Sasha Leaves Tarasova For Robin Wagner

[Jaana]

Well, I never was able to comprehend why Sasha felt the need to chose Tarasova as her coach. As a choreographer she was a good choice, but not as a coach for Sasha with her inconsistent jumping. R. Wagner though is a big surprise, but maybe she will achieve with Sasha what she did with Sarah. Time will tell. Or maybe Wagner is just a temporary coach, like somebody suggested.

Anyway, I think that if a skater feels the need to change her coach, she should do it and not wait too long.

Marjaana

 

[CassidyL]

Re: USFSA article on coaching change

http://www.usfsa.org/news/2003-04/cohen-wagner.htm

Well, seems to me that it has more to do with Tarasova's health and her moving back to Russia than anything. I know I've read that Tarasova has had health problems and has considered moving back to Russia. Maybe it just got to be too much.

Well, if this was Tarosova's decision, I wonder how long Sasha has know about it. She hasn't exactly been herself lately.

 

[Matt]

God, I'm out of the loop, 'cause this is news to me!

Wow...this whole coaching change is new to me! Very strange, especially with Nats looming so soon.

I have trouble seeing this one. The whole vibe between Sarah and Wagner always struck me as one of a quiet and personal confidence. Sasha's vibrant and dynamic (and tempestuous!) to the point where it almost seems like mixing oil and water by putting her with Wagner. I thought Tatiana was a good fit for Sasha choreographically, but I can see the points made by the other posters about not really helping her jumps. Maybe Wagner can help her with that; she may not have fixed Sarah's flutz, but she did get her to two triple-triples and a gold at Olys. I just hope she doesn't take anything away from Sasha's fire and dynamic style, which is what I love about her.

This is like a soap opera! Sasha with Wagner! MK with Russian! What will happen? Tune in next week!

 

[skatepixie]

I think that if TT went so sick, they would still be working together. Their relationship hasnt been anything but wonderful. Im sure Sasha wants the best for TT's health. I hope that they will be able to work together in the future.

As for TT being not good for Sasha mentally, I dont believe that. Baring illness on the part of Sasha (which seems to have caused her the problems at IFSC and GPF), TT has made Sasha more consistant.

I feel bad for both Sasha and TT that they cant work together any longer, but TT's health is the most important thing. After all, all the travel took a toll on 19 year old Sasha's health. Think what it must have done to TT.

 

[Ptichka]

I plain don't beleive the excuse about TT's health. TT has been talking about her health and about going back to Russia for many years now -- and she never does. This seems a diplomatic way of explaining the news.

Sk8Cynic, I find it interesting that you think Wagner may he more nurturing that TT. I always thought of TT as being very motherly; also, I have not seen any "death rays" -- I have seen her being rather comforting when Sasha messes up, as she did at last year's Nationals.

As for TT spreading herself too thin -- that doesn't seem too valid either. Sasha has been her main focus, as she has her assistants, mainly Usova and Platov and now also Yagudin work with her other students.

 

[curious]

there's no doubt mk is on sasha's head. I don' think joubert had anything to do with her break up with tt. that relationship wasn't working as well as many people thought. tt is a very strict coach too much to handle for sasha.

 

[Spark]

I'm inclined to think this was Sasha's idea. I don't see why Tarasova would suddenly decide to move back to Russia right before US nationals. I think it's more likely that Tarasova decided to leave AFTER Sasha let her go. Sasha seems very willful and somewhat fanciful. She seemed to think she'd found "magic" with Tarasova, and now that she's had some disappointing results she wants to find that magic with another well-known coach. As others have said, she's very focused on results and winning, and she expects everything to happen right now.

I agree with those who doubt that Cohen and Wagner are very compatible. Wagner's been described as "motherly", and seems to like being in charge of every aspect of her skaters' careers and very involved with them. Cohen is very strong willed and often doesn't listen to her coaches' advice. When she was with Nicks, she attempted a quadruple jump even though he advised her to play it safe, skated her free program to "Carmen" when he thought the music was too overused, and almost competed in the 2001 nationals with that back injury. I don't know how Cohen and Wagner will fare together. And I also agree that Wagner isn't exactly the first person to come to mind when we think of coaches that could fix Sasha's lutz technique.

 

[Skate Sandee]

Re: USFSA article on coaching change

I wonder if Sasha will cut her hair. Sorry, I'm just so silly sometimes. [/B]

Oh man! I was thinking the same thing! You beat me to it!!

 

[lavender]

Well what's going to happen to all the other skaters with TT? What about Joubert?

 

[Ptichka]

Wagner's been described as "motherly", and seems to like being in charge of every aspect of her skaters' careers and very involved with them. Cohen is very strong willed and often doesn't listen to her coaches' advice.

Hmmm... Same things have been said about TT -- both that she is "motherly" (hey, half her students live at her house!), AND thath she controls every little aspect of the her skaters' careers. If anything, I thing Wagner, though an exception as far as the Western coaches go, would be quite typical for a Russian style coach in terms of her approach to students.

Well what's going to happen to all the other skaters with TT? What about Joubert?

Simple. TT will NOT live for Russia, and they will continue to train with her. In case she does leave, Joubert could take lessons with her in Russia just as well as he can in the US. (TT does have a budding skating club in Moscow, so it's not like she's leaving skating, though she has done that in the past).

 

[Doggygirl]

Unless there are new news links...

...the ONLY thing mentioned in an official press release about the reasons for Sasha's change was the "TT didn't think she should skate in the Michigan comp" due to an illness.

I'm not buying that as a skating fan - maybe that's all there is but I suspect a coaching change decision would require more factors than that.

BUT...

By the same token I've read here and on other boards speculation about needing improvement on jumps, TT's health, Sasha's mental ability to deal with compeition, and many other things. Since I've seen none of those things quoted in valid news reports from Sasha or TT, I discount all of it.

We may or may not ever know why this decision was *really* made, but speculating just gets crazy at some point.

I will wait patiently to see what the results are of this change - and Nationals will be our first view of that on the ice.

DG

 

[Gardenkitty]

It will be interesting to see what kind of relationship Robin and Sasha develop. We know how close Sarah and Robin were, but Sarah came to Robin when she was much younger and not yet an elite skater. Robin was with Sarah as she worked her way up the ranks and when she dealt with some difficult personal times due to her mother's illness.

Sasha is already an elite skater (ranked #1 by the ISU) and over 18. I don't suspect her relationship with Robin will be the same as Sarah's - but it will be interesting to see.

I'll also be interested to see if this is a long term arrangement or if Sasha will make other plans once this season is over. I suspect that will depend in part of Sasha's results at Nats and Worlds.

 

[Lucy25]

I tend to believe the press release from the Hartford, Conn paper that mentions a difference in philosphy between Sasha and TT. There is no mention of TT's health problems. Of course, what do I know? There are also posts on FSU from a poster who seems to be in the know with Russian skaters who confirms TT's and Sasha's deteriating relationship. I find it odd that none of the press releases mention TT's other skaters; this is another reason why I am doubting the illness escuse. If Russian Nationals weren't the same week as US Nationals, I may be more inclined to believe all this. Seeing TT and Sasha in the K&C at the Cheesefest and GPF, there was no interaction besides TT rubbing Sasha's back. I thought it looked very odd. Whatever the real reason, I just find this all very bizarre. I'd like to know how long this has been in the works and if Sasha has already stared to work with Robin. Two weeks is not a whole lot of time (before Nationals), especially since she is bound to have lots of attention on her from the media distracting her. At Nationals Sasha will either be really relaxed, or totally stressed out.

 

[skatepixie]

Perhaps Sasha and TT wernt really feeling comfortable because they knew that TT was going to have to leave...

 

[lavender]

So she’s going to continue training but not her most prize student. Very interesting.

 

[kappa_1]

Well I guess with this ontop of her two last competitions we can say she isn't the favourite going into nationals.

This is a major shock to me, I certainly never saw this coming. All I can do ow is hope that this was a good move for her and I hope she can fulfill her full potential.

 

[euterpe]

If you look back at Sasha's relationship with John Nicks (Sasha called all the shots, and always did things her way) and compare that to Sasha's relationship with TT (TT strict and demanding, Sasha obedient) it was pretty clear that a clash with TT had to develop at some point. What caused it to happen may never become known.

Look also at Sarah's relationship with Robin: she often said they were as close as sisters and she referred to Robin as her 'best friend'. The relationship had developed over years, since Sarah was a young girl, long before she became an elite skater. They shared a goal, and they worked toward the goal cooperatively and with equal enthusiasm. Last season, though, Sarah seemed to be a reluctant competitor, and Robin couldn't motivate her to work and practice as vigorously as she had pre-SLC, and the results showed at Worlds 2003.

As a coach, Robin allowed Sarah to continue with poor pick jump technique (that high kick) and the flutz, and didn't start working on the posture faults until fairly late in the game. Sarah's athletic prowess and consistency plus her determination work hard and succeed was probably just as much of a factor in her success as Robin's coaching.

Now we have Sasha with Robin. This is a relationship formed overnight, and IMHO, these two are mismatched. Sasha sorely needs a technical coach, and Robin is not that. Sasha also needs a coach who can handle her headstrong tendencies. I am not sure Robin is all that forceful. She couldn't get Sarah to buckle down and practice in her final season (and it seems Sarah has hung up her skates for good, if Robin has accepted Sasha as a student).

I think Sasha was looking for a coach on the East coast who could help her win the titles she hungers for. Unfortunately, a coach cannot go out there and skate for Sasha in the big pressure events.

 

[Ogre Mage]

Sasha, Tatiana and Robin

Oh my oh my. What to make of this? I tend to think that we are not being told the FULL truth. I fully believe that Tatiana IS having health problems but I suspect that there is also more to the story. Even if she were ill, I do not think Tarasova would pull out this close to US Nationals unless she were on death's door. I strongly believe that there was some kind of rift between Tarasova and Sasha -- who knows what it was. Did something happen in the time between TL and the ABC Challenge? Sasha was skating well up until that event, when she started crapping out.

Perhaps Robin might be a good coach for Sasha, but PLEASE do not let Robin choreograph Sasha's programs. Perhaps Tarasova could still act as Sasha's choreographer? I always hated Robin's choreography for Sarah, though that was amplified by Sarah's lack of carriage/posture. Of course, as others have said, the change to Robin may only be temporary.

While I can believe that Sasha left Tatiana, I still can't believe that she would go to Robin, and right before US Nationals besides. With this plus the whole Kwan-Williams relationship rumors, there is more than enough fodder for "As The Skate Blade Turns."

 

[thisthingcalledlove]

sasha

she should've gone to zmievskaya. she was literally next door! or even linichuk...

 

[Jimmy Hoffa]

I saw a post entitled "SASHA LEAVES TARASOVA!!!" on another forum late last night. I just snickered at the joke and went to bed. Well, the joke is on me because it's real!

I guess I shouldn't be shocked at any coaching change after Michelle Kwan went an Olympic season without a coach.

So much is made about Robin Wagner never coaching anyone but Sarah Hughes, not even her sisters. Does this mean that Hughes isn't coming back so Wagner can take someone else, or if Hughes decided to come back would Wanger coach them both (!!!) or would Hughes have to find someone else?