Who Makes the Winner: Coach or Choreographer?

[redhotcoach]

Interesting question. When G&G trained for the 94 Olympics, didn't they train mostly with Marina (who at that time was just a choreographer)?

Not exactly....in fact, in 1994 Marina Zoueva was coaching competitive dance teams and test dancers - and also taught freeskate along with her then-husband, Alexei - one of the skaters being her son, Fedor. At that point she did do some choreography for her skaters and ice dancers, but wasn't really that well-known for primarily being just a choroegrapher.

 

[attyfan]

...
I am surprised that no one has brought up Michelle Kwan yet when it comes to the importance of a coach. Wasn't there speculation that she lost the gold in SLC because she came without a coach?

While there was speculation as to the effect of MK's going coachless in SLC, no one can ever know if it really would have changed anything. After all, she still had all the technical stuff that he had taught her -- and she when she laid down the elements, she still won Nats, won her qualifying group at Worlds, and did well in her final FS at Worlds, even though she didn't win.

IMO, Michelle would have done better if Irina was placed first in the SP; she has a long history of coming out, guns blazing, when she is second in the SP. There was also a problem of wanting the gold too badly -- and having a coach present wouldn't have changed that at all.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

He's a fabulous mover, and I still fume at how low his presentation scores were at Nationals in Portland.

I've come to the conclusion and agreeing with many that PCS scores are judged by the contents of the program, and not by style, musicality and interpetation. Apparently the judges feel the skaters need more than the CoEs for their jumps so they lump more points on the PCS scores. JMO.

Joe