The old Russian coach’s comment really got me:
“Forty years of coaching,” Boris said, “and Laura is my best student.
Reminded me why so many of us coach when we could be doing better paid, more boring, work. It’s such an honour to get to work with some of our kids.
He’s talking about 18-year-old Laura Lane.
“She’s my angel,” said her Richmond Olympiad gymnastics coach, Boris Choutkin. …
“She has [he clinches his fists and squints his eyes while searching for the right word in English] tenacity, and as a coach, that’s what you love to see.”
The Choutkins are a demanding pair, capable of driving some girls to tears, in their tireless efforts to induce maximum results.
Lane, for one, never flinched.
“Laura never miss a practice . . . never late . . . never an unkind word,” Boris said. …
Boris is as tough a guy as you’ll ever know, but he becomes misty eyed in evaluating his prized pupil.
“Laura Lane,” he said, “is like God’s present to a coach.”
I don’t know Laura. But with this kind of commendation from a tough coach, I know she will go far.
Congratulations.
During high school, Lane has trained 24 hours a week under the Russian husband-wife tandem of Boris and Larissa Choutkin.
Headed to Auburn: Lane finished 22nd at the 2007 nationals, where she caught the eye of Auburn University coach Jeff Thompson.
Lane will enter Auburn’s nationally No. 7 ranked program next school year with a two-thirds scholarship. …
It helps that Lane carries a 4.8 grade-point average. …
The total gymnast. Dedication and natural ability work for Lane – Norfolk Life
Gymnastics Coaching.com 