal best in the FS came in 2011 4CC (129.68).

Since then here are her international scores overall:

175.37 (Rostelecom 2013)
141.71 (NHK 2013)
164.51 (Finlandia 2013)
176.68 (NHK 2012)
163.46 (COC 2012)
163.09 (Finlandia 2012)
173.22 (COC 2011)
151.72 (Skate Canada 2011)
167.46 (Nebelhorn 2011)

Basically while there are good scores there, they are well off what she could have scored had she kept the level of performance she did in 2010.

I think what Nadia and others are pointing out that other skaters are making improvements relative to their current career trajectory. Mirai, at this point (and I hope she can prove me wrong), has been inconsistent at best and well below her potential.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Every once in a while, Mirai puts in a good effort and gets a great result. But she is woefully inconsistent, and that's been the case since her 2010 Olympic performance. It's going to take more than one good performance to convince USFS that she is serious about her skating career. If she shows up at Nationals and does two more deadpan, expressionless programs, that won't do it.
 

b-man

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Yes, Mirai is inconsistent, but Gold, Agnes, Hicks and Gao are also "woefully inconsistent". Mirai has four GP medals in the last four years, more than anyone but Wagner. Convince USFS she is serious about her skating??? I have no ideaa what you are talking about. Every senior skater, and most juniors, spend hundreds of hours on the rink every year, and have expenditures in the $ thousands. It is pretty insulting and ill informed, with that sacrifice, to accuse any skater of being not serious. Yes, some skaters are good actors, some are not; some have fake smiles on there face, some do not. You don't get an extra PCS point just because you have a fake smile on your face.

Apparently a fall in the short and multiple mistakes in the FS, as the US number 3 often does, as well as an international high of 166 in 12 attempts, is evidence of being serious, and does it for you and USFS. It doesn't do it for me.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Mirai is a chronic underrotator. She's been gigged for UR both domestically and internationally, and that's been going on for years. Ashley was a chronic underrotator too, but she did something about it, and that's why she's been successful over the past quadrennial and Mirai has not. That's what I mean about being "serious" about skating---addressing your issues and faults, and taking measures to correct them.

Mirai's smiles disappeared when she stopped getting the high scores and gold and silver medals. And the high scores and medals went away when the URs became prevalent in her skating. But sulking won't solve the problem and just erodes PCS scores right along with the TES. Mirai once had the will of a champion, and she needs to resurrect that, work on her UR problem, and show some spirit when she skates. What she's been doing since Vancouver just isn't working for her.
 

b-man

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Rostelecom (COR)
3rd, Nagasu, 175 score, 1 UR, bronze medal
6th, Zawadzki, 163 score, 1 UR, no medal
7th, Murakami, 162 score, 3 UR's , 1 downgrade
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Mirai's smiles disappeared when she stopped getting the high scores and gold and silver medals. And the high scores and medals went away when the URs became prevalent in her skating. But sulking won't solve the problem and just erodes PCS scores right along with the TES. Mirai once had the will of a champion, and she needs to resurrect that, work on her UR problem, and show some spirit when she skates. What she's been doing since Vancouver just isn't working for her.

I used to love her skating but I'm getting bored with it now that she doesn't present her programs as well. She hasn't coped well with the pressure at Nationals and one ok GP event isn't going change that.
 

b-man

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Are you suggesting that her UR problem is no longer based on the results of one event?

Not at all. I think she still has the UR problem, but she was able to minimize it at COR. I just don't like people focusing on her UR problem, basically writing her off, while overlooking problems that Zawadzki, Hicks, Gao, and Cesario havel
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Not at all. I think she still has the UR problem, but she was able to minimize it at COR. I just don't like people focusing on her UR problem, basically writing her off, while overlooking problems that Zawadzki, Hicks, Gao, and Cesario havel

Here's the thing. I don't think anyone is overlooking the issues those other skaters have. The problem is that Mirai has failed to standout from those skaters despite her immense talent and natural ability and despite the fact, as you point out, all those other skaters have weaknesses.

Again, if she had been performing at the level she did in 2010, she would have been a lock for every World team during this quad. That hasn't happened. That is why people are frustrated by her. This is a skater who could have been a multiple world medalist and she hasn't even been able to get on the podium at nationals in the last two years.

I'm really happy that Mirai improved at Rostelecom Cup, but she still only scored 114 in the FS. That is well below the 129+ she scored at 4CC a few years a back and several other U.S. ladies have higher or nearly equal scores.

I get that Mirai has a lot of qualities that appeal to many skating fans, however, from a competition standpoint, she hasn't stood out. A skater of her ability should shine not have to muddle around for the No. 3 spot. Honestly, she should be challenging for the U.S. title with Ashley and Gracie. That's where the disconnect occurs.

Again, I hope she can prove me (and everyone else) wrong at nationals. I think she can!

ETA: A poster on FSU posted a tweet from former skater Nana Takeda of her and Mirai at Japanese Nationals. She apparently got to see the Ladies SP last night! I hope she's getting some major inspiration and motivation from the experience.

https://twitter.com/nanapeeeee/status/414777192187305984/photo/1
 

willdu

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
With the way the top ladies of japan laid down performances one by one, let's hope she had some major inspiration. Although it must be weird to be at Japanese Nationals where the stadium is filled and flowers rain down for almost all the skaters in contrast to the US Nationals.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Not at all. I think she still has the UR problem, but she was able to minimize it at COR. I just don't like people focusing on her UR problem, basically writing her off, while overlooking problems that Zawadzki, Hicks, Gao, and Cesario havel

Mirai didn't 'minimize' it at CoR. She just got lucky that the CoR caller wasn't a stickler. Chronic underrotators Imai, Murakami and Miyahara, who usually get two or three, each got one, just like Mirai.

Anyway, it isn't just the URs with Mirai. It's the URs plus the blank, expressionless performances. It just isn't fun watching a skating robot who looks like Mirai but doesn't skate like the Mirai we used to enjoy.

The other skaters you mention have their problems, but none of them ever showed the promise that Mirai did, or was ever on the brink of greatness and then stepped back and seemingly gave up.
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
I agree Mirai being 20 things could still change for her. Crazier things have happened. However when I watch her I do have real doubts if she can ever regain her 2010-2011 level of skating again. She seems so much slower than before, her presentation and projection is just not there at all (although I am sure this is something she can fix, she just has to make a firm commitment to it), her jumps seem more laboured and smaller than they were, and her ­­­­underrotations are worse than ever and not easily fixable. She also isnt the spectacular spinner she used to be, apart from her layback and Biellmanns.

Who knows, maybe with the perfect coaching situation she could find something special that takes her skating back up to a higher level and makes her the World contender she once briefly was, but for this year just making the Olympic team in 3rd place would be a huge victory, and something that now is looking within reach for her.
 

bluelutz

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
With the way the top ladies of japan laid down performances one by one, let's hope she had some major inspiration. Although it must be weird to be at Japanese Nationals where the stadium is filled and flowers rain down for almost all the skaters in contrast to the US Nationals.

The US Nationals used to be much bigger with a lot more spectators, and with the longer TV coverage,
looking back, from the Nancy & Tonya scandal to the end of Kwan era was the golden age of US Figure skating.
And the Japanese Nationals used to be held at the much smaller venues with a few hundreds spectators,
and with the one hour TV coverage at the midnight.
I hope the things will change for the better in US, but US desperately needs a new star, a true queen of Ice.
 

b-man

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Mirai didn't 'minimize' it at CoR. She just got lucky that the CoR caller wasn't a stickler. Chronic underrotators Imai, Murakami and Miyahara, who usually get two or three, each got one, just like Mirai.

Murakami got a UR and a downgrade in the short, plus two UR's in the FS. Mirai got no UR's in the short, one UR in the FS.
 
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