[2023.06.30] Brian Orser talks about Yuzuru Hanyu's return to Toronto.

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2023.06.30

 

Source: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/6818fc16a3037ec7e4ec0fef84e7bf5615621b5d

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240303185811/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/6818fc16a3037ec7e4ec0fef84e7bf5615621b5d

 

 

"Yuzu was not a 'retired athlete'!" Brian Orser talks about Yuzuru Hanyu's return to Toronto.

 

At the end of April this year, at the prestigious skating rink 'Cricket Club' in Toronto, coaches Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson warmly welcomed Yuzuru Hanyu (28) on his "return home." While watching over his three-day stay, Orser reflected on the past 11 years and shared various thoughts. How did Orser view the further leap of his beloved disciple, who had declared his transition to professional skating?

 

Spoiler

The 'New Happiness' That the Graduates Taught Me

 

Yuzu's visit to the Cricket Club took place in late April. Orser recalled being "surprised by the timing" when he received the news.

 

"Actually, the week before I heard Yuzu was coming, something a bit shocking happened. Cha Jun-hwan (from South Korea), who won the silver medal at the World Championships, contacted me to say he would now be training in Korea. We'd been together for 8 years, and it felt like we were at a turning point, so I felt a huge hole in my heart... At such times, it's easy to lose a bit of confidence, right? Then, just when I got the news that Yuzu was coming back, I thought, 'Oh, what perfect timing!' At the same time, I felt a great sense of relief. Thinking about seeing Yuzu made me stop thinking regretfully about Jun-hwan, and instead, I just wished him the best of luck in Korea. In that sense, Yuzu's visit came at an amazing time."

 

Orser has produced many talented students over the years. Some have transferred to other coaches, and others disappear after retiring. But Orser emphasized that "Yuzu and Javi (Javier Fernández) are different."

 

"Yuzu and Javi. Those years spent with those two running at the top of the world were the happiest time I could have had as a coach. It was an honor to watch my students competing for world number one while I stood on the sidelines. But you know, I've realized that there's a different kind of happiness. That's when my beloved students graduate and then come back to show their faces on the rink again. That was a new kind of happiness that I hadn't experienced as a coach."

 

Orser talked about that "happiness as a coach."

 

"Javi has visited Cricket Club many times since his retirement in 2019. He has skated at the front of the children’s group and even conducted little skating lessons. When Yuzu was still practicing here, Javi came as a graduate, and we skated together. Javi was such a high-maintenance student, so I thought, 'I can’t believe how much he’s grown,' and it gave me the joy of watching my child grow up."

 

Yuzu has set sail on a new journey

 

Orser continued, saying, "Yuzu was a different kind of graduate," and spoke about Yuzu's visit home.

 

"On the first day Yuzu arrived, I was involved in another seminar, so I couldn't skate on the same rink as him. But I saw him warming up off the ice, and I was amazed. It was as if he were about to take part in official practice for a competition—he was doing a perfect warm-up. He was so focused that I couldn't even approach him. If he had only come by to say hello as a retired athlete, he wouldn't have needed such a thorough warm-up. Seeing Yuzu's back, just like it was in the past, made me feel very nostalgic, and at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of practice would unfold. On the first day, Yuzu was scheduled to join Tracy's session, and I thought to myself, 'I missed it!'"

 

Yuzu stayed at the club for three days. During that time, he participated in various sessions and practiced alongside the young skaters. After witnessing this, Orser reflected again.

 

"Yuzu was not a 'retired athlete.' He maintained perfect condition and was in a state where he could compete right away. And in front of the young skaters, he responded to their requests and showcased program after program. And it was with the same jump layout as in a competition, performing perfectly. The children, who thought a retired senior might come and skate a little, were left speechless by the high level of performance they witnessed."

 

Why was Yuzu able to maintain such incredible condition? Orser couldn't help but ask him.

 

"Yuzu answered like this: 'Maintaining my condition is really tough. But I want to skate well for my fans. Because I’m supported by them, I have the responsibility to always show my best performance. If it’s a show where only I perform, I have to bear that responsibility all by myself. I'm serious about this.' Yuzu isn’t the type to want to escape the pressure and just enjoy skating now that he’s a professional. I realized that he’s set out on a new journey."

 

When Yuzu demonstrates, everything is different— the curve, the lean, the speed—everything.

 

During his stay, Yuzu also participated in one of Cricket Club's signature classes, the foundational skating class (the Stroking class). When Yuzu first came to Toronto 11 years ago, Orser and Tracy took the lead, and Yuzu followed. However, this time, while the two coaches watched from the sidelines, Yuzu took the lead and guided around 10 skaters.

 

"It was a really interesting phenomenon. In the Stroking class, neither Tracy nor I had to step onto the ice. This was because Yuzu demonstrated all the steps and skating exactly as he had done over the eight years we worked together. Yuzu has completely understood the benefits of these techniques, and even after three years, he still executes them as part of his routine."

 

He continues:

"To get into some technical details, there is a circle step that combines eight Mohawk steps, and Yuzu demonstrated it with perfect footwork. This step involves controlling every edge and switching between feet while staying on the same trajectory. It’s a very simple step, so to the skaters, it might seem like something you wouldn’t use in a competitive step sequence. But when Yuzu demonstrates it, everything is different— the speed, the deep lean, the large tracing, and the extension of every step. The kids watched this and felt how mastering simple techniques beautifully can lead to the top of the world."

 

Orser then adds, with a slight chuckle, "The only regret was..."

 

"Since Yuzu showed us the demonstration, I wanted to skate with him, but I've been dealing with some pain in my left hip lately. I’m going to have hip replacement surgery soon. So next time Yuzu comes to Toronto, I hope I’ll be able to skate with him again on healthy legs after the surgery. While it's certainly a joy to watch my graduates, I still want to be active as a coach."

It's not about developing athletes, it's about developing human beings.

 

Orser, who has sent off many graduates in various ways, reflects on what he has communicated as a coach.

 

"Our team, consisting of Tracy, David Wilson, and myself, began coaching Kim Yuna in 2007. Since then, the core coaching methods have not changed. There's an English saying, 'If it's not broken, don't fix it,' and that's our philosophy. We don’t interfere with the athletes’ techniques. Growth happens when the athlete discovers something from within themselves. Yuzu's evolution through his own efforts goes without saying. Javi took a bit more time, but the moment he mastered all the techniques, it was like he dove into deep waters without a lifejacket. In English, there's a saying 'You either sink or you swim,' and at some point, the athlete becomes free to soar on their own. Until that day, we stick to showing them the way and patiently wait."

 

Having adhered to this coaching method, Orser has recently reaffirmed something after witnessing Yuzu’s return home.

 

"We’ve always had strong faith in our approach, but there are times when I question, 'Is this method really enough?' But after seeing Yuzu and Javi after they graduated, I’m certain now. Both of them have grown from being the best athletes into becoming the best human beings. Yuzu touched the ice at Cricket Club and said, 'I’ve missed this ice so much.' That moment conveyed everything to me. Yuzu feels that those eight years were the foundation of who he is. Our goal is to nurture human beings in this way, and once again, I could truly feel that."

 

The Fate of Pooh Tissue Case...

 

When asked about the whereabouts of Pooh’s tissue case, Orser laughed and said:

 

"Actually, I also tried to look for it, but it wasn't in the Cricket Club office. I think it was probably left at the apartment where Yuzu used to live. When the pandemic began, he returned to Japan, feeling like it was just a temporary trip back, but he couldn’t enter Canada after that. So, I think during this return to Toronto, he has probably reunited with it. I’d love to see a picture of the two of them having a lovely reunion."

 

Finally, Orser shared his thoughts on the future of the skating world:

 

"Yuzu has been at the top for a long time, leading the skating world. Every year, a new champion is born, but no one can be like Yuzu. The same goes for Yuna and Mao — it’s not easy for anyone to replace them. But Yuzu’s existence wasn’t a mere coincidence. It’s the result of him believing in the right direction and continuing to put in effort. And Yuzu hasn’t stopped putting in that effort. As he gets older, the level of effort required increases, but he will continue. Seeing Yuzu again, I am now more certain than ever that he is a one-of-a-kind athlete. Being his coach is my greatest pride."