Aljona Savchenko will stop coaching for KNSB

[sadya]

(apologies if there is already a thread for this)

The article is in Dutch:

Bondstrainer kunstrijden Aljona Savchenko stop bij NTK in Heerenveen

21-3-2023 15:04 Door Douwe Bijlsma van GrootFryslan HEERENVEEN - Na slechts een half jaar in dienst van de KNSB neemt Aljona Savchenko alweer afscheid als bondstrainer van het kunstrijden. Ze maakt het seizoen, dat op 1 april afloopt, nog...

www.grootheerenveen.nl

Excerpts from quick Google translation:
After only half a year in the service of the KNSB, Aljona Savchenko says goodbye as national figure skating trainer. She will finish the season, which ends on April 1.

Savchenko came to Heerenveen from Germany last autumn. There she led the NTK, where they trained with both individual and pair riders. They had a two-year contract with the KNSB (until mid-2024), with an evaluation moment halfway through, which has now been broken.

“Last year we were proud that Aljona had chosen us, but unfortunately she is not the right woman in this place. In good consultation, we have decided to end the collaboration after this season," says Remy de Wit, technical director of the KNSB. “We will quickly and carefully look for the best possible successor for the drivers of the NTK.”

Aljona Savchenko: “It was short but powerful, my stay in the Netherlands. I started this adventure last year with a lot of energy. But that turned out to be less good for me in practice than I expected. Everything comes to an end. I look forward to the next challenge with great anticipation, because I know that I will make a new start in my second home, in Chemnitz.”

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Maybe Aljona needs to stop coaching everywhere?

 

[MacMadame]

I know she loves to compete so maybe she could revive the Pro circuit that the ISU killed back in the 90s.

 

[cholla]

Maybe Aljona needs to stop coaching everywhere?

Maybe Aljona needs to stop coaching. Period.

 

[Jammers]

Maybe Aljona needs to stop coaching. Period.

This is why Michael Jordan never coached he knows he would have been unbearable as a coach. His standards would be to high.

 

[fan]

Perhaps self-awareness is not one of Aljona's strong suits

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Perhaps self-awareness is not one of Aljona's strong suits

Understatement of the year?

 

[fan]

Understatement of the year?

i was trying to be generous

 

[karmena]

This is why Michael Jordan never coached he knows he would have been unbearable as a coach. His standards would be to high.

It is not about standards, it is about her personality

 

[Ananas Astra]

I am not sure if her move to Chemnitz will work out. Ingo is still there and IIRC, the working atmosphere between her, Robin and Ingo was not all fun and games...
What is TJ Nyman doing these days?

 

[jamesy]

I am not sure if her move to Chemnitz will work out. Ingo is still there and IIRC, the working atmosphere between her, Robin and Ingo was not all fun and games...
What is TJ Nyman doing these days?

Dalilah: “we don’t want this kind of bad energy in our group”

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

I am happy for the skaters Aljona was coaching.

 

[Winnipeg]

Obviously she does not have the personality and character to coach. It is hard to find a career option that has none to little requirement for people skills or at least showing respect for others.

 

[Ananas Astra]

Dalilah: “we don’t want this kind of bad energy in our group”

Please tell me that this is not an original quote .

 

[jamesy]

Please tell me that this is not an original quote .

Oh god no.

 

[Ananas Astra]

Oh god no.

Would've been hilarious, though.

 

[Vagabond]

What is TJ Nyman doing these days?

Spoiler: Please do not read this if you are easily offended.

Time?

 

[Ananas Astra]

Spoiler: Please do not read this if you are easily offended.

Time?

I would hope so...but...really?

 

[canbelto]

Oh man. Seems like there's definite issues with her coaching style.

 

[MacMadame]

Obviously she does not have the personality and character to coach. It is hard to find a career option that has none to little requirement for people skills or at least showing respect for others.

Software Engineer!

 

[Aaron MB Fan]

What is TJ Nyman doing these days?

He is actively coaching at the International Ice Academy of Colorado. His students all seem to be young children and minors. Ever since the International Ice Academy of Colorado announced him as a coach and received all kinds of backlash, they’ve limited comments on all of their IG posts.

He is also still pursuing his “recording career” with new music being released this month. Actually looks like his new song was released today.

 

[Ananas Astra]

He is actively coaching at the International Ice Academy of Colorado. His students all seem to be young children and minors. Ever since the International Ice Academy of Colorado announced him as a coach and received all kinds of backlash, they’ve limited comments on all of their IG posts.

He is also still pursuing his “recording career” with new music being released this month. Actually looks like his new song was released today.

As if the world hasn't suffered enough...

 

[angi]

Software Engineer!

I know it's likely a joke but as one I can only say it's far from true and mostly the go-to cliche of Hollywood movies/TV shows

 

[Ananas Astra]

I know it's likely a joke but as one I can only say it's far from true and mostly the go-to cliche of Hollywood movies/TV shows

I agree. My bf is a software engineer and he and his colleagues are super sociable and fun people.

 

[barbarafan]

I am not sure if her move to Chemnitz will work out. Ingo is still there and IIRC, the working atmosphere between her, Robin and Ingo was not all fun and games...
What is TJ Nyman doing these days?

maybe jail?

 

[Bigbird]

maybe jail?

Dream on....

 

[MacMadame]

I know it's likely a joke but as one I can only say it's far from true and mostly the go-to cliche of Hollywood movies/TV shows

I'm one too and I didn't say all Software Engineers are like that. But it's a field where you can have crappy people skills and people will work around you if you have the technical goods.

 

[angi]

I'm one too and I didn't say all Software Engineers are like that. But it's a field where you can have crappy people skills and people will work around you if you have the technical goods.

That I agree with, but I view it as part of toxic work place environments and those exist in many professions.

 

[sadya]

I think there is a difference between someone who doesn't have many social skills and people who are terrible on purpose. I've worked with people with bad social skills, but they were very nice and didn't bully others. It's when people are mean on purpose and willingly hurt others that is really terrible.

Reading about hurtful work environments in the skating world, unfortunately, I can relate to some of those experiences. Thinking about what Bruno has said, what it must have been like to work under those circumstances every day, it's sad and shouldn't be normal. Remember Oda? I was disappointed he was treated bad at work. And then the many harassment cases in rinks all over the world.

The skating world used to be this nice place in my mind, where I could forget the daily problems when reading about how programs were created and how people trained, immersing myself in a program. It was a nice safe place my mind could take me to and that's gone. I guess it never was that nice safe place for many people in it. It makes me very sad thinking that when I watched some programs which brought me joy and sometimes much needed comfort, and then to later hear how meanwhile those skaters were suffering.

I have mixed feelings about Savchenko since she tried to skate pairs with a known abuser. Before that, when stories came out, I used to think: I don't know enough to judge, I wasn't there. But when Savchenko did that, I was shocked and it changed my opinion of her. To want to skate with a known abuser, there is no justification for that.

So nowadays I think: Savchenko was an amazing athlete, skated some of the best programs, but terrible character who doesn't care for the wellbeing of others and loves her career so much that she decided to skate with a known abuser. I can only hope she somehow didn't know he was an abuser, if she didn't go online and didn't hear the stories from other sources.

Anyway, back to topic. Many people said her work in The Netherlands wouldn't last. I guess they were right. As far as I know, none of her students here have commented on her coaching style in public. I am curious if she adjusted her coaching style to the different students and balances how much she pushes pupils. I wonder if we will hear stories later from her pupils about what working with Savchenko was like for them.

 

[Ananas Astra]

I think there is a difference between someone who doesn't have many social skills and people who are terrible on purpose. I've worked with people with bad social skills, but they were very nice and didn't bully others. It's when people are mean on purpose and willingly hurt others that is really terrible.

Reading about hurtful work environments in the skating world, unfortunately, I can relate to some of those experiences. Thinking about what Bruno has said, what it must have been like to work under those circumstances every day, it's sad and shouldn't be normal. Remember Oda? I was disappointed he was treated bad at work. And then the many harassment cases in rinks all over the world.

The skating world used to be this nice place in my mind, where I could forget the daily problems when reading about how programs were created and how people trained, immersing myself in a program. It was a nice safe place my mind could take me to and that's gone. I guess it never was that nice safe place for many people in it. It makes me very sad thinking that when I watched some programs which brought me joy and sometimes much needed comfort, and then to later hear how meanwhile those skaters were suffering.

I have mixed feelings about Savchenko since she tried to skate pairs with a known abuser. Before that, when stories came out, I used to think: I don't know enough to judge, I wasn't there. But when Savchenko did that, I was shocked and it changed my opinion of her. To want to skate with a known abuser, there is no justification for that.

So nowadays I think: Savchenko was an amazing athlete, skated some of the best programs, but terrible character who doesn't care for the wellbeing of others and loves her career so much that she decided to skate with a known abuser. I can only hope she somehow didn't know he was an abuser, if she didn't go online and didn't hear the stories from other sources.

Anyway, back to topic. Many people said her work in The Netherlands wouldn't last. I guess they were right. As far as I know, none of her students here have commented on her coaching style in public. I am curious if she adjusted her coaching style to the different students and balances how much she pushes pupils. I wonder if we will hear stories later from her pupils about what working with Savchenko was like for them.

This.

Also, her contract was ended wayyyyyy prematurely. She was supposed to work there until at least 2024.
All the Dutch people I know are pretty chill and laid-back but if she managed to piss them off so much that they fire her after 9 months only...well...good job.