She's 13, should be in 7th grade. What are her school accomplishments? Where will she be six or eight years from now when she should be graduating high school? Is she even functionally literate right now?

While her performance was quite impressive, I can't help but try to put it in context, and worry where this will lead, what her future is going to be.

Oh, and a 13 year old who is only 4-7 is a good 7 inches shorter than she should be. Think about it. Why is she so short? What has happened to restrict her growth?

Because she did. Because she could. Because she worked so hard for it. Because it was beautiful with grace. Isn't that the nice thing about grace... the having it.

Such a great performance!

I have always loved figure skating.

There are so many things wrong with what you have said. Makes me wonder why you have such a dislike of someone you don't even know. How do you know what her schooling is? Functionally literate? Seriously? Why is she so short? What happened to restrict her growth? I don't know, maybe she grew up in a freaking cage. Everyone must be of a certain height by a certain age? What are you even talking about???

You are right on the edge of racism, aren't you? You are a sickening excuse for a human.

Last edited Mon Jan 28, 2019, 01:05 AM - Edit history (1)

She was in 8th grade. Later in high school, when it appeared she might have a shot at going to senior nationals or beyond, she was in school full-time, except I home schooled her for one subject so that she could get enough ice time. She was in school for the other 5 subjects.

She was tiny too but not because her growth was stunted. My mother and I are both just 5 ft tall. She was 4 ft. 8 when she when to junior nationals and is still just 4 ft. 11 inches today. Some kids made fun of her for being short. But in skating that's an asset -- and all the other girls were small, too, so she learned the "good things come in small packages" rule. When she made it to junior nationals she was honored by her school and everyone applauded her. It was great for building up her self esteem. I was bullied a lot as a kid for being tiny, so I was happy to find something where that was admired, not ridiculed.

She gave up skating around 16 or 17, but it taught her discipline that HELPED her in school. When she was younger she tended to be flighty and hyperactive. With skating before school, she was able to finally sit still in school the rest of the day. Also skaters are smart--try memorizing all those complex steps with footworks, jumps, spins and artistry. There are no dummies in the sport.

It taught her to perservere and work hard. She was not a natural "A" student but became one (unlike our son, a genius for whom perfect grades came easy). She graduated with honors and worked her way through college teaching SAT prep classes and driving a tour bus at the zoo, as she'd also developed an outgoing personality and self confidence. She got her biology degree at UC and later a masters and is now a physician assistant pulling down a six-figure salary and is engaged to be married.

So how do this hurt her in life, school, or career? Quite the opposite.

The main trouble with the very young senior lady champions is the risk of repetitive stress injuries, which is why the International Skating organization rightly a few years ago limited the Olympic team to people 15 and a half and up -- there were too many kids being pushed too hard too early and getting injuries. Tara Lipinski at 15 will forever be the youngest US women's Olympic champion. Some countries though, including the U.S., still have lower or no age limits for non-international competitions.

Our daughter's coaches were very careful not to do have her do too many jumps in practice especially if she didn't have it down, but we saw some who pushed kids too hard and had a lot of injured skaters. Our daughter never had a single injury on ice -- and due to her hyperactive nature, the only broken bone came when she caught pneumonia and was off ice a couple of weeks with wheezing but didn't want to stay still. She went running through the house and fell down.

Several kids she skated with actually did go on to the Olympics. One made history as the first to land a difficult jump. Two became national champions in other countries. Some continued in skating careers as a professional or coach, others went on to prestigious universities.

My daughter's accomplishments were all the more amazing given that she had a heart problem as a child, that thankfully was cured with an experimental medical procedure at age 5. We were so grateful she was able to live life to the fullest. So don't judge this girl or her family -- it may be the best thing in the world for her. I hope so.

I appreciate it and it helps me understand such young people.

Whoever questioned the stunning accomplishments of kids such as Alysa such a tender age needs to really understand the discipline, drive and sacrifice of athletes, especially elite ice skaters. Look at Michelle Kwan and her achievements OUTSIDE of skating. Her academic and political achievements to mention a couple. Look at Paul Wylie, who graduated from Harvard and is now coaching.
From what i've read of this phenom Alysa Liu, she is nothing short of amazing. There is alot more in store for her.
BTW, doubters oughtta try standing on a thin blade and do a simple turn and find out for themselves how hard that is

after watching Nancy Kerrigan at the Olympics. Her feet were too tiny for the smallest rental skates. Finally we gave in, put 3 pairs of socks on her and let her take her first lesson.

Unlike other little kids who were clinging to the wall and hesitant, our fearless little tyke skated right out across the rink in the middle of the ice, clearly in her element.

We met Michelle Kwan and many of the other famous skaters, and every one of them loved what they were doing. All of them seemed like nice people, too. I recall Michelle spotting my daughter's friend in a cast at skating camp, after she'd dislocated her shoulder in a hotel pool. Michelle asked if she could sign the cast. Nothing cheered up the kid who'd been moping about being sidelined like having an Olympic champion's autograph! Seeing the gesture, some other well-known skaters skated over and signed their names, too. Total class acts.

and now is establishing her career at a New England public TV station. Everyone's proud of her.

Jeez

if she is THAT successful.

Great thought.

Absolutely true.

I’m big. Very big.

And I appreciate that statement.

Thank you for that.

allow skaters who are too young to compete at Worlds or Olympics into Senior Competitions at home. Same thing happened at Cdn Nationals last week -- a 14-yr-old boy won the short and came second overall. Both he and Alyssa have a lot of growing up (literally) to do, and that usually means that their centre of gravity alters and makes the jumps much more difficult. So don't hold your breath regarding Alyssa........beautiful skater that she is.

The only reason she didn't get to advance to the Olympic team was because the spot was given instead to Nancy Kerrigan, who had missed nationals after being whacked in the knee cap by Tonya Harding's boyfriend. (Tonya was an anomaly, the only "bad girl" in the skating world who ever hurt anybody, as far as I know.)

Michelle went on to become one of the most winning skaters in history. So don't count out Alyssa.

The Olympics only happen ever 4 years. A kid who places in nationals at 13 or 14 may well make it to the Olympics a couple of years later. Do you think a skater who has won or placed 2 or 3 years in a row at nationals would be in a better position to make the Olympic team than someone who just placed for the first time? There is some subjectivity in the selection process.

The age limit is imposed by the international skating organization, but individual countries can have lower age limits if they choose.

My concern is about the hype given these tiny skaters entering seniors competitions when they still have a lot of growing to do. That is all.