Nathan Chen

[Hollymolly]

I am more concerned that he won't be able to balance quads and choreo again...

Me either. But we still have 2 weeks for SA . Hope he can handle and decide well

 

[lurkz2]

Hope this fires him up for SkAm

 

[Mamamiia]

With all the Rule changes and everything, I really wish he could go to one early CS event since he wouldn’t have lots of time to work with Raf. I never trust distant coaching. Oh well, at least he would have 2 weeks to work on the FP. We still have no idea about the SP.

He might rethink if he is going to put that many quads, I haven’t seen any talk about the 4f yet.

Can he focus on training during the 2weeks though? Or does he still have to go back to school...?

 

[frida80]

I just remembered the last time he had a skate this bad. His SP at the Olympics. Huh. I feel strangely better now.

 

[oatmella]

6 quads plus the shorter program length will require greater stamina than ever ?

Hope Nathan isn’t too hard on himself or feeling too badly about this.

 

[Hollymolly]

I just remembered the last time he had a skate this bad. His SP at the Olympics. Huh. I feel strangely better now.

Lol

 

[frida80]

Can he focus on training during the 2weeks though? Or does he still have to go back to school...?

He’s still at school, but I hope he can speak to other figure skating collegiates and find out how they balanced training with school work.

 

[kimi492]

There’s a reason elite skaters don’t do college full time - I’m Nathan’s fan but this isn’t going to work. He didn’t have school and still had many problems last season and now those for sure have worsened with less time to practice.
Edit: at this point I’m worried about his chances of even making it to the GP Final

 

[oatmella]

What about Raf flying out to Yale for training pre-competition - which was mentioned as a possibility before.

I guess that’s probably not happening.

 

[frida80]

There’s a reason elite skaters don’t do college full time - I’m Nathan’s fan but this isn’t going to work. He didn’t have school and still had many problems last season and now those for sure have worsened with less time to practice.

I’m sure he has more than enough time to practice. It’s just the lack of the presence of a coach that’s the problem. He’s going to need someone to keep him on his toes locally.

 

[Mamamiia]

I think he will continue his school, at least for 2 years. Poor boy has to prove himself for the decision he made.

 

[frida80]

What about Raf flying out to Yale for training pre-competition - which was mentioned as a possibility before.

I guess that’s probably not happening.

It’ll probably happen for SA. Raf couldn’t come this week because Mariah had a comp.

 

[oatmella]

Nathan is trying to do everything at the highest level! College and skating.

There’s not much precedent here - other than maybe Paul Wylie - though I cant recall his exact situation right now.

 

[Mamamiia]

Is RAF in Japan with them?

 

[oatmella]

Really admire what Nathan is trying to do - including wanting to set a good example for young skaters!

I think it’s too early to say this isn’t working - college and skating.

 

[sheetz]

I'm actually not worried because there was ZERO need to go for such an ambitious layout, especially this early in the season. He should still be able to win SA with very watered down programs. He just needs to get that through his thick skull.

 

[oatmella]

Raf has several skaters going to SA as well, so I don’t think it is happening. Raf didn’t even mention it during the TSL interview

Unless the fam flies out to Yale too - including Gizmo as well lol. And Marin

 

[frida80]

Nathan is trying to do everything at the highest level! College and skating.

There’s not much precedent here - other than maybe Paul Wylie - though I cant recall his exact situation right now.

Debi Thomas in the 80’s at Stanford taking a premed track.

 

[oatmella]

Surely there is a decent or better coach that can work with Nathan in Connecticut ...

While I would love for Nathan to develop top ice dancer level SS at Gadbois, likely he needs more live coaching than that

 

[Mamamiia]

And they were not training for 6 quads either.