Kaetlyn Osmond - Canada's hope

[girlscouse62]

She seems pretty grounded and secure to me elle--I think she'll be fine. Sometimes I think trash talk is motivated by fear. Why we can't be excited for ALL new talent instead of the talent only within our borders is beyond me. We end up getting snippy with one another and then somehow transfer that dislike to the skaters we are debating who have not done anything to provoke such ire. I guess that's life though.

ITA. I think we need to be very grateful that these talented young people share their gifts with us. have no such talent (never even learned to skate); but I am full of admiration for their dedication and willingness to put it out there for all to see and enjoy. God bless them all!

[euterpe]

The biggest thing KO needs to work on is skating skills. As for jumps, she does 3 different 3/3s in practice with consistency and the 3L is about ready to be inserted into a program. Her team is waiting until next year to change her programs and layout. They want to drill in what she has now right through the end of the season which is more than enough to go for top 10 at London. This is the goal. Expect a full complement of jumping content on the GP next year as her programs are designed. In the next cycle, I'll be expecting the 3A to be added.

You are expecting an awful lot!

[TheIronLady]

She, Joannie, and Jennifer Robinson all substituted the 3As they trained in favor of clean programs.

[shutterbug]

I don’t think this article has been posted yet: Osmond ready to debut at first senior ISU Championships

” I haven’t really ever been someone to get nervous,” she said about competing. “If I am ever nervous, it’s always waiting to go to the competition or on the bus ride to the rink. Once I get to the rink and look around, I usually start to calm down and just start getting really excited to be there. Once I finally step onto the ice to compete and just skate around, it is like I absorb the excitement of the crowd which just makes me remember that this is why I love skating. I love the feel for the ice and the excited audience, so when I get to my starting position, I just take a breath and let myself fall into my music.”

Fingers crossed that the rest of the season continues to go well for her. I suspect she is going to have a wonderful time with the fans in Japan.

[clarie]

How could they not love her. She infects you with her joy of skating. I'm sure she'll make some fans over there even as a Canadian.

[quartz]

I really hope the pressure/expectations don't start freaking her out. She seems grounded and level-headed now, but I have the feeling there is going to be a lot of media attention on her. I want her to stay strong because I have not been this excited about a young woman's skating talent in a very long time. She is my new favorite girl!! Hoping for a top 10 at Worlds!

[spikydurian]

Good luck Katelyn on the 4CC. Just do your best and enjoy your skating.

[Alixana]

Good luck Katelyn on the 4CC. Just do your best and enjoy your skating.

This.

[Cachoo]

How could they not love her. She infects you with her joy of skating. I'm sure she'll make some fans over there even as a Canadian.

Clarie--I find Canadians easy to love. I'm sure there are always exception to the rule but, as you pointed out, Kaetlyn's joy on ice is infectious. She's a star.

[Alixana]

Clarie--I find Canadians easy to love. I'm sure there are always exception to the rule but ... snip

Why, thank you!

[Rock2]

TSN has also named her one of 10 Canadians to watch in Sochi. Wow, I expected this if she had a good result in London, not before! I guess she's not sneaking up on anyone anymore.

http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/story/?id=415288

[Rock2]

I really hope the pressure/expectations don't start freaking her out. She seems grounded and level-headed now, but I have the feeling there is going to be a lot of media attention on her. I want her to stay strong because I have not been this excited about a young woman's skating talent in a very long time. She is my new favorite girl!! Hoping for a top 10 at Worlds!

I think she'd have to have a meltdown not to make top 10. Her international scores all year have her well within range and looking at the field in London, she's should easily beat half the field and then would only need to pass one of the A list which includes 3 Japanese, 1 Korean, 1 Italian, 2 Americans, 1 Finn and 2 Russians. Just has to get past one of those and she's good. I like her chances.

Still if she does have a rough skate I will quote this comment and encourage everyone to take it in stride. She's not going to be perfect. Everyone has a rough one. She has skated too well under pressure all year to think she'll come off the rails. Among her 4 skates between 4CC and Worlds, I'm expecting one to be a disappointment. No big.

[demetriosj]

TSN has also named her one of 10 Canadians to watch in Sochi. Wow, I expected this if she had a good result in London, not before! I guess she's not sneaking up on anyone anymore.

http://www.tsn.ca/olympics/story/?id=415288

Does Osmond attend a brick and mortar high school, or does she take online classes/homeschool?

[Habs]

Does Osmond attend a brick and mortar high school, or does she take online classes/homeschool?

IIRC, she attends a high school in Edmonton that runs a special sports academy program - meaning, she attends classes in the mornings and skates in the afternoons.

[Flora]

IIRC, she attends a high school in Edmonton that runs a special sports academy program - meaning, she attends classes in the mornings and skates in the afternoons.

This is correct. She attends a public high school that caters to elite/dedicated athletes (Vimy Ridge Academy). Reading the article from Golden Skate, it sounds like she lives a fairly normal life for someone who is at a high level in their sport. Still goes to school, does her homework, and finds time for friends and whatnot. Maybe having a somewhat normal school schedule helps her balance it all out so that she's not only focused on skating.

[clarie]

I am somewhat disappointed that there have been no practise reports for her at 4CC. Is she really that much of a non-entity there? Or perhaps it's intentional.

[rvi5]

Someone created a practice report thread at GS, but it appears the only skater being discussed is Asada.

[clarie]

Yes, and she is not the only hard working skater there, nor the only one worth mentioning. Oh well, I suppose Kaetlyn can come out and surprise everyone, I hope. I'm sure the Japanese audience will love her, and it's probably ok that she's very much under the radar there. I hope she skate with her ususal abandon and joy and does well.

[sleepypanda]

Although not as much Asada, she is being talked about. (It's just in Japanese...) Most recent fan reports (from this morning's official practice) on twitter says she's looking lively and her jumps are huge.

[shutterbug]

From Kaetlyn’s official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/KaetlynOsmondCFS?ref=ts&fref=ts

Kaetlyn has been having good practices. Getting better as the week progresses. Getting over the time change (16 hours from Edmonton to Osaka!! She is very excited and hyper anticipating the start of the event.

“very excited and hyper” - I’ll bet! She is such a natural competitor. During the SP warm-up at Canadians, Alaine Chartand landed her 3lutz-3toe at one end of the rink. Kaetlyn, who was at the other end of the rink, looked up when she heard the applause, then promptly marched down the ice and did HER 3toe-3toe in the same spot. I have a feeling she’s not going to be easily intimidated once she gets some experience under her belt.