Champs Camp underscores single-team approach Charlie Cyr doesn’t have to go back too far
by TROY SCHWINDT
in time to the days when athletes and coaches didn’t communicate with judges and officials. Under the 6.0 scoring system, the dividing
line between the two sides was well defined. “Remember, the judges were the evil people on one side of the barrier,” said Cyr, who has held virtually every role as an official, both domestically and interna- tionally.
Tat relationship, however, has changed in the past seven years with the international judging system, and dra- matically so for Team USA during this Olympic quad. Since right after the 2010
Olympic Games in Vancouver, top skaters and their coach- es have packed their bags in late August and come to the weeklong Champs Camp in Colorado Springs, Colo., to have their programs critiqued by an elite panel of judges and officials. In between those performance evaluations, athletes and coaches receive expert guidance in the areas of sports medicine, psychology, nutri- tion and media training. U.S. Figure Skating and the United States Olympic Committee provide this specialized support. Tis personal approach has created an open dialogue that has proven beneficial for everyone.
support staff. I think it’s come a long way.” At Champs Camp, athletes showcase their
short program on one day and free skate on the next. Most are in costume and perform as they would in a competition. Sitting in the stands is an elite panel of judges and officials, who take specific notes on everything from el- ement execution to costume and music choices to facial expression.
When a skater or team is finished, a face-to-face meeting is scheduled later in the day between the skaters, their coaches and the officials to dis- cuss what changes, if any, need to be made.
“Tey [skaters and coaches] are now seeing that it takes more than one per- son; it takes a village [for a skater to get the
best results],” Cyr said. It’s difficult sometimes, Cyr said, to tell an athlete who has trained a program for six or
“I think the athletes have bought into it and
the officials have bought into it,” Cyr said. “Te big reason for that is that we are here to work as a team and we are here to provide some criti- cal information. I think everybody is coming in with both ears open and willing to hear what is being said. As the officials are seeing it from their perspective, the athletes are able to discuss with them what they are trying to do. I think it’s a great marriage of officials, athletes, coaches and
seven weeks to go back to square one. “Tat’s a tough thing to come away with,
but we are saying it because we want you to suc- ceed, and our remarks are in your best interest,” Cyr said. “Tere’s no point for us to be disruptive in our comments.” Ice dancers Maia Shibutani and Alex Shib-
utani, 2011 World bronze medalists, have at- tended Champs Camp for five years and see the opportunity to perform their programs in front of top officials as priceless.
Mike Cunningham, U.S. Figure Skating’s Olympic Games skate technician, visits with the U.S. pairs bronze medalists Felicia Zhang and Nate Bartholomay and their coach Jim Peterson at Champs Camp.
10 OCTOBER 2013
Charlie Cyr
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76