Mao leaves coach Arutunian

[ks777]

I have no idea. That's what's so weird. And for all I know I'm completely wrong (which would be a relief).

But I've learned any mismatch is a warning sign. And very strange and awkwardly timed public partings of ways followed by very atypical behavior is just not the preferred Japanese way of doing things IME (which is limited, yes).

what is the preferred japanese way of doing things? Just curious. Mao spent a year and a half in the US so I am sure she is a bit westernized. Like someone mentioned, she was homesick. She is still only 17yo. She missed her dog and her puppies. Maybe it wasn't worth the sacrifice anymore when she is training hard in a foreign country and she still can't win. She would rather have someone come to her and train her at home even though it is going to cost her but she has the money to do it for sure. She has done so many commercials and has so much endorsements.

Look at Shizuka Arakawa, she lived a pretty normal life. She went to a college and even worked at a sub shop when she was still competing. I am sure Shizuka has a lot of good memories, going to school and meeting so many friends. She was probably ok with it if she didn't win the gold at the Olympics. Not like her life was depended on it. She did sacrifice but not as much as Mao has already.

 

[Bennett]

what is the preferred japanese way of doing things? Just curious. Mao spent a year and a half in the US so I am sure she is a bit westernized. Like someone mentioned, she was homesick. She is still only 17yo. She missed her dog and her puppies. Maybe it wasn't worth the sacrifice anymore when she is training hard in a foreign country and she still can't win. She would rather have someone come to her and train her at home even though it is going to cost her but she has the money to do it for sure. She has done so many commercials and has so much endorsements.

She is enormously rich, I guess. I can't imagine how rich she may be. But perhaps just so enormously. She wouldn't buy a car or house, invest stocks, or buy diamond rings. So it makes sense to use that money for her skating.

But regarding the comparison with Shizuka.....
Shizuka had never been a favorite when she was attending college. Even going into the Olympics, few ppl expected her to win Gold.

But Mao is very different. She doesn't want to have anything other than OGM. So I feel that, in terms of career wise, training in a foreign country and working with a very best coach in the world is basically a good thing because she could really focus. But at the same time, it is reasonable to think of the quality of life other than skating. I suppose she REALLY missed Japan, which made her make this decision. Japanese environment has its con, namely, she has to deal with all the media attention that makes the life more complicated. Miki was damaged so much by that going into the olympics. Hope this wouldn't happen for Mao.

 

[sorcerer]

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/s/article/2008022790071605.html

^ Chunichi WEB news 5 hours ago speculates that Mao decided to part from RA after seeing herself do well without him in 4CC.

(I doubt this since Mao had changed her costumes for 4CC. To me it seemed as if she wanted a real fresh start.)

The writer also says that Mao wanted to stay in Japan after the Nats till Worlds, but RA couldn't do so, and that the biggest issue was the fact that her coach was unable to work exclusively for her.

I speculate that JSF had no say on this matter, though to me they don't seem to be comfortable with coaches controlling the skaters' schedules.

One thing for sure IMO, is that Mao won't add anything new to her programs in Goteborg.

 

[Mafke]

what is the preferred japanese way of doing things?

With as much diplomacy and tact as possible, both of which seem missing here.

That is, it's very easy to interpret these actions as a very public slap-in-the-face to RA. Maybe that's not what was intended, maybe it was.

Possibly this is a function of being a headstrong 17 year-old more than anything else, but, there's no plausible cover story (unless being homesick is a plausible cover story for the Japanese public), no statements of mutual support, just "you're fired! (snap!)" less than a month before the most important competition in the year.

 

[sillylionlove]

After thinking about this some more, I think that this is the worst decision that Mao could have made at this time. I am sure that this is incredible pressure from the JSF for her to win worlds and it not win then to at least beat Yu-Na who is probably a favorite to win. Now she is going to the event without a coach? If this doesn't add more stress and pressure then I don't know what does. What will happen if she doens't win? What will the JSF say then? How will they treat her? We know that they can be unfair at times (as in Nobu sitaution...yes I am not even going to try and spell his name right now).

This is going to be very interesting...either Mao will live up to the challenge or she will totally break. With Mao not having a coach and Yu-Na not really 100% it should be a very interesting worlds!!

 

[tonywalter]

Mao

Does Mao actually need a head coach?

She hasn't had a coach since Japanese Nationals, and did pretty well at 4cc. This official announcement is nothing new and will not either help or distract her from preparing for the worlds.

IMHO, Mao does not need a head coach, she can just hire a bunch of consultants, one focuses on her technique, another focuses on her artistry/choreography, maybe another warmup buddy/figure head to sit with well at competitions.

 

[kittyjake5]

Does Mao actually need a head coach?

She hasn't had a coach since Japanese Nationals, and did pretty well at 4cc. This official announcement is nothing new and will not either help or distract her from preparing for the worlds.

IMHO, Mao does not need a head coach, she can just hire a bunch of consultants, one focuses on her technique, another focuses on her artistry/choreography, maybe another warmup buddy/figure head to sit with well at competitions.

I have had the same thoughts. I think Mao will be fine at Worlds. I am pretty sure she will have her team minus Rafael helping her to prepare. She really won't be alone at Worlds and I don't think Rafael's absence will affect her skating at all. JMO.

 

[Bennett]

I have had the same thoughts. I think Mao will be fine at Worlds. I am pretty sure she will have her team minus Rafael helping her to prepare. She really won't be alone at Worlds and I don't think Rafael's absence will affect her skating at all. JMO.

Who else does she have other than RA right now? Does she have anybody else who could go to Worlds with her and give her advice? We saw two unknown ladies sitting with her at K & C at 4CC; but are they coaches? I heartily hope that she has someone going into Worlds.

I understand that she is getting tired of living in a foreign country. And perhaps she has been homesick for a long time, which may be a part of reason why she has been psychologically so vulnerable this season. As I see it from a big frame, perhaps going back to where you feel comfortable would be the most rational choice. But the timing is really interesting. It seems to me as if the timing of this move were made more emotionally after coming back to Japan in December finding herself not wanting to go back to the US any longer, rather than pragmatically weighing pros and cons of leaving him before or after the Worlds (THIS IS JUST MY SPECULATION; please don't take it as a "fact"). There are lots of international students of her age in Japan, the US, and Europe. And they would certainly find it sometimes painful to go back from home to where they study. But somehow few students choose to risk their studies jeopardized middle of the quarter/semester because of homesick. I really wish she could have waited a month longer. The worlds is the biggest competition of the season and having no coach sounds a really risky decision. I wonder if she is really aware of it. Or possibly there might be other important personal issues that made her urgently make this decision (THIS IS ALSO JUST MY SPECULATION; please don't take it as a reported fact). Anyway, it's her life and her privacy and I shouldn't be sounding as if I were judging her choice. But I just feel concerned about her outcome at Worlds and hope this works out well for her.

BTW, I wonder if she attends school right now, having permanently come back from the US to Japan. She's already been in Japan for two months.

 

[Bennett]

Still with him?

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20080227-00000051-mai-spo

A new report says that Mr. Ito, the head of the reinforcement of FS division at JFS (sorry if my translation of his position is inprecise) comments:

Asada likes the rink at Chukyo Univ. The training environment is better than that in the US. The coaching relationship with coach Arutunian is still on going. The next season's coaching and practice site will be decided after the season is over.

So is she still with him???? I really hope that he could come to the Worlds.

 

[Medusa]

Have you read the article on icenetwork? It gets more curious every minute, the article says

"All of the arrangements had been made for his visas and travel," said Wada. "He said he could stay for 10 days. He was going to come to Nagoya for four days and then go to South Korea."

Wada says Arutunian then changed his plans.

"One week before the event, he told me he had not seen Mao train for quite a while and was wondering about her condition," she said. "He said he could not be responsible for her, so she worked by herself and the Japan Skating Federation stepped in and supported her."

Icenetwork on Asada and Arutunian

He had not seen Mao train for quite a while? That sounds very strange...

 

[Wrlmy]

So the coaching is still on-going, but Arturnian hasn't coached Mao for more than a couple months, and team Asada will choose another coach after worlds? That is one complicated way to say Mao and Arturnian parted. Seems to me Mao's representative is making the situation sound really fishy when it's actually not.

 

[Bennett]

Wada said Arutunian, who once mentored five-time world champion Michelle Kwan, will not coach Mao at the worlds.

The Kyodo story said Mao would select a new coach after the season.

"We never had any type of long-term agreement with Rafael in the first place," Wada noted. "But we have not decided to stop working with him."

So he WILL NOT come to the worlds. But it is possible for them to choose him work with Mao in Japan after the Worlds???? Is this what she is implying?

Wada was especially disturbed by the claims that Mao had been having trouble adjusting to living and training abroad.

"This is totally wrong," Wada said. "To the contrary, Mao likes training in California. She can relax and have privacy that she does not in Japan."

I don't get what's the issue at all. Then why is she back? Just because of the rink?

Does she go to school as well?

 

[Wrlmy]

Speculation started two weeks ago when Arutunian did not coach Mao at the Four Continents Championships in South Korea earlier this month. Mao won the competition, and with rival Kim Yu Na withdrawing due to an injury, is the favorite to win the world title next month in Sweden

Has Yu-na withdrawn? Can't say I'm shocked because of her injury, but I was looking forward to seeing her at worlds

Back to the topic, I guess Mao came back because she was homesick and felt more comfortable in Japan, not because she was having any sort of mental problems as the "anonymous source" implied. I just think her representative at IMG reacted too defensively, possibly causing more controversies and speculations.

 

[Bennett]

Has Yu-na withdrawn? Can't say I'm shocked because of her injury, but I was looking forward to seeing her at worlds

Back to the topic, I guess Mao came back because she was homesick and felt more comfortable in Japan, not because she was having any sort of mental problems as the "anonymous source" implied. I just think her representative at IMG reacted too defensively, possibly causing more controversies and speculations.

No, the article is talking about Yuna's withdrawing from 4CC, not the worlds.

So she just wanted to stress "not mental problem"? But I don't really see any reports saying that Mao is suffering from mental problems, but just referring to language and unfamiliar environment, which is understandable and sounds likely, too. Besides, these are the "softest" rationales you would cite when parting from a coach. Why is this representative upset about that though? Are they still looking for opportunities to work abroad perhaps?

Regarding RA's availability at competitions, they wanted to have RA at 4CC and had an agreement with him as such. But it seems that he changed his mind a week before the comp. He has responsibility for other students. This lady also sounds like suggesting that he didn't want to take the responsibility of a competition result of a student whom he didn't see for such a long time. Is this a story that this lady implying by her comments? And then the same goes with the Worlds? I feel that she is making it more complicated than it needs to be. Mao is smart. She doesn't make any comments that may lead to any controversy.

In any case, I am really really sorry that RA is not coming to worlds.

 

[MissCleo]

All of my experience with Japanese people (and other Asian people for that matter) makes me think something is seriously wrong somewhere.

I have no idea what you are talking about. What do you mean by "something is seriously wrong"? Where are you getting at? Could you please provide intelligible explanations?

What I think is meant is that there seems to be somehting more to this story. With all the double-speak going on, it truly seems that there is somehting else. Just based on RA not being at 4CC, speculation began about a separation. Now, a week later, the big announcement comes, I think that it is reasonable to speculate as to why. (well, not just based on Asada being Asian though)

 

[summervie]

But what if Mao, while staying at home and practicing at the new rink, what if she really came to realization that (while the USA was ok) this way she feels herself MUCH MORE comfortable and happy? And what if JSF decided to give her time and some temporarily local coach with Rafael coming to Japan before the 4CC and guiding her during the competition. To figure out everything later.
But maybe Rafael was too dissapointed with this situation and eventually decided not to come (maybe realizing that there is no way for Mao to return to him). So he is still officially her coach and he is not coming to the Worlds.
What if there is no covert story at all?

 

[attyfan]

But what if Mao, while staying at home and practicing at the new rink, what if she really came to realization that (while the USA was ok) this way she feels MUCH MORE comfortable and happy? And what if JSF decided to give her time and some temporarily local coach with Rafael coming to Japan before the 4CC and guiding her during the competition. To figure out everything later.
But maybe Rafael was too dissapointed with this situation and eventually decided not to come (maybe realizing that there is no way for Mao to return to him). So he is still officially her coach and he is not coming to the Worlds.
What if there is no covert story at all?

This strikes me as very plausible. After all, it wasn't that long ago that Rafael was all set to move to coach Michelle, and then Michelle was too injured to compete, and he could easily remember what the Japanese Federation did to Callahan -- so he might regret any sudden decision that could cost him a lot of his other students, when the potential pay-off is so uncertain.

 

[Linny]

Callahan

What is the story with Richard Callahan and JSF? I don't remember this...
Linny

 

[Mathman]

What is the story with Richard Callahan and JSF? I don't remember this...

They snatched Shizuka Arakawa away from him quite abruptly, and sent her to Tarasova instead.

 

[Wrlmy]

What is the story with Richard Callahan and JSF? I don't remember this...
Linny

Back when Callahan was coaching Arakawa, JSF changed Arakawa's coach to Tarasova almost right before worlds without official announcement (I'm not too sure about this part). Arakawa went on to win her first and only worlds title, so it turned out to be a great move for her. I remember there were speculations that this was the reason Callahan refused to coach Yoshie Onda.