The Season of the Change-Up

It’s not that I haven’t noticed the ISU Grand Prix Lineups were announced four days ago—it’s just that I haven’t taken the time to look ‘em over yet. So bear with me as I push that topic back a few days... and get caught up by instead pointing you to this article:

http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news_digest/Lambiel_makes_coach_swop_to_raise_stakes.html?siteSect=104&sid=9183262&cKey=1212758257000&ty=nd

... which followed news that Nobunari Oda enlisted Nikolai Morozov as his new coach. Or Morozov sought Oda. Is anyone sure? In any case, Daisuke Takahashi parted ways with Morozov last month as a result…

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080506&content_id=48086&vkey=ice_news

… and, as best I can tell, is still coach-shopping as of today. And so the skating world turns yet again. Can’t say I blame Takahashi for feeling like he and his rival shouldn’t share a coach, though I must admit I first thought he was making the switch out of disappointment with his finish at Worlds this year. Lambiel did. So did Belbin and Agosto, for that matter. It’s practically become a tradition, a rite-of-passage through this minefield known as elite figure skating.

As for whether or not it’s a worthwhile tradition, well… that’s trickier. There are success stories out there for sure. After all, do you think Lambiel would have knocked on Petrenko’s door if Petrenko didn’t seem to be such a player in Johnny Weir’s turnaround this past season?

But I suspect there’s something to be said for the psychological side of it too. Does the new coach really make the difference every time, or is it sometimes the mere sense of expecting more from oneself by way of making a change? Do you simply start listening better when someone new is in the room?

Let me know what you think. I’m sure this topic will be visited again and again… probably around the same time every year J

This topic prompts my Clip of the Day to feature one of the best known coach-hoppers in recent memory. Here is Nicole Bobek in her 1995 prime (her coach at the time was Richard Callaghan).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNg6XgQIHNg