Agnes Zawadzki to Sit Out 2014-15 Season | Golden Skate

Agnes Zawadzki to Sit Out 2014-15 Season

TripleToe

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Two-time U.S. bronze medalist Agnes Zawadzki announced today she will not compete in the 2014-15 figure skating season.

"After a lot of thought, I have decided to take a personal year this year,” Zawadzki said. “I am very grateful for all of the opportunities this sport has given me and I am thankful for all of the people who have helped me accomplish so much on the ice.”

Zawadzki, who trained in Colorado Springs, Colo., won her first U.S. medal in 2010 when she captured the junior ladies title. She went on to make eight appearances in the Grand Prix Series, earning her highest-ever finish, bronze, at 2012 Rostelecom Cup in Moscow. Zawadzki is the 2012 and 2013 U.S. bronze medalist.

Source: http://usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=50242&type=media


Kinda expected.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Oh dear. I don't think Agnes will be able to come back from sitting out a year. She was already hanging on by her toenails, lacked consistency, expression, etc. I hope she finds whatever it is she's looking for.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
I think it's good that Agnes is able to take a step back. From a personal standpoint, if not a career standpoint, I can see benefits to this.
 

SimplyAFan

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 1, 2014
I hope for her sake she came to the decision herself. I've read that her family isn't financially well off so I hope that wasn't the only reason. She's still young though and can explore her options in and out of skating. For some reason I could see her going to college to become a trainer. If she is able to come back and compete, maybe the year off will give her time to examine her style and packaging and come up with something outside her usual. Either way good luck to her!
 

fleeting

Queen Anissina
Medalist
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
I admire that she knows when she needs to take time off for herself. I'll miss her very much in the upcoming season. I still think she has lots of potential and just needs someone who can help her manage the nerves. This could also give her the time to let any remaining injuries heal.

Any way this could lead up to her skating for Poland? Her last international event was the Rostelstom Cup in late November, and skipping this season also would almost hit her for the mark of not skating for the US internationally in two years for the season after this one. Her parents were both from there and the field is definitely not as deep as America's right now.
 

caitie

Medalist
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
I wish her luck with whatever she decides. I think it makes sense to take a year off after such a hard, draining season. I felt terrible for her at Nationals when her short program scores popped up. :(
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Her work ethic and attention to detail will help her a great deal transitioning to whatever she decides with her life. For someone who isn't well off and isn't one of the handful of skaters who can make a living skating, this seems like a smart decision IMO.
 

CaroLiza_fan

EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA
Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Country
Northern-Ireland
Really sorry to hear about Agnes not competing this season.

But, at the same time, I hope that this will give her a chance to have a well deserved rest, and do normal things that girls her age do.


Maybe it's because I've been banging on about it for the past couple of years. But, I can't help wondering if this is the start of a cunning plan (to quote Baldrick from "Blackadder").

Take a year out of competition to refresh your batteries. Then spend another year training to get back up to standard. Then come back to competition, representing POLAND.

Let's face it, she's young enough to be able to pull it off.


But, from what I've read in the statement, it sounds more like a "goodbye" than a "see you in a while". Which would be a real shame, given that she is clearly a talent.

Good luck with whatever the future holds Agnes

CaroLiza_fan
 

Icey

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
She could continue competing on the collegiate level, which Czisny continued to do even when she competed under USFSA auspices. If her mother is still in the Chicago area, why not go to Gold's former coach. Living at home would certainly reduce expenses. Well, I guess she has thought of all of this.
 

anyanka

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Much has been made of Agnes's family all pitching in to help pay for her athletic career. I hope that they aren't stretched to the point where she can't compete anymore. But then again, it could be that she's planning her future and deciding between financing skating or a college degree, and needs a year off to decide.

Good luck Agnes! And maybe sky_fly20's suggestion isn't too far off: if she can get (or already has) a Polish passport, there's less competition there than in the US, and she may be able to get more assignments based on international placement allotments without having to fend off internal national competition. It could be a very savvy move...if she decides to return.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I don't know what to think, except that I hope it works out well for Agnes. It was so painful to watch her at Nationals and to understand the extra pressure on her stemming from what she and her family had sacrificed up to that point. The idea of her skating for Poland is a nice one, but whatever she does moving forward, I hope it gives her satisfaction and a feeling of hopefulness and accomplishment.
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Well, I hope she's happy with whatever she chooses.. if she skates for Poland, she may get more competitions, but that won't improve her consistency issues or (necessarily) her results.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
I hope for her sake she came to the decision herself. I've read that her family isn't financially well off so I hope that wasn't the only reason. She's still young though and can explore her options in and out of skating. For some reason I could see her going to college to become a trainer. If she is able to come back and compete, maybe the year off will give her time to examine her style and packaging and come up with something outside her usual. Either way good luck to her!

I wish her luck with whatever she decides. I think it makes sense to take a year off after such a hard, draining season. I felt terrible for her at Nationals when her short program scores popped up. :(

I don't know what to think, except that I hope it works out well for Agnes. It was so painful to watch her at Nationals and to understand the extra pressure on her stemming from what she and her family had sacrificed up to that point. The idea of her skating for Poland is a nice one, but whatever she does moving forward, I hope it gives her satisfaction and a feeling of hopefulness and accomplishment.

:agree:
 

ice coverage

avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Tom Zakrajsek
‏@CoachTomZ
.@agneszawadzki Have a great personal year! Miss u already;) Please keep baking 4me #respect #nobodydoesitlikeyou #besttriplelutzintheworld
9:41 PM - 18 Jun 2014
https://twitter.com/CoachTomZ/status/479484056971653120

Zawadzki "favorite"d TZ's tweet. :)

Hard to ignore that TZ pointedly referred to the "personal year." In any case, I too will miss Zawadzki, and I join others in wishing her the best. If she decides to come back, I would welcome her with open arms.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
I think skating for Poland would be the best choice for her... As fleeting pointed out, she could begin competing internationally for Poland almost immediatly, and she could at least have a chance to compete at Worlds (her level will clearly not be high enough in the USA)
Anyway, good luck for her personal year! ;):agree:
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I think skating for Poland would be the best choice for her... As fleeting pointed out, she could begin competing internationally for Poland almost immediatly, and she could at least have a chance to compete at Worlds (her level will clearly not be high enough in the USA)

It really depends what her goals are. If she is hoping to be a World Champion and make a living long-term doing shows as a headliner like Mao or Yuna, that isn't going to happen. If her goal is to skate because she loves competing and loves the sport, she can cut expenses by living at home and pursue skating in a way that isn't too costly. Perhaps reducing the financial pressure might improve her competitive results.
 
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