Shoma Uno: 2014-2024

[16Olympics]

I love how we have all kinds of Shoma fans here.... the ones that worry about his execution of elements, and the ones that's really enjoying the experience of his performances right now. Both perspectives are absolutely valid and I hope Shoma continues to work on every aspect of his skating, and most importantly, peak at the exact right moment. So all of us can be happier and happier

No, seriously... I'm just happy. Everything, all of this, is all that I can ask for. Even the criticism and not positive feedback, because it means people are expecting more and more of him, and he is motivated to continue growing. And I think, it's all what Shoma asked for too, when he decided to continue competing.

It has been said by other coaches that it does take about two years to bring together the athlete, the coaching philosophy and the performance. I think we're on track for this with Shoma's team and environment. Something brought them all together and we're all enjoying what Arriba calls the Sholler coaster ride. Just thinking that it's going to get even better this year alone. Yippee.

 

[yuumagical]

I love watching Shoma perform and don't mind which jumps he does. However, I recognize that for him to continue to be on top he needs to improve his jump consistency.

I think Shoma has a great opportunity to work with a high level coach in Ghislain and I hope he will take full advantage of that during the post nationals period. There is a nice gap until 4CC where he could go to Champery and hopefully work with Ghislain on his jump technique.

Shoma appears to like training in Japan, but I do hope he gets to spend more time in Switzerland with his coaches! Spending time there between JNats and 4CC sounds ideal (particularly when considering that 4CC in Colorado will be at a high altitude...).

 

[ManyCairns]

Let say he has gotten used to it. A few years ago in an interview he said that hugging wasn't something he did
even though "foreign" skaters did it all the time. He said that the only person he felt comfortable publicly hugging was
Dai-chan. I think being coached by Stephan has brought out a more public affectionate side of Shoma as evidenced by
the hugs he gives his coach when he comes off the ice.

Oh, surely you know that's just one more example of Stephane's deplorable coaching style in which he just tries to mold his skaters into mini- me's so he can live vicariously through them? Forcing Shoma to like hugging because he does? [Eyerolls and voice dripping with sarcasm of course].

 

[4everchan]

who else wants a hug from Stéphane? (i am assuming we all want hugs from Shoma)

 

[yuumagical]

Yes, definitely! I'm one of those who are just enjoying the experience because I don't have a deep knowledge of the technical side of figure skating, but I'm enjoying reading the technical discussion and learning more from you guys.

I also have to thank Shoma for pulling me back to figure skating... I used to be a big fan until around maybe 2016, but I sort of fell out of love for the sport for a while and just watched some major events (tbh I was getting a bit bored of Yuzuru/Nathan dominating everything, although I say this with a lot of appreciation for both as skaters!). Shoma was the one skater I could never quite forget about, and it was him getting his olympic bronze and WC that made me want to get invested in the sport again. I'm so grateful for the wonderful season he's been giving us so far and for the fact that he made me love fs again

I am not as deep into the technical side of the sport either (I feel bad for not always being able to tell the differences between jumps, especially when I get sucked into the performance aspects of an individual skate), but I too think this forum is a useful resource for learning more.

I've been a casual fan of the men since 2002, but a more serious skating fan only since the 2018-2019 season, so I can see where you're coming from too. I found it annoying to see Plushenko winning everything back in the day (and I still don't have a great opinion of him...). My interest kept picking up steam with the rise of the Japanese men and Yuzuru's rivalries with Javier Fernandez and Nathan Chen, really culminating in the 2018 Olympics that made me want to see live skating...and I've just kept on being interested from there (though in a different way than I ever could have expected!).

It's interesting that you mentioned the Yuzuru/Nathan rivalry. I found it fascinating because both skaters took very different approaches towards great skating (Yuzuru being more PCS-focused, Nathan being more TES-focused, although they didn't ignore their weak points!) and skated well on their own terms. But unlike them, I think Shoma is going on a more balanced sort of path, one that focuses equally on both the technical ability and component scores. And I can't wait to see how this path unfolds for him (and whether Ilia could potentially become a rival...).

I was really worried that current fans wouldn't appreciate Shoma anymore and that new fans wouldn't be interested in him after that Olympic bronze (because his free skate just wasn't the best performance from him...and I had expectations for Shoma that were far too high in retrospect). I am continually glad that you and other posters keep proving me wrong.

 

[16Olympics]

I am not as deep into the technical side of the sport either (I feel bad for not always being able to tell the differences between jumps, especially when I get sucked into the performance aspects of an individual skate), but I too think this forum is a useful resource for learning more.

I've been a casual fan of the men since 2002, but a more serious skating fan only since the 2018-2019 season, so I can see where you're coming from too. I found it annoying to see Plushenko winning everything back in the day (and I still don't have a great opinion of him...). My interest kept picking up steam with the rise of the Japanese men and Yuzuru's rivalries with Javier Fernandez and Nathan Chen, really culminating in the 2018 Olympics that made me want to see live skating...and I've just kept on being interested from there (though in a different way than I ever could have expected!).

It's interesting that you mentioned the Yuzuru/Nathan rivalry. I found it fascinating because both skaters took very different approaches towards great skating (Yuzuru being more PCS-focused, Nathan being more TES-focused, although they didn't ignore their weak points!) and skated well on their own terms. But unlike them, I think Shoma is going on a more balanced sort of path, one that focuses equally on both the technical ability and component scores. And I can't wait to see how this path unfolds for him (and whether Ilia could potentially become a rival...).

I was really worried that current fans wouldn't appreciate Shoma anymore and that new fans wouldn't be interested in him after that Olympic bronze (because his free skate just wasn't the best performance from him...and I had expectations for Shoma that were far too high in retrospect). I am continually glad that you and other posters keep proving me wrong.

I'm so old that I can admit I have been a fan of figure skating since Carol Heiss. I watched all the tv skating and that was before the internet so it was what ABC gave us. Until I was drawn to a 16 year old American in 2016 when he did all those quads at US Nationals. I followed Nathan through this last Olympics but it was Shoma who drew me to rooting for one particular skater in 2018 at the Olympics. Only other skater I am invested in but nowhere near the level of Shoma is Jason Brown.

I took skating lessons in middle school at a skating school in a mall near where I grew up because I became obsessed with ice skating after reading a book by Carol Heiss (I think it was called Golden Skates) about her journey through skating with her sister to winning the Olympic gold medal in 1960. But Shoma has reeled me in with his journey now and his growth.

I wouldn't turn down a hug from Stephane.

 

[Vilya]

I haven't been able to write anything yet here jdjdjds, I'm glad you enjoyed my short videos and reports from practices!! But AAAAAAAA Shoma did it!!! And I was there to see it He was SO good it was insane! He just took us to some other world with that skate, it was just breathtaking. I wish I could go back to that moment to watch it again without being so nervous! I was shaking so much
It really feels like a dream come true. I am so glad I went there!!

Also loved to see the banner featured so many times I'm so happy to be a Shoma fan right now!

 

[Figskater23]

who else wants a hug from Stéphane? (i am assuming we all want hugs from Shoma)

I’m 3 months older than Shoma and I’m not much of a hugger anymore. I use to be as a kid. If I ever had the chance to meet Stéphane I think I would rather just bow. The same goes for Shoma. I would only hug Shoma if he absolutely 100% insisted on it. I’d ask both of them to give me advice as I start my journey as a competitive skater.

 

[Louby]

A hug from Stephane would be great. It's winter and hugs are a cost effective way of getting warm!!

 

[4everchan]

I’m 3 months older than Shoma and I’m not much of a hugger anymore. I use to be as a kid. If I ever had the chance to meet Stéphane I think I would rather just bow. The same goes for Shoma. I would only hug Shoma if he absolutely 100% insisted on it. I’d ask both of them to give me advice as I start my journey as a competitive skater.

i am joking obviously... i hate hugs myself haha

 

[yesterday]

haha all the (non) huggers here
feels a bit like:

ISU again did a nice editing job here with the 3rd (!) skater-of-the-week-Shoma tribute:

 

[yesterday]

some pics I came across..

actually having FUN at a gala

(never seen him strike a pose and smile like this?)

(sources for the last two https://www.goldenskate.com/forum/threads/sota-yamamoto.54542/post-3068377)

 

[chaosmyth]

who else wants a hug from Stéphane? (i am assuming we all want hugs from Shoma)

who DOESN'T want a hug from Stephane? 1. He looks like he gives the best hugs (proof: Shoma's reactions); 2. He's so attractive and getting hotter as he ages I've been on board of the stephane lambiel appreciation train since 2010

Lmao edit: guess a lot of people don't want hugs... more for us hug lovers I guess

 

[chaosmyth]

I am not as deep into the technical side of the sport either (I feel bad for not always being able to tell the differences between jumps, especially when I get sucked into the performance aspects of an individual skate), but I too think this forum is a useful resource for learning more.

I've been a casual fan of the men since 2002, but a more serious skating fan only since the 2018-2019 season, so I can see where you're coming from too. I found it annoying to see Plushenko winning everything back in the day (and I still don't have a great opinion of him...). My interest kept picking up steam with the rise of the Japanese men and Yuzuru's rivalries with Javier Fernandez and Nathan Chen, really culminating in the 2018 Olympics that made me want to see live skating...and I've just kept on being interested from there (though in a different way than I ever could have expected!).

It's interesting that you mentioned the Yuzuru/Nathan rivalry. I found it fascinating because both skaters took very different approaches towards great skating (Yuzuru being more PCS-focused, Nathan being more TES-focused, although they didn't ignore their weak points!) and skated well on their own terms. But unlike them, I think Shoma is going on a more balanced sort of path, one that focuses equally on both the technical ability and component scores. And I can't wait to see how this path unfolds for him (and whether Ilia could potentially become a rival...).

I was really worried that current fans wouldn't appreciate Shoma anymore and that new fans wouldn't be interested in him after that Olympic bronze (because his free skate just wasn't the best performance from him...and I had expectations for Shoma that were far too high in retrospect). I am continually glad that you and other posters keep proving me wrong.

Yes, I can't always tell the jumps apart but since engaging more with the forum and so on I've definitely gotten better ^^;
I never really liked Plushenko either, and I too started getting into the sport since the rise of the japanese men (Daisuke Takahashi my #1 forever and ever, lol). I was very much into fs during the beginning of the Yuzuru-Javier period, then started getting a bit away from it and just watched the 2018/2022 olympics and WCs after that.

It's funny how despite the fact that Yuzuru and Nathan attracted most of the attention in recent years, I've always kind of been into Shoma as a skater (& despite him not being on the podium in the past WCs before this year). I've always felt there was something beautiful and understated about his skating that was very attractive, more than the flashier (in different ways) styles of Yuzuru and Nathan. I think someone was right when they compared him to the moon and Yuzuru/Nathan to the sun (and I personally like the moon better ).
And of course I love a good redemption story and his upward trajectory from the lows of 2019 to where he is now, finally getting to shine as the main character

 

[Arriba627]

Oh, surely you know that's just one more example of Stephane's deplorable coaching style in which he just tries to mold his skaters into mini- me's so he can live vicariously through them? Forcing Shoma to like hugging because he does? [Eyerolls and voice dripping with sarcasm of course].

LOL. I seem to recall reading that previously somewhere on this forum. I'd say hugging is probably the worst thing that's happening to poor Sho, as we've already discussed. You could see immediately the pleasant, relaxed vibe at the practices. Like I said, the Happy Team!

 

[Arriba627]

He's home. I'm sure he will get a rousing welcome from his family and the four moffs.

 

[chaosmyth]

LOL. I seem to recall reading that previously somewhere on this forum. I'd say hugging is probably the worst thing that's happening to poor Sho, as we've already discussed. You could see immediately the pleasant, relaxed vibe at the practices. Like I said, the Happy Team!
View attachment 6148

haha yeah, there was some drama in the thread discussing Stephane's coaching style. Which makes zero sense (the mini-me thing) because if you spend five minutes reading Shoma's interviews it becomes clear that he's quite independent in his traning, and that Stephane is giving him a lot of freedom to pursue skating the way he wants too. There was one interview out today (in japanese) where Shoma said something of that sort too.
This interview: https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202212130000348.html

And this is the (automatic so might not be 100% accurate but I don't have time to check it rn) translation of the Stephane bits:

-When you won the championship, your coach Stéphane was even happier than Uno, did he say anything to you?
He was very happy. Stéphane went back to Switzerland, and he told me to do whatever I want to do from now on. He said he wanted me to do whatever I wanted to do in the future, and that we would follow him. Stéphane knows that I am not going to go all out for one competition, because of my age and my way of thinking about skating, but I am just training for what I want to do, what I want to do everyday, and I am sure we are on the same page. He told me, "I want you to do what you want to do."

-Did you see Coach Stéphane's performance?
No, I haven't (smiles), well, but I look back on my own performances, but I often watched Stéphane's performances when we were in the same ice show. I liked his performance, but I liked his up-tempo music, but he was good at whatever he did. I think this is what it means to be an artist. Figure skating is a competition, so it tends to be more technical and jump-oriented, which I don't think is bad. I think figure skating is a fusion of technique and art, so I admire skaters who have left the competition to perform in front of people as an artist. Knowing Stéphane in his everyday life, I am deeply moved by it. I don't feel that way about him in general. I think he is fun to watch.

 

[Arriba627]

^^^Interesting interview. At this stage of his career, the last thing he needs is someone hanging over him and micromanaging him. The comments here in the forum were pretty annoying. LOL. Stephane knows exactly what he's doing. Sho has a tendency to overtain, so sometimes Stephane holding him back a bit is a good thing.

It's ok to smile Sho! He really does look happy here. I'm happy that he's so happy.

 

[Nafetaks]

 

[Arriba627]

^^^Holy height difference!!! Nikolaj Memola is 6'5" and Sho is 5'2", more than a foot taller than Sho! Another view. Great photo of the JGPF and GPF champs.