Karen Chen didn't have far to travel for Champs Camp this season. The 19-year-old skater now trains at Colorado Springs' World Arena and calls the Olympic Training Center home.
"I moved here, officially, three days ago," Chen said.
The skater's longtime coach, Tammy Gambill, had relocated to Colorado Springs from Riverside, California several months earlier. But after completing the 22-city Stars on Ice tour in late May, Chen took some time to regroup and mull her options.
"I spent a lot of time in Michigan with my brother (ice dancer Jeffrey Chen), who lives there," she said. "My mom moved there as well, so I just had some down time, focusing on my studies.
"A few weeks ago, I came to Colorado to try out for a week, and I realized there are such great resources here; the ice time is great, everything is just right here and it could really benefit me."
Gambill, meanwhile, formed a partnership with two other prominent Colorado Springs coaches, Tom Zakrajsek and Christy Krall.
"It's going to be such a great team," Chen said. "I had a lesson with Christy the (try out) week I was here, and I had a few lessons with Tom, and I think it's great to get different information from different people. Sometimes something fresh will click. It's all kind of brand new to me at this moment but I'm really excited to see how it will turn out."
Despite winning a U.S. bronze medal and earning a trip to the Olympics, where she placed 11th, Chen is chalking up the 2017/2018 season to lessons learned. Frequent program changes, plus ill-timed boot problems, kept her from skating her best.
"Part of me, I just want to block out all of last season," she said. "I do allow myself to realize I did have some great moments, but I'm overwhelmed with all of the things I could have done that I didn't do, and all the mistakes I made. But I do feel like I learned from that."
The 2017 U.S. champion is determined not to repeat the mistakes this season.
"Last year (the situation) with the programs it was all a learning curve for me," she said. "I know I need to make the decision I feel is best for myself and just stick to it and not let anyone influence me."
She created her short, set to the Flamenco and Paso Doble mix "Fire Dance," with Massimo Scali. Music for her free skate is private for now, but choreography is courtesy of Marina Zueva and Rohene Ward.
"I worked with Marina in Michigan, she kind of helped me with the whole layout of the program," Chen said. "Then I worked with Rohene to fine tune it and add more choreography. It's definitely a change for me. In the past, my long has been fierce and strong, and this is the complete opposite of that. I think it's fresh, so I'm excited by that."
