Miki is just as threatening as Yu-na to Mao. Miki had beaten Mao on a few occasions. I believe beating Miki twice in a row helped Mao's confidence/nerve issue. If she had really trained alone since nationals, it only proves she is capab le of being in a competitive condition without a coach, and she will be even stronger with a right coach of her choice. With only a couple weeks left until worlds, let's just wait and see.
Mao leaves coach Arutunian
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Miki is just as threatening as Yu-na to Mao. Miki had beaten Mao on a few occasions. I believe beating Miki twice in a row helped Mao's confidence/nerve issue. If she had really trained alone since nationals, it only proves she is capab le of being in a competitive condition without a coach, and she will be even stronger with a right coach of her choice. With only a couple weeks left until worlds, let's just wait and see.
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- Jan 23, 2004
This is just speculation on my part but how do we really know that Mao has been training without a coach. For all we know Mao may already have a new coach and the announcement will be made after Worlds on who it is. Mao has been in Japan since December and training without a coach for that length of time strikes me as odd. To many conflicting reports.
Yeah, I also thought of it. It would be really nice if she has ones. But I saw a video clip before 4cc reporting Mao practicing "by herself" and enjoying deciding what to do for herself because she could address the elements that she felt anxious to her heart content.
When Miki was training in the US during the olympic season, she had someone assigned to train with when she was back in Japan. I wonder there is nobody who could temporarily help her. It would be nice if there is a temporary coach who could accompany her to the Worlds.
I sincerely hope that they don't have to regret the current situation later. I heartily wish her the best.
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I'm not liking the sound of that one. Mao wa s good at 4 Continents but 2/3 of her combinations were downgraded. She has yet to land her triple flip/triple toe cleanly, unless she did it at Japanese Nationals And while her three axel was wonderful, it is still a bit inconsistent, didn't she fall on it at Japanese Nationals...
I think Mao needs a coach.
Don't know if anyone mentioned what was said during the US 4CC's broadcast that RA opted not to attend with her since he had not been coaching her since before JPN Nationals and didn't feel that he could attend on behalf of a skater he really wasn't coaching.
As a coach iIt would seem to odd to me to have my skater not come back to where I was for months and then expect me to jump at attending a compeititon with her. If I hadn't seen her practice for months how would I know what was going on? What if, for example, she had changed back to old bad technique or dropped some piece of high point getting choreogrpahy. Now months later what would I as a coach do about it in compeitition practice? What about the strain on the relationship from the choice not to come back for months that would be almost unavoidable and probably couldn't help but play out somewhat and certainly wouldn't do anybody any good in the pressure situation?
Choas is almost never good for anyone in an already high pressure situation.
As a coach iIt would seem to odd to me to have my skater not come back to where I was for months and then expect me to jump at attending a compeititon with her. If I hadn't seen her practice for months how would I know what was going on? What if, for example, she had changed back to old bad technique or dropped some piece of high point getting choreogrpahy. Now months later what would I as a coach do about it in compeitition practice? What about the strain on the relationship from the choice not to come back for months that would be almost unavoidable and probably couldn't help but play out somewhat and certainly wouldn't do anybody any good in the pressure situation?
Choas is almost never good for anyone in an already high pressure situation.
Yeah, that's basically what Mao's rep said. She said that RA told her that he couldn't be responsible because he hadn't seen her for a while and had been concerned about her conditions.
But according to the same Mao rep, the initial arrangement was that RA would come to Asia for 10 days to train Mao and to attend 4CC. They had already prepared VISA for him. But she said that he called her a week before the trip and cancelled it because of the above mentioned reason.
I wonder how unreasonable RA might have felt to have been expected to attend the comp of a skater with whom he hadn't trained for about one and a half months. Is that too long even though he was offered approximately a week to train with her prior to 4CC? Possibly, I don't know.
On the other hand, it does not sound too unreasonable that Mao stayed in Japan up to 4CC because everyone wants to celebrate the New Year at home; she needed to attend ice shows at a lot of places in Japan; and Korea and Japan are so close that she wouldn't have wanted to waste training time by an international round trip to and from the US and the subsequent jet lag that can be very tiring. I assume that that's why they initially tried to arrange RA to come instead of her going.
I understand your concerns and logics as a coach. But I wonder if RA considered himself to be so fully responsible for Mao's techniques and performances. In a past interview that Ptichka referred us to her translation, RA says that his stance with skaters at this level is to act rather as a consultant.
Would you think that RA was nonetheless afraid of being considered as culpable for Mao's performance had she failed at 4CC?
BTW, just a minor point, RA came to JP Nationals. So he coached until JP Nationals was over. (Although this is off topic, who is the blond gentle lady who was sitting with him at K & C?)
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I suspect this little phrase Mao's enjoying deciding what to do herself, is a bit part of the issue here.
I suspect there is a lot more to this "split/seperation" than just Mao decided to spend a couple of weeks in Japan. Didn't Mao spend a good part of last Summer in Russia away from Rafael as well. Perhaps Rafael felt that Mao nad company weren't listening to his advice, weren't listening to his instructions. And they were having some disagreements so to speak.
Combined with Mao disappearing for over a month, during crucial preparation time for 4 Continents and then worlds. Maybe he felt like here he had a skater who wasn't listening to him, and whom he really wasn't training, but because he was the "official" coach, he would take responsibility if she messed up. Who knows, this is just a theory. Maybe Rafael decided "enough is enough." It sounds to me like Rafael in the words of Timothy Goebel/Frank Carroll, "fired Mao."
And I honestly kind of don't blame Rafael for feeling like he wasn't really coaching Mao, and so why should his name go out there in regard to her condition.
Interesting. I agree with your point that they were getting more separated than they used to be last year because Mao was away from him to work with TT. I recall her mom saying that Mao began to express her own will this season (which seems to be a sign of maturity). But I don't know if RA was uncomfortable about it since he said in the above mentioned interview back in 2006 that the skater at this level tend to be autonomous and that he would respect that. Besides, TT obviously helped Mao with something that RA could not have helped. RA seemed to acknowledge it when he said at SC that Mao's strength was her beauty (rather than 3A that she couldn't incorporate).
Yet, I saw some fans expressing concerns about their working relationships. It is not that they seemed to have conflicts or disagreements. Indeed, they seem to be in a very good term. As far as we see them in competitions, RA apparently seemed very supportive of Mao like a father. But some ppl were nonetheless concerned because the Mao team seemed to lack the leader. For example, it seemed challenging for RA, TT, and Lori to communicate with each other because they were spread out in the world whereas the Yuna team has all the human resources available around the local area with Brian taking the leadership. They seem to have a strong solidarity and good communications as a team whereas it seemed rather inappropriate to call all these three separate individuals as the "Mao team" even though each of them was so brilliant.
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There's a difference though between a coach thinking, yes a skater should have a say in his/her skating/training. And a coach being cool with being the coach "in name only."
Perhaps that's how Rafael felt because here Mao is preparing for 4 Continents and then Worlds just a couple of weeks later, and well somehow he's just not needed? If I'm the coach, I then began to seriously wonder why I'm even coaching the student at all because does the student really think they need me.
Of course maybe it's common for Japanese skaters to sometimes just train in Japan, but the statement about how Miki always had someone watching out for her, and Mao's loving deciding for "herself" doesn't sound that great of a situation to me.
To me, going coachless kind of suggests, that the skater thinks he/she doesn't have much more to learn at this point. And honestly, that's a bad sign in any sport.... Michelle Kwan learned the hard way, I think when she made the decision to go coachless..
A part of me wasn't sure how I felt about Rafael leaving Mao in the lurch. But if it's true that Mao was out training for over a month and half without him (and has been apart from him for so long) I can see Rafael feeling a bit tired of the situation. Perhaps he felt that if he was only going to be the coach in name only, then he'd rather not be the coach at all. Perhaps, he felt that Mao needed to learn that she does need a coach. Quite frankly, it would be far better for Mao to learn this lesson now, at this particular worlds, than to have to learn the lesson later. I think there is a balance between having control of your skating, and being to the point where your not learning anything new. And I agree with Rafael, Mao's strength isn't her triple axel, it's her gorgeous skating.
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I think it was a very smart move for Mao to train in Japan rather than coming to LA again and then go to Korea for 4CCs and then go to LA again and then go to Sweden for Worlds. So I don't get the part that this is a major factor for the falling out of the coach and student since this seems to be the most sensible thing to do. If I were the coach, I wouldn't think of what would be convenient for me but what would be the best for my student.I think in Rafael's part, he has other students and balancing time between those students is really hard.
I just don't see why the decision to train in Japan would prompt Rafael to "fire" Mao as some of posts above state.
I just don't see why the decision to train in Japan would prompt Rafael to "fire" Mao as some of posts above state.
And he might have other skaters he is training that made it rather tough to pick up and go away for almost two weeks. I have read other posters who stated that Mao really wanted RA all to herself. She is probably better off with someone else in that case.
You may have hit the nail on the head though with Mao's busy schedule. That might also have been a sore spot with RA. She is too busy to come back to him with shows and things in the middle of training for a compeitive season but he is expected to pick up his life to come to her. He is expected to be graced with a week of training time in almost two months and be her coach.
I don't know about being fully responsible or being blamed as RA's main motivation but imagine having not seen in her almost two months and then watching her practice the day before the comp and seeing her do something you know is wrong, you know you worked on months ago and what do you do? You have no idea what has been going on. Is she very minorly injured, tired, doing it for anther reason? You are on the outside looking in. Do you comment, keep your mouth shut since you are ignorant of her situation? What is your role any longer since decision have been made without you and are playing out in front of you?
Rafael clearly didn't think that Mao training for over a month and half without her coach was a smart idea.
Fuji TV sports news aired, 2 and a half hours ago, Mao practicing in the Chukyo rink. The reporter clearly stated that she's coachless. But Mao looked happy as usual, relaxed, saying she's now refining her elements and that she's very excited towards the Worlds. The nuance seemed to me that she can't wait till she displays on the ice of Scandinavium what she herself is making better now.
She'll do fine coachless, I believe.
She'll do fine coachless, I believe.
Perhaps she will. Reports are about Yu-na that she's landing the jumps but still feels a little pain, and isn't getting to train the amount of hours she wants to train. If Yu-na can't win this, I want it to go to Mao's.
But honestly, I really don't like the whole coachless idea.
hahaha! I could picture Mao being happy just as she looks almost always happy esp off ice! I am glad that she seems to be doing well and enjoying herself. She seems to be so positive-thinking and that is so good for her! Thanks for sharing!
Just a side note about the "enjoying deciding herself" part, I also recall her saying in an interview that she usually would decide what to do in her practice back in 2006 when she was working with RA.
Just a side note about the "enjoying deciding herself" part, I also recall her saying in an interview that she usually would decide what to do in her practice back in 2006 when she was working with RA.
It came all of a sudden without prior notice, so I couldn't record it. I'm sorry but you might try asking Fuji TV for it via 813-5531-1111, their customer center.
Wow, a suggestion of an international call! I'm sure that they would be very highly impressed if they receive such a call by a foreign fan inquiring Mao's news!
I feel that some may post it on YOUTUBE if you wait a while. There are so many Mao clips there thanks to the dedicated fans.
Like we really believe Fuji TV. Ando and her Quads and "Don't cry for me Mao Asada" and are we all singing now like Madonna? And all her 3 axels. She is pulling a Kwan and remember I was a kwan freak, I hope someone else wins worlds Like Tug Bug or Gizmo or there number 3 girl and her name has slipped my mind cause of to many beers. Her fed and her have no respect for coaches not of there country and for that I think I sould do a side step out of here :yes:
I think I might have lost a bit respect for you. What gives you the right to judge a skater based on a bunch of unconfirmed speculations?
Mao always spoke very highly of Arutunian in interviews. For all we know, she might have simply wanted to take advandage of state-of-art new rink in her home city, and be together with her family, friends and Aero, while Rafael couldn\'t leave his other students behind for such a long time. Or she might have decided to try and fix her flutz before Worlds (her lutz became visibly shaky recently, and in practices/shows she took considerable effort to take off the outside edge) and Rafael could not help her with that. I see no reason to make up some conspiracy theory here.
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