November/December 2022 PS Magazine

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.

Reflections

As the year comes to a close and you reflect on 2022, take a moment to reflect on your own coaching journey, too.

Every coach had a coach who inspired them to be a coach. Who was that person for you? Do they know what a special role they had in your journey? If you still can, be sure to let them know.

Our window to the past is the door to the future. Look at your journey as a coach. What things have you learned along the way that have shaped how you navigate into the future? What life lessons have you learned that you want to pass on to your skaters?

Team PSA is here for you. Never forget that you are part of Team PSA. As a member, your growth and accomplishments will always be celebrated. You belong here. We are all stronger together. How can you help celebrate this community?

We wish you a warm and safe holiday season. See each of you in the new year!

Window to the past. Door to the future.

PSA OFFICERS

President

First Vice President

Second Vice President Third Vice President Treasurer Past President

PSA BOARD OF GOVERNORS

West Mid-West East

Members at Large

Committee on Professional Standards

Ratings Chair Events Chair

ISI Rep to PSA

U.S. Figure Skating Rep to PSA

PSA Rep to U.S. Figure Skating Summit Chair

Diversity, Equity, &Inclusion 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 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Angela Roesch-Davis

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Area

Rebecca Stump

Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil

Kirsten Miller-Zisholz Lisa Hernand Alex Chang

Michelle Lauerman

Phillip DiGuglielmo

Andrea Kunz-Williamson Ashley Wyatt

Cheryl Faust Doug Haw Denise Viera Denise Williamson Peter Cain

Kelley Morris Adair Cheryl Faust Danny Tate Jane Schaber Heather Paige Kelley Morris Adair Teri Klindworth Hooper Darlene Lewis Jimmie Santee

Andrea Kunz-Williamson Alex Chang Denise Williamson Debbie Jones Stacie Kuglin Gloria Leous Jordan Mann Garrett Lucash Jimmie Santee Alex Chang Alex Chang Lisa Hernand Alex Chang Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Cheryl Faust Mary Johanson Darlene Lewis

Francesca Supple

Charmin Savoy

Roxanne Tyler

Liz Egetoe

Marylill Elbe

Tiffany McNeil

Area 16 Russ Scott

Area 17 Martha Harding

Mary Anne Williamson

DISCLAIMER: Written by Guest Contributor | PSA regularly receives articles from guest contributors. The opinions and views expressed by these contributors are not necessarily those of PSA. By publishing these articles, PSA does not make any endorsements or statements of support of the author or their contribution, either explicit or implicit.

THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine Mission: To bring to our readers the best information from the most knowledgeable sources. To select and generate the information free from the influence of bias. And to provide needed information quickly, accurately and efficiently.

The views expressed in THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine and products are not necessarily those of the Professional Skaters Association.

The Professional Skater (USPS 574770) Issue 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, Email: office@skatepsa.com © 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.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Rebecca Stump, MS, MG, MM, MTOI, CPD, CFF

Please Welcome our Newest PSA Staff Member

In case you haven’t heard, PSA has recently acquired Brock Huddleston as our new Communications and Media Director. For this issue of our magazine, I’ve asked him to use this column as a space to introduce himself to our membership. I hope that this brief introduction will help you to understand why I am so excited that he has joined our team, and I hope it will make you feel the same way, too!

Can you give us a brief background to who you are and your skating/coaching history?

Sure! I began my skating journey in the Portland/ Vancouver metro area where I trained under Dody Teachman as a member of Portland Ice Skating Club. After graduating from high school in 2010, I moved to Honolulu, Hawaiʻi so that I could attend the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. (Mom wasnʻt super excited about that one! Haha!)

Not long after, I found myself in Hawaiʻi’s only ice rink. Being a poor college student who needed to pay the bills, I shamelessly asked if they would be willing to bring me on board as a coach. This is the rink where my coaching career began...it became a very special place to me.

In 2014, my skating director, Kahiapo Tavares, and I decided to attend our first PSA Conference in Palm Springs. After listening to the keynote by Frank Carroll, I knew that as special as Hawaiʻi was, I needed to learn more as a coach and become more involved with the organization. This prompted a series of moves—first to Portland, Oregon; back to Hawaiʻi; then to Albuquerque, New Mexico; and finally Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri—that enabled me to pursue my ratings journey, attend yearly conferences, and pursue my graduate studies. Little did I realize

back then how valuable it would be to see the diversity of skating and coaching dynamics in different pockets of the country and how the PSA would help me develop such a rich professional network. All of these experi ences have shaped not only my coaching philosophy, but also my approach to life in general.

Outside of the rink, I always enjoy learning new things, spending time with my dog, Blake, spending time at the beach and hiking outdoors, and practicing tradi tional Hawaiian arts like dancing hula, making different kinds of lei, and weaving lau hala mats.

Tell us about your involvement with PSA, including your ratings/rankings, volunteer experience, etc.

Over the years, I’ve found myself in a variety of different roles. As a ratings candidate, I earned my first master rating in Group Instruction in 2017. I also have a Master Skating Skills rating, and registered ratings in Free Skate, Ice Dance, and Program Director.

After earning that first master rating, I immediately asked to start trial examining and quickly became a ratings examiner. I have also helped mentor and prepare candidates for ratings exams, have served on PSA committees, was very briefly elected to the Board of Governors, and have volunteered every year at PSA’s annual summit. It is so fulfilling to help give back to the organization that has given me so much.

Could you share more about your educational background and your experience that you bring to this position?

Of course. I graduated from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2014 with a BA in Hawaiian Language, a BA in US History, and a minor in Geology & Geophysics. I have a Master of Professional Studies, Sports

Management and a Master of Arts in History from Missouri State.

Outside of coaching, I was a school teacher for two years in Hawaiʻi. I’ve also had an office job working in higher education administration, and I have been a graphic and web designer for over 14 years.

Before you joined PSA Staff, you had recently been elected to the Board of Governors. What made you want to be on the Board, and how will you translate that passion to being on staff?

Iʻve said many times how grateful I am to the PSA for what it has given me. I was introduced to some of my very best friends because of PSA events and I can’t even begin to describe how PSA helped me refine my coaching technique and methodology. I wouldn’t be where I am without PSA, so it became really important for me to give back however I could.

When I was informed that my name had been submitted to the Nominations Committee, it only made sense—what a great way to become a leader within the organization and give back to the PSA!

Although my role has changed moving from the Board to staff, I still stand by these tenets. I am excited to help lead our organization and the industry and I hope that through this new position I can give back to as many coaches possible in the same way that PSA has given to me.

What have you enjoyed most about your job so far?

I have really loved the way in which this job allows me to combine my passions of skating, design, and educa tion all in one place. And I am so, so lucky to have such amazing coworkers to interact with on a daily basis It really is the perfect job!

What are some exciting things you have planned that our membership can look forward to?

Oh, there are a lot of things that I can’t even begin to talk about in the space here. Here are just a few of the things we have in the works to keep your eyes peeled for:

• Updated brand approaches to our electronic commu nications, such as “PSA Today,” email marketing, and social media platforms

• Exciting additions to PS Magazine, beginning this January!

• A facelift for our website, which will include a more natural flow of content making it easier to find infor mation

• …and so much more!

Is there anything else you would like the readers of PS Magazine to know?

Yes, absolutely!

The voice of our membership is so important. Please, please, please—if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for any of our publications, I would love to hear from you.

You can connect with me at magazine@skatepsa.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

The infamous Golf Cart Incident of 2019. This one's for you, Becky.

2019 PSA Conference co-chairs Becky Stump and Tim Covington with their event assistant, Brock.

Group Coach Rating Exams: Understanding the Updates

by Jonathan Hayward, MG, MFS, MM, CPD, CD, RP, Hockey 2

Early last summer, it was requested that the Group Ratings Subcommittee audit, evaluate, and update the Group Coach Ratings Exams. After a summer of intensive work, the new-and-improved exams were successfully launched in October 2022. As a member of this committee, I would like to use this space to share with our member ship the changes that were made, why they were necessary, and what it means for you as a poten tial group ratings candidate or program director.

An Overview of Group Coach Ratings

In short, ratings for group coaches serve two purposes. First, they validate the knowledge, experience, and expertise that group lesson coaches possess and provide an invaluable opportunity for group coaches to deeply consider their methodology and day-to-day practices. Second, they provide program directors with a peace

of mind: a rated group coach has demonstrated a strong proficiency in teaching the best group classes, thereby proving to be an undoubt able asset to their program. Keeping these principles in mind, our team felt that it was important to talk to current program direc tors and arena managers across the country. Coaches, directors, and arena managers shared with us what areas they felt were important for group ratings to cover, as well as what topics they felt were less valuable. Our team also asked recent ratings candidates and current group rating examiners to share their thoughts on the content, flow, and scope of the current exam. Once this feedback had been collected, our rewrite committee used it to guide our focus and influence what changes were made. As a result, we are confident that the new Group Coach Ratings Exams better reflect what is most useful and relevant for the majority of group lesson programs across the country.

So, what changed?

The first and most notable change is reflected in the philosophy of the exam itself. Group coaches have the unique challenge of teaching technically-sound skating in a class setting. As such, lesson planning, class management, and safety are the defining priorities for group lesson coaches, and therefore, should also be the priority of the exam. Although technical knowledge of skating skills and elements is still a key component of each exam, the updated group exam focuses more on a coach’s methodology to class management and the way that they teach group skills in a safe way.

Next, there are changes to the technical side of the exams, too. Previously, examiners and candidates both noted that there was an imbalance between the level of skating skills and free skate elements that were on the exams. For example, master-level group candidates were expected to demonstrate proficiency in junior-level skating skills but were

only required to have a working knowledge of beginning-level free skate elements, up to a single Axel. Although group ratings are not intended to duplicate a free skate or skating skills rating, the level of technical knowledge required of a Master Group coach has been rebalanced and is now approxi mately equal to what is required of a Registered Free Skate and Registered Skating Skills candidate. In this way, the new exams are

far more balanced in terms of the technical knowledge expectations. The last major change relates to questions surrounding specialty class areas. It was discovered that with our previous exam format, the amount of time spent focusing on these specialty areas was quite high relative to the importance that most program directors in the United States gave them. What’s more, well qualified candidates expressed that their lack of access or experience in teaching some of the more niche specialty areas in a group setting was a major deterrent in pursuing higher level group ratings. As such, the questions surrounding specialty areas have been streamlined on the new group exams. We now only focus on the specialty areas that are currently most common in the United States. The questions related to these specialty areas reflect the standard that a rated group coach could successfully substitute for any of these specialty classes without necessarily being a leading expert in that discipline.

After the Group Exam rewrite was complete, we also ensured that the study guide posted on PSA’s website was updated to reflect all of these new changes. I would encourage you to take a look!

What does this mean for you?

If you are like me, you are always considering what the next step in your coaching journey should be. I would encourage you to ask yourself how a Group Coach Rating would reinforce what you already know, solidify your coaching practice and methodology, and increase your professional opportunities. For program directors, I would also encourage you to consider the way in which promoting Group Coach ratings amongst your staff would improve the quality, marketability, and overall success of your program. With this update, now is the perfect time to find out. Here’s hoping to see you in a Group Coach rating exam soon!

“Although technical knowledge of skating skills and elements is still a key component of each exam, the updated group exam focuses more on a coach’s methodology to class management and the way that they teach group skills in a safe way.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

August 21, 2022 | Virtual Ratings

Tara Baldoz RFS

Pavel Filchenkov RFS

Michael Simon RM

Lillian Derynck RM Alexis Slack RM

Shannon Norris RM Amy Dultz RM

Jenna Scioscia RM Jodi Kristy RPD

September 15, 2022 | Virtual Ratings

Patch David CFS

Marisol Paiz RFS

Jenna Scioscia RFS

Ann Birchard RFS Angela Johnstad-Beyer RM

September 2022 | Virtual Ratings

Brock Huddleston MM, RPD

Lucas Marquardt RM Natalia Irvine CM Kathryn Vaughn MC Kseniya Ponomaryova MC

Congratulations toour newly master-ratedcrowned coaches!

Basic Accreditation

Brittany Vise

Kimberly Wilczak

Katherine Pilgrim

Tina Saji

Brian Podgurski

Alexander Ho

Michelle Dilling

Natalie Matthies

Alexandra Lemoyne

Alexie Mieskoski

Valerie Marcoux-Pavlas

Katherine Petusky Ellyn Petrino

Sara Miller

Amanda Browning Juliana Workman

Jean Paradise Summer LeBel Allison Schaefer Celeste Prince

Hockey Skating 1

Lisa Goodman

Chelsea Winter

Jessica Wasch

Hockey Skating 2

Carey Tinkelenberg Olivia Coker Aimee Rooney

Kristine Andersen Glenda Mesta

Rankings

Kirsten Miller Zizholz Level 7 Singles

Lisa Goodman

Jessica Wasch Olivia Coker Aimee Rooney Glenda Mesta

Hockey Skating 3

Lisa Goodman

Nicole Hoisington Jessica Wasch Leslie Boyer Yeager Aimee Rooney

Hockey Skating 4

Jessica Wasch Melissa Gade-Wasz Delandra Ramey

SPORT SCIENCE

Garrett Lucash, RFS, RM

Emotions and the Athletic Experience

BY GERALD REID, PH.D.

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 concep tions 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 fasci

nating world of sport science research literature—the textbooks and journal articles in domains ranging from genetics, to motor skill acquisition, athlete develop ment, nutrition, psychology, cognition, and even sports management. Over the years, I’ve read, highlighted, written notes, and re-read thousands of sport science publications, 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

Take 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 devel oping mental skills, such as developing a pre-performance routine, visualization scripts, or goals to mentally prepare for practice and performances. Perhaps you have incor porated 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 poten tial in the world, do not respond the way others may hope. Sometimes athletes have emotional barriers to their performance existing ‘beneath the surface’ that

opportunity to serve PSA, and this is a heartfelt thank you note to all who believe in me and a promise to engage each 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.

Garrett Lucash, Sport Science Committee Chair

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, disappoint ment, 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 gradu ally 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 acknowledg ment 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 inter pret 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 perfor mance 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 destigma tize the experience of talking with a professional who has expertise and skills to help. Coaches can acknowl edge 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 exper tise to work through their emotional experiences.

Gerald Reid, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in private practice, located in Boston, MA. Dr. Reid provides sport psychology consultation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Additionally, Dr. Reid holds a part-time faculty position at Boston University and Suffolk University .

EDUCATION

Denise Williamson, MFS, MM, SFF, CC, Level 4 Ranking

Program Directing: Opportunities for Personal and Professional Growth

BY NICOLE GABOURY, MPD, MM, RF | PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT THE GREENSBORO ICE HOUSE: A PSA EXCELLENCE ON ICE FACILITY

When I first accepted the job as a program director over two decades ago, I had no idea how much my skating career would change. I had already been coaching for a number of years when I was offered the job, and I hopped right in with the zealous ness befitting of a thirty-something!

I realized very quickly, however, that I was starting from the beginning. With no access to any of the previous director’s materials, I had to start completely anew. In retrospect, I now see the beauty of being able to create something out of nothing. I had the unique position to decide how our rink would look and feel to the figure skating community. While I certainly “earned my stripes” as I developed every policy, protocol, spreadsheet, marketing material, and contract, I am most proud of helping create an atmosphere of welcoming hospitality—a place where people want to come to work and skate.

To this day, I view this as one of my greatest accom plishments and as a major tenet of my leadership style. Visitors often remark how enjoyable it is to coach and skate at our facility, and many of our former skaters continue coming back to visit long after graduating high school or college just to say hi. The sense of community and belonging is pivotal to our program philosophy and every coach, skater, and parent plays a role in building that community.

Greensboro has been fortunate to host the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2011, 2015, and 2020. Our small, grassroots rink hosted practice ice during each of these years—no small feat for a facility that had only hosted a few State Games competitions. Every member of our figure skating community was invited to lend a hand. Coaches, parents, and skaters alike all signed up to help clean the rink, greet visitors, and serve a welcoming food spread of the ages to visiting athletes and their coaches.

Through these different service opportunities, local enthu siasm for our sport grew. Our figure skating community was proud of its role in the Championships, and it has had a lasting effect on our program. It’s akin to that famous line in the movie “Field of Dreams:” if you build it, they will come. By making a rink that is warm and welcoming, coaches and skaters will come—and they will be proud to call it their home!

When our city hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, I was also tasked with creating unoffi cial practice ice options for the top U.S. athletes. Having no prior experience developing a practice ice schedule for a local competition, much less the Championships, I was in over my toe picks! This brings me to another leadership pillar I’ve followed since day one: don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Well before the start of the 2011 Championships, Heidi Thibert was one of the very first coaches who reached out to me asking about practice ice options for her athletes. Recognizing that Heidi was part of the senior leadership team at U.S. Figure Skating and PSA and being new to all of this, I asked Heidi if she would be willing to help me develop a practice ice schedule that compli mented official practice ice and meet all the criteria for running safe and effective sessions. Heidi agreed, and when the time came again in 2015 and 2020, Heidi was right there at my side ready to lend a hand.

Closely related to that point, another tenet of my leadership style is my belief in prioritizing education. Continuing education has allowed me to not only better myself as a coach, but it has helped to ensure the better ment of our program, too. Very early in my coaching career I was blessed to be in a rink with a young and

enthusiastic master-rated coach named Cheryl Faust. Cheryl truly embodied what it meant to be a masterrated coach and was always willing to share what she knew, volunteer her time, and helped me develop my own coaching philosophy. Prior to meeting Cheryl, I had never considered my own theories about jump or spin technique. Periodization was an unfamiliar term, off-ice strength and conditioning wasn’t something that I actively encouraged, and I had never learned how to analyze and draw the prints of different jumps and spins. Under Cheryl’s guidance, I truly learned how to coach. My eagerness to be the very best coach possible was a new and exciting part of my professional journey.

That desire to improve eventually led to my participa tion in what used to be called the Apprentice Program. I opened the PSA Directory, turned to the list of master rated coaches in my state, and reached out to Denise Williamson. Although we had never met, I asked if she would be willing to be my mentor in the program. While our primary purpose was to further my technical knowl edge as it related to a clear and well-defined technique— decades later, I still refer to my apprentice notebook!— I learned the value of precise communication from coach to athlete, learned first-hand how to help each athlete become their personal best, and gained advanced insight into the principles of professional conduct. This relation ship has served as one of many life-long mentorships that continue to provide direction and fulfillment in my role as both coach and director.

During my apprenticeship, I recognized Denise’s keen ability to clearly relay information to her athletes to convey a technical point, identify and relay the correction needed, and ultimately achieve the desired outcome. In my role as program director, I’ve come to realize that communication is likely the single most important aspect of my job. I lean on the interper sonal skills learned through my time with Denise when communicating with coaches, athletes, parents, vendors, rink management, and employees. I also greatly appreci ated Denise’s constant professionalism: she was always on time, polished, proficient, and constantly strove for excellence. I strive to incorporate these attributes not only in my role as director, but also in my life!

In the spirit of continuing education, I chose to pursue my Program Director ratings. Beyond utilizing my own network of support, I attended a countless number of PSA educational opportunities to prepare myself, which included seminars, summits, and Ratings Prep. Each of these offerings provided me additional layers of knowl edge that continue to help guide me in the day-to-day decision making and policy planning that I perform as a director. Moreover, the countless number of outstanding

coaches and directors I’ve met throughout the process have provided a variety of different viewpoints and endless resources to utilize as I face the challenges of each new day.

Directing is a soup-to-nuts type of job. A typical day might include negotiating with the general manager for ice time, meeting with coaches, developing new programming, encouraging a hockey coach to teach a power skating class, measuring someone for new skates, marketing an upcoming event, submitting payroll, and more. I am a salesperson, an arbiter, and a creative thinker. I make and enforce rink policies, market rink events and programs, and play host to our patrons and visitors. I am a coach, a boss, a parent, and a skater. I have a unique opportunity to be the face of our rink and I strive to create a program in which I would want to be a coach, skater, or parent.

Every director and coach has had help along the way. Over the years, I’ve reached out many times to many different people seeking advice, ideas, and opportuni ties for collaboration. These relationships have added such value to both my professional and personal life, providing a level of meaning and purpose that extend far beyond the barriers of the rink.

Whether you’re a current or aspiring program director or a coach of any level, my best advice is this: get out of your comfort zone, ask for help, and find a mentor. Give back and serve as a mentor as you advance through your journey. And above all else, strive to be that welcoming presence responsible for making your facility an open and inclusive rink. You’ll be glad you did.

“I am a sales person, an arbiter, and a creative thinker. I make and enforce rink policies, market rink events and programs, and play host to our patrons and visitors. I am a coach, a boss, a parent, and a skater. I have a unique opportunity to be the face of our rink and I strive to create a program in which I would want to be a coach, skater, or parent.”

IJSis the system in which the figure skating world evaluates our athletes’ performances, but can coaches use it to develop our athletes as well? The 2023 PSA Summit "IJS: Immersive-Intensive-Interactive" is a deep dive with a focus on coaching in IJS presented in a delivery format not available in the past.

Attendees will spend 2 ½ days with IJS experts who will unravel the IJS mysteries that hinder coaching progress. Sessions are designed to unlock the math and explore how to navigate every part of the accumulation of points. Through wit, wisdom, and practical advice from the faculty, coaches will be empowered to deliver IJS to their athletes in a way that leads to athlete learning and performance improvement.

Coaches interested in expanding the learning aspects of IJS will find value in the broad ideas, real-life examples, and tools, templates, and guidance the Summit will offer. We will continue to learn together as we put these ideas into practice, and we look forward to the conversations this Summit inspires. Come join the conversation!

— $22 per day

An entire day-long track on Tuesday, May 23, will be devoted to Learn To Skate USA, PSA Foundations of Coaching Sessions, and the U.S. Figure Skating Aspire program. The information in these three programs will be integrated into a day of interactive learning and sharing ideas and practices. Additionally, PSA will launch a session devoted to the Program Director curriculum.

TRANSPORTATION

HONORARY Members Honoring our

Each year, the PSA establishes an educational theme to guide the organization. With all the rapid changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year it felt important to also remember our traditions. From this desire, the theme for this year revealed itself: Window to the Past, Door to the Future.

Annually, the PSA honors those who have paved the way with their contri butions to the organization. The David Shulman Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a person who has dedicated countless hours and years of service to the PSA. These contributions helped shape the PSA into the outstanding organization it is today. These Honorary Members are true leaders and beacons of light. Each represents the values of professionalism, leadership, and community.

Our Honorary Membership Roster includes past presidents; executive directors; national, international, and Olympic coaches; current and former PSA staff members; and members who significantly contributed to PSA and its programs. They have not only shaped our history, but they continue to play an integral part by raising our next generation of leaders. Their influ ence will be felt now and for years to come. Our Honorary Members repre sent the past, the present, and the future of PSA. With the most sincere gratitude, we honor them here.

Lamb, or Kathy Casey, or David Shulman—and everything they have contributed to our sport and to our organization. Then to realize that I was put into that same category of membership… well, it was really special to me. What I’m trying to say is I’m still just so terribly honored.”

was not always the most popular, but I didn’t care. I walked away with my head held high and I felt like it was really important to give my honest opinion and stay true to who I was.”

What advice would you give to younger coaches?

Frank Carroll (Joined 1970)

Named Honorary Member: 1994

How did it feel when you were named an honorary member of PSA?

“It just felt absolutely amazing to be celebrated and honored by all of my colleagues and peers, and by the organization itself. I still think about some of the other people who have been similarly honored—people like Sandy

What do you feel like one of your biggest contributions to PSA was?

“I think one of my biggest contri butions was that I was willing to be the one who gave opinions that were out of the box, or that people didn’t always want to hear because maybe they were a little controversial at the time. I was always the devil’s advocate in the room because I always hoped to explore the ‘other’ opinion. And I think that’s really valuable in life. I

“One of the things I would say is to never forget that coaching is one of the most rewarding and wonderful occupations you can choose. Coaching isn’t just some kind of cold business deal or a job where you sit at a desk pushing around papers all day; it gives you such an emotional feedback and it’s such a joy to see the day-today progression of these kids. It really reaches your heart.

My career has been wonderful. I wouldn’t change one thing about

Named

it. And that’s not to say that things were always easy. There were really hard and controversial times, and some really sad and tragic times, too, but there were also really wonderful and joyful times. Frankly, I just adore my life and I adore what I did. And I can’t think of anything else that would give me that same feeling.

So to all of the young coaches out there: if you love coaching and you get involved with the sport, it will feed you back. It will give you so much more than financials. You’re going to have to work hard, you’re going to have to accept the slap downs, and you’re going to have to study and do your ratings. It’s a lot of work. But in the long run it’s so worth it. It’s so worth it.”

What do you want people to remember about you?

When people think of me, I want them to remember that I was a hard worker and that I was always willing to share whatever knowledge I had within the sport to other coaches. More importantly though, I hope people remember that while I may have accomplished a lot, I always tried to be fair to everyone I worked with. I always tried to be polite and courteous. I tried to respect other people’s rights. I was never unfair and I never cheated. And I tried my very best to pass these same values on to my students. It was never just about the skating. It was also using the sport to teach my students the importance of having manners, courtesy, and respect towards others.

What did it mean to you to be named an honorary member of PSA? What do you think some of your biggest accomplishments as President were?

“That’s a really great question. Leading up to—and even during part of my presidency—the relation ships that PSA had with U.S. Figure Skating and ISI were very different than they are today. We worked very, very hard to establish ourselves and officially be recognized as the coaching arm for both organiza tions and the figure skating industry. I remember working around the clock with the office staff, the Board of Governors, and other really key people to make that happen.

During my presidency, I also remember when the USOC mandated that all NGBs estab lish some kind of coaching arm of their organization. I think back to that moment when the PSA was recognized by U.S. Figure Skating as the official coaches education and accreditation body and I can so clearly remember signing that document at the national confer ence with U.S. Figure Skating officials and cameras going off everywhere. I remember standing at the lectern when they announced that. All of our hard work came to fruition, and I knew that PSA would continue to thrive. For me, I think that was my biggest contribution to coaching and to the PSA. It was a great moment for me.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

“You have to continue to learn everyday. And not only through the PSA, but to look for continuing education with ISI and U.S. Figure

Bob Mock (Joined 1976) Named Honorary Member: 2000

Sonya Dunfield (Joined 1971)

Named Honorary Member: 1982

Carole Shulman (Joined: 1962)

Named Honorary Member: 1989

Robbie Kaine (Joined 1977)

Named Honorary Member: 2007

Mary Scotvold (Joined 1965)

Honorary Member: 2007

Skating, too. All three bodies have tremendous learning opportunities. And truly, I think that’s the secret in any profession: you have to keep learning, and you have to want to be with the people who are paving a way for the future.”

Christy Krall (Joined 1975)

Named Honorary Member: 2001

Can you tell me more about being an honorary member? What did it mean to you to receive this award?

“Before I was named an Honorary Member, I had been on the Board of Governors, as Second Vice President, and as chair of the Moves in the Field development for PSA. And when it came to Moves in the Field…boy I’ll tell you what, to be working with so many legends that we knew from skating—to be in that cadre of people—it was just so exciting. To think that I was even qualified to be with that group was just really flattering. So when I was announced as the recipient of the award, it was just a total surprise…I was in total shock and awe. It was a really special moment. But you know, I’m also really honored to be recognized for so many other awards. In 2012, I was awarded the Sonja Heine award, in 2013 I was named as the Coach of the Year, and I was recognized several times by PSA for the Pieter Kollen Sports Science Award. These were all monumental moments for me. And then, of course, to work with Patrick Chan and see him through two world championships… well, that was really special, too.”

What advice would you give to younger coaches?

“I would say the most important thing they should know is that when you’re teaching a little person, you’re very powerful. Remember: a coach can build up, but a coach can also destroy, so use your power for good. It’s important that you portray yourself as a refined and respectful professional. Show that you’re more worried about devel oping the athlete instead of your own career. Are you doing this for your own fame and glory, or about making better human beings and preserving the legacy of the sport? Remember why you became a coach and remember what it is intellectually and spiritually that you are trying to develop in this person for life.”

What do you want people to remember about you?

“Hopefully people remember that I had a sense of humor. But I would also like for them to remember that I kind of recreated myself every seven years. I never got bored with figure skating. I went from being a coach, to working with U.S. Figure Skating, to major work with DartFish, to coaching a world champion. But no matter what I was doing, I was always making skating fun for me.”

Named

Gerry Lane (Joined 1976) & Debbie Lane (Joined 1977)

Named Honorary Members: 2002

What did it mean when you were named an honorary member?

G: To me, I always felt that the highest honor a member could receive was to be recognized as an honorary member. I think to be named an honorary member of any

Angie Riviello (Joined 1996)

Named Honorary Member: 2016

John Nicks (Joined 1970)

Named Honorary Member: 2014

Mitch Moyer (Joined 1984)

Honorary Member: 2015

Lynn Benson (Joined 1987)

Named Honorary Member: 2011

organization, really, is really quite prestigious. Iis a recognition of all of your achievements.

I first came onto the Board of Governors in 1981…it was about 20 years when we were named honorary members. I remember Carole Shulman telling me at one point that to serve as a leader in that capacity, it wasn’t possible for a husband or a wife without the support of their spouse. To serve as a leader—especially in that capacity—was a big time commitment and it required a lot of patience and understanding, especially if they weren’t involved with and didn’t understand skating.

She was absolutely right: I couldn’t have done it without Debbie by my side that whole time. It was almost 20 years after first getting onto the Board—20 years of hard work and dedication—when we were named honorary members. So it was really quite special because we had both put so much in.

What do you feel like one of your biggest contributions to PSA was?

D: I’m not sure I can nod to any one particular thing but what really sticks out in my mind is the enjoy ment factor. It didn’t matter what I was doing for the PSA but I always enjoyed the work.

I especially enjoyed ratings. I remember that I used to do a lot of Ratings Prep and what I enjoyed about it more than anything was working closely with so many coaches, making connections with them, and helping them prepare for their ratings exams. The other thing I remember really enjoying was doing a lot of judging seminars, especially when Moves in the Field first came out. Those were always really exciting.

What advice would you give to younger coaches?

D: I would say to find a mentor. We both took from Ron Ludington and he was the one who told us to join PSGA. He was our mentor and he really showed us what we needed to do to be successful.

G: Oh yes, I was going to talk about Ron Ludington, too. I think for seasoned coaches, it’s impor tant to mentor your students who want to become coaches. They still need you. But for younger coaches—especially those who don’t have a mentor—I would say to find one. People in the PSA were willing to share and to give information. And no matter what, I would say you must pursue continuing education. Nothing you do as a skater teaches you how to be a coach. Sure, you learn the technique, but not how to teach it. So learn how to be a good teacher. Learn from other people and from the mistakes they learned along the way to become a good coach.

doing nothing so I jumped in with both hands and both feet to see where I could contribute to the organization. I became Fall Seminar Chair, Conference Chair too many times to remember, and was elected to the PSA Board of Governors many times. All of this was done with the simple goal of improving my knowledge of figure skating.

Janet Champion (Joined 1971) Named Honorary Member: 2003

What Being a PSA Honorary Member Means to Me

A couple of years after I started teaching skating, I found out about this coaching organization that helped skaters become better teachers and coaches. At the time I thought to myself, maybe I didn’t know much about teaching but I knew how to skate and I knew I loved it. I wanted to improve my knowledge and I thought I had found Nirvana with the Professional Skaters Guild of America, the organization's name at the time.

After attending a conference in 1971, I saw how great this organiza tion was with elite coaches sharing their knowledge and passionate organizers working toward the betterment of the coaching profes sion. I was hooked.

I’ve never liked sitting around

Along the way, I found some of my best friends of my whole life. It’s hard to say what my biggest contribution has been to PSA but I can certainly appreciate all that PSA has done for me. I never set out to win awards or accolades of any kind, but I’m so thankful for the knowledge and friendships PSA has given to me.

My advice for young coaches: always keep learning and impart that knowledge to your students. Work hard and have fun everyday.

The main thing I want people to remember about me is how my love for figure skating hasn’t wavered since I was five years old. One of my teaching goals has always been to instill into my students a strong work ethic as well as a passion for skating. I hope that I have achieved that and that these skaters have happy memories of their childhood in figure skating.

Eloise Becker (Joined 1976)

Named Honorary Member: 2004

Can you tell me more about being an honorary member? What did it mean to you to receive this award?

“I remember my name being announced, and I was so surprised that I was in tears. It was just a wonderful thing. I mean, sure, I’ve done so much with the PSA but it was all coming from my heart. I just wanted to see coaching come up. I’ve been a member now for 40-something years, but the excite ment never goes away.”

What do you feel like one of your biggest contributions to PSA was?

“Oh I don’t know…you know, I just loved the PSA. I could not believe what we could learn from the PSA. When I got onto the Board of Directors I couldn’t believe what they were doing at the top and that’s when I thought, the more education we could get out there, the better our skaters would be. So I guess I would say, maybe creating the first Coaches’ Manual, or devel oping the Apprentice Program so that young coaches could feel free to go to a seasoned coach and ask for help. I thought…my goodness, learning from the best is the best way. But you know, it’s really funny because every single thing I did was so important to me at the time.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

“I would want to tell them how important education is in the growth of their coaching careers. How else can I say it? I’m so pro-education. If you’re going to be teaching you have such a responsi bility because you’re telling parents to spend all of this money on you.

What do you want people to remember about you?

“That I was knowledgeable and kind, and I had a good influence on their children. I also hope people remember how much I loved the PSA.”

What are some accomplishments you are most proud of?

“I would have to list my ongoing work with the other skating organi zations and the creation of U.S. Figure Skating’s Snowplow Sam program, which not only helped boost their membership, but also gave our coaches another tool for teaching. I’m also really proud of the growth that our education and certification programs had— especially ratings—under my watch. But more than anything, I feel like I always put PSA’s best interests at the helm. My loyalty and love for the organization never wavered and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

What did it mean to you to be named an honorary member of PSA? As a Past President, what do you hope people remember most about you?

“I was named an honorary member at the conclusion of my term as President. The presidency was a really big job—and, you know, every presidency has its own unique challenges—but looking back it was just such a wonderful experience. Being PSA’s President was one of the most memorable and gratifying experiences of my life. So when I was named as an honorary member, it was a really beautiful and special moment for me.

In the time since my presidency… well, I am just so impressed with where the PSA has gone. I can’t stress enough how amazing it all is and how wonderful it is to see everything that this organization has accomplished. I truly loved the PSA so much, and I still do. I hope that’s what people remember most about me.”

“When I was younger, I just could not believe what PSGA could offer me. I was just totally overwhelmed. And to meet so many people—all of the fine minds and coaches—it was the place to be. I’m so thankful that these great coaches saw the signifi cance of our organization and were there to contribute so that we could all benefit from it. The PSA helped me become the coach I wanted to be.

So with that, I would say that if you love skating, if you have a passion for it, and if you want to coach, then do it. Be proud of your chosen profession and stay close to PSA. It is an organization owned by each and every one of you. The PSA will provide the validation and direction you will need to be most successful, and as such, will be one of the most impor tant partner ships you will have in your professional life.”

Every coach has the responsibility to really learn and keep learning how to perfect their craft.”

Cindy Geltz (Joined 1978) Named Honorary Member: 2005

Diane Miller (Joined 1977)

Named Honorary Member: 2006

Can you tell me more about being named an honorary member? When were you named an honorary member, and what did it mean to you?

“As an honorary member of the PSA since 2006, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have served over the years, and I’m proud to continue serving our membership today!

In all of my different roles—from the Education Committee Chair, to Chair of the Coaches’ Committee, Sports Science Chair, and even Vice President—my number one goal was always to bring the education that our elite-level coaches were receiving to our grassroots coaches. I have always believed that when you stop learning, you stop living and I am grateful to have the opportunity to make PSA a part of my life.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

“Coaches, keep up your education, keep learning and let the PSA help you to be the best you can be! I have so many wonderful memories, friendships, and lifelong relation ships because of the PSA, and I hope for the same for each of you.

Carol Rossignol (Joined 1983)

Named Honorary Member: 2008

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

“I would say it was the process of training ratings examiners and expecting them to be trial examiners first. You know, there was no real examiner training before. Back then, once you were master rated, you just became an examiner. I have to give a lot of credit to Randy Winship because he agreed with me that the trial examiners should be trained. In 2003, we did the first trial examiner training at the conference in Stanford so that they knew what their role was. Then the next year, we expanded it to examiners and what job they were to do.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

“It’s not what PSA can do for PSA but what you can do for PSA. Get involved, because everyone has something to offer. You make friends forever in skating—that’s another reason why coaches should get involved. Coaches can help each other get through life.”

What did it mean to you when you were awarded an honorary membership?

“To be recognized as the PSA Lifetime Achievement award recip ient was such a tremendous honor. For me, it really represented a culmination of 17 years of service to the PSA. In all those years, I was surrounded by colleagues who I respect very much. They each enriched my life so much, and I’m so grateful for the lifelong friend ships that came from my time on the Executive Board.”

What do you feel some of your biggest takeaways have been?

“During the time I served as First Vice President and as the Committee for Professional Standards Chair, I gained deep insight regarding the need for professional communication among everyone involved in our industry. I learned very impor tant lessons in that role: we must communicate fully with others and we must always be true to ourselves.”

What advice would you give to younger coaches?

“For those coaches just beginning their journey: find your group of like-minded professionals, observe all levels of sport, and embrace change. PSA is a loving and protec tive community, so embrace it and find your people. Always remember that your reputation speaks volumes. And finally, your ultimate goal as a coach should be to leave a legacy of making positive impacts on the lives of others through sport.”

Jackie Brenner (Joined 1990) Named Honorary Member: 2009

PSA Board Meeting

that’s powerful. If they can open up their hearts and minds to what the possibilities are, their window of opportunity expands completely.”

Kelley Morris Adair

(Joined 1988)

Named Honorary Member: 2010

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

“I remember when I was President, we brought in all of the Past Presidents to Conference one year and it was a really powerful moment. Everybody who was still living showed up, and a lot of the younger members had never met these people. It was a really beautiful and powerful moment that I’m proud of…it was very touching.

I also think that I’m just proud of the longevity of helping in whatever way I was needed, even as a past president. Whether it was serving on the Professional Standards Committee, the Grievance Committee, or dealing with SafeSport…there were a lot of big, pivotal moments in PSA’s history that I was there for, including times that required difficult conversations. But I was ready to help get our organization through all of those big moments, and I hope that I did in a really positive way. I’m just so proud of PSA, I’m just really, really proud of all of the people who were part of it all.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

“I think I would want to tell them to open up their minds, open up their hearts, and open up their window of opportunity because that’s exactly what PSA is. And then to embrace it all, to truly sit back and embrace everything that PSA has to offer. There are just so many resources. We have 5,000 members. To put them all together in a room together, even just putting a fraction of them together…well,

Carol Murphy (Joined 1987) Named Honorary Member: 2017

When were you named an honorary member, and what did it mean to you?

“I received my Lifetime Achievement award in 2017. It was extra special because the award was renamed to the Shulman Award for Lifetime Achievement that year and it was presented to me by Carole and David Shulman. I’ve known them both for many years and I think it was special for them as well. We were all teary eyed! I actually could barely stand up when it was announced and Carole kind of propped me up. It was (and is) such an incredible honor. I never dreamed when I first joined PSA that I’d ever serve on the board, become the Treasurer and be able to serve the PSA for so long.”

What impact did you have on the PSA that you are most proud of?

“I think I’m most proud of my long service to PSA of over 14 years as Treasurer, and I hope that I am remembered as the first Treasurer that really brought transparency to the PSA’s finances. In that time, I had to be able to work effec tively with six different Presidents. Each one of them had a different leadership style and to be effec tive I had to adapt to each of their personal styles.

I’m also extremely proud to have helped resurrect the PS Foundation in 2016. It’s been so rewarding to

be able to assist so many coaches in need through the Skater’s Fund and also to provide scholarships.”

Janet Tremer (Joined 1975) Named Honorary Member: 2018

Can you tell me more about being named an honorary member? What did it mean to you?

“My honorary membership was announced at the Orlando confer ence in 2018. I was both shocked and tickled pink because I felt it represented the possibility that a non-famous coach who loved PSA and worked on its behalf could be seen and validated. It wasn't just awarded to me, but to all of the grassroots and developmental coaches who have contributed for many, many years to make the PSA the organization what it is.

My journey with PSA volun teering began with an offer to help set up chairs. It progressed through hosting workshops and seminars to speaking at all levels of educa tional events. I was fortunate to chair several committees including Ratings and FCC and served two terms on the Board of Governors. It was because mentors like Sally-Anne Reid, Cindy Geltz, and Sandy Lamb saw that I might have something to offer and they gave me those opportunities. No man is an island…I have always been so proud to be a member of PSA.”

What advice would you give to younger coaches?

“Sit in the front of the room. Listen, learn, and love it. Create an attitude of curiosity, joy, and enthusiasm when learning. Venture

beyond what is expected and find "your people" in the organiza tion—the ones who love skating, coaching, learning, and questioning. To be ethical you must be compe tent, so your quest for knowledge and your application of that infor mation should be a lifelong activity. Respect your chosen profession.”

What do you want people to remember about you?

“I hope that people will remember that I showed up ready to listen, to learn, and to help, and that I extended kindness and respect to all colleagues.”

Christine Fowler-Binder (Joined 1993) Named Honorary Member: 2019

How did it feel to be recognized as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award?

“To win this award was really special. To me, it represented a culmination of serving on the Board of Governors for 16 years and serving as PSA President. You know, I don’t think most people truly understand the amount of work and time that goes into the presidency, so to be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award was an honor and a beautiful reflection of those many, many years of work.”

What would you say to younger coaches?

“I think it’s important to get involved and continue to educate yourself. It’s always nice to have a mentor, and the PSA really can be a tool to help you find one. My mentors were the ones who encouraged me to find myself as a coach and pushed me to be the best I could be.

It’s my hope to do the same for the younger coaches in my rink, and I think that I have. I hope that everyone sees the PSA as the organi zation that can help you become a better coach and help you find your own path.”

Barb Yackel (Joined: 1965)

Named Honorary Member: 2020

How did it feel when you were named as an honorary member?

“I was totally blown away. I am a person who is seldom at a loss for words, but I was speechless. I look at the list of people I am now included with and I told my mom, ‘I don’t belong on this list.’ It is over the top unbelievable that I got this award, and I am so very humbled.

As a coach, there is no better feeling than teaching athletes the importance of discipline, hard work, effort, dedication, determination, as well as the satisfaction that comes from shaping the heart it takes to succeed in athletics and life.

My single piece of advice to young coaches is to find the right mix of fun and skill development. Always, always continue to learn from peers, be patient and positive, and never lose site of your values on and off the ice."

Alex Chang (Joined 2004)

What do you feel like one of your biggest contributions to PSA was?

“I would say helping reposition the PSA for the future during COVID was a big contribution. It was also one of my most challenging yet rewarding experiences in all the years I’ve been in the skating

Named Honorary Member: 2022

1999 PSA EDI Award winners | Colorado Springs, CO

industry. No one knew what to expect, but that didn’t stop us from planning, discussing, and taking action.”

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

“I

most proud of pivoting our educational programming to embrace streaming technolo gies and virtual platforms without

compromising the quality of our educational content. This was critical to ensuring the continued success of the PSA. Now, we are able to utilize the best of both worlds—both live events and virtual platforms—to reach our coaches exactly where they are with what matters most to them.”

Erika

Agnes

Walter Muehlbronner

Howard Nicholson Bob O’Connell Bob & Joan Ogilvie Paul Riedell Norma Sahlin Wally Sahlin

Eddie Shipstad Roy Shipstad

David Shulman Garrett Swasey Cliff Thaell

Peter Dunfield with Fritz Dietl at the 2000 PSA Conference

About us A word from Scott

Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer™ is the nationwide peer to peer fundraiser for the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation, empowering the community to join the fight against cancer by funding critical research.

“I see a day where everyone survives cancer. A day when no one suffers their way through their treatments. Our body holds the keys to surviving this insidious disease, and only through the research we are funding that we can unlock the keys to a much brighter future a future celebrating survivors.“ Scott Hamilton

Host a Frozen 5k or Ice Show as a fundraiser

Raise funds for cancer research and receive fundraising rewards at the end of the event

Honor those impacted by cancer and skate towards a better future for the next person diagnosed

COACHING DEVELOPMENT

Looking Backward to See Forward: How Self-Reflection Creates a Better Coaching Philosophy

At the end of each season, it is common practice for a coach to ask their athletes to reflect on their own personal successes and failures from the last year. We teach that this process of reflection is vital to informed goal-setting, planning for the upcoming season, and ultimately, to their future success.

As coaches, we should also practice using reflec tion as a tool for our own continuous growth. This article will guide you through the beginning process of reflecting on your own career.

In an effort to provide yourself with new clarity, I would encourage you to begin a coaching journal. Somehow, revisiting thoughts and feelings that I have written down has always provided me with a new perspective. I hope it does the same for you.

Once you have answered the last question, think about how this list compares to the lists of qualities you saw in your own coaches.

Looking Backward

Every coach was once an athlete who had their own coaches growing up. Let’s begin by reflecting on these experiences. Write each of the following questions at the top of a blank page in your journal:

1. Thinking about my coach(es) growing up, what positive qualities did they possess?

2. What coaching qualities/methods did I experience as an athlete that were not effective for me?

3. How did these positive and negative qualities affect me as an athlete? Have they affected my coaching methodology?

4. What things do I value most about being a coach? Next to each, write a word or two about how that quality might be demonstrated in your coaching practice.

Looking Inward

Looking inward is about discovering your passions and values, your challenges and fears, and your strengths and weaknesses. The following questions will help you look at yourself as a coach:

1. What do I love about being a coach?

2. What areas of coaching are challenging for me?

3. How much time do I have to devote to coaching? Do I have the time it takes to be a full time coach, or am I better suited to use coaching as a supplement to another career?

4. What is my coaching commitment level? What am I willing to sacrifice to pursue full-time coaching? (Think about traveling, weekend competitions, ice shows, test sessions, etc.)

5. What are my short-term and long-term goals as a coach? What do I need to do to accomplish those goals?

6. How will I continue to learn and grow as a coach? How much am I willing to invest in that process?

7. Is coaching what I really want to do? If so, do I have what it takes to be an effective coach?

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”

– Steve Jobs

“Inward dedication magnetizes outward opportunity.”

- Caroline W. Casey

Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC

Personal Growth Challenge

Looking Outward

If you found the last question difficult to answer, an outward-looking approach might help. Simply put, the definition of “outward-looking” is looking beyond oneself. Among many other things, it requires openmindedness, thinking about others, and practicing the act of service.

Communication is a vital component in building relationships with your skaters. It is especially impor tant to talk to your skaters individually and determine what their values and beliefs are, what their goals are,

and why they are participating in the sport.

As a coach, you are a powerful role model and can have a tremendous influence on your skaters if you and your skaters are on the same page. Just like you examined your own values, beliefs, and habits, take the time to get to know each of your skaters. Once you understand each of your skaters’ strengths, weaknesses, and abilities, you can develop an appropriate coaching plan for each of them.

Write down your thoughts about the following questions. Since nobody will see this journal, be completely honest with yourself and your feelings.

“The water is always deeper than it reflects.” – Marty Rubin

What do you need to work on to become even better?

Improvement area

How will you know thatimprovement has been made?

“To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often.”

– Winston Churchill

1. Will I focus only on the “stars?”

2. Will I treat everyone equally in terms of my attention and help?

3. Am I into the team coaching approach, or do I prefer to be a solo act?

Once you understand the types of athletes and coaches you want to work with, it becomes just as important to understand the parameters of that coaching situation. You should have a solid under standing of what is required of you as the coach depending on your skaters’ ages and training levels. Here are some questions for consideration:

1. How much time can my skaters devote to training and competing?

2. What are the short-term and long-term goals of my skaters?

3. What level of commitment do my skaters have?

4. What stages of development are my skaters currently in?

Looking Forward

Keeping your previous reflections in mind, it is time to begin looking forward to the future of your coaching journey.

To “look forward” generally means to think about the future. However, by “looking forward” to the future, it is also implied that there is an excite ment for what is to come. Consider these last few questions:

1. What will I continue to do in my own coaching practice?

2. What aspects of my coaching do I want to keep, but need to change my approach?

3. What things will I never do, or will I stop doing?

Stay ahead of the game with name updates. If you haven't ordered our newest Skating Skills book, be sure to order this helpful rink-side resource today.

www.skatepsa.com

PSA is proud to provide all of the coaching resources you need.

“So often we look outward for excuses instead of inward for answers.”

– Beth Brownlee

Looking Upward

We teach our skaters that every practice and every competition is an opportunity for improvement. Even in their moments of success—maybe passing a test or a podium-placed finish—we teach our athletes that they should still reflect on the process knowing that it will benefit their continued growth.

By practicing self-reflection in a similar way, we can also pursue constant growth and self-improvement as a coach. The result? A more effective, efficient, and accurate you.

A good coaching philosophy recognizes how impor tant the desire for constant self-improvement is. Bettering yourself as a coach equates to the improved success of your athletes at any level.

In order to see these results, a coach interested in becoming more effective might ask themselves,

is there a better way of doing what I am doing? By applying this question to all aspects of the coaching process, a good coach can positively affect the learning process, the athlete’s motivations, and perhaps most importantly, the future outcomes of the athlete and coach alike.

For skaters with big dreams!

“Continuous improvement is better than perfection.”

– Mark Twain

Great Park Ice is a Great Place to Be!

By Brock Huddleston

EachNovember, PS Magazine is proud to run a feature that spotlight’s that year’s winner of the Fritz Dietl Award of Ice Arena Excellence.

The Fritz Dietl Award of Ice Arena Excellence honors the lifetime dedication of Fritz Dietl to the ice skating industry and his determination to encourage innovation and excellence in facility management operations and programming.

Announced in May 2022, the year’s award was given to Great Park Ice in Irvine, California. We would like to congratulate everyone who has helped make this facility one of excellence.

State-of-the-art facility

At 275,000 square feet, Great Park Ice is among the largest facilities in the country. Great Park Ice has

four sheets of ice, including an Olympic size rink with seating for 3,000 spectators, as well as a ballet room, an off-ice training area, a spinner room, and gym facilities.

“In terms of the facility, Great Park Ice is the crown jewel of our company’s facility portfolio, which includes seven ice facilities and one inline roller facility,” says Alex Chang, Director of Skating.

According to Chang, more than USD $112 million was invested into the initial construction of the facility. “The intent,” he says, “was to build a stateof-the-art facility that would be a superior training environment for elite athletes, while also promoting increased participation in ice sports throughout all of Southern California.”

The home of champions

While the building itself may be impressive, what's even more impressive is the number of elite-level athletes who train at Great Park Ice. The facility is home to a number of big-name skaters, including:

• 2022 Olympic Men’s Champion, Nathan Chen

• 2022 Olympic Team Medalists: Nathan Chen, Alexa Knierim, and Brandon Frazier

• 2022 World Pairs Champions, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier

• 2022 U.S. Senior Men’s Champion, Nathan Chen

• 2022 U.S. Senior Women’s Champion, Mariah Bell

• 2022 U.S. Senior Pairs Silver Medalists, Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson

• 2022 U.S. Junior Pairs Champions, Sonia Baram and Daniel Tioumentsiev

When asked about this long list of Great Park athletes and their accolades who come from his facility, Chang said, “I am really proud of them. We all are! As far as I know, I believe that in 2022, our rink had the highest collective medal count of any facility in the United States for Olympic, Worlds, and Senior U.S. Figure Skating Championship events. It’s pretty amazing, really.”

Growing Numbers

Not only does Great Park Ice offer superior elitelevel programming, but it has something else to boast about too: its superior learn to skate program. For Michelle Lauerman, Skating Manager at Great Park Ice, providing excellence has always been her number one goal.

“This past year was a huge year for us, not only in terms of our elite-level programming, but also for our Learn to Skate and Academy programs,” said Lauerman. “We’ve made it our goal to provide the best customer experience possible from the very beginning of someone’s skating journey.”

According to Susi Wehrli McLaughlin, Senior Director of Membership at U.S. Figure Skating, Great Park’s Learn to Skate program is the largest program in California and ranks as seventhlargest in the country.

“This is a truly wonderful program with some of the most talented staff and dedicated leader ship,” says Wehrli McLaughlin. “They have inspired thousands of new skaters and will continue to inspire many more.”

When asked about what made their program so successful, Lauerman said, “I think what makes people want to keep coming back really boils down to two big things: our coaches and the community that we’ve created. Despite the large size of our program and our facility, we really try to give a personalized experience to each customer so that nobody ever feels lost. Everybody has a place here.”

“What’s more,” she says, “we have an incredible group of coaches on staff. Every single one of them is dedicated to this program. We even have World and Olympic-level coaches who regularly teach Learn to Skate, which is just so wonderful. None of this would be possible without our coaches and leadership team. It is truly a team effort to keep everything running and continuing to develop.”

Dedicated to coaching excellence

Of course, it would be impossible for Great Park to be home to such incredible athletes and program ming without an equally incredible staff.

Most notably, three Great Park Ice coaches— Rafael Arutyunyan, Vera Arutyunyan, and Nadia Kanaeva—received the highest honor in May 2022 when they were named U.S. Figure Skating and PSA’s Coach of the Year. The same award was won by the coaching trio in 2016, and in 2020, it was awarded to a different team of Great Park Ice coaches—Todd Sand, Jenni Meno-Sand, and Christine Fowler-Binder.

The rink’s coaching team is also home to two past PSA presidents, Alex Chang and Christine FowlerBinder, several past or current members of PSA’s Board of Governors, and numerous former national and international competitors. The team of coaches at Great Park Ice is truly unlike any other.

We wish to congratulate Michelle Lauerman, Alex Chang, Great Park Ice, and all of the coaches, employees, and skaters who have dedicated themselves to the excellence of this facility. Congratulations, one and all!

The Fritz Dietl Award for Ice Arena Excellence honors the lifetime dedication of Fritz Dietl to the ice skating industry and his determination to encourage innovation and excellence in facility management operations and programming. The award is announced each year at PSA’s Edi Awards, hosted at its annual Summit and Tradeshow. To be eligible for the award, the arena must be recognized as an Excellence On Ice (EOI) facility. For more information or to learn how to nominate a facility, visit www.skatepsa.com.

Healthy Fats for Athletes

by Julianne Pondelli

Abalanced diet is essential for optimal athlete performance and well-being. The best diets for athletes contain protein, carbs, and fats, with 20%-35% of their total calories coming from healthy fats. Because food is fuel, athletes should avoid restrictive diets that limit any of the food groups. A diet that is too restrictive in any group, including fat, won’t help the athlete meet the energy needs of demanding skating sessions.

The Benefits of Fat

Athletesʻ bodies use both carbs and fat as fuel. The energy from carbs fuels workout and skating sessions, but diets that consist of moderate fat help the athlete from getting tired and feeling depleted. Fat is satiating, meaning that it also keeps athletes feeling fuller, longer. Adding small to moderate amounts to the athlete’s daily

plate will keep them satisfied and will prevent them from that shaky feeling during longer practice days.

In addition to providing energy and keeping athletes feeling full, fat is functionally involved in hormonal balance. Hormones are involved in growth, development, and recovery. Lack of fat in an athlete’s diet can have a direct impact on their ability to perform and recover.

Choosing Healthy Fats

As important as fats are in the diet, not all fats are created equal. It is equally important to ensure that the athlete’s diet is filled with healthy fats. The key here is to choose foods with the type of fat that the body can efficiently utilize for energy. Athletes benefit most from diets that incorporate more food with healthy fats and limit the number of foods that are high in trans fats or saturated fats.

Consuming Fats and Weight Gain

It is important to note that incorporating healthy fat into an athlete’s diet won’t necessarily lead to weight gain.

Weight gain is caused by an excess of calories compared to the amount of calories expended. Fat,

which provides 9 calories/gram, is more energy dense than carbs and protein that only provide 4 calories/gram. This increase of calories can be used to meet the athleteʻs caloric demands.

As such, although fats have more than double the amount of calories than carbs and protein do, incorporating fat into the diet doesnʻt necessarily lead to automatic weight gain as long as the diet does not contain a net caloric excess.

Conclusion

In conclusion, all athletes need to consume a balanced diet that contains carbs, protein, and fats. Fats are vital to fueling the body and are important to the overall health and well-being of the athlete. As such, athletes should ensure that they are consuming reasonable quantities of healthy fats as part of their regular diet.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Limit trans and saturated fats: Substitute with these healthy, energy providing fats:

Butter

Sour cream

Mayonnaise

Bacon

Hamburger and other red meat

Cakes, cookies, donuts

Olive oil (1 tbsp. per serving)

Avocado (approx. 1/4 cup per serving)

Low fat Greek yogurt, low fat yogurt without added sugars, or dairy free yogurt with added calcium and vitamin D

Turkey bacon (Better choice but still a processed food)

Turkey burgers or veggie burgers

Fish (Salmon, swordfish, tuna, sardines, shrimp)

Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa)

Processed muffins and baked goods Natural peanut butter

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HOCKEY

Klatt, MFS, MG, MM, SFF

Common Errors in Advanced Players

EXCERPT FROM THE PSA HOCKEY 3 MANUAL

Below are common errors (and relevant training tips) in more advanced players’ technique who have not had skating instruction previously to correct these errors.

• Pitchforking arms — Wild side-to-side arm swings cause numerous errors in a skater’s stride as documented in the Hockey 1 Manual. Advanced players often use more effort rather than better technique to generate speed, resulting in more pitch forking, not less.

• Shoulder rotation — Shoulder rotation causes the same errors as pitchforking with the arms. Shoulder rotation is where the shoulders twist in a counter punching motion that is in opposition to each stride. This motion causes a twist in the player’s back, reduces stride length, restricts breathing, and limits stick handling movement. The skater’s shoulder should remain in a square position while striding.

• Poor extension — Muscles work their best at the end of their range of motion. Therefore, the second half of the push produces most of the speed. Advanced players often try to make up for the lack of extension with very rapid pushes. However, these rapid pushes are similar to a car or bicycle operating in first gear. Speed can be generated, but to the detriment of the car’s engine or the bicyclist’s legs. A skater who does not utilize full extensions and relies on rapid pushes will suffer with fatigue.

• No follow-through — Once the skater has fully extended their leg for a stride, the leg should continue stretching even though it has left the ice. This extra stretch allows the skating knee to bend deeper. The knee can bend deeper with an extended leg versus when the feet are together. Instruct your skater to bend deeper at the end of the stride. It will increase the player’s speed slightly and produce the most efficient glide.

• One foot — Unlike figure skating, advanced players often cannot skate well on one foot. This fact may have been hidden by the skater always using quick pushes to avoid having to glide on one foot.

• Bad posture — Advanced players are taught to stay low to absorb contact. However, “staying low” often

manifests as a break in the waist instead of deep knee and ankle bends. Breaking in the waist causes weak extension, poor glide, poor stick handling, restricted breathing, and sluggish transitioning.

• Head down — Despite years of training, advanced players, like figure skaters, tend to drop their head. All three PSA Hockey Skating manuals have stressed the importance of the head staying up for improved skating, game play, and safety.

• No toe snaps — Toe snaps are an extremely powerful tool for hockey skaters. Since the blade is rocked and shortened all the way up to the tips of the skater’s foot, the toe snap is much stronger than in figure skates where an exaggerated toe snap hits the toe pick. Many players lift their foot off the ice in a flexed position which indicates no snap of the toe. This results in a shorter push and thus not maximizing potential speed.

• No heel pushes — The back of the hockey blade is rocked and sharpened just like the front of the blade. This shape allows powerful pushes from the heel, often used in quick direction changes. Advanced players do not always utilize this valuable tool.

• Stance too wide — Players are taught to have a wide stance for stability. However, when a skater is on a breakaway or transitioning, too wide of a stance may reduce the length of the stride and increase the radius of a turn.

• Predictable rhythm — Often a player skates with the same stride rate and has difficulty changing it. Have your skater practice many different stride rates from very slow to very quick.

• Upper body tension — Constant tension in the upper body muscles (chest, arms, shoulders, and neck) can result in a number of errors, including restricted breathing, slow reaction time, fatigue, and an inflex ibility to absorb balance changes. Muscles that are tight can do only one thing: relax. If a player is tense, they must first relax before they can react. A relaxed muscle can immediately react.

• Poor free leg return — After a stride, the free leg should return to the ready position following the same

Dianah

path as the push. Skaters often push at a 45-degree angle and carelessly let the free leg swing directly behind them before the leg returns. This shift in direction causes a wiggle in the glide path of the skater and slows the return to the ready position.

• Lack of pressure in the skating foot — Advanced players seldom use pressure in the skating foot as a technique to improve their skating. Pressure in the foot increases glide, adds to stability, and can be used for direction changes. Since the hockey blade is shorter and has a bigger rocker, applying pressure through the foot can be a powerful way to change direction.

• Outside edges — Advanced players often are weak at skating outside edges. This reduces the under push in crossovers and many other skills. Train your player to have strong outside edges.

• Weak side — It is essential for hockey players to have the same quality in all bilateral movements. Opposing players will quickly find your player’s weak side and exploit it. Train your skaters to skate bilaterally with equal quality.

Creating a Lifetime of Fun!

ISI Winter Classic Feb. 17-19

Huntsville Ice Sports Center Huntsville, AL

Test & Entry Deadline: Dec. 15, 2022

ISI Synchronized Championships March 31-April 2

Goggin Ice Arena Miami University Oxford, OH Entry Deadline: Feb. 1

ISI West Coast Championships April 21-23

Sprinker Recreation Center Tacoma, WA

Test & Entry Deadline: March 1

Why You Should Think Before You Post

BY: JULIE PARKES

It’s been reported the average social media user spends approxi mately 2 ½ hours a day on various platforms, exploring content and connecting with people from all over the world. While having global access at our fingertips is part of the daily routine for most of us, there are important communal responsibilities we must take into consideration when interacting with others online. Using this lens, let’s walk through some SkateSafe policies and best practices when it comes to social media use.

It’s worth noting, we under stand social media plays a large part in business and publicity for coaches. The topics we are going to review below are more specific to personal social media pages. We still encourage using discretion for business or public-facing accounts and following all SkateSafe policies.

Who are you connecting with?

SkateSafe Policy: Adult participants of U.S. Figure Skating are prohib

ited (expect for a couple specific scenarios detailed in the handbook) from having unrelated minor participants (athletes, coaches, instructors, etc.) follow, friend, or connect on their personal social media page. Not only does the opportunity for targeted miscon duct increase with these connec tions, but we’ve also seen adults unintentionally end up in difficult situations when they’ve posted something that isn’t best suited for minors. Additionally, interactions between minor and adult partici pants should be limited to their involvement in figure skating, or “In-Program Contact.” Interactions on personal social media pages— sharing photos of family vacations, posting videos hanging out with friends, commenting on political matters —does not meet the standards of In-Program Contact per the SkateSafe Handbook.

Best Practice: While hoping for the best from others, we know accounts can be hacked, screenshots can be

shared around, and social media can be manipulated in a negative manner. We encourage both our minor and adult participants to make their personal profiles private and only connect with people they personally know.

What are you posting?

SkateSafe Policy: U.S. Figure Skating will not tolerate or condone any form of harassment, misconduct, threats, bullying, or hazing of any of its members. This includes any comments, posts or interactions on social media. When someone’s words or actions hurt, humiliate, embarrass, offend, or instill fear in others, they are not only violating SkateSafe policy, but they are also diminishing the integrity of our figure skating community. It is the responsibility of all participants to hold this bar high and work towards preventing misconduct on social media.

If you’ve seen or experienced misconduct on social media, please go to the SkateSafe website (www.

usfigureskating.org/skatesafe) to file a report. We also encourage our members to report inappro priate comments or misconduct on social media to the respective platform administrators.

Best Practice: During presen tations to our skaters, we ask them to consider before they post something, “Would I want ________ to see this?” We like to plant the seed if it’s not something they’d want a parent, family member and/or coach to see, they probably shouldn’t post it. The same would go for coaches—would you want your skaters, their parents, or club leaders to see what you’re about to post? Again, even if you’re not connected with them on social media, screenshots can circulate. It’s a good reminder that nothing on social media is private or secret.

We also like to point out something you post today may be held against you in the

future. Whether coaches plan to continue their career in figure skating and/or branch out to another professional industry, your social media history will follow you wherever you go. We recommend all members of any age be mindful of what they put on social media and how it may impact others.

This is not an exhaustive list of considerations but something that may help you appropri ately engage with your circle of people while following U.S. Figure Skating guidelines. There can be a false sense of protec tion or safety when someone is behind a screen and it’s important to model and address responsible social media use in your community.

Julie Parkes is the manager of SkateSafe education and outreach for U.S. Figure Skating.

Ice Den Chandler Chandler, Arizona

Ice Den Scottdale Scottsdale, Arizona

World Arena Ice Hall Colorado Springs, Colorado

Edge Skating Academy Littleton, Colorado

Palm Beach Ice Works

West Palm Beach, Florida

Iowa Figure Skating Academy Urbandale, Iowa

Marquette Figure Skating Club Marquette, Michigan

Onyx Suburban Skating Academy Rochester, Michigan

Rochester Figure Skating Club Rochester, Minnesota

The Greensboro Ice House Greensboro, North Carolina

Park City Ice Arena Park City, Utah

Register now and be recognized as a progressive training facility dedicated to excellence in coaching both on and off-ice. www.skatepsa.com

Dedicated to excellence.

“Interactions on personal social media pages—sharing photos of family vacations, posting videos hanging out with friends, commenting on political matters —does not meet the standards of In-Program Contact per the SkateSafe Handbook.”

Officers, Board Members and Trustees

PRESIDENT Patrick O'Neil VICE PRESIDENT Carol Murphy TREASURER Scott McCoy SECRETARY Gerry Lane

BOARD MEMBER

PS Foundation Scholarships

BY PATRICK O’NEIL

Paul

Wylie Carol Rossignol

Tim Covington Kelley Morris Adair Jill Maier-Collins

TRUSTEE

Richard

Dwyer

Robbie Kaine

Themission 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’s Trustees that each of you reading this article will take the time to read about the opportunities and then apply.

The PS Foundation offers the following scholarships:

Wayne

Seybold Moira North Curtis McGraw Webster

SKATERS' FUND – DONATION

LEVELS:

• Platinum 10,000+

• Diamond 5,000+

• Gold 1,000+

• Silver 500+

• Bronze 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) nonprofit, 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!

THE DON LAWS APPRENTICE SCHOLARSHIP

Three merit-based scholarships available annually.

Applicant Requirements:

Applicant must hold a Registered Rating or higher in any discipline

Scholarship Description:

These merit-based scholarships are awarded based on the applicant’s dedication to coaching, sound character, and ethical practices and are focused on the development of coaching skills. Winners are awarded:

• Direct expenses incurred for attending the PSA Apprentice Development Program at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, MN (travel, lodging, meals)

• The opportunity to apprentice with master-rated coaches and one-to-one time with mentors

THE DAVID SHULMAN LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

One scholarship awarded annually.

Applicant Requirements:

• Must be a Professional or Premier 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 PSA

Scholarship Description:

The recipient of the David Shulman Leadership scholarship will be awarded:

• The opportunity to attend a PSA Board Meeting as an observer

• The opportunity to attend the annual PSA Summit, which includes:

• Attendance at the PSA Awards Dinner

• Participation in a “one-on-one” Q&A with a past or present PSA leader

• Shadow a PSA leader

• Receive travel to and from the Summit and accommodation for up to three nights

THE WALTER AND IRENE MUEHLBRONNER SCHOLARSHIP

Four scholarships awarded annually.

Applicant Requirements:

• Must be a Professional or Premier 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

Scholarship Description:

The Walter and Irene Muehlbronner

Scholarships are intended to reimburse recipients for associated fees to attend a PSA educational program. These scholarship funds can be used for Ratings Prep, Seminars, Clinics, or Summit.

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 away in August 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.

All coaches are strongly encouraged to apply for these scholarships.

The deadline for all scholarships will be February 15, 2023.

CALENDAR of EVENTS

NOVEMBER

Date: November 1, 2022

Event: Summit 2023 - Registration Opens More information at www.skatepsa.com/summit

Date: November 2, 2022

Event: “Excel at Excel” Webinar (Free) Credits: 1 per exam

Date: November 20, 2022

Event: PSA Virtual Ratings — Skating Skills (MIF), Group, Choreography – All Levels Credits: 1 per exam

DECEMBER:

Date: December 7, 2022

Event: “Navigating Virtual Testing” Webinar (Free) Credits: 1 per exam

Date: December 18, 2022

Event: PSA Virtual Ratings — Free Skating, Skating Skills (MIF), Group – All Levels — TOI – Registered and Certified Credits: 1 per exam

JANUARY:

Dates: January 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 2023

Event: Virtual Foundations of Coaching Course (FCC) Credits: 10 Deadline: December 31, 2022

FEBRUARY:

Date: February 1, 8, 15, 2023

Event: The Biomechanical Science Behind the Figure Skater - 3 Part Webinar Series Credits: 3

Date: February 5, 2023

Event: Virtual Ratings_ Free Skate, Program Director, Choreography Lottery Open: December 4-8

Date: February 25-26, 2023

For

up-to-date Calendar of Events, visit www.skatepsa.com Do

NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBER SPONSOR

Isabella Badhwar

Sergii Baranov

Rebecca Bauer

Haley Beavers

Christian Bennett

Kamden Black

Madison Blinick

Lisa Borzilleri

Annaliyse Bowden

Bailey Boyce

Amanda Butlett

Jacob Canton

Geneva Carlson

Christina Carreira

Timmy Chapman

Emily Clinkscales

Helen Cooper Ana Dabdoub

Mckenzie Danielson

Mariel Davila Moreno

Sophia DeJesus

Daniella DeSousa

Ava Dimmick

Nicole Duke Lillian Erwin

Annabelle Farris Brooke Feinberg

Brittany Franko Kelly Furterer

Julie Gardner

Martina Gavigan

Mark Getman

Elsie Gilder

Lauren Gordon

Daniel Grassi

Isabella Grignon

Shelby Hagedorn

Amy Harris

Lauren Harven

Anne Hauser

Tracy Hazen

Gabe Hernandez

Kendall Hong

Nicholas Huff

Elizabeth Hume

Jillian Johnson

Alexandra Johnston

Lauren Karpinski

Kara Klomparens

Nikoline Laerum

Anabelle Larson

Jimmie Santee Marina Zoueva Jimmie Santee

TJ Nyman Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Derrick Delmore

Margaret Kinnett Rachel Peterson Jimmie Santee

Jordan Dinwiddie Keiko Johnson

Anthony Ponomarenko BJ Chapman Michelle Hong Emanuela M. Porter Jimmie Santee Brianna Hatch Michele Cantu Felix Jimmie Santee Nicole Nichols Jennifer Bacon Jimmie Santee Tommy Brannen Jimmie Santee

Kristen Weyl Rachel Ricca

Penny Carpenter Penny Carpenter

Lee Cabel

Roberta Dunn

Jimmie Santee Sherri Terando Jimmie Santee

Brielle Francis Kelly Benzinger-Grelle

Alyssa Reder-Judnick

Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee

Ashley Geohas

Megan Williams-Stewart

Barbara Foltz

Elizabeth Thornton Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee

Jennifer Farrell-Miller

Beth Brown Martine de la Tore

Welcome coaches!

NEW MEMBER SPONSOR

Sierra Lewis

Peter Liu

Mia Lora

Kerry Louderback-Wood Elizaveta Lubnikova

Heather Ludin

Laz Lune

Sasha Lunin

Ryan Mason Grace Matvick Glenda Mesta

Theresa Miller Hannah Mitchell Kayleigh Mulligan Shannon Murphy Leslie Nachbauer

Sylwia Nowak-Trebacka Jenn O'Donnell

Angela Paxos Caitlin Pietsch Gabriella Quintero

David Reicks

Sophie Richardson Jocelyn Rios

Alyea Rourke

Emma Sacks

Emilia Sanchez Allison Schaefer Juliette Shadid Austin Spatorico Kelly Stevenson Nathan Stewart

Bryanna Stoddard

Elizabeth Sullivan

Dave Sweeney

Margarita Sweeney-Baird

Nathan Tarrosa

Andrea Tolman

Alessia Tornaghi

Rorie Tressel

Daniel Turchin

Jeremiah Vandagrift

Ruthee Willson

Alyssa Wohlleber

Nikola Wolfe Kaylee Wood Ashley Wu

Patricia Yannerilla

Eva Yezerets

Yuliia Zhata

Jimmie Santee

Viktor Pfeifer. Jimmie Santee Lisa Geltz-Perri Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee

Matej Silecky Alexander Lunin Kymberly Tompkins Kristie Mitchell

Penny Carpenter Jimmie Santee Timothy Leduc Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Penny Carpenter

Ilya Tkachenko Kim Alden-Lafave Jimmie Santee

Emily Hao

Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Jimmie Santee Beatrisa Liang Jimmie Santee Melanie Greene Jimmie Santee Jessica Rensch Christine Fowler Binder Laura Pecchia Laurilee Gudino Jimmie Santee Janice Teodoro-Forbes Jimmie Santee

Morgan Perrine Jimmie Santee

Jordan Dinwiddie

Lawrence Marvaldi

Amanda Farkas

Jerry Santoferrara

Amber Gill

Jimmie Santee Tiffany Lindley Jimmie Santee

Deborah LaLone

Kayla Tennant

Lisa Ware

Danielle Hartman

Maria Nikol Alexei Kiliakov

2022 PHOTO OF THE YEAR FINALIST

By Deborah Hickey

Skater Kate Pressgrove was the 2022 recipient of the Mabel Fairbanks Skatingly Yours Funds’s Developmental Athlete Award by U.S. Figure Skating. Hoping to carry on the legacy of strong, black women who make a difference in figure skating, Pressgrove won both of her 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series competitions and has an ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.