Vincent Zhou, who also trains with Tammy, goes to Tom Z for jump training. Maybe Karen should do the same.
2017-18 State of U.S. Ladies Skating
- Thread starter R.D.
- Start date
Vincent Zhou, who also trains with Tammy, goes to Tom Z for jump training. Maybe Karen should do the same.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2004
The top American ladies have shown zero stick-to-ed-ness this season. It's normal for athletes to hit road blocks when trying to reach for goals. World class competitors recognize this but stay focused, committed, and hard working. US ladies seem to wimp out and change course when things get rough. They're not competitive because they don't carry through like competitors. To win, you have to stick to your waypoints, work like heck, and above all, commit to your goal.
This isn't about trying to get an A in a college class: it's about becoming the best in the world.
I'd like to see them all quit futzing around and show they mean it when they say they'd like to represent the US at the Olympics. Get some conviction and follow-through, for gosh sake.
You're still making program decisions in December? That's not the sign of a competitor. It's a sign of someone who's muddling along, and doesn't expect to compete with polish and technical security.
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2013
I don't know what to say about Ashley's program change. Part of me want to see a new program but we are less than a month away from Nationals and she is doing a new program? I think Ashley will be left off the team. That's just too risky for someone Like Ashely who don't learn programs quick. It is not like she is not getting good PCS from Moulin Rouge. It just confusing to me to change at this late of the game. She needs to fix her under rotation first before learning a new program. The program is not the issue, her jumps are.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2004
Karen doesn't "have it all" if she keeps changing things around: she has no conviction. Successful people—including athletes—have conviction and follow-through, even through the rough spots.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2016
In terms of her skating, big jumps, fast spins, she can perform to her music. That’s what I meant by “having it all”. She can’t seem to put it all together lately though.
It is not really a new program. She trained it for several weeks over the summer.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2016
I agree with everything you wrote except that she’ll be left of the team. It’s the same thing as what happened in 2014. In 2014 Ashley did tons of ads and commercials for the Olympics and was marketed as a medal contender. USFSA couldn’t leave her off the team. It’s the same this year, tons of ads promoting her as if she’s already made the team. Politics. Ashley’s UR issues will be ignored at nationals and she will at least squeak out a third place finish and go to Pyeongchang.
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2016
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On a shallow note, what will the costume budget for Karen and Ashley be by the end of this year??
Karen has used 4 different costumes this season, but as you said, two are from last year. She used her current FS dress for the Roxanne SP, she had a different red and black dress for Carmen, a blue one for Slow Dancing, then the Golden Pond white one. She's getting a new SP one though, so that's 3 new costumes this season.
Ashley has already had four new costumes, so we're looking a minimum five or six.
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2014
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You make good points. But it isn't as though she hasn't been working on her underrotations. It depends on the person, but some people benefit from taking a little of the pressure off what they've been working so hard to correct. That's my sense of Ashley. And she's not learning a new program from scratch. She worked on LLL all last summer. So I'm hoping for the best.
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
Maybe this is the reason for the look of Raf's face at Skate America. He probably told her to stick with La La La from the beginning and he's worried about all the wasted time in training M.R. With her injury and the lack of time, all I can do is wish her the best. It's not like the other ladies are storming out ahead of her and she might just make the team in spite of this un-tested program......Whatever......
hwell:Maybe this is the reason for the look of Raf's face at Skate America. He probably told her to stick with La La La from the beginning and he's worried about all the wasted time in training M.R. With her injury and the lack of time, all I can do is wish her the best. It's not like the other ladies are storming out ahead of her and she might just make the team in spite of this un-tested program......Whatever......
Actually it was Raf who told her to switch to Moulin Rouge.
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
Was it really????? Then maybe that look on Raf's face was him Eating Crow!!!! Maybe Ashley, AND Shae Lynn told him they should stick with La La Land. Ashley isn't 100% healthy and she has only a matter of weeks to get ready. I just hope she can do it at Nationals and then really work hard be in prime shape for Korea.
Maybe this is the reason for the look of Raf's face at Skate America. He probably told her to stick with La La La from the beginning and he's worried about all the wasted time in training M.R. With her injury and the lack of time, all I can do is wish her the best. It's not like the other ladies are storming out ahead of her and she might just make the team in spite of this un-tested program......Whatever......
I share your concerns about Ashley skating an untested program for the first time this season at Nationals, but you’re mistaken about Raf. In an interview, Ashley said he was the one who first suggested she return to MR. I don’t know what he thinks about her decision to return to LLL, but I don’t think we should jump to conclusions about his thoughts one way or another.
Just before champs camp Ashley asked Raf if LLL was good enough for the olympics. He told her to put on Moulin Rouge and skate the program. She got part way thru and he told her that that was what she should use this season and she agreed. She was saying all season that the LLL character didn't have enough depth.
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
Where is Shae Lynn in all of this? Has she made any comment about Ashley? I imagine if I'd spent the summer with working with a skater on an Olympic Quality program, I'd be upset if that skater chose to back to an old program, even I'd choreographed it. I'm sure Shae Lynn would prefer to see Ashley skate to La La Land as well.
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
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I am really excited Ashley has decided to go back to Lala Land. It's new, fresh change of pace from the intense programs she has done the last couple of seasons... time to add softness to the edge.
I pray she can duplicate the delicacy she brought to the ice in her 2012 Worlds exhibition skate which I post here (again, since I posted it in another thread about a year ago.
) just to remind ourselves what an elegant versatile skater she truly is.. this is one of my favorite skates from her ever (this and MR at Boston 2016 Worlds).
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U7LEX8iUo7I
I pray she can duplicate the delicacy she brought to the ice in her 2012 Worlds exhibition skate which I post here (again, since I posted it in another thread about a year ago.
) just to remind ourselves what an elegant versatile skater she truly is.. this is one of my favorite skates from her ever (this and MR at Boston 2016 Worlds).https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U7LEX8iUo7I
If I remember though, he suggested to switch back to MR because Ashley expressed doubts over her capacities to turn LLL into an Olympic worthy performance.
All in all, the costant back & forth of the American ladies this years makes me long for the pragmatic D/W approach, who choose their LP two years prior to Sochi...I know that the skaters have so many things to do but to arrive to the Olympic season with two programs you're fully committed to is very important IMO.
On a shallow note, what will the costume budget for Karen and Ashley be by the end of this year??
Karen’s has had one new costume so far this year for her Carmen FS. Her SP, she uses her old tango FS. With her SC FS, she used The blue dress she uses with her House of Flying Daggers Exhibition program, without the long sleeves. Now she’s re-using last year’s costumes again. She may have a new costumes for nationals.
Ashley is someone that is an artistic skater, more than anything. Like Karen, if she’s not connecting to the music or the character, it’s harder for her to execute the technical elements. So I understand, but like I said before, it takes months of practice as well as competitions to polish a program. This is highly risky and I hope everything works out.
