Mirai vs. Frank

[Satellitegirl]

I think Mirai and Frank will be fine. They both praise one another plenty. It isn't going to be another Goebel/Carroll incident.

Side Note: If there was one person I wanted an autograph or picture from this weekend, it was Frank. No luck though

[rfisher]

Didn't he get hammered by a weighted stuffie at some comp a couple of years ago? Cup of China maybe? Can't remember where but I'm sure he actually got hurt. Might explain the dirty look he gave. Also the 'I'm sorry' comment didn't sound like sarcasm to me, it was more like an implication of 'yes I'm afraid that's what you just did and you're going to have to deal with that'.

Maybe we're just more used to people calling a spade a spade over here but I really don't get what all the fuss is about.

Yes, he did get hit before and IIRC it bled. I don't blame him for being mad.

And Mirai most certainly does not need a new coach. She's improved dramatically under Frank Carroll's tutelage. She did blow it and they both knew it. Moreover, she's made the same mistake several times now. She's a self-admitted slacker in practice. Her parents are paying big bucks for her to be an elite skater. It's time she either puts in the time or tells them to save that money for their retirement. I don't see anybody criticizing Orser for being visibly mad with Adam after that short program which he knew just cost them a trip to worlds. Adam nails that jump time after time and blew it when it counted.

I crack up at people who think skaters should be treated like porcelain or fragile babies. Ever sat in on a high school locker room after you blew a big game? Or ridden the bus back home? These are elite athletes not 6 year olds playing t-ball who get a a prize even when you're terrible.

[Blair]

Maybe I haven't heard the whole quote, but if all everyone is reacting to is Frank saying "I'm sorry you gave it away" this is a bit of an over-reaction.

Elite athletes usually have enormous egos that are capable of standing up to a harsh critique from the coach who trains them day-in day-out. I suspect Mirai went to Frank precisely for the kind of tough approach he uses. Refer to Manon Perron/Joannie Rochette relationship. That woman was HARD on her, and she loved her for it.

Frank apparently adores this kid too and I'm sure he has lots of brownie points stored up with her to cash out on a rainy day.

Edited to add: I also don't know many people over 70 who like to be pelted unexpectedly.

[PDilemma]

I coached competitive speakers for years and taught kids this age. Most 17 year olds who have been seriously competing in anything know when they have not given their best performance. And they don't usually want tea and sympathy in the immediate aftermath. They want honesty. If I said to a competitor immediately after they blew all their lines in duet acting at district, "oh, well, you tried, it will be better next time", 90% of them would say "what next time? I just blew it and ended the season" then brush me off.

I had a kid blow the last line of a play at a one-act competition one year. He stood silent on stage for 30 seconds. It was awful. The cast came off and the maternal part of me wanted to hug him and tell him it was okay. But he was an 18 year old senior who had been competing for all of high school in drama and speech. He knew it wasn't okay. He looked at me and said, "I blew it." So I said, "yeah, but you won't do it again". If it had been districts, it would have ended the season and I would have probably just said "yeah."

They aren't babies and their self esteem will survive.

[flyingsit]

Every skater needs something different in the K&C, and the coach knows what will have the most effect long-term on that particlar skater. Let's not forget that the coach is their COACH, not their parent. The goal of the coach is to make them a better skater. The goal of the PARENT is to give the unconditional support, the hugs, the "it'll be OK no matter what."

[TracyF]

That's the essence of it...."praise in public, condemn in private"....

This is true. I'm not having any real trouble with what Frank said, honestly; but it's one thing not to pull punches when you're one-on-one, coach to skater. It's another to do it publicly.

[modern_muslimah]

I love Mirai but I don't get all the bashing of Frank Carroll and what he did in the K&C. Mirai blew it in the LP and she knew it. Why should Carroll sugar coat it and say "it's ok"? He supports her and congratulates her when she does well. As for what he said to Hersh, this unfortunately, isn't the first time a coach has lamented her work ethnic. If she only started to buckle down three weeks prior to Nationals, then that would explain why her LP looked so unsteady.

I don't see them parting ways. It seems like Mirai is use to his tough love and it also seems that she knows she needs it. Frank can only do so much. Mirai has the talent but she also needs to put in the work.

[pinky166]

Mirai hasn't been with Frank for very long. If the nastyness between them continues into next season, then she should get a new coach. But, making a change now after she didn't have the best season could be seen as a bit of a musical coaches move. It would almost seem like the Caroline Zhang situation. So I say she give it some more time and if things get sour then maybe she will change coaches over the summer or after next season, but not now.

[LuckyCharm]

I love Mirai but I don't get all the bashing of Frank Carroll and what he did in the K&C. Mirai blew it in the LP and she knew it. Why should Carroll sugar coat it and say "it's ok"?

Because she's a wittle Amewican pwincess and if he's mean it might make her cry and that would be the worst thing ever.

[krenseby]

She is a free spirit, and I'm not sure Carroll appreciates the positive side to that personality type.

I would love to see her with Nicks. But a coaching change isn't a panacea.

The important thing is that she seems to be doing way better with Frank than she did with her previous coach, who couldn't seem to get a handle on her. Didn't Charlene have a problem with getting Mirai to follow her instructions?

[pinky166]

Because she's a wittle Amewican pwincess and if he's mean it might make her cry and that would be the worst thing ever.

Mirai cries all the time so I don't think it would be taken too seriously, actually. More likely people would just think she's an emotional wreck rather than that Frank is too mean to her.

[bardtoob]

I get that Gong and Gonzales and Ten are not as naturally gifted as Mirai- but surely he can get Gong to emote and express music more than she did in every FS I've seen her skate this season.

There are National Champions and former National Champions (ie Flatt) who have tried as hard as they can to emote. They have gotten instruction, chosen costumes they like, chosen music they love. They put in all this effort and other people do not see it.

ETA: You really answered your own question.

It just seems like, similar to Tom Z, he is getting them to a certain point but not really getting them to their very best. Except Flatt and Bradley only very recently, but I get the feeling that was more self-inspired due to years of frustration of being so-so.

All top coaches have issues like this, but they are top coaches because they can get results at all. Furthermore, yes, some are "self-inspired", that is it is natural and can't be forced. Some have it while some don't.

[LuckyCharm]

Mirai cries all the time so I don't think it would be taken too seriously, actually. More likely people would just think she's an emotional wreck rather than that Frank is too mean to her.

You know, I'd almost forgotten about Mirai's crybaby ways. She really seems to have grown out of that. I imagine Frank is at least partially responsible for that change.

[pinky166]

You know, I'd almost forgotten about Mirai's crybaby ways. She really seems to have grown out of that. I imagine Frank is at least partially responsible for that change.

She's not a crybaby anymore I wouldn't say, she's just openly emotional. The commentators always talk about how she wears her heart on her sleeve, she's just an extroverted personality.

[floskate]

You know, I'd almost forgotten about Mirai's crybaby ways. She really seems to have grown out of that. I imagine Frank is at least partially responsible for that change.

There have been a number of times when he's told her not to cry in the K&C, that she'd live to skate another day, that it's ok nobody died etc after rough LP's. He's done an excellent job of getting her to keep things in perspective as well as reign in her emotions IMO.

As to Frank holding fire and letting her have it backstage and playing all smiley huggable coach for the cameras, well yeah perhaps in an ideal world, but it sure does make things a heck of a lot more interesting for us when it's played out like this.

Just watched Adam's SP and Brian chewing him out after - which no one seems to be making too much of a fuss about but I guess it's ok 'cos Adam's a man and he can take it whereas Mirai is America's next ice princess and should be treated accordingly It's sports, this is what happens.

[krenseby]

She's not a crybaby anymore I wouldn't say, she's just openly emotional. The commentators always talk about how she wears her heart on her sleeve, she's just an extroverted personality.

Do you think she has the potential of building a good rapport with her fans? Both Sasha and Michelle weren't that emotional and didn't have the tendency to say the silly little things on their mind.

[aliceanne]

I think Carroll has shown in the past that he won't tolerate emotionally fragile skaters indefinitely. He fired Bowman, Chin, and Goebel. I think he feels that if he can't help them win why waste his time and reputation and their money.

Fratianne, Kwan, and Lysacek were extremely tough mentally and I think he was able to accept that they couldn't be perfect all of the time and be supportive for that reason.

As far as elite coaches being warm and fuzzy, I think that is a PR fabrication. Elite coaches and competitors must be driven and ambitious to succeed. We saw how quickly the fangs came out on both Orser and Kim the first time their reputations were challenged.

As far as tolerating less talented middle-of-the road skaters, they don't take nearly as much of his time as an international competitor does. And as another poster pointed out he can't depend on his elite skaters for his living. They can quit him as well.

[Ziggy]

I get kind of exasperated seeing all these posts about how lazy Mirai is and how Frank is trying so hard to get her to reach her potential and she's just unwilling. What I see is a bad, overzealous attitude on the part of Frank Carroll. I think people are all too willing to take his side of the story. Yes, he's had 2 great champions. But a bunch of mid-pack skaters too. And his attitude towards her in the KnC was awful. I don't think he's as great as he seems to think. And I think he is destroying Mirai a bit. She needs someone more fun and less bent on changing her whole being. Anyone see it the same?

Finally!

My sources claim that this is exactly what Frank is like. At least some skaters feel that way about him.

Nobody is perfect and nobody's approach is going to work for everyone.

It is very annoying to see Frank (or anybody else for that matter) being venerated and any criticism of him being immediately shouted down.

Also, the way he spoke to Denis Ten after his absolutely disastrous five fall FS at Skate America was just .

In the K&C you need to show support to your skater, regardless of what happened. Obviously some criticism and analysis of what happened is necessary but do it later, when the emotions have subsided and both you and your skater have calmed down.

This almost comes off as sexist. Why should Frank show 'gentleness'? He's a coach. A football coach wouldn't be asked such a thing. Two different sports but it's still sport. Figure skaters (especially females) should be treated with kid gloves because why? They dress up and wear makeup? It's almost like taking a huge step backward imo.

Everybody should be treated with kindness and respect.

And football/soccer/basketball/volleyball/etc. coaches who think that SHOUTING at their players is the only way to get their message across are idiots and should do their Psychology 101.

Frank told Mirai she gave it away, that's all. It's not as if he was effing and blinding at her and made her cry in the K&C. He just told the truth and she knew it

And what is the point of saying that to her then? You think she didn't know? What constructive purpose is it going to achieve other than kicking somebody who already is down?

I don't see anybody criticizing Orser for being visibly mad with Adam after that short program which he knew just cost them a trip to worlds. Adam nails that jump time after time and blew it when it counted.

Orser was a total knob too. And it's not the first time.

When Adam imploded back during GP, Orser had absolutely no clue how to deal with it.

Adam was really stunned and just kept repeating "I don't understand what happened" and Orser looked visibly uncomfortable, showed negative body language to Adam and didn't engage with him at all.

It was just embarrassing. All coaches should go through at least minimal sport psychology training or at least pick a freakin' book or two.

Refer to Manon Perron/Joannie Rochette relationship. That woman was HARD on her, and she loved her for it.

The choice isn't between either being strict and nasty or too lenient.

You can maintain discipline whilst at the same time being there for your skaters when it matters.

And discipline doesn't mean shouting at people or telling them they sucked. Discipline should be maintained through consistency and respect.

Manon Perron is a perfect example of a coach who was extremely strict but never behaved in ways mentioned in this thread.

[Satellitegirl]

I just watched the video and didn't really see anything wrong with what Frank said. Mirai knows what she needed to do, and her and Frank work together all the time. It's not as if it was some stranger coming up and saying that to her, who knew nothing of what training she's gone through, etc. They know one another well enough.

Meh.

[bardtoob]

I think Carroll has shown in the past that he won't tolerate emotionally fragile skaters indefinitely. He fired Bowman, Chin, and Goebel.

Frank coached Christopher Bowman from 1973-74 (6 years old) to 1991, including taking him to drug rehab in the late 80s. That's hardly lack of investment.

Chin's mom left for greener pastures after Frank took Tiffany all the way to a Jr. World Championship.

Goebel wanted a coach more like the coach he ended his career with rather than Frank, but Frank still coached him to Olympic Bronze and World Silver before Tim left.