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Liu's Comeback: Olympic Gold After Coaching Carousel
20 Feb
Summary
- US skater Alysa Liu achieved Olympic gold, first American since 2002.
- Liu returned to coaches DiGuglielmo and Scali for her successful comeback.
- Coaches train skaters, plan routines, and improve on-ice performance.
Alysa Liu achieved a historic Olympic gold medal in women's singles figure skating, marking the first time an American has won the event since Sarah Hughes in 2002. This victory follows her brief retirement and showcases a significant comeback in her career.
Central to her resurgence was a strategic shift in coaching. Liu began working with Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali in 2020. Although this coaching pair was dismissed in 2021, Liu resumed training with them upon her return to competitive skating for the 2024-2025 season.
The Bay Area-based coaches, DiGuglielmo and Scali, have played a pivotal role. While Liu trains in person in Lakewood, California, with other coaches, she continues to receive remote guidance from DiGuglielmo and Scali.
DiGuglielmo, with a background in competitive skating and a degree from the University of Colorado-Denver, resides in San Francisco. Scali, a former Italian competitive ice dancer, also coaches and choreographs, having moved to San Francisco in 2020.
Scali's own Olympic experience includes competing in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Winter Games with his partner Federica Faiella. DiGuglielmo has experience as a U.S. national competitor and an Italian national silver medalist.
Figure skating coaches are instrumental in developing skaters' techniques, choreography, and personalized improvement plans, significantly contributing to their success on the ice.
