The Up and Coming US Ladies

[andromache]

I wonder if part of the reason for the lack of success of formerly promising juniors is the coaching. I'm not sure about the coaching situations of other formerly promising junior ladies, but with Hannah Miller's chronic UR problem, I have to assume that she learned really bad technique, and now it's up to Raf to correct it. Are some US coaches teaching bad technique to younger ladies? (Maybe because parents don't want to relocate or promising US ladies aren't being encouraged to move on to stronger coaches? I don't know.)

Tessa Hong is having injury problems, but she skated with Frank a few years ago and is now with Tom Z., so maybe the fact she's had high-level coaching since she was a child will help her out. (Though let's hope Tom Z. doesn't train all the artistry out of her.)

Karen Chen and Tyler Pierce are both with Tammy Gambill, who also coached Ricky Dornbush and some others, like Brendan Kerry and she also had Caroline Zhang for a time. Because Tammy has coached a lot of potential talent but never a top-top (or consistent) skater, I worry. Although to be fair, Tyler switched to Kori Ade and switched back to Tammy, and ended up having stellar skates at Nationals. But Karen has all the potential in the world--huge jumps, speed, some sort of star power that draws your eye even if she isn't especially musical yet--and I wonder if it could be better fostered with someone like Frank Carroll or BOrser.

 

[Layback11]

I enjoyed watching Haley Beavers at nationals this year; I think she won novice. It seems like American girls are later bloomers in general, so I wouldn't write off any of the younger-but-not-as-young girls yet. The nice thing about them blooming later is they've got a bit of maturity under their belt and their bodies are done changing, so they don't peak super early and then crash. Sometimes a long and steady rise isn't so bad.

Agreed. Not only do they have more maturity, but it tends to give them an artistic edge over the rest of the field. Look what it's done for Emily Chan! She's more artistic than 90% of the American seniors. Once she gets her 3Lz and a little more consistency, there's no limit to what she could accomplish as a senior.

I feel the same way about Vivian Le's technical talent, although she is not in any way a "late bloomer."

 

[Crossover]

Maybe I should start a "juniors with mindblowing 3-3s" fan fest. We could cover Vivian and Polina and Wakaba and whoever else with crazy good 3-3s comes along next year...

Please proceed! I'm excited about the young generation's immense talents.

 

[KatGrace1925]

I wonder if part of the reason for the lack of success of formerly promising juniors is the coaching. I'm not sure about the coaching situations of other formerly promising junior ladies, but with Hannah Miller's chronic UR problem, I have to assume that she learned really bad technique, and now it's up to Raf to correct it. Are some US coaches teaching bad technique to younger ladies? (Maybe because parents don't want to relocate or promising US ladies aren't being encouraged to move on to stronger coaches? I don't know.)

Tessa Hong is having injury problems, but she skated with Frank a few years ago and is now with Tom Z., so maybe the fact she's had high-level coaching since she was a child will help her out. (Though let's hope Tom Z. doesn't train all the artistry out of her.)

Karen Chen and Tyler Pierce are both with Tammy Gambill, who also coached Ricky Dornbush and some others, like Brendan Kerry and she also had Caroline Zhang for a time. Because Tammy has coached a lot of potential talent but never a top-top (or consistent) skater, I worry. Although to be fair, Tyler switched to Kori Ade and switched back to Tammy, and ended up having stellar skates at Nationals. But Karen has all the potential in the world--huge jumps, speed, some sort of star power that draws your eye even if she isn't especially musical yet--and I wonder if it could be better fostered with someone like Frank Carroll or BOrser.

Karen Chen has so much potential star power, I really think she needs new coaching. I will be watching next year to see if she has learned some control on her huge jumps.

 

[sarama]

I love Karen and I think she has a unique quality: skating WELL to warhorse, with lots of personality and without being overpowered! Let's hope she can fix her boots and combo UR issues

 

[Jammers]

Her coaches have to slow Karen down a bit she's too frantic and goes into her 3-3 jumps with almost too much speed like Hicks or Osmond. She needs to be in more control of her skating.

 

[KatGrace1925]

Her coaches have to slow Karen down a bit she's too frantic and goes into her 3-3 jumps with almost too much speed like Hicks or Osmond. She needs to be in more control of her skating.

That one change could vault her to the top of US figure skating. That has been her issue for awhile, she just flys on the ice.

 

[frida80]

Her coaches have to slow Karen down a bit she's too frantic and goes into her 3-3 jumps with almost too much speed like Hicks or Osmond. She needs to be in more control of her skating.

Speaking of Karen she just posted some new combos on Instagram. That height and distance on that last combo...

https://instagram.com/p/BD_3-cooD1g/
https://instagram.com/p/BD_7UMKID7W/

 

[KatGrace1925]

Speaking of Karen she just posted some new combos on Instagram. That height and distance on that last combo...

https://instagram.com/p/BD_3-cooD1g/
https://instagram.com/p/BD_7UMKID7W/

I saw those! I really hope she gets her rotations this year!

 

[Layback11]

Speaking of Karen she just posted some new combos on Instagram. That height and distance on that last combo...

https://instagram.com/p/BD_3-cooD1g/
https://instagram.com/p/BD_7UMKID7W/

I can't tell if those were UR (I would guess at least one probably was), but daaaaang...the first jump in the last combo was so big it could've passed for a quad

 

[KatGrace1925]

I can't tell if those were UR (I would guess at least one probably was), but daaaaang...the first jump in the last combo was so big it could've passed for a quad

She's got huge first jumps, she still needs a litte more work on balancing that power with her second jump.

 

[Sunny Little]

I'm not sure where to put this and this seems like the most relevant thread (really sorry if it's the wrong one). The comments under this video of Kaitlyn Nguyen, some of them posted a week ago, is rather concerning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YWFg4XtoFI

 

[frida80]

I'm not sure where to put this and this seems like the most relevant thread (really sorry if it's the wrong one). The comments under this video of Kaitlyn Nguyen, some of them posted a week ago, is rather concerning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YWFg4XtoFI

Oh my gosh! That's so sad! I can't believe her former coach is so petty. Kaitlyn is just 12 and already has all her jumps and a 3t+3t combo. She has way too much talent not to have a coach that wouldn't kill for her. If she's in the Broodmore area, can't she work with Tom Z?

 

[Layback11]

I'm not sure where to put this and this seems like the most relevant thread (really sorry if it's the wrong one). The comments under this video of Kaitlyn Nguyen, some of them posted a week ago, is rather concerning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YWFg4XtoFI

That's not good. :sad21: I can't believe anyone would turn her down because of her former coach. I hope she finds someone.

 

[noskates]

I'm trying hard to like Karen Chen. I think she had mad talent but there just isn't any finesse there yet. Could be the wretched music choices she's been dealt. Would love to see her skate to something light and airy and toned down - not so frenetic between jumps.

May have mentioned this before but I truly believe the future of Ladies skating in the US is Mariah Bell. For SOOOO many reasons. In addition to being very athletic, she has style and grace....something Ashley Cain is missing at this point in time. JMO of course.

And the jury is still seriously out on Polina. Maybe another year of getting used to her growth spurt, ditch the stupid braids in her hair and skate to something a little less overpowering thatn GWTW......

 

[StitchMonkey]

Oh my gosh! That's so sad! I can't believe her former coach is so petty. Kaitlyn is just 12 and already has all her jumps and a 3t+3t combo. She has way too much talent not to have a coach that wouldn't kill for her. If she's in the Broodmore area, can't she work with Tom Z?

There is a fine line between petty and just awkward. Sometimes when you move on, it is best to move on. I don't mind coaches not wanting to take on ex students of friends... coaches are allowed to have friends.

It also sounds like she/her mom want to do things her own way. She is a novice and mostly trains on her own? Um, that seems like it is partly missing the point of what a coach does. Likewise she has not "outgrown" all the coaches in CO, they are just not a good fit for her... there is a difference. I actually think it is a tad condescending to say you have as a novice "outgrown" some of the top coaches in the country.

 

[Sunny Little]

I'm mostly concerned that someone as promising as her does not have a coach right now. Whether the mum or the coach is to be blamed is another topic for when we really know what goes on behind the scenes.

 

[StitchMonkey]

I'm mostly concerned that someone as promising as her does not have a coach right now. Whether the mum or the coach is to be blamed is another topic for when we really know what goes on behind the scenes.

That is a reality of skating, at least in a country like the USA without a formal government sponsored program. There are always going to be talented skaters without coaches for one reason or another. I bet there are a lot of very talent skaters out there right now that can't keep going for money alone. I think it is sad in a "life is not fair" type of way, but I guess i am just too cynical to find it concerning as i just accept it is going to happen.

I will confess to being a bit protective/defensive about coaches, not sure why really. I just respect what they do and kinda wince when i see things like "outgrown" being used... i just think it is more complex than that and I guess not very nice. I wish more people would be ok with the idea of "not the right fit" then seeming to settle who is right and wrong.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

I have a very close friend who coaches all levels up to elite skating and I've seen where parents can become overly involved to the point where the coach knows they are interfering in the coaches process and I've seen students get "fired" because of it. I'm not saying that is what is happening but it does indicate that a lot of what happens when a coach and student part can be very complex and in many ways. I really try not to speculate too much about such things.

 

[Sunny Little]

That is a reality of skating, at least in a country like the USA without a formal government sponsored program. There are always going to be talented skaters without coaches for one reason or another. I bet there are a lot of very talent skaters out there right now that can't keep going for money alone. I think it is sad in a "life is not fair" type of way, but I guess i am just too cynical to find it concerning as i just accept it is going to happen.

I will confess to being a bit protective/defensive about coaches, not sure why really. I just respect what they do and kinda wince when i see things like "outgrown" being used... i just think it is more complex than that and I guess not very nice. I wish more people would be ok with the idea of "not the right fit" then seeming to settle who is right and wrong.

Yeah, I don't really understand what outgrowing a coach would mean when one is a still a novice, but both sides deserve no judgement at this point. However, I do hope that Kaitlyn getting rejected by the other coaches was not because her former coach's spite. That would be petty. But if the coaches thought it would be awkward taking Kaitlyn under their wing, then they have a right to say no. That I agree with.

I also agree with the whole "life is unfair" thing. There are many cases like Kaitlyn's in reality and I just happened to learn about hers in particular. Still doesn't make me any less concerned since I'm too emotionally invested in the sport. XD I will cry over all the skaters, those who make it and those who don't.