What ever happened to Caitlin Yankowskas

[withwings]

It happens all too often. Marissa Castelli's career recently was abrupted against her will with Mervin Tran. Marissa's older, though, and already happy to have moved on.

Simon Shnapir's career was abrupted against his will with Marissa Castelli, right after they went to the Olympics. Simon had wanted to try for another one.

Ashley Cain's pairs career got abrupted by her partner Joshua Reagan when he broke the partnership ... so he could skate with Caitlin Yankowskas. Ashley thought she wouldn't get to do pairs again, until 4 years later. It was John Coughlin who encouraged her to try a few pairs moves with him ... which made her fall in love with pairs again, and gave her the belief in herself that she needed. Next thing she knew, USFS was pairing her up with Timothy Leduc ....

Timothy Leduc had also had his career abrupted with Dee Dee Leng, although I don't know who initiated the break-up or if it was mutual. All of the above break-ups, except Mervin/Marissa, happened right after the pair had had a major competition win/advance/breakthrough. I recall John saying at the time that he couldn't any longer be miserable in training every day. (Was Caitlin not aware of this? From her TSL interview, I think she wasn't.) In fact, that was also why Marissa broke the partnership with Simon. She was tired of the personality struggle they had ... even though it got results. I seem to recall Simon being surprised also.

Count me among the people who never got over the Yankowskis/Coughlin break-up ... until a few days ago, when I read Ashley Cain's post and how she credited John with giving her the encouragement to love pairs again. This is interesting, because her break-up with Joshua Reagan was a direct result of Caitlin Y. having to look for -- and finding -- a new partner: Josh.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3vRiWFDHU/ Ashley's IG post.

Your reply is well meant but not convincing ( for me). Pairs is my favorite discipline and always has been. In other words, pair skating is only discipline where I, more or less, follow.

It is absolutely UNCOMPARABLE why this or that pair split. UNCOMPARABLE. There is nothing common, except that sometimes ( occasionally) one partner is overtaken by the thought, that he/she can achieve much more with somebody else. In those cases, with this " somebody else" rarely success are in the cards. Regardless, I am grateful to all of the pair skaters for being pair skaters; the most difficult discipline in figure skating. And the most beautiful (at least in my eyes).

 

[skylark]

i don't follow pairs too closely, but this discipline clearly has way more drama than the others
i never knew all this happened and how some skaters were abruptly "dumped" by their partner. it's almost as if we're talking about romantic relationships! haha. but that's really unfortunate some of them didn't feel like they could communicate their issues with their partner which ultimately led to the break up.

Having listened to Caitlin's incredible, inspiring TSL interview, I believe that she and John had similar conflict-averse personalities -- on the outside. And you're right, what a shame they couldn't (apparently) discuss it with each other.

Marissa and Simon, on the other hand, were well aware of their struggles to work together, not at odds with each other. Everybody was ... the commentators talked about it during their skates at nationals. (or maybe it was "fluff.")

My theory is that Simon thought everything was okay because he didn't mind the conflict, maybe saw it as normal everyday stuff. Marissa knew that it was emotionally hard on her, and she still wanted to skate, but with someone she could be friends with.

 

[leafygreens]

She last skated for the United Kingdom with Hamish Gaman.

September 10, 2015, Yankowskas and Gaman announced their retirements from competitive figure skating due to lack of funding.

Why could Caitlin not find a partner and funding inside the US? I know there's not endless choices of pair partners, but from what I understand from Deanna Stellato, Stellato/Bartholomay got a huge amount of support (not sure if this was financial or otherwise) because the US has no depth in pairs. The US needed them. Did USFSA help Caitlin search for a partner after the split, or was she on her own?

Having listened to Caitlin's incredible, inspiring TSL interview, I believe that she and John had similar conflict-averse personalities -- on the outside. And you're right, what a shame they couldn't (apparently) discuss it with each other.

Marissa and Simon, on the other hand, were well aware of their problems. Everybody was ... the commentators talked about it during their skates at nationals. (or maybe it was "fluff.")

My theory is that Simon thought everything was okay because he didn't mind the conflict, maybe saw it as normal everyday stuff. Marissa knew that it was hard on her, and she still wanted to skate, but with someone she could be friends with.

Does USFSA offer partners communication and mediation training, so partners can better work together (and hopefully stay together)?

 

[skylark]

I am grateful to all of the pair skaters for being pair skaters; the most difficult discipline in figure skating. And the most beautiful (at least in my eyes)

:thumbsup: You and me both. I wanted to lead with this.

Your reply is well meant but not convincing ( for me). ....

It is absolutely UNCOMPARABLE why this or that pair split. UNCOMPARABLE. There is nothing common,

I'm not trying to convince you, or anyone. I understand your position. It isn't as well known to the general public, but the Cain / Reagan break-up happened pretty much the same way. (*ETA: at least, that's how I see it. I have a mind that looks for similarities.) Ashley and Joshua were 6th as seniors at US Nationals in January 2012, and they'd been US Junior champions the year before. Their FS was televised that year, they were seen as the up-and-coming, promising pair. They finished ahead of Scimeca with her (then) partner and Knierim with his.

Nationals took place January 22-29. On Feb. 24, they announced the end of their partnership. Caitlin Yankowskas had attended that nationals, rumored to be looking for a new partner. On March 22 it was announced Yankowskas / Reagan had paired up and Marina Zueva was coaching them.

Granted, they weren't US champions, and hadn't been to senior worlds. But they were US Junior champions, did well (4th) at 2010-11 Junior Worlds, and had done well on the Sr. GP circuit in 2011-12.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashley_Cain_(figure_skater)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Reagan.

except that sometimes ( occasionally) one partner is overtaken by the thought, that he/she can achieve much more with somebody else. In those cases, with this " somebody else" rarely success are in the cards.

I occasionally go down a rabbit hole :eeking: reading Wiki pages. Maxim Trankov's long, involved page is pretty entertaining. The list of coaches who despaired of him is long ... and Maxim admits they were justified. Three partners before Tatiana. You're right, such a long failure-to-success story is rare, but he was stubborn and he believed changing partners once again was right. And while V/T clicked from the beginning, he also talked about what hard work it was, how many techniques they had to break down and re-learn, in order to be in harmony.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxim_Trankov

I hate to hear about break-ups, but sometimes they're the right move, either personally for a skater or professionally. Sometimes both.

 

[skylark]

Why could Caitlin not find a partner and funding inside the US? I know there's not endless choices of pair partners, but from what I understand from Deanna Stellato, Stellato/Bartholomay got a huge amount of support (not sure if this was financial or otherwise) because the US has no depth in pairs. The US needed them. Did USFSA help Caitlin search for a partner after the split, or was she on her own?

Caitlin went to the next nationals (2012), rumored to be looking for a new partner,. She found one, in Joshua Reagan. (More in my post, above. ^^).

On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Reagan had teamed up with 2011 U.S. senior champion Caitlin Yankowskas.[8] They were coached by Johnny Johns, David Kirby, and Marina Zueva in Canton, Michigan.[8][9] Yankowskas and Reagan were assigned to the 2012 Cup of China and the 2012 NHK Trophy but withdrew from both events after Reagan sustained a rib injury in practice.[10][11] They ended their partnership without having competing anywhere.[12]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_Reagan​

I don't know who helped Caitlin in her search, and I don't know about financial support. But USFS is playing a more active role now since 2016, teaming up Ashley and Tim, and giving them support, I assume, similar to what Deanna and Nate have gotten. It was Mitch Moyer who suggested Ashley and Tim try out; and it was he who suggested Deanna and Nate do the same.

Does USFSA offer partners communication and mediation training, so partners can better work together (and hopefully stay together)?

I don't know about that, either. Perhaps someone else does?

 

[el henry]

Why could Caitlin not find a partner and funding inside the US? I know there's not endless choices of pair partners, but from what I understand from Deanna Stellato, Stellato/Bartholomay got a huge amount of support (not sure if this was financial or otherwise) because the US has no depth in pairs. The US needed them. Did USFSA help Caitlin search for a partner after the split, or was she on her own?


Does USFSA offer partners communication and mediation training, so partners can better work together (and hopefully stay together)?

I don’t know about the training, but USFS did not offer a *huge* amount of support to Deanna and Nate; the amount they gave was *hugely* appreciated ETA: there is a difference

Nate works was working eight hours a day at the rink in addition to training. The support from USFS, from what I understand, allowed him to cut back on the work, but it’s not as though it’s a fully funded ride. I believe another coach suggested Deanna to Nate, he was going to retire until he tried out with her.

USFS did play a role, from what I understand, in arranging Ashley and Tim’s tryout.

 

[skylark]

I don’t know about the training, but USFS did not offer a *huge* amount of support to Deanna and Nate; the amount they gave was *hugely* appreciated ETA: there is a difference

Nate works was working eight hours a day at the rink in addition to training. The support from USFS, from what I understand, allowed him to cut back on the work, but it’s not as though it’s a fully funded ride. I believe another coach suggested Deanna to Nate, he was going to retire until he tried out with her.

USFS did play a role, from what I understand, in arranging Ashley and Tim’s tryout.

From Deanna's Wiki page: (oh, how I heart Wiki!)

In Florida, U.S. Figure Skating's high performance director, Mitch Moyer, suggested a tryout with Nathan Bartholomay, a pair skater who was working at the same rink.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deanna_Stellato​