Japanese Nationals 2010: Interview with Nobuo Sato

http://report.nirenoki.net/satou_1226.htm
Coach Nobuo Sato, December 26, 2010
After the Ladies' Free Skate

On Asada, On Kozuka

Q. Asada "overcame a great mountain" to achieve this result--what do you think of it?
A. I think it's a mental issue. I think that she was insecure about what she had been doing, but here, she gained the ability to skate with confidence.

Q. What was the reason she was able to change her insecurity into confidence?
A. I think it's that she's becoming able to do each jump the way she wants/imagines them.

Q. Is the quality of her jumps increasing?
A. Really, it's been recent, all of a sudden. While I was at the Grand Prix Final, it seems that something changed a little, and when I came back and started working again from the basics, everything just clicked.

Q. Is it more about carefully building upon her training bit by bit, rather than some kind of impetus?
A. Yes. Bit by bit things started changing, and recently her jumps became successful eight, nine times out of ten, and I think her confidence started to grow.

Q. Maybe it's because her increased success rate in practice has created confidence, but I think that her facial expression has become brighter?
A. Yes, that's true. In fact, she herself says this clearly.

Q. Is it her strength, that she became able (to do her jumps) at the most important competition?
A. Yes that's exactly right. From my perspective, I was thinking that it would be ideal if we had another month or so. For everything to suddenly come together now--I see it as a sign of her mental and emotional strength.

Q. Watching her before the start of the free skate at this competition, did you feel calm?
A. No, not at all. I'm the one who's astonished, but really, I just watched her and thought, '(Her) willpower and inner strength is not of an ordinary person.'

Q. After her program, you were looking up at the ceiling rinkside--at that moment, what were you feeling?
A. I was the one who was surprised, and I thought, 'Just as expected (of her)--what an incredible person.'

Q. What was the one area that you pointed to as essential, the one part you were concerned with most?
A. I apologize that this is going to turn into an extremely pragmatic explanation, but of course I had raised the issue of not making mistakes on her jumps as a first priority, and today, there was one small mistake in a 'boring' section, but I think that maybe something like that is just too bad/can't be helped, so today I'm satisfied.

Q. So you mean that in the middle of this improving and then not and then improving again, today was about positives?
A. Yes. I think that today ended with a good result for her.

Q. So the fact that she could put out a good performance today, will it help build her confidence even in practices from now?
A. That's true, yes. I think that will happen, without a doubt.

Q. Her stubbornly attempting the triple Axel in the short program--were you against it until the very end?
A. (laughs) Based on many past examples and what I've experienced, I still think it's in fact a bad tactic. But if she is going to work up her nerve (to attempt it), then what does the thinking of an old person matter. So I expected this one thing from her brimming energy, and with courage the decision was made.

Q. So in that sense, you mean that your and Asada's opinions were in agreement?
A. Yes.

Q. Have you ever wondered whether she would say, "I want to attempt two triple Axels"?
A. Well that, in a word--yes.

Q. So it's been half a year since starting the process of correcting her jumps in June--
A. It was September.
Note: The interviewer asked this question because it was announced that Asada started reworking her jumps in June. For Sato, Asada began this process in September, when she became his student.

Q. Taking June as when she began making a conscious effort to rework her jumps, she said that because she's spent this half year building upon her training things have been improving. Was this time very important?
A. I think much more time is necessary. And so, to put it frankly, that she could perform so well today is a huge surprise to me.

Q. Even more?
A. And so, from here I'm thinking that we want to work to raise her overall level a little. I don't know if things will break again, and I think that in some ways it's a gamble. But there's nothing we can do than endure and overcome it.

Q. This "reworking" was said to still involve fumbling around, but how far have things come now?
A. Things may very much still be at the level of appearances.

Q. How far has the "reworking" process as you ideally imagine it come?
A. I think we're still at the entrance.

Q. What does that mean?
A. If she skates with power, she'll generate more speed. And that will affect many things that are essential to jumps. And so, if we approach this with courage, how far can we go? I think it will take one year, two years. In the end, we can only take things one step at a time. But I still want to try.

Q. Are you very happy that this obstacle (i.e. Nationals, skating a clean program) has been overcome?
A. I am happy, and I am surprised.

Q. Can you compare her finished form to someone?
A. It's not that we hold someone as our goal, but rather that we're seeking what I want her to be like, based on my sense of things. However, I want to change things bit by bit, while taking care that things don't become a matter of simply what I want. Still, that bit by bit is scary.

Q. Based on today, is there sort of a specific goal for next time?
A. No, I think that the way she skates will be the same. I think that even if she becomes a little stronger and has more speed, it'll be a matter of a few percentage points.

Q. This reworking of her jumps, will you get into it again after the season is over? Or will you immediately continue the process after this?
A. I want to start things again right after this.

Q. Is continuing to compete an important thing?
A. Indeed, I think it is an important thing. Even if things are successful in practice, I think it's important to train while checking on how things are going by testing them in these situations and atmospheres.

Q. In important competitions from now on, what will be the key to bringing out her strength like today's?
A. I think it's only practice.

Q. Is this the confidence that is fostered through training?
A. I'll start slowly incorporating things that I refrained from saying before. This will require courage on my part.

Q. Yesterday, Kozuka said that practicing with Asada is a huge reason for his rapid progress--how are things from a coach's point of view? What is the synergistic effect?
A. There is a lot. For Kozuka, it's, "She is still practicing, and that much--I have to as well," and for Asada, it's "How can I achieve (his) speed?" There are things like this between them, both ways, so there is a lot of synergistic benefit.

Q. This is about Kozuka--do you think that he's changed a lot since last year?
A. I don't think so. Except, the parts that I would wonder, 'Will things soon start falling apart from here?' have stopped crumbling--I think this aspect is the biggest change. As a result I think that this has channeled into his self-confidence. Because he's a little scatterbrained he can get carried away--so in this sense, I think you can ask, 'Maybe he's really changed?' Still, I don't think there has been a large change fundamentally.

Q. How was doing things a little differently, such as going to Canada by himself to train?
A. Up until now, he's coasted on things that people around him have created for him, but he ignored that, and instead of riding in a taxi with his parents, he rode on a bus by himself, and I think that he must have had a lot of fun experiences, but of course he struggled by himself as well. He worked hard and was encouraged and supported by many people, and I think he learned a lot. I think that in some ways this was been more of a plus than actually learning things in practice.

Rostelecom Cup 2010: Exciting Pairs?!

Happy December! I will open this month with the second installment of my Grand Prix retrospection: the Rostelecom Cup, or, as it should always be known, Cup of Russia. I'm glad that there are companies out there still stupid or naive or kind enough to sponsor figure skating events, but "Rostelecom Cup" is just such a terrible name. The organizers know it, too, seeing as they still embedded "Cup of Russia" in the middle of the rink.

Partly redeeming this name is, surprisingly, the pairs event. Lately pairs has been my least favorite discipline, but this time it was the one that contained the pleasant surprises. Before I can get there, however, I feel obligated to sit through the shuffling mess that was the ladies.

I've tried to like Miki Ando. I really have. Yet for all my countless hours of watching this sport, I cannot understand why the majority of my country finds her so cute. I don't understand why her jumps are such a big deal when she is in tears trying to come up with excuses half the time, and her lack of artistry is a perpetual annoyance. And I'm just going to pretend I don't know who Nikolai Morozov is, even though that's impossible.

I actually kind of like the music Miki uses in her short program; it has a catchy tempo, beat, and power, and helps mask her lack of lyricality. Her performance was fairly uninspired, though, and that patch on her back was beyond distracting. Even at full speed her triple flip looked underrotated to my very informally trained eye (although there is no reason to give her a -3 GOE, random judge).

It's rare that I can find a figure skating performance aired in a language I understand, haha. I like keeping things in this blog uniform, but not so much so that I'll pass up a Japanese broadcast. Anyway, Miki's patch seemed to have grown overnight, and by Nationals I'm sure it will be large enough to explain any defeat she may suffer. On a positive note, it seems that Miki's fashion sense has exponentially improved this season, though perhaps at Mao's expense.

The music she uses in this program is completely different from her short program's, and it looks like she's really trying to improve her artistry. She doesn't quite succeed--she completely ignores the most dramatic part of the music because she's too busy backloading her program with jumps--but at least she's trying, I guess? And her jumps are nothing to laugh at--the solo triple Lutz was huge.

Ah, Akiko Suzuki. Another skater I have tried and failed to like. What am I supposed to do, now that Yukari Nakano has retired and the real Mao Asada is nowhere to be found? Akiko's one-armed Biellmann was seriously ugly and made me miss Mao even more. Akiko does get credit, though, for pushing through hard times and squeezing the best out of her talent and opportunities.

How refreshing it is to see a coach and his skater keep a healthy distance between them in the Kiss & Cry. I also didn't realize that Hiroshi Nagakubo was so old.

Hrm, so I guess Russian short program video-Japanese free skate video is the theme for this post. The first thing I noticed about Akiko's costume here is that it helps her look more cute than usual, although Fiddler on the Roof is anything but cute and I am not a fan of the single-shoulder look that seems to be going on these days.

This is a great program for her--it accentuates how delicate and quietly expressive Akiko can be. The contrasting energetic highs help bring out her inner energy and smile, and she manages to keep up her speed to match until the end. Her jump positions could be better, but she seems to be constantly improving and watching her sort of makes me warm and happy.

The parade of skaters of whom I am not a fan continues. Ashley Wagner seems to have tried to go the chic and mature route in her short program, although her artistry--or her skating in general--has not evolved to match. Maybe all the too-dark foundation on her face was weighing her down, but her first two jumping passes were not quite perfect and she doesn't seem to have a presence on the ice. Simply put, I enjoyed the music, but not her performance.

Oh dear, what a bad, bad idea. This music immediately conjures images of Sasha Cohen's short program from many seasons ago, and even with Sasha's mistakes it is just not possible for Ashley to measure up. She even seems to steal some of the choreography wholesale, which is an even worse idea. To top it all off, she even includes a fall. Amazing.

Now, I haven't had the chance to like or dislike Agnes Zawadzki yet, but the signs seem to point to dislike. Her jumps are rather nice, but she is a product of the Colorado training center and looks like Amber Corwin. She is far more interesting than her training mate Rachael Flatt, but there was nothing particularly memorable about this program.

Her free skate, though, was why I bothered to watch her at all this competition--who can ignore such a spectacular meltdown? Agnes looked more mature in this program than in her short, but this also had three more falls and various other messes. How she manages to smile at the end is beyond my understanding, but good for her, I suppose.

And now that that's done, I can now move on to the whole point of this post.

No matter how many times I read the name to myself, I can't get used to "Kavaguti." Seriously, woman, have you no standards? I remember several years ago when Terry Gannon mentioned that Yuko Kawaguchi, as she was then thankfully known, did not want to give up her Japanese citizenship just to go to the Olympics representing Russia. Well, it seems like she threw that all out the window and then some. She'd better hope there's a Russian man waiting to marry her, because no Japanese man with an ounce of sense is going to.

I can't make much sense out of Yuko Kavaguti & Alexander Smirnov's short program music choice. It's what is played at like, opening ceremonies and at particularly dramatic moments in Japanese variety shows. It doesn't make for great figure skating performances. Neither do Alexander's pants, for that matter. Yuko fought for each and every landing, and somehow the pair managed to come out on top. The memory of their coach's death glare is probably still very fresh.

From one overplayed piece to another. Alexander's wedding ring stands out more than any other skater's I've ever seen, except maybe Mark Ladwig's. The unison on their side-by-side spins was basically perfect, and as usual they had impressive pair elements that Yuko fought to control. Of course, my favorite part--just like everybody else--is where Alexander goes in to bite Yuko's neck, and she lies in his ars with a glassy, frozen expression. This is seriously not an attractive pair.

I'd seen Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran's names at various junior international competitions over the past few seasons, but this was the first time I ever watched them skate. Okay, so this pair is only half Japanese, so there's still a lot of ground to break when it comes to pairs skating in Japan, but it's a huge step forward.

Did the Russian commentator seriously say "Bublah" for "Bublé"? That would really make my day.

Anyway, Narumi & Mervin's split triple twist was huge, and their side-by-side-spins, though not perfectly in unison, were super fast. They're not quite expressive and still somewhat juniorish, but their elements are solid. Potential! Potential! Unbelievable. Now if only Japanese ice dancers existed...

Narumi better not be the next Keauna McLaughlin. Just saying.

This program didn't do much to grab my attention, either, but again, it's very refreshing and reassuring to see that a Japanese pairs team may one day emerge internationally after all.

God, I love this pair. Amanda Evora & Mark Ladwig are actually energetic and mature with each other, and the transformation of their costumes following last season's successes is dramatic. It's obvious that (for the first time ever?) they were custom-made, and it really helps them look like they belong. They even saved the best for last, placing a teaser bit of one of their signature lifts near the end of their program.

Their free skate costumes had a bit of last-season feel to it, but no matter. Amanda & Mark are skating with a new confidence this season, minus Amanda's obligatory fall, and it's wonderful. Nessun Dorma needs to be retired, and Amanda & Mark need to channel their new confidence into finding their own music. They did, however, make a real effort into doing the overplayed piece justice with their spot-on double Axel sequence and huge lifts. Mark's reaction during their bows and in the Kiss & Cry is priceless. It's great that even Jim Peterson can get into the camera mugging. Their hugs at the end are adorable. Love, love. This kind of closeness is okay. Nikolai, take note.

From the Archives: 07.16.2007 ホリデーインタービュー：山田満知子

The current state of figure skating is depressing me--so much so that I've temporarily stopped following the Grand Prix altogether--so I thought I would go back to a more golden time in my fandom. Behold, the crude genius of Machiko Yamada:

Half a Century at a Downtown Rink: Figure Skating Coach Machiko Yamada

(Nagoya Sports Center, Nagoya Central District)
Male Narrator: Today we will be speaking with the Nagoya figure skating coach who raised Midori Ito and Mao Asada, Machiko Yamada.

Machiko Yamada: I look forward to working with you.

Male Interviewer: It's very humid (outside), but it's nice and cool inside this rink.

Machiko Yamada: Right? Every time an interviewer comes to me in the summer, they always say, "Coach, you have such a great job," but it's not really good for the body, is it. There's a huge temperature difference, you know?

Male Interviewer: But without almost any breaks you spend long periods of time here, in this place.

Machiko Yamada: Yes that's true. Well, I was about 7 years old when I started skating, and now I'm turning 64, so how many years is that? And out of the 365 days in a year, I've been here with almost no breaks, from when I was little--from when I was a competitor--as if this is my home, I've lived a long time in this cold and this smell.

Male Narrator: Yamada, who started skating at age 7, while in high school won the National Inter-High School Championships and the National Athletic Championships. However, while in college she retired from competitive skating at the age of 20. After that, she was asked by various parents to teach their children skating, and she began coaching at this rink. Since then, she has been coaching for 45 years. She has raised numerous skaters who make the world (international competitions) their stage. Seven of her students have won international competitions.

Male Interviewer (Takayuki Tsukamoto): Why did you follow the path of a coach rather than an athlete?

Machiko Yamada: Originally--I was skating from since I was young--when I was little, I supposedly said, "I like skating," but I have no memory of that. I guess my parents had made me skate, by the time I realized it... And it wasn't really that fun, my Meiji-era-born parents were strict, and it wasn't fun and I was skating. I retired and by chance began teaching a little part-time, so I said I would marry and stop teaching, then I said when I had kids I would stop teaching, but while I was thinking about it I met Midori, and little by little I was pulled into this world as a coach. So it wasn't my original dream from when I was young, to become a coach.

Male Narrator: The thing that changed Yamada's destiny was her meeting with the then-five Midori Ito. It was decided that she would coach Midori, who came to the rink almost every day and whose presence drew attention.

Machiko Yamada: That she was a smart child was my first impression. Usually, children don't, well, do or say much, but she would step in front of her mother and listen really well, like if I said, "Please do this or bring that starting tomorrow," she would be like, "Okay! Okay!" I guess you would say it was a very active, responsive listening style. And she was a child with good instincts. Once I started coaching her, I realized that she had jumping ability, and good athleticism... but I never thought that she would shock the world or anything like that.

(Machiko Yamada's home)
Midori Ito: So I put in the spinach?

Machiko Yamada: Not yet, not yet. This isn't boiled yet.

Male Narrator: In order to create a more focused environment, Yamada made Midori move into her home. From overseeing her diet to discussing her worries together, over approximately fifteen years Yamada served a mother role to Midori.

Machiko Yamada: Midori, you eat the spinach.

(Nagoya Sports Center)
Male Narrator: Midori, who became a top skater in a three-leggedly (a close and collaborative partnership with Yamada, as in a three-legged race), battled pressure leading up to the 1992 Albertville Olympics.

Machiko Yamada: Right now you're doing a change, and then twice, right? You should stop doing that, that weird thing. You know, instead of a normal Lutz, you do one more of this thing--

Midori Ito: Yeah. But I get more speed that way.

Machiko Yamada: The whole world thought that there was no question of Midori winning the gold medal, she was considered the top skater. But, before that (the Olympics), because of the pressure and everything, she really hadn't practiced--she hadn't skated for several months, because of everything--she didn't want to be out there.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Really?

Machiko Yamada: And that's how we went--I can talk about this now--but it was that kind of competition, Albertville.

(1992 Albertville Olympics)
French fans/spectators: Everyone is counting on Midori! ... Midori is a great skater! ...

Male Commentator: Now, Japan's Midori Ito.

Male Narrator: Midori, who stood on this huge stage under heavy pressure. She would attempt the triple Axel, which no woman had ever done at an Olympic Games.

Male Commentator: Triple Axel... ah! A mistake!

(Nagoya Sports Center)
Machiko Yamada: She made a mistake on the first triple Axel, and then... the other part, it was made for any kind of jump--a lutz, a flip, an Axel--so there was this space, this part of the music in her program--

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Machiko Yamada: --and I was wondering what she would do there, but she was skating the triple Axel lead-in pattern, and I thought, 'Oh, she's going to do it!' And usually in the second half (of a program), it's easy to make mistakes on the more difficult jumps.

(1992 Albertville Olympics)
Male Commentator: Triple Axel! She did it!

Male Narrator: By successfully completing the second triple Axel, Midori won the silver medal, the first for a Japanese figure skater. The successes of Midori, who possessed jumps and other high-difficulty skills, sent a breath a fresh air into the figure skating world tat up to this point had placed emphasis on artistry. Overnight, Yamada too became a focus of attention.

(Nagoya Sports Center)
Machiko Yamada: If I had never met Midori, I don't know if I would still be coaching now, and... I could have just gone the normal route of raising my daughter, and become a good grandmother... But, there was Midori, a child of that talent had come to me, and I felt a responsibility to coach, and I ended up becoming someone who was competing against all the world-class coaches that I saw on TV, the great coaches I admired who to me were figures above the clouds (out of reach)... But, the whole who gave me that was also Midori. So, I guess... there was Midori, and so there is me today. I don't want to go as far as to say thanks, but...

Male Narrator: The skating rink is right by one of Japan's three major sacred Buddhist grounds, Oosu Kannon. The history of this temple city, Oosu, begins in the Edo Period, and like Tokyo's Asakusa District is teeming with a downtown vibe. There are many shops centered around Oosu Kannon, and there are many people out and about.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: It's this way, right?

Machiko Yamada: Yes.

(restaurant)
Male Narrator: In one corner of this city, there is a restaurant that Yamada has frequented for over 50 years, since her days as a competitive athlete.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Hello, please excuse me.

Restaurant Woman: Welcome!

Machiko Yamada: Where should we sit?

Restaurant Man: Anyway, I've known her (Yamada) since her days in her sailor clothing (Japanese schoolgirl uniform).

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Really?

Machiko Yamada: Yes, right?

Male Narrator: She's a little younger than me, but--

Machiko Yamada: That's not true! We're like the same age.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Oh, thank you.

Machiko Yamada: Since there's practice again tonight...

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes, so you're going to prepare by eating beforehand...

Machiko Yamada: Right.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Male Narrator: Yamada's favored dish is ramen.

Machiko Yamada: First, please try drinking the broth.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Okay.

Machiko Yamada: It's a very normal broth. Even though as a skating coach I shouldn't be advertising ramen... Mmm, delicious.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: The traditional Japanese flavor is very, I guess you would say, downtown...

Machiko Yamada: Right. Ramen a very, very long time ago was like this.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: So, in Nagoya--

Machiko Yamada: Okay, let's eat ramen.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Okay, we'll eat, we'll eat. Because the noodles will get limp.

Machiko Yamada: That's right. You, have a bite, then ask a question.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Okay. The good part of Oosu, well, I think there are also the foods like this, but I think it's the downtown, working-class feeling--what do you think?

Machiko Yamada: Figure skating and Oosu are pretty far removed from each other, as I always say.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: That's true, image-wise...

Machiko Yamada: I mean figure skating is a city sport, it's not a sport of cold-weather regions. Sometimes people misunderstand and say things like, "Oh of course, Tohoku (Northernmost six prefectures of Honshu) or Hokkaido must be powerhouses of figure skating, but that's ice hockey or speed skating. Figure skating is of course in places like New York--place that are cold but still urban.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: I see.

Machiko Yamada: So in Japan, places like Tokyo... a long time ago, there were three skating rinks in Shinagawa (district of Tokyo): a figure skating rink, an ice hockey rink, and a public rink. They were very impressive, and next to it was Shinagawa's hotel. Whenever the athletes would go to the rink, all of the mothers would get into their foreign cars and race to the rink, and their children would be in lessons--and of course parents couldn't go in--so in the hotel they would have coffee or tea as they waited. It's quite elegant, isn't it?

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes, it is.

Machiko Yamada: Right? But us, everyone would come in on their bicycles with their children riding on the back, and they'd be like, "Coach! I just bought hot takoyaki, would you like some?"--that's where we come from.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Oh it was that kind of atmosphere?

Machiko Yamada: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Wow, I see...

Machiko Yamada: So it's a bit far removed from figure skating. But, it's because of that that there was Midori Ito, if you look at it the other way--a different kind of skater.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Is that so?

Machiko Yamada: Yeah, if it were Shin-Yokohama or Tokyo, I might have taught her more elegantly, but haha... If we didn't go about it in a slightly different way, things just wouldn't have fit, probably.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: I see. So you started coaching in Nagoya, and an athlete named Midori Ito emerged, and you became famous--

Machiko Yamada: Yes, yes, yes.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: After that, you continued on here--what was the reason for that?

Machiko Yamada: Almost all Japanese figure skaters, such as Emi Watanabe--do you know her?--and a little while before that, Igarashi, and all of them--almost none of them skated in Japan, they were training over there, and they would only enter competitions as Japanese people. And so I found that frustrating, and of course a "Made in Japan"--and for me a "Made in Nagoya," I guess you would say--seemed nice. It's not such a spectacular environment, but even from there--it's not quite a "if you do it you can do it," but... just being here, and (developing while) taking advantage of its best parts... Teaching this way is right for me, and I want to try to the end of my limits.

(2002 Salt Lake City Olympics)
Male Commentator: The arena has come alive with the announcing of Yoshie Onda's name. ...Double Axel, good height. And once more! Yes.

(Nagoya Sports Center)
Takayuki Tsukamoto: Many athletes who compete on the world stage have emerged (from here). Where do you think lies the reason that you have been able to raise so many top athletes?

Machiko Yamada: I wonder why it is... First, I guess if I were to name our top unique characteristic, it would be "family-style"? To the extent that people in the skating world often call us "Yamada Family," not a club but a family. So, everyone, parents and children, take each other's hands--parents and children and teachers, they take each other's hands--and they're trying together? It's family-like, so there's longevity--like there are a lot of children who continue skating for a long time. So as we go along like this, children who may or may not be talented, whether it's Yoshie or Yukari or whoever--the Maos are a little bit different, but--they emerge and become athletes who go out into the world, I think... I get this type of question a lot, like 'Why do so many skaters who can do the triple Axel come from you?,' and you can ask why but it's like, "Nothing in particular. I don't do anything special."

Male Narrator: The characteristic of Yamada's club, dubbed the "Yamada Family," can be found rinkside. Amidst the many clubs that do not allow parents rinkside, Yamada has the parents proactively participate in the practices.

Machiko Yamada: You see, normally--and this isn't just about skating, it applies to any type of lesson--it's difficult for the coaches if they're always being observed by the parents. But in our case, I... well, it costs money, and it takes time, so I want the parents to take an interest. If not, the skating (lessons) can't really continue. So my philosophy is, "Let's go down to the rink together, and let's try this together." So the parents end up coming every day, and their eyes become trained. Right? They understand more than some of the bad judges. And as a result, they start teaching from rinkside, the parents. And if a student learns a new skill, and for example lands it on one foot, even if they're excited about it, if no one is looking it's a little disappointing, right? You know, because it's their own free practice time. But parents are really watching only their children, so they'll be like, 'Yes! You landed it!' and even for the little things, they'll say, 'You did well today,' and 'Coach was saying this-and-that, so why don't you pay more attention to this,' so even in the household these conversations will take place, right?

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Machiko Yamada: That's my aim.

Skating Mother: I end up wanting to say, "That's no good," or, "You're not doing it correctly," and bit by bit I get very into it, more into it than my children...

Skater1: I am taught by my mother, but if I'm scolded I get very aargh.

Skater2 (Kanako Murakami): I know, I know!

Skater1: Right? It's really like that.

Kanako Murakami: I get mad easily too.

Interviewer: What does Yamada say in situations like this?

Skaters: Keep at it!

Kanako Murakami: She's a kind and funny teacher. She's always laughing, yes.

Male Narrator: Four years ago, many of Yamada's students and their parents celebrated her 60th birthday. The pendant she received for the occasion is Yamada's treasured possession. Skating family--engraved is "From your skating family."

(Nagoya Sports Center)
Takayuki Tsukamoto: Is there something like a motto that you hold important when it comes to coaching?

Machiko Yamada: Um... like I said at the very beginning, I didn't really like skating that much--learning from my strict parents and members of the federation, I didn't really like it--so maybe if I had been taught in a more fun way, I think that maybe I would have been slightly better when I was a competitive skater. So I want there to be an enjoyable rink for the children, and also when the children are three or five or however old they are when they start skating, and then until they graduate college at 22--they spend their most formative youth years with me and with skating. So instead of being "skate-stupid" (the only thing they know about and how to do is skating-related)--I might be scolded for saying that--you know, if they live until they're 80, life after skating is long, isn't it?

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Machiko Yamada: So, of course, when these children who skate are being molded, I want us (adults) to give them what we can--I want to give them all I can give them. I do think that way.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: So is that nurturing or cultivating persons...?

Machiko Yamada: I can't say anything that self-important, but... the things I've learned in my life, such as 'I wanted to be like that,' 'I wanted to live like that,' 'That's not good,' or 'That's not really good for children'--the things I've learned? How do I say this?--instructions from the experiences that a 64-year-old old woman has had?

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Machiko Yamada: Things like that, I guess I'm always dropping? So more than the skating jumps, there might be some of that. And I think that in fact these things show themselves in performances. It just works out that quiet children tend to skate elegantly, while outgoing and noisy children skate with power and speed. Their personalities come out.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Machiko Yamada: So no matter how quiet or outgoing, I feel that in their body movements or in lots of places, their goodness of character comes out. So what I often say is that as a coach, of course I prefer first place, but if you're going to be a first-place whom everyone dislikes, then I would prefer a third-place or a fourth-place finisher whom everyone says is a good and beautiful person--I do say that all the time.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: You mean character is important, right?

Machiko Yamada: Yes. So, I'm like that too. In order to be a person who's thought of as "I really like Coach" or "I love her," then instead of being all fake and, "Oh hello, what a lovely daughter, how talented--NO! That's wrong!," I want to be free from the bottom of my heart. Then everyone will know the real Yamada, and I want to be the kind of person whom they will love including my faults. I want the children to become such people too.

Takayuki Tsukamoto: I see. So as a coach, things that make you glad that you are...?

Machiko Yamada: Let's see... Well, if I hadn't been a coach, I probably wouldn't have been able to learn so much, and I wouldn't have met all of these different people, so I would have been a little more normal middle-aged woman--an even more normal middle-aged woman. Of course, I'm glad that there is skating in my life, and I feel blessed--I've happened to meet so many good people--Midori and the many mothers that I happened to meet--and the children have married and have been blessed with grandchildren. And all of the mothers of our "family" say, 'You are such a fortunate person," and I really--I don't want to go back in my life, I talk about this a lot: 'If you could go back, what age would you want to go back to?', like there's 'I want to go back to the basic English lessons of middle school,' or 'I want to go back to the spring of my twenties,' right?

Takayuki Tsukamoto: Yes.

Machiko Yamada: But I don't think a happiness such as this will come, so I don't want to do anything over.

NHK Trophy 2010: Thank God For the Time Difference

Usually, the 13- or 14-hour time difference between the East Coast and Japan creates a lot of logistic difficulties in my life, but for once this halfway-around-the-world business is proving to be quite helpful. In fact, it may directly contribute to the survival of my heart past the age of say, 25.

Although a lot of different headlines find their way into the rotation that is all Yahoo! pages, I definitely was not expecting to see 「真央『思い切りやる』３回転半ぶっつけ本番」when I went to go check my Japanese e-mail. First of all, I did not know that anyone other than my mother actually used ぶっつけ本番. Second of all ,WHAT?

浅田は練習でも成功していない、演技後半に３回転半ジャンプ（トリプルアクセル）を入れるプログラムにぶっつけ本番で挑むことを誓った。

I have the utmost respect for and faith in Nobuo Sato, but seriously? This free skate plan might be even more idiotic than Tatiana Tarasova's grand schemes for using the triple Axel. Isn't Mao supposed to be working on her other jumps so she doesn't have to set up for certain disaster, and in the second half of her program no less? I am so, so glad that this will all happen while I am asleep. Lord.

In fact, my love for Mao and her successes is such that I am glad for the time difference even after seeing pictures like this:

http://photography.ice-dance.com/2010-11/2010NHK/Dance/Practice/ThursPM/10NHK-PrThPM-0317-DW-LC.jpg.php

Sometimes, I can hardly comprehend their existence. They may just be the team that singularly redeems the Short Dance.

And so... I am soon going to bed. See you, Short Program, during some downtime (HAH) at work.

09.27.2010 ノンフィクション：Documentary on Rafael Nadal

A few days ago, a Japanese documentary on Rafael Nadal was aired. Some of the information is common knowledge to his fans, but the documentary is very well made and does delve into a more personal aspect of Nadal that has rarely if ever been seen. Thanks to nadalnews.com I was able to watch the documentary online, and I thought I'd provide a translation here (the syntax might seem a bit strange because Japanese grammatical construction is very different from the English construction, and the narration was scripted to fit the purposes of a dramatic documentary). Please don't repost this somewhere without permission!

Male Narrator: The man who holds the No. 1 ranking in men's tennis, with a body like steel and an inimitable extreme playing style: Rafael Nadal, age 24. By winning the US Open this year, he achieved a Career Grand Slam. For this man who at a young age grabbed glory and honed his mental strength, technique, and physique, there was a large obstacle. This is the world's first in-depth documentary on Nadal. A Man of the Sun: Rafael Nadal. The Origins of the No. 1 Tennis Player in the World.

Female Narrator: Spain, Majorca. He was born and continues to live on this island. Ranked No. 1 in the world, Rafael Nadal created history in 2010.

(US Open)
Male Commentator: He has etched his name into a new history! Rafael Nadal!

Female Narrator: September 13, his first US Open victory. Winning all four Grand Slams, he accomplished a Career Grand Slam. His daily life is certainly amazing. Despite being a champion, from his coach come these words:

(tennis court)
Uncle Toni: If you can't do it with full effort, don't do it. This is completely different than before. It's absurd that the French Open and Wimbledon champion would have problems in training.

Rafael Nadal: My problem is that if I start to miss a little, I can't stop.

Uncle Toni: Then practice until you are completely tired out. Renew your attitude and train yourself.

Female Narrator: Does he have no limits?

(in the car)
Rafael Nadal: Training will become more and more difficult from here. Today was normal.

Female Narrator: His play surpasses imagination.

(Australian Open)
Male Commentators: Ooh... it's in! He sent it back! Nadal's super shot!

(Australian Open)
Male Commentators: He returns that. And he also gets that back. Wow! Now that is amazing!

Female Narrator: In 2005, at age 19, he entered and won the French Open for the first time. And then four successive victories. He is the second in history to achieve this, after Bjorn Borg. In 2008, in his third final, he won Wimbledon for the first time. And at the Beijing Olympics, the gold medal. At the young age of 24, he has nine Grand Slam victories. And yet his charm does not come only from his glowing career history.

(receiving the Dragonball)
Female Narrator: When we give him the Dragonball as a gift from Japan:

Rafael Nadal: I've loved Dragonball since I was a kid! I have all the volumes.

Female Narrator: A smile as if he is a young boy--that is a large part of his appeal. His nickname is "Rafa." "Rafa," because he is Rafael. A life-sized champion, he does occasionally forget his smile.

(gym)
Rafael Nadal: I compete to the edge of my abilities!

Female Narrator: For the first time ever (documentary-wise) we have covered him in depth.

Female Narrator: Summer in Majorca. The hot days that lead up to his last remaining crown, the US Open. Life with those important to him. The secret to his strength. And his heart that he exposed to us.

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: My parents divorced, and things got difficult. In my tennis life, the only moment I have been crushed by the pressure was that fourth set.

Female Narrator: The crisis that only his coach knew.

Uncle Toni: Rafa said, "I can't play in the final. I can't do it anymore."

Female Narrator: Rafael Nadal, his true self. We could grasp who he truly is because we were on the island where he was born and raised.

Rafael Nadal: I love the sun. The sun is always shining on this island.

(Majorca)
Female Narrator: Spain's Majorca Island, floating in the Mediterranean Sea. From long ago it has thrived as a center of trade and commerce, and today it is a popular tourist destination. It is sunny more than 300 days a year. It is famous for its stewed snails. In the north of the island is Manacor, population just 40,000. Despite all of his successes Nadal continues to live in this city. He is a 24-year-old who shows no interest in the flairs of big cities.

(in the car)
Rafael Nadal: I don't even think about thinking about leaving Majorca. Everyone likes the town in which they were born. Your family lives there, the friends you've known since childhood are there.

(party)
Female Narrator: He and his girlfriend were invited to a party hosted by his girlfriend's childhood friend.

Friend: Hey Rafa! I got this high-quality stuff just for you! I chose the smallest ones.

Female Narrator: His girlfriend from since he was 14, Maria Francesca. Nadal's father owns a glass factory. And the one most important to Nadal as a tennis player: Toni Nadal, his uncle by blood and coach. Nadal has been under his instruction since he was 3 years old.

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: If my uncle didn't exist, then I would not be interviewing right now as tennis player Rafael Nadal.

(Uncle Toni's home/pool)
Female Narrator: Fifteen minutes by car from Manacor is the beach town Porto Cristo. Coach Toni lives in a mansion overlooking the sea. His sons, at the height of their mischievous years. Toni was also a professional tennis player, but was only second-rate. His relationship with his nephew is surprising:

(interview setting)
Uncle Toni: Zero. I do not receive any coaching fee. It's because I want to be in a position where I can always say what I want to say.

Female Narrator: So that an equal relationship can be maintained, the coaching fee is zero. This mansion is the result of the success of the business he co-owns with Nadal's father. And so there is no holding back for the champion either.

Rafael Nadal: Even compared to most of the coaches (in the tennis world), he is quite a strict person. (If they were to enter a contract with their uncles), most players would probably be unable to endure the strict training and instead fire their uncles.

(Manacor Tennis Technical Center)
Female Narrator: In the second half of July 2010, we closely observed Nadal's training. The place: the municipal tennis courts.

Rafael Nadal: Good morning.

Female Narrator: First, stretches with his personal trainer.

Rafael Maymo: The part that hurts especially is in the back here, right?

Rafael Nadal: Please stretch out that muscle.

Female Narrator: After winning Wimbledon, he took a break for about three weeks. He had just begun to train again in preparation for the US Open, which was a month away.

Male Interviewer: How's Nadal's condition?

Rafael Maymo: Now is a period of rest, so his body is stopped.

Female Narrator: Always at his practices are Toni's children.

Rafael Nadal: Give it (my hat) back, I didn't style my hair today.

Female Narrator: His body is still lethargic. However... his hitting partners are juniors invited from Madrid. He plays with the intensity of an actual match. And yet Coach Toni says:

Uncle Toni: The task is to receive the ball in the center of the racquet. That's all.

Rafael Nadal: I know. But I can't envision the way I should hit the ball.

Uncle Toni: I don't understand what that means. You just hit. That's all. The one thing we cannot do is to not understand reality.

Uncle Toni's children: You're so sweaty! It's like you took a shower.

Female Narrator: A full three hours. And it doesn't even end after this. Without taking lunch, he heads to the center of town, where the building of his father's office is located.

(gym)
Female Narrator: There is a training room there just for Nadal. He has had a long relationship with his physical trainer (Juan Forcades).

Rafael Nadal: (We met when) I was 9, no 8 years old?

Female Narrator: His (Forcades') training methods are unique. On the treadmill, he demands a variety of steps. Even exercises such as this (ladder on the floor).

Rafael Nadal: I've really trained a lot of strange exercises.

Juan Forcades: It's in order to strengthen his body for the continuous short sprints.

Female Narrator: Nadal does not slack at all here either. He pushes himself. He has piled on his training day after day in order to battle. This strictness stems from one of Coach Toni's philosophies.

(interview setting)
Uncle Toni: If you are not used to making an effort normally, you don't have the mental strength when things get tight.

Rafael Nadal: During practice I have always given my full effort to each and every ball. So during matches, I can naturally give it my all without making any special effort.

Female Narrator: Toni does not copy anyone.

Uncle Toni: Biomechanisms, 'eat this,' 'don't eat that'... I don't believe in those things. Live life as usual, just train as usual. We do nothing special.

(Manacor Tennis Club)
Female Narrator: The court where Nadal has trained since he was little. There is nothing special about it; it is a local tennis club. It is the complete opposite of the elite training that has become the standard in professional sports. But Nadal has become stronger than anyone else. From this small island he has simply sweated his way up to the top of the world.

Female Narrator: Awaiting Nadal, who leapt onto the world stage, was the highest mountain of all: Roger Federer. He has won 16 Grand Slam titles, the most in history. A threatening rival who holds the record for the longest consecutive period at No. 1. For over four and a half years he held the world's No. 1 spot. And the one who ended that record was Nadal. The world sees these two as rivals. What does Nadal himself think of Federer? We captured his true thoughts that are rarely revealed. When during practice, Coach Toni began to analyze the recent Federer:

Uncle Toni: Federer's level has obviously declined. There is no longevity to the current Federer.

Female Narrator: Everyone is in agreement. And then...

Rafael Nadal: If you ask me, it's like this. At the Doha tournament (before the Australian Open), Federer was terrible. Watching that, I thought, 'Wow, there is no way he can win in Australia.' But after that, he picked up his game, and he ended up winning the Australian Open. It's always like this! I want to do that. But I'm not as good as Federer. Federer does this far better than I do.

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: In order to win against him, I had to improve all the time. Even though he is the ultimate athlete, he was improving further. That's a difficult thing.

(Wimbledon and French Open)
Female Narrator: Federer shines most at Wimbledon, where he has won a total of six titles. In 2007 he won it for the fifth consecutive time, the first to do so in 27 years. At that time Nadal had lost in the final two years in a row. On the grass, Federer was considered the strongest. In contrast, Nadal's stage was the French Open of the red clay. On the clay courts Nadal is strong enough to own the nickname "King of Clay."

Male Commentators: It's in!

Female Narrator: On the red clay of the French Open, he won his fourth consecutive title in 2007, the first man to do so in 27 years. Here, he defeated Federer two years in a row in the final. On the grass courts, the ball bounces most quickly, but on the clay court it is said that it bounces most slowly.

Male Commentators: That's also in. Wow that's in.

Female Narrator: Federer of the grass. Nadal of the clay. There was even an event such as this: grass on one side, clay on the other. The match both Nadal and Toni mention as the most memorable is indeed one against Federer:

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: Wimbledon 2008.

Uncle Toni: The Wimbledon final, against Federer.

Female Narrator: 2008, the Wimbledon final. Winning was a dream of Nadal's from when he was a child. On top of that he had just won the French Open, so it was a chance to win consecutive Grand Slam titles. No one had won the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back in 28 years.

Rafael Nadal: I could hardly sleep the night before. It was the most sleepless night of my life so far.

(Wimbledon)
Female Narrator: The match was a struggle that would go down in history.

Male Commentators: He (Nadal) got it. Wow he (Federer) made it! Whoa he (Nadal) got it through got it through!

Female Narrator: It was the longest Wimbledon final in history: 4 hours, 48 minutes. For the first time Nadal felt threatened.

Rafael Nadal: I think it was the only time in my tennis life that I could not deal with the pressure. The only moment I have been crushed by the pressure was that fourth set.

Female Narrator: That moment occurred in the fourth-set tiebreak. Only two more points to his first victory, and on his own serve.

Male Commentators: Oh! Is that a double fault? That's a double fault.

Female Narrator: A double fault.

Male Commentators: At a moment like this...

Female Narrator: Ultimately, Federer took the set, and (the match) moved onto the final set. He had crushed his own chances himself. However, in the middle of the fifth set the rain came, and there was a 25-minute delay.

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: There was time to think, and I could regain my concentration. I thought, 'Hope cannot be lost.'

Female Narrator: At this critical point Nadal regained hope. He had continuously fought, and he had gained the strongest heart/mentality in the world.

(Wimbledon)
Male Commentators: Whoa! Federer's shot is into the net! A new champion is born!

Female Commentator: As a result of this win Nadal overtook Federer and at long last became No. 1. However, the words that came out of his mouth were unexpected. Above all, he praised Federer's greatness. The important thing he could not forget was this:

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: I have always thought that 'tennis is just a game.' Whether I win or lose, it's not like life will end. Federer probably thinks the same way. That's why we can maintain such a good relationship.

Female Narrator: And...

Rafael Nadal: In life, there are things more important than tennis. Things like health, friends, and family are far more important than tennis.

Female Narrator: His life was not one that is ruled completely by tennis. Nadal was born in 1986. During his sister-caring youth (i.e., he cared a lot for his sister), his uncle was National Team soccer player Miguel Angel Nadal, Coach Toni's younger brother. As a result of his uncle's influence, Nadal was a soccer lover from a young age.

Rafael Nadal: I liked Romario and Zidane.

Female Narrator: He also remembered that athlete:

Rafael Maymo: There was a Japanese athlete in Majorca, right, Ookubo.

Rafael Nadal: I bet he struggled to adapt to life here.

Female Narrator: He started learning tennis at age 3 from Coach Toni, and in his early teens became an athlete who attracted a lot of attention. Even Boris Becker attended one of his practices. There was an invitation from the Spanish Tennis Association in Barcelona, and even funds were offered, but his father and Coach Toni declined. They did not approve of his living away from his family.

Uncle Toni: Family, friends, to be happy... I think those things are more important than tennis. Tennis is just a game. One must not forget that.

(tennis court)
Female Narrator: After practice, Nadal signs autographs for everyone who attended his practice. He never fails to do so.

(Porto Cristo)
Female Narrator: The Nadals spend their summers in Porto Cristo. We were shown around his house. It neighbors Coach Toni's home and stands on the edge of a cape. On this day, he had a job a little different than usual. It was a photo shoot for magazines and advertisements. The one who smiles next to his sweetheart is Nadal's mother, Ana Maria. Nadal too works with a smile, but in fact he was a little anxious.

(tennis court)
Female Narrator: July 30th, exactly one month until the US Open, the only Grand Slam he has not won. On that day Nadal surprisingly expressed his irritation.

Uncle Toni: Please close the door.

Female Narrator: The door that is usually open for observers is closed. He is dissatisfied with his serve. Originally Nadal was not that great at serving, and his speed was of average level. The US Open is played on a hard court, where serves wield great importance in a match. Strengthening the serve was a challenge. However...

Uncle Toni: Try falling on top of the ball. Relax, and without rushing, throw your whole body on top of the ball. It's the same as a drive.

(walking)
Rafael Nadal: No break.

Man in Blue Shirt: I know.

Rafael Nadal: If I say no break, no break.

Uncle Toni: There are a mountain of things to do, so we can't rest.

Rafael Nadal: I haven't been resting.

(gym)
Rafael Nadal: I'm at the limit of my abilities now! It's enough.

Female Narrator: Whatever we may say about his strength of heart, Nadal is still 24 years old. Hitting a wall, panicking, he worries. In particular this past year has been a series of struggles.

(Australian Open)
Female Narrator: It began in January 2009, the Australian Open. In the semifinals he battled through a 5-hour and 14-minute match, the longest in Australian Open history.

Male Commentators: He counterattacks!

Female Narrator: He somehow grabbed the win, but in fact he would run into a large problem. Two days later, at a practice three hours before the final. His opponent in the final was that Federer. It was then that Nadal said an unbelievable thing.

(interview setting)
Uncle Toni: Nadal began to say. "I can't do more than this." Even when I said, "You can do it, just try," he said "It's impossible, I can't."

Female Narrator: Just three hours before the match... "I can't fight anymore."

Rafael Nadal: Having fought through a semifinal match that went over 5 hours, I was exhausted. At the time I thought it was impossible to win in the final.

Female Narrator: And Toni...

Uncle Toni: It is easy to say "I can't do it anymore." But anyone can try a little bit harder from that point.

Rafael Nadal: My uncle said, "From the point where you normally think is your limit, you can muster a little more energy."

Uncle Toni: If someone pointed a gun at you and commanded, "Continue running," (regardless of how tired you are) you would be able to continue running.

Female Narrator: Time passes without mercy.

Uncle Toni: Until right before the match started, we kept repeating Obama's line. YES WE CAN.

Rafael Nadal: With my uncle's words, strength began to rise in me.

(Australian Open)
Female Narrator: The final also went five sets: 4 hours and 23 minutes.

Male Commentators: Wow! Nadal, his first Australian Open victory!

Female Narrator: However, this victory marked the beginning to the biggest trials of his life.

(French Open)
Female Narrator: Four months later, the 4th Round of the French Open. His opponent was the then-25th ranked Soderling. Nadal was the undefeated four-time defending champion. Everyone predicted that he would win. However...

Male Commentators: The volley... OUT! Nadal has been beaten! His 31-match winning streak at Roland Garros has been stopped! Wow... it's happened...

Female Narrator: Furthermore, at Wimbledon:

Rafael Nadal: I am withdrawing from Wimbledon.

Female Narrator: The truth was that from several months earlier he had been playing through pain in both knees. The tolls of the tour that traveled around the world each week had eaten into him. In July 2009, for the first time in approximately eleven months, he fell from the No. 1 position. And then, a development that would wrench his heart:

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: My parents divorced. It was a very painful event.

Female Narrator: The divorce of his parents. What he held more dear than anything--his family's bonds--were damaged.

(US Open)
Female Narrator: He would return in August, but at the US Open lost in straight sets in the semifinals. This time, he injured his abdominal muscle. Day after day he could not win.

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: The latter six months of 2009 were hard. It was very painful.

Female Narrator: He could not see the end.

(US Open)
Female Narrator: At the Australian Open in January 2010, he injured his knees again and retired.

Male Commentators: See, he retired. Aww he retired! But I think it can't be helped. He should retire.

Female Narrator: The ordeals that continued one after another and would not stop. He was forced to take two months off.

(interview setting)
Rafael Nadal: When I was home during a time I would usually be on tour, I saw a lot of things. I was with my family and friends for a long time. For the first time in my life I even traveled between the various islands in the area by boat.

Female Narrator: His ranking even fell to No. 4. What did Toni say?

Uncle Toni: I always continued to say, "You must accept life. The only thing you can do is to practice as hard as you can."

Rafael Nadal: Injuries are a part of an athlete's life, and even in times of difficult you must accept it. To practice every day, and to give my full effort on the court, is something I have continuously done to this point.

Female Narrator: And what supported him through these difficult days was this philosophy:

Rafael Nadal: When I lose, I acknowledge the loss and accept it. I have always done this. Of course, I hate losing. But you can't always win in tennis. I don't see being No. 1 as added pressure, and I don't think I'm the best player. Of course, I feel pressure every day, but that is the pressure of wanting to improve.

Female Narrator: He accepts his losses well. He reacts to his difficulties by working hard instead of trying to avoid them. Rafael Nadal. This is the reason behind his strength.

Uncle Toni: The Dalai Lama said, "There are those who cannot understand adversity, but adversity is a part of life." In the case of tennis, adversity is a part of play. No matter how you struggle, it is a part of play. It's impossible for all things to go well in life.

(French Open)
Female Narrator: June 2010--at long last, his comeback. The red clay courts where he first tasted Grand Slam victory and won four in a row.

Male Commentators: Even though everyone was worrying so much about the weather, the sun has begun to show itself. There are now blue skies over Paris.

Female Narrator: His opponent in the final was Soderling, the one who beat him in the fourth round last year. However, Nadal had become one turn, two turns better.

Male Commentators: What great fighting spirit. When you can get a ball like this--it's when you've really hit your groove. He (Soderling) plays a drop shot... Nadal sends it back! Nadal's comeback from injury... there is now a wave going through the crowd. Just one more point! It's official! Nadal has won the French Open!

Female Narrator: It was a complete victory: seven matches without losing a set. He returned to the No. 1 ranking. It was the first time he showed himself crying so much.

(Wimbledon)
Female Narrator: One month later, the Wimbledon final.

Male Commentators: Wow--what is this?!

Female Narrator: The French Open, Wimbledon--back-to-back wins.

(interview setting)
Uncle Toni: In life, anyone can achieve more than they have now. People often say, "It is impossible to do more than this," but this is not true.

Rafael Nadal: One pushes oneself to move forward, and thus struggles. One learns to enjoy and have fun while struggling. To struggle like this--if I look at it in the context of the big picture, I think it's a wonderful thing.

(US Open)
Male Commentators: A regrettable miss. He must be overwhelmed and swallowed by the pressure. And he does it again.

(6 Years Later)
(interview setting)
Uncle Toni: The problem with today is that people have no hopes and dreams. Rafa has hopes and dreams.

Male Interviewer: How do you train physically and mentally?

Rafael Nadal: Mental strength is not something you train. My mental game is good now because I have a lot of hopes and dreams.

(tennis court)
Uncle Toni: Good... yes, good. Very good.

Female Narrator: And towards his last major crown.

(US Open)
Male Commentators: Djokovic has thrown his hands out, as if to say there is nothing he can do.

Female Narrator: August 30, the tournament begins.

Male Commentators: Service ace out wide.

Female Narrator: Nadal, for the first time wielding a monstrous serve as a weapon, scrambled towards the top. His first appearance in the final. His first US Open victory. It was the first time in 41 years that someone had won three Grand Slam titles in a row (in the same year). And with it, he completed a Career Grand Slam.

(tennis court)
Female Narrator: Always seeking a better self than the one that exists now. At the end of this road, the sun is probably shining.

That Slow Dance

Finally, my first taste of Nebelhorn: the Shibutanis. This video could not make for a better start to my following of the international season. I love them, and I love this program.

Being a sibling team presents a number of challenges to and limitations on their programs, obviously--the intense romance and sexual tension that simply oozes from Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir is (should be?) impossible, and would be so highly problematic if it were. The Shibutanis have dealt with this well, though, without becoming cutesy or gimmicky, and they have made music choices that bring an element of romance onto the ice without actually implicating them. This was true of their exhibition from last season, which I adored, and it is true of this FD, which has a very similar era and feel.

In this musical sense, this program is very trademark Shibutani--or what I hope will become their trademark--but their lifts have the very clear Marina Zoueva/Igor Shpilband mark. The entrances and exits for their six-second lift in particular, while gorgeous, are quite reminiscent of both Tessa & Scott and Meryl Davis & Charlie White. Looking at these three teams has also led me to conclude that the coaching pair really knows how to dress their teams. Maia's dress is beautiful, and it makes her look even more mature than she already does.

One thing that really stood out to me was how much their twizzles have improved. They were by no means poor last season, but this time they were remarkably sharp, fast, and together. The sparse audience noticed it, too. :)

Apparently there are a few technical issues in this program as it stands now, but it is early in the season and I can't imagine anything slipping by Zoueva and Shpilband's eagle eyes (unless, of course, they are distracted by having too many top teams under their tutelage at once, which is something I've been wondering about ever since Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates announced their coaching change).

A Model of Severe Serenity

This is a few days overdue, but I just have to start this with: On February 1, 2010, I was right.

There.

When Mao Asada announced that Tatiana Tarasova would no longer be her coach after the 2009-2010 season and that she would next seek a Japanese coach, my mind went immediately to Hiroshi Nagakubo and Nobuo Sato. I was leaning more heavily towards Sato, mostly because he has been more successful and well-known internationally, but in fact both predictions were correct. Mao has been working with Nagakubo for her jumps, and Sato will become her official coach.

To be perfectly fair, there weren't that many guesses I could have made. Despite the success of Japanese singles skaters in recent years, Nagakubo and Sato are two of only several well-established Japanese coaches. Machiko Yamada of course is another, but for quite obvious reasons she is someone who sets foundations (some shaky, I admit, despite my deep admiration for her and her philosophies) before letting students go off to be polished. Daisuke Takahashi has a Japanese coach, although I don't know what her name is or whether she has taught anyone else significant, and Nobunari Oda had his mother. Needless to say Mao was not going to go to Oda's mother.

Anyway, the point is, I thought that Sato could end up being the perfect fit for Mao. It goes without being said that training under him allows her to stay in Japan and utilize the rink that was built exclusively for elite figure skaters. The language and cultural barriers are gone. For another thing, and somewhat independently of him, her training mates would include Takahiko Kozuka. Although it is my (not-so-) secret wish to see Takahiko and Mao end up together, the more important point is that they are very good friends. Many have noted in the past season or two (oh hello, Tarasova) that some of that pure joy Mao used to have when she skated had left her, and I think that being in a fun and friendly training atmosphere can help relax her.

This is not to say, of course, that Sato is good for Mao because he is relaxed. In fact, I think the opposite is true--he may be calm and unruffled, but one can sense how intense and strict he is in training. In keeping with this image, various reports and observers have noted his emphasis on the basics, which is very good news for Mao as it seems Yamada has a tendency to let certain things slide, Rafael Arutunian was content to "let Mao be Mao," and Tarasova was just anywhere but with her. Hopefully Mao's speed will return with more intense practice of stroking and edges, and the combination of two strict Japanese men will really solidify her improving Lutz.

Finally, Sato's pillar-like presence should help keep Mao grounded and focused as the pressure again mounts, especially because the Japanese media will now have constant access to her training instead of having to rely on their overseas correspondents. He will know how to calm her and talk her through the high-stakes competitions, and not let her get lost in the hype, the politicking, or the fur. It is interesting to note, however, that this may be the first time that he's truly coached an internationally high-profile skater, and while I don't see him letting anything slide just because she's Mao it is possible that he will need to figure out a few new ways of navigating the skating world as well.

Good luck, Mao Asada!

A Premature Leap

In a most inexplicable move, 2010 US National Pairs Champions Caydee Denney & Jeremy Barrett announced yesterday that they had left coaches Jim Peterson, Lyndon Johnston, and Alison Smith for Silvia Fontana and John Zimmerman.

What on earth?

This coaching move is utterly inexplicable to me, as it is to most people in the skating world. Jeremy claims that “this change is necessary to take our skating to the next level,” but I have no idea what could have possibly gone through this pair's minds when they decided that this change would involve going to a couple with no real coaching experience. As everybody knows, Caydee & Jeremy's rise has been explosive and meteoric, and there were no struggles or plateauing that could have spurred this move. (Not placing higher at the Olympics and Worlds does not count as struggling--it is just what happens when you are a new, inexperienced, American pairs team. Suck it up.)

It seems like such an insult to leave the coaches that brought them to (relative) fame and success when it is not at all clear that such a move was necessary. Sure, Mao Asada left Michiko Yamada after that season during which she upset Irina Slutskaya at the Grand Prix Final, but everyone knew that Mao needed to go to someone with a little more polish and a little more artistry, with a singular focus on her and not on the huge mass of young hopefuls. Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker left Dalilah Sappenfield after it became evident that while they were on top of the US field, they simply weren't climbing the World ladder. What is it that Caydee & Jeremy suddenly need? Everyone else thought it was simply time.

Some anonymous commenter on Aunt Joyce's Ice Cream Stand wrote that they hoped that the pair was still on good terms with their former coaches, but I don't think so.

“It is difficult to lose a team at this early stage in their career,” Peterson said. “However, Alison, Lyndon and I are proud of guiding Caydee and Jeremy to their goals of representing the United States as Olympians and achieving a national title in a short period of time. Both are talented athletes and competitors, and we wish them all the best in the future.”

In a most diplomatic way, Peterson not only indicates that this change is "difficult," but manages to sneak in that they led Caydee & Jeremy to a National title and an Olympic berth in "a short period of time." Very classy, but a little bitter.

We'll see what happens, but something sort of tells me that the rest of the skating world will be the last ones laughing.

An Overdue Coaching Change

Mao Asada is changing coaches and renaming Tatiana Tarasova to an advisory position. It's sad that this partnership did not work out, but there were too many things going against it, including Mao's attachment to Japan, Tarasova's inability to leave Russia, misaligned music and costuming choices... it goes on and on. She will begin her search after the World Championships, and start by focusing on Japanese coaches first.

If hearsay about Mao's insistence on the "heavy" music and the reliance on the 3A is true, then I hope that this new coach can reason with her without a language barrier and with the Olympics in perspective. Even if it is true, though, I feel that Tarasova, whose personality is quite strong, would use her authority and conviction as a coach to steer Mao in the right direction. That she didn't do that is questionable and unlikely to me, and I would be interested in learning more about the dynamics of their relationship. Either way, this coaching change will hopefully fill Mao with the love for skating she used to have, and bring back her lightness and pure talent while polishing her jumping technique. The coach who first taught Shizuka Arakawa may be a good choice, or--if Yukari Nakano retires--Nobuo Sato.

Interesting, interesting...