Alysa Liu retired in 2022 and is coming back in 2024

skatfan

Well-Known Member
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8,374
I’m sad to see Alysa move on, but with everything she’s had to endure the last few years, I’m not totally surprised. I almost wonder if she made the announcement now while she’s in Japan to prevent anyone in the US from trying to change her mind.
I don’t think it was so much about changing anyone’s mind as much as letting fans know so they can see her on tour, and not having to answer whether she’s going to continue or what she plans for next season.
 

love skating

Clueless American
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2,997
Alysa's one of my favorites so I'm very sad to hear that she's retiring. However, if it makes her happy then I am happy for her and wish her all the best in her future. She really did accomplish so much in her skating career. I never said this out loud but a year and a half ago when she had her growth spurt and injury, I thought her career was over then. I thought to myself that she wouldn't get her jumps back and certainly didn't envision the Olympics or a World medal. In a couple short months later I'm so happy she proved me wrong and she came back as strong as ever at Nationals last year and then had this wonderful Olympic season. So I'm grateful for the years we did get to enjoy this wonderfully joyful skater! I sure will miss her!
 

overedge

Mayor of Carrot City
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35,798
I was not always a fan of hers, but she managed to grow physically and still maintain her skills, which is a really great accomplishment. I felt like she was starting to do some really interesting work this past season, and it's a shame we won't get to see her develop further as a competitive skater (unless she comes back ;) )

I really hope that the goals she has achieved are her goals, and that this is her decision.
 

SkateFanBerlin

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1,603
And Pairs......ugh! Dance - C/B. Men - I don't even know.

We need some skaters STAT!
We're Canada in 2018. Osmond retired, V/M retired, D/R retired. Men weren't that strong.

We have some potentially good men and C/B may stay around another season. But ladies not so, pairs total building mode. A number of factors have damaged the sport; hoping it can come back.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
More article links based on Alysa's personal announcement via Instagram yesterday (she did it her own way :D):

From NBC Olympics - "Liu’s father and U.S. Figure Skating later confirmed the veracity of the post.":

Associated Press article by Barry Wilner (republished on ESPN.com and many other papers nationwide):

Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2022/04/09/alysa-liu-retires/



Team USA.org: https://www.teamusa.org/News/2022/A...-As-Figure-Skater-Alysa-Liu-Retires-At-Age-16


ETA:
There was an article in our local paper. It's probably behind a paywall but here it is:

The San Francisco Chronicle article is also behind a paywall (incorporates the AP article, I believe):
 

Frau Muller

From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
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22,098
We're Canada in 2018. Osmond retired, V/M retired, D/R retired. Men weren't that strong.

We have some potentially good men and C/B may stay around another season. But ladies not so, pairs total building mode. A number of factors have damaged the sport; hoping it can come back.

Ah, we have Isabeau Levito and Lindsay Thorngren…The Jersey Girls rivalry! I am so looking forward to seeing this, in all of its glory, at Jr Worlds next week. 🍿
 

just tuned in

Well-Known Member
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2,924
Following everyone into the echo-chamber to congratulate Alysa on her retirement. Sounds like it was an easy decision for her. Certain language, such as "finally" meeting her goals and "getting on with my life" suggests that she was not altogether happy. Here's to a life of happiness!
 

Baby Yoda On Skates

Well-Known Member
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1,789
I was one who said that the move to Colorado ruined Alysa's life and I was happy to see her return to California after the Olys. I'm not surprised to see this announcement. Alysa seems like she enjoys being a regular kid and if she achieved her goals and feels like she gained what she wanted from the sport, more power to her for knowing that it's time to move on.
 

sk9tingfan

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7,657
This is one focused young woman. She set her goals...worked hard...achieved her goals...and on to her next set of goals.

I am thinking. ALYSA FOR PRESIDENT! IF we are really lucky.
She seems to have a knack for making friends and building constructive relationships everywhere she goes and across nationalities and age groups. Like Nathan, I will be watching both of them and what they achieve going forward.
 

feraina

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2,400
Sad as a fan we won’t see her develop but it really did feel like from her mid season coaching change that she was going to go off to college after this season, and she and her family were just maximizing what she could achieve in this one season and nothing more. I guess good for her. I hope she will enjoy college. I normally would think that there’s a non trivial chance that she’ll realize in a few years, after she finishes college, that she wants to come back to competitive skating, since she will still be so young. But the thing is she has already reached such amazing heights in her short career, so it will be very hard to top in a comeback. So maybe this is it. I’m sure she will have a great career and life though, whatever she decides to pursue from here.
 

Sylvia

TBD
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79,989
In this San Francisco Chronicle (paywalled) article by Ann Killion dated Feb. 5, Stanford, Cal [UC Berkeley] & Barnard in NYC were mentioned as her “top choices” for college at the time:

At Worlds Alysa mentioned she wasn't able to finish her applications in time to be able to start college in 2022.
 

UGG

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2,437
I wish her well and am excited for her. Her whole career from an expectation standpoint was completely ridiculous to put on a child.

2x National Champion, World Bronze Medalist, Olympian. Not a bad career.

Good luck Alysia 👏 🏅

I’m glad at the age of 16 she was able to make her own choice and not have anyone control her. In this sport, I think that’s more remarkable and game changing than anything she accomplished on ice!! Glad we are starting to see young athletes speak up for themselves ❤️

I hate seeing young athletes who look like they want to be anywhere other then where they are.
 
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PRlady

Cowardly admin
Staff member
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I wish her well and am excited for her. Her whole career from an expectation standpoint was completely ridiculous to put on a child.

2x National Champion, World Bronze Medalist, Olympian. Not a bad career.

Good luck Alysia 👏 🏅

I’m glad at the age of 16 she was able to make her own choice and not have anyone control her. In this sport, I think that’s more remarkable and game changing than anything she accomplished on ice!! Glad we are starting to see young athletes speak up for themselves ❤️
As someone who started college at 17, I think it’s fine that she needs to wait at least an extra semester. There’s normal experiences she’s missed out on anyway and a little more maturity won’t hurt.
 

moebius

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4,962
It's refreshing to hear a US female skater who has the potential to be Olympic and World gold medallist doesn't have super high expectations of her skating career, like winning gold in Olympics (especially) and Worlds. Her expectations of her skating career are reasonable. It's great to hear that she is satisfied with her accomplishments and enjoyed her skating career despite not having an Olympic medal or World gold medal. Lots of skaters put too much pressure on themselves that they spiral in into depression or eating disorder (won't mention the skaters, but you probably know who they are) if they don't live up to their expectations like winning the Olympic gold or having an individual Olympic medal. This young lady has a good head on her shoulders. I hope she sets a good example for future young US female skaters as to how to have a healthy skating career.
 
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bardtoob

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14,559
I'm happy for Alysa Liu.

I hope her the best as she finds the right career for herself. It's so hard to figure that out these days.
 
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Jammers

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7,558
In this San Francisco Chronicle (paywalled) article by Ann Killion dated Feb. 5, Stanford, Cal [UC Berkeley] & Barnard in NYC were mentioned as her “top choices” for college at the time:

At Worlds Alysa mentioned she wasn't able to finish her applications in time to be able to start college in 2022.
When i read that Alysa wouldn't be able to start college in 2022 i thought for sure she was going to compete for at least one more season.
 

overedge

Mayor of Carrot City
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35,798
Lots of skaters put too much pressure on themselves that they spiral in into depression or eating disorder (won't mention the skaters, but you probably know who they are) if they don't live up to their expectations like winning the Olympic gold or having an individual Olympic medal.

Lots of skaters also get that pressure put on them by external forces, like USFS, NBC, and the media in general. Alysa is one of them - when she won Nationals in 2018 some of the coverage made it sound like she was going to win Olympics, Worlds, and every other competition between then and whenever.

It's not always the skaters putting pressure on themselves.
 

Frau Muller

From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
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22,098
You know...USFSA could really protect ladies skaters by making dance the main focus. Dancers tend to be older, more adept and media and have results that are easier to market.
Unfortunately, they don’t have the mass-audience appeal. For crying out loud, not even Davis-White’s Olympic Gold medal could cause mass adulation among Joe & Jane Public as do the Dorothys and Michelles. Nope. It’s all about the Ladies/Women.
 

Frau Muller

From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
Messages
22,098
To me, in retrospect, Alysa hit her artistic apogee at Lombardia this past Sept. Just looking back at my DVDs…that’s when the two programs were skated at their most musical…she hit all of the orchestral highlights. Best of all: that long majestic Ina Bauer spiral near the end of her LP during the crescendo of the Violin Concerto. By Worlds, it was watered down…less OOMPH to the music. So I’ll forever treasure that moment in my film from Lombardia! Grazie, Alysa!!! Probably my favorite musical moment in the entire season, in all disciplines, with the possible exception of the last minute of the Faure Elegie by P/C at Worlds. My two JanetLynn-style shudder moments of the season.
 
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Trillian

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962
You know...USFSA could really protect ladies skaters by making dance the main focus. Dancers tend to be older, more adept and media and have results that are easier to market.

Unfortunately, they don’t have the mass-audience appeal.

They would with better marketing. I’ve been thinking for about a decade now that USFS & the TV networks are missing a huge opportunity by not just marketing the ice dancers differently. You’re talking about teams composed of two attractive adults whose programs are often going to look more hip and contemporary to a mainstream audience… and they win medals on a regular basis. Hire people who know how to build a personal brand in 2022 and do some intelligent promotion on social media, and the dance teams are the stars of U.S. figure skating. The blind spot here is mind-boggling to me. This is not rocket science. You can sell the public anything, but you’re going to be more successful if you pick the right thing to sell.
 

Frau Muller

From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
Messages
22,098
They would with better marketing. I’ve been thinking for about a decade now that USFS & the TV networks are missing a huge opportunity by not just marketing the ice dancers differently. You’re talking about teams composed of two attractive adults whose programs are often going to look more hip and contemporary to a mainstream audience… and they win medals on a regular basis. Hire people who know how to build a personal brand in 2022 and do some intelligent promotion on social media, and the dance teams are the stars of U.S. figure skating. The blind spot here is mind-boggling to me. This is not rocket science. You can sell the public anything, but you’re going to be more successful if you pick the right thing to sell.

You are absolutely correct, for logical intelligent people! But…there is a man in every dance team. Ma & Pa Kettle want to see only the purty ballerini showing her purty face and legs. Even the amazingly charismatic multi-time champ Scott Hamilton lost his job at Ice Capades…why he had to create SOI. He wasn’t purty Peggy or Dorothy.
 

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