Notebook: U.S. ladies vie for scarce JGP slots (07/28/2011)

Notebook: U.S. ladies vie for scarce JGP slots

Gold impresses at Skate Detroit

By Lynn Rutherford, special to icenetwork.com

(07/28/2011) - Successful summer competitions are not only great confidence boosters for fall U.S. qualifying events, for some skaters, they may lead to assignments on the 2011-2012 Junior Grand Prix.

Leah Keiser and Gracie Gold were standouts at the Liberty Summer Competition and Skate Detroit, respectively, landing triple-triple combinations and reeling off triple Lutzes and triple flips in well-choreographed programs.

But neither youngster qualified to compete at the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which may impact upon their chances of gaining one of the 14 U.S. ladies slots on the upcoming Junior Grand Prix circuit, a series of seven events (plus a final) spanning much of the globe.

"Our depth and talent make for a tough process, especially when it comes to selecting ladies for the Junior Grand Prix," Mitch Moyer, U.S. Figure Skating's senior director of athletic high performance, said.

"Some might say, based on a skater's performances at summer competitions, that she should be assigned. However, there are other criteria, and this includes the sustained excellence needed to qualify for and place at the U.S. Championships."

Junior Grand Prix selections are made by the nine-member International Committee Management Subcommittee (ICMS), currently chaired by Doug Williams. Traditionally, a large factor considered for assignment to a JGP is placement level at the most recent U.S. Championships.

This past weekend, the ICMS recognized the progression of several athletes from last year's sectional and/or U.S. Championships results. Keiser and Gold -- plus Barbie Long, Mariah Bell and Jay Yostanto -- were added to the International Selection Pool (ISP), a list of U.S. skaters being considered for (or having received) an international assignment for the 2011/2012 season.

Additional skaters could be added to the ISP at any time upon approval of the ICMS.

"Certainly there are skaters who had tough sectional events and/or injuries last season and we have identified and followed their progress this summer," Williams said. "Any skater listed on the ISP, for all intents and purposes, has an equal opportunity to be selected for a JGP or senior B international based on age eligibility."

Many took notice of Keiser at Liberty, where the 13-year-old racked up a 57.03-point short and 93.79-point free skate. Keiser, the 2010 U.S. novice champion, placed just sixth in juniors at Pacific Coast Sectionals in the fall of 2010 and did not qualify for the U.S. Championships.

Gold, who gained even higher scores last week at Skate Detroit -- including a 109.62-point free skate, the highest recorded 2011 ladies summer free skate so far -- has the same problem: the 16-year-old placed sixth at her Midwestern Sectionals. Only the top four finishers are guaranteed a trip to the U.S. Championships.

Yostanto, a 17-year-old who landed a solid triple Axel at Liberty, may have a better chance of gaining a JGP because there are fewer junior men in the pool. Although the U.S. results at the 2011 World Junior Figure Skating Championships qualified it for seven men's slots this fall, some nations turn slots back, which are then divided up by other ISU members. The U.S. already has the maximum 14 ladies' slots, 14 ice dance team slots, and 12 pair team slots on the fall JGP.

Inclusion in the ISP provides opportunity for these skaters to attend an in-depth feedback session. In-depth feedback sessions are monitored by U.S. Figure Skating officials, including judges, technical specialists and controllers. The skaters and coaches have the opportunity to ask questions of and receive immediate feedback from the officials about their programs.

No matter what the outcome for Keiser, Gold and others, one JGP season does not make or break a career. Agnes Zawadzki, fourth in the U.S. last season, won the silver medal at the 2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, her first-ever international event. She never competed on the JGP and has gone on to acquit herself well at senior events. Last season, Courtney Hicks won the U.S. junior title and placed sixth at 2011 junior worlds, her first international assignment.

Two-time U.S. novice champion Nathan Chen, who impressed everyone at Liberty with his triple-triple combinations and mature Godfather free skate, isn't part of the Junior Grand Prix discussion. Chen, who turns 13 in May 2012, will not be eligible for the circuit until the 2012-2013 season.

According to coach Genia Chernyshova, Chen is unfazed by his newfound status as one of the country's brightest up-and-comers.

"He is the same person," Chernyshova, who trains Chen at several Salt Lake City rinks, said. "He is very down-to-earth and humble. A very good person. He is not a spoiled kid."

Nathan's mom, Hetty Wang, keeps Nathan grounded. She put Nathan on the ice at age three and a half, when her youngest wanted to join his older brothers' hockey games. In addition to his brothers, aged 15 and 17, Nathan also has two college-age sisters.

"I said before you can play hockey you have to learn how to skate," Hetty said. "That's how all of this got started."