Sasha´s version from her diary

[aservin]

Sasha having fun training with Robin

December 29, 2003


Tatiana and I talked about the decision to look for another coach together. She had a really rough time over the competitive season traveling so much. Her health wasn’t that well, and it was hard for her to be there every day to coach, and she just talked to me about it for awhile. Tatiana said to look around and see if I could find someone, and when I found Robin, she was really happy with that decision.

Tatiana also really misses being in Russia and being home with her mother and her sister, with whom she is very close. I think there is a little bit of a language barrier with her health care here, and when Tatiana is at home in Russia, she will be able to sort that out. I’m not sure if she’s left the country yet, but I’ve not seen her recently.


The timing of the announcement on Christmas Eve was a coincidence. First of all we traveled all the Grand Prixs and there was a lot of training. Tatiana was back and forth to Russia. We went to a Pro-Am in Detroit, and we went to Colorado Springs near Christmas. It was really hard on Tatiana, and we decided the sooner the better to start with Robin.


Robin and I are really learning a lot about each other, and I’m really enjoying it. I’m learning a lot about her, and I’m sure she’s learning a lot about me. I think we make a really great team. We’re both really dedicated, and we’ve been able to have a lot of fun while getting a lot of hard work accomplished.


I never thought Robin would be coaching me. But I’ve always respected and admired Robin, and she really wanted to continue coaching, so I think it’s a great match.
It’s great because Robin actually comes on the ice and trains with me.


Right now we’ve been training at Simsbury for the past week. I don’t know for sure where I will be training in the future, but it might be Hackensack. Simsbury is pretty close to me and Hackensack is pretty far, like three hours away. Robin has been really great coming here for the past week.


I have been talking with Robin for some time. I think she’s excited to be back and training full-time with a skater again. We tried it out, and it worked really well, and we decided to stick with it.


All my programs will stay the same. Basically the only changes will be cosmetic. We’re just making minor adjustments to the program, making it more comfortable for me, and just trying to make it a stronger program by constantly working.


It’s going to be a fun competition. The Nationals are always fun for me, and we’re still learning about each other, but I’m sure we’re going to have a great time.


It will be fun especially because Robin is really fun. It will also be fun to go out there and show Robin what I can do. And I love competitions like this anyway. Basically it’s a chance to show off your hard work, and it’s also a chance where Robin and I will be able to show what we’ve done together the past few weeks.

[icenut84]

Thanks for posting :)

[Tapper]

Sweet.

[dmr65]

I'm happy she wrote and explained herself w/o really owing anything more..


Can I just say, I appreciate that fans here are not picking at her everyword and desecting her and them..


I'm sad to read some fans on another forum are even picking apart her grammar.. I mean, really. :roll:



Denise

[Alexa]

I think it is great she discussed this in her diary. I think more skaters should do that--it would help limit the gossip a little bit and fans appreciate hearing from them.

An example of a skater that I think should be more forthcoming with information would be Tara. She has avoided talking about skating in her diary for a long time, and has left many of her fans wondering if she ever plans on skating again. I think many of her fans would still support her if she plans on acting full time, but since she got her fans from skating she risks losing them if she is not up front with them regarding her future plans.

[Artemis]

Originally posted by dmr65
I'm sad to read some fans on another forum are even picking apart her grammar.. I mean, really. :roll:

Oh good grief! How ridiculous. How many people pay meticulous attention to their grammar and spelling when they're writing a blog? Makes me wonder whether these people were really "fans" at all or whether they were part of the "let's pick apart anything we can about Sasha" brigade.

As for Sasha, I know any coaching change can be traumatic, but I'm glad that at least she doesn't have to deal with the added stress of an acrimonious split.

[Skatewind]

Grammar is important. So is education. Although Sasha might not be one of them, it's surprising how many skaters one meets who are really lacking in these areas. Some skaters don't focus on basic educational needs & then when they leave skating after one trip to Nationals with a finish in the bottom quarter, they are quite surprised to find out how important basic skills are in the real world, not only skating.

I also think it's important to communicate effectively & present information accurately when it's a public diary such as this. It's not like this is a personal blog to share with friends.

However, I don't see anything much wrong with Sasha's diary update. She writes in complete sentences & limits the jargon. It's perfectly readable.

[supersk8er]

Aww,well, that sounds nice...As long as she's happy and she's progressing. :)

[ceceB]

Thanks so much for posting this. It's great to hear that she's doing so well. :)

[candace]

Thanks, for posting this for us.

I would just like to say that I'm very happy for her and I hope that she does well.

[sachelle]

I think it great when a skater says anything to explain a question re her skating or her life. Sasha is reserved but is trying to be more open. She put a great spin on it. I think the traveling is beyond her health, and I suspect she will continue with some here who don't require all the travel Sasha does. But why with the only two competitions left? I would think this very disruptive to Sasha. Will TT stick with only the winners? Does Sasha's recent 2 losses figure in? I think maybe.

I think Tara doesn't want her skating fans to know she can't skate anymore. SOI advertised her when she was not skating. Her last pro competition, she made it clear she was in agony doing her jumps. I think Tara did not want to skate badly or miss shows due to injury.
If she could still skate, she'd be on the ice. She's Oly Gold, and she is trying to find work in show business which is all she knows.

Maybe Tara has not accepted that she injured herself for life with the 3/3's. I wonder if she just skates around a little for fun. Also, SOI never says much about why they hire this one or let one go, as that would hurt others careers, I assume.

Steve Cousins has skated well in this season's specials, but he isn't with SOI. People leave "due to injury" and then you see them skating in a special or a foreign tour.

[singerskates]

Sasha puts it well. And I bet many of us have bad grammar in our diaries too. LOL Like it really matters. When I found out that Tarasova was sick and how the two of them had a great relationship I thought Sasha was not skating well because she was probably worrying about her coach. It's good that Sasha and Tarasova have found Robin. Maybe Sasha can consentrate on skating again.

[dmr65]

Originally posted by Skatewind
Grammar is important. So is education. Although Sasha might not be one of them, it's surprising how many skaters one meets who are really lacking in these areas. Some skaters don't focus on basic educational needs & then when they leave skating after one trip to Nationals with a finish in the bottom quarter, they are quite surprised to find out how important basic skills are in the real world, not only skating.

I also think it's important to communicate effectively & present information accurately when it's a public diary such as this. It's not like this is a personal blog to share with friends.




I understand the importance of proper grammar, but my point is there's a 3 to 4 page long thread making fun of her grammar. It's petty, insulting and hurtful. I know too many people who feel they are not worthy or fail to express themselves based on someone or others desecting/laughing at their grammar and how they speak.. I have plenty of friends who speak English but it was not their first language, have fears of posting so much because of things like that.. It's about who you are on the insid. Proper grammar has nothing to do with who a person is on the inside.


She changed coaches, she's an optimist and didn't sound sad or maybe chose not to make it a sad thing, but she's being persecuted for it. It's an online diary, does anyone really expect her to share her most deep feelings..


I am not bashing the fans who are bashing her, because I still post there myself. I just find it petty and silly. As Tamara Moskvina said once of the non fans who made not so fair comments about B&S.. There is something missing in their lives.

[Skatewind]

Originally posted by dmr65
I understand the importance of proper grammar, but my point is there's a 3 to 4 page long thread making fun of her grammar. It's petty, insulting and hurtful.
I did not comment one way or the other about the other thread, or any of many of the other things you mentioned. I expressed an opinion about a very specific part of the remarks of previous commentary by several others, so no lecture to me needed if you didn't care for my opinion or have some misperception about it. My remarks were not directed to you personally & had nothing to do with 'bashing Sasha' or any other skaters. They were about why it's good to be able to communicate effectively when using things like online diaries as PR tools, which I feel I am qualified to discuss since it's an area of skating I deal with almost everyday.

Here are the last three sentences from my previous post again in case you overlooked them:

"However, I don't see anything much wrong with Sasha's diary update. She writes in complete sentences & limits the jargon. It's perfectly readable."

[loveskating]

Originally posted by dmr65
I understand the importance of proper grammar, but my point is there's a 3 to 4 page long thread making fun of her grammar. It's petty, insulting and hurtful. I know too many people who feel they are not worthy or fail to express themselves based on someone or others desecting/laughing at their grammar and how they speak.. I have plenty of friends who speak English but it was not their first language, have fears of posting so much because of things like that.. It's about who you are on the insid. Proper grammar has nothing to do with who a person is on the inside.


She changed coaches, she's an optimist and didn't sound sad or maybe chose not to make it a sad thing, but she's being persecuted for it. It's an online diary, does anyone really expect her to share her most deep feelings..


I am not bashing the fans who are bashing her, because I still post there myself. I just find it petty and silly. As Tamara Moskvina said once of the non fans who made not so fair comments about B&S.. There is something missing in their lives.


In a backhanded way, it adds up to a compliment, because they are not able to so easily bash Sasha's skating anymore...she is ranked #1 by the ISU, and has a lot of gold this season, as well as last; however, I am criticizing (not bashing) this sort of thing, because I think it is a more or less conscious effort by some to create a climate of ridicule and deamonization...to make it "ok" or even "popular" to say off the wall things about some skaters. Its kind of like the bullies in high school...they always start with ridicule and deamonization, picking at, picking at, picking at someone, or some groups, then they move to violence.

The skating is fair game...Sasha flutzes, no doubt about it; Sasha has been two footing her second flip, no doubt about it, etc....that is not off the wall, not bashing, but this sort of thing you describe is indeed off the wall and petty, and for some few I think its on purpose...others get pulled into it, without realizing that they are being manipulated by, well, bullies.

[danibellerika]

I'm sure that plenty of the ones, who must be really bored to make pages of posts bashing Sasha's grammar (which was only slightly off in a sentence or two), probably don't have the best grammar themselves. Even their favorite skater doesn't speak with superb grammar, but she's comprehensible, and so is Sasha's diary. We should try not to board drag though, guys.

[smallsilly]

What was wrong with her grammer? I don't get it...because she said "fun" alot???? That is not bad grammer...

[dmr65]

Originally posted by Skatewind
I did not comment one way or the other about the other thread, or any of many of the other things you mentioned. I expressed an opinion about a very specific part of the remarks of previous commentary by several others, so no lecture to me needed if you didn't care for my opinion or have some misperception about it. My remarks were not directed to you personally & had nothing to do with 'bashing Sasha' or any other skaters. They were about why it's good to be able to communicate effectively when using things like online diaries as PR tools, which I feel I am qualified to discuss since it's an area of skating I deal with almost everyday.

Here are the last three sentences from my previous post again in case you overlooked them:

"However, I don't see anything much wrong with Sasha's diary update. She writes in complete sentences & limits the jargon. It's perfectly readable."


My dear, how in the world could you misunderstand and misinterpreted my post as insulting you.. I was not.. I was stating how I felt regarding the continuous bashing she is taking on another forum in regards to her grammar, but also letting it be known I understand your point as well. I was staying on topic of the other forum making fun of her grammar.. Not taking away the importance of what you were saying, my dear.


Again, this was not at you.. I'm sorry if you take offense to my reply, that was not at you....



Denise..

[loveskating]

I'm glad to hear that things are stable...other than the issue of which rink...and that they are having some fun. I think Tarasova did a great job...of course she did, she is among the greatest of coaches...but I do think also that the language barrier and cultural differences can be a big problem in certain contexts. I've traveled extensively and have been in the room when no one else spoke my language, and its not a comfort zone, for sure!

I must say, I find myself being glad Wagner is back in the mix...I thought it kind of strange that she was not coaching someone at the elite level, and now I'm happily satisfied that this was her own choice, and I'm also glad that it worked out well from her POV. She is clearly deserving, has a great track record!

I'm glad that all the principles have said what they have to say because in the absence of that, speculation is simply going to occur...and as long as people know they are speculating and do not form hard opinions, its ok.

[Skatewind]

Originally posted by dmr65
Again, this was not at you.. I'm sorry if you take offense to my reply, that was not at you...
Then it would be best not to quote me before ranting about the grammar police & non-English speaking people, Sasha bashing & other such things that have nothing at all to do with what was stated in my post. That would clearly avoid any misunderstanding. Thanks.

[dmr65]

Ok, my dear.. I understand. Again, even my quote and reply was not meant as any offense.. I can see you are clearly still offended even after what I thought was a clarification and somewhat of an apology..


We all quote posts, and sometimes I think some read out of context or maybe the reply is misunderstood..


Again, I could be wrong with your reply as still being perturbed with me and not accepting my explanation/clarification as a somewhat apology for the misunderstanding. But, I digress..

I came here as a Sasha supporter, not to cause unbalance with anyone. I meant well, but.... ;)



Denise...

[sachelle]

No one replied to me, but every thread (2) so far I posted in, there is unpleasantness between posters, misunderstanding, and some of the same names.

For anyone who may read this, grammar bashing threads are indeed pathetic. But there are Sasha haters on these boards. I wonder what some of those same people say when Michelle, who I'm a fan of, talks about "Thelympics"? Do they ROTFLAO? Or do they just realize that this superstar FSer is not the owner of gold medals in speaking as well?

Michelle's smart and logical but it reminds me of the importance of basic skills argument. I agree with that.

Apparently those ignorant people who attacked something they thought was written wrong really need to go out and do charity work as they have a lot of time on their hands. There are a lot of adults who need tutoring to pass their GED's. May all of the nitpickers become useful citizen grammar coaches.

And good luck to skaters with new coaches.

[Schmeck]

I wonder how Sasha feels now that it's been reported (somewhere, out there..., I'll find the link ASAP) that Tarasova is all better now and headed back to the USA?

Or did I dream that?

[Schmeck]

Ok, the link was in another thread here (titled TT Update) but it's not from a big news source, just a fan website:

http://www.usovaplatov.com/news.htm

so make of it what you may...

[Schmeck]

Bondo, why do we have to wait six months?

I just hope it's not distracting for Sasha - news travels quickly in the skating world, and if TT is coming back to the US, but not coaching Sasha, there will be a lot of discussion. I want Sasha to skate well at Nationals, no more slip ups of concentration.

[Kemy]

hmmm...I would think that, even after 6 months, all we would have is still speculation unless someone opens up, which, more than likely, will not be the case. Look and Michelle Kwan and Frank Carroll. All we have is guesses, and no one is talking, which is probably for the best. At least Sasha and Tatiana explained gave us a Cliffnotes version of what happened.

Even IF Tatiana does come back to the States to coach, who's to say that it wouldn't be a matter of just changing her mind about coaching after a long rest.

All guesses, but it sure is fun to talk about, yes?

[Tapper]

I'm taking the optimistic view of the split, and am trusting the wisdom of their decision. I see no point in second guessing their motivation. Whatever the reasons for the split, it must be seen as a beneficial move for both, otherwise they wouldn't have done it. And, it would seem that Sasha is happy with the move to Robin.

[Skatewind]

Originally posted by Bondo
I think we'll have to wait for 6 months or so before we can appropriate judge what was PR and what was truth.
Any information on a skater's website is generally considered PR. That's why they have a public website. If you meant regarding the content of what she has written, I guess I would wonder why it matters so much to either the pro- or anti-Sasha fans one way or the other. Anytime it's on one of the skaters' websites, they have done the job effectively if they put the situation in the best possible light & I don't understand why anyone would expect them to do otherwise.