Which coach would you choose?

[lemongrass]

If you were a figure skater and could have your pick of any coach, who would it be? Who is considered the best? I have no idea myself but John Nicks looks like such a genial father figure to me. But then again, even he couldn't help Sasha conquer her demons. And he has so many pupils, how much time can he spare for you unless you are aiming for Olympic gold? Men or women, does it matter? Same nationality and style? What are the things to consider when choosing a coach?

[ambern024]

I'd prob go with rafael arutunian. Him or frank carroll

[victoriaheidi]

Hmm. I've thought about this before.

In terms of "if I were really a skater," I think I'd go to John Nicks. Closest top coach to where I live (and my parents would never want to move for skating!), and I think he's brilliant. I'd love to be trained by him!

I love TAT, too, but I don't think she'd be right for me now. Nicks it is!

[Macassar88]

If I were a top singles skater, I'd go to Mishin with choreography from Steuer maybe?
For pairs - Moskvina? She deserves a better team than Kavaguti and Smirnov
For dance - Zhulin + his team

[julieann]

If I were doing pairs, I would go with Oleg Vasiliev and for singles I would go with Brian Orser.

[Twilight1]

Single- Brian Orser
Pairs- Moskvina or Vasiliev
Ice Dance- Krylova and Camerlengo

[misskarne]

Alexei Mishin. Without a doubt or a question.

While I would certainly want to continue to self-choreograph, I wouldn't mind working with Rohene Ward in that regard.

[michiruwater]

There's a Pairs coach named Musician? Really?

[love_skate2011]

depends on what I want:

Singles
If you want good jump technique I would go to Mishin
If I want CoP whoring I'll go with Orser
If I'll go with short time fast progress I would go to Krall

Pairs
Moskvina or Steuer

Ice Dance
Krylova, Shipilband or Svinin/Zhuk

Note to self : Never go to
Zueva, Morozov and Kustarova

[briancoogaert]

I would have loved to work with Manon Perron.
But as an ice dancer, maybe Muriel Zazoui.

[icellist]

If I knew Japanese, Hiroshi Nagakubo

[TheGirlCanSkate]

John Nicks is very, very nice. I think it would be fun to rise up with an unknown coach though...

[merrywidow]

I like the current work of Mark Mitchell & Peter Jorgensen. Brian Orser as well.

[Laney]

I think I would choose Peter Grütter. I watched him with the skaters on the ice for several times and I liked the way he teached. And since I live in Europe, it wouldn´t be so far away :-) I also have the impression that Mr. Sato is a good coach and a nice man. Brian Orser, too. I would never go to Morozow! :-D

[aftershocks]

Singles skater: Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson with some mentoring from Yuka Sato, Michelle Kwan, Brian Boitano, and Paul Wylie, with choreography from Tom Dickson, Shae Lynn Bourne, Pasquale Camerlengo, Benji Schwimmer, and Rohene Ward; costumes by Vera Wang (and I'd be okay with receiving early fs training from Ilia Kulik and Katia Gordeeva)

Pairs skater: Meno/ Sand, with Yoda-like input from John Nicks, pointers from Randy Gardner and choreography from Julie Marcotte (with a mentoring session from Sale/ Pelletier) -- ETA: summer training with Ingo, Robin and Aliona

Ice dancer: Angelika Krylova and Pasquale Camerlengo, with mentoring from Christopher Dean, Igor Shpilband, Elizabeth Punsalan, and Jerod Swallow (choreo by Christopher Dean, Marina Zueva, Pasquale Camerlengo)

[screech]

Sebastien Britten. I still think her year with him in 2005 was Joannie Rochette's best.

[lala]

Mishin

[PeterG]

Sebastien Britten. I still think her year with him in 2005 was Joannie Rochette's best.

Would we be allowed to date our coach?

[misskarne]

Hmmm yes, second choices after Mishin would definitely be Krall, and Kulik.

[Wyliefan]

If you were a figure skater and could have your pick of any coach, who would it be? Who is considered the best? I have no idea myself but John Nicks looks like such a genial father figure to me. But then again, even he couldn't help Sasha conquer her demons.

I don't know much about her demons, but Sasha was in the top five of every competition of her senior career. Good enough for me. And look what he's done for Ashley. Yep, I'd take Nicks in a heartbeat!