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Olga Ermolina's interview with Inna Goncharenko for fsrussia.ru
OE: Inna Germanovna, could you please sum up Elena's skate in the Worlds, was it possible to do better and if so - what prevented her from it?
IG: I can't say the result of what she showed in Boston is the objective reality. Of course she could do better. In the practices she showed much more colourful and interesting skates, however, she lacked something in the competitions. Yes, she landed her jumps, did the basics. There were some mistakes, but nothing major. But I would like to see more positive GOe in her elements. But it's my point of view. As a coach I know Elena is capable of much more. She can skate more emotional. Though all and all the skate in Boston was not bad.
The competition was hard. I think it was the strongest event in the recent times. All the girls were clean. Everyone fought. In that situation kudos to Lena. She did her job. Besides, skating the first in the warm up group as she had in the LP is not easy. It repeated her Europeans experience. Perhaps she lacked time. Any competition is a lottery - every small detail might influence starting with the draw and to the tied boot. Lena was fighting and am satisfied with her skate in Boston.
OE: After the competition Elena admitted it was a difficult season since she is still growing up, changing and has to adjust to a `new body' all the time. Nevertheless she remained on the top, which is important.
IG: Frankly for her and I and all the people who are working with us it's hard keeping on the same level. It's really tough. The girl grows up and changes. There is not a single day when she does not change. I see her all the time, but people who don't see her for a week immediately ask `Did Lena gain another couple of sm?"
Lena grew up. Became prettier. Much more feminine. I think her skating has a new depth, understanding, lines and charm. But the growing up is always hard. Nevertheless she holds it together and progresses. I think in order for the progress to be more obvious she would need to work more. It's for sure. If something doesn't work look where you lacked work. Hence we will come to the conclusions what needs to be changed.
OE: Do you reckon she will be still growing next year?
IG: I think she will still be changing. But a lot will be up to her. We work with many specialists who I'd love to thank starting with the coaching team, the assistants, the medical staff. I will not name names out of fear forgetting someone.
Elena is past the breaking point of her puberty. Now she needs to move on without looking aside. It's something all the female skaters go through.
OE: Taking the experience of this year's programmes choreographing who do you consider working with next year, perhaps some new choreographers?
iG: The skater has some ideas, which I don't want to voice. Elena not only grew up visually, she changed her perception of the world and I don't want to impose my point of view on her. The times when the coach's word was a rule had passed. Elena communicates herself, sees things and wants to try new things. It's her right. She will make the final decision. I will support whoever she decides to choreograph with.
OE: Are there music choices you consider?
IG: The choreographers usually offer their music choices. I also have things in mind. We'll see what the skater will chose.
OE: Do you change as she grows up?
IG: As any parents who live through their children growing up - it's quite similar really. I worry and see where I would do things differently, but I don't want to limit her, bring her into my boundaries because she will understand things herself. Of course we speak out our minds, she listens and makes her decisions. That includes being responsible for her decisions. At such an age she should be. It's not a child anymore, but an adult athlete, who want, try and decide. At the end of the day she is alone there on the ice.
OE: As a coach what have you learned from this championship?
IG: Looking at the top skaters in any competition you see more or less the same thing season after season: all the skaters do a huge amount of work. And the key word here is amount. It's not as if all of the sudden they go out there on the ice and suddenly do something. It's a huge work that was done in advance.
That amount because of the certain circumstances what we lacked. There were subjective and objective reasons. Elena is doing the highschool final exams this year, she has to pass 2 years of exams, applying for the uni. A lot of time was spent on the teachers. Because of that we were not be able to afford doing what we needed. But that's life. And how can one overcome it.
On the other hand we had to be very careful not to overdo it and cause injuries. It's better to do a bit less than a bit too much. We were trying to find the right balance. You can't be on the very top all the time and be first all the time. It's life, it's the sport. Hence Elena's performance in Boston was allright. In such a company go try to place as high as Radionova did!
OE: Inna Germanovna, could you please sum up Elena's skate in the Worlds, was it possible to do better and if so - what prevented her from it?
IG: I can't say the result of what she showed in Boston is the objective reality. Of course she could do better. In the practices she showed much more colourful and interesting skates, however, she lacked something in the competitions. Yes, she landed her jumps, did the basics. There were some mistakes, but nothing major. But I would like to see more positive GOe in her elements. But it's my point of view. As a coach I know Elena is capable of much more. She can skate more emotional. Though all and all the skate in Boston was not bad.
The competition was hard. I think it was the strongest event in the recent times. All the girls were clean. Everyone fought. In that situation kudos to Lena. She did her job. Besides, skating the first in the warm up group as she had in the LP is not easy. It repeated her Europeans experience. Perhaps she lacked time. Any competition is a lottery - every small detail might influence starting with the draw and to the tied boot. Lena was fighting and am satisfied with her skate in Boston.
OE: After the competition Elena admitted it was a difficult season since she is still growing up, changing and has to adjust to a `new body' all the time. Nevertheless she remained on the top, which is important.
IG: Frankly for her and I and all the people who are working with us it's hard keeping on the same level. It's really tough. The girl grows up and changes. There is not a single day when she does not change. I see her all the time, but people who don't see her for a week immediately ask `Did Lena gain another couple of sm?"
Lena grew up. Became prettier. Much more feminine. I think her skating has a new depth, understanding, lines and charm. But the growing up is always hard. Nevertheless she holds it together and progresses. I think in order for the progress to be more obvious she would need to work more. It's for sure. If something doesn't work look where you lacked work. Hence we will come to the conclusions what needs to be changed.
OE: Do you reckon she will be still growing next year?
IG: I think she will still be changing. But a lot will be up to her. We work with many specialists who I'd love to thank starting with the coaching team, the assistants, the medical staff. I will not name names out of fear forgetting someone.
Elena is past the breaking point of her puberty. Now she needs to move on without looking aside. It's something all the female skaters go through.
OE: Taking the experience of this year's programmes choreographing who do you consider working with next year, perhaps some new choreographers?
iG: The skater has some ideas, which I don't want to voice. Elena not only grew up visually, she changed her perception of the world and I don't want to impose my point of view on her. The times when the coach's word was a rule had passed. Elena communicates herself, sees things and wants to try new things. It's her right. She will make the final decision. I will support whoever she decides to choreograph with.
OE: Are there music choices you consider?
IG: The choreographers usually offer their music choices. I also have things in mind. We'll see what the skater will chose.
OE: Do you change as she grows up?
IG: As any parents who live through their children growing up - it's quite similar really. I worry and see where I would do things differently, but I don't want to limit her, bring her into my boundaries because she will understand things herself. Of course we speak out our minds, she listens and makes her decisions. That includes being responsible for her decisions. At such an age she should be. It's not a child anymore, but an adult athlete, who want, try and decide. At the end of the day she is alone there on the ice.
OE: As a coach what have you learned from this championship?
IG: Looking at the top skaters in any competition you see more or less the same thing season after season: all the skaters do a huge amount of work. And the key word here is amount. It's not as if all of the sudden they go out there on the ice and suddenly do something. It's a huge work that was done in advance.
That amount because of the certain circumstances what we lacked. There were subjective and objective reasons. Elena is doing the highschool final exams this year, she has to pass 2 years of exams, applying for the uni. A lot of time was spent on the teachers. Because of that we were not be able to afford doing what we needed. But that's life. And how can one overcome it.
On the other hand we had to be very careful not to overdo it and cause injuries. It's better to do a bit less than a bit too much. We were trying to find the right balance. You can't be on the very top all the time and be first all the time. It's life, it's the sport. Hence Elena's performance in Boston was allright. In such a company go try to place as high as Radionova did!
