Unpopular opinion here, but I think it's a good move for Bradie to go to Tom Z.
Tom Z isn't the best but he's one of the top US coaches there are and he's based at one of the top training centers in the country. I mean, Bradie could do worse. This is a different situation. It's not like he's starting with Bradie from scratch. She's a mature skater who is technically sound and established on the senior level. And, as an added bonus, she has a strong mind for competition. He doesn't need to
fix anything with Bradie...his role will likely be to take what she has and elevate her to the next level by helping her get a 3A or possibly a quad.
People saying this is a bad move from a PCS/artistic standpoint need to remember that she's not going to Tom Z as a choreographer; he's her coach. I'm fairly certain his focus will be on the technical side and I doubt this is an Eteri/Daniil type packaged deal where switching coaches means switching exclusively to one particular choreographer. Bradie can continue to work with Benoit or whoever else she wants to. As she's an adult, I'm sure she has a bit more say in what kind of image and style she has on the ice as well. It will be up to her and that part of her team to continue to grow and improve her skating artistically.
I'm happy for her and I'm excited to see how she plans to step it up.
I wonder if Amber Glenn getting a triple axel had anything to do with Tennell's coaching change? With Glenn's growing self-confidence and the fact that judges are willing to support her if she puts in a good free skate like her performance at Four Continents, I would say she is a potential threat to Bradie's road to Beijing.
I am very happy for Amber and the fact that her skating is looking better...BUT I'm not convinced she's a threat to the top 3 yet. As brilliant as she was in the SP at nationals she basically blew it in the FS. It's been her M.O. for a long time--she does not skate well under pressure. At 4CC she had a better performance in the FS but the fact is she finished 9th, more than 9 points behind Eunsoo Lim who was 8th, and 32+ points behind Bradie who finished 3rd. Her highest score (190.83 at 4CC this year) would have placed her 12th at worlds in 2019. That's not to say she can't or won't improve upon her scores, only that she has a long way to go to get to the level of Alysa, Bradie or Mariah.
Amber has always had great technical content and the fact that she may be adding the 3A is a big deal. I just question if she has the mental toughness to pull it off... Being capable of landing a 3A is an amazing accomplishment, but landing it under pressure in a competition is another story. I'm crossing my fingers for her because she's immensely talented and has always had what she needs to succeed. However, I'm not counting any eggs in Amber's basket until they hatch.
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