JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2019
Happy New Year! — PH OTO BY MAR K WALEN T IN Y —
A Community that Cares The Professional Skaters Foundation was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation. The Trustees of the PSF have developed several scholarship programs for its members through a selection process based on established guidelines and criteria.
www.skatepsa.com
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2019
COLUMNS 2
Over the Edge
4
President’s Message
6
Ratings
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SafeSport
FEATURES
| Jimmie Santee | Christine Fowler-Binder
| Tim Covington | U.S. Figure Skating
12
Sport Science
14
Education
26
Best Business Practices
| Heidi Thibert
| Carol Rossignol
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Remembering Rebecca Arnowitz
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STARS, High Performance Movement Screening, and Physical Therapy for Figure Skaters | Terri Milner Tarquini
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USOC Recognizes Dr. Cabell
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2019 PSA Conference & Trade Show Preview
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Professional Skaters Foundation Apprenticeship
| Kent McDill
| Kent McDill
| Joy Elder
| Nick Kraft
DEPARTMENTS 7 17 24 30 32
Rating Exams Passed Board Profile Professional Skaters Foundation New Members PSA Calendar of Events
Are fellow coaches in your club interested in attending conference? Take advantage of our Group Rate! See page 4 and visit skatepsa.com for more details.
Elizabeth Thornton | Editor/Advertising Carol Rossignol | Contributing Editor Amanda Taylor | Art Director
Find, Friend, Follow
Issue No 1 |
» COVER: A young skater glides across the ice in Mark Walentiy's 2018 PSA Photo of the Year contest submission.
WWW.SKATEPSA.COM
PS MAGAZINE
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OVER THE EDGE Jimmie Santee, MPD, MG
Black Monday A
s I sit down to write this editorial, the 2019 regional season has just finished. While most events went off with little hitch, once again I am baffled by the behavior of some PSA members. I still call the Monday after regionals “Black Monday.” But not because that’s traditionally the day that a skater’s poor performance results in a coach’s firing on the first Monday after. Now, it’s the reports of coaching issues I get. Some are minor and some not so much. Those who have been reading my column for a while know I have written about this before. I think that’s what bothers me the most… it keeps happening. The one that has me really upset happened on the east coast. This is a portion of the email I received from U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport Committee reporting a statement from a camera operator who is, by the way, SafeSport compliant and understands his or her reporting duty. During the [deleted] warm-up after the recording had begun a coach loudly stated that [their] athlete was “a smart kid, but a stupid athlete.” I quietly let the coaches know that I had a hot mic. The coach responded by leaning closer to my camera and loudly stating ‘Let me say it on record then.’ [They] later during another skater’s kiss and cry leaned into my frame and kept saying “Can I say now my skater is...” and trailed off multiple times. After the final skater [they were] still down in the kiss and cry area and on camera audibly yelled “Can you put [them] in the trunk” pointing towards [their] skater “and drive [them] up to [the city]? I am going to get drunk.” Now if anyone was to be called stupid… The production person from the event had several questions on how to minimize this issue. How should I instruct my camera operators to capture athletes exiting the ice and waiting/receiving their scores when their coaches are harsh with them—especially when I can hear audio of what is being said? What should we do when something is recorded on camera that is inappropriate (ie: Can you put [them] in the trunk and drive [them] up to [the city]? This skater is stupid.) …So this is more a reminder that at these competitions—coaches and athletes need to be operating under the assumption that when they are by the ice, what they say might be picked up by a live mic, and their physical actions might be caught on camera, and to act and speak accordingly. I appreciate the concerns of the production team (filming for NBC Gold and the official tech and judges’ video review) and their thoughts on how to minimize exposure to a public relations nightmare. However, regardless of whether they are on TV, in public, or in an area of privacy, this type of behavior is intolerable and unnecessary. Consistently belittling an athlete is not only a violation of the SafeSport code, it serves no purpose other to shame an athlete. To what end? Will that make the skater better? Will it help them perform better? It’s just unprofessional and it makes the coach (not the athlete) look bad when they make poor remarks about a child.
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PSA OFFICERS President First Vice President Second Vice President Third Vice President Treasurer Past President PSA BOARD OF GOVERNORS West Mid-West East Members at Large
Committee on Professional Standards Ratings Chair Seminar/ Webinar Chair ISI Rep to PSA U.S. Figure Skating Rep to PSA PSA Rep to U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards Coaches Hall of Fame Education Apprentice Program Area Representatives Hockey Skating Sport Science Endorsements Executive Executive Nominating Finance Nominating Professional Standards PSA Rep to ISI Ratings Adaptive Skating FCC
Christine Fowler-Binder Alex Chang Tim Covington Rebecca Stump Carol Murphy Kelley Morris Adair Phillip Mills Michelle Lauerman Teri Hooper Patrick O'Neil Cheryl Faust Janet Tremer Derrick Delmore Jason Dilworth Ben Miller-Reisman Kelley Morris Adair Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil Scott McCoy Kirsten Miller Zisholz Kelley Morris Adair Jimmie Santee
Teri Hooper Kelley Morris Adair Rebecca Stump Janet Tremer Angela Roesch-Davis Jordan Mann Heidi Thibert Jamie Lynn Santee Christine Fowler-Binder Kelley Morris Adair Carol Murphy Kelley Morris Adair Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Tim Covington Mary Johanson Janet Tremer
PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES Area 1 Martha Harding Area Area 2 Kimberlie Wheeland Area Area 3 Andrea Kunz-Williamson Area Area 4 Tim Covington Area Area 5 Angela Roesch-Davis Area Area 6 Kevin Curtis Area Area 7 Robyn Petroskey Area Area 8 Melanie Bolhuis Area Area 9 Lisa Bardonaro-Reibly
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Stacie Kuglin Charmin Savoy Sharon Brilliantine Liz Egetoe Lisa Mizonick Don Corbiell Josselyn Baumgartner Karen Preston
DISCLAIMER: Written by Guest Contributor | PSA regularly receives articles from guest contributors. The opinions and views expressed by these contributors are not necessarily those of PSA. By publishing these articles, PSA does not make any endorsements or statements of support of the author or their contribution, either explicit or implicit. THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine Mission: To bring to our readers the best information from the most knowledgeable sources. To select and generate the information free from the influence of bias. And to provide needed information quickly, accurately and efficiently. The views expressed in THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine and products are not necessarily those of the Professional Skaters Association. The Professional Skater (USPS 574770) Issue 1, a newsletter of the Professional Skaters Association, Inc., is published bimonthly, six times a year, as the official publication of the PSA, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Tel 507.281.5122, Fax 507.281.5491, Email: office@skatepsa.com © 2017 by Professional Skaters Association, all rights reserved. Subscription price is $19.95 per year, Canadian $29.00 and foreign $45.00/year, U.S. Funds. Second-class Postage Paid at Rochester, MN 55901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to The Professional Skater, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Printed in the USA.
While this type of behavior needs to be eliminated, coaches must also be cognizant of their physical actions. Hugging a skater after a performance is common practice and in almost all instances is done for the right reasons. Unfortunately, this is an example of something that a coach believes is harmless but is perceived differently. What is relevant is the perception of the behavior by viewers or bystanders. It is import that coaches show emotional restraint and minimize any physical contact that is not done in the act of coaching or teaching. Coaches are being held to a much higher moral standard than ever before, and I advise us all to look at how we act and do business. Let’s do the right thing for the right reasons and not wait until someone catches us doing something unprofessional.
Hockey Power Skating Park Ridge, IL | March 31, 2019 REGISTER BY MARCH 8 This clinic is designed for all hockey skating coaches, regardless of level or experience. Coaches will be divided by specialty – focusing on either intro or advanced skating. This event will be perfect for both figure skating coaches who teach skating skills as well as hockey coaches who want to explore the details of skating technique. Details and registration at skatepsa.com Presented by
Join us in beautiful Palm Springs this May! Early bird deadline fast approaching!
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Christine Fowler-Binder, MPD, MG
We’ve been busy! I
t has been a busy few months full of skating competitions, webinars, and educational events. PSA staff, PSA Board of Governors, and Committee Chairs have put in many hours of work and volunteer time to make our future PSA events and products stronger. To begin, the PSA staff has been hard at work building our new website and the new PSA TV. It took months for this project to come to fruition, but the newly designed website is an amazing tool for all of our members. PSA TV is an archive of videos filled with teaching tips, past PSA Conference videos, live seminar videos, and much more. It is an affordable way to watch and learn from your home or even from the rink. If you haven’t been to the newly designed website or checked out PSA TV, I highly suggest you take a look! In November 2018, PSA held the 2018 Fall Board of Governors meeting in Palm Springs, California. The board meeting was a day full of ideas and collaboration. Each Vice President gave outstanding reports on the committees they oversee and it was evident PSA has the best volunteers working for us and for our sport. Some highlights from the board meeting include: new/updated Grievance Rules, endorsed events are increasing, new webinars were developed and produced (sports science and medicine webinar on eating disorders, +5/-5 scoring system, and rule changes), Foundations of Coaching Course (FCC) had many successful sites in fall 2018, seminars were very well attended, and the Ratings Committee held a master rating site in Phoenix, AZ. First Vice President, Alex Chang, was nominated for President Elect (the new President will start a three year term beginning May 25, 2019), and two board positions will be voted on in the spring—one Midwest and one West. If you would like to nominate someone for a board position, please contact your area representative as soon as possible. We encourage members to get involved! Lastly, the Conference Committee has been hard at work planning this year’s conference in Palm Springs. The theme of this year’s conference is “Coach It Forward— Training Future Generations”. It will be held May 22-25 in Palm Springs, California. This conference will be truly special because PSA, U.S. Figure Skating, and the USOC (United States Olympic Committee) will all be working together to bring the most up-to-date coaching trends to our coaches. PSA staff, U.S. Figure Skating, USOC, and our conference chairs have been working very hard to
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secure the best presenters for each and every topic. And of course, everyone will want to come and hear our keynote speaker—Kurt Browning!! We will be staying at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California. The resort is absolutely beautiful with spacious hotel rooms, multiple outdoor pools, great restaurants, and plenty of meeting space. More importantly, the weather will be perfect and everyone will be looking forward to getting away to a warm destination to kick off the summer. So, mark your calendars now and register today. You don’t want to miss out! Happy coaching!
Experience conference together—take advantage of the group rate! Talk to your fellow club coaches and find at least three other PSA members to take advantage of the group savings of $30 per registrant. Mail-in form and details can be found at skatepsa.com.
DESERT ICE CASTLE • CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
free to attend!
Are you looking for additional PSA credits? Do you have an idea for a seminar or education event in your area? Good news! The PSA offers the opportunity to broaden our outreach for educational credits and coaching seminars and is looking for educational partners and events that we can put a stamp of approval on and endorse. If you have an idea for an event or are interested in an endorsement, please contact office@skatepsa.com or visit skatepsa.com for more information.
Competitor registration opens December 1, 2018 Final deadline April 1, 2019
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RATINGS Tim Covington MFS, MM, RC
A Choreographed Journey B Y A S H L E Y W Y AT T M C , R G
E
veryone’s coaching journey is different, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to look at where you’ve been and where you want to go Dates: March 11-13, 2019 next on your journey. Event: PSA Ratings Prep At the end of a long show career, I Location: Las Vegas, NV found myself considering what it meant Deadline: February 8, 2019 to be a coach, and what direction I wanted my career to go. I have always been a creative individual both on and off the ice, so it quickly became clear that choreography was going to be the destination for me. After attending my first PSA Conference, the competitive side of me wanted that “Master Rated” sticker on my badge ASAP! And so, my journey began. I spent the first year after shows, in the form of a sponge, soaking up as much knowledge as I could. I shadowed several master rated coaches, completed the American Ice Theater’s choreography course, and went to Ratings Prep in Nashville. That experience changed my life. Over that one summer weekend, I realized my potential, and gained the tools needed to make my dream a reality. I used the time between Ratings Prep and the fall master ratings site to prepare for the registered and certified exams. And by prepare, I mean study like my life depended on it. I devoted an hour or more each day to study. Don’t be daunted; these exams are actually fun! Passing my registered and certified exams was an amazing feeling of validation. So then it was on to senior and master. I prepared in the same way I had before: intense studying, attending Components Camp, and Ratings Prep. At this point I should tell you I was lucky enough to be awarded one of the four Walter and Irene Muehlbronner Scholarships offered annually by the PS Foundation. It’s amazing what that $1000 scholarship can do for your dreams. I arrived in Las Vegas two days early in order to find balance before my exams, and I would be lying if I said I felt as confident as I had for the previous two. I felt overwhelmed. The answers that I knew like the back of my hand disappeared each time I practiced my exam. How could I have been so prepared, yet not? My senior exam was in the morning, and was not the performance I had been hoping for, but I passed. With support and words of encouragement from my panel, I went to my room for a nap, more studying, and of course a
Ready to start your ratings journey?
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costume change. I entered my master exam feeling much more relaxed, in a more “me” outfit, and ready to trust the process. This exam moved at a faster pace. I felt more confident and fluid with my responses, until, I wasn’t. I think it was pure exhaustion at this point, but I knew how this one would end, and I was at peace with it. When the examiners told me I had not passed, it was ok. I knew each person there genuinely wanted me to succeed, and I never felt inadequate. “Failing” was the absolute best thing that could have happened to me, but I wasn’t going to let it happen again. To prepare for my next attempt at the master exam, I continued studying and expanding upon the knowledge I already had. I was able to fill in the blanks that left me just shy of my goal months before. On October 28, 2016, I passed my master choreography exam. It was glorious! Most of my panel had been with me the entire journey. Tears of joy and relief filled the room. This moment was really special, undoubtedly more so because I “failed” on my first attempt. I was forced to dig deeper than I ever had before, and I am grateful for it. The choreography exam will test you in the most unexpected ways. One must be well versed in all of the various disciplines and the ever-changing technical aspects of our sport, as well as music, dance, and art. A choreographer’s creative process begins to unfold throughout the journey. If you have ever choreographed a program, this exam is for you! If you daydream a pre-pre free skate on the drive to the rink while listening to Bruno Mars, this exam is for you! If I could offer any advice to those considering starting the choreography journey, it would be: be authentic, do the work, and make each exam your own. Now, how will you choreograph your journey? Ashley Wyatt is the Learn to Skate Coordinator at the Scott Hamilton Skating Academy, in Nashville, TN, where she also runs their adaptive skating program, Scott’s All Stars. Ashley has been a regular presenter at the American Ice Theater’s Contemporary Skating Festival, and ProSkaters show skating seminars. In addition to skating, she is also a certified children’s yoga teacher.
Recently Passed
RATING EXAMS Congratulations to the following coaches who passed the Basic Accreditation (BA) written rating exam in the PSA E-learning Academy: Cassie Andrews Nathan Birch James Bookwalter Nadege Dollonne-Rohrbacher Genavieve Federhofer Naomi Federhofer Cameron Gilwee Kaitlyn Heayden Sidney Hollibaugh Kelsey Jagusch Emily Keener Sabrina Logren Timothy Murphy Alison Nagle Lexi Nara-Yoshimura Ashley Osborne Kiki Owens Macy Parris Alexandria Price Kim Tiplady Bonnie Weinberg Clarissa Wylde
Congratulations to the following candidates who passed a rating exam: October 26-28, 2018 Karen Christensen RM, CM Trista Demuth RFS Tara Denkers RM Jason Dilworth SPD Anthony Evans RM Michelle Hocknell RM, CM Sidney Hollibaugh RG Daniel Kulenkamp RG, CG Rachel Landers RG Natalie Lau RFS,RM
Congratulations to the following master rated coaches!
Dorothi Cassini MF
Becki Erb MG
Jason Dilworth MPD
Emily Keppeler MFS
Elizabeth Egetoe MM
Heidi Whitlow MM
Congratulations to the following coaches who obtained the following ranking Camille Pitman – Level I Jodie Kristy – Level I Candace Kuk-LaFerle – Level II Karissa Williams – Level II Marina Shoff – Level II
Congratulations to the following coaches who successfully completed the FCC in Laurel, MD September 16th, 2018. Thank you to course conductors Janet Tremer, Greg Maddalone, and Mike Cunningham of Jackson Ultima. Erin Benedum Christina Bickford Amy Bielski-Lanier Nichole Brown-Butler Lauren Carrig Rebecca Crotti Kim Dawe Kathleen Gates Jessica Heinemann John Hillenbrand Danielle Holcomb Dorothy Jahoda
Edward Jahoda Johanna (Joie) Jan Nancy Jarvis Andrei Khvalko Melissa Kuyumjian Kathleen Lange Elena Leonova Issac Lindy Sarah E. Maddalone Delsie McCoy Maryann McEvoy Tricia Mercer
Danielle Leong RG Christine Miller RM Amy Nunn RFS, RM Ashley Osborne RG Kiki Owens RG Macy Parris RG Kristen Robles RFS Katherine Shepherd RG Alexandra Vargo RM, CM Charlene Wong RM
Aurore Michel Leticia Moreno Enos Patricia Muth Anna Nykiel Heather Piepenburg Kristina Prokop Kathy Sack Savanna Smith Julia Sretenski Kristan Waggoner Patricia Wilson Sasha Zaboev
Alicia Carr – Level IV Darlene Sparks – Level IV Sara Robertson – Level IV Karen Preston – Level IV Keri Ferguson – Level V
Congratulations to the following coaches who successfully completed the FCC in Mount Clemens, MI October 21st, 2018. Thank you to course conductors Janet Tremer, Jonathan Haywood, and Mark Ladwig of Jackson Ultima. Katie Adams Megan Beck Julia Budnick Shannon Cattaneo Bela Corey Krista Girardin Barbara Gregg Kayla Griffith Megan Joyce Shannon Joyce
Danielle Krause Erica Oberkfell Kristine Padalino Daniel Palmeri Katherine Pareizs Devin Prasatek Michael Simon Sara Jane Vasseur Christine Wojno
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SafeSport in the News:
What Coaches Need to Know B Y R E B E C C A I N G R A H A M , N G B S E R V I C E S M A N A G E R AT U . S . C E N T E R F O R S A F E S P O R T
T
he United States Center for SafeSport opened its doors in March of 2017 as an independent non-profit organization in Denver, Colorado. Born out of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements, the Center is the first of its kind in that it provides both prevention and intervention services and works to end all types of abuse in sport. Earlier this year, Congress signed into law the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, which designates the Center to serve as the independent national safe sport organization, with the responsibility for developing policies and procedures to prevent the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of amateur athletes. An important part of the bill also includes the general requirements for youth-serving amateur athletic organizations as it also modifies the obligations of amateur athletic organizations, a not-for-profit corporation, association, or other group organized in the United States that sponsors or arranges an amateur athletic competition. Additionally, amateur sports organizations, which participate in an interstate or international amateur athletic competition and whose membership includes any adult who is in regular contact with an amateur athlete who is a minor, must: o Comply with the reporting requirements of the Victims of Child Abuse Act o Establish reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one interactions between an amateur athlete who is a minor and an adult o Offer and provide consistent training to adult members who are in contact with amateur athletes who are minors o Prohibit retaliation
The Center’s mandate to educate all sports organizations on protecting young athletes includes a commitment to helping parents, athletes and coaches recognize potential red flags, and to inform them about important steps in keeping their young athletes’ participation in sport abusefree. Free SafeSport training resources can be found at www.safesport.org and by visiting the Outreach and Education ‘Resources’ page. The site provides access to online SafeSport training for parents, a parent toolkit with age-appropriate education and best practices, a prevention booklet for coaches entitled Preventing Bullying, What Great Coaches Need to Know, and brand-new assets from the upcoming Youth Athlete Toolkit currently in pilot phase. The coach-athlete relationship can be one of the most influential relationships that minor athletes experience. Athletes look to their coaches to be mentors and to support the development of their skills as an athlete. Holding all members of your organization accountable can help to create a positive and abuse-free sport environment. The U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Handbook was updated October 9, 2018 and can be found on the U.S. Figure Skating website.
REPORT Allegations of Sexual Misconduct should be reported directly to the U.S. Center for SafeSport at: www.safesport.org (click “Report a Concern”) or by calling: 720-531-0340. To report a suspected violation of the SafeSport Policy that does not involve Sexual Misconduct, go to www.usfigureskating.org (click on “Clubs” tab; click on SafeSport Program tab; click on the form to report.
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HAVE YOU CHECKED US OUT?
PSA invites you to explore our newest coaching resources! In addition to the new and improved skatepsa.com, we've created PSA TV: an on-demand video library of past conferences and seminars presented by the Professional Skaters Association. This rich and valuable resource also includes tips from master rated coaches, webinars, and podcasts. PSA TV is an ever-growing collection of educational assets to explore at your own convenience. We proudly offer a selection of free content, videos for purchase, or subscribe for only $4.99/month for on-demand access to the full catalog. Keep an eye out for new content being added often!
www.skatepsa.com
Put A NEW SPIN on your skating career Team up with world-class skaters in a show that warms hearts around the world! Feld Entertainment ® is seeking male and female skaters for U.S. and International tours of Disney On Ice. It is your opportunity to truly shine.
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Please send a skating resume, photos, a current video (3 – 6 min.) and all contact info to: Judy Thomas, Talent Director and Production Coordinator, Feld Entertainment 2001 U.S. Highway 301. Palmetto, FL 34221 USA Phone: (941) 721-1234 Email: jthomas@feldinc.com
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Rebecca achieved her master group rating in 2013, left. She also held the following ratings: RFS,CM, RC
Remembering Rebecca
As we grieve the loss of PSA coach Rebecca Arnowitz, we remember her passion and dedication to figure skating as she actively pursued ratings and education with PSA.
BY KENT M C DILL
S
he tried, she really did. Rebecca Arnowitz tried to find something to do with her life beyond being a figure skating coach. “She did go to college, but she went to college the same way she went to high school, with everything built around her skating,” said Stuart Arnowitz, Rebecca’s father. “She went to George Mason University to get a degree in communications, but she came back to Richmond, two hours away, back and forth several times a week to coach. “Then she started pursuing a (masters) degree in event planning; she thought that was what she wanted to do,” he said. “She took a year of classes, but let that lapse, and decided to focus on skating. She was driven by skating.” Rebecca Arnowitz passed away at age 38 on Oct. 2, 2018 in her hometown of Richmond, Va., from primary sclerosing cholangitis, a rare liver disease. She held registered free skating, certified moves in the field, registered choreography, and master group ratings with PSA. Like many others before here, Arnowitz first fell in love with figure skating by seeing it on television at a young age. But she did not actually get onto the ice until she was 11 years old, when a rink near her home opened
up. Despite her initial struggles to stay upright, she fell in love with the sport, and a life on the ice was born. Arnowitz realized rather quickly that she was not destined to be one of those figure skaters who appear on television, but she never wavered from her commitment to the sport. Everything else, including her education and whatever other future endeavor she might undertake, took a back seat. “When she was in high school, she made a deal with a (history) teacher that she would write her papers for the semester early so she could miss his afternoon class to go skate the public session which started at 2 p.m.,” Stuart Arnowitz said. Rebecca not only taught children how to skate (“she loved her kids,” her father said), she organized skating events for residents of a retirement community as part of a community service project. According to the Richmond TimesDispatch, Rebecca organized group classes at Fairfax Ice Arena so that she did not have to drive back home from George Mason every time she wanted to get on the ice. She also developed a skating program at a casino in Las Vegas that built an ice rink for guests. Once back home, she taught in both Richmond and Arlington, Va.
In 2009, Rebecca was diagnosed with PSC, which inflames the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine. That inflammation eventually scars, and those scars eventually narrow and block the ducts, preventing the bile from traveling through the intestinal system. She underwent treatments for the condition from that point while maintaining her coaching schedule. In 2016, Rebecca and her life partner chose to try to start a family and Rebecca got pregnant. At almost the same time, Rebecca got upended on the ice when she was tripped from behind by a hockey student, and she broke two vertebrae, requiring therapy that kept her off the ice. The combination of her PSC and physical injuries eventually put the unborn baby’s life in danger, and in August of 2017, her child Jacob was induced almost two months early. The child was born underdeveloped and died in mid-October. The physical toll of her injuries and illness led to her untimely death one year later. As the family sat Shiva to honor Rebecca in their home, Stuart Arnowitz was approached by a woman in her mid-20s. “When I was five or six,” the woman told Arnowitz, “my first skating coach was Rebecca. When I was 7, both my parents passed away and Rebecca taught me about being a girl, doing makeup, shopping, boys. She was the mother I didn’t have.” Arnowitz was moved not only by the story about his departed daughter, but that he was hearing the story for the first time at his daughter’s Shiva. “Rebecca never told us about this girl,” he said. “She never asked me for an extra 20 bucks because she was doing this nice thing for this girl. We never knew about her. It was a hidden side of her doing, that nice thing. “It was nice for us to find out that about her at the end of her life,” he said. PS MAGAZINE
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SPORT SCIENCE Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC
OFF-ICE TRAINING EXPLAINED:
Leave it to the (Correct) Professionals!
L E E CA B E L L , E D D, M F F
In the November/ December issue of PS Magazine, the article, “Identify and Select an Off-ice Strength and Conditioning Practitioner for Your Athletes” (by Brandon Siakel, USOC Strength and Conditioning Physiologist), was published. The following article was written to complement that article and give coaches a clear and concise explanation of who should conduct off-ice training and why it shouldn’t be the same person who conducts an off-ice jump class (unless properly trained to do so). – Heidi Thibert, PSA Sport Science Committee Chair
F
igure skating is an aesthetic, technically-demanding Olympic sport that also requires specific off-ice preparation for on-ice performance. If coaches want to prepare their skaters for injury-free on-ice training and performances which deliver superior technique, off-ice training is necessary as a part of the training package. However, many coaches are confused as to how to train skaters off the ice and who should conduct this training. Commonly, singles and pair skaters train in off-ice strength and conditioning classes and off-ice jump classes. However, a proper off-ice strength and conditioning class is not a jump class! The purpose of this article is to clarify the differences between these classes and who should teach them.
Off-ice strength and conditioning class The role of a strength and conditioning class is to use prescribed exercises specifically to improve performance in athletic competition. This class prepares figure skaters with the “fuel” tools they need for on-ice performances. Specifically, figure skaters need the following physical and physiological attributes to succeed in our sport: strength, speed, power, agility, flexibility/mobility, endurance, and stability/balance. Each of these characteristics can help figure skaters enhance their performances and remain injury free. A proper strength and conditioning program will address all these areas. For example, strength can be improved if a muscle is overloaded using free weights, weight machines, or calisthenics using one’s own body weight. Muscular power enables the skater to convert strength to speed in a very
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short time. Muscular power is an important component of “quickness” at jump take-offs and the ability to pull in or “snap” into the back-spin position in the air in multirevolution jumps. A strong skater can practice plyometrics for quick contractions of stretched muscles at jump take-off. Agility is body coordination and quickness while changing directions, applied and used in on-ice skating transitions because figure skating is not a one-dimensional sport. Flexibility denotes a range of motion in body joints and length of muscles crossing these joints, and endurance helps skaters maintain their level of performance throughout the program and finish with “flying colors.” Once the specific physical and physiological qualities have been identified, they are measured and tracked to ensure the strength and conditioning program is effective and achieving its goals.
Off-ice jump class An off-ice jump class is a technical class where a skater learns jumping mechanics off the ice. This helps to shorten on-ice time for the skater to learn a specific jump and minimizes creation of bad jump technique habits while the skater practices jumps by trial-and-error on the ice. Specifically, in this class, skaters are taught how to take off and land a jump using the whole body with the proper timing of each body joint and segment. The skater must learn these positions first in a slow motion to acquire muscle memory and gradually increase the speed of the body movement until the correct speed is achieved. The class also consists of off-ice rotations (¼, ½, 1, 2, 3) in the air while skaters maintain the proper air positions. These rotations can be practiced individually or in sequence. To increase air time and number of rotations, skaters may jump on a trampoline or use a harness. A spinner is another useful tool for skaters to achieve and maintain rotations around their vertical axes.
Who should be teaching strength and conditioning class? Siakel (2018) defines an off-ice strength and conditioning practitioner as the one who possesses the education, knowl-
•
CPR, AED, and First Aid certifications (American Heart Association or Red Cross) • Hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in majors that are related to exercise and sport science Accredited professional organizations: 1. National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is a nonprofit professional organization dedicated to advancing the strength and conditioning profession around the world. Certifications offered: • Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) • NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) edge, certification(s), and practical experience to apply training methods that facilitate the general physical needs of a figure skater. From a legal and ethical perspective, off-ice strength and conditioning class should be taught by a certified trainer (strength and conditioning coach). Strength and conditioning coaches also help skaters with musculoskeletal injury prevention by identifying and acting on mechanical deficiencies in mobility, stability, and strength that relate to overuse and compensatory injuries. A trainer must communicate with the primary coach to identify the skater’s on-ice needs and focus on their physical strengths and weaknesses. This requires specific off-ice interventions as mentioned above that fulfill the skater’s needs. Off-ice trainers know how to teach males versus females, how to instruct skaters at different stages of growth and development, and when to teach. An exercise design and prescription are based on the season (periodization), meaning that the training volume and intensity vary during the competition season and the brief postseason. Research has demonstrated that not only does off-ice training improve performance outcomes, it also shows that incorrect training can be detrimental to performance. Using techniques such as plyometrics when the skater is not ready for it may be more harmful than useful. Therefore, it is necessary that this class be taught by a person who possesses the required education, knowledge, and experience. Off-ice instructors should possess the following (Siakel, 2018): • Certification through an accredited organization • Maintenance of continuing education credits within the instructor’s specific professional association • Current working knowledge of the physical, physiological, and biomechanical characteristics, skills, and performances involved in various levels of figure skating. Able to perform an individual assessment of each skater.
2. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) • ACSM Personal Trainer 3. National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) • NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist • NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist • NASM Personal Trainer 4. American Council on Exercise (ACE) • ACE Sports Conditioning Specialist • ACE Personal Trainer
Who should teach off-ice jump class? This class should be taught by a skating coach or an off-ice instructor who has thorough knowledge of on-ice jump technique. Usually, an off-ice instructor is a former figure skater who knows how jumps are executed on ice and can transfer that knowledge from off the ice to on the ice. The saying “Jack of all trades, master of none” refers to a person who has dabbled in many skills, rather than gaining expertise by focusing on one. The same applies here. Stick to what you have expertise in and communicate with a person with a different expertise. In any discipline, including figure skating, coaches and personal trainers should provide services in the areas they are appropriately educated in and stay within the boundaries of their education and expertise. This is an ethical and legal obligation.
How can on-ice coaches seek out and effectively communicate with off-ice instructors while keeping the emphasis on the safety and well-being of the athlete? Communication, communication, communication! Primary coaches should contact the following resources to seek out qualified off-ice instructors: local fitness centers, Continued on page 15
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EDUCATION Carol Rossignol, MD, MS, MG, MPD, MFF
Behavior Analysis for Popped Jumps B Y PAT R I C K S M I T H
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he level of frustration popping a jump brings to both the athlete and their coach is well understood. This is further compounded by falling, which can score more than popping. What is not well known is a technique from a nearly forgotten corner of psychology that may be able to cut the frustration, through elimination of the pop altogether. Behavior analysis is an area of psychology with deceptively simple application to behavior challenges such as workplace safety, accelerated learning, and sport performance. The premise is that behavior is directly affected by the antecedent conditions in the environment as well as the resulting consequence of the environment reaction to the behavior. This Antecedent > Behavior > Consequence model is known as the behavioral contingency. Parents, coaches, trainers, etc. apply behavioral contingencies all the time. The issue is they have not been taught to use it methodically. There are four steps to methodical contingency management: identifying the target behavior, reinforcer, and antecedent conditions, and then bringing it together in the ABC contingency. The following reviews what this might look like:
Step One: Identify the Target Behavior For the example of popping jumps, there are two behaviors to be targeted. The behavior we want to decrease, popping, and the behavior we want to increase, staying in the planned jump. This means there are also two contingencies in play. One maintaining the popping, and the one we will use to increase completion of the planned jump.
Step Two: Identify the Reinforcer The reinforcer, the critical consequence for each contingency, is the event in the skater’s environment which immediately follows the target behavior to either maintain or increase its frequency. Reinforcers are categorized by functional outcome. The four most common functional outcomes are enabling escape, access, attention, or stimulation. Despite coach intent, behavior reinforced by attention is still reinforced by negative or corrective commentary. The intent, or form, of consequences does not always align with functional outcome. An understanding of the distinction between form and function would be beneficial.
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Step Three: Identify the Antecedent Conditions For each contingency, the antecedent is what is going on in the athlete’s environment just before a popped jump. Changing the conditions to replicate the environment where jumps are more likely to be completed will increase the likelihood of the planned jump occurring. Once jump attempts are consistently followed through, gradual change to the environmental conditions, called ‘fading,’ to replicate competition environments will assure increased completion in competition. Keep in mind, you, the coach, are part of the athlete’s environment. Words, actions, and appearance are all part of the antecedent conditions for the athlete’s behavior.
Step Four: Bring it all together in the ABC contingency Optimize the antecedent environmental conditions for the target behavior you want to increase through swift and consistent delivery of the reinforcer for the target behavior and elimination of the reinforcer for the popping behavior. If popping is attention maintained, let the athlete know that during the jump practice, they should repeat the jump if you say nothing. In this way, attention is then only delivered when they commit to the jump, even if they fall. Through repetition, contingent reinforcement for targeted behavior in a managed environment will make fully committed jumping more frequent and reduce popping to near zero. These four steps apply to any behavior, not just popping jumps. Many tips and tricks for behavioral contingency management do not fit a magazine column; and behavior analysis itself offers more tools for the parent, coach, and athlete. I have written a companion article expanding on these steps and additional resources on my own blog. To learn more visit CoachPatrickSmith. com/Blog/Skate. Patrick Smith is a PhD student in Behavior Analysis at the University of Nevada, Reno and a multi-sport endurance coach. He researches how to improve coaching effectiveness in ways that also improve coach and athlete mental health outcomes. You can contact him directly by email at Patrick@CoachPatrickSmith.com
Sport Science Continued from page 13
health clubs, gyms, YMCAs, local colleges, universities and high school athletic departments, and sports medicine clinics. • National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) www.nsca.com • American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) www.acsm.org • National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) www.nasm.org • American Council on Exercise (ACE) www.acefitness.org Once a qualified off-ice instructor is found, the primary coach must take the time to thoroughly communicate the skaters’ needs to the trainer, including the following information (this list is not exhaustive): 1. Characteristics of jumping and spinning. Off-ice trainer knows human anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology and knows what muscles s/he needs to concentrate on to enhance jumping and spinning qualities. 2. From the primary coach’s information, the off-ice trainer will design a proper year-long off-ice
program based on the physical and physiological characteristics of figure skating. 3. Skater’s current and previous injury history, and physical therapist’s contact information (if applicable) 4. Basic information on the demands of figure skating: • Short and long program durations • Video links of top figure skaters • Weekly on-ice training schedule (number of sessions; hard vs. light sessions/days; etc.) 5. Competition schedule 6. Additional off-ice training (jump class, ballet, dance, etc.) REFERENCE Siakel, B. (2018). Identify and select an off-ice strength and conditioning practitioner for your athletes. Professional Skater Magazine, 49(6). Lee Cabell is a PSA master rated coach in Figures and Free Skate and serves on the PSA Sports Science and U.S. Figure Skating Sports Medicine and Science Committees. Dr. Cabell is a university professor and scientist with a doctorate in biomechanics. He has published his research in sports and clinical journals and lectured in the United States and abroad. He is a 2017 recipient of the PSA Pieter Kollen Sport Science Coaching Award and the prestigious U.S. Olympic Committee “Doc” Councilman Sport Science Award in Figure Skating.
SESSIONS • Benefits of Off-Ice Stretching/Yoga • Strength & Conditioning – Preparing Athletes’ Bodies for Sport and Injury Prevention • Liability Insurance – What Is It? Why Do You Need It? How to Use It? A N N I V E R S A R Y
ISI CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW
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• Business of Coaching • Everything Competitions – The A to Z’s of Running a Successful Event
HIGHLIGHTS • ISI University Certified Skating Director Course • 60th Anniversary Dinner • 6 Hours of On-Ice Sessions
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PS MAGAZINE
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[ BOARD PROFILE ]
Christine FowlerBinder The Greensboro Ice House
Ice Centre at the Promenade
Greensboro, NC
Westminster, CO
Kendall Ice Arena
Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena
Miami, FL
Kettle Moraine FSC
Pelham, AL
West Bend, WI
Marquette FSC
Skate Frederick Ice Sports
Marquette, MI
Palm Beach Skate Zone
Frederick, MD
Lake Worth, FL
Ice Den Chandler
Honnen Ice Arena
Chandler, AZ
Colorado Springs, CO
Ice Den Scottsdale
Rochester FSC
Scottsdale, AZ
Rochester, MN
Cincinnati Skating School
World Arena Ice Hall
Cincinnati, OH
Carolina Ice Palace
Central Iowa FSC Urbandale, IA
Edge Skating School/ Edge Ice Arena Littleton, CO
Palm Beach Ice Works West Palm Beach, FL
Colorado Springs, CO North Charleston, SC
Martha’s Vineyard FSC Vineyard Haven, MA
Park City Ice Arena Park City, UT
Hertz Arena Estero, FL
Does your club or rink meet the requirements?
Professional Skaters Association President Christine Fowler-Binder works with coaches Jenni Meno and Todd Sand at the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace in southern Orange County, Calif. Binder contributes her expertise to the national and international pair teams at the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace, concentrating on skating skills, unison and choreography. She also teaches ice dance students and moves in the field lessons. She is at the rink six days a week, working with approximately 30 students. Binder is in the last year of her presidency of the PSA, and still working hard on the goals for her presidency. “I am hoping to get more coaches involved with PSA at the Learn to Skate level,” she said. “PSA is a wonderful resource for coaches to help further their teaching techniques and skating knowledge. So, for a very reasonable price, I am hoping that all coaches will one day be PSA members.” Binder points to recent advances the PSA has made in developing webinars, live seminars (which are also accessible digitally), and the new PSA website as successes during her term. “These achievements would not have been possible without the hard work of our PSA staff,” she said. Binder has extended family in Baltimore and her husband and children make time regularly to take the cross-county trek, which is good practice because their daughter Allie hopes to attend an East Coast college in the fall of 2019. Binder also finds time to watch her 14-year-old son Owen play lacrosse.
Register now and be recognized as a progressive training facility dedicated to excellence in coaching both on and off-ice. As a registered facility you will receive an EOI shield for display and international recognition in PS Magazine—all at no cost!
www.skatepsa.com
PS MAGAZINE
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PREVENT PROTECT TECHNIQUE SAFETY FOUNDATION ASSESS COMPETITIVE KNOWLEDGE [ COACHES: FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE ]
PHOTO CREDIT: U.S. FIGURE SK ATING
STARS, High Performance Movement Screening, and Physical Therapy for Figure Skaters By Terri Milner Tarquini
T
he problem: improper tracking of the landing knee. “One of the most common injuries that I currently see in figure skaters is constant, repetitive anterior knee pain,” said Charlene Durham, a pediatric physical therapist, discussing the pain felt at the front, center of the knee. “Skating is often so focused on the results of jumping, jumping, jumping so a skater can have a triple by age 12. Everybody’s worried about the end result, but the correct technique has to be there going in or the injuries will happen. The coaches are seeing the issues firsthand, but they have to be proactive and prevent the new skaters coming up from getting the same injuries.”
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The solution: A three-pronged approach of observant coach, testing and proper exercises. “What we are seeing over and over is that landing knee cranking inward, which highlights an imbalance in the muscles of the quadriceps. It is a combination of muscle weakness, tightness and poor biomechanics that lead to anterior knee pain,” said Durham, who has been working with U.S. Figure Skating through the Standardized Testing of Athleticism to Recognize Skaters (STARS) program and the High Performance Movement Screen (HPMS). “Skaters have a propensity for knee pain, due to the repetitive jumping aspect of the sport, but coaches can prevent
it by starting at an early age and training proper tracking.” The STARS program was piloted in 2010 and launched nationwide in 2011, and HPMS was piloted and tested with elite athletes in 2016 and launched nationwide last year. “STARS is an assessment that uses basic athletic tests to determine athleticism,” said Melissa Vriner, national STARS program coordinator for U.S. Figure Skating. “There was a lot of information out there for team sports or collegiate athletes, but there was not a lot of information about how athletic figure skaters were. That was a big motivation for us.” With 15 different tests measuring agility, balance, coordination, strength, power and flexibility, the program is a comprehensive assessement of skating must-haves. “The NFL combine focuses on agility, strength and power, for instance, but isn’t as dialed in with balance and flexibility,” Vriner said.
“Coaches are the first, most important line of defense when it comes to addressing these issues before they become either a habit that is very, very hard to break or an injury.”
“Figure skaters have to have at least some proficiency in all of those areas. One of the things that makes the sport unique is that it covers the broad spectrum of athleticism.” The tests are specifically designed to show the natural strengths and weaknesses of the athlete. “Even in a room of elite figure skaters, if you ask the question, ‘Who likes flexibility?’ about half the athletes in the room will raise their hand,” Vriner said. “Those are the skaters who have tendency to be more naturally flexible. The other half may not favor flexibility because they find it more challenging or uncomfortable. But, whether someone is naturally flexible or not, to be a figure skater, you must have some proficiency in it.” Vriner was a part of the very first meeting about STARS and has been hands on in the development of the High Performance Movement Screen. “We started realizing that, sure, an athlete can do tons of tuck jumps, but the way the body is moving is not necessarily efficient or in some cases safe,” she said. “The instability was obvious, but that part wasn’t getting addressed with STARS. The High Performance Movement Screen tests how well the body actually moves and evaluates if it’s moving efficiently. It’s much more clinically based.” Career-curbing or career-ending injuries in figure skating are not new, but the thought now trends toward testing to hopefully be able to address any issues before they become much bigger problems. “One of the biggest areas of concern was the single leg squat. So, so, so many athletes having a knee that tracks inward,” Vriner said. “These are things we are seeing over and over that will lead to injury so those are the things we have to address.”
One week after testing, the athlete will receive a report with feedback from the assessor with green, yellow and red flags regarding each test. The flags indicate which body mechanical aspects are pointing to a high risk of injury. From there, skaters are directed to a HPMS website where there are corrective exercises for each flagged area to integrate into their training, that are specifically designed to foster their on-ice performances. “The exercises are from Team USA doctors and presented by Team USA athletes like Mirai Nigasu and Adam Rippon,” Vriner said. “Adam was actually rehabbing his ankle when he was doing this.” These tests—and the exercises and personal training that can come from them—can protect a figure skater from succumbing to injuries that can so often result from the unique set of demands the sport puts on young bodies. “In skating, it’s not just the pounding from landing jumps, but the added component of torque from rotating,” Durham said. “In young athletes, muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and growth plates are still growing and in children, the growth is uneven. Growth plates are especially susceptible to injury since these are areas of greatest weakness in a growing body; when you add repetitive stress and improper biomechanics, injury to the growth plate can occur. That’s an injury we all want to avoid.” To do so takes a coach with knowledge, a good eye and a propensity for action. “Coaches are the first, most important line of defense when it comes to addressing these issues before they become either a habit that is very, very hard to break or an injury,”
PHOTO CREDIT: U.S. FIGURE SK ATING
Durham said. “The coach has to pick up on it at the very early stages—and do something about it.” They also can—and should—call in backup when needed. “It is imperative to research a trainer’s background and make sure they work with female athletes in the correct age group,” Durham said. “What a 12-year-old female athlete needs in regard to training is entirely different than what a 20-year-old male non-athlete needs.” It’s a new conundrum in modern sports medicine, this idea of treating young athletes who are suffering from injuries that used to occur in much older athletes. “The issue is that you have pre-adolescents and adolescents who still have a child’s body, but are experiencing adult injuries,” Durham said. “You can’t treat a 12-year-old like a 25-year-old, but they’re suffering the injury of a 25-year-old. That’s exactly why parents and coaches need to be proactive and research the correct people to assist the athlete.” In the end, it’s all about being proactive rather than reactive. “The trend we want to change is that we don’t want to respond to injury,” Vriner said, “we want to prevent injury.” With approximately 24 events a year from spring until fall, STARS is open to any skater who is six years old or older, has passed at least the pre-preliminary moves in the field test and has a full U.S. Figure Skating membership. HPMS is recommended for athletes at the juvenile level and above. www.STARScombine.org for more information PS MAGAZINE
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ABOVE: Dr. Cabell presents a session at the 2016 joint ISI/PSA
Conference in Las Vegas, NV.
LEFT: Dr. Cabell with his 2017 Pieter Kollen Sport Science
Coach Award at the PSA Edi Awards in Nashville, TN.
USOC Recognizes Dr. Cabell By Kent McDill
WHEN HE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD, well before he earned his doctorate in biomechanics, Lee Cabell was a first-time figure skater. He was also an inquisitive child with a mind for physical mechanics. Today, Dr. Lee Cabell is a university professor, a Professional Skaters Association master-rated skating coach, and is now the recipient of the Doc Counsilman Award from the United States Olympic Committee for his work in sports biomechanics. The Counsilman award, established in 2004 to honor Indiana University swimming coach James “Doc” Counsilman, is given to a coach that utilizes scientific techniques or equipment as an integral part of coaching methods or has created innovative ways to use sports science. This is the third time the Counsilman award has been given to someone with a concentration in figure skating, following Kat Arbour in 2006 and Heidi Thibert in 2009. Cabell’s selection came in 2017. “I am very honored to receive the Doc Counsilman Science Award from the USOC,” Cabell said. “I never met Doc Counsilman but I have heard a great deal about him. He is a legend in the scientific coaching world, and I am humbled to receive an award named after him.” Cabell was a national level figure skater from Czechoslovakia during its occupation by the Soviet Union. Cabell escaped to the United States, arriving in Boston without the benefit of English and with the misfortune of having his transported money stolen from him. To survive, he exchanged ice dance lessons at the Skating Club of Boston for English lessons from his students, and eventually became a successful figure skating coach.
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He also continued his interest in science, eventually earning a master’s degree from the University of Kansas in biomechanics and a doctoral degree from the University of Kentucky in kinesiology. “I have always been interested in science, because I have a logical mind, but I have also appreciated art —especially dance and music,” Cabell explained. “Figure skating is a combination of art and science. And I am interested in biomechanics, so it was kind of natural to put together anatomy and mechanics.” “I am curious about the world and the laws of physics which govern it,” he said. “These physical laws can be transferred to figure skating mechanics and we can use them rather than fight against them. It is always important to know how to ask the right question about body movement at the right moment, and once we find the answer to give information to a practitioner simply and accurately. The answer cannot be ‘too technical’ because it would be of little practical value to the skater and/or coach. It is important to understand the sport of figure skating and have an intuitive feel for it and be creative.” “Lee has the true heart of a teacher, for coaches and for athletes,’’ Thibert said. Cabell serves on the PSA Sports Science and U.S. Figure Skating Sports Medicine and Science committees. He is the Executive Council Chair of the Figure Skating NSCA Special Interest Group. Besides the Counsilman award, Cabell is also the 2017 recipient of the PSA Pieter Kollen Sport Science Coaching Award. “My work is far from finished,” Cabell said. “It has always been my goal to bridge a gap between science and practice, and the gap is becoming narrower and narrower.”
TAKE NOTE
e Conf
Ratings will be held prior to conference May 20-21. The deadline to register is March 15, 2019. You don't want to miss this opportunity—take it from a master rated coach:
PSA 2019 Show rade T & rence
"I want to be the best coach I can be. Every time I see my athletes give 100%, I want to do so too. I have so much to learn and I want to learn it all."
Coach It Forward: Training Future Generations This year we are rolling out a new, refreshed format for the annual conference with all sessions taking place at the conference center. There’s no need to lug your skates and parka along to beautiful Palm Springs- bring your sunscreen instead! Presenters will utilize video so you can see and hear better, thereby enhancing your learning experience. With multiple pools on the property, there will be ample opportunity for soaking up the sun while networking and sharing your own teaching techniques with colleagues.
techniques and create great experiences for their skaters at all levels. Topics you can expect to see on the schedule include: • Parent/Athlete/Coach Relationship Development • Test Refresh • IJS Mock Calling Session • SafeSport • National Qualifying System • Off-ice Jumps • Learn to Skate USA Workshops • Lifts for All Disciplines • USOC Athlete Development
As the official coaching arm of U.S. Figure Skating and the Ice Sports Industry, PSA is proud to bring so many coaches and experts to the same location. The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) will play a major role in the conference. Conference sessions will highlight practical information that coaches at all levels (from introductory to elite) can use immediately to enhance their
Expect lots of dynamic presentations, workshops, and panel discussions with interactions, Q & A time, and networking. Remember to register by February 1 to take advantage of early bird pricing. Join us in beautiful, sunny Palm Springs!
Registration Deadlines Early Bird: . . . . . . . . . $425 February 1, 2019 Advanced: . . . . . . . . . $525 April 15, 2019 Late: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $625 After April 15, 2019 *Non-member add $100
Hotel Hyatt Regency Indian Wells 44600 Indian Wells Lane Indian Wells, CA 92210 Reservations available after 11/15
Single/Double. . . . . . $150 Triple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200 Quad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $225 *No resort fees for attendees that book in the PSA block of rooms
SPEAKERS
Audrey Weisiger
22
Tom Zakrajsek
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2019
Mark Ladwig
Charlie Cyr
Jason Dilworth
Phillip Mills
PSA office sta ff can't wait to see you all in sunn y, warm Palm Springs!
DESERT ICE CASTLE • CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA
2019 PSA CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW PALM SPRINGS
OVERVIEW
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
free to attend!
Monday May 20 Rating Exams 8:00am–9:00pm Tuesday May 21 Rating Exams 7:00am–3:15pm U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships 7:00–10:00pm Wednesday May 22 First Aid and CPR Training – 8:00am–12:00pm (additional registration required) Newcomers’ Meeting – 11:30am-12:30pm Opening Speaker Kurt Browning – 1:00pm–2:15pm Educational Sessions – 2:30-3:45pm PSA General Assembly – 4:00pm–5:30pm Trade Show – 5:30-8:30pm President’s Reception and Master Rated Presentations – 6:30-8:00pm Thursday May 23 Trade Show – 8:00am-4:00pm General Education Sessions – 8:00am-2:45pm Breakout Sessions – 3:15-5:30pm EDI Awards Reception & Dinner – 6:30-10:00pm (additional registration required) Friday May 24 General Education Sessions – 8:00am-12:00pm General Education & Breakout Sessions – 1:30-5:30pm Saturday May 25 Panel Discussion – 8:00-9:00am General Education Sessions – 9:00am-12:00n Conference Wrap-up – 12:00-12:30pm *Subject to change
Lauren Ross has won a free registration to the 2019 PSA Conference & Trade Show. “I’m excited to take my next two rating exams and for the on-ice presentations. This will be my first conference so I am hoping to do a bit of everything!” See you in Palm Springs Lauren!
Competitor registration opens December 1, 2018 Final deadline April 1, 2019
PS MAGAZINE
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P ROF ESSIONAL S K ATE R S F O U NDATIO N
Officers, Board Members and Trustees PRESIDENT Carol Murphy VICE PRESIDENT Kelley Morris-Adair TREASURER Scott McCoy SECRETARY Gerry Lane BOARD MEMBER
Paul Wylie Carol Rossignol Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil Jill Maier-Collins TRUSTEE
Richard Dwyer Cindy Geltz Robbie Kaine Wayne Seybold Moira North Curtis McGraw Webster Skaters' Fund – Donation Levels: • Platinum • Diamond • Gold • Silver • Bronze
$10,000+ $5,000+ $1,000+ $500+ $100+
Recognition opportunities for donors available The Professional Skaters Foundation (PSF) was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation.
The PS Foundation recently joined the Smile Amazon Program. Amazon donates 0.5% of all eligible purchases to a charity that you designate on the Smile.amazon.com website. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the PS Foundation every time you shop, with no additional cost to you. Simply go to smile.amazon. com from your web browser, choose the PS Foundation as your designated charity, and use your existing amazon. com account with all the same settings! We all shop on Amazon today; please consider choosing the PS Foundation as your designated charity and start shopping on smile. amazon.com! Please spread the word to family and friends!
Sandy Fetter addresses the attendees of the 2015 PSA Conference
The Skaters' Fund
Charles Fetter
The Professional Skaters Foundation (PSF) was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation. The Skater’s Fund assists all coaches and performing skaters who need financial assistance due to sickness, disability, financial distress or age. The Skaters Fund was founded by Charles Fetter in 1998 and has awarded over $130,000 in assistance to over 50 recipients since its inception. The Skaters Fund helps coaches and performing skaters who fall upon hard times due to injury, illness, disability, age or natural disaster. During these difficult moments, the Fund is a place to turn to help, a safety net in our industry. It is the only such resource in the field of skating and is unique to the United States. The Skaters Fund was formally turned over to the PS Foundation at a ceremony at the 2015 Conference and Trade Show by his widow, Sandy Fetter. The Skaters Fund paid out over $14,000 in 2018 to help several coaches facing dire financial distress as well as a coach who suffered a stroke. Health emergencies can be devastating for coaches who are often independent contractors. It is the mission of the Skaters Fund to help those who are in an emergency situation. Luckily, some of those who have health insurance and a family support system can make it through on their own. But for those who do not, the Skaters Fund provides a crucial safety net. Your contributions are more important today than ever. Please consider donating this year. Every dollar makes a difference to our coaches. Without you, our fellow coaches, we cannot continue to help those in need. You may even want to give in honor or in memory of your favorite skating mentor. But whatever you do, please give generously. Donations can be made on our website www.skatepsa.com or a check payable to the PS Foundation, Skaters Fund, and mailed to: PSA, Attn: Skaters Fund, 3006 Allegro Park SW Rochester, MN 55902. Contributions are tax deductible.
1988 PSGA Conference
Don Laws Apprentice Scholarship The Don Laws Apprentice Scholarship offers three merit-based apprentice scholarships, each intended for the reimbursement of direct expenses incurred for attending the PSA Apprentice Development Program at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Minnesota. Direct expenses include travel to the program site, lodging, and meals. Awards are based on dedication to coaching, sound character, and ethical practices. Additional information can also be found at www.skatepsa.com and the application deadline to apply is April 1. Don’t pass up this wonderful opportunity and please consider applying today!
A Community that Cares 24
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2019
Don Laws Apprenticeship Scholarship Program at Shattuck-St. Mary’s By Joy Elder MG, SM, SPD, CF, CC, RFS
I am extremely grateful to the Professional Skaters Foundation for selecting me as the recipient of the 2018 Don Laws Apprentice at Shattuck-St. Mary’s. It is a very high honor for which I am most grateful. While I have been coaching for many years, I began the ratings process just five years ago. This intensive week was an integral tool to help me prepare for more exams in the future, help fulfill my insatiable desire to learn, and enhance my ultimate goal of being the most effective and knowledgeable coach possible for my students. To say my week at Shattuck-St. Mary’s exceeded my wildest expectations would be an understatement!
B
efore arriving, I was nervous and intimidated to be with such highly decorated and accomplished coaches. Yet the minute I entered the dorm, the coaches’ warm welcome alleviated my anxiety. I immediately felt at home— like I was a part of their coaching family. Sarah France, Ice Theatre of New York performer and coach, took me under her wing as we toured the campus; she could not have been more hospitable and kind. The 160-year-old campus was stunningly beautiful and looked as if it had sprung straight from the pages of a Harry Potter novel. I was finally on the adventure for which I had hoped and prayed. I spent my first two days seated in between our own PSA Executive Director Jimmie Santee and his brother, two-time Olympian David Santee. Both coaches use similar yet individual
methods. Jimmie dramatically creates a “theatre in the mind” through effective and often humorous analogies. For a camel spin, Jimmie explained, “Power comes from the twist, so on the entry look left to your free leg and act like a dog catching its tail, then pretend you are inside a human size balloon and stretch every limb against the balloon to make it as large as possible.” Jimmie is also a true artist with his Sharpie on the ice. I loved his step-by-step stick figure drawings of an Axel on a bell curve. I also enjoyed hearing him ask his student, “Which way does a jump go? Up? Hmmm, then tap light and fluffy on the way up! On every jump, the power comes from the skating leg.” By contrast, as an Olympic technical specialist, David’s personality shines as he effectively uses video to analyze freestyle elements using the state-ofthe-art Coaches Eye app. David would
use lines, angles, arrows, and curves to correct body positions and take-off patterns. Then he showed the student side-by-side screens comparing a correct technique to incorrect technique. David also coaches in IJS terms. He encourages quality jumps, spins, and step sequences to achieve the highest grade of execution from the judges. “IJS is measurable and attainable. It is far better than the 6.0 system because it provides skaters with a report card for how they can do better next time. If you perform a level four spin, but get a -5, it is better to do a lower level spin and with a +5.” David also tells his students, “For a level one step sequence you need to perform five clean turns, for level two: seven clean turns, level three: nine clean turns, and for level four you need 11 clean turns with five or more being on each foot.” David’s maxims are also clever and PS MAGAZINE
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BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES
Catering to a Variety of Learning Styles B Y N I C K K R A F T, R F S , C M , M G , M P D
A
t some point in your coaching, you have most likely come across or heard about three different learning styles based on sensory receivers: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. If you have not, the general idea is that your athlete processes information through seeing it, hearing it, or doing it. These three styles make up what is known as the VAK method, the most popular learning style model due its simplicity. We are capable of learning under almost any style, however we are typically partial to one or two methods. Presenting information using a variety of each style invites our athletes to become involved in the learning process and is paramount to better comprehension on their end. Each learning style engages a different part of the brain—the more involved the brain is during learning, the higher the retention rate. There are other models used by professionals that recognize a variety of learning styles. Harvard professor Dr. Howard Gardener proposed a theory of upwards of eight different intelligences and pathways to learning. Dr. Erika Warren, a learning specialist and educational therapist, recognizes 12 different learning styles and encourages multisensory teaching. This article will focus on a variation of the VAK model: VAKT, which adds the tactile sense, or hands-on learning. The next time you introduce a new element, whether in a group or private setting, challenge yourself to hit all four styles including the following four points in your presentation. I call it the Four D’s: Demonstrate, Describe, Draw, and Do. DEMONSTRATING caters to your visual learners who prefer video, diagrams, and illustrations. Depending on the skill level required, you or another skater could perform the element in person, or pull up a video from YouTube. Coming prepared with a couple different videos, and utilizing slow motion, is an excellent method for visual learners. DESCRIBING a new skill is of best benefit to an auditory learner who does best through hearing direction and speaking an answer. Your auditory learners may repeat the same question or ask questions with seemingly obvious answers. Try having your athlete define what is happening in their own words to help their comprehension. When sharing your description, it can be helpful to ask questions
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to keep them engaged. Some auditory learners may benefit from a small song to help with retention or rhythm. DRAWING out elements on the ice can provide illustration for visual learners to process, but asking your clients to draw can further their knowledge. Tactile learners will learn best when using their hands. A colleague of mine still utilizes Nina Stark-Slapnik’s workbook “Figure It Out” when teaching the forward and backward figure eights. The dedicated practice of drawing a variety of circles with both hands helps skaters conceptualize and process what is happening on the ice. Encourage your skaters to draw out their footwork sequence or moves patterns and have them study their print. We prepare for ratings exams by drawing—why not hold our athletes to similar expectations? DOING, or performing, the element is comprised of many stages and attempts. As we are focusing on introducing a new skill, this would involve walking through the element or physically moving your athlete’s body in the positions you need to produce results. Kinesthetic learners do best when utilizing their whole body and typically excel in athletics. These are the skaters in your group class that need to keep moving.
Snaps from Joy
illustrative like: “I have been where you want to go, and you are going the wrong way!” and “The essence of great figure skating is to be on the right edge at the right time and look good doing it.” After observing these two freestyle masters, I was excited to bring these new techniques back to my own students. While Jimmie and David both coach from the boards in shoes, they are extremely effective for visual learners. This was especially helpful for me because I was recovering from a broken ankle which forced me to adapt to a new coaching style using video analysis and creative wording. On the third day, I spent time with Tom Hickey, Director of Shattuck-St Mary’s. Tom has not only created a marvelously effective and comprehensive skating program, he has assembled an all-star coaching staff who are warm and friendly. As a coach, Tom’s forté is his ability to break down a jump into bite-size pieces that even the youngest child can understand. At the beginning of the week, I witnessed Tom instruct a seven-year-old girl from Brazil, with minimal Englishspeaking skills, through an orderly progression of Axel drills. By Friday, she was landing an Axel! Tom first takes his students to the goal line to review slow and controlled alternating outside edges using “Barbie” arms and a low “h” free leg moving in unison back (1,2,3) and forth (4,5,6) as if stepping up on a perfectly square box. Tom stresses the importance of
allowing the free foot to only go as far out as it does up or your weight transfer is inefficient. Next, to explain the change of axis, Tom simply says to take the box in your Barbie hands and set it down on the right side of your hip as you jump over the line from forward to backward. This helps the skater to transfer their weight to the right hemisphere of their body. It is also important on the take-off to keep the head looking straight towards the target. Do not turn your head! He also uses little squeaky toys to place over the right ankle to help skaters get their ankles together for a ‘tight and tall’ rotation. Tom’s calm, confident, and methodical system is extremely effective, and one that I intend to replicate. I relished spending time with international coach and singles specialist Peter Biver, who utilizes memorable, often rhyming mantras in order to ingrain skills into the students’ mind. Some include, “fists to wrists,” “tight to the right,” and “elevation before rotation equals a standing ovation”! Peter stresses, “Be a cat! Fight to stay on your feet! Cats always land on their feet! It is a race between your rear end on the ice or your free leg checking out. The number rule of physics in figure skating is to obey the axis! For Axel, elbows and knee are all bent 90 degrees and move straight through like rock ‘em sock ‘em robots, NOT a boxer’s right hook! Don’t open arms until the last second.
Legs release first, then arms.” I loved listening his numerous tips for every jump, from a double-toe loop to a triple Salchow. Peter’s warm, winsome personality energizes his skaters, and makes learning fun. What a blessing to spend several hours with the kindhearted, French champion and Olympic legend Surya Bonaly. Her passionate teaching style was contagious! I took copious notes and videos of her warm-up and jump drills and spin techniques. Surya’s warmup begins with bunny hops down the ice followed by five loops jumps in a row increasing in height and power. She stresses it is imperative to keep the head to the right and right arm checked back on each landing. Press down and quickly pop up for each loop rhythmically. This is a great drill for power and control! I have already used her drills with my own students and have already seen improvement in their lift and power as a result. Despite recovering from a broken ankle, I participated in Sarah France’s off-ice dance classes and on-ice dance lessons. I witnessed as she added Continued on page 29 PS MAGAZINE
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RINKBLAZER
Shannon Damiano
There’s saying you want to keep learning… and then there’s the getting down to the actual business of doing it. Often traveling from Portland with her skaters to California and Colorado to learn from elite coaches, Shannon Damiano gets as much out of the educational experience as they do. “The techniques out there that coaches are using are amazing,” Damiano said. “Immersing myself in how the jumps work and why certain techniques work really motivates me.” Motivation is not in short supply for Damiano, citing Tom Zakrajsek’s book Go for the Goal. “It’s all about specific goal setting,” said the mother of three daughters, ages 25, 27 and 30, one of whom is a judge at the regional level. “Watching skaters making goals and then achieving them is what it’s all about.” The goals of her skaters feed her goals in a continuous cycle: the more Damiano learns, the more ammo her skaters have to achieve their goals and the more education she seeks out. Then there’s this: at 35 years old, and after several years of working on it with Randy Clark, she landed a triple salchow. Mic drop.
Tell me about your path to figure skating. It’s not a traditional path. I started skating as a kid and got to the intermediate level, but then my parents got divorced and I had to stop skating. I ended up being off the ice for 16 years until I had kids and I started taking them to the rink and I began skating again. I always had a fire for skating and the more I coached, the more I loved doing it. Skating as a sport takes great passion – so does coaching. What are you passionate about? Part of it is in the learning. I love the learning aspect of it all—the understanding of jumps and why they work and how to make them better. I love delving into the techniques of elite coaches and the newer techniques that are out there now too. The other part of it is the skaters. I don’t care if they’re young or old or whether it’s a three-turn or a triple— when that lightbulb goes on, that’s what continues to drive me. I understand you really emphasize power… Even at Learn to Skate, making them understand the basics is so important. There’s that saying about “everything I ever needed I learned in kindergarten.” Well, I believe that everything you ever need you learn in Learn to Skate. A
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skater can’t have power without those basic skills. Once they understand that, they usually get why it’s important and why we’re drilling crossovers or whatever. One of my philosophies has been “be brilliant at the basics.” Part of why I like IJS is that the program components make it very easy to coach why these things are important. It’s not just a vague concept of “power makes spins and jumps better.” Power actually earns them real points. I tell them that they have a bucket of sand and if they don’t do the various things that are required, they are just letting sand pour out of their bucket. That’s easy for them to understand.
What do you feel is a key component when it comes to getting kids to the next level where they are qualifying to sectionals or nationals? Actually, I have asked myself that a lot this last year. What I’ve come to is that it’s exposure. I have a juvenile skater who has a triple jump and I think it’s important to get her exposed to elite coaching and experience at big competitions so she sees what’s out there and how it’s done. You are extremely welcoming of other coaches working with your skaters. Not all coaches are as receptive of that. What say you? My philosophy is that if there’s something
By Terri Milner Tarquini
out there that will work to get my skater her Axel, then I want to learn about it. I might have to teach an Axel 20 different ways for a skater to get it, so I want as many different things in my arsenal as possible. Ultimately, it’s never about me. If they’re going to move on or go to them, either that’s on me and something I wasn’t doing or it was time for them to go to that next step because that’s what’s best for them. That really is what it’s all about. I heard Rafael (Arutyuntyan) say once that, back in Russia, he watched all of the coaches, no matter the level, and learned from them all because he said, “They all have students so they must be doing something right.” That really spoke to me. I cannot do everything. I don’t know how many, but there is a large percentage of us that are coaching in smaller areas who are not surrounded by a competitive environment every day. It is so important to go there yourselves with your skaters to learn what’s out there.
The mental aspect of figure skating has gotten more recognition over the years. What do you think is important when it comes to getting a skater to take what they do in practice into competition? One of my favorite books is Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. I talk a lot about mindset with my skaters. I know they’re going to be nervous so we talk through that. When they’re running programs, I tell them, “It all starts here.” Plus, back to the exposure idea, the more they can be in that environment, the better for their mindset. I also really encourage the parents to talk to their kids in a positive way. Ok, that’s the preparation. What do you think is important when it comes to helping a skater when it is time for them to take the ice at a bigger competition? I read the article “Coaching in the Last Few Minutes—Ten Things to Remember”. I’m not teaching them anything in the last five minutes. It might sound funny, but I call myself a security guard when
Joy's Apprenticeship Continued from page 27
it gets to that point. I need to make sure that nothing takes them out of their space bubble. I don’t talk too much, other than a few succinct reminders. Once they take the ice, they know what to do. They have a planned warmup and they might glance at me occasionally to see if I need them, but otherwise they go do their thing. Often, I tell them, “You’re very good at your job. Go do it.”
What is your favorite move to watch when it’s performed really, really well? I love a really great spin that’s just effortless. It just looks so easy and good and like it’s never going to end. I also love a good Axel when it’s big and beautiful. What are your goals with regards to your career? To learn enough and communicate well enough for my skaters to be the best they can be. Even if they don’t stay with me forever, I want to be the best I can for them every day they are with me. And I just want to keep working hard to be able to do that. How would you describe your journey in the skating world so far? A blessing. I feel like I’ve been surrounded by people who have been so supportive and so passionate about skating. Also, as a parent, I feel so blessed that parents would trust me with their children. Down the road of life, what is something you hope your skaters take with them from you? A passion to continue to learn and be the best you can be no matter what you do.
gestures of the head, arms, or shoulder to make even the Dutch Waltz transformed into a thing of elegance and beauty. Sarah, along with Garrett Kling, are wildly talented choreographers and co-led the edge and choreography classes. Their drills develop deep edges, rhythmic knee action, precise foot placement, flow, glide, varied use of power, speed and acceleration, and multidirectional skating. Some of their tips were: “Use reflection in the glass to improve line, posture, and position. Practice smooth acceleration feeling a rise and bend of the skating knee. Work on compound turns for edge quality and quietness. Listen to the way your edges, strokes and turns sound. Is your posture helping or hurting you? Are you upright or leaning forward? Do you feel your core muscles, shoulders and chest helping you look confident and masterful? Skating skills can significantly increase your scores for program components.” From music selection to body movement drills, Sarah and Garrett’s classes were imaginative theatre on ice! All of the coaches displayed their own styles. Robin Petroskey, seven-time senior ladies national competitor, is a masterful free skate technician delivering information with great energy and passion. Carey Tinkelenberg, PSA master rated coach, brings an orderly and effective approach using brilliant word pictures. Aidas Reklys, eight-time Lithuanian national champion and inventor of the PowerTwist, possesses an entire storeroom of drills that are creative and one of a kind. Annette Hickey, spin and choreography specialist, offered me many new spin techniques and drills. Her kind and loving style is sure to develop a love of figure skating in every student. And, international coach and moves in the field specialist Sandra Johansson exposed me to several new ways of teaching moves in the field patterns. Listening to eleven different coaches one-on-one over the course of a week was invaluable. It not only confirmed that my personal teaching methods are sound, but better yet, it exposed me to a plethora of different ways―immeasurably more than I could have asked or imagined―to teach the same element. I am excited to blend these new ingredients from master skating “chefs” to create my own distinctive coaching recipe- one that will add exceptional flavor and flair to my students’ menu of skills and enhance their future careers. Lastly, I would encourage any PSA member who also has an insatiable desire to learn, to apply today for the 2019 Don Laws Apprentice Scholarship. I found it very refreshing to learn new ways of coaching the staples of field moves and jumps. You can start the process today by asking your students, club president, and peers to write you a letter of recommendation, then visit the PSA website to fill out the application. I promise, a week at Shattuck-St. Mary’s will indeed exceed your wildest expectations. Go for it! Application deadline for 2019 Don Laws Apprentice Scholarship is April 1 PS MAGAZINE
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CALENDAR
OF
EVENTS
JANUARY Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
January 6, 2019 Foundations of Coaching Willmar Civic Arena in Willmar, MN 12 PSA credits
Deadline:
December 21, 2018
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
January 21-22, 2019 PSA Rating Site Westin Book Cadillac in Detroit, MI 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken
Deadline:
December 14, 2018
FEBRUARY Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
February 16-17, 2019 Solo Dance Camp Allen Events Center in Allen, TX 10 PSA credits
Deadline:
December 15, 2019
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
February 20, 2019 Northstar FSC Grassroots to Champions Northstar Ice Sports in Westborough, MA 6 PSA credits
Deadline:
January 15, 2019
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
February 22-23, 2019 PSA Rating Site Jacksonville Ice & Sportsplex in Jacksonville, FL 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken
Deadline:
January 5, 2019
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
February 24, 2019 Foundations of Coaching Jacksonville Ice & Sportsplex in Jacksonville, FL 12 PSA credits
Deadline:
February 1, 2019
MARCH
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Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
March 10-11, 2019 PSA Rating Site Fiesta Rancho Casino in Las Vegas, NV 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken
Deadline:
January 11, 2019
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2019
Please visit www.skatepsa.com for the complete Calendar of Events
Classifieds
M A R C H continued Dates: March 11-13, 2019 Event: PSA Ratings Prep Location: Fiesta Rancho Casino and Sobe Ice Arena in Las Vegas, NV Credits: TBD
Deadline:
February 8, 2019
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
March 31, 2019 PSA Hockey Power Skating Clinic Oakton Ice Arena in Park Ridge IL 4 - 6 credits
Deadline:
March 8, 2019
M AY Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
May 20-21, 2019 PSA Rating Sites Hyatt Regency Indian Wells in Palm Springs, CA 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken
Deadline:
March 15, 2019
Professional Performance Apprenticeship – Skate with industry professionals in Florida. • 3-5 day intensive lessons available • Audition preparation (video) • Refined skating • What producers seek • Variable ice size technique & tricks • Performance • Boots/appearance • Production references/affiliations • Touring, contracts • Apprentice with experienced solo artists of: Torvill and Dean, The Ice Capades, Holiday on Ice, The Next Ice Age, Bietak Productions, and Feld Entertainment Contact: shows@iceshows.info
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Dates: May 22-25, 2019 Event: PSA Conference and Trade Show Location: Hyatt Regency Indian Wells in Palm Springs, CA Credits: TBD
Deadline:
April 15, 2019
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