Gracie Gold article in People 12.30.2019

[VGThuy]

I’m confused. Bradie qualified for the GPF fair and square. She’s also not just waking up and pulling off her content. Skating is hard and she’s doing what she can within her control and abilities and is steadily improving. She won medals at her GP events and if anything is showing how much she’s working and fighting for it. What are some people shitting on her for? For not being 2016-level Gracie? Wasn’t that the problem the American girls were having with meeting this crazy standard and expectation and not allowing them to just go at their own pace in a healthy way? Ashley Wagner had to deal with that enough and we saw how it drove Gracie. Honestly, Bradie is doing that 2016 Gracie-level content right now and it wasn’t just easy for her or anyone for that matter. Everyone who medals and attempts that content trains their asses off and works hard. Sorry she’s not doing 3A or quads at the get-go, and sorry she’s wasn’t 13 years old in 2017 in this field and thus being conditioned to do it in now.

 

[bardtoob]

Sorry she’s not doing 3A or quads at the get-go, and sorry she’s not 13 years old in this field and thus being conditioned to do it in.

You don't have to be 13 to be conditioned to do it.

 

[VGThuy]

You don't have to be 13 to be conditioned to do it.

But you have to admit that unless one is a supernatural talent, a lot of skills was easier to master when you build the foundation on them earlier. Otherwise, a lot of older skaters would be pulling off quads and triple axels when they didn't do them prior nor train them consistently. It's like when IJS was first introduced and skaters who grew up under it and learning how to milk it and do the positions in spins to attain level 4 had a much easier time making it look easy and doing it than those who did not grow up in the system and had to adapt to it after skating under 6.0 that valued different things for so long. And that even applied to ice dance, so imagine adding 3As and jumps.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Let us say Gracie wants to be as competitive as she was before. Nationally, her main competition would be Bradie. Internationally, it would be with the 12+ skaters from Russia or Japan that are substantially better than Bradie.

With all due respect...Gracie being at the level she was before is still lightyears behind skating now. I can't imagine she would be named to the world team even of she finishes top 5.

Nats will still be interesting.

How many spots to we have at worlds? I can't remember.
Gracie...as good as she was has not skated in a comp since Rostletelemom. And that was a mess

Her regional comps were not error free.

I just hope for her that she and the people around her have tempered their expectations

All this press just adds pressure.
I was reading the last interview with Medvedeva. She sounds grounded in reality and that reality seems to be informing her expectations.

 

[VGThuy]

A. There's just a touch of middle ground between "fun recreational event" and "don't compete there unless you are likely to win and also be competitive with Tutberidze's non-Zagitova skaters."

B. U.S. Nationals has reasonably strict technical minimums for seniors to even compete there. Megan Wessenberg didn't even make the minimums.

C. If Zagitova returns to competitive skating, I would like her to perform to an MC Hammer medley.

Anyway, I'm rooting for Gracie to meet her personal goals and I can't wait to see her skate at Nationals.

Btw, I just noticed your new avatar.

 

[overedge]

I believe that not everybody can win a championship, but everybody entered in the competition should be brave in the attempt to win the championship.

Sometimes being brave is just being there. Being brave isn't just being brave in trying to win.

 

[Japanfan]

A. There's just a touch of middle ground between "fun recreational event" and "don't compete there unless you are likely to win and also be competitive with Tutberidze's non-Zagitova skaters."

A lot of middle ground actually. The middle ground which is the location for the majority of skaters at both Nationals and Worlds.

Anyway, I'm rooting for Gracie to meet her personal goals and I can't wait to see her skate at Nationals.

Meeting her personal goals is all that matters.

I believe that not everybody can win a championship, but everybody entered in the competition should be brave in the attempt to win the championship.

IDK. For many/most skaters (and athletes), winning isn't possible or likely at certain competitions. This absolutely does not mean that skaters should not be attempting to win. But for many skaters, simply making it to Nationals is a victory. There are many competitive skaters who never get there.

'Competed in the ____ National Championships' stands out distinctively on any resume.

I think I am respecting the athletes, and I am judgemental of those that would tell them "be realistic" rather tell them "to fight like they want to win".

But doesn't a coach have to be balanced in terms of realism and fighting to win? I'm just thinking of all the skaters who aren't likely to win. I would think that many coaches focus on a PB for their skater, or on demonstrating certain skills/new skills. If an athlete is driven and ambitious, a coach should probably encourage that - but within the limits of realism. If a skater exceeds a coach's expectations, I'm sure the coach would be thrilled. If someone like Denis Ten puts a country on the skating map, it's all for the good.

Think of the bottom half of the field from 4CCS - skaters from Asian and South American nations not known for skating (I think Europeans have a similar bottom half). Many of those skaters have little chance to compete internationally and no chance of winning. For them just attending the competition is a victory and an unforgettable in experience. And 'competed internationally in figure skating' will look darn good on those athletes' resumes.

 

[VGThuy]

And I think we get so focused on champions that we forget what a big friggin' deal it is to even qualify for an event. Like U.S. Nationals, think about it, even the lowest ranked skater there QUALIFIED for a national-level competition among some of the top skaters of the world (and yes, Bradie is a top skater of the world because she has been ranked 6th and 7th at Worlds, placed top ten at the Olympics, and medaled internationally and qualified for the GPF), and will have their performances recorded for posterity and streamed for all viewers who subscribed. Some of them may even make the NBC telecast. How many people can say that?

 

[MsZem]

The article in People is based on this:

Gracie Gold Embraces a Rugged Comeback Path (Published 2019)

To rebuild her figure skating career after a reckoning with mental health struggles, the Olympian has focused on redefining what success means.

www.nytimes.com

Gracie's goal is to maintain her mental health while making progress on the ice. That strikes me as a good approach for any skater. If others are inspired by her honesty and openness to deal with their own mental health challenges or recognize when someone else might need help, that's a positive impact that's truly meaningful.

 

[Spun Silver]

The article in People is based on this:

Gracie Gold Embraces a Rugged Comeback Path (Published 2019)

To rebuild her figure skating career after a reckoning with mental health struggles, the Olympian has focused on redefining what success means.

www.nytimes.com

Gracie's goal is to maintain her mental health while making progress on the ice. That strikes me as a good approach for any skater. If others are inspired by her honesty and openness to deal with their own mental health challenges or recognize when someone else might need help, that's a positive impact that's truly meaningful.

? She says her goal is to get to the 2022 Olympics. I'm not sure why people keep saying her goal is just to see what she can do or whatever.

 

[MsZem]

? She says her goal is to get to the 2022 Olympics. I'm not sure why people keep saying her goal is just to see what she can do or whatever.

That's not a direct quote, so there's no way of knowing how exactly Gracie put it. She mentioned several goals/possibilities in the article, and seems to be making progress with her skating and in her life.

 

[Japanfan]

? She says her goal is to get to the 2022 Olympics. I'm not sure why people keep saying her goal is just to see what she can do or whatever.

'Get to', not 'win' or 'medal'.

 

[Spun Silver]

'Get to', not 'win' or 'medal'.

Right but making the Olympic team is a huge deal. It seems like an unrealistic goal based on what we've seen so far. Of course she's not just any hopeful skater, so it's not unthinkable, but she's way behind her competition just domestically.

 

[Japanfan]

Right but making the Olympic team is a huge deal. It seems like an unrealistic goal based on what we've seen so far. Of course she's not just any hopeful skater, so it's not unthinkable, but she's way behind her competition just domestically.

'Not unthinkable' is the point. Gracie may choose to adjust her goal if she doesn't do well at Nats. For the time being, the goal is motivating her.

 

[Spun Silver]

That's not a direct quote, so there's no way of knowing how exactly Gracie put it. She mentioned several goals/possibilities in the article, and seems to be making progress with her skating and in her life.

See 4:50 here where she states that Beijing is the goal.

Gracie Gold on her road to recovery

The American figure skater revealed the depth of her mental illness in an exclusive interview with the Olympic Channel podcast.

www.olympicchannel.com

 

[MsZem]

See 4:50 here where she states that Beijing is the goal.

Gracie Gold on her road to recovery

The American figure skater revealed the depth of her mental illness in an exclusive interview with the Olympic Channel podcast.

www.olympicchannel.com

I was referring to the NYT article only. For some reason I can't jump forward in the video, so I'll pass on that.

If Gracie is aiming for the Olympics but doing so in a healthy manner, that's a good thing. There's nothing wrong with setting ambitious goals if you're able to work towards them but also adjust should they prove unattainable.

 

[Japanfan]

Right but making the Olympic team is a huge deal. It seems like an unrealistic goal based on what we've seen so far. Of course she's not just any hopeful skater, so it's not unthinkable, but she's way behind her competition just domestically.

In general, it seems to me like some or many athletes are motivated by unrealistic goals. And this is probably true of many young people who go to university or college, and aspire to careers/professions. Many such people envision great heights that will never achieve. But among them, a few will.

Nothing wrong with dreaming big - although of course it can set a person up for disappointment. But often it's the motivation to make some sort of contribution to the world. And smaller contributions count, and and add up. Think of all the women who have aspired to vote, to have equality, and to participate in the workplace. They have contributed to the lives of women from generations to come.

 

[Spun Silver]

I'm not opposed to big dreams. I'm concerned about the combination of unrealistic dreams and mental fragility.

 

[Frau Muller]

It’ll be so nice just to see Gracie at Nationals. That’s all that matters.

 

[Sylvia]

Worth watching and listening to, ICYMI - Gracie's own words about her journey to where she is now:

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

ETA her closing words: "I hope in my life that I never lose myself again. I hope that I listen to my gut and that I make the best decisions that I can, in the moment, and I hope that I live a life with no regrets -- one that is honest and true and authentic."

(This is more recent than the Olympic Channel interview that was filmed, I believe, in April 2019 when Gracie was invited to speak on a panel re. mental health issues at an IOC conference in Lausanne.)

 

[Firedancer]

I’m excited to see Gracie at nationals again. I just hope she has two skates that she is happy with.

 

[kwanfan1818]

There's nothing wrong with setting ambitious goals if you're able to work towards them but also adjust should they prove unattainable.

And to understand that it's a progression towards two Nationals from now and to take results from this month in context.

 

[LarrySK8]

It is my opinion from watching Regionals and Sectionals that Gracie's training should be focused primarily on run throughs, particularly in the build up to major competitions like US Nationals and beyond.

It is not clearly demonstrated in those performances that the focus of training has been run throughs, which I believe are they key to a successful return to competitions. In the old, old, old days, a skater could return based on practicing figures and SP and praying to hold on with the long.

Not so anymore. Run throughs of both programs must be the majority of time spent in training in the time leading up to major competition seasons. It is necessary for TES and PCS.

Unless there is evidence of that, I really do not expect to see that much improvement between Sectionals and Nationals in the programs skated there. As a skater, of course there is likely to be jump and skating improvements, but that is far different from competing programs. Every skater knows that including GG.

 

[Sylvia]

This article was posted in other threads last month:

Gracie Gold 2.0 - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

After a 3-year absence, her return to U.S. Championships is a victory in itself

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

In the lead-up to Greensboro, her training process has been "copy and paste."

"We aren't doing anything wild," she said, "but it's all a process: How many jumps am I doing today? In what order? Run-throughs in each session, and [then] being able to do that day after day after day. Even if it's an off-day, it's seeing what we can come up with."

And then always: One more free skate on Friday afternoons to test herself.

 

[overedge]

Further to @VGThuy 's point about competing at Nationals, some of those skaters at Nationals got byes, but most of them qualified through placements at regionals or sectionals. Which means they had to beat other skaters to get those placements.

And to even be able to compete at those qualifying events, they had to pass a certain number of tests, some of which might have taken them several tries to pass. And as @Aerobicidal pointed out, skaters also have to achieve minimum scores in the qualifying competitions or elsewhere to be eligible for Nationals.

So to say skaters shouldn't be at Nationals because their program content isn't internationally competitive is absurd. They have already done better than hundreds, if not thousands, of other skaters to earn their place.

 

[LarrySK8]

This article was posted in other threads last month:

Gracie Gold 2.0 - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

After a 3-year absence, her return to U.S. Championships is a victory in itself

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

That sounds good. I would also recommend including sessions every day in which she comes to the rink, warms up and gets dressed, skates a 6 minute warm-up (choreographed and planned ahead, of course) ONLY, and then does a run through, and then does another run through (a double run through). This could be the morning or afternoon or evening sessions, and could be planned for 1st thing in the day or at the start of the second session.

My coaches always called it, "the fake competitions." I think Carol Heiss also used to use this technique for preparing skaters.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Seriously are you trolling or did you sign out of your @Tinami Amori account or are you Eteri behind a screen?

Get yourself new glasses and find the right threads... I made no posts in this topic.....

 

[Tavi]

You're right. US Ladies Sr. Nationals is a fun recreational event. Everybody gets a trophy

... And if you do well on the right year, then you might be elected to go to the Olympics

I don't know the situation, but I'm disappointed that the coach that had her doing 3As and quads is no longer working with Gracie.

Maybe it was an unhealthy situation, but 3As and quads are a reality.

Brady Tennell shouldn't have been allowed at the GPF.

Somehow I doubt Brian Boitano would agree with you, either about Bradie or about Nats.

As to Gracie, since you admittedly don’t know the situation, why would you be disappointed? The fact that her former coach was fired by her rink - and that he’s been bouncing around from rink to rink for years - suggests that maybe he has a problem, and that it’s good thing she’s no longer training with him. Moreover, regardless of whether she’s training a 3A / quad at the moment (and I’m pretty BB would agree that stabilizing her other triples first is the way to go) there’s no reason she can’t do so with another coach in the future. It may not suit your time table, but it’s what’s right for Gracie that counts.

 

[overedge]

And to understand that it's a progression towards two Nationals from now and to take results from this month in context.

Exactly. If a skater wants to win a medal at the Olympics, they won't be able to do that if they don't qualify for the Olympics first.

 

[Spun Silver]

Somehow I doubt Brian Boitano would agree with you, either about Bradie or about Nats.

As to Gracie, since you admittedly don’t know the situation, why would you be disappointed? The fact that her former coach was fired by her rink - and that he’s been bouncing around from rink to rink for years - suggests that maybe he has a problem, and that it’s good thing she’s no longer training with him. Moreover, regardless of whether she’s training a 3A / quad at the moment (and I’m pretty BB would agree that stabilizing her other triples first is the way to go) there’s no reason she can’t do so with another coach in the future. It may not suit your time table, but it’s what’s right for Gracie that counts.

It doesn't change your point but I assumed @bardtoob was talking about Ouriashev, Gracie's coach before she went to Carroll.