Mia Kalin "steps" away from sport

[Ic3Rabbit]

Because the new age rule was supposed to PREVENT stuff like this from happening. Keeping the teenagers in juniors was supposed to be good for their mental health.

Sorry, but keeping someone in a level of sport will not change the fact that she possibly had an abusive person in her life whether that be a coach or whoever. Someones skating level won't change that no matter what kind of "law" they want to throw over it like a band-aid and hope it goes away instead of actually getting real with it.

Thankfully, the skater in this instance recognized it herself or with the help of others in her life whom care about her and she is doing what she needs to do to get proper mental health help. I applaud Mia for this and wholly support her.

 

[TallyT]

Because the new age rule was supposed to PREVENT stuff like this from happening. Keeping the teenagers in juniors was supposed to be good for their mental health.

Supposed to HELP prevent it and that was not its only or even major purpose. No one seriously thinks there is a magic wand rule that can stop all abusive coaches and stage parents, the best TPTB can do is try to weed out the rotters (not that they are doing much good at that but then they weren't before.)

 

[lariko]

New age rule will only help if junior competitions are suppressed in popularity (whatever popularity FS has), so winning them does not carry any real or perceived gains and associated pressure. While it doesn't seem to be the direct source of conflict here, I wish people lay off the skaters who are labeled non-artistic in juniors, because the emphasis on early perfection in absolutely everything and at once does come from fans. Also, well, even out the demands to the genders, since skating is still a gendered sport. Belittling of the technical/athletic side for women does nobody any good.

 

[Jontor]

Good for Mia to stand up for herself! Sad for us though...I really thought she was a force to be a big player in the future.

In the long run, I think we will see more of this because of the senior age rule changed in women. This sport has a history of being for 15 year old girls. It is a whole different mind set now. And I don't think these young girls want to submit to it the same way in this very expensive sport.

 

[TallyT]

While it doesn't seem to be the direct source of conflict here, I wish people lay off the skaters who are labeled non-artistic in juniors, because the emphasis on early perfection in absolutely everything and at once does come from fans. Also, well, even out the demands to the genders, since skating is still a gendered sport. Belittling of the technical/athletic side for women does nobody any good.

I agree but would expand it out - people should lay off artistic junior skaters or those with blossoming skating skills but their jumps are still a work in progress as well. Of course 13-16 year olds have immature artistry, even the Russian overhyped girls did, it's just people pretended otherwise because they were the in thing. Thing is, once they become (or became in the past) seniors, such criticism (as long as it doesn't become bashing and yes, I know it has done that even before social media, my man got it in the neck as a boy and I don't like it even when I don't like the skater) is part of the sport.

We should remember that juniors are junior for a lot of reasons.