Nathan Chen

[shine]

I guess that confirms Frank Carroll was a bad coach. J/k

Brian has a very specific jumping technique, specifically with landing. Nathan would have to switch his technique with Brian to master it. But that’s just one detail. THe biggest is Yale, or college in general. It’s incompatible with the TCC.

Agreed. I do remember reading BO talk about how he changes his students' technique when they first come to him.

Also I think BO was always just fans' wishful thinking for Nathan after the OG. Like you said, knee jerk reaction because of what we just saw. While I did also like the idea I never thought it was feasible for him to move all the way to Canada basically forgoing everything just for skating. He just doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would do that and hence my constant worry he was going to retire right after Pyeongchang and the ongoing unceratinty I still feel just to even see him compete until Beijing. He strikes me as someone who's very multifaceted and doesn't see skating as the end all and be all for his life, unlike some of his rivals. I also feel that he might be getting bored with his current life in Cali - not that I think he doesn't like it, but I get the sense he's very eager to experience something new, or maybe something kids his age normally do. And hence this insistence on going to Yale. It's one thing to go to Yale, but another entirely to go to Yale with peers your age. To many of us, skatign can't wait, but perhaps to him, that also can't wait.

Also I don't see BO as the magic answer to everything just beacuse he has produced two Olympic champions. So many things have to click for success to happen. While BO may be one of the solutoins, he's certainly not the only one.

 

[yyyskate]

Does anyone seriously think Nathan is not going to be traveling for sponsorship commitments this coming season?

He's adding even possibly new sponsors to his roster.

This is a guy who just did that WALMART pop up appearance - he really doesn't look any closer to saying No than before?

Part of me loves that about him - but I think it is unrealistic to expect he's really just going to stop traveling all over the place - maybe cut back, but completely eliminate - I doubt it.

Honestly, all depends on your goals and passions. if you wanna win a OGM, do whatever it takes to win. If you wanna college or else. do what you want.

Eventually, it will all come down to this. same as the sponsorship obligations. make reasonable assessment then make strategies favoring your goal. Really hope, Nathan learned the lesson from his last OG,

and really hope he is in it for second OG is actually because Figure Skating is his true passion.

well, it is nice to hear that he changed his mind about retirement because the love and appreciation from fans. but the answer this little fans is looking for from Nathan is that, one day he figure it out, he is doing it for passion and love of figure skating.

 

[yyyskate]

Yale allows one gap year. So 2021-2022 will be it.

His jump landings were looking better at worlds. Especially the flow out of his 4Lz. After the fatigue set in, things went awry with his last two quads.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Almost all 18 year old skaters are rough around the edges and improve afterwards. Now that he has his quads, it’s all about smoothing out the edges. Gaining consistency. Improving the quality. Adding transitions. Improving his skating skills.

Nathan already has the most important thing already. A competitive mindset that allows him to focus.

yeah, and I wanna the best coaching team for him in those aspects.

 

[discode]

What’s TSL anyway?

The skating lesson.

https://twitter.com/SkatingLesson/status/981256525216919557

one of their many comments.


@yyyskate

I totally respect the wishful thinking. We all want is best for him. I just don't know how a new coach on top of Yale would work out. For now, Raf seems like he'll work with Nathan and I can't think of anyone else who would.

 

[frida80]

Does anyone seriously think Nathan is not going to be traveling for sponsorship commitments this coming season?

He's adding even possibly new sponsors to his roster.

This is a guy who just did that WALMART pop up appearance - he really doesn't look any closer to saying No than before?

We don't know what's in his contracts - maybe he is not in a position to say no. Nathan even mentioned his 'binding contract' when Alex Shib asked in one of the videos if he was going to be participating in every SOI show.

Part of me loves that about him - but I think it is unrealistic to expect he's really just going to stop traveling all over the place - maybe cut back, but completely eliminate - I doubt it.

It’s not an olympic year, so it means fewer ads and meetings he needs to attend. USFS is the one I’m worried about. They had no stars. But again, it’s a non Olympic year, so his schedule should be far less grueling.

 

[sheetz]

I haven't looked too closely at Yale's policies but I think he can major in business/economics and just take the minimum requirements for med school. That way requires much less laboratory work than if he majored in biology or chemistry. And I think the lab courses might be available during the summer.

 

[discode]

Most of his sponsors now aren't going to last much longer I would imagine. They'll move on to Summer Olympians. He'll have obligations of course, but no way will he be as busy as he was going up to PC by any means. USFS who knows what they'll do, but it's not like FS is super in demand in the US.

 

[frida80]

Agreed. I do remember reading BO talk about how he changes his students' technique when they first come to him.

Also I think BO was always just fans' wishful thinking for Nathan after the OG. Like you said, knee jerk reaction because of what we just saw. While I did also like the idea I never thought it was feasible for him to move all the way to Canada basically forgoing everything just for skating. He just doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would do that and hence my constant worry he was going to retire right after Pyeongchang and the ongoing unceratinty I still feel just to even see him compete until Beijing. He strikes me as someone who's very multifaceted and doesn't see skating as the end all and be all for his life, unlike some of his rivals. I also feel that he might be getting bored with his current life in Cali - not that I think he doesn't like it, but I get the sense he's very eager to experience something new, or maybe something kids his age normally do. And hence this insistence on going to Yale. It's one thing to go to Yale, but another entirely to go to Yale with peers your age. To many of us, skatign can't wait, but perhaps to him, that also can't wait.

Also I don't see BO as the magic answer to everything just beacuse he has produced two Olympic champions. So many things have to click for success to happen, and BO may be one of the solutoins, but certainly not the only one.

Yeah.. while people were cheering him for Yuzu and Javi, I was super upset that he did focus enough on Gabby. Brian hasn’t been good for several skaters. Nam was one example. Adam is another.

I think the solution is more nuanced. Higher a few ice dancing coaches to help him with his SS. A spin coach. Plan specific transitions for his jumps early in the season. Modest changes not. Not huge ones.

 

[yyyskate]

@discode I give a wishful suggestion like TSL, Nathan may try or may not even consider. if it does not work out , it does not. but I am open to it as a little fan. and don't think it is absolutely impossible if Nathan really wanna give it a try. The point is that I will NOT throw that option into the garbage bin right away.

 

[discode]

Yeah.. while people were cheering him for Yuzu and Javi, I was super upset that he did focus enough on Gabby. Brian hasn’t been good for several skaters. Nam was one example. Adam is another.

I think the solution is more nuanced. Higher a few ice dancing coaches to help him with his SS. A spin coach. Plan specific transitions for his jumps early in the season. Modest changes not. Not huge ones.

I agree and he's only just finished his 2nd Sr season? I mean, it's not like he's far behind everyone else in the group of upcoming skaters he's in. Some are better at SS or spins or other things than him, but he's better at other things than they are. There is time and changes can be made. And I'm 100% sure he knows what he needs to work on.

@oatmella just say no to more walmart trips for sure.

 

[Hollymolly]

Yeah.. while people were cheering him for Yuzu and Javi, I was super upset that he did focus enough on Gabby. Brian hasn’t been good for several skaters. Nam was one example. Adam is another.

I think the solution is more nuanced. Higher a few ice dancing coaches to help him with his SS. A spin coach. Plan specific transitions for his jumps early in the season. Modest changes not. Not huge ones.

Totally agreed with you.

 

[sheetz]

Sponsors like to stick with athletes if they think they will continue to the next Olympics. Nathan has already said he's continuing with Bridgestone, and it looks like he's still working with Kellogg's too. The Nike contract seems like a more permanent relationship.

I was looking at the Yale summer course listings and it appears the biology and chemistry lab courses he needs are all offered during the summer.
https://summer.yale.edu/academics/courses-yale#courses

 

[Hollymolly]

I think he will still have Nike - they seem to stick with athletes more long term? And I'm guessing that is probably his favorite contract.

Yes. And also Nike have sponsorship with US OC, so it will stick with Nathan.

 

[frida80]

I think he will still have Nike - they seem to stick with athletes more long term? And I'm guessing that is probably his favorite contract.

But as much as some want him to say NO - he needs sponsors for $$ to pay for everything.

Nathan earned about $100,000 in winnings this year, excluding Japan Open, which also pays well. As a condition, USFS matches his winnings dollar for dollar. Meaning he’s earned $200,000 in just one season for winning his competitions. Apparently he’s saved all of his money from his sponsorships to pay for school. Rumor has it, it should be in the high six figures for each and bonuses for every competion he won. That’s all before getting his USFS money for being an tier one envelope A Athlete. Not to mention the touring fees he’s getting from both SOI and shows in Japan. I think he’s set for paying for school and training for awhile.

And he’s exceptionally frugal as well! He wears shirts given to him from Nike or shirts from fans and the same pants for all his figure skating costumes! naturally Jackson and John Wilson give him blades as a part of his sponsorship. So his expenses aren’t that high. I can see why he wanted to minor in business.

 

[yyyskate]

just think for a sec, hypothetically, without the college balancing issue, without the Yuzuru rivalry/hatred, without the US paper work issue. just for the sake of figure skating,
Nathan's figure skating weakness targeting, the strength of the team. BO is pretty obvious. Otherwise, TSL and other figure skating fans with no attachment to Raf would not have suggested it in the first place.

So it all depends on what you really want and how hungry you are. Hopefully, no more regrets.

 

[frida80]

I just realized most of Nathan’s shopping trips for clothing (before the Nike sponsorship) probably meant just going to Foot Locker. They have pretty much everything he wears. T-shirt, athletic pants and shorts, socks, and sneakers. It’s why he stands out when he wears anything different.

 

[oatmella]

I how frugal he is - same black pants forever, seems like he has only one pair of black jeans, only one white button-down, always wearing that grey zip-up sweatshirt and Nathan clearly loves a free t-shirt! He has a million pair of Nikes, but they are free.

Funny how he used to be known for his Adidas gear.

Sounds like he is doing very well financially.

 

[yyyskate]

Why our boi is soooooo frugal frugal frugal~~~~~~~~~~

I think I may need to add a smiley face here for positivity

 

[frida80]

just think for a sec, hypothetically, without the college balancing issue, without the Yuzuru rivalry/hatred, without the US paper work. just for the sake of figure skating,
Nathan's figure skating weakness targeting, the strength of the team. BO is pretty obvious. Otherwise, TSL and other figure skating fans with no attachment to Raf would not have suggested it in the first place.

So it all depends on what you really want and how hungry you are. Hopefully, no regrets.

TSL are looking a few skaters and not all variables involved. No coach is a fix all for every athlete. This same sort of thinking happened when Gracie went to Frank. It’s easy to think that Frank could make her a championship, but only if you focus on skaters like, Michelle and ignore skaters that fizzled under his training.

I think Nathan is plenty hungry. Losses always leave a huge impression on champions. When Michelle skated clean at Worlds in 1995 and didn’t even place, it pushed her to change her skating to become the legend that she became. Yuzuru’s dedication for greatness came from that awful FS af Sochi. Mirai learned a 3A because she was left off the team in 2014. Trust me, a loss like that will only push him even more to become the greatest skater of all time.

 

[frida80]

I how frugal he is - same black pants forever, seems like he has only one pair of black jeans, only one white button-down, always wearing that grey zip-up sweatshirt and Nathan clearly loves a free t-shirt! He has a million pair of Nikes, but they are free.

Funny how he used to be known for his Adidas gear.

Sounds like he is doing very well financially.

I think the full-time Addidas garb was what made Nike sign him so fast. They couldn’t have a potential OGM being constantly photographed in Addidas.