2014-15 Caroline Zhang

[drivingmissdaisy]

I just don't understand how things got so bad for her. Does she have a coach? How come her pcs and artistry has gone so far backwards? Shouldn't she be able to focus on 4 garbage trips, two loops and a flip or lutz? what happened to that gorgeous pearl spin - did she lose her flexibility? I know there is the mulekick and under rotations - so American in some ways I wish they gave her one more chance to bid farewell. Maybe she can work on getting that speed and consistency up.

I think her 4th place finish a few years back was her chance to finish on top. She skated exceptionally well and did most of her big tricks.

 

[tulosai]

I just don't understand how things got so bad for her. Does she have a coach? How come her pcs and artistry has gone so far backwards? Shouldn't she be able to focus on 4 garbage trips, two loops and a flip or lutz? what happened to that gorgeous pearl spin - did she lose her flexibility? I know there is the mulekick and under rotations - so American in some ways I wish they gave her one more chance to bid farewell. Maybe she can work on getting that speed and consistency up.

Honestly, her technique is poor and always was. This is the root of her problem, period. No one around her viewed this as a problem when she could nonetheless rotate the triple jumps and had the amazing flexibility. As she grew,her lack of technique became a serious problem that she still has not adequately addressed. In early 2012 it appeared she was beginning to address the issues but then, for reasons unknown, she had a MAJOR regression. Her speed is also EXTREMELY poor now- probably the very worst of anyone at Nationals last year, I am sorry to say.

I'm not her coach, she doesn't know me, and I and others have posted something like this before so even if she reads the boards or they do they aren't going to listen to me. But IMO what she needs if she HONESTLY wants to be competitive again it to TOTALLY rework her technique from the VERY bottom up. This would be difficult and EXTREMELY time consuming. At her age, to relearn everything from practically scratch would be VERY difficult. She'd probably have to sit out a full season to do it or even more. She literally IMO should start with figures and edgework, and just work on that for WEEKS.

It's no mystery why this plan doesn't appeal- even if she did it, there's no guarantee of success, she'd lose time competing, and there would be no quick fix or results like she and her coaches clearly think might somehow happen. It's also expensive to keep skating, and to spend good money to do figures might seem bogus to her or her family. But if I were her and I were serious, this is what I'd do. It's the beginning of a new quad, and if she wants to rebuild she can maybe still do so, though it gets more unlikely every year. But statistically, this quad is very likely her 'last chance'. At the end of it she'll be 25, very old for the average skater.

 

[b-man]

In her FS, Caroline completed 3 triples in the first half of the program. In the second half of the program, two planned triples were singled, and she threw in a 2A, so she had no triples in the second half. Conditioning may be a problem.

 

[tulosai]

In her FS, Caroline completed 3 triples in the first half of the program. In the second half of the program, two planned triples were singled, and she threw in a 2A, so she had no triples in the second half. Conditioning may be a problem.

Hi can you link us to the protocols if you have a minute? I tried briefly to find hem but failed and can't devote a ton of time to it right now. If not it's cool, I'll just have to renew my search tonight.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Hi can you link us to the protocols if you have a minute? I tried briefly to find hem but failed and can't devote a ton of time to it right now. If not it's cool, I'll just have to renew my search tonight.

http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2015/2015_sw_pacific_regionals/results.html

Caroline got PCS scores as low as the 3's for TR (one in the SP, two in the LP)

 

[Chemistry66]

Hi can you link us to the protocols if you have a minute? I tried briefly to find hem but failed and can't devote a ton of time to it right now. If not it's cool, I'll just have to renew my search tonight.

Here's the specific link to the Ladies FS: http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2015/2015_sw_pacific_regionals/CAT021SEG020.html

Click on the + on the right to see the protocols.

To find them in the future, if you go to Icenetwork's website and click on the "Schedule and Results" link at the top, click on the event, and then on the event page, there's a "View all results" link.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Or this link which takes you right to the detailed judges scores:

LadiesFS
http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2015/2015_sw_pacific_regionals/SEGM020.html

Ladies SP http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2015/2015_sw_pacific_regionals/SEGM019.html

 

[tulosai]

Thanks all of you, much much appreciated!!!!

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

http://www.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2015/2015_sw_pacific_regionals/results.html

Caroline got PCS scores as low as the 3's for TR (one in the SP, two in the LP)

FWIW..two of the three 3's were from the same judge. She was Judge 2 in the SP and Judge 3 in the FS.

Either way 4.38 is not a good score after factoring

 

[Skater Boy]

I can't believe her tranisitons or lack of; popping jumps this is so sad and does kind of remind me how Fumie skated the last couple of years. I really had some hope for her

 

[lavender]

I agree about her popping jumps like the Fumie today but I was hoping she would at least have a career like the Fumie who won world medals in her hey day.

Honestly, her technique is poor and always was. This is the root of her problem, period. No one around her viewed this as a problem when she could nonetheless rotate the triple jumps and had the amazing flexibility. As she grew,her lack of technique became a serious problem that she still has not adequately addressed. In early 2012 it appeared she was beginning to address the issues but then, for reasons unknown, she had a MAJOR regression. Her speed is also EXTREMELY poor now- probably the very worst of anyone at Nationals last year, I am sorry to say.

I agree with this skater boy. I was truly concern that it would come back to haunt her. I just don't understand why they waited too long to address her speed and jumps. It had to be like a kick in the gut to not win like before.

 

[tulosai]

I agree about her popping jumps like the Fumie today but I was hoping she would at least have a career like the Fumie who won world medals in her hey day.



I agree with this skater boy. I was truly concern that it would come back to haunt her. I just don't understand why they waited too long to address her speed and jumps. It had to be like a kick in the gut to not win like before.

That quote was actually from me, not skater boy

 

[jinhamasaki]

I saw Caroline at Skate America in Detroit last year. To say it was painful to watch is putting it mildly. She skates very very slow, pauses into each jump, and has poor ice coverage. I felt terrible for her!

If she wants any chance, she needs to take this season officially off and work on basics and speed. She also needs extensive conditioning. Wishing her the best

 

[b-man]

I can't believe her tranisitons or lack of; popping jumps this is so sad and does kind of remind me how Fumie skated the last couple of years. I really had some hope for her

On the other hand, her SP score of 54 is competitive, not for a podium, but possibly for a top ten at Nationals if she could maintain that level in her FS. She needs some intensive training before sectionals so she can qualify.

 

[mrrice]

I really liked watching her get that bronze at 4CC and thought to myself, I hope this is a new beginning for Caroline. However, she has not improved since then, and in some ways, she regressed. Skating is an expensive sport and if she's rich, more power to her. If not, she needs to take a long look in the mirror and decide if it's all worth it.

If she continues, she needs a different coach and here's why. IMO, someone isn't pushing her hard enough to stay in the kind of shape she needs to be in, to skate well. She needs the kind of coach who will tell her, " Look, it's now or never, get back out there and do another run. " " This popping of jumps isn't gonna fly and you know it. "

Skating was so exhausting for me. Wayyyyyy harder than dance. In fact, there is really no comparison as a dance studio is warm, and the surface in which we dance is the same every time we enter. Skating was also very draining emotionally because it's often very frustrating when things don't go well. Add to that, it's freezing, and there's nothing worse than having snot wrap around your face when you're sick and trying to jump. Gross, I know, but it definitely happened. To me at least.

I think she needs a good coach who can get into her head and figure out what her real hopes are for continuing to compete. She could headline any Disney Ice Show if she just wants to skate so, I hope if continues, she really grinds deep to make her season a success.

 

[Icey]

Still she received no edge calls on any of the triple lutz and flip jumps in either program. Who is her coach?

 

[nam57]

Still she received no edge calls on any of the triple lutz and flip jumps in either program. Who is her coach?

Lutz got an edge call. It shows on protocol as 3lze in the FS. She did not do Lutz in SP.

 

[Skater Boy]

That quote was actually from me, not skater boy

I am not sure I was being quoted but I agree Caroline's inability to deal with bad technique and correct things like the mule kick and lack of speed did not sit her well. Good technique will survie puberty and weight challenges usually but not bad technique. So sad. below a 5 for transitions - yikes.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

She does have some qualities I admire. Aside from her obvious fighting spirit to achieve 4th at Nationals a few years ago, she has beautiful carriage when she skates and her spins are still nice. It seems like the things she is good at are not, unfortunately, rewarded much.

 

[Icey]

Lutz got an edge call. It shows on protocol as 3lze in the FS. She did not do Lutz in SP.

Typically edge calls are indicated with an "e" in the I(nfo) column of the protocols. I would never have looked for that where they appear to have put them at this competition. I wonder why they didn't follow protocol. lol