aftershocks
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Whoa, such a handsome young fellow. In this photo, Frank reminds me of the young Tab Hunter, and somewhat of the young Troy Donahue. Wow, what a bygone era the 1950s is. U.S. figure skating was king in those years. And the sport was still in it's infancy. It was still the days of newsreels. Regular television broadcasts of figure skating events did not begin until the early 1960s.
And then, we can not escape the Sabena airline crash tragedy which sliced through the heart of U.S. figure skating and left an indelible impact on the sport. The loss of so many skaters and coaches changed the sport forever. It actually led to the beginning of globalization of the sport. But it happened gradually, and no such term was used back then to describe the changes. It's impossible to fully grasp what's happening in the midst of earth-shattering events and aftermath years.
The loss of the inimitable Maribel Vinson Owen and her daughters, along with so many other coaches, skaters and their family members is incalculable. But particularly Vinson Owen, because her importance to the development of figure skating in the United States is immeasurable. And sadly her contributions are not even fully understood or well-documented, perhaps partly because of her tragic and sudden passing. Therefore, Frank's importance as one of Vinson Owen's students takes on huge significance, that once again is rarely understood or fully recognized. And this is largely due to the fact that the history of the sport is so complex, intricately vast, and kept track of in such a disparate and incomplete fashion.
I believe Vinson Owen's loss and the loss of those who died with her was so enormous and emotionally devastating during a time when media was in its infancy that it was extremely difficult for those who knew them and who lived through it to even talk about. I do not think that any of the grieving survivors ever fully recovered from the losses. It was too huge and at the time, there was apparently no effective social mechanism available for sharing their grief, much less understanding the huge impact of the loss on the sport itself. That has only come slowly with time and distance. But even then, it's not documented or discussed in a way that connects the past with the present, which I think is crucial for any sport, and especially for figure skating. Culturally back then, it was seemingly felt that you just continued on with a stiff upper lip as the best way to move forward and lay the dead to rest.
I suspect that Frank Carroll's modest, understated and stern persona hides a very emotional side that he prefers to keep under control at all times. Likely his students have glimpsed that side of him. Perhaps partly the loss of Vinson Owen is what led Frank to dedicate himself fully to a coaching career. There have been stories of him holding onto a cross at rinkside (in remembrance of Vinson Owen) while watching his top skaters perform, particularly Evan at 2010 Olympics.
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