Whatever happened to Ann Patrice McDonough

[smarts1]

Ann Patrice McDonough?

She was such a prospect, but all of a sudden disappeared from skating... Does anyone know what happened to her and what she's doing now?

[ks777]

I thought she was coaching in NY?

[nirti]

Her wikipedia bio says that : "In the 2003-2004 season, McDonough placed 4th at the 2003 Cup of China. She placed 6th at the 2004 United States Figure Skating Championships.

She retired from competitive skating following that season.

Following her retirement, she has skated in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with former pairs competitor Jonathan Hunt. She is also coaching in Westchester, New York, while working toward a biology degree."

Maybe the 6th place at US Nats demotivate her... (Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen were number one and two...) She's not the first and probably not the last US junior worlds medalist who disappear quickly in senior.

[smarts1]

But in articles I've read, she just said she wanted to move on with her life... So I was wondering if something happened to her privately or emotionally...

[AJ Skatefan]

But in articles I've read, she just said she wanted to move on with her life... So I was wondering if something happened to her privately or emotionally...

I'm sure if she wanted us to know that information she would have released it publicly.

[snoopysnake]

Supposedly her mother was the one of the all-time horrible stage mothers and wanted her to be a skater, whereas AP wound up hating it and when she was old enough to be on her own and made the decision to quit.

[smarts1]

^ Awww that sucks for her... And she was adopted too... I wonder what their relationship is like now.

[euterpe]

IIRC, Ann Patrice had a painful foot injury during her last season, but her mother insisted that she compete anyway.

[blue_idealist]

Supposedly her mother was the one of the all-time horrible stage mothers and wanted her to be a skater, whereas AP wound up hating it and when she was old enough to be on her own and made the decision to quit.

Yeah, I heard that too.

[Artifice]

Sad for her but she is probably proud anyway of her accomplishment, especially since she is coaching now and following studies. She may not dislike skating that much.

I often see mothers form hell pushing their kids to limits. Last I saw is a mother who gives anti pain medication to force her daughter to skate despites her back pain ! And the girl is far far from being a serious competitor, she is at the lowest competitive level and don't even rank well !
Another one is a mother who forces her 4 yo kid to go on the ice eventhough the little girl cries and want to leave the ice ! The girl is put on ice with no choice other than staying there, she is dressed like a competitor (with no warm leggings or suit...). Finally the mother manages to make her having a little fun with the use of accessories the girl has to catch and bring back to her mother, you know like a dog...
A pity. I definitely don't get what these mothers have in their head !

[orbitz]

Supposedly her mother was the one of the all-time horrible stage mothers and wanted her to be a skater, whereas AP wound up hating it and when she was old enough to be on her own and made the decision to quit.

A 3 years old kid isn't going to suddenly discover skating all by herself if her mother or some other adults didn't introduce it to her. The "horrible stage mother" description makes it seem as if AP's mother used crack and whips to force AP to all those daily practices and competitions. I highly doubt that was what occurred at all.

[hirshey girl]

Her wikipedia bio says that : "In the 2003-2004 season, McDonough placed 4th at the 2003 Cup of China. She placed 6th at the 2004 United States Figure Skating Championships.
She retired from competitive skating following that season.

I remember watching her skate in Atlanta in 2004 and thinking that she looked absolutely miserable out there. I was not terribly shocked to hear that she retired not long after that. I'm glad to hear that she is doing what she wants to do with her life.

[TDsk8]

She's doing fine nowadays and is very happy

[smarts1]

Yeah, I just watched a couple of her videos and I realized that she NEVER looked happy to be on the ice.

[AnnM]

A 3 years old kid isn't going to suddenly discover skating all by herself if her mother or some other adults didn't introduce it to her. The "horrible stage mother" description makes it seem as if AP's mother used crack and whips to force AP to all those daily practices and competitions. I highly doubt that was what occurred at all.

Wasn't rather widely rumored back in the day that AP's mom had adopted her with the specific intent to make her into a skating star? That's what I remember hearing.

[overedge]

Wasn't rather widely rumored back in the day that AP's mom had adopted her with the specific intent to make her into a skating star? That's what I remember hearing.

Rumour? I remember reading a story that quoted her mother saying that she held baby AP in her arms and told her "You will be a skater".

I also remember reading (although possibly not in the same story) AP's mom saying how she told the coach where the jumps in the program should go, and saying it in a tone that sounded like this was a good thing. I can only imagine what AP and the coach thought about this level of parental "involvement"....

[steve skater]

AP is currently a skater on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.

[Artifice]

A skater's "mother from hell" doesn't have to be on crack to be called as such. Mothers from hell (so called) are often around the rink, give advises to coaches as if these mothers knew better than the coach..., they put pressure on their kid to succeed in competitions, they give them medication to hide the pain eventhough it can lead to a serious injury...

These mothers are actually more involved in skating than their kids ! I just feel so bad for the children. I saw one again at the rink, so little and she was crying because she wanted to leave the ice, her mother took her onto the ice until cries became too much and then she left the ice. Poor girl.

[TDsk8]

AP is currently a skater on a cruise ship in the Caribbean.

Yep and she wants to go home already

[tangerine_dream]

Rumour? I remember reading a story that quoted her mother saying that she held baby AP in her arms and told her "You will be a skater".

I also remember reading (although possibly not in the same story) AP's mom saying how she told the coach where the jumps in the program should go, and saying it in a tone that sounded like this was a good thing. I can only imagine what AP and the coach thought about this level of parental "involvement"....

The quote I read had her mother stated that she picked the smallest baby to adopt that she could find because tiny girls make better skaters. Of course, it was so long ago none of these articles are still available.

Just because AP is/was coaching doesn't speak to whether or not she likes/liked the sport. Most competitive skaters, especially ones who had moms like AP's, know *nothing* outside of skating. When they want to move out of the claws of their parents and make their own money in order to move out and take charge of their lives, they really have nothing to do other than coach. Good luck getting a job at 18-19 years old with zero retail experience when your friends have had part-time jobs since they started high school. Coaching earns more, it's easy for a past Nationals-level skater to get a job, and it's something they know they can do. It's a no-brainer, and anyway just because she might have hated skating herself doesn't mean she would hate coaching. Just look at Tiffany Chin.