Canadian Women Fail to Deliver

[bems]

We support our women and know they have done the best they are capable of. As a result of their efforts it looks like Canada will only have one spot for next year.

Neither Mira or Joannie or the current cadre of Canadian Competitors have felt the pressure of competition. Canadian skaters are protected by the top 12 rule in Canada until they move to the international stage where they choke.

This year we see they are in fact only skaters who can be beaten by the best in the world. To be Canadian champion only means that they are the Skate Canada establishment champion. World competitors constantly feel the pressure and strive for improvement. Kim, Kostner and other women train in Canada and elsewhere. They learn from the best and constantly case out the competition and how to meet challenge. They for now are potential champions who have risen to the challenge and are now stepping foward. They travel, see the competition and recognize that to win you need to the know challengers and be better prepared to combat them.

Let us hope that the new brooms at Skate Canada recognize that the current system of protecting last years top 12 has not served our national interests. The long artificial reign of Stojko, Sandu and others have held us back.

Canada has led the world in the past because after World War Two there were hardly any ice rinks in Europe and Asia. The air crash that took the US team in 1961 took years them to rebuild. Quietly Europeans, Americans and Asians came to Canada to help build and learn about one of our great National Sports. In true Canadian fashion we shared our expertise and everyone grew this marvelous sport.

The World however, has moved on while we still consider ourselves to be the leaders and experts in the sport this is no longer the case.

Skate Canada needs to find a new rhythm that develops youth, creates a true platform for competition instead of protecting existing skaters and draws from the skating knowledge of the populous of this great land.

This new rhythm can be accomplished through focus groups with skaters and coaches to talk about the challenges they face. It can be accomplished by celebrating our achievements in the development of a new judging system and educating the skaters, coaches and public so that the new system is not a black box. This new rhythm is about true competition where public support comes from knowing anyone can reach the podium. Nothing drains public support and advertising dollars like the perception that nothing changes. People move on out and away. They look for new excitement elsewhere.

Our Canadian skating fundamentals remain strong but I am concerned that if we do not engage in a continuing dialogue on continuous improvement that we like Russia are on our way to becoming a lesser player in the sport.

 

[chinesechanfan]

=o this is soooooooooooo right
but if u see u.s. nationals, u'll notice that they just do almost similar things that we do except that they bring up female skaters and we bring up male skaters. i think that our problem goes right down to the local skater, where we put down the good ones and bring up the ones who are willing to pay the money and expenses for success. thus, potentially good ones suffer from support and sponsorship. canadians should work as a unit, not as individuals. on tivo, they may appear to be very nice people, they might not be so. i think we should start from the very root of the system, meaning the little kids. teach them how to be nice ppl not just whiny little girls who want everything from their parent.

 

[flying camel]

Well I agree changes need to be made. But I would not say Joannie did not deliver. She was good in the LP. She has very reliable jumps that she can do under pressure. For some reason she is just a nervous wreck for the SP. I wonder if she has tried a Sports Psychologist.

 

[sk8tngcanuck]

Just an FYI - Joannie's efforts in making top 10 DID assure Canada 2 spots next year

 

[chinesechanfan]

but that's besides the point. i think that need to expect more of women's figure skating in canada. we can't always rely on the person dominant to deliver. we should expect the gg out of every1, like the japanese.

 

[iloveaxel]

Well I agree changes need to be made. But I would not say Joannie did not deliver. She was good in the LP. She has very reliable jumps that she can do under pressure. For some reason she is just a nervous wreck for the SP. I wonder if she has tried a Sports Psychologist.

Every Canadian skater is trying sports psychologist, including Joannie. Sports psyochologists can only get you so far if u don't have foundation to build on. :chorus:

 

[bems]

Great Dialogue Keep it Going

I want to be clear about this. My blog is not about our individual skaters. I have followed Joannie and all the Canadian team. They the best we have and can be a delight to watch.

I am talking here about sport development (ie. figure skating development).
Other countries seem to have a national approach. In Canada it is a patch work regional approach with grass roots and elite skating schools (usually out of the reach of many). It is a two tiered system that can work and does turn out good skaters but not always good competitiors.

Skate Canada needs to:

1) decide on a National training strategy. We do not have our best Canadians work openly in a regular forum where they can share and grow their talent. Japan, Italy, Finland, Korea, France and China spend time each summer in Canada. They see our best on the ice. They draw energy from just being there. They assess who the competition is and what they have to do personally to have a crack at the podium themselves. Canada often assumes it is best practice however, it is often isolationist and takes an individual approach.

2) appreciate public opinion to honor the perception that it is a competition where anyone can rise. To see the same results year after year is inconsistent with what is happening in other countiries.

3) work with the ISU to make the second part of the judging system less of a black box to the public, coaches and skaters. Watch coaches regularily struggle with level 3 and 4 spins footwork etc. Ask about their frustration when they talk to different technical specialists who each have different suggestions.

I am persistent in my comments because I have been a part of this sport for over 30 years. I hope others who love this sport will continue to dialogue and talk about the need for change. We can be both fans and advocates.