Posted on 02/11/2022 8:25:28 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
Rafael Arutyunyan has guided figure skaters from around the world, under numerous sports systems to the top of their sport...including Alexander Abt, Michelle Kwan, Mao Asada, Jeffrey Buttle, Sasha Cohen, Ashley Wagner, Adam Rippon and Nathan Chen. A graduate of the Armenian State Institute of Physical Culture, Arutyunyan has extensive coaching experience in Armenia, Russia and the United States.
RA: So, you know, what I think has happened is that these two countries [Russia and the United States] have really different mentalities about everything. After fifteen or sixteen years of living in the U.S., I start to realize it more and more. Athletes are more dependent in Russia than in the U.S., which is obvious. In the U.S., all athletes develop themselves. In Russia, they build them up according to systems they live in. So in Russia, you are part of a system, part of a mechanism that develops you as a person, as a human being, as an athlete especially. You will take everything differently than me if I independent person and I want to skate, I skate. If I want to go to school, I go to school. And you guys should realize what’s going on there. It’s so difficult for me to even explain to you.
DL: If the Russian athletes are taking performance-enhancing drugs, do they recognize that they are doing something wrong or are they merely following along with what they are told to do?
RA: No, I don’t think so. That’s what I’m talking about. It’s so difficult to explain...
(Excerpt) Read more at the-skating-lesson.com ...
It’s not just the communist countries that are like that. Canada was notorious for that age/month factor you describe there. A disproportionate number of top NHL players over the last 40+ years were born early in the year, including Wayne Gretzky (January), Mark Messier (January), Gordie Howe (March), and Bobby Orr (March).
I think it was a chapter in Malcolm Gladwell Freakenomics where he pointed out the birthdates of pro level hockey players in these types of countries. Birthdates were always heavily stacked to January. It was concluded that the skills development at the young ages of children made a huge difference in who was selected for more advanced training. When the kids started out, they were put in age groups. A 5 year old born in Jan has a HUGE developmental advantage over a 5 year old born in Dec. when comparing them for athletics.
I listened to one of Rafael Arutyunyan’s interviews.....He said Russia put out athletes like a production factory. That they were in the business of producing skaters when he worked there for 25 years.
He further stated US has a defined and focused approach. That they look for kids with passion and desire for the sport which you can’t get in an assembly line approach.
I’m sure you’re right. My memory and perception of the match was, however, as I described.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.