November/December 2020 PS Magazine by Professional Skaters Association

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For the coaches. The Professional Skaters Foundation was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a non-profit, charitable foundation. Visit skatepsa.com for more information.

All contributions are tax-deductible.

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2020

COLUMNS 2

Team PSA

Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

Ratings

SafeSport

FEATURES

| Alex Chang

| Cheryl Faust | U.S. Figure Skating

Sport Science

Education

Coaching Development |

Best Business Practices

| Garrett Lucash

Collaborative Coaching

The Future of Figure Skating Competitions

PSA in the Time of COVID

USOPC: Children Under 10 Years of Age |

| Terri Milner Tarquini

| Kent McDill

2019 PSA Summit

| Carol Rossignol Heidi Thibert

DEPARTMENTS 7 30 32 34

Professional Development Recognition Professional Skaters Foundation New Members PSA Calendar of Events Elizabeth Thornton | Editor/Advertising Amanda Taylor | Art Director

Find, Friend, Follow

Issue No 6 |

Cover photo by Ihor Dvoretskyi on Unsplash | Central Park, NY

WWW.SKATEPSA.COM

PS MAGAZINE

PSA OFFICERS President First Vice President Second Vice President Third Vice President Treasurer Past President

Team PSA As we start to find our way forward and navigate the return to coaching, collaborating with other professionals is more important than ever. You may have noticed the PSA marketing and education theme for the season is Team PSA. Teams are what help PSA exist; we could not offer events, education, or accreditation without the work of many different teams. PSA teams include staff, Board of Governors, committees, rating examiners, volunteers, and you- our members. We value you as a member of Team PSA and we are committed to providing the tools you need to succeed in your coaching career. One thing we have in our team toolbox is the ability to learn from and network with other PSA members and coaches. We all have something to share or teach others. What can you teach the coaches in your rink? What tips can you learn from others? We challenge you to collaborate with your colleagues to share your expertise.

PSA BOARD OF GOVERNORS West Mid-West East Members at Large

Committee on Professional Standards Ratings Chair Events Chair ISI Rep to PSA U.S. Figure Skating Rep to PSA PSA Rep to U.S. Figure Skating Conference Chairs Executive Director COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards Coaches Hall of Fame Education Accelerated Coaching Partnerships Area Representatives Hockey Skating Sport Science Endorsements Executive Executive Nominating Finance Nominating Professional Standards PSA Rep to ISI Ratings Adaptive Skating

Alex Chang Rebecca Stump Tim Covington Denise Williamson Carol Murphy Christine Fowler-Binder Phillip Mills Michelle Lauerman Andrea Kunz-Williamson Patrick O'Neil Cheryl Faust Janet Tremer Derrick Delmore Tom Zakrajsek Phillip DiGuglielmo Kelley Morris Adair Cheryl Faust Patrick O'Neil Jane Schaeber Kirsten Miller Zisholz Kelley Morris Adair Rebecca Stump Tim Covington Jimmie Santee

Andrea Kunz-Williamson Christine Fowler-Binder Rebecca Stump Phillip Mills Debbie Jones Gloria Leous Jordan Mann Heidi Thibert Jimmie Santee Alex Chang Christine Fowler-Binder Carol Murphy Christine Fowler-Binder Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Cheryl Faust Mary Johanson

PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES Area Area Area Area Area Area Area Area Area

Everyone has something to share.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Martha Harding Kimberlie Wheeland Andrea Kunz-Williamson Jill Stewart Angela Roesch-Davis Maude White Nicole Gaboury Melanie Bolhuis Lisa Bardonaro-Reibly

Area Area Area Area Area Area Area Area

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Francesca Supple Charmin Savoy Roxanne Tyler Liz Egetoe Marylill Elbe Tiffany McNeil Russ Scott Stacie Kuglin

DISCLAIMER: Written byÂ 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 6, 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 ÂŠ 2020 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.

NAL D TIO A

COACHES O

C E L E B R AT E COACH

C T O B E R

Coaches, we are here for you. Please consult our COVID-19 webpage at www.skatepsa.com for more information and resources to help guide you through these trying times. • Latest updates from PSA • Links to various government resources for assistance, loans, and other economic programs

Coaches

• PSA "Coaching Forward" and "Safe at Home" Webinar Series – free recordings at PSA TV • PSA Virtual Membership meeting discussing concerns on PSA TV

THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO

• Many more valuable links to resources

Save the Date!

February 12-14, 2021 Solar4America Ice at San Jose Test & Entry Deadline: December 1 • skateisi.org

PS MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Alex Chang, MFS, RM

Team PSA – Your Team, Your Dream, and Your Pathway… D

ear friends and fellow coaches,

On behalf of your PSA family, I extend a hug, a smile, and a reminder to all of our members about the value you bring and the resilience you have shown in these unprecedented times. Another two months have passed since our last issue of PS Magazine and all of us have had to regroup, refocus, and reprioritize our season’s goals. My last article spoke about framing probabilities and recognizing the good as well as the bad – a ‘mindfulness’ reminder to forgive ourselves and those around us for being less than perfect. Today, I write you about the power of Teamwork and the power of Team PSA—yes, your team to support you in all your coaching aspirations and skating dreams. Remember, one season will not define us and with planning, follow through, and a large dose of patience, anything is still achievable. We sometimes have to refocus the lens and ask ourselves, ‘what can I do this season that will benefit me the next season and lay down the foundation for my success moving forward?’ This season is the perfect season to pause, reflect, refine, and re-frame. When we re-frame and re-define ‘success’ beyond the immediate, we can begin to see and appreciate all the lessons we learn from struggle, from challenge, from adaptation, and from change. As an association, the PSA must always hold our core values while adapting to a changing world to best serve you, our members. I think that we, as coaches, also hold our core values while adapting our coaching practices to best serve our skaters. You see, it is the same for the association as it is for our members because we are of the membership, all working together as a Team to help elevate each other and share our knowledge and experience. I write you today to remind you that your team, Team PSA, is working diligently and deliberately to recast our educational offerings, our mentorships and programs, our certifications, our exams, and our events to provide a pathway for your professional development. This plan is our Grand Education Plan (GEP for short), and the pandemic has in a way forced us to adopt many GEP strategies faster than we thought possible.

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An integral part of the GEP meant re-imagining and re-structuring many of our signature programs and events and to meet you where you are, in your homes… virtually. Following the success of our very first Virtual Summit in May 2020, we launched our first Virtual Rating Exam Site in July and September 2020, and we will continue hosting these nearly every month until the next PSA Summit in 2021. Additionally, we will be hosting a Virtual Foundations of Coaching College (FCC) beginning in November 2020, as well as our first Virtual Ratings Prep in March 2021. Not only are we offering a virtual format for many programs, but we have also re-imagined these programs to create a more impactful user experience. For instance, the Virtual FCC is expanded from the previous one-day live format to a 14-week virtual format for a more immersive experience. We know that change doesn’t happen overnight, and education takes time to absorb and apply, so the multi-week format of the reimagined FCC will facilitate better learning, discussion, and practical application.

"An integral part of the GEP meant re-imagining and re-structuring many of our signature programs and events and to meet you where you are, in your homes… virtually.”

We look forward to continuing to serve you and hope you are able to enjoy the new PSA offerings and programs for 2020 and 2021. Yours in skating,

Find our amazing educational content with improved functionality at PSA TV. free trial | free content | videos for purchase | subscription

RATINGS Cheryl Faust MFS, MM

Pack Your Bags for a Ratings Journey! Y

ou may be stuck at home but you can still plan your ratings journey! Pack your education bag with drawings, walk-throughs, and periodization plans. Do your homework, set your goals, ask us questions, and let’s do this! The world has quickly become smaller. Through Zoom and other video conferencing applications, we can now meet each other in our living rooms. Rather than having to travel to PSA Seminars, Ratings Prep, and sit in lessons with a master coach, you can now do all of this in the comfort of your own home! Your first stop in your journey is PSA TV. If you haven’t signed up for PSA TV yet, you need to do so right away. When I begin my ratings journey I traveled all over the country to attend seminars with World and Olympic coaches. On PSA TV, we bring all of this information right to you. Our library is chock-full of fantastic information to help you not only further your education but make you a better coach and in turn produce better athletes.

program is specifically designed to help candidates understand the ratings process and prepare for exam questions. Take the next right turn to...all your old issues of PS Magazine. There are articles on technique and coaching tips from our top coaches. Past issues are available on the PSA website and on the ISSUU mobile app. Take the next left turn to...print out the free study guide on our website and work through the questions based on all of the information you have compiled. You have reached your destination...you are now ready to become a PSA rated coach! Keep an eye on the online calendar of events for future Virtual Rating Sites. As always please reach out to me with any questions you may have. I am here to help!

Next stop...is our Accelerated Coaching Partnership (formally known as the Apprentice Program). This program provides an opportunity for coaches to learn from master coaches within each discipline. It is a wonderful way to connect to a network of master coaches who are ready and willing to help people like you. Take the next exit to...Ratings Prep. We are working to bring you a Virtual Ratings Prep event in the spring. This

Hot diggity dog! Congratulations to the following Master Rated Coaches! Katherine Jaessing — Master Group Andria Kelling — Master Group Caitlin Ramsey — Master Group Tommy Steenberg — Master Moves

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PROF ESSI O N AL D EV E LO PM E N T

September Virtual Ratings William Anderson RPD, CPD Jacqueline Benson CG, CC Jason Chase RG Tara Denkers SM Alexandra Gerday RM, RG Ashley Hecht RG Naomi Jehly CM Lindsay Johnston RFS Stephanie Kuban RFS, RM Inna Kuznetsova RFS Kelsey Listerman RM

Basic Accreditation (BA) Claire Lonergan RFS, RM, RG Tara Lorenz SM, RC Michelle Meyer CFS, RM Madeleine Newby-Estrella CG, RC Mary Nguyen RFS, RM Alyssa Reder-Judnick SM Stephanie Siswick CPD, SPD Tommy Steenberg SM Dana Tang RFS, SM Alice L. Wentworth CG

Marlin Arevalo Kelly Dalebout-Cassity Hailey Miller Marisa Ruiz DiCicco Allison Johnston Brenna Greco Jessica Hilton Katherine Erickson Sydney Byrd Christi Ussery Madison Werner

Hockey Skating 1 Jennifer Cuchia Jeanine Johnson Sara Quick Felicity Lothrop Donna Jordan

Katherine Erickson Claire Lonergan

Hockey Skating 2 Courtney Gill Donna Jordan

The ratings committe and examiners have been working hard behind the scenes to prepare and execute our virtual rating events. Thank you to everyone for their efforts!

Claire Lonergan

If you are interested in validating your skating skills and teaching experience, visit skatepsa.com to learn about the PSA Rating System. A rated coach is an assurance that this individual is qualified to instruct at the level in which they are rated regardless of personal background and skating achievement. PS MAGAZINE

What Constitutes Misconduct? B Y : U . S . F I G U R E S K AT I N G ’ S S A F E S P O R T T E A M

his guide is intended to help members and parents understand the definitions of the various forms of misconduct along with the difference between misconduct and a rude or unprofessional behavior. More information about each form of misconduct can be found in U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport Program Handbook. Questions about these definitions and reporting can be directed to safesport@usfigureskating.og. If you witness, suspect, or are otherwise made aware of misconduct that poses an imminent threat to a person’s safety or wellbeing, notify your local law enforcement agency immediately.

Physical Misconduct Physical misconduct, which includes threats of physical harm, intentionally causes (or has the potential to cause) a person bodily harm or personal injury. This includes intentional hitting, forcing a painful stance/position for no athletic purpose, withholding, recommending against or denying hydration or nutrition, and prescribed dieting or weight-control without or against the recommendation of a medical professional. Physical misconduct is not an accidental collision (either on or off the ice) or physical conditioning that does not cause harm and is intended to benefit a person’s athletic performance or physical condition. If a member threatens physical harm, intends to cause physical harm, or succeeds in causing physical harm to another, report this to U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport Program. If an accidental collision occurs on the ice that could have been avoided by utilizing ice etiquette guidelines or if a person doesn’t agree with the effectiveness of practices/conditioning exercises, it is recommended that this is reported to the club’s leadership or skating director.

Emotional Misconduct Emotional misconduct is a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that have the potential to cause emotional and/or psychological harm to another person. This includes a pattern of verbal attacks such as insults, a pattern of aggressive behaviors such as throwing objects to intimidate, deliberately ignoring a person for an extended period of time or routinely/arbitrarily excluding a person from practice or team/club related activities. If a pattern

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of belittling, verbally attacking and intimidation can be shown, the misconduct should be reported to U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport program. This includes instances where a person has left a club/coach/program due to consistent maltreatment. Personality differences, eye rolling or other physical displays of annoyance and periodic rude/mean comments that do not escalate to a pattern of behavior are not considered to be emotional misconduct. Situations of unprofessionalism and rude behaviors should be reported to the club’s leadership or the skating director as they are in the best position to respond to the concerns.

Bullying, Threats, Harassment Bullying, threats and harassment can be written, verbal, physical or digitally transmitted expressions. Bullying involves an intentional, persistent or repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation, or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish or isolate another person emotionally, physically or sexually. Situations of persistent bullying, threats or harassment should be reported to U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport Program. Being called a mean or rude term infrequently is not considered bullying, but should be reported to a club or program’s leadership to be addressed.

Sexual Misconduct As a reminder, all reports of sexual misconduct must be reported to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Sexual misconduct includes unwelcome sexual advances, verbal or physical aggressions or hostility based on gender or sexual orientation, and requests for sexual acts. Members are encouraged to learn more about what may constitute sexual misconduct by reviewing the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Code which can be found on their website under the “Response and Resolution” tab. If you have questions about whether an act constitutes sexual misconduct, you are encouraged to contact the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

SPORT SCIENCE Garrett Lucash, RFS, RM

Emotions and the Athletic Experience BY G E R A L D R E I D, P H . D.

A message from Garrett Lucash — Sport Science Committee Chair | Passion probably sounds like a strange word to apply to science, but we hear about the “passion for sport” all the time. In my case, passion applies to both sport and science. My insatiable curiosity in the sciences behind sport was awakened by the experiences I had in different training environments as an athlete. I wondered: Why am I being trained in this way? What could be better? Do the common conceptions of teaching and learning in figure skating exist in other sports or are they different? Then I started to read. I started with what are known as ‘pop science’ books – books written by journalists that take an idea or concept and weave it into an intriguing story. From ‘pop science’ I dove into the fascinating world of sport science research literature—the textbooks and journal articles in domains ranging from genetics, to motor skill acquisition, athlete development, nutrition, psychology, cognition, and even sports management. Over the years, I’ve read, highlighted, written notes, and re-read thousands of sport science publi-

ake a moment to think about a particular skater who you believe has the physical talent, technical skills, and/ or overall ability to perform better and more consistently than they currently demonstrate. What do you believe is the issue that interferes with this skater performing to their potential? You may have generated several ideas already and your responses as a coach may be perfectly reasonable and effective for improving performance. If the skater is not focused enough, you direct their attention to what they need to focus on. If the skater lacks confidence, you pump them up with positive encouragement. If the skater does not try hard enough, you make goals for them to achieve and hold their feet to the fire until the goals are reached. If the skater looks confused, you give them better feedback and instruction. You may have even recruited a sport psychology consultant to engage the skater in learning and developing mental skills, such as developing a pre-performance routine, visualization scripts, or goals to mentally prepare for practice and performances. Perhaps you have incorporated breathing and mindfulness techniques to aid with relaxation and focus. Problem solved and performance improved. However, this is not the case for everyone. Sometimes athletes, even those with all of the potential in the world, do not respond the way others may hope. Sometimes athletes have emotional barriers to their

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cations, engaged endless discussions with sport science researchers, to now writing my own work. My desire is to share those discoveries and applications with you, my fellow PSA coaches. I hope to encourage you all to dig deeper beyond the ‘pop science’ and to immerse yourselves within the research literature to develop your coaching skills. I’m grateful and I’m honored by the opportunity to serve PSA, and this is a heartfelt thank you note to all who believe in me and a promise to engageeach of you in a passion for sport science as well. Please write to me with your ideas, your feedback, and your questions at: garrett@acskating.com. I’d love to hear from you. In this month’s article Dr. Gerald Reid explains the benefit of realizing that there may be emotional barriers hidden deep within our athletes that may interfere with motor performance. Emotions play a vital role in the motor skill acquisition process and the development of physical abilities such as strength or power.

performance existing ‘beneath the surface’ that need to be addressed in ways that are beyond coaching strategies and mental skills training. I will explain how coaches can recognize emotions experienced by their skaters, the impact of emotions, and how to respond. There are considered to be several universal basic emotional states which include sadness, fear, anger, joy, and disgust. Other nuanced emotional states include guilt, shame or embarrassment, resentment, disappointment, comfort, pride, etc. Athletes can experience any one of these emotions at different times, for different reasons, and with different intensity levels. Coaches can turn to resources like www.atlasofemotions.com to reflect on how certain emotions can be triggered and the response tendencies of individuals experiencing a particular emotion. Coaches can look for clues as to what their skater’s underlying emotional experiences might be. Look beyond the words and actions of the skaters, without taking them at face value. For instance, one skater’s experience with the frustration of failure can lead to healthy motivation to work harder and correct mistakes while another skater’s frustration could be a source of overly critical self-hatred, rumination, and even shame. Both athletes may appear to be working hard following failure, but with vastly different emotions driving their behavior. The former skater may gradually improve while

the latter may self-destruct or even eventually burnout from emotional exhaustion. In such a case, coaches can observe and listen to the themes that are apparent when interacting with the skater to identify underlying emotional states. Do particular words they use imply an intensely self-critical tone? Does the skater appear to obsess over certain things in a way that seems excessive or unnecessary? Do they resist positive encouragement or neglect acknowledgment of their progress? Does body language suggest they are ashamed and subtly hiding from confronting you? Do they often seem preoccupied with their thoughts and need to get ‘out of their head’? Looking for such clues can be helpful particularly in cases when athletes are not vocal or direct about their emotional experiences, or when they conceal emotions. Another example would be two skaters who worry prior to their performance. One skater may interpret the worry as a healthy, normal, and helpful reminder to focus on the task at hand, while the other may interpret the worry as a signal that they are doomed to fail. The latter experience with worry can lead to excessive muscle tenseness and distraction; not good for performance or the overall experience of competing. Again, coaches can try to gauge emotional states by looking for clues through their interactions and observations with skaters. For instance, some individuals become irritable and grouchy when worried. Rather than admit to themselves or others that they are actually worried, they may mask the worry with anger toward others, or even themselves. They may even act pompous and cocky as a way to mask their underlying insecurities. Coaches, among others like family and peers, may give so much attention to the skater’s unpleasant behavioral issues (e.g., acting out, being snappy or grouchy, sense of entitlement) that the underlying anxiety may actually go unnoticed and unaddressed. Similarly, sometimes worried individuals’ minds become disorganized, distracted, and unable to process information clearly and efficiently. Instead of simply treating them like they are ‘scatterbrained’, it can help to identify if there is underlying worry driving their chaotic demeanor. On the other hand, those who are chronically disorganized may become overwhelmed and worried as a byproduct of the stress that comes with being disorganized. Additionally, some worried individuals ask for excessive amounts of reassurance from others because they are uneasy and nervous about the uncertainty relative to how the future will turn out or how they will perform. Instead of learning to trust in themselves, they may bombard others with questions as a way to reduce their worry. Another example of emotions playing a role in athletic performance is when skaters grapple with sadness and loss about aspects of life they may be missing out on due to the

sacrifices that come with elite athletics. Skaters can react to such emotions with reduced intensity and commitment during practices and competitions. Additionally, sometimes outside emotional challenges can be taken onto the ice, such that the skater seems ‘off’ for no apparent reason. Coaches can provide opportunities to check in with athletes in a non-judgmental manner, which can go a long way. Something as simple as labeling what you are observing (e.g., “It seems like you are thinking a lot and even distracted anytime you make a mistake.” “It seems like you are not acting yourself before competitions.”) and asking open questions like, “How are you feeling?”, “What’s going through your mind?”, or “Has something felt different recently?” can make a difference in raising awareness of emotional experiences. Some skaters may or may not be ready or willing to share their emotional experiences, which should be respected either way. If there are persistent clues that a skater’s struggle on the ice may be due to emotional challenges, they can be introduced to two options: 1) engage with a sport psychology consultant to learn mental skills to see if that would help, or 2) A referral to a licensed mental health counselor or psychologist, particularly one who has training and experience with sport psychology, who can help the athlete to better understand their emotions, process their experiences, and have more nuanced and individualized support and strategies to address and regulate their emotions. It can be especially helpful for coaches to destigmatize the experience of talking with a professional who has expertise and skills to help. Coaches can acknowledge that sometimes athletes can feel misunderstood by others because they do not have the time or opportunity to have authentic and non-filtered dialogue about their true feelings; or, that others like family, friends, and coaches, even with good intentions, can be ineffective in helping athletes to truly deal with emotional challenges in ways outside of providing encouragement or telling them to ‘toughen up’. Sometimes parents of skaters (among others) may not know what to do to help, or can even become anxious themselves when seeing the skater emotionally upset, leading to conflict or additional distress. Reasons like this can be used as a rationale to explain why it can be helpful to sit down to talk with a professional — someone who has no biases and has the skills and expertise to work through their emotional experiences. Gerald Reid, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice (Dr. Gerald M. Reid, LLC), located in Boston, MA. Dr. Reid provides sport psychology consultation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). In addition to his private practice, Dr. Reid holds a part-time faculty position at Boston University and Suffolk University where he teaches graduate and doctorallevel courses.

PS MAGAZINE

ollaborative oaching

By Ter r i Mi l n er Ta rq u i ni

here is power in numbers. “Paying attention to coaching trends, not only in the U.S., but the world, it’s obvious that a team approach to coaching is what is happening,” said Derrick Delmore, a 22-year coach of regional, sectional, national, international, World and Olympic competitors who currently sits on the PSA Board of Governors. “Every successful skater has a team behind them. Even if there is only one person at the boards, there are definitely other coaches who helped get that skater there.” The marketing and education theme for the 2020-2021 season is

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Team PSA, promoting collaboration among coaches—and Delmore is proof the approach works. “When I first started coaching, I was still competing on the East Coast,” said Delmore, who has served as head coach for skaters on the U.S., China, Great Britain, Hong Kong and Singapore international teams; and has coached multiple U.S. National Medalists. “At the time I began coaching and the area I was in, team coaching was definitely more of an exception than the norm. I tried to do it all myself—off-ice training, moves in the field, music editing, choreography, jumps, spins, and on

and on – because that’s how I learned to coach from my coaches. While I’m grateful to have had experience with a broad range of coaching skills, as the sport has progressed and become much more difficult and specialized, it is impossible for one coach to do everything, especially if they have multiple students.” While Delmore works with many different coaching teams, his core circle is Peter Kongkasem, Ivan Dinev, Angela Nikodinov, and Anastasia Sharenkova. The team coaches at The RinksLakewood in southern California and draws strength from each its individuals:

<< Peter Kongkasem, Starr Andrews, and Derrick Delmore after the Ladies’ Long Program at the 2020 World Junior Championships

Delmore is a World Junior champion and competed at 18 consecutive U.S. Figure Skating Championships and was a member of the U.S. International Team for 14 years Kongkasem competed internationally for Thailand and is a two-time U.S. national medalist, an international medalist and world competitor Dinev is a three-time Grand Prix medalist, an 11-time Bulgarian national champion and three-time Olympian Nikodinov is a two-time U.S. Figure Skating Championships medalist, a three-time World Figure Skating Championships competitor and is a Four Continents and Skate America gold medalist Sharenkova, who worked with Dinev and Nikodinov during their competitive careers, is a European champion in rhythmic sport gymnastics, who Delmore says focuses on agility skills, program enhancement, and off-ice “We are definitely all from different backgrounds,” Delmore said, “which I do think can go a long way in relating to skaters on a multitude of levels. We have a lot of diversity and everyone draws on their own backgrounds to coach.” Dinev and Nikodinov, married since 2008 and winners of the PSA President’s Excellence Award in 2019, and Delmore and Kongkasem, have a long history, having even competed during a similar timeframe, while Sharenkova rounded out the team five years ago. “We’ve collaborated together for so many years that we know how each of us works and what value each one of us can bring to each skater,” Delmore said. “Loyalty gives us real security as a team. We can be ourselves, be straight-forward and communicate without beating around the bush.” Confidence in what you and your fellow coaches can bring to the table

>> Peter Kongkasem, Derrick Delmore, Anastasia Sharenkova, Ivan Dinev, and Singaporean World Junior competitor Chadwick Wang pose for a picture after practice

can be valuable in a multitude of ways. “Sometimes coaches can get superprotective of their athletes and are concerned another coach is going to come in and steal their business. Of course, this can be a valid concern, especially in a time of financial strife like many are experiencing now,” Delmore said. “It’s really important to take a long-term view: If we can all work as a group, the benefits multiply. The door can open so you’re not just working with your 10 skaters, but

Ivan Dinev, Peter Kongkasem, Angela Nikodinov, and Derrick Delmore enjoy some time together outside of the rink at a colleague’s wedding in 2015 Ivan Dinev, Peter Kongkasem, Angela Nikodinov, and Derrick Delmore heading to Junior Ladies practice at the 2017 US Figure Skating Championships >>

you’re also working with the other coach’s 10 skaters. You have the ability to help so many more athletes. We work with about 50 skaters per week; there is no way any one of us could do that on our own.” The team works side-by-side developing high-level talent through LA Elite Ice, a competitive training camp, located at the Lakewood facility. “It’s important to have a directing coach for each skater, but sometimes that takes a little time to figure out

PS MAGAZINE

Peter Kongkasem, Sebastien Payannet, and Derrick Delmore pose for a picture after practice at The Rinks Lakewood Ice.

who is the best fit,” Delmore said. “Our whole team will be there for every skater and we all have the technical expertise, but it’s important to discover who is best at competition time with each particular skater and knows what final words to say as they leave the boards.” Determining which coach is running lead is an important piece of the collaborative coaching puzzle— and one that is vital to success. “Even if there’s been a discussion amongst the team with differing viewpoints, there needs to be a person making the final decision,” Delmore said. “Sometimes people can think that team coaching can lead to ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’—identifying who has the final say can help

nullify that potential problem and lead to a lot less confusion with the skater and the parents and it helps the coaching team know where the responsibilities lie.” For coaches reticent to warm up to collaborative coaching, taking a bigger-picture look is advisable. “Be open to the idea,” Delmore said. “Be willing to communicate with other coaches. Get past your own insecurities. Check your ego at the door. Realize in the end that it is beneficial in every way—expanded education, finances, personal fulfillment and, eventually, success. It is good for you as a coach, good for the skater and good for the sport.”

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Skate to a brighter future. Skate to great. Figure skating teaches you the agility and focus to handle every twist and turn of life. Get started today, visit LearnToSkateUSA.com

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EDUCATION Carol Rossignol, MD, MS, MG, MPD, MFF

How We Learn Motor Skills— The Stages (Phases) of Learning T

he stages of learning are important concepts coaches must understand as they teach motor learning and performance to athletes. We want our athletes to perform their jumps, spins, and steps without thinking about them and automatically do them. What is learning? The psychology definition is “the modification of behavior through practice, training, or experience” or the “process of acquiring knowledge or skill”. It is a relatively permanent change that is the result of experience. The “change” is being able to go from a state of not being able to perform a skating skill to performing the skill proficiently. The “experience” is required for changes through training and coaching. When I went to school, which was a long time ago, I learned there were three stages or phases of learning – cognitive (introductory), associative (developmental), and automatic (mastery). Present day learning theory references four stages of motor skill acquisition – the fourth being enhancement. Some theorists believe there is a fifth stage as well—reflection. In this article, we will focus on the first four stages of learning, also known as the Four Stages of Competence. Understanding the stages of learning that the athlete goes through can help you become a more effective coach. We can compare it to learning how to skate forward, which is one of the first motor skills we learn in skating. We had to march before we could glide. It was difficult as a beginning athlete, yet, now you find it easy or have even forgotten how you learned it in the first place. Let’s examine the four stages and their implications for effective coaching. The journey is the experience of going through the stages of learning. Knowing what the goal is before the athlete starts the journey is important. Before beginning the journey, athletes need to see what mastery requires and have a picture in their mind of what the skill is and looks like.

Stage 1: Introductory (Understanding or Cognitive Phase) In stage 1, the athlete doesn’t know what he or she doesn’t know. The athlete (learner) does not have the skill or knowledge yet. Demonstration and instruction are critical at this stage. The athlete tries to understand the task and what it demands. This is a trial and error stage where correct

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responses from you as the coach are retained and incorrect responses are eliminated. Use verbalization to assist with learning like simple action or key words (e.g. “glide”, “pop”, “spring”, “stroke”.) The athlete is getting “the feel” of the skill. A high number of repetitions are necessary at this stage. The coach needs patience in this stage as it can be potentially frustrating. Adults, in particular, need a lot of understanding and knowledge in this stage, whereas young children may imitate the action without understanding. Remember, everyone learns differently. Use all three styles of learning- visual, auditory, and tactile (kinesthetic)- as these cues and responses will later become automatic. Coaching Tips: • Do not over-teach at this stage. Start simple and layer information. • Give clear and concise instructions. Observe the athlete and give assistance as required to avoid learning incorrect movements. • Use positive, effective, and informative feedback during practice. • Use skills and drills/exercises for effective learning. The drills must fit the movement pattern. • Skill progressions are a helpful guide.

Stage 2: Developmental (Associative Phase) In this stage, we will see an improvement in performance of the skill. The goal is for errors to gradually decrease and for movement patterns to become predictable and stable. Cues and strategies are important here. Errors might still appear, but correct movements become more consistent and recognizable. The athlete must have knowledge of the correct movement of each body part and how and when to execute the movement. This is crucial for the success of the skill. For example, in a Salchow jump, how and when to move the free leg is an important instruction for the coach to give the athlete to achieve a quality jump. After focusing on learning individual movements and their timing, the athlete develops a “feel” for the correctness of the whole skill. Subsequently, they can start to self-evaluate their skill. This phase can last from a few hours to years for some complex skills. We know that relearning a skill takes much longer than learning it correctly in the beginning. Some coaches

struggle with correcting errors and are better at teaching it correctly in the first place. Conversely, other coaches are more skilled at fixing movements or bad habits. Understanding cognitive theory and taking a cognitive approach will help you effectively do both. Coaching Tips: • Practice in a controlled environment is most important. • Use video analysis, as it is highly effective at this stage. • Look at each body part and identify what it does or doesn’t do to contribute to the skill. • Know the timing of each body part. • View the skill from different angles and viewpoints to see errors more clearly.

Stage 3: Mastery (Automatic Phase) In the mastery phase, performance becomes consistent (8 out of 10 attempts). The muscle actions do not need a lot of thought. Skills resemble “reflexes” and they are more automatic. The skill will have the “correct” feel and the athlete will have high self-confidence in performing it. There is no need for excessive analyzing or self-talk here. The athlete considers the whole movement and not the separate parts. They think of the Axel or double Axel jump as a whole and not the separate parts – waltz jump, back spin, loop jump. Too much thinking can result in “paralysis through analysis”. Coaching Tips: • Imagery is helpful at this stage. This is a psychological skill where the brain creates an ideal mental image of the skill. It is also called visualization. • There is always room for improvement. • Any corrective tips should be brief and specific.

Stage 4: Enhancement In the fourth stage of learning, the athlete knows the skill so well he doesn’t even realize he is doing to it. It’s fully automatic like riding a bike. The athlete knows the skill so well that the value of the skill raises to a higher degree; it is enhanced. For example, the bike is ridden with no hands, or the triple Lutz is rotated with arms overhead, or a difficult entry into a spin is performed with ease. The skill is so embedded that the athlete doesn’t even need to process what they are doing. The skill has been achieved many, many times, and the movements have become refined and automatic. This enables the coach and the athlete to add difficulty to the skill by adding a modification or a flourish. In this way, they can enhance their performance. Coaching Tips: • Only enhance skills that have been mastered. • Skills can be enhanced by speed, height, distance, body position, arm and free leg position, difficult entry or exit, combinations, etc.

Factors that Facilitate Learning • There are many things that the coach can do to help facilitate and promote learning. • Understand past experiences affect a person’s rate of learning • Provide a positive, safe, and enjoyable environment with minimal distractions • Strength, flexibility, and other physical qualities must be developed appropriately in relation to the skill to be learned • Short practice periods, repeated often, are more effective than lengthy ones, especially for younger athletes • Making the material interesting, fun, and meaningful to the athlete ensures more rapid learning and attentiveness i.e. using the skill in a game • Immediate positive and informative feedback helps to change results • When the athlete is motivated, whether internally or externally, learning is faster • Small group classes are more successful than when the group is large and the athlete does not get individual feedback to assist in the learning • The more success or satisfaction that the athlete gains, the quicker the progress • The more prepared the coach, the more likely the athletes will experience success • One skill builds upon other skills – waltz jump to Axel • Keep in mind that different athletes will be at different stages • Pictures are worth a thousand words – young children may learn faster with good visualization or demonstrations • Imagery training can be done before, during, and after practices The emotional state of the athlete is a big factor that affects learning, especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic. The athlete may be experiencing much more stress than normal. You, as the coach, are also probably experiencing more stress than normal. Asking questions to assess the athlete’s emotional state gives the coach helpful information for facilitating an effective training session. Make a meaningful connection with the athlete and help them feel welcome to learn first. In a group class, spend some time with each athlete and give them some individual attention. Remember, a connection comes before content, and time spent connecting to your athletes is never wasted. Understanding the stages of learning and the mental state of your athlete at each lesson can help you be more effective. References: “The Four Stages of Learning” by Sarah Lugo “Applying Educational Psychology in Coaching Athletes” by Jeffrey Huber “Coaching Theory Level One” National Coaching Certification Program published by the Coaching Association of Canada 1988 “NCCP Level 1 Figure Skating Technical Manual” by Canadian Figure Skating Association 1980

PS MAGAZINE

The Future of Figure Skating Competitions and the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series

By Terri Milner Tarquini heavy question weighing on figure skating: What is it going to take to go from nationwide rink closures to in-person competitions amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has gone on far longer than most anticipated? Changes. Adaptability. Understanding. Information. All of those things in spades. “Your on-site experience at competition is going to look a lot different,” said Mia Corsini, Director of Events for U.S. Figure Skating. “Your schedule will be intricate, including arrival times, pre-scheduled off-ice warm-up and limited practice ice. But, at the end of the day, we know this is what it takes to host the safest competition possible.” Changing the look of competitions was part of the coronavirus-response machine that kicked into gear many months ago. “We have been scenario planning since March,” Corsini said. “When the ISU World Figure Skating and Synchronized Skating Championships were cancelled, we had to realize, ‘This is happening.’ We have been prepared for the worst-case scenario for a while. The hope was that we wouldn’t have to go there and that we could regain a sense of normalcy, but we realized in July that our regularly scheduled season wasn’t going to happen.” What is happening is the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series presented by Toyota, a reimagined qualifying season that, in place of regional and sectional competitions, has eight geographically diverse locations with skaters allowed to compete in up to two of any of the competitions, regardless of where they live or train. The locations were determined through a heat map exercise that pinpointed athletes based on their home address data, thereby identifying the most

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accessible locations. “We surveyed the coaches and athletes and, overwhelmingly, the response was that they wanted to compete in person,” Corsini said. “However, with rink re-openings looking so different, many skaters are not yet training up to the usual amount. Pushing the structure back allows for the coach and the athlete to choose what works best for them.” The Championship Series runs from November 9-December 6 and will determine advancement to the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships and assignment to the 2021 National High-Performance Development Team. “I think we all thought that rinks would reopen sooner than they did,” said Bob Dunlop, Senior Director of Events for U.S. Figure Skating. “Really, all of our discussions kept having to go back to the coaches and asking them, ‘How long will it take to get your athletes safely back to where they need to be?’ We didn’t want to lose a whole season, so, yes, the qualifying season is pushed back, but it’s happening.” Oh, it’s happening all right. A whopping 900 skaters registered for the Championship Series in the first 24 hours after registration went live. “Up until then, it was all just surveying and asking what skaters and coaches wanted,” Corsini said. “Then registration opened, and those numbers poured in. It verified that what we thought they wanted was, indeed, what they did want.” While non-qualifying competitions have begun again and the qualifying series is right around the corner, the face of figure skating events has a different look. “The competition environment now looks a lot like a synchronized skating competition schedule,”

“A whopping 900 skaters registered for the Championship Series in the first 24 hours after registration went live.” Corsini said. “Arrival, departure, off-ice warm-ups, controlled movements of coaches and chaperones —everything is really timed out to the minute. Currently, the plan is for no spectators, but we will live stream the Championship Series.” Since March, the pandemic and its accompanying fallout has proved to be quickly evolving and each locality can be very different in its response and mandatory guidelines. As such, it has never been more vital for coaches to be aware of what requirements are in place for each competition. “We know coaches have a lot on their plates, with the usual technical updates and training their athletes and rink reopening procedures and everything else, but they need to be really aware of the new criteria,” Dunlop said. “And it’s really important that they inform the parents and explain to them that there are a lot of changes—and this is not the rink making these decisions, it’s the local guidelines and they need to be followed. It’s up to the coaches to let the parents know what they are walking into so they can be prepared and have the best experience possible.” Extra vigilance on the coach’s part is especially important now more than ever because competitions even in different neighboring counties could have very different procedures based on their local government. “We are doing our best to keep it standardized as much as possible, but the experiences will likely be different from competition to competition and from place to place,” Dunlop said. “We are working with figure skating rinks around the country. We need to all be committed to the safety of the athletes, coaches, judges, and rink staff by utilizing state and local guidelines.” While virtual competitions have been conducted,

the feedback from skaters and coaches for in-person competitions was overwhelming and the message was clear: The goal is not to upload videos; the goal is to get back out and compete. “We were forced as a sport to react, so we asked and listened,” Dunlop said. “What we kept hearing over and over was that there needs to be hope. Step one was returning to the rink. Step two was returning to competitions. Taking these steps will help give back a sense of normalcy to our sport.” The ISU World Figure Skating Championships, scheduled for March in Montreal, was cancelled due to COVID concerns, making it only the second time the event has been cancelled for something other than a World War—the first being the Sabena flight 548 plane crash. “It’s too early to tell if there will be lasting impacts on the sport, but through a negative time, some real positives could occur,” Dunlop said. “We will evaluate how it worked and whether the coaches and athletes like the flexibility of choosing competition locations. There are always things we can discover, and I think we certainly will learn a lot from all of this.” Looking ahead to 2021, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships are scheduled for January in San Jose and the World Figure Skating Championships are to follow for March in Stockholm. “Right now, we absolutely feel that these events will happen,” Dunlop said. For inquiries regarding figure skating events go to www.events@usfigureskating.org. For information regarding all of the competitions that are part of the Championship Series, go to www.usfigureskatingchampionshipseries.com.

Presented by

PSA

in the Time of

COVID BY KENT MCDILL

he coronavirus struck, and the world shut down. Soon thereafter, PSA Executive Director Jimmie Santee took action. Knowing the PSA had a membership of 5,000-plus coaches operating without facilities or students and in need of guidance, Santee determined that there needed to be available outreach to those coaches. He enlisted the knowledge and enthusiasm of events chairman Patrick O’Neill, and two webinar series were created: Safe at Home and Coaching Forward. Here are the stories about those two webinar series.

Safe at Home “As Events Chair, I am always looking to create webinars and seminars, and when the pandemic hit, we weren’t going anywhere for seminars,” O’Neill said. “We realized coaches would be staying at home, and it was our goal to build a community with our coaches, and bring them together at this critical and unusual time. “The first series we started was Safe at Home, primarily focused on the immediacy of the problem, discussing things like ‘what is coronavirus?’ and “how can coaches protect themselves’,” he said. One attendee of previous PSA seminars and webinars is Tenley Brownwright, who took time in between figure skating coaching sessions to earn a PhD in epidemiology from the University of PIttsburgh. When the coronavirus struck, she kept an eye on how the PSA was apprising coaches of concerns related to the virus, and offered her services as an expert on the matter. Thus, the Safe at Home webinar series had a knowledgeable person to provide guidance. “I did two webinars,” she said. “The first one was probably 50 percent what COVID was and general infor-

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mation, and the second half of that first one was looking forward to, when rinks open, what life was going to be like. “The second one (created in mid-July) was a lot later, when everyone knew what COVID was,” she added. “That one was very tailored to coaches. How do you assess risk in an ice rink environment, what do we do to keep ourselves safe at the rink. I talked about really specific things, like should you wear gloves, should you wear a mask, should you put kids on the pull harness, things like that.” As you probably recall, at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, advice about avoiding the virus was sporadic and scattered. Advice about wearing masks started with a statement saying they did not help, followed by stern warnings that they were necessary. Such changes made Brownwright’s task a bit more dicey. “I worried about that a lot,” she said. “I worried I was going to do a webinar and the next day everything I said was going to be wrong. But, in both seminars, I stated the day I was giving the webinar, and noted that science changes quickly, so that the advice I am giving you now may not be true if you are watching this weeks from now.” Brownwright added information for coaches to use to find out current Centers for Disease Control warnings as well as how to determine any legal questions that might come up specific to rinks in certain states. “One of the problems is that ice rinks can be really crowded, there are a lot of people,” Brownwright said. “It is indoors and you are at higher risk when you are indoors because there is less ventilation. It is cold, and we think cold may increase risk. It can be difficult to wear a mask when you are on the ice. “But there are ways to stay safe,” she said. “Figure skating is a lot safer than a lot of other sports in this situation. It is not a contact sport, for the most part. There are ways to be

SAFE AT HOME SERIES Sudden Change: Becoming the Superhero the World (and You) Need NOW! Guidance and exercises to increase mental flexibility and resiliency, avoid personal kryptonite, and help to unleash management superpowers. COVID-19: How to Keep our Students and Selves Safe PSA member and epidemiologist Tenley Brownright shares information about the COVID-19 virus and how we can help keep our students and selves safe. Skating Steps and Turns A unique perspective of different teaching methods, explanations, and drills for introducing and mastering the core skating steps and turns. Video analysis and an IJS perspective included. Coach/Athlete Feedback A focus on the role of the coach’s feedback and its influence on athlete’s learning with a variety of feedback strategies. IJS Part 1: Steps and Turns IJS criteria for singles skating and the various ways rules are applied. IJS Part 2: Spins IJS criteria for singles skating and the various ways rules are applied. Music Editing Useful, easy tips for editing music and how to approach editing, equipment needed, and apps for phones and computers. Virtual Training A focus on virtual off-ice training with ideas on core circuits, stamina training, plyometrics, creativity, etc.. Emotional Health in Figure Skating Addresses emotions and their role in injury prevention and maintenance of psychological health.

COACHNG FORWARD SERIES Safe Return to Coaching Dr. Tenley Brownwright, a PSA member and epidemiologist, shares best practices for coaches as we return to the rink. IJS for Singles: Part One – Jumps and Bonus The latest updates and changes in IJS rules regarding jumps and their bonus. IJS for Singles: Part Two - Spins The latest updates and changes in IJS rules regarding spins. IJS for Singles: Part Three - Step Sequences The latest updates and changes in IJS rules regarding step sequences. Part three of three. Basic Skate, Boot, and Blade Essentials: Part 1 Basic information of skate equipment and earn the simple physics to the logistics of best practices. Presented by Jackson Ultima. Blade Parts, Features, and Development: Part 2 Gain a deeper understanding and refresh on parts and the development of features. Presented by Jackson Ultima.

very safe when coaching figure skating.” After creating the Safe at Home series, O’Neill turned his attention to the coaching instruction needs of the PSA membership as they and their skaters stayed at home. Thus was created the Coaching Forward series.

Coaching Forward “We don’t believe we are going back to a traditional seminar format any time soon, with 50-100 coaches in a room or on the ice together for eight hours,” O’Neill said. “So, we thought, how do we continue to offer education?” One webinar in the series was presented by Wendy Enzmann, an ISU judge, referee and national specialist, and an official with U.S. Figure Skating. “I have done webinars specifically for coaches to discuss the new rules and the changes on those rules that come from the ISU,” Enzmann said. “They come out in July and then clarifications come after that. “I put together a PowerPoint presentation and utilized a live chat to field questions,” she said. “Throughout the webinar, I showed examples of what I was discussing, for example, I went through a spin and in that spin we would look at particular features for a specific level of skater.” Enzmann admitted a webinar is not the ideal way to teach coaches how to coach figure skating moves. “It is really hard to gauge whether I am reaching them, which is why throughout I would constantly try to engage them, but it is not the same,” she said. “You are not getting the same visual to know how involved the audience is. The only way is to create something that is interactive to get them involved in the conversation so you are not just talking at them but getting through to them.” What matters, Enzmann said, was repeating the key details as they relate to the minor rules changes made this year. “I had to make sure people knew what the changes in the rules are and how to put it in their program and how it would be evaluated. What counts and what doesn’t count,” she said. continued on page 25

Congratulations to Lisa Spearing, Jenettte Maitz, and Joelle Stephens! They each won a new pair of Jackson Ultima boots or blades after participating in the free Jackson Ultima webinars as part of the Coaching Forward series. Thank you to Jackson Ultima for being a continued supporter and sponsor of PSA.

PS MAGAZINE

COACHING DEVELOPMENT Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC

Value of a Coaching Framework Introduction Whether “Welcome to Coaching” or “Welcome Back to Coaching” is the appropriate greeting for you at this point in time, I hope you are all individually and collectively taking care of what is most important to you. For the next few issues, this column will consist of a series of articles excerpted from the “USOPC Quality Coaching Framework 2020” assembled by the Coaching Education Department of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. While that implies that the content is directed at the highest levels or coaching, the reality is that what we do with our athletes at any level is not only vitally important to them as the individual athletes, but also to future

he quality of an athlete’s sport experience is directly dependent on the quality of the coaching received. The right kind of coaching can help athletes reach their full potential and inspire a lifelong love of sport and physical activity. The wrong type of coaching can have just the opposite effect: burnout, dropout, injury, loss of enthusiasm or worse. The right kind of coaching must therefore be standard practice in serving our athletes. It is the type of coaching that the U.S. Olympic Committee expects from all Team USA coaches.

Advance the Coaching Profession Sport coaching as a profession has advanced significantly, as has the understanding of athlete development. The latest scientific breakthroughs and highly effective coaching practices are regularly shared through thousands of academic journals and coaching newsletters. In addition, social media and digital sports programming present a constant barrage of coaching advice, although some are more enlightened than others. Because it is so difficult for busy coaches to keep pace with the ever-expanding body of coaching information, the USOPC and other groups have distilled and disseminated the information in various forms. Prime examples are: • The American Development Model 1 • The International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on Youth Athletic Development 2 • The International Sport Coaching Framework 3 • The National Standards for Sport Coaches 4

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success of our sport. Consequently, everywhere that the article refers to “Team USA”, in your mind, I want you to substitute it with “TEAM PSA”. This is a first step of the coaching development journey. I have permission from the USOPC to reprint this material and share it with all levels of coaching. Savor and reflect on the knowledge so generously provided to us by the USOPC. I hope it is impactful to your coaching, and if it is, please let me know by sending me a note at: hthibert@skatepsa.com. The USOPC and I would love to hear from you. - Heidi DeLio Thibert, PSA Senior Director of Coaching Development

Moreover, many USOPC National Governing Bodies (NGBs) have worked tirelessly to integrate these lessons and principles into their coaching education programs. Despite these efforts, a visit to any sport venue in the United States will reveal that there still remains a considerable gap between what is known about quality coaching and what is practiced on a daily basis. To that end, the USOPC has taken the initiative to create a framework that outlines the core values and best principles that should guide and align collective coaching practices in the U.S. The United States Olympic Committee Quality Coaching Framework 2020 (USOPC QCF 2020) provides an overarching set of principles that will inform, not prescribe, how to coach most effectively. The USOPC QCF 2020 is a vetted, carefully crafted, evidence-based resource that establishes a common language and principles of quality coaching for all those working in Team USA coaching contexts.

Strengthen Team USA The USOPC defines Team USA coaching contexts as any coach-led activity conducted under the umbrella of and endorsed by U.S. NGBs, from grassroots sports to high-performance coaching. The USOPC QCF 2020 serves multiple functions for a wide range of beneficiaries working in these Team USA coaching contexts, including the following: • Coaching education program providers who are (1) refining the structure and content of existing coaching

• •

•

education programming and (2) designing new coaching education programs NGB workgroups, which are charged with creating NGB —and sport-specific coaching standards NGB administrators, who (1) evaluate the quality of the coaching education programming they provide to their constituents and (2) evaluate and recognize quality coaches Coaching scientists and coach developers working in universities and organizations that partner with the USOPC’s coaching education department and with NGBs in ensuring alignment of development efforts Sport organizations, programs and coaching associations that need guiding resources to support quality coaching

The USOPC QCF 2020 help the USOPC’s coaching education department make important progress toward achieving these mandated goals and objectives: • Advance the profession of coaching in the United States through recognition and exposure • Promote coaching certification and positive examples of coaching principles in action • Close performance gaps by raising awareness of and supporting coaching education programming that is aligned through collaboration with NGBs and other partner organizations • Support Team USA and the USOPC’s sport performance division in the delivery of education about high-performance coaching while developing resources to support NGBs • Deliver programming from the USOPC to fill gaps in current NGB and U.S. programming

Acknowledgments Lead author and world-renowned expert Dr. Wade Gilbert has guided the USOPC family to identify quality coaching at all levels of sport while also explaining the principles that are essential to success. The collaboration with Ted Miller and Human Kinetics, who served as our publisher and partner in this project, added a depth of research and knowledge from across the coaching and sport industry that has allowed this framework to be placed in a position for success in the modern context of sport. Additionally, the members from our extended network of National Governing Bodies and coaching educators who were essential in developing this framework were able to root this document in relevance and reality for all in the field of coach education or development to bring these principles to life. Their contributions will benefit sport within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movements for years to come. Lastly, we extend a heartfelt thanks to Chris Snyder, Christine Bolger, Nadine Dubina, Aubrey Watts and all other USOPC staff who contributed to the success of this framework. Your vision and commitment to serving our nation is an amazing team effort and an example of true servant leadership in the coaching profession.

think of, speak about, and enact quality coaching. We hope and trust you will find it helpful in your very important role. The Six Principles of Quality Coaching 1. Quality Coaching 2. Essential Coaching Knowledge 3. Athlete-Centered Outcomes 4. Contextual Fit 5. Evaluation and Recognition 6. Coach Well-Being

Provide Principles for Success

Chapter 1: Quality Coaching Framework

The USOPC QCF 2020 (as reprinted in the PS Magazine) will consist of six articles, each focused on a different, but related, component of quality coaching. The articles highlight the coaching principles associated with each subject. The USOPC prefers “best principles” instead of “best practices.” Prescribing best practices implies that there are specific strategies that will work well in any coaching setting. The phrase “best principles,” on the other hand, acknowledges that practices always will need to be adapted to the local sport setting. Regardless of the situation, though, the practices should always be firmly grounded in universal principles of quality coaching. Coaching is complex. The USOPC understands there is no single right way to coaches that will fit for every unique coach, athlete, and sport. However, the USOPC QCF provides a common set of principles for making evidencebased, informed decisions about how we collectively should

This chapter defines quality coaching in the Team USA context as follows: The consistent application of integrated professional, interpersonal and intrapersonal knowledge to improve athletes’ competence, confidence, connection, and character in specific coaching contexts.1 This integrative definition of coaching effectiveness that serves as the foundation for the USOPC QCF 2020 has been widely adopted by coaching scientists, coach developers and leading sport and coaching organizations around the world. 2,3,4 It is based on decades of applied research and a comprehensive review of coaching, teaching, expertise, positive psychology, and athlete development literature. In its development, the definition was vetted by coaches, coaching educators, and major sport organizations around the world—including the USOPC.

PS MAGAZINE

Coaching Environment

ADM Athlete Development Stage

Participation sport for children Playful early exposure to the sport experience, with an emphasis on mass participation and building physical literacy

Stage 1: Discover, Learn and Play

Participation sport for adolescents and adults Opportunities to continue sport participation across the life span, with an emphasis on personal health, wellness and social connections

Stage 2: Develop and Challenge Stage 4a: Participate and Succeed Stage 5: Thrive and Mentor

Performance sport for young adolescents Competitive sport experiences that increasingly emphasize deliberate practice in pursuit of advanced skill development and performance

Stage 3: Train and Compete

Performance sport for older adolescents and adults Highly competitive sport experiences limited to a select few who are highly committed to achieving the highest possible level of expertise

Stage 4b: Excel for High Performance

Quality coaching, the definition says, has three distinct components: coaching knowledge, athlete outcomes and coaching environment. All three components are required to deliver quality coaching in any particular situation, as depicted in figure 1.1.

Quality Coaching

—

Essential Coaching Knowledge

—

Athlete-Centered Outcomes

—

Contextual Fit

1.) Essential Coaching Knowledge

FIGURE 1.1 USOPC quality coaching components.

Coaches need knowledge in many areas because coaching is complex, and coaches assume multiple roles. There are three broad types of coaching knowledge:

2.) Athlete-Centered Outcomes

• Professional knowledge: Know your sport and how to teach it in a positive and inclusive environment. Coaches should understand the sport culture, tradition, rules, and history; be aware of the skills, tactics, training, and safety requirements of the sport; perceive athletes’ development and learning needs; and be able to apply their knowledge. • Interpersonal knowledge: Know how to relate to and lead others. Coaches must have the ability to connect to and work effectively with athletes and others involved in the sport setting, including officials, administrators, parents, and program stakeholders. They should also communicate effectively, monitor, and control their emotions and demonstrate leadership skills. • Intrapersonal knowledge: Know yourself and how to sustain improvement efforts. Coaches need a clear sense of purpose and core values, and they must strive to maintain perspective and balance. They should be aware of their coaching strengths and areas for improvement, and they should have the will and wherewithal to reflect and continually get better.

Athlete-Centered Outcomes

Athlete well-being must be the priority for all coaches. Quality coaching leads to more than just capable participants and competitors: Quality coaching is driven by a quest for holistic athlete development, making better people while also making better athletes. These desired athlete outcomes generally can fit into four areas, referred to as the Four C’s of athlete development. Coaching with an emphasis on building the Four C’s demonstrates a commitment to athlete well-being—building athletes instead of using athletes:

Competence

Sport-specific technical, tactical and performance skills; ability to adapt and improvise in competition; improved health and fitness; and healthy training habits

Confidence

Self-belief, resilience, mental toughness, and sense of positive self-worth

Connection

Positive bonds and social relationships with people inside and outside of sport

Character

Respect for the sport, ethical and morally responsible behavior, integrity, and empathy

3.) Contextual Fit With a quick search of the Internet, any coach can easily find and access countless training activities and recom-

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mended coaching strategies. Though such prescriptive coaching resources are readily available, they should not be implemented without attention to context. Quality coaching requires the ability to adapt one’s coaching knowledge to the specific needs of the athletes and fit the distinctive features of the environment in which one coaches. Although every coaching situation is unique in some way, it is helpful to consider what constitutes quality coaching in four defined environments that share many common characteristics. These coaching environments align closely with the stages of athlete development identified in the American Development Model (ADM),5 as shown in table 1.1. More details on the ADM are provided later in the USOPC QCF 2020

USOPC QCF 2020 CHAPTER 1 Takeaway Quality coaching does not happen by accident. Teaching, learning and honing quality coaching skills requires a mindful and diligent effort to address each of its three components while always giving primary concern to athlete well-being: 1. Essential coaching knowledge 2. Athlete-centered outcomes 3. Contextual fit

REFERENCES United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. (2020). American Development Model. Retrieved from www.teamusa.org/About-the-USOPC/ Programs/ Coaching-Education/American-Development-Model Bergeron, M.F., Mountjoy, M., Armstrong, N., Chia, M., Côté, J., Emery, C., & Engebretsen, L. (2015). International Olympic Committee consensus statement on youth athletic development. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49, 843-851. International Council for Coaching Excellence, Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, & Leeds Metropolitan University. (2013). International sport coaching framework (version 1.2). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Shape America. (2020). National standards for sport coaches. Annapolis Junction, MD: Author. Retrieved from www.shapeamerica.org/standards/ coaching/ Chapter 1 Côté, J., & Gilbert, W.D. (2009). An integrative definition of coaching effectiveness and expertise. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 4, 307-323. International Council for Coaching Excellence. (2016). ICCE standards for higher education sport coaching bachelor degrees. Retrieved from www.icce. ws/documents.html Bergeron, M.F., Mountjoy, M., Armstrong, N., Chia, M., Côté, J., Emery, C., & Engebretsen, L. (2015). International Olympic Committee consensus statement on youth athletic development. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49, 843-851. Nichol, A.J., Hall, E.T., Vickery, W., & Hayes, P.R. (2019). Examining relationships between coaching practice and athlete “outcomes”: A systematic review and critical realist critique. International Sport Coaching Journal, 6 (1), 13-29. United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. (2020). American Development Model: Stages. Retrieved from www.teamusa.org/About-theUSOPC/Programs/ Coaching-Education/American-Development-Model/ Stages

PSA in the Time of COVID continued from page 21

The Impact of Webinars in the Time of COVID For an organization which provides education, being able to maintain communication with membership is vital. When the coronavirus struck and all communication became electronic, webinar instruction became imperative. “Education in any field is absolutely necessary, and for figure skating coaches, it is more so now that we are not at the rink, and not able to do events to be live with them,” Enzmann said. “As coaches, they need to be involved in the PSA so that they can do everything they can to educate themselves to understand and to be the best coaches they can be.” “I think it is incredibly valuable,” Brownwright said. “It is difficult to keep updated on this information because it is changing so fast and it is hard to know how it affects you as a coach. The PSA has been great in keeping coaches updated.” As of Aug. 14, 1,342 coaches have accessed the webinars more than 5,000 times in total, and they continue to do so even as some rinks open up and on-ice training begins anew. “I was so grateful for the Safe at Home and Coaching Forward webinar series during the COVID lockdown,” said coach Ryan Hileman. “It was such a great way to keep coaches feeling connected to the sport, as well as a great way to continue learning and staying up to date with changes being made while rinks were shut down and we weren’t able to be on the ice. I particularly like the open forum and the interactiveness of the webinars. It made me feel like we were in a room of people, with the ability to ask questions as well as hear other questions people had. It really got different ideas and thoughts flowing.” Hileman watches the webinars with her husband and fellow coach Jeremy Hileman, and they are able to discuss the details from the presentations with each other afterward. “As we are used to being on the ice together, it was a great way to have those learning moments with each other in the sport that we are both so passionate about,” Jeremy said. “We are grateful for the wealth of knowledge that the PSA has and offers to all of its coaching members.” Such reaction is why the PSA does what it does. “It is heartening to see the number of coaches who have logged in,” O’Neill said. “There are a lot of us who work very hard to produce this material. We have an amazing office staff, from Jimmie and on down the line. These things take a lot of time to produce, a lot of leg work, but we are fortunate to have an office staff that cares so deeply about the membership of the association. “The payback is knowing that people are able to log in and get educated and ask the questions they have about coaching in this precarious time,” he said.

PS MAGAZINE

USOPC Presentation #1

Under 10 Years Old By Terri Milner Tarquini

ach level of skating requires different skill sets, on a variety of levels, from a coach. At the 2019 PSA Conference in Palm Springs, coaches were led through the concepts of grassroots skating, off-ice strength and conditioning, mental training and the success structure during a skater’s formative years on the ice, titled USOPC Presentation #1 – Under 10 Years of Age, available now on PSA TV. One of the segments in the hour-long presentation that revolved around the idea of “Discover, Learn and Play,” was led by Brandon Siakel, USOPC Strength and Conditioning, who urged audience members to close their eyes and take a trip back in time. “In the early years of your childhood, what did play look like?” Siakel said. “What were some of the games you played? What were some of the games you created? Take yourself back there.” Coaches offered a variety of classic kid merriment: hopscotch, tag, red rover, freeze tag. “For these skaters developing right now, when it comes to off-ice,” Siakel said, “it has to be kids being kids and having fun.” This first stage in a skater’s journey typically encompasses the first four years they are on the ice, from Learn to Skate to an Axel, and Siakel has two main areas of development, the first being body awareness, balance and rhythm, and the second being fundamental movement skills. Body awareness: “Learning what their joints can do by moving different body parts all around. Even hula hooping can be great for this development.”

them be free and letting them figure out their bodies.” Fundamental Movement Skills: “Shuffling, skipping, running, moving forward and backward, tumbling, cartwheels, somersaults, rolling – you can incorporate all of these things into relays. Or you can give them a few of these fundamentals and tell them to go make up a game out of it. Tell them to use their imagination. And all these skills can be incorporated in freezer tag, red rover, and the other games you played when you were young.” What Siakel emphasized is, when skaters get off the ice, coaches don’t want the idea of going to off-ice to be some type of drudgery. “It’s all about unstructured play,” Siakel said. “That means incorporating these concepts for them to learn so, when they get to the next stages, we aren’t having to teach these components; we want them to have these skills developed. When they do it through play, they want to come back and keep doing it.” The rest of the information-packed presentation focusing on the beginning stages of a skater’s development, included Audrey Weisiger, two-time Olympic coach, discussing the grassroots concepts for skaters and parents; Nadine Dubina, USOPC Coach Development and Mental Skills, presenting beginning mental training ideas; and Scott Riewald, USOPC Senior Director of High Performance Projects, explaining what success looks like in the early stages and how to communicate that with the skater and the parent. To learn more about the concepts of skating, the body, the mind and successful progression during a skater’s formative years on the ice, go to the PSA TV tab at www.skatepsa.com and watch the event in its entirety.

Balance: “It can be simple line walking. Have them do it while looking down, looking up, with one eye closed. Can they balance on one leg? With their arms out, arms in, eyes closed?” Rhythm: “As part of every warm-up, we just dance. Specifically for this learn-and-play group, to make it fun and to enhance these types of skills, there are many ways to skin a cat, and dancing can be a very, very fun way of letting

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2020

PSA TV is an on-demand video library of educational content that includes tips from master rated coaches, webinars, and podcasts. We proudly offer a selection of free content, videos for purchase, or subscribe for only $4.99/month for access to the full catalog.

Chizmark Larson Insurance Agency

Open enrollment begins Nov 1

Quote, compare, and enroll in a variety of health insurance products. For more information or questions about the PSA Individual Insurance Marketplace please call: 815-725-6527

PSA Individual Insurance Marketplace Products include:

• Members Health Insurance Exchange High-deductible, traditional major medical insurance. • CoreHealth Insurance Guaranteed acceptance, limited indemnity medical indemnity. • Smart Rx Insurance Temporary health insurance. • MetLegal Money matters, Home & Real Estate, Estate Planning, Family & Personal Civil Lawsuits, Vehicle & Driving. • CoreDental Insurance Provides coverage for preventative, basic & major dental expenses. • Comprehensive Accident Medical Insurance for unexpected accidents or injuries. • MD Live Telehealth Contact a board certified doctor 24/7 over the phone or internet. • EyeMed Vision Insurance Insurance benefits for your annual eye exam, frames, lenses and contacts.

Get a quote online or call 888-594-0757 Disclaimer: Coverage subject to eligibility & availability. Not all plans available in all 50 states.

PS MAGAZINE

BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES

The Quality of Your Brand Reflects the Quality of Your Business Core Values • Education • Consistency • Relationships • Authenticity • Respect S U B M I T T E D B Y T H E C O M M I T T E E O N P R O F E S S I O N A L S TA N D A R D S

he PSA Committee on Professional Standards expands on your image as your brand.

In this professional standards series, please check out the wonderful resource below for brand positioning and strategy for small (but growing) businesses, and entrepreneurs working for themselves — in other words personal branding. Establishing and communicating your personal core values creates a professional atmosphere that will help you maintain an ethical coaching business and avoid conflicts. Building a coaching business isn’t easy. Success comes from commitment, hard work and a great deal of continuous education. Any experienced coach will tell you that it’s important to love what you do, leverage your passion, work hard and most importantly — never stop learning. It’s not about creating a new you to promote, it’s about being more aware of the industry’s professional standards, being more conscious about what you do naturally, and be more consistent with it. Be Authentic — Authenticity can’t be forced. It comes when words and actions align. You don’t actively promote yourself as “being authentic.” You simply are authentic. Or, you’re not. Be Consistent — Maintain consistency in how you present your image and personal brand. Keep in mind that you need to be consistent in how you communicate. Be Skilled — Educate yourself within the industry. Your value and expertise will get people to start paying attention. Be Visible — For your coaching business and brand to grow, you must be visible and approachable to parents, other coaches, managers, rink owners and your community. Be Connected – Relationships are an important part of building your business. Networking within these relation-

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ships can be a very powerful tool in your coaching toolbox. Your connections will provide the most powerful endorsements that speak directly to your character. Running your brand through a series of quick assessment questions can expose brand blind spots and get more focus—in about fifteen minutes. This checkup questionnaire is a powerful tool that you can use to make a quick assessment of the fundamental key principles on which successful brands relentlessly focus. You can score yourself, or not, depending on how you use it. Reprinted with permission from

BRENITS CREATIVE 2 Brand Checkup (602) 753-6717 info@brenits.com | www.brenits.com

and r B this t u ze o y l k a c e n Ch to a p u k Chec rand! b your

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Prepare: Take out a sheet of paper and a pen. 2. Answer: Honestly answer the 10 questions below. 3. Score: Grade yourself from 1– 5 on each question 4. Assess: When you’re finished, tally up your “Brand Health Score” at the bottom.

CAUTION: Honesty is important. Don’t plow forward with your Brand Checkup unless you are prepared to be honest about your weaknesses. Ready?

Brand Checkup Questions Absolutely no

Probably no

Maybe

Probably yes

Absolutely yes

1. Branding 101: Our company clearly understands what a brand is, how “branding” is different from “marketing,” and what is necessary to create a great brand experience.

2. Key Core Competencies: We know clearly where we naturally, easily, and consistently excel. We avoid products and/or services for which we do not have differentiated core expertise or knowledge.

3. Target Market & Competition: We clearly understand the “burning problem” our target market experiences every day, and we are committed to help our target market solve that problem. We understand clearly where our competition is weak (and strong) in our market space, and the opportunities and threats that this creates for us.

4. Brand Positioning & Brand Promise: We understand the concept of brand positioning, our positioning is clearly articulated, and we actively and regularly review our positioning. Our brand promise is our “true north.” It acts as a guide light for us, and it deeply resonates with our target market. We have a system in place to monitor how well we keep that promise.

5. Brand Personality: We understand our brand personality, brand archetype, and story. We apply all of these to our branding and marketing.

6. Core Brand Values: We understand our core brand values, and we do not waver from them. They form our DNA and our non-negotiables as a culture.

7. Marketing Strategy: We understand how branding and marketing are symbiotic, and we have developed a marketing strategy that maximizes this symbiotic relationship.

8. Design: Quality & Consistency: We understand the power of world-class design, and we get compliments regularly on our visual branding across all media and channels. We are committed to the key competitive advantage of design excellence. Our visual brand across all media—print, web, and mobile—all form a powerful, consistent, and coherent picture of exactly who we are, and what sets our solution apart.

9. Social Media Branding: We understand how to leverage the power of our brand on social media, and we have a consistent brand footprint across all social media.

10. Brand Vision-casting: We spend enough time brainstorming, dreaming, and strategizing about what our brand can be and how it can delight people — and how we will make it happen.

TALLY UP YOUR SCORE Now that you’ve answered the 10 questions, tally your brand health score by adding up the scores from all of the questions. 45 – 50 points = Excellent brand health! You understand well the various building blocks of a strong brand. Rock on! 40 – 45 points = Doing good, but… Good foundation, but there is room for improvement. Think about how to improve areas of lower-scoring questions. 35 – 40 points = Time to make changes. Be careful. Take some time to look into your lower answers and brush up on branding basics. 30 – 35 points = Running some red lights. Caution. Your score may indicate some serious blind spots that are causing harm. Time to get help. Under 30 points = Huge opportunity to make some real gains. You’re to be commended on being really honest. This could mean that you’re poised to make huge gains if you will invest in some professional help with your company brand. PS MAGAZINE

P ROF ESSIONAL S K ATE R S F O U NDATIO N

Officers, Board Members and Trustees PRESIDENT Patrick O'Neil VICE PRESIDENT Carol Murphy TREASURER Scott McCoy SECRETARY Gerry Lane BOARD MEMBER

Paul Wylie Carol Rossignol Tim Covington Kelley Morris Adair Jill Maier-Collins TRUSTEE

Richard Dwyer 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!

Opportunities for Education By Patrick O’Neil

All coach es are stron gly encourag ed to apply for these scholarsh ips.

he mission of the Professional Skaters’ Foundation is to assist coaches and performing skaters with educational opportunities or at times when they may find themselves in financial need due to sickness, disability, or age. Several scholarship opportunities have been established and it is the hope of the Foundation Trustees that each of you reading this article will take the time to read about the opportunities and then apply. >> The deadline for all scholarships will be February 15, 2021.

THE DON LAWS APPRENTICE SCHOLARSHIP • Three merit-based scholarships available yearly • Direct expenses incurred for attending the PSA Apprentice Development Program at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, MN (travel, lodging, meals) • Awarded based on dedication to coaching, sound character, and ethical practices • Applicant must hold a Registered Rating or higher in any discipline • This scholarship focuses on the development of coaching skills • Apprentice with master-rated coaches and one-to-one time with mentors

THE DAVID SHULMAN LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP • One scholarship available • Winner will be given the opportunity to attend a PSA Board Meeting as an observer • Winner will able to attend the annual PSA Summit, which includes: • Attendance at the PSA Awards Dinner • Participation in a “one-on-one” Q and A with Mr. Shulman or another past leader • Shadow a PSA leader • Receive travel to and from the summit and accommodation for up to three nights • Applicant requirements include: • Full member in good standing with the PSA • Hold a senior rating or higher in any discipline • Continue to stay committed and engaged as a leader in PS

THE WALTER AND IRENE MUEHLBRONNER SCHOLARSHIP • • • •

Four scholarships available Can be used for Ratings Prep, Seminars, Clinics, or Summit Intended to reimburse associated fees to attend a PSA educational program Eligible candidates must be: • Full member of the PSA for at least one year • Hold a registered rating or higher in any discipline • Proof of liability insurance • Completed their CER’s for the current season

THE SKATERS’ FUND Founded by Coach Charles Fetter in 1998, The Skaters Fund assists all coaches and performing skaters who need financial assistance due to sickness, disability, or problems due to aging. Since its inception, The Skaters Fund has awarded over $248,000 in assistance to over 80 recipients. Charles Fetter passed in August of 2014 following a 12-year battle with cancer. Among his final wishes was that the Skaters Fund become a part of the PS Foundation and continue to provide assistance to coaches and performing skaters in need. Any coaches or performing skaters who find themselves in financial need due to illness, age or disability are welcome to apply for financial assistance.

A Community that Cares 30

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Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all in this together.

NEW MEMBERS

Welcom e coaches!

NEW MEMBER

SPONSOR

NEW MEMBER

SPONSOR

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SPONSOR

Delaney Andrist Marlin Arevalo Marietta Atkins Victoria Baker Andrew Barron Leslie Bauman Alexa Binder Katelyn Brotherton Alexandra Brown Jimena Cancro Christopher Caravelli Molly Cesanek Xuanyi Chen Elaina Chu Gina Cipriano Lorh-Dayyanah Coleman Emma Corwin

Kaitlyn Hamlin Samantha Carrasco Peter Johansson Carol Sturtevant Jacqueline Pusztay Lacey Merrell Jennifer Houghton Morris Karen Gesell Jennifer Houghton Morris Julia Harmony Luiz Taifas Kinder DeWoolfson Carole Liotti Heather Cristobal Lauren Pye Roman Zaretsky Tina Randazzo-Coan/Gina Oesterlei Cassandra MacDonald Susic Ervin Kelli Jo McClellan Jessica Burbano Sarah Hanson Jennifer Houghton Morris Craig Bodoh Jacques Gilson Stacey Mons Gisele Frantz Shannon Raley Tera Kelner Zoro Dia McGaughey Cindy Kutsulis Tara Patterson Laurene Avis Daisey Patrick O'Neil Beata Handra Heidi Hartley Eric Mumper Marianne Strobel Mary Elbe Kameryn Furman

Jorie Holman Michelle Horn Elvira Junnila Anita Kasumyan Pavlo Khimich Emily Krile Kaytlin Kuczkowski Elizaveta Kulik Alyssa Labbato Lok-See Lam Brynn LaMear Esther Liu Laiken Lockley Addison Loebl Michelle Lydon Alexa Lyndrup Alexander Mains Milena Markin Christie Lee Marshall Alan Medina Samuel Mindra Madeleine Minnick Brooke Mitro Cara Murphy Meghan Noga Isabella Obreza Lauren Paris Lisa Paul Amy Percifield David Perry Amanda Peterson Kaylee Pierce Farina Rahman Lillian Ravikoff Megan Reiner Keersten Richards Paloma Rojas Makenzie Rutledge Sara Scheibert Adam Scheldt Jennifer Schneble

Joanie Malarchuk Isaac Lindy Nicole Zawojski Oganes Mkrtchian Oleksii Shumskyi Cassandra MacDonald Jennifer McMahon Ilia Kulik Baiba Zvejnieks Dmitriy Serebrenik Bridgid LaMear Laurene Avis Daisey Jennifer Martins Kaysi Thompson Dawn Wagner Johnson Donna Piscitelli Mary Alice Antensteiner Karen Kwan Brad Vigorito Chris Pottenger Kehaunani Malama Jennifer Houghton Morris Sally Tasca Ginger Whitney Lindsay Tilley Helen McGrew Jennifer Houghton Morris Jennifer Paske Jenni Flores Shannie Len Kate Charbonneau Beth Sutton Kathy Goeke Shannon Gorman Colleen Mickey Amanda Whitacre Marlin Arevalo Flota Kitty Carruthers Alyssa Hirasaka Bianka Szijgyarto Anika Hansford

Allen Shannon Ryan Siracuse Zoey Stachurski Bailey Styzinski Debra Suttner-Firer Chloe Terry Samantha Udell Mary Vaughn Morgan Vogds Anchalee Voogd Joslyn Waelti-Johnson Hitomi Williams Paul Yeung Vincent Zhou

Gerry Lane Ross Miner Sara DiNardo Tammy Cervone Dawn Dahlman-Schwab Laura Baker Diane Miller Sarah Neal Stephanie Vogds Sheila Thelen Traci Kepley Douglas Haw Michelle Lauerman Christy Krall

Elspeth Cunningham Dawn Dahlman-Schwab Carly Dahms Kristin D'Antonio Lillian Derynck Valentina Di Guida Olivia Diaz Wendy Donley Jennifer Dragotta Emilia Drury Lawrence Duhaime Danielle Dykema Krystal Edwards Annastasia Erdmann Katherine Erickson Kori Ford Mariano Fuentes Allison Gannon Ashley Gilker Heather Hardman Kassondra Hawley Kaley Herrick Mariah Hirst

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Do you know coaches who are new to the profession? Help them get a head start on their coaching career, and encourage them to join PSA! For an up-to-date listing of banned and suspended persons, see skatepsa.com

Please visit www.skatepsa.com for the most current Calendar of Events

CALENDAR of E V E N T S

NOVEMBER L L Date: FU Event: Credits:

Date: Event: Credits: Register:

FEBRUARY

November 22, 2020 PSA Virtual Ratings 1 PSA credit per exam taken

L L Date:

Event: Credits:

November 5, 2020 – February 11, 2021 PSA Virtual Foundations of Coaching 24 PSA credits www.skatepsa.com

MARCH Dates: Event: Credits: Register:

DECEMBER FU

Dates: Event: Credits:

February 21, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings 1 PSA credit per exam taken

December 13, 2020 PSA Virtual Ratings 1 PSA credit per exam taken

L L Date:

Event: Credits:

March 12-14, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings Prep- FS, MIF, G 24 PSA credits Opening late December 2020 at www.skatepsa.com April 18, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings 1 PSA credit per exam taken

JANUARY FU

Date: Event: Credits:

January 17, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings 1 PSA credit per exam taken

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT & CIRCULATION (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) TITLE OF PUBLICATION DATE OF FILING FREQUENCY OF ISSUE OFFICE OF PUBLICATION AND GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE PUBLISHER EDITOR OWNER

Extent and Nature of Circulation

Total number of copies Paid circulation 1. Outside county subscriptions 2. In-county subscriptions 3. Sales through other carriers 4. Other classes mailed through USPS Total paid distribution Free distribution—samples, complimentary & other Total free or nominal rate distribution Total distribution Copies not distributed Total Percent paid

Electronic Copy Circulation

C. D. E. F. G. H.

a. Paid electronic copies b. Total paid print copies + paid electronic c. Total print distribution + paid electronic d. Percent paid (both print & electronic)

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2020

The Professional Skater – PS Magazine #574-770 October 2020 Bi-monthly, 6 issues annually, $19.95 annual subscription rate 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902 Elizabeth Thornton The Professional Skaters Association, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902 Average No. copies each issue preceding 12 months 5333

No. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 5413

5235 0 0 0 5235 0 0 52350 98 5333 100%

5350 0 0 0 5350 0 0 5350 63 5413 100%

0 5235 5235 100%

0 5350 5350 100%

2020 Photo of the Year Finalist: Melanie Heaney

November/December 2020 PS Magazine

Articles inside

USOPC Presentation #1 Under 10 Years Old

PSA in the Time of COVID

The Future of Figure Skating Competitions and the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series

Collaborative Coaching

President’s Message | Alex Chang

The Quality of Your Brand Reflects the Quality of Your Business

Ratings | Cheryl Faust

Opportunities for Education

Coaching Development | Heidi Thibert

Team PSA

SafeSport | U.S. Figure Skating