Does Jeremy Abbott need a coaching change?

[Vash01]

I am at a loss here. Jeremy has improved his skating with Yuka and Jason, but I have not seen him really dig deep to win a competition or even a medal when it came to the big ones- worlds and Olympics. GPF simply does not rank along with these. In the last 3 years or so, he missed making the world team twice.

I am wondering if Yuka and Jason are no longer the right coaches for Jeremy? Ultimately the responsibility lies with Jeremy for underperforming, but sometimes a coaching change can do wonders for a skater. Case in point: Ashley Wagner going to John Nicks. Does Jeremy need to go to another coach? May be Frank Caroll (not sure if Frank is accepting more students)?

[judgejudy27]

His window of opportunity on the World stage was 2009-2010. He was capable of winning the 2009 Worlds and 2010 Olympics, then was lowballed and robbed of a medal at the 2010 Worlds for bombing both the previous events. His window is officialy closed now, on the World stage that is. There are too many guys doing quads and with far too much firepower for him, and whose PCS are as high or higher as well. It is like Lysacek who was good enough to win in 2009 and 2010, but even in his 09/10 form wouldnt be good enough to even be top 6 today. However Evan took his window, while Jeremy didnt, and that window doesnt really exist for him anymore, it is too late.

[essence_of_soy]

Where the body used to be willing but the mind wasn't, now it's the other way around. He may yet be able to 'do a Wylie', but there are too many other men with comparable PCS who can win internationally on any given day.

It's too bad there isn't a pro circuit Jeremy and his outstanding artistry can be better appreciated away from the rigors of eligible competition.

[Vash01]

A pro circuit would have been wonderful for Jeremy.

[DBZ]

I don't think a coaching change will help at this point.

Let's face it: Jeremy has always been a hit and miss skater, even in his prime. You compound that with age and injury, and that inconsistency can only get worse. No coach is going to change that.

I'm afraid I'm in agreement with Judy. Realistically, I think his window of opportunity to seriously challenge on the international stage is gone.

I think it'll be an incredible personal triumph if he made the Olympic team next year, which still isn't out of the realm of possibility IMO. But in terms of contending for medals at worlds or Olympics?

I just don't see it happening with the current talent pool.

[TheIronLady]

Yes, the Satos on both sides of the Pacific seem to be producing some underwhelming results. I think they are fine coaches, but he has enough talent and positive attitude to make it worth the risk of a new coaching situation.

[centerpt1]

Jeremy needs a new back, and a fountain of youth.

He didn't bomb this Nationals- he just wasn't good enough under the rules as they are. Even if his back improved I don't think he could get 3 quads in a competition (one in short, two in long) And that's what matters now.

Yuka helped him tremendously with presentation, not to mention guiding him a he started choreographing his own programs.

Missing the no point spin was a whoopsie, though.

It's a shame the previous generation of skaters and the ISU ruined pro skating and pro competitions.

[misskarne]

I think at some point you have to switch focus away from the coaches and look at the common denominator - the skater.

Jeremy is a headcase. I wish it was not so. But that is the undeniable fact.

[kwanette]

I am at a loss here. Jeremy has improved his skating with Yuka and Jason, but I have not seen him really dig deep to win a competition or even a medal when it came to the big ones- worlds and Olympics. GPF simply does not rank along with these. In the last 3 years or so, he missed making the world team twice.

I am wondering if Yuka and Jason are no longer the right coaches for Jeremy? Ultimately the responsibility lies with Jeremy for underperforming, but sometimes a coaching change can do wonders for a skater. Case in point: Ashley Wagner going to John Nicks. Does Jeremy need to go to another coach? May be Frank Caroll (not sure if Frank is accepting more students)?

Frank won't accept another "elite" male skater as long as he has Evan.

[maureenfarone]

I don't think a new coach will help. IMO this was not a case of Jeremy melting down, it was just too many injuries and loss of training time. I will be surprised if he continues elite skating.

[briancoogaert]

I don't know what he needs. I'm devastated !

[The Accordion]

I am very sad for Jeremy - and sad for me that I don't get to see those 2 programs at Worlds. :

[RobinA]

I think at some point you have to switch focus away from the coaches and look at the common denominator - the skater.

Jeremy is a headcase. I wish it was not so. But that is the undeniable fact.

This is my take. I like Jeremy and there's no other American male skater I would rather watch. All my faves turn out to be headcases. My last fave...Weir.

[flyingsit]

I don't think Jeremy is a headcase in the classic sense. I think there are two separate issues which have really come to the forefront of late... the first is simply age/time. He has become injury-prone of late, and that limits his training, and therefore his consistency in competition.

Second, in my view Jeremy is an artist who uses skating as his medium, and it seems that he gets so involved in the performance and telling the story that he buries himself so deeply in the choreography that he can't focus on his technical cues, etc. And due to the limited training, his muscle memory isn't what it needs to be, so those technical cues may be even more important to his results than in previous years...

[DimaToe]

I don't think a coaching change would help at this point. Jeremy seems to have a good relationship with Yuka and they have produced great LPs together, and I imagine that we will see yet another masterpiece for the Olympic year, can't wait Right now what I think Jeremy needs most of all is rest, his body needs some attention, and this season was a sign of that. I believe he made a great decision by not doing 4CC. If Jeremy takes a little time off to nurse all of his injuries then comes back to the ice with a fresh mind and healed body I think he will have a good Olympic season with Yuka/Jason helping him along the way. I honestly believe that doing that would help him way more than a new coach at this point , his nerves will always be there, but if he isn't having to worry about nursing injuries, I think he will have his nerves a tad under control. Just my two cents

Either way, Jeremy has had a respectable career and I wish him a fantastic 2013-14 season and that he leaves the amateur ranks with performances he can be proud of, regardless of the outcome

[arakwafan2006]

I don't think Jeremy is a headcase in the classic sense. I think there are two separate issues which have really come to the forefront of late... the first is simply age/time. He has become injury-prone of late, and that limits his training, and therefore his consistency in competition.

Second, in my view Jeremy is an artist who uses skating as his medium, and it seems that he gets so involved in the performance and telling the story that he buries himself so deeply in the choreography that he can't focus on his technical cues, etc. And due to the limited training, his muscle memory isn't what it needs to be, so those technical cues may be even more important to his results than in previous years...

Your second point is a good reach but if that was the case why on earth is the choreography in the short so watered down? I think that you are dead on with the first point though.

Jeremy has another element that bothers me. That element is a lack of ownership. From the problems he is having psychologically to the inability to keep difficult choreography intact ( removing the back to back axels in the free is a shame) to his responce in interviews namely sighting Yuzuru's success largely being due to his youth show that Jeremy is riddled with excuses. I dont personally see loads of improvement in jeremy other than in his movement sometimes across the ice. Say what you want but leaving Tom Z might not have been a brilliant move. Tom Z's skaters are known to struggle with artistry which Jeremy does not.

I think its sad because unlike Paul Wylie, Jeremy has immense technical ability. Unfortunately it could be that the deck is stacked against him. I dont think i would recommend a coaching change only a change in mindset

[casken]

YES YES YES.

The tepid FS music, the low spin levels, the quad entry that clearly is too slow to happen, etc...

The fact that these were allowed to continue on so long is a failure of the coaches, IMO.

He needs more aggressive coaching, programs, and skating.

I hate to say it, but maybe he should go to Morozov, if he'll have him.

[leafygreens]

I think it was rude of Jeremy to say the new winner needs to get the 3rd spot back. Jeremy has had ample opportunity to help do that, no?

[Frau Muller]

Jeremy needs a change in life. I wish him well in future endeavors. Thanks for the beautiful memories!

[casken]

I was a joke.

You know, funny ha ha ha?

And Adam Rippon was thirteenth last year, so Jeremy could have won and they still would only have two spots.