Nathan Chen Fan Thread #2

BittyBug

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Nathan strikes me as likely to follow Evan Lysacek's path - i.e., retire immediately following the Olympics. I could see him doing a few shows, but he clearly has other things he is enjoying in life so I don't see him sticking with skating. JMO.
 

shine

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I don’t think I agree. Nathan has other interests but also appears to me to love skating and performing a lot more than Evan ever did. He’ll probably go back to school and finish his degree, but I don’t see him retiring right away and he might even come back later on.
 

sheetz

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A lot of folks think seem to Nathan doesn't care much for skating just because he has other things going on in his life, but in interviews he has said having both school and skating helped to provide balance in his life. Growing up he juggled skating, ballet, gymnastics, hockey, and piano, so I think he'd be bored if he focused on only one thing. He originally had even hoped to stay in school for this past season, as well, but YKW scuttled those plans.
 

sk9tingfan

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I understood (from his interviews) that Yale gave out a ********* leave last school year, which he took, so he's still good for another full year.
Yeah I was wondering about that. I just can imagine that academically, he may feel like he's losing momentum in his field.
 

sk9tingfan

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Nathan strikes me as likely to follow Evan Lysacek's path - i.e., retire immediately following the Olympics. I could see him doing a few shows, but he clearly has other things he is enjoying in life so I don't see him sticking with skating. JMO.
I totally agree. Not sure if he's still thinking of going to medical school and if the answer if yes, then I see him going the MD, PhD route. I think that his older sister who is a C level executive and cofounder of Mammoth Biosciences is a big influence on him.
 

BittyBug

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A lot of folks think seem to Nathan doesn't care much for skating just because he has other things going on in his life....
I don't think anyone suggested that Nathan "doesn't care much for skating." As you acknowledged, skating is just one of many activities in his life. But it's absolutely punishing to train at his level, and he has other things he wants to accomplish, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if he decided to move on. Sort of like Sunisa Lee (gymnastics). She could easily stay in to aim for Paris - it's only 3 years away - but she's happily leaving elite gymnastics behind to have a full college experience and "a normal life."
 

sheetz

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I don't think anyone suggested that Nathan "doesn't care much for skating." As you acknowledged, skating is just one of many activities in his life. But it's absolutely punishing to train at his level, and he has other things he wants to accomplish, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if he decided to move on. Sort of like Sunisa Lee (gymnastics). She could easily stay in to aim for Paris - it's only 3 years away - but she's happily leaving elite gymnastics behind to have a full college experience and "a normal life."
But I think there definitely is a common belief that you have to devote yourself 100% to skating and put the rest of your life on hold or else you don't love skating enough. Back when Nathan decided to attend Yale plenty of fans felt it was essentially a retirement announcement. My point is that just because there are other things that Nathan would like to accomplish in life it doesn't necessarily mean a retirement from skating. Yes, if there are physical reasons, but if he is physically ok I could definitely see him trying to continue juggling skating and school.
 
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BittyBug

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My point is that just because there are other things that Nathan would like to accomplish in life it doesn't necessarily mean a retirement from skating. Yes, if there are physical reasons, but if he is physically ok I could definitely see him trying to continue juggling skating and school.
What if he's completely satisfied that he's achieved everything he wants to achieve in skating and is completely happy to move on to other pursuits? If he wins the Olympics, I'd be stunned if he continued skating beyond this year. For what - another world title? When you already have a few, that may not be enough of a carrot to keep up with the grind.

You seem to be assuming that Chen is driven by pure love of the sport, and while I have no doubt that he does in fact love skating, I think he's driven by competitive achievement, as most elite athletes are. And once he gets that elusive prize (assuming he wins the Olympics), his motivation may dull.
 

sheetz

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If he wins the Olympics, I'd be stunned if he continued skating beyond this year. For what - another world title?

Maybe another OGM? Or beating Dick Button's record of 7 US titles? He's young enough and good enough that he could really solidify himself as one of the all time greats.
 
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cheremary

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Sort of like Sunisa Lee (gymnastics). She could easily stay in to aim for Paris - it's only 3 years away - but she's happily leaving elite gymnastics behind to have a full college experience and "a normal life."

Off topic, but Suni herself has said she still wants to compete at more Worlds and Olympics. Screenshot of her recent Instagram story: https://www.reddit.com/r/Gymnastics/comments/p3ynv6/suni_on_her_future_in_elite_gymnastics/

As for Nathan, I also don’t see him retiring right away even if he wins the Olympics...jumps aside, his programs every season thus far has expanded his artistic and performance side, and I think there’s more for him to explore and be challenged with.
 

fairytales

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As for Nathan, I also don’t see him retiring right away even if he wins the Olympics...jumps aside, his programs every season thus far has expanded his artistic and performance side, and I think there’s more for him to explore and be challenged with.
This is exactly why I hope to see him continue. Nathan isn't at the end of his potential development in terms of artistry. It would be a shame to cut it short. I feel like he has so many more beauties to offer. And he keeps improving and getting better; I would love to see how far he can go in that department.
Jumps and athletic abilities completely aside for a moment.
 

sheetz

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As for Nathan, I also don’t see him retiring right away even if he wins the Olympics...jumps aside, his programs every season thus far has expanded his artistic and performance side, and I think there’s more for him to explore and be challenged with.

This is exactly why I hope to see him continue. Nathan isn't at the end of his potential development in terms of artistry.

True, when you consider he's only 22 and seeing all the other skaters who continued to improve beyond that age.

From a practical standpoint, he could decide to continue if it's financially worthwhile. It used to be that skaters who won OGM would retire to turn pro and make money off of shows, but since there is no pro tour to speak of in the US that probably wouldn't be a consideration. If he can bring in enough money from his sponsors to leave him a good income after deducting training expenses, why not continue?
 

shine

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I do wonder if he’ll tone down the quads if he does win the Olys and decides to stay around to compete for a while. I do agree that from a practical point of view it’s incredibly demanding to keep training for the tech content he does right now. And it doesn’t look like anyone is quite at the level quad-wise other than Vincent to challenge anyway at this point (assuming Hanyu retires).
 

BittyBug

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If he can bring in enough money from his sponsors to leave him a good income after deducting training expenses, why not continue?
Because it is excruciatingly punishing on your body to train quads and because there is more to life than skating.

It would be great for the sport if Nathan continued because he is the current standard bearer, but as much as we fans would love him to stay in, he may have other designs for his life.
 

sheetz

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Because it is excruciatingly punishing on your body to train quads and because there is more to life than skating.

Maybe, but that's why I said it would depend on his health. As for there being more to life beyond skating, he's obviously aware of that which is why he hasn't put the rest of his life on hold. Ironically, I think he'd be more likely to retire had he deferred his education until after the Olympics like so many other skaters have.

In tennis people said the same things about Venus and Serena Williams. In their early years they had numerous interests beyond tennis and were criticized for not focusing 100% on their sport. People said they didn't particularly care about tennis and would retire by their mid 20s. But it seems the outside interests helped to prevent them from burning out and decades later both are still competing on the tour, long after their contemporaries have retired.
 
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SaDa

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The thing is, Nathan has made it very clear about how important education is to him and his family. As much as he loves skating, in terms of his future, he sees his education as priority. He has also said before that skating and going to school at the same time is stressful...so, unless something has changed in that regard, I think it's likely he will not be continuing to skate after the Olympics season. I think this will be true, even if he doesn't win gold because he has said before that he's happy with his achievements so far and that whether he gets a gold at the Olympics or not won't define him. Most likely, he'll drop skating to focus on finishing school no matter the color of his medal. Sure, there's always a chance that he can come back, but I don't think the chances are that high simply because of his ambitions with his education. It'll depend on what he decides to do with that. If he goes beyond a 4-year degree, he'll be in his mid to late 20s when he accomplishes that. Really, what are the chances that someone is going to come back to competing when they're that old? Don't most skaters start thinking about retiring around that age? I don't think that tennis and figure skating are that comparable. One could probably play tennis and compete for a long time but, for skating, it'd be more difficult simply because of the nature of the sport. Nathan isn't going to be able to jump all those amazing quads at his current rate and level of consistency indefinitely(though I would love for him to be able to). I would love to be wrong and I wish the guy could skate forever. Anyhow, the best thing as fans, I think, is to simply enjoy the moment and to share in whatever joy we still can with him.
 

sheetz

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The thing is, Nathan has made it very clear about how important education is to him and his family. As much as he loves skating, in terms of his future, he sees his education as priority. He has also said before that skating and going to school at the same time is stressful...
He also said he likes it. He was hoping to continue doing both simultaneously this past season.
If he goes beyond a 4-year degree, he'll be in his mid to late 20s when he accomplishes that.
No, he could finish Yale and then take a break from school to train for 2026, after which he could retire and go on to med/grad school. After Yale he'll be only 24, which is still peak age for a male skater.
I don't think that tennis and figure skating are that comparable. One could probably play tennis and compete for a long time but, for skating, it'd be more difficult simply because of the nature of the sport.
That wasn't the case 20 years ago. Most female tennis players retired in their 20s back then.
Nathan isn't going to be able to jump all those amazing quads at his current rate and level of consistency indefinitely.

Obviously he can't skate forever, but he's still quite young. By 2026 he'll be only 26--same age as Hanyu, Brown, and Kolyada are now. And taking some time off for school could allow his mind and body a needed break to recover and refresh.

Look, I'm not saying he definitely will come back, but people are making up reasons for him to retire that simply aren't true.
 
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Lemonade20

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He also said he likes it. He was hoping to continue doing both simultaneously this past season.

No, he could finish Yale and then take a break from school to train for 2026, after which he could retire and go on to med/grad school. After Yale he'll be only 24, which is still peak age for a male skater.

That wasn't the case 20 years ago. Most female tennis players retired in their 20s back then.


Obviously he can't skate forever, but he's still quite young. By 2026 he'll be only 26--same age as Hanyu, Brown, and Kolyada are now. And taking some time off for school could allow his mind and body a needed break to recover and refresh.

Look, I'm not saying he definitely will come back, but people are making up reasons for him to retire that simply aren't true.
A lot of skaters do choose to retire right after the Olympics, but they don't always stop skating. Some will do a few shows, some will go on to coach/choreo, and some will take a completely new path (going back to school, new career etc). I can see Nathan focusing more on school and his future career, but who knows how he feels about competing? He might surprise us all.
 

sheetz

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There's also one other factor to consider, and that's the state of US skating post Beijing. If US skaters, especially the men, are really struggling I could see the USFS asking him to come back. And from what I've seen of him I think Nathan would want to step in and help if he was needed. OTOH if the next generation of skaters are able to compete for medals at the international level he may be more content to step away from the sport.
 

Sasha'sSpins

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I really wish that Nathan's fan thread could be kept upbeat and fun as it usually is. I was really bummed to come here after a time to find some fans apparently denigrating a great skater and sweet soul like Yuzuru. I come here to his fan thread to cheer Nathan on! 😎
I don't think anyone suggested that Nathan "doesn't care much for skating." As you acknowledged, skating is just one of many activities in his life. But it's absolutely punishing to train at his level, and he has other things he wants to accomplish, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if he decided to move on. Sort of like Sunisa Lee (gymnastics). She could easily stay in to aim for Paris - it's only 3 years away - but she's happily leaving elite gymnastics behind to have a full college experience and "a normal life.

Off topic, but Suni herself has said she still wants to compete at more Worlds and Olympics. Screenshot of her recent Instagram story: https://www.reddit.com/r/Gymnastics/comments/p3ynv6/suni_on_her_future_in_elite_gymnastics/

As for Nathan, I also don’t see him retiring right away even if he wins the Olympics...jumps aside, his programs every season thus far has expanded his artistic and performance side, and I think there’s more for him to explore and be challenged with.
You saved me the trouble about posting that about Suni! She's focused on school and healing up her injuries (particularly her leg/ankle), but she absolutely has not ruled out returning to elite at some point! And why not, as far as her body, heart, and soul are willing? Same goes for Nathan!

I certainly hope that Nathan will give us a few more seasons in elite, beyond the Olympics - as long as he's willing of course! It has been a joy for me to watch his journey, first as a 10 year old little boy, winning Novice to "Peter and the Wolf" and bringing the house down to his exhibition performance of 'Peter', and on to becoming an Olympic team medallist and 3 time World champion. He has grown and improved in all aspects of his skating with each passing year! 💖💖💖
 
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A.H.Black

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Whether or not Nathan retires from skating after the Olympics will depend on how much he finds he loves skating. Many skaters have had other plans after their skating careers are over. Some did leave active skating, like Tenley Albright and Michelle Kwan. I think others had plans to leave, like Paul Wiley, but ended up finding out that their love of skating kept them close to the sport. I think only time will tell if Nathan's educational and career plans are strong enough to keep him away from active skating - or whether his love of skating will be strong enough to keep him in the sport.
 

SaDa

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I really wish that Nathan's fan thread could be kept upbeat and fun as it usually is. I was really bummed to come here after a time to find some fans apparently denigrating a great skater and sweet soul like Yuzuru. I come here to his fan thread to cheer Nathan on! 😎
Of course Nathan's thread should be fun, but aren't we allowed to have proper discussions on deeper subject matters and be realistic/genuine with how we really feel too? You're free to cheer Nathan on as much as possible. No one's asking you to be involved in discussions you don't want to partake in. And, I think most have been trying really hard to move on from the subject involving that other skater.

I certainly hope that Nathan will give us a few more seasons in elite, beyond the Olympics - as long as he's willing of course! It has been a joy for me to watch his journey, first as a 10 year old little boy, winning Novice to "Peter and the Wolf" and bringing the house down to his exhibition performance of 'Peter', and on to becoming an Olympic team medallist and 3 time World champion. He has grown and improved in all aspects of his skating with each passing year!

I can assure you that as a fan, I agree with all of this and I wouldn't want it any other way. I don't think any of us are saying we want Nathan to retire or that we think he'll even announce some kind of retirement. He'll probably make an announcement about stepping away and leave the door open, and whether he comes back or not depends on what he decides to do about schooling. From what he's been saying, I just think schooling will be his priority after Beijing.

No, he could finish Yale and then take a break from school to train for 2026, after which he could retire and go on to med/grad school. After Yale he'll be only 24, which is still peak age for a male skater.
Sure, that's always a possibility. I'm just guessing that he's not going to want to put schooling off, especially if he wins a gold in Beijing next year.
 

Sasha'sSpins

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Of course Nathan's thread should be fun, but aren't we allowed to have proper discussions on deeper subject matters and be realistic/genuine with how we really feel too? You're free to cheer Nathan on as much as possible. No one's asking you to be involved in discussions you don't want to partake in. And, I think most have been trying really hard to move on from the subject involving that other skater.





I can assure you that as a fan, I agree with all of this and I wouldn't want it any other way. I don't think any of us are saying we want Nathan to retire or that we think he'll even announce some kind of retirement. He'll probably make an announcement about stepping away and leave the door open, and whether he comes back or not depends on what he decides to do about schooling. From what he's been saying, I just think schooling will be his priority after Beijing.


Sure, that's always a possibility. I'm just guessing that he's not going to want to put schooling off, especially if he wins a gold in Beijing next year.
I was not addressing you, but since you chose to reply - You are free to do as you choose. I stand by my opinion that a fan cheer thread should be just for that - cheering on the skaters, not as an opportunity to tear another skater down, which defeats the purpose of a cheer thread. No, I don't have to participate in negative posts here, but I don't feel that I should have to see negative posts in a cheer thread either. Imo, it brings down the tone on what should be positive and joyful for the skater that one wants to support. There are other threads for bashing other skaters if that is one's inclination. In any event, my remedy for not seeing such posts again, which are a real bummer in a cheer thread, is to simply hit the ignore button on any poster who is determined to be a party pooper, a Debbie Downer, or a wet blanket. I have nothing further to say.
 
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timwarpingout

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The thing is, Nathan has made it very clear about how important education is to him and his family. As much as he loves skating, in terms of his future, he sees his education as priority. He has also said before that skating and going to school at the same time is stressful...so, unless something has changed in that regard, I think it's likely he will not be continuing to skate after the Olympics season. I think this will be true, even if he doesn't win gold because he has said before that he's happy with his achievements so far and that whether he gets a gold at the Olympics or not won't define him. Most likely, he'll drop skating to focus on finishing school no matter the color of his medal. Sure, there's always a chance that he can come back, but I don't think the chances are that high simply because of his ambitions with his education. It'll depend on what he decides to do with that. If he goes beyond a 4-year degree, he'll be in his mid to late 20s when he accomplishes that. Really, what are the chances that someone is going to come back to competing when they're that old? Don't most skaters start thinking about retiring around that age? I don't think that tennis and figure skating are that comparable. One could probably play tennis and compete for a long time but, for skating, it'd be more difficult simply because of the nature of the sport. Nathan isn't going to be able to jump all those amazing quads at his current rate and level of consistency indefinitely(though I would love for him to be able to). I would love to be wrong and I wish the guy could skate forever. Anyhow, the best thing as fans, I think, is to simply enjoy the moment and to share in whatever joy we still can with him.

Also what would he have left to return for? After he wins the OGM (presumably), he has dominated for 5-6 years, and won everything. Nothing really to chase, let alone with such big goals in real life things. Would be kind of pointless. His legacy would be more than secure.

If there was a real pro skating scene I coudl see him doing some of that awhile, but sadly there isn't, unless you want to move to Japan or something.
 

Sasha'sSpins

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Yes, it's the beginning of the Olympic season but I, for one, would really appreciate it if people posting in Nathan's fan thread could maintain respect for Hanyu -- like Nathan does in his public statements to the media -- and also refrain from bashing Fanyus in general. Thank you. :)
THIS!
 

lurkz2

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Also what would he have left to return for? After he wins the OGM (presumably), he has dominated for 5-6 years, and won everything. Nothing really to chase, let alone with such big goals in real life things. Would be kind of pointless. His legacy would be more than secure.

If there was a real pro skating scene I coudl see him doing some of that awhile, but sadly there isn't, unless you want to move to Japan or something.
I don't think Nathan thinks of domination when he sets goals, not that any of us will ever know for sure😉. I believe his goals for this season would be a clean 6 quad FS and clean Olympic programs.

Beyond that, maybe the first 7 quad FS (which would require a quad axel hahaha we can dream).
 

Alexa

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In that Yale alum interview, iirc, Nathan said something like the hardest thing about skating is retirement one day. He loves skating much more than anyone thinks he does.

He never firmly said anything about retirement. He only said he would be back to school, might take a break, and reevaluate his passion after Beijing.

It is true finishing college would be his priority after Beijing. But to me, Nathan is never sure when to retire himself. In that same interview, he mentioned he was considering leaving skating after Nationals 2016, but apparently he changed his mind
 
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