Frank Carroll to Assist with Team USA Mentoring Program

[gsk8]

Press Release


COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 22, 2014) – U.S. Figure Skating and Frank Carroll have entered into an agreement to provide services and support for U.S. Figure Skating’s performance enhancement and tracking program.

“U.S. Figure Skating is excited to have this legendary coach mentor and share his wealth of knowledge with U.S. Figure Skating’s premier coaches and athletes,” said David Raith, executive director at U.S. Figure Skating. “Frank Carroll’s expertise and services will be available to our elite athletes and coaches as they embark on the next quadrennium.”

Carroll’s primary focus will be to mentor U.S. Figure Skating’s Team USA and International Selection Pool coaches within U.S. Figure Skating’s Athlete High Performance Department. Additionally, Carroll will work with Mitch Moyer, senior director of athlete high performance, on providing programming, including seminars, on- and off-ice demonstrations and educational materials, for these coaches and their athletes.

“We are confident that, in addition to the resources we already provide to our elite athletes, Frank Carroll’s insight will be beneficial to Team USA’s athletes and their coaches,” Moyer said.

Carroll will continue to coach reigning U.S. champion Gracie Gold and Kazakhstan’s 2014 Olympic bronze medalist Denis Ten. Carroll, who in 1997 became the only figure skating coach to be named Olympic Coach of the Year, is a member of four halls of fame (World, U.S. Figure Skating, Professional Skaters Association and Ice Skating Institute). He has coached six Olympic medalists, including 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek, seven world champions, four world junior champions and 18 world medalists.

 

[StitchMonkey]

. . . so are they trying to turn him into Károlyi? I am not sure I like that.

 

[karne]

I'm a bit confused how he can possibly do this job AND be a coach at the same time. I mean, isn't that some kind of conflict of interest...?

 

[MK's Winter]

USFSA is pulling a page from US gymnastics... This will be interesting since he is still going to coach Gracie and Denis, which to me is a definite conflict of interest.

 

[gravy]

USFSA is pulling a page from US gymnastics... This will be interesting since he is still going to coach Gracie and Denis, which to me is a definite conflict of interest.

The Karolyis retired from coaching 3 years before being chosen as team coordinators for USA gymnastics. And all of their coached athletes had also retired so there was no conflicts of interest among the gymnasts, coaches, and Karolyis.

But then again what does everyone expect from figure skating, a sport where judges from the athletes' own countries are scoring the event? :sarcasm:

 

[karne]

a sport where judges from the athletes' own countries are scoring the event? :sarcasm:

Sorry but this is a really stupid argument. Where are the judges supposed to be from? Jamaica? How are they supposed to know about the sport in the depth that they should to judge if they don't have a skating program in their country? Think about all the years of collective knowledge about the sport in America and Russia. Should all that be lost to the judging community?

 

[MK's Winter]

The Karolyis retired from coaching 3 years before being chosen as team coordinators for USA gymnastics. And all of their coached athletes had also retired so there was no conflicts of interest among the gymnasts, coaches, and Karolyis. But then again what does everyone expect from figure skating, a sport where judges from the athletes' own countries are scoring the event? :sarcasm:

The Karolyis being retired was key for Marta taking over. I agree with Karne though judges can't come from just anywhere. I think you are referring to the politicking, which we know can serve skaters with the right coaches(hello Marina) and Frank is up there with her, although the skaters do have to perform well for their own merit.

I wonder why they couldn't use someone like John Nicks who has retired.

 

[gravy]

Sorry but this is a really stupid argument. Where are the judges supposed to be from? Jamaica? How are they supposed to know about the sport in the depth that they should to judge if they don't have a skating program in their country? Think about all the years of collective knowledge about the sport in America and Russia. Should all that be lost to the judging community?

Why not? Gymnastics has judges from all over the world from countries without gymnastics programs judging at elite events like Worlds and the Olympics. It's not as if judges were going to be cherry picked and thrown at those events without being tested. They have to pass examinations to be judges and start from lower levels. In gymnastics, there wasn't a single judge at the 2012 Olympics from the US, Russia, Romania, or China. I don't remember anyone ever calling any of those competitions corrupt because there weren't judges from those powerhouse countries.

You can't honestly tell me that a judge won't subconsciously mark up a skater from their own country. It helps their country's federation if a skaters gets a higher placement and ultimately the judge as well.

"Collective knowledge about the sport in America and Russia"?

Sorry, but that's an even more stupid argument because you're essentially saying that the US and Russia know more about the sport. Which is fine... but oh, wow! Skaters from the US and Russia have the leg up on everyone else because they obviously already represent what the judges want and expect. That IS a conflict of interest.

Could you also clarify what "collective knowledge" you mean exactly? One that for whatever reason cannot be thrown out even if it makes a sport way more less corrupt?

 

[supsu]

You can't honestly tell me that a judge won't subconsciously mark up a skater from their own country. It helps their country's federation if a skaters gets a higher placement and ultimately the judge as well.

Not related at all to the thread but during 6.0 the Finnish judge would always judge a Finnish skater lower than the rest. Just to be fair it seemed. Even the commentator sometimes commented that they deserved more... Silly Finnish honesty! :disapp:

 

[noskates]

Well I think it's a great idea! And I think Frank is the most logical choice!

 

[Icey]

I wonder if they offered the position to someone else first and they turned it down. At his age, I can't see Frank in the position for other than a short time.

 

[ice coverage]

I wonder if they offered the position to someone else first and they turned it down. At his age, I can't see Frank in the position for other than a short time.

Only my speculation, but I believe the exact opposite -- meaning I think that USFS created the role specifically for FC, and would not have offered it to anyone other than him.

And I wonder whether it is/was a quid pro quo for doing USFS a favor by taking on Gracie Gold last season. IIRC, both FC and USFS said openly at the time that FC agreed to give GG a tryout only after intense arm-twisting by Mitch Moyer.

(I don't mean that FC had anything personal against GG ... it was just that he didn't "need" another high-profile skater.)

Seems to me that the wording of the announcement emphasizes that FC will be mentoring other coaches (as opposed to skaters -- although it mentions both coaches and skaters). In any case, I hope that GG does not get shortchanged now that he has responsibilities not only to her, but also to Team USA as a whole.

ETA:

Forgot to say that FC went along also with GG and Carly coming to him as "a package deal" (as GG called themselves). I have a lot of admiration for Carly, but USFS had all the more reason to feel grateful to Carroll for accepting both twins.​

 

[MK's Winter]

Well I think it's a great idea! And I think Frank is the most logical choice!

I agree as long as he's fair to other coaches/skaters. I only say that because he is Gracies coach and would hate to see either or get short changed.

 

[humbaba]

I'm a bit confused how he can possibly do this job AND be a coach at the same time. I mean, isn't that some kind of conflict of interest...?

USFSA is pulling a page from US gymnastics... This will be interesting since he is still going to coach Gracie and Denis, which to me is a definite conflict of interest.

The Karolyis retired from coaching 3 years before being chosen as team coordinators for USA gymnastics. And all of their coached athletes had also retired so there was no conflicts of interest among the gymnasts, coaches, and Karolyis.

But then again what does everyone expect from figure skating, a sport where judges from the athletes' own countries are scoring the event? :sarcasm:

I'm not sure the comparisons to USA gymnastics and Mrs. Karolyi are accurate. I was watching the US gymnastic championships last night and the commentators kept saying that Marta K. was the person the competitors were hoping to please because of her major role in selecting the PanAm, world and Olympic teams. In fact, they talked as though Karolyi would have almost total control over the PanAm team selection.

The description of Carroll's role sounds as if it is more of an advisory, talent development position. If Carroll had direct input into selecting teams and awarding competition slots then I could see where coaching skaters who are competing for those spots would be a conflict of interest. However, this doesn't appear to be the case.

Lord knows the US could do a better job of nurturing its skating talent. A coach with Carroll's record is a precious resource. The USFSA should seek the input of FC as well as others like him.

 

[MK's Winter]

I'm not sure the comparisons to USA gymnastics and Mrs. Karolyi are accurate. I was watching the US gymnastic championships last night and the commentators kept saying that Marta K. was the person the competitors were hoping to please because of her major role in selecting the PanAm, world and Olympic teams. In fact, they talked as though Karolyi would have almost total control over the PanAm team selection. The description of Carroll's role sounds as if it is more of an advisory, talent development position. If Carroll had direct input into selecting teams and awarding competition slots then I could see where coaching skaters who are competing for those spots would be a conflict of interest. However, this doesn't appear to be the case. Lord knows the US could do a better job of nurturing its skating talent. A coach with Carroll's record is a precious resource. The USFSA should seek the input of FC as well as others like him.

That's a better way to look at it. I think the US needs a program similar to what Karolyi does for gymnastics. All skaters could benefit, especially pairs. I think Katia Gordeeva should head up US pairs

 

[gravy]

I'm not sure the comparisons to USA gymnastics and Mrs. Karolyi are accurate. I was watching the US gymnastic championships last night and the commentators kept saying that Marta K. was the person the competitors were hoping to please because of her major role in selecting the PanAm, world and Olympic teams. In fact, they talked as though Karolyi would have almost total control over the PanAm team selection.

The description of Carroll's role sounds as if it is more of an advisory, talent development position. If Carroll had direct input into selecting teams and awarding competition slots then I could see where coaching skaters who are competing for those spots would be a conflict of interest. However, this doesn't appear to be the case.

Lord knows the US could do a better job of nurturing its skating talent. A coach with Carroll's record is a precious resource. The USFSA should seek the input of FC as well as others like him.

I actually very much agree with this. Carroll isn't being hired as a Karolyi in the US. Maybe in the future he might, but it seems all he's doing now is just guiding skaters with what he calls his "sharpening and refining" skills with Gracie Gold and Denis Ten.

 

[MoonlightSkater]

Why not? Gymnastics has judges from all over the world from countries without gymnastics programs judging at elite events like Worlds and the Olympics. It's not as if judges were going to be cherry picked and thrown at those events without being tested. They have to pass examinations to be judges and start from lower levels. In gymnastics, there wasn't a single judge at the 2012 Olympics from the US, Russia, Romania, or China. I don't remember anyone ever calling any of those competitions corrupt because there weren't judges from those powerhouse countries.

You can't honestly tell me that a judge won't subconsciously mark up a skater from their own country. It helps their country's federation if a skaters gets a higher placement and ultimately the judge as well.

"Collective knowledge about the sport in America and Russia"?

Sorry, but that's an even more stupid argument because you're essentially saying that the US and Russia know more about the sport. Which is fine... but oh, wow! Skaters from the US and Russia have the leg up on everyone else because they obviously already represent what the judges want and expect. That IS a conflict of interest.

Could you also clarify what "collective knowledge" you mean exactly? One that for whatever reason cannot be thrown out even if it makes a sport way more less corrupt?

Technically, this is very much not true. Gymnastics has judges from lesser federations, just as skating has. They try not to use judges from the countries represented in event finals (not possible to avoid having same country judges in team and AA finals due to the number of countries represented), but this has led to lower quality judging in the finals than might be desired. They don't just pull random people from anywhere.

 

[Icey]

This seems like a ticklish situation to me, especially if you are one of the top coaches in the US.

 

[nam57]

This seems like a ticklish situation to me, especially if you are one of the top coaches in the US.

it is questionable as conflict of interest? What if your skater competes against his? What about him finding a new protege? Perhaps you don't agree with his melding with your skater ( and star struck parents looking for a magic wand)

 

[Alba]

I think Katia Gordeeva should head up US pairs

I wonder why that has not been done already.