Mikhail Kolyada

[vorravorra]

Nobody had a proper break, it seems. Misha especially with his post-Olympics schedule of thesis defense, camp with Lambiel, camp with Raf, test skates, two early Challengers. Z/E and Z/G are the only ones to have stayed the same or improved.

T/M have letting down expectations weighing on them, personal issues plus a change of coach to someone inexperienced. Zhenya the obvious combo of everything, Alina physical changes plus the need to constantly prove something to someone that she seems to feel and I don't know what the atmosphere is like in that group after all that happened and the pressure on her. Aliev just has seemed to be running on empty so far. They were all under so much pressure last season and it seems to have drained them. I hope all of them do well at Nationals.

 

[vorravorra]

He burnt himself, still could not understand why he didn't take an year off his studies that was that extra strain he could have avoided.
It is easy to see a bigger picture when you are not in the middle of that all, someone or something tell him to end the season now, recover his stamina and re-assess his mental approach to competitions, but he just refuses to see it that way and won't give up without a fight (which I grudgingly admire in a way)

Pity he has spend the first half of the season fighting a losing battle instead of recovering his strength for the actually important competitions. He is at the point where he can largely tell the Fed go screw themselves because if he competes well they simply won't find a way to get around him to drop him off the team. But neither he nor Valentina are capable of dealing with things that way and arguing their case it seems. They really should learn. Does Valentina have no ambition whatsoever I wonder? For herself, not Misha or Stasya. Misha and Stasya are not going to compete forever.

 

[rachno2]

Video from practice
https://vk.com/mikhail_kolyada?z=video-160970610_456240795/8afbf2ec40a4d74e07/pl_wall_-24618099

 

[Tutto]

Pity he has spend the first half of the season fighting a losing battle instead of recovering his strength for the actually important competitions. He is at the point where he can largely tell the Fed go screw themselves because if he competes well they simply won't find a way to get around him to drop him off the team. But neither he nor Valentina are capable of dealing with things that way and arguing their case it seems. They really should learn. Does Valentina have no ambition whatsoever I wonder? For herself, not Misha or Stasya. Misha and Stasya are not going to compete forever.

Valentina simply hasn't been at that level long enough to be proficient in politicking, take Mishin he has been in the middle of things like forever, CSKA coaches have a powerful club behind them, but many no name coaches struggle despite the obvious talent (e.g Angelina Turenko)
It should have been a situation of 'we will grow together' but Valentina seems to be behind her student. It pains me to say that because I really like her but I feel she lost all the authority with Mika at this point, and that their partnership ran out its course. A coach should be someone a skater looks up to and trust their judgement to make decisions and so on. Of course, Nathan has proved that coaching is in fact grossly overrated , but honestly Mika could do with some wise guidance, no doubt they are learning but paying the price by doing so many mistakes along the way. The whole set up, being in a home city, a star of the show etc etc, is convenient for him so I guess no changes will be ever made but I wish he would at least try someone else as not to have regrets afterwards

 

[Tutto]

Video from practice
https://vk.com/mikhail_kolyada?z=video-160970610_456240795/8afbf2ec40a4d74e07/pl_wall_-24618099

Thanks for the link
Oh I don't like the way he is shaking his head like he is feeling the pressure in the ears and trying to unblock them, and why he is not wearing a hat?!
He didn't attempt any spins they might prove to be even more problematic than jumps, but how he can jump at all in this state is a wonder

 

[vorravorra]

Valentina simply hasn't been at that level long enough to be proficient in politicking, take Mishin he has been in the middle of things like forever, CSKA coaches have a powerful club behind them, but many no name coaches struggle despite the obvious talent (e.g Angelina Turenko)
It should have been a situation of 'we will grow together' but Valentina seems to be behind her student. It pains me to say that because I really like her but I feel she lost all the authority with Mika at this point, and that their partnership ran out its course. A coach should be someone a skater looks up to and trust their judgement to make decisions and so on. Of course, Nathan has proved that coaching is in fact grossly overrated , but honestly Mika could do with some wise guidance, no doubt they are learning but paying the price by doing so many mistakes along the way. The whole set up, being in a home city, a star of the show etc etc, is convenient for him so I guess no changes will be ever made but I wish he would at least try someone else as not to have regrets afterwards

Problem is that inside Russia there is not that much point in moving. And whether a coach has authority over the student depends on whether the student wants to give it to them.

 

[coldblueeyes]

Problem is that inside Russia there is not that much point in moving.

This is what I've been saying. He won't move outside of Russia simply because there's no money for him to do it. And inside of Russia there's nowhere for him to go.

 

[rachno2]

Tbh, I just wonder if a change of scenery might be good for Misha. He doesn't even have to move cities, but perhaps another rink, another coach, another routine might re-set his mentality. But it could also cause him undue stress. I don't think there is any magic coach who can solve his problems, especially since his technique is so good, but at the very least he could find someone with more political influence.

 

[vorravorra]

Tbh, I just wonder if a change of scenery might be good for Misha. He doesn't even have to move cities, but perhaps another rink, another coach, another routine might re-set his mentality. But it could also cause him undue stress. I don't think there is any magic coach who can solve his problems, especially since his technique is so good, but at the very least he could find someone with more political influence.

For another rink there is only Mishin.

 

[Tutto]

Problem is that inside Russia there is not that much point in moving. And whether a coach has authority over the student depends on whether the student wants to give it to them.

Sorry but I disagree with that, I used to work with children which of course is a bit different but I learnt that authority is a very funny thing you either have it or not, the latter is disastrous as no child however small would ever listen and obey you
In their case as I said Mika has grown as a skater faster than Valentina as a coach and of course the Olympics were a huge test to their partnership

- - - Updated - - -

For another rink there is only Mishin.

I vote for Urmanov at least he knows what is it like to compete at that level

 

[rachno2]

Urmanov didn’t withdraw Yulia at CoR though and he really doesn’t have any high-profile skaters right now, does he?

Anyway, like I said, there is no perfect coach. I’m just grasping at straws here.

 

[Tutto]

Mika will skate 5th straight after Maxim
At least he is in the 1st group - no long wait!

 

[rachno2]

Mika will skate 5th straight after Maxim
At least he is in the 1st group - no long wait!

Wow, so they just do a straight draw for nationals? No world standing?

Well, that’s the absolute best news we could get right now, short of him withdrawing

 

[Tutto]

Urmanov didn’t withdraw Yulia at CoR though and he really doesn’t have any high-profile skaters right now, does he?

Anyway, like I said, there is no perfect coach. I’m just grasping at straws here.

same here

 

[vorravorra]

We also should remember that you can't in all fairness tell a person that career is more important than being able to look at yourself in the mirror and this is a very real thing according to insiders, not some romantic notion.

 

[rachno2]

We also should remember that you can't in all fairness tell a person that career is more important than being able to look at yourself in the mirror and this is a very real thing according to insiders, not some romantic notion.

Who’s saying that?

Are you referring to Misha saying he couldn’t live with himself if he betrayed Valentina? If that’s still the case, and he really feels that way, then obviously I don’t think career is more important. I do admire and respect his loyalty, even if it can be frustrating at times.

I just wonder if the Olympics + this season might have changed the way he feels. And Valentina, too, for that matter. But I don’t know either of these people.

 

[vorravorra]

Who’s saying that?

Are you referring to Misha saying he couldn’t live with himself if he betrayed Valentina? If that’s still the case, and he really feels that way, then obviously I don’t think career is more important. I do admire and respect his loyalty, even if can be frustrating at times.

I just wonder if the Olympics + this season might have changed the way he feels

A bad season can't change the fact that he owes the very existence of his career to Valentina and he made a promise to stay with her. You don't only keep promises in fair weather. Actually I can't think of what current skater owes quite as much to their coach.

This isn't about Valentina making him keep his promise either.

 

[vorravorra]

Sorry but I disagree with that, I used to work with children which of course is a bit different but I learnt that authority is a very funny thing you either have it or not, the latter is disastrous as no child however small would ever listen and obey you
In their case as I said Mika has grown as a skater faster than Valentina as a coach and of course the Olympics were a huge test to their partnership

It's one thing with children and teenagers. Misha is a grown man. If he is not ready to listen to another coach and do as he is told he simply won't. Raf talked about this. And with Valentina you can hardly say no child however small obeys her and she has no authority over them. She wouldn't have been able to coach kids at all, let alone for so many years and successfully, and it's just plain not so if you go by what's been said by her students and their parents, they respect her and her expertise.

 

[coldblueeyes]

I think a lot of what's happening stems from Misha and what he wants to do, whether we like it or not. I don't think he's doing this only out of hard-headedness, he must believe he can still make something of this season, and he's taking his chances. I don't like it, we all don't really like it, but it is what it is, and I kinda made my peace with it. I just hope this isn't something that will kill his career like what happened with Yulia--and as it was commented here before, Urmanov tried, but ultimately wasn't able to do much with her. And Yulia was much younger than Misha is, she went through a lot of change too, but it still didn't matter in the end.

Every skater is different, and a tried and tested recipe won't work to all.

 

[vorravorra]

I think a lot of what's happening stems from Misha and what he wants to do, whether we like it or not. I don't think he's doing this only out of hard-headedness, he must believe he can still make something of this season, and he's taking his chances. I don't like it, we all don't really like it, but it is what it is, and I kinda made my peace with it. I just hope this isn't something that will kill his career like what happened with Yulia--and as it was commented here before, Urmanov tried, but ultimately wasn't able to do much with her. And Yulia was much younger than Misha is, she went through a lot of change too, but it still didn't matter in the end.

Every skater is different, and a tried and tested recipe won't work to all.

Yulia had a jump technique that did not survive puberty and she developed anorexia due to trying to stave off said puberty. I don't see what it has in common with Misha's situation :think: