Jenny retiring

[Wyliefan]

The rumor was on FSUniverse this morning, but it's now official:

http://www.usfsa.org/event_story.asp?id=30615

I don't know why she made the decision now, but I'm really going to miss her! :-(

[tarotx]

It really is sad for me as a skating fan :( I'll keep her happiness in my prayers.

[loveskating]

I wish her the very best and I'm thankful for all the beauty she has given us all for years!

I think she made a wise decision for herself. I've been worried about her since I saw her live at Campbells and saw that she was quite tall by comparison to the other female skaters. The physics of the 3 jumps, never mind 3/3s are very tough when that is the case.

This is a drop dead gorgeous girl, with a marvelous and unique presence -- she could easily be a movie star, if she wants because she has that chrisma too. Whatever she wants, I hope she gets it.

[Dark_Eyes]

Wow i am very suprised :eek:, i would have thought that if she was going to retire, it would be after this season. :( I'm very sad to see her leave skating but she has to do what's best for her. Well i hope that she will be very happy in the career that she chooses :)

[xSashaSpinx]

I had a feeling it had to do with her mother, and that is perfectly understandable. She has a very sad story, especially because her skating is so beautiful, the best of luck to her. I can really envision her being a television broadcasters, she is absolutely gorgeous and is very charasmatic. Poor Jenny, go on to coach a champion!

[ZealousDreamer1]

aww I was surprised!! I wish her the best of luck though! I'm sure she'll do great as a TV broadcaster..if that's what she end up doing!! She's such a beautiful skater..I'll miss seeing her skate!

[IceAlisa]

This was a surprise. Best of luck to Jenny.

[Smallerfuls22]

Wow I am really surprized. I am really going to miss her I like her skating alot oh well best of luck to Jenny.

[Skatingfreak]

Wow, this is a surprise. However, it sounds like she is making the best decision for her own happiness, so I wish her the best in all her future endeavors. And she could definitely go into acting or modeling; she is so pretty.

[Sashastar917]

I'm not surprised. With all the personal stuff she had going on, not to mention the deteriorating quality of her skating/jump consistency, I can definatly see why she's quitting. Best of luck to her in future endeavors.

[loulou]

I was just wandering these days who'll make the us olympic team.
Last year she was only 4th, this year being 4th means out.

There is more than one young skater that'll probably be tough to beat. Unfortunately, I don't think she's one of the favourites to make the olympic team. I'll be a hard battle, and jenny was supposed to make such big effort to fight it, well, maybe all that hard training just didn't worth it.

Her decision is wise, imo. She can think about her future and start building it. Well, if she couldn't really shine skating, maybe she'll shine as a coach, or tv broadcaster.
I wish her all the best.

[Tinymavy15]

:( She always looked like she enjoyed being out on the ice so much, i hope she still keeps it up. So, another student less fro dear ol' Frank Carroll! Now he just has Evan? Oh, yeah he got Bebe Liang, so she will taake up his time. i find it surprising she announced retiring now, just before the season statrs, not at the end of the 04-05 season. Maybeshe was planning to skate this season, but things just where not going well for her. I saw her practice in July and she was tring to land her triple loop, she popped them all and fell n the oone she tried. so maybe her skating has not been going well. still i would think she might want try out teh olympic year. Hopefully she will do some pro stuff, or madeling. she is really cute!

[hillwilliam]

Well, I am sorry to see her go. However, I admire her courage to make this big decision. I myself have always been afraid of change.

[SashaFan25]

This stinks :( She was a good skater, but I'm glad that she's going to school and starts coaching.

[danibellerika]

Oh wow. I wasn't expecting to hear that but good luck to Jenny!

[LC]

I wasn't expecting this either. :suprised: You'd think she'd at least try to make the olympic team but if her heart wasn't in it then it is best she retired. I wasn't a huge fan of hers but I didn't dislike her either. Wow this means Sasha is the last of her generation of US elite ladies. Everyone else she grew up with has pretty much retired already due to injury or by choice. Sad to see Jenny go.

[attyfan]

There was a reference to her "nagging hip injury" as one of the reasons for retirement -- maybe, she doesn't want to end up horribly injured like Tara. I, also will miss her, and wish her the best with college and coaching.

[skatepixie]

Well, good luck to her. I think she really could have had a shot at making the Olympic team, but I totally respect her choice...

[Mozinha]

:cry: :cry: :cry: Oh no... She is really good, so elegant, so beautiful. It's a shame to see her go.

[Always_Sasha]

That's too bad, but I'm not shocked. I had a feeling she was going to retire, but I figured it would be at the end of this season, not the beginning.

[skatepixie]

Same here, Kiki. I thought she would try for the big O, then leave.

[ditzysk8r]

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: We'll all miss you, Jenny!

(It seems odd to me that she would announce her competitive music, then retire. :confused: )

[Skatemusicgirl]

aww..I'm sad..I definitely wasn't expecting that. but everyone has a time to retire, and she's been through a lot..good luck to her in the rest of her future, and best wishes to her.

[Dilng]

I liked Jenny's skating when she was training out East. She was so musical and consistent. However, the last couple of seasons I lost interest in her skating mainly because she didn't improve. I think she mentioned a year ago that she almost quit skating. It makes sense now about her performance the last two seasons. If she didn't have her heart in her skating, then she wouldn't do her best. She probably knew that she wasn't going to make the Olympic team unless she improved considerably. Trying to compete with Kimmie and Bebe this season might just be too much. However, I've always liked Jenny's pesonality and I wish her the very best.

[loveskating]

..., the last couple of seasons I lost interest in her skating mainly because she didn't improve.

I think she did improve, considerably, under Frank Carroll...her basics, her camel spin, other spins, her speed, flow etc.

[skatepixie]

I think Jenny could have made the team. I mean, Kimmie has only beaten her once, and that was with the triple axel. At the USFSA Spring event last season, Jenny beat Kimmie fair and square. So, I think that shows that Kimmie cant place above Jenny without the 3axel.

[SashaFan25]

I've never had a strong interest in her, she is a good skater, and stunning woman. I think she did somewhat improve, but only with spins and speed flow...etc. But jumps, her jumps are great, her 3flip is her best jum IMO. But I think it was the "nagging hip injury", and she wants to go to school, good for her. She'll be great coach too. :cool:

[Bre]

Nooo! *sniffle* I was shocked when I read the topic. That is so sad. I'm really going to miss her, but I wish her all the luck in the world for the future.
She'll definitely make a great coach.

[luvsasha2]

wow! i'm really suprised and sad.

[Always_Sasha]

I think Jenny could have made the team. I mean, Kimmie has only beaten her once, and that was with the triple axel. At the USFSA Spring event last season, Jenny beat Kimmie fair and square. So, I think that shows that Kimmie cant place above Jenny without the 3axel.

I heard a rumor that Kimmie has been doing 3axel/3toe in practice. That doesn't mean it'll happen this season though I suppose.

I wonder if her hip has gotten worse over the past few weeks and that led to her descision.

[Dilng]

I think she did improve, considerably, under Frank Carroll...her basics, her camel spin, other spins, her speed, flow etc.

I'm talking about her consistency in competitions. If Sarah could get a silver at Nationals, then Jenny should have been able too, and look at Worlds -- she just didn't move up. It really doesn't matter if your spins, speed etc., improve if you don't improve in your ranking in competitions.

[SashaTarafan]

Wow, I didn't see this coming...wasn't there recently an article (or maybe a journal entry or something) in which she says she had a new found love for the sport and couldn't wait for the Olympic season to begin? I think it wasn't too long ago that I read it..anyone remember this?

I wonder if Frank working with Bebe had anything to do with it. Also I am kinda shocked that she is moving back East as she also stated in that same article/journal entry that she LOVED the West Coast and living in LA and her best friend was moving out there to live with her.

EDITED TO ADD: OK I found it, it WAS her jouranl entry, posted less than 2 months ago..I guess that is why everyone is so shocked...http://www.figureskatersonline.com/jenniferkirk/diary.html read the July 12th entry. Her very last paragraph is "So, overall, I am am definitely going to give this next season my all. Summer training has been going great and each week I am building upon the last and getting stronger. I can't wait for the year to begin. I'm so excited! "

[AxelAnnie]

There's gotta be a "what happened" in there somewhere. That's a lotta years to toss out in an Oly year.

[skatepixie]

That journal says she was already planning her dresses for this year...

[xSashaSpinx]

Maybe in regards to the journal, she was trying to convince herself more then anything. Same thing with Sasha right, she said that she loved it with Robin and being on the East coast was great, it could have just been a facade Jenny was putting up because she was really unhappy. All the same, she was a great athlete and I wish her the best. It would have been nice to see her on the Olympic team.

[Davespectral]

When I first read it I said, "Oh No!"-out loud. Oh well. She IS drop dead beautiful. She should do cartoon overdub voices. :) Her voice always struck me that way. Also when ABC did a side piece on skating injuries they showed her doing leg presses, to help her hip joint. I'm really going to miss her on the ice. :( :( :(
Dave

[..::leelee::..]

:cry: I was so shocked when I first found out about this, since she seemed so excited about the upcoming olympic season in her last journal entry. She even had her "Moulin Rouge" program coming together and she seemed ready to challenge for that 3rd olympic spot. I was really hoping Jenny could make that third spot...oh well, what's important is that she is happy with her decision. I wish her the best! :D

[Tarafanatic4eva]

I am really sad that she won't be competing this season, I really thought this could be her Olympic year. At the same time, I got an email from her this morning and it really sounds like this is the right move for her and so I wish her the best!! I hope we can hear updates on how she is doing in the future.

[hillwilliam]

At the same time, I got an email from her this morning and it really sounds like this is the right move for her and so I wish her the best!!

Do you know her? Or, was at a fan mailing?