olympic
05-15-2011, 03:51 PM
^ I think there are several factors contributing to a 'perfect storm' of US ladies regression:
The current slide IMO started during the '03 - '06 era of implementation of the CoP judging system, which embraced the technical much more than 6.0: The US was resting on Kwan, who was chronically injured, aging [relatively speaking], a gorgeous 6.0 skater that decided to not skate in GPs to get the necessary CoP practice, as well as Cohen who was better appreciated under CoP, but was inconsistent enough to be unable to finish atop podiums at the big events [Olympics and Worlds]. Still, those 2 did enough in this time frame to secure 3 spots for the US and grab a medal between them at '05 Worlds, the inaugural World CoP competition. Actually, it was Cohen's doing but Kwan did well enough to get those 3 spots
But in hindsight, a big chasm was developing in US ladies from '03 - '06 in the placings underneath Cohen and Kwan even by 6.0 standards, let alone CoP!: Hughes was young but had retired after '03 Worlds [She actually never would've been a good skater under the impending CoP implementation]. Kirk who was regularly the #3 US gal was unmotivated due to the death of her mother and never got close to the top 10 even under 6.0. Skaters with good technical skills like Bebe Liang and AP McDonough never even made it out of US Nats to Worlds. It left everything on the shoulders of Cohen and part-time Kwan. There were no Seniors in this time frame to 'take the mantle' for various reasons.
So, People started to look at US juniors like Meissner and Hughes 2.0 for the future, who were sneaking onto podiums at the Jr. level. Meissner was to be the US anointed one after her participation in the '06 Olympics where she finished 6th, then winning '06 Worlds in an albeit depleted field.
However, the perfect storm of 1) the rise of Mao and YuNa to the senior level along with 2) Meissner's poor technique being called out under stricter scrutiny and injury meant Meissner couldn't replace Cohen and Kwan. Hughes 2.0 decided School was the place for her and ceased to matter after '07 Worlds. The US ladies dug themselves in deeper.
Another potential star, a young Alissa Czisny grabbed the skating worlds attention under CoP during the '05 - '06 season but utterly failed then due to nerves to fulfill her promise [thank goodness that seems to be changing now].
Then, finally starting in '08 you had the attack of the Juniors: Nagasu, Flatt, Zhang, and brand new Senior, Ashley Wagner, and well, despite a few bright moments, none have fulfilled their potential...yet: Flatt - limited and injured to boot, yet not really focusing on what she needs to do to improve skating skills. Wagner - chokes and loses points on her jumps. Nagasu - nerves, injury, growth spurt. Zhang - horrendous technique and an inability to address it until now.
So, is this just tons of bad luck coalescing all together? Too many coaches doing the wrong thing? A boom of headcase skaters? Or is the USFSA perhaps missing something. Perhaps focusing on the pretty princess ideal to sell to the American public, trying to make money in this way like years long gone, which is not as easy to do under CoP?
Take into consideration that Slutskaya got smart and tailored her programs under CoP with her raw jumping talent which CoP would give her more credit for, as well as the Japanese ladies and Arakawa, who is blessed with great all around skating skills, jumps, edges, all appreciated much more under CoP. And as mentioned the once-in-a-decade sheer talent of Mao and YuNa, all there to push US ladies from even coming near the top spot
The current slide IMO started during the '03 - '06 era of implementation of the CoP judging system, which embraced the technical much more than 6.0: The US was resting on Kwan, who was chronically injured, aging [relatively speaking], a gorgeous 6.0 skater that decided to not skate in GPs to get the necessary CoP practice, as well as Cohen who was better appreciated under CoP, but was inconsistent enough to be unable to finish atop podiums at the big events [Olympics and Worlds]. Still, those 2 did enough in this time frame to secure 3 spots for the US and grab a medal between them at '05 Worlds, the inaugural World CoP competition. Actually, it was Cohen's doing but Kwan did well enough to get those 3 spots
But in hindsight, a big chasm was developing in US ladies from '03 - '06 in the placings underneath Cohen and Kwan even by 6.0 standards, let alone CoP!: Hughes was young but had retired after '03 Worlds [She actually never would've been a good skater under the impending CoP implementation]. Kirk who was regularly the #3 US gal was unmotivated due to the death of her mother and never got close to the top 10 even under 6.0. Skaters with good technical skills like Bebe Liang and AP McDonough never even made it out of US Nats to Worlds. It left everything on the shoulders of Cohen and part-time Kwan. There were no Seniors in this time frame to 'take the mantle' for various reasons.
So, People started to look at US juniors like Meissner and Hughes 2.0 for the future, who were sneaking onto podiums at the Jr. level. Meissner was to be the US anointed one after her participation in the '06 Olympics where she finished 6th, then winning '06 Worlds in an albeit depleted field.
However, the perfect storm of 1) the rise of Mao and YuNa to the senior level along with 2) Meissner's poor technique being called out under stricter scrutiny and injury meant Meissner couldn't replace Cohen and Kwan. Hughes 2.0 decided School was the place for her and ceased to matter after '07 Worlds. The US ladies dug themselves in deeper.
Another potential star, a young Alissa Czisny grabbed the skating worlds attention under CoP during the '05 - '06 season but utterly failed then due to nerves to fulfill her promise [thank goodness that seems to be changing now].
Then, finally starting in '08 you had the attack of the Juniors: Nagasu, Flatt, Zhang, and brand new Senior, Ashley Wagner, and well, despite a few bright moments, none have fulfilled their potential...yet: Flatt - limited and injured to boot, yet not really focusing on what she needs to do to improve skating skills. Wagner - chokes and loses points on her jumps. Nagasu - nerves, injury, growth spurt. Zhang - horrendous technique and an inability to address it until now.
So, is this just tons of bad luck coalescing all together? Too many coaches doing the wrong thing? A boom of headcase skaters? Or is the USFSA perhaps missing something. Perhaps focusing on the pretty princess ideal to sell to the American public, trying to make money in this way like years long gone, which is not as easy to do under CoP?
Take into consideration that Slutskaya got smart and tailored her programs under CoP with her raw jumping talent which CoP would give her more credit for, as well as the Japanese ladies and Arakawa, who is blessed with great all around skating skills, jumps, edges, all appreciated much more under CoP. And as mentioned the once-in-a-decade sheer talent of Mao and YuNa, all there to push US ladies from even coming near the top spot