The men's and pairs assignments made it seem like even more of a snub to Mirai.
And that is my issue with this whole thing: they weren't consistent in their decision-making. How can one do this and not expect casual fans to smell a rat?
The men's and pairs assignments made it seem like even more of a snub to Mirai.
That Mirai still does not understand why she didn't make the Olympic and World team is a concern. If she doesn't see that her inconsistent results over the past year since Worlds 2013 were what weighed against her, then she won't know what has to change for the future.
She can't wait until a few months before the 2018 Olympics to prepare in earnest for 2018 Nationals. Every season leading up to 2018, she has to go to her GP events prepared to compete for the podium, and do the same for each Nationals. She has to look as if she enjoys skating, not as if she wishes she was anywhere but out on the ice as she has been for the past three years.
To do all that, she needs a strong coach that she can stick with and work hard under, consistently.
Then maybe her dream will come true.
The concern would be that Polina would not finish high enough coupled with Gracie to ensure 3 skaters for 2015 Worlds if Mirai were sent based upon her very inconsistent results, inconsistent rotation of her jumps and her inability to hit when she absolutely must (2011 Worlds LP, 2012 Nationals, 2013 Nationals). Worlds 2014 are almost more important than the Olympics as they are the end of the quad and set up the federation for the next quad. If Mirai went to Worlds with Gracie and Polina (instead of Ashley), Gracie would almost HAVE TO win in order to make sure there were 3 spots for 2015 as Polina will be top 10 at best and if Mirai skates like she did at 4CC, she won't make the cut for the LP. Asking Gracie to win in Japan with Mao skating her farewell Worlds (at home) along with Suzuki and Murakami (unless she changes her mind) and the Russian ladies is a tall task...
I have seen no one on this board express a thought that she should have been sent to Worlds instead of Ashley. The idea has been that she should have been sent to Worlds, and Polina to Junior Worlds, which she had a chance to win.
Totally shipping for Mirai to go Kori and be Jason Brown's training mate and to get Rohene Ward choreography.
Wanted to note one person who commented on the status:
Rohene Ward: spoken like a true champion!!!! such grace you have!!! wishing you the best of luck in the years to come!! i am a huge fan!!!!
Totally shipping for Mirai to go Kori and be Jason Brown's training mate and to get Rohene Ward choreography.
What a nice fantasy -- maybe a glimmer of hope it could really happen.
If Mirai could pull off that kind of choreography, I couldn't care less whether or not she rotates the jumps.
And the best thing she could do now is find a coach, stick with that coach, and work her butt off to prove her SP and LP at Nats wasn't a fluke. Having said that, I wonder if she'll get any GP assignments.....
Classy ? I'd say she's most of all deluding herself.
I don't think she'll make the team next time either if she couldn't manage it this time.
USFSA anyway doesn't trust her anymore after all her bad skates since the 2010 OG.
Plus she never tried to fix her UR and was a better artistic skaters as a youngster than now.
Too late, hope she'll be happy in her life post skating.
Thanks Tulosai I don't think I ever knew how skaters got these assignments. I do hope Mirai gets one though - and skates "lights out!"
Good suggestion about her going to Kori. It almost seems like, from what everyone is speculating, that Mirai does need that mothering figure. However, Kori has known Jason since he was 5 years old and maybe her relationship with other skaters won't be the same. But she does seem to be calm. I agree that Rohene is an excellent and refreshing choreographer. But isn't he planning on competing next year? I wonder how much free time he'll have from his own preparation. I'm going to assume he's a lock for Jason's choreography. I would think that both he and Kori are pretty marketable for taking on skaters. I wonder if the Broadmoor is rethinking their statement that they didn't need any additional pros at their rink! Heh! Heh!
This post is definitely not classy.
What a nice fantasy -- maybe a glimmer of hope it could really happen.
If Mirai could pull off that kind of choreography, I couldn't care less whether or not she rotates the jumps.
Such a lovely, classy statement. Still expressing her disappointment, but with a positive attitude. I hope she does continue on, considering her GP medal and US Nationals performances.
I'm sure she knows why she didn't make the team. And I agree -- hopefully this was a bit of a lesson for her to excel in the seasons prior to the Olympics so that she appears more favourable when Nationals comes around. That being said, she wasn't purposely trying to get mediocre results the past few seasons, and it's not like Ashley getting really good results helped her cause.
Wanted to note one person who commented on the status:
Rohene Ward: spoken like a true champion!!!! such grace you have!!! wishing you the best of luck in the years to come!! i am a huge fan!!!!
Totally shipping for Mirai to go Kori and be Jason Brown's training mate and to get Rohene Ward choreography.
Yes, totally. Sometimes it takes just the right choreographer to bring out the best in you.
But for me, I think Kori had the perfect type of personality to coach Mirai. Kori also knows what it's like for people to doubt her/underestimate her and has had her share of naysayers over the years.
Also it's worth noting that Jason also struggled with URs, though not as a chronic as Mirai's. I remember at a JGP in Japan back in 2010 he like like 7 < between two segments of the competition. Part of the struggle was due to a growth spurt (he had grown 4 inches between nationals in 2010 and that JGP). He also had a slight flutz during his junior career.
But you never hear about that now....Kori did a great job managing Jason's growth spurt and helping him get over any major issues that could have become chronic issues in seniors. Tackling Mirai's UR problem would be a greater challenge, but I think if anyone can hack (in the good sense) a strategy to conquer it, it's Kori.
And Mirai also brings something to the table -- fairly good speed and ice coverage, two things that I think Jason needs to up his game more.