Gracie Gold's memoir published February 2024

[Belsornia]

Gracie mentions that her dad was good with Kendra. Of course, that doesn't mean she always lived with the Gold family. Gracie also doesn't give her last name, so perhaps Kendra prefers to keep a low profile.

Not discounting the complicated family dynamincs, but Kendra would have been about twenty when Gracie and Carly were born so she may have left home by then and only been a distant presence in their lives for mundane reasons.

I finished the book today and there's definitely a lot to process. Shitty fathers the world over sure have a lot in common.

 

[Cayuse]

I noticed that as well. Not only does she not seem to be mentioned again, Gracie's description of their mother's extreme interest/obsession in her skating and, perhaps to a lesser degree, her twin sister's, made me wonder how this older half sister fit in with all of that. Gracie clearly makes the point they all had roles so what about Kendra?

Perhaps Gracie is honoring Kendra's choice not to be in the book.

 

[PRlady]

I finished the book last night and thought there are good lessons for parents even without star children. I was at her small comp in Ashbourne in Sept ‘22 and Boston Skate America and thought she looked miserable and why was she putting herself through this. Now I understand her feelings were much more complex.

 

[canbelto]

It was discouraging to read that Frank Carroll (who does not come across well either) was actually much kinder and gentler than her previous coaches. Extremely harsh coaching methods must be so pervasive in figure skating.

 

[Badams]

I finished this morning. I hope she's finally happy. It makes me sad that she feels like the powers that be in skating were ready for her to just be done already. I hope she is able to help make some much needed changes, but the cynic in me is doubtful. It sounds like she's already helped some, just by speaking out. And I love that she's helped her cat so much. She's a good human. Also, I love that she touched on Russian doping. She basically put in print what I've been thinking about her Olympic and worlds finishes.

 

[Lynn226]

It was discouraging to read that Frank Carroll (who does not come across well either) was actually much kinder and gentler than her previous coaches. Extremely harsh coaching methods must be so pervasive in figure skating.

I wasn't impressed with Frank's public announcement that their working relationship was over without notifying Gracie first.

 

[just tuned in]

Sound proof rage room?

Truth Booth?

 

[peibeck]

Sound proof rage room?

I know this was in jest, but considering how crappy the kiss-n-cry was at Nationals this year I seriously doubt LOCs could figure out how to create a separate room for skaters to decompress, let alone make it soundproof.

 

[moonvine]

Gracie mentioned on page 33 that her mother was previously married and had a daughter named Kendra. Am I the only one who finds it strange that she is never mentioned, again? What was her role in this family?

I don't think she had a role...Gracie said she was "much older." I have a brother who I'm 8 years older than and we have not much of a relationship at all.

 

[Willin]

It was discouraging to read that Frank Carroll (who does not come across well either) was actually much kinder and gentler than her previous coaches. Extremely harsh coaching methods must be so pervasive in figure skating.

Honestly I don't think Frank is a straight up terrible human being or abusive or anything - but he certainly is intense and dedicated to winning. A coach I worked with knew Frank and said he was dedicated to get his skaters winning - but not through any methods. She said Frank had likely consulted experts in every field - and probably multiple of each - to work with her: nutrition, sports psychology, personal trainers, etc. He invests a lot of time and energy into every skater.

So while he comes off as tough, he's probably a very different kind of tough than her old coaches. You just need to be the same wavelength of intensely dedicated - a good personality match - and Gracie and him weren't a good match.

 

[moonvine]

Honestly I don't think Frank is a straight up terrible human being or abusive or anything - but he certainly is intense and dedicated to winning. A coach I worked with knew Frank and said he was dedicated to get his skaters winning - but not through any methods. She said Frank had likely consulted experts in every field - and probably multiple of each - to work with her: nutrition, sports psychology, personal trainers, etc. He invests a lot of time and energy into every skater.

So while he comes off as tough, he's probably a very different kind of tough than her old coaches. You just need to be the same wavelength of intensely dedicated - a good personality match - and Gracie and him weren't a good match.

I'm still not over Jacketgate.

 

[Aceon6]

I don't think she had a role...Gracie said she was "much older." I have a brother who I'm 8 years older than and we have not much of a relationship at all.

Same. My brother moved out of the house when I was 9. In some senses, we are both only children, made more obvious as he is a silent generation kid and I’m an early boomer. We “met” when we happened to be in undergrad at the same time and he was just two years ahead of me.

 

[Coco]

Mirai fan co-signs that statement, @moonvine

 

[overedge]

I know this was in jest, but considering how crappy the kiss-n-cry was at Nationals this year I seriously doubt LOCs could figure out how to create a separate room for skaters to decompress, let alone make it soundproof.

A wall of giant lotion bottles.

 

[Badams]

Honestly I don't think Frank is a straight up terrible human being or abusive or anything - but he certainly is intense and dedicated to winning. A coach I worked with knew Frank and said he was dedicated to get his skaters winning - but not through any methods. She said Frank had likely consulted experts in every field - and probably multiple of each - to work with her: nutrition, sports psychology, personal trainers, etc. He invests a lot of time and energy into every skater.

So while he comes off as tough, he's probably a very different kind of tough than her old coaches. You just need to be the same wavelength of intensely dedicated - a good personality match - and Gracie and him weren't a good match.

I kinda got the impression from what she wrote that Frank isn't willing to get too close anymore, not since Chris Bowman. So it's kind of self preservation for him. My take, anyways.

 

[moonvine]

I kinda got the impression from what she wrote that Frank isn't willing to get too close anymore, not since Chris Bowman. So it's kind of self preservation for him. My take, anyways.

That is the impression I got also.

 

[Lynn226]

I kinda got the impression from what she wrote that Frank isn't willing to get too close anymore, not since Chris Bowman. So it's kind of self preservation for him. My take, anyways.

Gracie may be right. I also remember reading somewhere that the disappointment of Linda Fratianne losing the OGM caused him to put up some boundaries. He was never quite as close personally with any subsequent student. I remember there being some discussion about this during the years he coached MK because they were so close.

Please feel free to correct me if you have a better source than my memory.

 

[puglover]

I was surprised with what she said about her second time training with Marina Zoueva and team. That seemed to be during her worst struggles of barely even coming to the rink. I get that she was an adult and they were more geared to dance but it seemed like more of a hands off approach. She seems to indicate it was what she wanted at the time.

 

[overedge]

Gracie may be right. I also remember reading somewhere that the disappointment of Linda Fratianne losing the OGM caused him to put up some boundaries. He was never quite as close personally with any subsequent student. I remember there being some discussion about this during the years he coached MK because they were so close.

Please feel free to correct me if you have a better source than my memory.

I don't have a better source other than second-hand information from people who worked with him. (ETA: other coaches, not students).

Some said he was completely eaten up by never having had an Olympic gold medal winner, and it made him bitter. So he was putting extra effort into working with the students that he thought had that potential. Others said he kind of put it aside and concentrated on doing well with the students he had, no matter what level.

However, the general consensus was that when Evan won his Olympic gold, Frank felt he had achieved everything he could do in coaching and saw it as a nice capstone to his career.

 

[Lynn226]

I don't have a better source other than second-hand information from people who worked with him. (ETA: other coaches, not students).

Some said he was completely eaten up by never having had an Olympic gold medal winner, and it made him bitter. So he was putting extra effort into working with the students that he thought had that potential. Others said he kind of put it aside and concentrated on doing well with the students he had, no matter what level.

However, the general consensus was that when Evan won his Olympic gold, Frank felt he had done everything he could do in coaching and saw it as a nice capstone to his career.

You reminded me that fans were happy that Frank finally had an OGM student.

 

[overedge]

You reminded me that fans were happy that Frank finally had an OGM student.

And from what I was told, the people who thought having an OGM student wasn't important to Frank realized, after seeing his reaction to Evan's win, that it was more important to him than he had admitted. Although he was also extremely proud of his other students' accomplishments.

 

[Sonata]

I know they get their talking-points and I bet all North American commentators are told to be patriotic (or extreme fans of Bourne/Kraatz...), but it hasn't stopped Tara and Johnny from showing who their favorites are. Johnny also used to rip into Tennell pretty often for who knows what reasons.

I doubt Skate Canada has this much power anymore, but there is a court case from the 1990s about Toller Cranston getting fired by CBC after CFSA (now Skate Canada) thought he wasn’t supportive enough of Canadian skaters on air. Here’s an excerpt of what CFSA wrote to CBC as per the court case:

“There is, however, growing concern among our members and our World Skating Team athletes regarding the negative viewpoint of your commentator, Toller Cranston. Reading recent media articles (as attached) there appears to be a concerted effort to negate the efforts of Canadian skaters, in particular, two-time World Champion, Kurt Browning.

Given the mandate of the CBC, we wonder if such activity is acceptable? We await your comments on this matter in order to relay the information to our young athletes who are training intently for the World event.”

1994 CanLII 7408 (ON SC) | Cranston v. Canadian Broadcasting Corp. | CanLII

Access all information related to judgment Cranston v. Canadian Broadcasting Corp., 1994 CanLII 7408 (ON SC) on CanLII.

www.canlii.org

Networks will have a nationalistic bias in part for advertising, which can be irritating to my ears sometimes.

 

[overedge]

Networks will have a nationalistic bias in part for advertising, which can be irritating to my ears sometimes.

NATHAN NATHAN NATHAN NATHAN NATHAN

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

NATHAN NATHAN NATHAN NATHAN NATHAN

Detroit? (musical comedy fans will get it)

 

[Prancer]

I remember Andrea Joyce interviewing Alexa and Chris when they made the Olympic team. Alexa was crying so hard, Andrea kept asking "Well how do you FEEL?" Alexa finally choked out "God is good." Then Chris was like "enough." Why was that necessary? And that was a GOOD thing (making the Olympic team) Of course they are happy! That's not surprise information!

Not skating, but does anyone remember Andrea Joyce interviewing Janet Evans after she won a bronze? Janet was thrilled, as she had her best time in the event in a long time and she actually wasn't expected to medal, so she strolled up beaming for her interview and Andrea said something like "How does it feel to have lost the gold medal?" Janet looked stunned, then sort of shriveled up and stammered her way through a reply.

Whenever I think of Andrea Joyce, that's the first thing that comes to mind.

I don't think she had a role...Gracie said she was "much older." I have a brother who I'm 8 years older than and we have not much of a relationship at all.

My brothers are nine, twelve, and fourteen years older than me; they all had lives completely separate from mine and were all out of the house by the time I was eight. To all intents and purposes, I am an only child. We do have a relationship, but it's not close at all.

 

[coppertop1]

Detroit? (musical comedy fans will get it)

I got it!

 

[Vagabond]

Detroit? (musical comedy fans will get it)

Your sense of humor is reliable.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

Your sense of humor is reliable.

Is that good or bad?

 

[Vagabond]

Is that good or bad?

Good, old, and reliable.

 

[Hedwig]

My sisters are 7 and 11 years older than me and we always had a close relationship. I am surprised to read by so many how the big age gap was the reason not to have one.