2021-2022 US Women's Figure Skating

[lurkz2]

I think this is Amber's plan B. The most likely thing to go wrong is the 3F+3T, so they plan for another 3F in the first half for her to have another shot at the triple toe. I think the issue is that the 3T can go wrong in many different ways. Maybe, Amber falls on the 3F so she never gets a chance to try a triple toe, thus that won't affect the jump math for later in the program if she were to try a 3F+3T on her second 3T in the first half. Maybe Amber lands poorly on her first 3F, and she still doesn't attempt a toe, thus it won't affect the jump math. Maybe she attempts a toe, but she pops it into a single. Again, that's still fine, probably won't hurt the jump math. The issue comes when she pops the 3T into a double on both her plan A and plan B. I get the impression that they didn't really figure that out.

Amber's best course of action at Golden Spin after her first two 3F+2T was this:

3F+2T
2A
3F+2T
3Lz
3Lo+Eu+2S
3Lo
2A

However, I get the impression that Amber hasn't really been training her salchows. She hasn't jumped a salchow all season. So maybe this salchow option just didn't cross her mind. I'll be honest, it's strange that she doesn't have a salchow in her free program, since she can use it to replace a 2A and get some additional base value. Amber's jump layout in general is just strange, since she has a three jump combo, but she doesn't put it in the second half. Instead, she jumps it right before the second half bonus starts. Would she really be incapable of performing it a little bit later to get the bonus? Also, it's strange that she keeps attempting triple axels in the short, where a bad triple axel can bury her and take her totally out of contention, but falling on a triple axel in a free skate is much more forgiving.

She could have thrown in 2Lo if she was not into salchows

 

[elliana]

This is a really good question. When Bradie is healthy, she is one of the most dependable skaters we've ever had. If she misses the Olympics ( Which I sadly think will happen ) I hope she'll continue skating. Missing a huge event like the Olympics must be very hard on her mentally.

As for Amber, I think she would do well with Denise Myers. She already has the jumps but, she needs more security and confidence in her skating. Bradie has always been a confident performer and that's something that Amber could work on.

Even if Amber doesn't choose Denise as a coach, I do think she is underrated. She helped Bradie become a national champion and a team Olympic medalist!

We were all concerned when Bradie switched to Tom and hoped she would stay healthy, but had our doubts. Pure speculation and we will never know, but I can't help but wonder if Bradie would be going to the Olympics had she stayed with Denise, and opted not to train for the 3A.

 

[moonvine]

Are the Americans sending their Olympic team to 4CC? If not, that is a gift for people like Amber, Lindsay and maybe Starr or someone else that does well at Nationals. They at least get to go to 4CC in a weakened field with a final chance to do well, there.

The US Olympic team is not going to 4CCs.

 

[moonvine]

I don't think it's a good idea for skaters to make changes "on the fly." If there is a problem jump, change it in training, not in competition.

They have to be able to make changes on the fly.

 

[mrrice]

They have to be able to make changes on the fly.

True. Look at Alysa. She just changed coaches and we'll have to see how that turns out. A skaters career is very short and sometimes you need to make a change. Even if it's only for a comfortable environment. That can make a huge difference especially, from a mental standpoint.

 

[jenaj]

True. Look at Alysa. She just changed coaches and we'll have to see how that turns out. A skaters career is very short and sometimes you need to make a change. Even if it's only for a comfortable environment. That can make a huge difference especially, from a mental standpoint.

I was talking about making changes in their program while actually competing. Like changing a jump combo. It’s risky.
The only time the risk seems worth it the required combo is missed in the short program.

 

[ice coverage]

The interview is not from 2018, but the background videos and pictures are. At most that interview could be a few months old. Not sure why it was published today which is why it's so confusing!

Again, it is a fluff video -- it is not intended to be a news-y interview with timely content.

Leading up to the Olympic Games, this type of news-free fluffy feature is nothing unusual.

Occurs to me that perhaps the fluff comments from Bradie were recorded at the same time as the photo shoot for the November 2021 issue of Skating magazine?
That shoot would have taken place in October 2021 at the very latest.

In terms of hair and make-up, Bradie's look for most of the Skating magazine photos is quite similar to her look in the fluffy feature that NBC published today.
For comparison:

galleries

Bradie Tennell poses on the rink in black shirt. , SKATING Nov. 2021 - Bradie Tennell Cover

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

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[b-man]

The interview is not from 2018, but the background videos and pictures are. At most that interview could be a few months old. Not sure why it was published today which is why it's so confusing!

Yes, poster yelyoh, referring to the video, said Bradie looked so good. I assumed the poster was referring to the skating part of the video, which was from the 2018 San Jose nationals.

 

[skaket023]

They have to be able to make changes on the fly.

I agree with that. Why not give yourself the ability to save your skate instead of just accepting your fate?

The conversations between Amber and her coach in the Kiss and Cry have sounded like Amber explaining to him why she didn't do good. I don't think that's the way it's supposed to go. It seems like she's making the major decisions.

Denise Myers hadn't been travelling with the skaters to their competitions. Not sure why, but I think Amber would improve with her, definitely!

I also worried about Bradie getting hurt with Tom Z. Seems we were right to be concerned.

 

[RatedPG]

Well, this might be a bit of good news for Bradie. But, she was spotted skating in Jackson and she was landing and practicing her triple jumps there . So, we have some hope now that she is training and focusing for US Nationals .

 

[Bluediamonds09]

I agree with that. Why not give yourself the ability to save your skate instead of just accepting your fate?

The conversations between Amber and her coach in the Kiss and Cry have sounded like Amber explaining to him why she didn't do good.

I think we will have to prepare ourselves for long winded answers from the American women explaining why they didn't put in a good performance. We will probably get variations on the same answers that were given in 2018 and before and after. Bless their hearts, they are so talented but always repeat mistakes.

I don't think that's the way it's supposed to go. It seems like she's making the major decisions.

Denise Myers hadn't been travelling with the skaters to their competitions. Not sure why, but I think Amber would improve with her, definitely!

I also worried about Bradie getting hurt with Tom Z. Seems we were right to be concerned.

 

[yelyoh]

Yes, poster yelyoh, referring to the video, said Bradie looked so good. I assumed the poster was referring to the skating part of the video, which was from the 2018 San Jose nationals.

No I was referring to the interview. I liked her hair style and the way it shaped her face.

 

[mrrice]

I was talking about making changes in their program while actually competing. Like changing a jump combo. It’s risky.
The only time the risk seems worth it the required combo is missed in the short program.

I see. Well, for Amber, I think she could do with adjustments to her layout by moving another combo to the second half of her LP.

 

[mrrice]

Yebin Mok has such a lovely layback at the end of this program. I'm surprised that it hasn't been copied by any of the US Ladies. I love it. We all know my feelings about Posture and Carriage and she is just beautiful in this program.

Yebin Mok 2003 U.S. Nationals SP

Yebin Mok 2003 U.S. Nationals SPThe 2003 U.S. Figure Skating Championships took place between January 12–19, 2003 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, ...

www.youtube.com

 

[ptvvibezz]

A new article was released by USFS about Karen and her attempt to make it to Beijing. Here are some quotes that I thought were interesting:

Now at 22, Chen is looking to continue her comeback journey as she pursues her Olympic dreams.

"This is not my first time knowing what it feels like to go through an Olympic year and trying to make the Olympic team," Chen shared. "But, I've also changed as a person, as an athlete and as a skater. So, now there are different challenges that I have to face. I'm really focusing on myself and disregarding all the distractions."

"This year is a little bit more hectic compared to last year. It's been a little bit of a struggle so far," said Chen, who placed 10th at Skate Canada and then fifth at Internationaux de France. "Skate Canada didn't go the way I hoped. I felt trained and ready. But, when the time came to compete, I just got really nervous and stiff."

Chen hopes to return to school as a full-time student in fall 2022. For now, though, she is focusing on not only her physical training, but her mental training, too. According to Chen, she felt a lot of intense pressure when she last competed for an Olympic spot in 2018. A big change this time will be building her mental strength with the help of her sports psychologist and therapist.

"Last time it was crazy for me. I told my team at the beginning of this season how hard this was going to be for me, and they've all been so supportive," said Chen. "I don't want to be distracted by all the other pressures I know I will be feeling. I just want to really focus on me and being the best version of myself possible."

"I want to have that Olympic moment where you finish both your programs, and you know you did everything you possibly could. I still have a lot more to work on to get ready for Nationals (U.S. Championships). [When I] go to Nashville in January, I want to be feeling really confident and ready to deliver."

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Do any of the women (besides Alysa) have any hope of getting selected for the Olympic team event? I don't think it would be a good idea for the USFSA to split women because Alysa has been so much better than the others, but would Bradie, Karen, or Mariah winning Nationals be able to make a case for herself?

 

[AlysaLiuStan]

Do any of the women (besides Alysa) have any hope of getting selected for the Olympic team event? I don't think it would be a good idea for the USFSA to split women because Alysa has been so much better than the others, but would Bradie, Karen, or Mariah winning Nationals be able to make a case for herself?

Shibutani's lost nationals in 2018 but they still did both sections of the team event.

 

[dancelion21]

Do any of the women (besides Alysa) have any hope of getting selected for the Olympic team event? I don't think it would be a good idea for the USFSA to split women because Alysa has been so much better than the others, but would Bradie, Karen, or Mariah winning Nationals be able to make a case for herself?

At both 2014 and 2018, the US split the ladies discipline. Mariah probably has the best chance of skating the free skate outside of ladies named Alysa. She has a great free program and it could be a moment like Mirai had in 2018. She's also probably the most consistent lady outside of Alysa even though she doesn't have a triple-triple. However, I really hope they don't split ladies and split dance instead. None of the US ladies outside of Alysa really deserve a team medal with the way they've skated this fall. Especially compared to Chock/Bates and Hubbell/Donohue, it would just feel unfair if Mariah gets to walk away with a silver medal, but the No. 2 US Dance team gets nothing when they retire.

Shibutani's lost nationals in 2018 but they still did both sections of the team event.

It was so close between the Shibutanis and Hubbell/Donohue (less than 0.2 points), and the Shibutanis had beaten H/D at the Grand Prix Final, as well as just generally outscoring them throughout the whole fall season and beating them at the previous year's world championships. I think that's why USFS decided the Shibutanis were the top American team even though H/D won Nationals.

 

[elliana]

It was so close between the Shibutanis and Hubbell/Donohue (less than 0.2 points), and the Shibutanis had beaten H/D at the Grand Prix Final, as well as just generally outscoring them throughout the whole fall season and beating them at the previous year's world championships. I think that's why USFS decided the Shibutanis were the top American team even though H/D won Nationals.

In 2018 did USFS decide not to split the ice dance team? In retrospect it seems strange that H/D didn't get a team medal.

 

[dancelion21]

In 2018 did USFS decide not to split the ice dance team? In retrospect it seems strange that H/D didn't get a team medal.

In Adam's biography, he mentioned that USFS decided Shibs were the top dance team and since dance was considered the top discipline, the Shibs got to make the choice on whether they did one or both segments. The Shibs chose to do both segments, which is why H/D didn't get a team medal.