Medvedeva leaving Eteri
- Thread starter Grin
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I think her final triple Lutz was clean, at Japanese Nationals... but that's just one competition though.
Just watched it, and I stand corrected. Looks like a correct edge. A shame that it came when it no longer mattered.
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- Nov 9, 2009
Would be refreshing to see Medvedeva in something
other than the literal and posey type Averbukh choreographies
I mean, if this means she'll get a different choreographer as well, Do we know?
other than the literal and posey type Averbukh choreographies
I mean, if this means she'll get a different choreographer as well, Do we know?
So first off, I'm not 100% assuming Evgenia is going to Orser, but awaiting confirmation from her, or Brian, or from whoever her new coach is via a reliable journalist. That said, because it is a possibility and because I adore Team Cricket and the CC's denizens I'm going to answer this as if she is going there because I've seen plenty of misinformed opinions about Brian Orser and Team Cricket:
1) Brian does not take on maxed out skaters. According to his friend Doug Haw on TSL Brian has rejected several famous skaters who he felt were maxed out in the past. And he's been right so far according to Haw, since none went on to improve significantly. So people thinking he would take E on just because she's famous or because he's a nice guy I think are mistaken. He may be nice, but he has high standards and wants to focus on an elite group of skaters with potential and who will work together well.
2) Brian is not one for quick fixes, as a couple others have mentioned upthread. More than once he's stated clearly that any full-time skater has to commit for at least a year and a half before seeing any bigger results. He is not a fan of coach hopping. He and Tracy and the entire team are about rebuilding skaters with high potential which means usually means starting with SS. Improving SS will often cause the skater to need to adjust their jumping and other technique (again said upthread). That said, let's not pretend that Brian's team hasn't also helped polish tech including jumps. Yuzuru has more than once explicitly stated that he came to Brian because he admired how Javi's 4S improved. Y's 4S grew under Orser (but far from immediately because Brian said nope to immediately training jumps and instead had Y work on SS and other fundamentals) and then Y added the 4L and 4Lz, both of which he has landed in competition. If Y heals to everyone's satisfaction he may (or may not, depending on what he, Brian, and Tracy decide is best for his personal goals and health) stabilize the 4L and/or esp the 4Lz, and maybe seriously work on adding the 4A, Yuzuru's childhood dream. So although Brian is very clear about wanting the full package, let's not forget that he and his team helped talented skaters on more than artistry, transitions, skating skills.
3) Brian prefers to treat his skaters respectfully, which is why he asked Javi's permission before saying yes to Yuzuru. I suspect Brian would have accorded Gabby and Elizabet the same courtesy, just as he will likely consult Yuzuru if Boyang will be spending any time outside of the summer season, or if Brian wanted to pair them up during the summer like he used to do with Yuzuru and Javier (I'm assuming Javi will be doing Europeans and maybe a couple B competitions beforehand, so he may end up training a bit later than usual and he and Boyang--if he does come to Brian--won't overlap or won't overlap for long). The recent ice show in Korea may have been in part a test run to see how Jun and Boyang, Brian and Boyang, Gabby and Evgenia, Brian and Evgenia get on. Gabby and Evgenia seem to be friendly on social media, so it may be a sign that if E will be added that Gabby has been consulted and is cool with the change (ditto Boyang and Jun, though B may end up working alongside Yuzu, since Jun has already been paired with Shingo as per Shingo's interview on Absolute Skating this past Feb).
Who is Brian working with right now? Feel free to add; I know of 6 skaters he was working with this year, but he is listed as the second coach to Gabby.
Stephen Gogolev (Brian and Lee Barkell, B listed first on SC site)
Shingo Nishiyama (Shingo mentions Brian and Tracy as his coaches in the interview on Absolute Skating from this Feb, also Ghislain but not sure if he would be listed as he works with Yuzuru and yet is not listed on his ISU bio)
Junhwan Cha (Brian)
Yuzuru Hanyu (Brian and Tracy)
Javier Fernandex (Brian and Tracy)
Elizabet Tursynbaeva (Brian)
Gabrielle Daleman (Lee and Brian)
Doug Haw mentioned that Brian prefers to work with 4-6 skaters (I'm guessing as primary coach), so if Javi is now part time there might be room for another part timer this year, so maybe someone who doesn't mind being part time this year? Idk. Otherwise, Brian is the only or primary coach of 5 skaters. The statement he made about 1-2 skaters may have depended on whether Javi and/or Yuzu decided to retire or scale back, but this is my guess.
Conrad Orzel has apparently joined Team Cricket -- the speculation is that he may be going to Lee, but that has not been officially conformed, so no idea if Brian is a secondary coach or not)
Again, please feel free to correct if you have additional info. I've not included other CC skaters who don't list Brian as a coach, since I assume people like Boyang, Wakaba, and Evgenia would be interested first in Brian (and almost certainly Tracy but most initial attention seems to be paid to B).
1) Brian does not take on maxed out skaters. According to his friend Doug Haw on TSL Brian has rejected several famous skaters who he felt were maxed out in the past. And he's been right so far according to Haw, since none went on to improve significantly. So people thinking he would take E on just because she's famous or because he's a nice guy I think are mistaken. He may be nice, but he has high standards and wants to focus on an elite group of skaters with potential and who will work together well.
2) Brian is not one for quick fixes, as a couple others have mentioned upthread. More than once he's stated clearly that any full-time skater has to commit for at least a year and a half before seeing any bigger results. He is not a fan of coach hopping. He and Tracy and the entire team are about rebuilding skaters with high potential which means usually means starting with SS. Improving SS will often cause the skater to need to adjust their jumping and other technique (again said upthread). That said, let's not pretend that Brian's team hasn't also helped polish tech including jumps. Yuzuru has more than once explicitly stated that he came to Brian because he admired how Javi's 4S improved. Y's 4S grew under Orser (but far from immediately because Brian said nope to immediately training jumps and instead had Y work on SS and other fundamentals) and then Y added the 4L and 4Lz, both of which he has landed in competition. If Y heals to everyone's satisfaction he may (or may not, depending on what he, Brian, and Tracy decide is best for his personal goals and health) stabilize the 4L and/or esp the 4Lz, and maybe seriously work on adding the 4A, Yuzuru's childhood dream. So although Brian is very clear about wanting the full package, let's not forget that he and his team helped talented skaters on more than artistry, transitions, skating skills.
3) Brian prefers to treat his skaters respectfully, which is why he asked Javi's permission before saying yes to Yuzuru. I suspect Brian would have accorded Gabby and Elizabet the same courtesy, just as he will likely consult Yuzuru if Boyang will be spending any time outside of the summer season, or if Brian wanted to pair them up during the summer like he used to do with Yuzuru and Javier (I'm assuming Javi will be doing Europeans and maybe a couple B competitions beforehand, so he may end up training a bit later than usual and he and Boyang--if he does come to Brian--won't overlap or won't overlap for long). The recent ice show in Korea may have been in part a test run to see how Jun and Boyang, Brian and Boyang, Gabby and Evgenia, Brian and Evgenia get on. Gabby and Evgenia seem to be friendly on social media, so it may be a sign that if E will be added that Gabby has been consulted and is cool with the change (ditto Boyang and Jun, though B may end up working alongside Yuzu, since Jun has already been paired with Shingo as per Shingo's interview on Absolute Skating this past Feb).
Who is Brian working with right now? Feel free to add; I know of 6 skaters he was working with this year, but he is listed as the second coach to Gabby.
Stephen Gogolev (Brian and Lee Barkell, B listed first on SC site)
Shingo Nishiyama (Shingo mentions Brian and Tracy as his coaches in the interview on Absolute Skating from this Feb, also Ghislain but not sure if he would be listed as he works with Yuzuru and yet is not listed on his ISU bio)
Junhwan Cha (Brian)
Yuzuru Hanyu (Brian and Tracy)
Javier Fernandex (Brian and Tracy)
Elizabet Tursynbaeva (Brian)
Gabrielle Daleman (Lee and Brian)
Doug Haw mentioned that Brian prefers to work with 4-6 skaters (I'm guessing as primary coach), so if Javi is now part time there might be room for another part timer this year, so maybe someone who doesn't mind being part time this year? Idk. Otherwise, Brian is the only or primary coach of 5 skaters. The statement he made about 1-2 skaters may have depended on whether Javi and/or Yuzu decided to retire or scale back, but this is my guess.
Conrad Orzel has apparently joined Team Cricket -- the speculation is that he may be going to Lee, but that has not been officially conformed, so no idea if Brian is a secondary coach or not)
Again, please feel free to correct if you have additional info. I've not included other CC skaters who don't list Brian as a coach, since I assume people like Boyang, Wakaba, and Evgenia would be interested first in Brian (and almost certainly Tracy but most initial attention seems to be paid to B).
Zhenya moving to Orser would be so crazy cool and not just bc she'd be living in my city. I truly admire her desire to have a long lifetime in the sport and to push herself to improving and challenging her approach, her technique This move would be very brave on her part and I am deeply excited to see what her next season would look like.
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- Mar 14, 2018
Congratulations to her. It's never easy to leave a long and successful coaching partnership but sometimes its necessary for long term growth and maturity.
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- Oct 30, 2012
This is truly shocking. Evgenia chooses whatever makes her happy, and I should be be happy for that. But I am afraid that her skating will be in decline, at least she wouldn't be as successful in earning points as with Eteri.
I know she may fix the imperfections in her jumps, or skates to different types of program, and people will praise her for that. But I am afraid without the Eter's training methods, she would't be as consistent. Alina's jumps are better, the upcoming juniors' jumps are better, but her consistency is unmatched. Also without the competitive environment in Eter's school, a lot of things can happen.
So far, there has no precedent that a skater gets better after leaving Eteri.
I know she may fix the imperfections in her jumps, or skates to different types of program, and people will praise her for that. But I am afraid without the Eter's training methods, she would't be as consistent. Alina's jumps are better, the upcoming juniors' jumps are better, but her consistency is unmatched. Also without the competitive environment in Eter's school, a lot of things can happen.
So far, there has no precedent that a skater gets better after leaving Eteri.
Her skating will decline/stagnate if she remains with Eteri, and the juniors will just overcome her in the points game. Consistency won't save her then, just as it didn't save her this season.
Her future with Eteri is already written, so she might as well gamble and roll the dice. Med has all the medals except for the OGM. She will not get the OGM if she stays with Eteri. Furthermore, she might also be motivated to become a more "complete" skater and grow artistically, which she also won't get if she stays with Eteri.
The move is shocking in terms of her long relationship with Eteri, but not shocking if you look at the reasoning and motives. Judging by Oleg Vasiliev's statement, actual figures in the skating world were expecting this move for a while.
I actually think Med is innately a very artistic skater. She caught my eye at 2015 Nationals. Among the Radianovas, Lips, and Tukts, her skating stood out for its special "it" factor, the same "it" factor that you see with Kostornaia now. I still remember after 2015 Nationals how everyone around here was raving about her artistry. She never fulfilled her artistic potential because she got saddled with those terrible mime programs. Hopefully artistry is something she's able to explore more fully with her new coach, because she does have it.
Evgenia moving to Brian Orser has not been confirmed yet - as far as I know. But if it’s happening - I am very happy for her.
And super excited for a potential Shae-Lynn program for Evgenia
I think she might work with David Wilson actually, because I remember that he did one of her EXs last year. But yeah, a Shae-Lynn program for Evgenia should be interesting! (and hopefully a lot different than the repetitive sad story programs she always does...)
Also a side note: if Evgenia is truly moving to Orser, I wonder how Koola King would react since the person he/she hates the most is now working with the coach of the person he/she loves the most
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- Feb 12, 2015
I’m glad she’s going somewhere else, she deserves better (and I hope she’ll finally get some good choreo). But it feels like whenever a successful student leaves, rumors about going to Orser come out. Considering how RU skaters are rarely sent aboard for training (aside from temporary camps during off-season), I doubt it. We’ll have to wait the official RU Fed announcement about to whom she’s switching to.
Just out of curiosity. Have there been speculations on who these famous skaters were?
Mao obviously didnt care if it made you happy or not; it made her happy, and that is what matters to her. She didn't have to do the lutz but she wanted to. When she succeeded doing that in her last competition, why should I, "watching TV from the comfort of my couch", not be happy for her?
Yuna Kim did not do the loop because of problem with her intervertebral disc, I think. It's not like she needed it anyway as she already has the most reliable lutz and flip. Unlike Mao, Zhenya does not have a triple axel hence landing a triple lutz is important for her to remain competitive. (Going back into lurkdom again)
Not in the interview for sure. Doug is Brian's friend and colleague and definitely did not want to harm their friendship and working relationship by mentioning who it was. These refusals wouldn't have had to happen recently either, since they were talking not just about the men at the Oly but also broader coaching issues. I've not heard about any speculation from others but I've also not gone looking. I assume many skaters might not want that info out there, even if they are retired now.
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- Feb 24, 2012
I am confused. What is official? Is it that it is official that this is a rumour - an official rumour?
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