Tom Zakrajsek's 2017-18 season blog for Icenetwork

[Sylvia]

Tom Zakrajsek is the coach of former U.S. champions Mirai Nagasu and Max Aaron as well as reigning U.S. silver medalist Vincent Zhou -- all of whom are contending for spots on the 2018 U.S. Olympic team. He is keeping a season-long blog for icenetwork.
First article: http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/07/05/240562964

 

[AxelAnnie]

That was really interesting to read. I hope Ashley's coach follows these steps.

 

[Tavi]

So not only does Ice Network have a feature on the making of Vincent's FS but Tom Z is featured in a season long blog?

 

[Spun Silver]

That was really interesting to read. I hope Ashley's coach follows these steps.

It WAS interesting but I really dont think Arutunian needs tips from anyone!

 

[VGThuy]

Cool to see him working with Marina's students.

 

[wickedwitch]

So not only does Ice Network have a feature on the making of Vincent's FS but Tom Z is featured in a season long blog?

Drew Meekins works with Tom Z. I would expect that he's the link between them and Ice Network.

 

[katmari]

So not only does Ice Network have a feature on the making of Vincent's FS but Tom Z is featured in a season long blog?

Sung to the tune Summertime:

Olympic year, and the politicking starts early
Coaches are blogging and quad rumors are high

(That's when my bout of inspiration ran out)

Wouldn't it be great if the Rohene Ward web series "The Choreographer's Apprentice was published in a such high profile site!

 

[her grace]

Zhou is back at Zakrajsek's? When did that happen? I thought he was primarily with Gambill.

 

[Dobre]

Zhou is back at Zakrajsek's? When did that happen? I thought he was primarily with Gambill.

He was back & forth last year.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Cool to see him working with Marina's students.

...I recently began collaborating with Marina Zoueva on several of her skaters. Do you think he's giving Gracie little spankies to get her going again?

 

[VGThuy]

...I recently began collaborating with Marina Zoueva on several of her skaters. Do you think he's giving Gracie little spankies to get her going again?

Um..."spankies"?

 

[Sylvia]

From the first "Creating the program" IN article by Sarah Brannen:

Zhou trains most of the time in Colorado Springs, with Meekins managing his training and program strategy and Tom Zakrajsek overseeing his jump technique. Zhou's longtime coach, Tammy Gambill, continues to develop and guide him from California as well.

 

[overedge]

Sung to the tune Summertime:

Olympic year, and the politicking starts early
Coaches are blogging and quad rumors are high

Get the word out
You can't start it too early
Now go repeat those quads...and don't cry

 

[DDNatalia]

From the photo, it looks like Vincent grew a bit.

It's Tom Z's students featured but I bet there's additional inspiration from other students training there as well like Josh.

 

[arakwafan2006]

It WAS interesting but I really dont think Arutunian needs tips from anyone!

ESPECIALLY a coach that is notorious for producing unbalanced skaters.

 

[arakwafan2006]

Moot point: If " It takes a village" was first introduced by Hillary Clinton to Tom, that's sad...

 

[Bellanca]

Actually, Tom Z. is a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor, and his students love him!

 

[el henry]

I'm glad someone said Tom Z. is a good guy, because based on that "me me me" and "lmma gonna give that Patrick some quads, baby" blog, I though I had met Rafael's match for self-promotion. And IME that's a high bar

It would be great to see the Choreographer's Apprentice get more play, here's hoping

 

[arakwafan2006]

Actually, Tom Z. is a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor, and his students love him!

Does he smell good too...

 

[Bellanca]

Does he smell good too...

Very concerning that you need to know this.

He is highly regarded by his skaters. A good, caring coach will always promote his or her own.

 

[antmanb]

So Patrick is working on quad flip too

 

[centerpt1]

A good, caring coach will always promote his or her own.

It just seems Tom Z is out to promote himself more than his students. He's obviously very talented and successful (especially at producing Nat'l Champ Men) -so why does he need to self promote so much? I find him off-putting.

 

[antmanb]

Self employed person in self promotion shocker!!

Dear business owner would you like some free publicity? Goodness no I couldn't possibly, people might think I have a business to promote!

 

[overedge]

It just seems Tom Z is out to promote himself more than his students. He's obviously very talented and successful (especially at producing Nat'l Champ Men) -so why does he need to self promote so much? I find him off-putting.

All well-known coaches self-promote, and there's nothing wrong with being entrepreneurial - but I agree with you about how he comes across. There are coaches with much more experience and much more success (I'm thinking e.g. Frank Carroll or John Nicks) who can talk about their students and their coaching techniques without so many mentions of what they've personally achieved.

 

[arakwafan2006]

Very concerning that you need to know this.

He is highly regarded by his skaters. A good, caring coach will always promote his or her own.

Max Aaron is the epitome of what a career of being coached by Tom will do. You will not be well rounded at all. Tom is good for who he's good for. Mirai is exploring herself as a woman with infinitely strong character and is confronting demons that limit her career and showing triumph. He's who she needed. Still, she had the ability to be a far better artist and it simply won't happen as Tom is just not strong there. He would truly benefit from partnership with a coach like Tom Dickson who's strength is in the opposite direction of his own. Not saying Dickson is his guy but that a coach that teaches figures and great skating sills and body awareness and knows how to polish a program. I mean, Mirai skated through her music all damn season.

I went and watched her Olympic Free and short and Lori picked music and set choreography that Mirai loved skating to and DID skate to. Frank continued Lori's work and thought that EVERY competency was as important as jumping.

 

[kittysk8ts]

All well-known coaches self-promote, and there's nothing wrong with being entrepreneurial - but I agree with you about how he comes across. There are coaches with much more experience and much more success (I'm thinking e.g. Frank Carroll or John Nicks) who can talk about their students and their coaching techniques without so many mentions of what they've personally achieved.

If he can teach Patrick a 4F, I am willing to forgive. LOL.

 

[arakwafan2006]

Self employed person in self promotion shocker!!

Dear business owner would you like some free publicity? Goodness no I couldn't possibly, people might think I have a business to promote!

Exactly... so what if he is?

 

[bardtoob]

Go, Patrick! I've been waiting five years for that 4F!

 

[Firedancer]

If he can teach Patrick a 4F, I am willing to forgive. LOL.

Patrick with a 4F and better consistency, I will be too. LOL

 

[Sylvia]

Ted Flett interviewed Tom Zakrajsek for Golden Skate on July 6, 2017 in Colorado Springs (skaters discussed are Vincent Zhou, Max Aaron, Mirai Nagasu): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkmIIuIhDMA