SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
2018
PatriceLauzon
2018 Coach of the Year
The Professional Skaters Foundation was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation. The Trustees of the PSF have developed several scholarship programs for its members through a selection process based on established guidelines and criteria.
www.skatepsa.com
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
COLUMNS 2
Over the Edge
4
President’s Message
6
Ratings
8
SafeSport
| Jimmie Santee | Christine Fowler-Binder
| Tim Covington | U.S. Figure Skating
10
Sport Science
12
Education
18
Best Business Practices
| Heidi Thibert
| Carol Rossignol
FEATURES 15
Remembering Bob O'Connell
16
Eating Disorders Follow-Up
22
2018 Coach of the Year: Patrice Lauzon
26
Generation Z: Training the Confident Athlete
30
2018 U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships
32
Rinkblazer: Corrie Martin
| Kent McDill
| Terri Milner Tarquini | Terri Milner Tarquini | Terri Milner Tarquini
Photos by Mark Walentiny | Terri Milner Tarquini
DEPARTMENTS 5
Obituary
7
Rating Exams Passed
29 34 36
Professional Skaters Foundation New Members PSA Calendar of Events
good luck in the 2018-2019 competition season!
Elizabeth Thornton | Editor/Advertising Carol Rossignol | Contributing Editor Amanda Taylor | Art Director
Find, Friend, Follow
Issue No 5 |
» COVER: Patrice Lauzon poses with his PSA Coach of the Year EDI award at the PSA Conference May 25, 2018
WWW.SKATEPSA.COM
PS MAGAZINE
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OVER THE EDGE Jimmie Santee, MPD, MG PSA OFFICERS President First Vice President Second Vice President Third Vice President Treasurer Past President
Changes for Better or Worse? “We would not have change if there wasn’t any progress.” – GALE TANGER
PSA BOARD OF GOVERNORS West
I
SU Communication No. 2168 was published on May 23, 2018 with little fanfare. The move to +5/-5 was expected. The Scale of Values were re-valued to capture the original intent and not place too much weight on a few selected quadruple jumps. Under-rotated jumps were addressed to now make the quarter mark under-rotated as opposed to achieving full value. Rulemaking today is more about correcting unintended consequences of previous rules. A back entry into a camel spin was considered a difficult entry until everyone did a back entry, and in most cases, better than a forward entry. Why do we keep making so many changes? When Communication 2168 came out, I gave Gale Tanger a call to ask some questions to help me understand. “Jimmie,” she said, “we would not have change if there wasn’t any progress.” So true! Who would have thought just a few years ago that six or seven quads in a program was possible? Maybe this is what bothers me. We have taken a giant leap forward in the execution of quads and now the ISU has appeared to put on the brakes, reducing the men’s program by 30 seconds and one jump pass. Additionally, the ISU is limiting the number of quads that can be repeated. The quads were also devalued in the Scale of Values. Instead of pushing the men to chase Nathan Chen, they are pulling him back to the pack. Why does it always seem that rules are written for the benefit of some and at the cost of others? I’m sure those who author the rules would say they are protecting the integrity of the sport. Writing rules to promote better balanced programs. I’m not sure that’s the case, however. Is the ISU trying to make the sport better or just more appealing to TV? In the not too distant past, television demanded a more exciting visual sport- one that fit into the 21st century of X-games. The ISU made that happen. One former TV contract allowed the producers to approve or deny new ISU eligibility rules. Today’s rule makers are the same type who stripped the sport of figures and pattern dances to gain favor with television. The decision to make all senior level programs four minutes in length was also made for the benefit of TV. Writing the rules to create parody in the events will make for great rivalries and better TV. I actually understand the argument. It takes a considerable amount of money to run associations and competitions. Big money can only come from sponsorships and TV revenue. While we may complain loudly about the direction of skating, television coverage has been and will be the key to relevancy and survival. While we must make skating watchable, do the rules accomplish that? Time will tell.
Mid-West East Members at Large
Committee on Professional Standards Ratings Chair Seminar/ Webinar Chair ISI Rep to PSA U.S. Figure Skating Rep to PSA PSA Rep to U.S. Figure Skating Executive Director COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Awards Coaches Hall of Fame Education Apprentice Program Area Representatives Hockey Skating Sport Science Endorsements Executive Executive Nominating Finance Nominating Professional Standards PSA Rep to ISI Ratings Adaptive Skating FCC
Christine Fowler-Binder Alex Chang Tim Covington Rebecca Stump Carol Murphy Kelley Morris Adair Phillip Mills Michelle Lauerman Teri Hooper Patrick O'Neil Cheryl Faust Janet Tremer Derrick Delmore Jason Dilworth Ben Miller-Reisman Kelley Morris Adair Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil Scott McCoy Kirsten Miller Zisholz Kelley Morris Adair Jimmie Santee
Teri Hooper Kelley Morris Adair Rebecca Stump Janet Tremer Angela Roesch-Davis Paul Paprocki Heidi Thibert Jamie Lynn Santee Christine Fowler-Binder Kelley Morris Adair Carol Murphy Kelley Morris Adair Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Tim Covington Mary Johanson Carol Rossignol
PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES Area Area Area Area Area Area Area Area Area
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Martha Harding Kimberlie Wheeland Andrea Kunz-Williamson Tim Covington Angela Roesch-Davis Kevin Curtis Robyn Petroskey Melanie Bolhuis Lisa Bardonaro-Reibly
Area Area Area Area Area Area Area Area
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Stacie Kuglin Carmin Savoy Sharon Brilliantine Liz Egetoe Lisa Mizonick Don Corbiell Josselyn Baumgartner Karen Preston
DISCLAIMER: Written by Guest Contributor | PSA regularly receives articles from guest contributors. The opinions and views expressed by these contributors are not necessarily those of PSA. By publishing these articles, PSA does not make any endorsements or statements of support of the author or their contribution, either explicit or implicit. THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine Mission: To bring to our readers the best information from the most knowledgeable sources. To select and generate the information free from the influence of bias. And to provide needed information quickly, accurately and efficiently. The views expressed in THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine and products are not necessarily those of the Professional Skaters Association. The Professional Skater (USPS 574770) Issue 5, a newsletter of the Professional Skaters Association, Inc., is published bimonthly, six times a year, as the official publication of the PSA, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Tel 507.281.5122, Fax 507.281.5491, Email: office@skatepsa.com © 2017 by Professional Skaters Association, all rights reserved. Subscription price is $19.95 per year, Canadian $29.00 and foreign $45.00/year, U.S. Funds. Second-class Postage Paid at Rochester, MN 55901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to The Professional Skater, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Printed in the USA.
2
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
EXCEL LENCE O N ICE
EXCELLENCE ON ICE
F OUNDAT IONS OF C OA C HIN G
Does your club or rink meet these two requirements?
all coaches are PSA members
F O U N DA T I O N S OF COACHING
all coaches carry liability insurance
Mount Clemons, MI October 21, 2018 Register now and be recognized as a progressive training facility dedicated to excellence in coaching both on and off-ice. As a registered facility you will receive an EOI shield for display and international recognition in PS Magazine—all at no cost!
REGISTER BY OCTOBER 5 Presented by
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Educational Opportunity LEVELS:
Reg istered
Cer ti f ie d
NAME: Suzy Swizzle
S e n ior
Ma s te r
DATE: Fall 2018
REQUIREMENTS: Drive, Determination, Dedication
EVENT
PSA Master Rating Site (ALL LEVELS)
DATE
L O CATION
October 26-28th 2018
Phoenix, Arizona
DEADLIN E to R EGISTER September 15, 2018 MORE INFORMATION/EVENTS: PSA Calendar of Events
It's time to grow! Join PSA and fellow coaches for some amazing upcoming educational events. For more information and to register, please visit
www.skatepsa.com
>> w w w. sk atep s a .c om < <
PS MAGAZINE
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Christine Fowler-Binder, MPD, MG
What Does PSA Do for It's Members? W
hat does PSA do for its members? First and foremost, we are the educational arm to U.S. Figure Skating and ISI, and we provide quality education to our members, with the most up-to-date information for our sport. Education comes in many forms and PSA is continually trying to develop current, accessible, and useful education to coaches of all levels and disciplines. With the help of the National Education Committee, webinars, seminars, and our own master rated coaches, PSA is the place to go for quality education. The National Education Committee (NEC), led by Becky Stump, is working very hard to develop new and current educational content. NEC is a committee made up of coaches from all disciplines from all over the country. All levels of coaches, from Olympic level to grassroots coaches, are represented. In May 2018 during the PSA Conference in Orlando, the NEC had an in-person meeting to brainstorm new educational topics and the most effective educational platforms to distribute this information. As a result of this meeting and countless hours of discussion, the NEC will be putting together topics for our webinars as well as innovative ways to make our seminars more effective. Webinars have been extremely popular and well-received by everyone who has participated. Patrick O’Neil is the new Chair to the Webinar/Seminar Committee and he will be working closely with the NEC to formulate topics and follow a yearly periodization calendar that will work in conjunction with U.S. Figure Skating. So, keep checking PSA website, PSA Today, and your email for information on PSA webinars and new hot topics! PSA has developed new Super Site Seminars. Super Sites will allow coaches, skaters, parents, and officials to attend PSA seminars together and learn side-by-side. Many of
“The National Education Committee (NEC), led by Becky Stump, is working very hard to develop new and current educational content. NEC is a committee made up of coaches from all disciplines from all over the country. All levels of coaches, from Olympic level to grassroots coaches, are represented.” 4
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
Missouri PSA Super Site July 2018 | Skaters learned from the best with PSA master rated coach Janet Champion.
our members have voiced feelings that learning alongside judges is very helpful to their coaching, so PSA created the Super Site seminar to foster this collaborative learning. The Independence, MO, Super Site was held in July and the Farmington Hills, MI, will be September 22-23. PSA master rated coaches also serve as an educational resource to all beginning coaches, as well as coaches that want to enhance their own teaching techniques. Do you know a master rated coach in your area or in your rink? Have you ever thought about asking them for help or maybe sitting in on some of their lessons? Master rated coaches are a wonderful resource if you can locate one in your geographic area. Try to set up some time with them to ask them for teaching tips or tools they used for skaters at a particular level. Consider doing an apprenticeship with a master rated coach through the PSA Apprentice Program—you can earn up to eight education credits! Most master rated coaches are happy to share their knowledge of figure skating and want to encourage new coaches to be successful. Our sport is very challenging and we all need support to help us succeed as coaches. I hope all coaches look to PSA first for educational opportunities. PSA offers a vast variety of education for all levels in every discipline. Keep up to date with these events by checking the calendar of events section on the PSA website, register for quality education in your own home through a webinar, or take a trip to attend a Super Site this summer or fall. You don’t want to miss out! Happy coaching!
OBITUARY
Are you up-to-date?
Bob O’Connell
SafeSport Training: All coaches and registered instructors are required to take the SafeSport training course. The course is separate from the CER courses and can only be accessed through the Members Only tab at usfigureskating.org. There is no cost to the SafeSport Training.
1928-2018 Bob O’Connell passed away at 90 years of age on June 18, 2018. Past President of PSA from 1956-1959, Bob had been a member of the PSA since 1951 for 67 years. He was master rated in figures and free skating, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Member Award.
CER Courses: All Professional Coach/Choreographer category coaches take four CER courses—one in each of four subject areas. These courses are available at skatepsa.com though a coach does not need to be a PSA member to complete the courses.
Bob had two coaches in his career, Howard “Nick” Nicholsen and Lew Elkin, both his mentors and lifetime friends. In 1958, Bob went back to college and obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration and went into banking, retiring as a Senior Vice President in 1993. He retired from coaching in 1963 in Colorado Springs, CO. Bob is survived by Lenore, his wife of 32 years, who lives in Green Valley, AZ. For more on Mr. O'Connell, please see page 15.
ne w ! VIDEO ANALYSIS ADDED TO MOVES IN THE FIELD RATING EXAMS Candidates will be asked to view a video from each level of moves in the field. Candidates should consider how each move builds on one another. You should consider skill progression and think about how moves in the field are used in other disciplines such as singles and dance. Video analysis will be used at each level. One move will be played at the conclusion of each level. The candidate will be asked to evaluate and provide feedback on the moves that are shown. Video analysis will be implemented by rating exam level according to the following schedule: • Senior — 2018 master-rating site in Phoenix, AZ, October 2018 • Registered and Certified — 2019 Conference in Palm Springs, CA, May 2019
Regina A. Burton 1933 – 2018 Regina A. (McManus) Burton, 85, passed away June 22, 2018 at her home. She was born May 22, 1933, in Clinton, NY, and graduated from Clinton Central High in 1951. On January 27, 1957, Regina married Archie S. Burton in St. Mary’s Church, sharing a union of over 60 years. Regina was an accomplished figure skater and instructor. She began her professional career touring the U.S. and Canada as a member of “The Hollywood Ice Revue”. Regina returned to Clinton and where she was a charter member of Clinton Figure Skating Club. Not only did she instruct the skaters, she wrote, produced, and directed the Clinton Ice Shows for 26 years. Regina went on to become a founding member of the Skating Club of Utica–Whitestown, where she taught—as well as directed and co-produced—their ice shows for 33 years. Regina was a member of the Professional Skaters Association where she earned the following ratings: master figures and free skate, master group, senior dance, certified pairs, certified synchro, and registered moves in the field. Regina served PSA as a ratings examiner, and was awarded emeritus ratings status in 2018. She took great pride in her students and their accomplishments, including national competitors and multiple gold medalists. She was also a member of the Schooltown Questers, the Clinton Historical Society, and of the Skenandoah Club. Regina enjoyed tennis, golf, canoeing, and sailing. Regina is survived by her beloved husband, Archie Burton; two sons, Archie Burton III, Andrew Burton; two grandchildren, Andrew, Jr. and Allyson; as well as by several nieces and nephews.
PS MAGAZINE
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RATINGS Tim Covington MFS, MM, RC
PSA Ratings T
he PSA Official Rating System is for coaches who want to validate their skating skill and teaching experience. Ratings are an assurance to clubs, rinks, skaters, parents, and the general public that the coach they hire is technically qualified to instruct at the level in which they are rated regardless of background and skating achievement. REGISTER NOW!
PSA Master Rating Site All levels of exams are offered October 26-28, 2018 Deadline extended to September 15, 2018 Radisson Phoenix Airport Hotel in Phoenix, AZ PSA Room Rate: $110 + tax (book by Sept 25) 602-220-4400; mention Professional Skaters Association for room rate Tentative Exam Times: Friday 2:00-9:00pm Saturday 8:00am – 8:00pm Sunday 8:00am – 12:00pm Other Rating Sites: January 2019 (Dates to be determined) U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, MI March 10-11, 2019 Fiesta Rancho Casino in Las Vegas, NV Deadline: January 11, 2019
PSA Ratings Prep Ratings Prep prepares coaches for oral ratings exams. This three-day program features a master rated coaching faculty presenting on and off-ice topics. Each discipline and level are offered based on interest and registration. March 11-13, 2019 Fiesta Rancho Casino and Sobe Ice Arena in Las Vegas, NV Deadline: February 8, 2019
New Requirements for Group Instructors and Free Skating Disciplines The following requirements are effective for the 2018-19 season. Registered Group (RG) and Free Skating (RFS): • Must have completed concussion training • It is recommended to hold a valid First Aid certificate Certified Group Instructor (CG) and Free Skating (CFS): • Must hold a valid First Aid certificate Senior Group Instructor (SG) and Free Skating (SFS): • Must hold valid First Aid and CPR certificates Master Group Instructor (MG) and Free Skating (MFS): • Must hold valid First Aid and CPR certificates A copy of certificates must be sent in to the PSA office along with application to take an oral rating test as part of the required paper work.
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SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
Recently Passed
RATING EXAMS Congratulations to the following coaches who passed the Basic Accreditation (BA) written rating exam in the PSA E-learning Academy:
RATINGS QUICKLOOK
PSA E-Learning Academy Sandra Brust Dianne DeLeeuw-Chapman Carly Gold Brianna McCormick Danielle Montalbano Benjamin Nykiel Dustin Sierk Michael Simon Rebecca Vara Sasha Zerin
RANKING
Trista DeMuth – Level I Grace Orpiano – Level I Elizabeth Judd – Level I Amanda Meek – Level I Andrew Starzl – Level I Brienne Fiske – Level II Tatiana Payne – Level III Rodrigo Menendez – Level III
For more details, please visit skatepsa.com
R
atings are an assurance to clubs, rinks, skaters, parents, and the general public that the coach they hire is technically qualified to instruct at the level in which they are rated regardless of background and skating achievement. More and more coaches are required to become rated and many are choosing to do so because it is so beneficial to both the coach and their skaters. Ratings are offered in Free Skating, Figures, Pairs, Dance, Group, Program Director, Synchronized Skating, Free Dance, Choreography, and Moves in the Field. They are offered at the Registered, Certified, Senior and Master levels and consist of both online and oral examinations. Once a rating has been earned, a coach must maintain a minimum of 28 educational credits over a three-year period through attendance at educational events. The first step in the Ratings System is to take and pass a Basic Accreditation (BA) written exam or successfully complete the Foundations of Coaching Certification (FCC). The BA exam consists of 100 multiple choice and true/false questions of which 80% must be correct in
order to pass. The FCC is a one-day course held in various locations across the country. After passing the BA exam or FCC, the candidate can apply to begin taking the Sport Science & Medicine rating exams. There are four SSM exams, one for each level – Registered Sport Science & Medicine (RSS) exam, followed by the Certified (CSS), Senior (SSS, and Master (MSS). The requirements that must be fulfilled before taking a Sport Science & Medicine exam are: • The candidate must be a full member of the PSA • The candidate must have completed the Basic Accreditation exam or FCC • The candidate must have attended a PSA educational event or completed four online e-learning courses within one year previous to taking the exam After passing a Sport Science & Medicine exam, a discipline can be chosen and an application completed to take the first of four oral exams (Registered, Certified, Senior and Master) of that discipline.
Brenda Peterson – Level IV Dianne DeLeeuw-Chapman – Level V
Congratulations to the following coach on their emeritus rating:
Ravi Walia – Level IX
• Norvetta Tribby Pinch – Danvers, MA — Emeritus-17: MFF-75, SD-74, SG-74
Douglas Chapman – Level IX
• Patricia M. Shears – Boardman, OH — Emeritus-18: BA-98, RM-11, RFS-10
Are you looking for additional PSA credits? Do you have an idea for a seminar or education event in your area? Good news! The PSA offers the opportunity to broaden our outreach for educational credits and coaching seminars and is looking for educational partners and events that we can put a stamp of approval on and endorse. We recognize that you are always looking for ways to obtain PSA educational credits. This venture will help us partner with educational events in your area for PSA credits. Event coordinators will be responsible for finding speakers and setting their agenda, which will be reviewed by PSA as part of the endorsement application. PSA will help with marketing and promotion of endorsed events. If you have an idea for an event or are interested in an endorsement, please contact Justin at jmathre@skatepsa.com or visit skatepsa.com for more information. PS MAGAZINE
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U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Compliance Requirements
U
.S. Figure Skating requires individuals it, or its member clubs, formally authorizes, approves or appoints (1) to a position of authority over, or (2) to have frequent contact with athletes to have successfully completed a background check with a green light finding prior to participating in and/or preparing for U.S. Figure Skating-related activities. Scroll down to the FAQ for the complete list.
SafeSport training and background checks SafeSport training and background checks are accessed through the U.S. Figure Skating Members Only site, through the process below. It you need further instruction, please view the SafeSport compliance webinar available on Members Only.
For those with a U.S. Figure Skating Membership Account 1. Log into your Members Only account at usfsaonline.org. 2. Click red bar: “Your member compliance is NOT COMPLETE,” or the U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport icon (second from left) 3. All compliance items are in the blue box that will appear on the screen. a. For SafeSport Initial Training, click red “BEGIN” button. i. Enter your member number. ii. Validate the information is yours. iii. Complete the Account Setup, create a password. iv. You will need access to the email address entered to validate the email before you can begin the training. b. For a Background Check, click the red “BEGIN” button. i. You will be required to validate your information before being sent to the National Center for Safety Initiatives in a new window. Based on your role, if
you are directed to payment, it must be collected before you can begin the background check. ii. Please have your Social Security Number, past addresses and driver’s license available. Troubleshooting: If you are not directed to the NCSI site to complete a background check, or to the U.S. Center for SafeSport to complete the SafeSport training, the pop-ups on your internet browser may be blocked. Please enable pop-ups and try again.
For those without a U.S. Figure Skating Membership Account • Go to the Members Only site • Click “Non-Member? Create Account” link. • Enter profile information and set a password on following page. • Click the U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport icon. • All compliance items are in the blue box at the top of the page. Follow steps “a” and “b” from above to complete the SafeSport training and NCSI background check. Please note: It can take up to 48 hours to receive updated compliance status information regarding the SafeSport Training. It takes 5-10 business days for the NCSI background check to be completed, with an additional 1-2 business days for the updated compliance status to appear on your Member Profile.
Clubs Leadership can track all members’ compliance through: • Event Management System (EMS), if using for competition registration. • The Club Management menu on Members Only: Search, select and filter to check the compliance of coaches, officials and club members you are inviting to coach, officiate or volunteer at a club event or activity.
HOW TO FILE A REPORT Sexual misconduct: If you have a reasonable suspicion of sexual misconduct, such as child sex abuse, non-consensual sexual conduct, sexual harassment or intimate relationships involving an imbalance of power, you must contact local law enforcement. Reports to the U.S. Center for SafeSport must be made online or on the phone and may be made anonymously. *The Center will share the report with U.S. Figure Skating. The U.S. Center for SafeSport | Online: SafeSport.org | Phone: (720) 531-0340 Other misconduct: To report other forms of misconduct, such as emotional or physical misconduct, bullying, hazing or harassment, contact the U.S. Figure Skating Grievance Committee liaison by email or phone. U.S. Figure Skating | Email: safesport@usfigureskating.org | Phone: 719.635.5200
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SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
Adults Required to Complete SafeSport Training and Background Checks (Must be 18 years or older as of July 1, 2018)
Associated with activities overseen by U.S. Figure Skating U.S. Figure Skating staff. U.S. Figure Skating-hired independent contractors and/or vendors who come into frequent contact with athletes. U.S. Figure Skating Board Members. U.S. Figure Skating Committee Chairs. U.S. Figure Skating Officials. Members appointed to travel with Team USA: • Team Leaders • Team Support Staff • Team Physicians
Associated with activities overseen by Member Clubs All volunteers in any sanctioned events or club activities who come in close contact with athletes. Team Managers / Team Service personnel for synchronized skating and theatre on ice teams. Locker room volunteers for all competitions, ice shows, club events, programs, etc. Club SafeSport Compliance Chairs. *Club/individual responsible for cost of background checks.
Faculty, staff, chaperones and lead volunteers for U.S. Figure Skating training camps.
Coaches and other individual professionals All U.S. Figure Skating member coaches. All registered Learn to Skate USA instructors, coaches and directors. Partners assisting in pair or dance tests with minor athletes. Any professional service provider (i.e., sport psychologist, nutritionist, choreographer, etc.,) wishing to obtain a credential for a U.S. Figure Skating sanctioned event. *Coaches, individual professionals responsible for cost of background checks.
Volunteer medical staff supporting U.S. Figure Skating national and international events. S.T.A.R.S. anchors. *U.S. Figure Skating responsible for cost of background checks
2019 ISI National Events Join a cast of thousands of skaters from across the country & world, all preparing to give a command performance at ISI national competitions in 2019! Flip is movie-star ready to strut his stuff! For details, visit skateisi.org
ISI Winter Classic Feb. 22-24 Toyota Sports Center El Segundo, Calif. Test & Entry Deadline: Dec. 1
ISI Synchronized Championships April 12-14 Doug Woog Arena So. St. Paul, Minn. Entry Deadline: Feb. 1
ISI MinneShowdown April 13 Entry Deadline: Feb. 1
ISI Conference Championships May 31-June 2 Centennial Ice Rinks Wilmette, Ill. Test & Entry Deadline: April 1
ISI World Recreational Team Championships July 22-27 St. Peters Rec-Plex St. Peters, Mo. Test & Entry Deadline: May 1
PS MAGAZINE
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SPORT SCIENCE Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC
Fueling Your Athlete F LOWC H A RTS BY CA R R I E BA N N E R A P R I K
W
e can recognize figure skating as an aesthetic sport, and also one where body composition, body mass, and physical dimensions can affect performance. This can make it difficult for the figure skating athlete to balance caloric intake with the needs of fueling for training, optimizing body composition for performance, and maintaining the desired aesthetic or packaging for the sport. Carrie Banner Aprik attended the 2018 Winter Games as part of the group of performance dietitians supporting the United States figure skating team. She works in private practice in Michigan and consults with figure skaters and
other athletes both locally and remotely. Carrie has written these flowchart guidelines for athletes to examine their level of fueling and how they are responding to caloric intake. She has organized these ideas into subjective and objective measures which are illustrated here. It is important to note that it is U.S. Figure Skating’s position that specific advice on diet, especially exact type and amount of calories consumed, should come from a qualified professional like an RD or CSSD (an RD who has completed additional training in sports performance nutrition).
AM I GETTING ENOUGH FUEL?
SUBJECTIVE MEASURES PERFORMANCE
Training is hard but I feel energetic throughout the training day. I can get through my programs. My progress is steady and I’m pleased.
Great! Keep it up!
Training feels harder than it used to. I’m struggling to get through my programs and keep up with off-ice training. I’ve plateaued, am not improving as expected, or feel like my performance is getting worse.
You may not be eating or drinking enough. Prioritize eating throughout the training day, between sessions & before and after off-ice training. Sip on fluid consistently throughout the day.
RECOVERY
I’m tired by the end of the day, but feel ready to get back up and training again tomorrow.
I sometimes get sore muscles but it doesn’t last longer than a day or two.
My legs feel spent after a run-through but I feel back to normal again in a few minutes.
Awesome – you’re recovering well!
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SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
I feel completely depleted by the end of the training day. I struggle to get up and do it again the next day.
MOOD
I feel confident, rested, hopeful, happy, and content. I sleep well at night.
Well-done :) I’m often sore and it seems to linger for several days. I feel bloated or puffy.
My legs are completely trashed after a run-through, and I don’t feel the same for the rest of the day.
You may not be eating, drinking, and/or sleeping enough. Prioritize eating throughout the training day. Be especially conscious of having a recovery snack every day. Use tools like chocolate milk & tart cherry juice immediately after hard training for recovery and to decrease soreness.
I feel moody or depressed but can’t figure out why. I have a hard time sleeping, and/or sleep doesn’t feel restful. I don’t want to get up in the morning.
You may not be eating or sleeping enough. Consult your doctor, sports psychologist, or therapist. Make omega 3-rich foods a regular part of your diet, like salmon, tuna, walnuts, flax seeds, and egg yolks. Consume bright, antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs, & spices.
AM I GETTING ENOUGH FUEL?
OBJECTIVE MEASURES BODY COMPOSITION
Staying stable and I’m satisfied
Great! Continue with your current plan.
Staying stable but I’m trying to change body composition
Going down but I’m not trying to change body composition
You may not be eating enough to keep up with you daily energy expenditure. This can actually slow down your metabolism! Slightly increase calories by 200-300 per day* with small amounts of nutrient-dense fats, carbs, & proteins
You may not be eating enough to keep up with your daily energy expenditure. Slightly increase calories by 200-400 per day* until weight loss stops. Make sure you’re eating 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day.
MENSTRUAL CYCLE
Comes regularly, every 28-35 days, and you have 8 or more cycles per year
Awesome. Keep aware in case anything changes.
FITNESS
Becomes irregular/ stops coming, cycles are longer than 35 days apart, and/or you have less than 8 cycles per year
You may not be eating enough to keep up with your daily energy expenditure. Consult your doctor and dietitian, and aim to eat nutrient-dense carbs, protein, and fats every 3-4 hours. Be sure to have preand post-training fuel. Attempt to minimize stress and maximize sleep/rest.
Fitness testing measurements are optimal or increasing.
Fitness testing measurements have plateaued or are decreasing.
Way to go! Continue with your current plan.
You may not be eating enough to keep up with your daily energy expenditure. Make sure you’re eating 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day, especially before off-ice training and 20 g protein* after strength and conditioning work.
Did you know? E-LEARNIN G ACADEMY
PSA offers technique-based courses in the E-Learning Academy.
The courses and exam scope and content for the PSA E-Learning Series are “technique-based” with the how’s and why’s of basic theory woven into each course.
PSA EL 105 Principles of Jumping
PSA EL 106 Principles of Spinning
Principles of Jumping PSA EL 105 will address determination of rotation direction, utilizing correct weight distribution over equipment and fundamental knowledge outlining proper technique for all aspects of jumping. The importance of proper alignment on preparation, takeoff, air position and landing will be discussed. At the completion of the course, participants will be able to:
Principles of Spinning PSA EL 106 will address the preparation, entrance edge, inception of the spin, spin position, and exit. It will discuss the fundamental knowledge outlining proper technique for all aspects of the following basic forward spins: two-foot spin, one-foot spin, sit spin and camel spin. At the completion of the course, participants will be able to:
• Understand and explain the basic principles and biomechanics of jumping
• Understand and explain the basic principles and physics of basic forward spins
• Effectively determine direction of rotation with students and have the knowledge to reinforce through proper training
• Establish the proper set-up to create and maintain a center to prevent traveling
• Effectively train and reinforce proper basic jump technique with students • Understand the efficacy and use of various supplemental training options
• Effectively train and reinforce proper basic forward spin techniques with students
Enroll at skatepsa.com PS MAGAZINE
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EDUCATION Carol Rossignol, MD, MS, MG, MPD, MFF
Developing the Coach Developer:
ICCE/USCCE Coaching Developer Academy Review BY H E I D I D E L I O T H I B E RT C F, M C , M FS , M M | P S A D I R ECT O R O F C OAC H I N G D E V E LO P M E N T
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s the PSA Director of Coaching Development, I was accepted to the ICCE/USCCE Coaching Developer Academy and also attended the subsequent North American Coaching Developer Summit in Orlando in June. (ICCE is the acronym for the International Council for Coaching Excellence, and USCCE for the US Center for Coaching Excellence.) Before arriving on-site, I completed the required three e-learning modules in preparation for the learning objectives of the program. The program was designed to focus on facilitation skills to enhance engagement, learning and professional development in coaches. It was highly interactive and addressed how coaches learn, presentation delivery strategies, and it taught us skills for facilitating questioning, listening, reviewing, and giving feedback. There were multiple opportunities to apply the learning and practice those skills while being immediately reviewed by the program facilitators and fellow attendees. The lead facilitator, Penny Crisfield, is an ICCE Master Trainer, chair of the ICCE Coach Developer Workgroup and co-author of Analyzing Your Coaching. She has led coach developer training and workshops in a wide variety of sports and in over 25 countries to help develop the skills coach developers need to facilitate coach learning and professional development at all levels of the coaches' pathway and across all levels of sport.
“The learning curve was steep for our group of 19, and one attendee described the amount of information presented to us as ‘drinking from a fire hose.’” Penny’s exemplary facilitation group of Linda Low, Sarah McQuade, Kristen Dieffenbach, and Melissa Thomson were instrumental in the delivery of the program and ensuring that each of us was engaged. If you aren’t familiar with the term “coach developer”, it is a somewhat new name that has gained popularity in the past couple of year to describe those whose role it is to help
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coaches improve their skills either in formal or informal learning situations or who lead the development of coaching education in their organization or sport. To fulfill this role, a coach developer needs a range of skills mentioned above. The program began with an introduction to facilitation skills with an overview of principles for adult learners (andragogy). The learning curve was steep for our group of 19, and one attendee described the amount of information presented to us as “drinking from a fire hose.” The underlying motto was: “The brain that thinks is the brain that learns.” So, not only did we hear of the different models, but also we were challenged to apply them right away in the program in small groups. After almost 10-hours of learning (including a task during lunch), at the end of the first day, we were given “homework” for that evening. We were tasked with preparing a coach development session using the principles that we learned during the day. We were scheduled to present to the entire group with some of us acting as reviewers, participants or observers. I was completely overwhelmed to say the least and seriously questioned why I had signed up for the program in the first place! (I went to bed late that night.) The next day, I was second to present my facilitation session, which gave me no time to learn from other people’s mistakes (something I had foolishly counted on). I elected to present skills for three “coaches” to teach three “athletes” a forward inside Mohawk turn. As somewhat of a selfidentified “insecure overachiever”, I hadn’t been this nervous since I took my Master FS ratings exam. I started out shaky, but somehow I got through it. My review was much more positive than I had anticipated, probably due to the familiarity of teaching a Mohawk turn. However, during my presentation, my focus kept returning to what the “athletes” were doing when I was supposed to be directing what the “coaches” were doing. During this review, I realized how differently I needed to approach my job in helping other coaches achieve their goals. It was a valuable lesson that I will take forward into any activity of coach education/ development that I encounter. Throughout the day, we observed, reviewed and participated in each other’s sessions, and through that
Uses a range of methods to suit each person’s motivation, experience, pace, and skill level; making things relevant to each person’s situation
L
LEARNERCENTERED
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ENVIRONMENT
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ACTIVELY INVOLVED
Engages people, encouraging them to do the thinking; lets them apply their knowledge, practice their skills, and receive high-quality feedback
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REFLECTION
Uses a range of ways to help people self-reflect on their own skills and knowledge; connect this with past experiences and apply their learning to the future
N
NEW
Provides new skills and knowledge that build on each person’s previous knowledge and experiences
S
STRETCH
Steepens the learning curve by providing the right amount of stretch to challenge each person optimally while building self-esteem
Builds good relationships and creates a non-threatening climate where learning is enjoyable, mistakes are accepted, and self-esteem is enhanced
There were several educational models presented, but my favorite model was titled the “LEARNS” which describes six key learning principles.
*Excerpted from the Facilitation Handbook developed by Apollinaire Consultancy Associates, Ltd, in conjunction with ICCE
action, I learned even more about coach development facilitation. Learning and seeing the G.R.I.P. (Goal; Reflect; Input; Plan) process for the reviews of the presentations was quite impactful for me. As our ratings exam system is actually a process of a coach’s professional development, I can see where it could improve our review and feedback process. Essentially it provides a framework for helping someone reflect upon a presentation–which is just what a ratings exam is. During the next day’s activities, I couldn’t believe how positive I was feeling about the program and the people, to the point that I suddenly realized that I actually wanted to go through the program again! This was transformational, considering how after the first day of programming, I wanted to kick myself for applying. It was largely due to the facilitation skills and guidance of those leading the program, the encouragement from my fellow attendees, and the purposeful application of the principles that Penny and her team built into the program. Reflecting back through my notes and the materials, I am so motivated to bring these models to U.S. Figure Skating and PSA. As application is at the heart of the program, I can see clearly how this approach can be purposed in U.S. Figure Skating/ PSA educational events such as: Ratings Prep, Seminars, Webinars, Coaching Tracks at camps, and Foundations of Coaching Course (FCC) to name a few. My plan of action is to expose PSA and U.S. Figure Skating’s key individuals planning coach
G
Refers to asking learners to share again about their personal GOAL and the specific outcomes of their session
R
Refers to asking questions that encourage critical self-REFLECTION
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Refers to allowing INPUT from the group a few observations
P
Refers the learner to a PLAN by identifying their own key learning points, and through questioning, enable them to work out what they will do, by when, and with who’s support
* Excerpted from the Facilitation Handbook developed by Apollinaire Consultancy Associates, Ltd, in conjunction with ICCE
education and development to the concepts. We can use the principles and models of learning from the CDA to improve the focus, quality and delivery of educational events in the future. I thank PSA and U.S. Figure Skating for the opportunity to keep learning, and I thank the ICCE, USCCE, and Penny and her group for their time, effort and expertise. PS MAGAZINE
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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Joy of Coaching is about you and who you are as a coach today. It is about your coaching heritage, your skating DNA and where you sit in the coaching family tree.â&#x20AC;? ~ Bob Mock, PSA President 1994-1999
Order your copy at www.skatepsa.com
LEFT: Past
and present PSGA Presidents gathered at the 1988 PSA Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Bob with students Kierann Smith-Toth and Kelly Corcoran Smith in 1998 Minneapolis. BELOW:
PHOTO COUR TESY OF KELLY COR COR AN SMITH
Remembering Bob O’Connell BY KENT MCDILL
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ormer Professional Skaters Association Executive Director Carole Shulman has a favorite story to tell about Bob O’Connell. “When we built the PSA headquarters in Rochester in 2000, we invited all past presidents and their spouses to come join us, because it had been building for years and it was a dream for all of that had been fulfilled,” Shulman said. “And every single past president came and was there for the ribbon-cutting. “We all went out to dinner, and if anybody wanted to make some remarks during dinner they were welcome to do so,” she said. “When Bob got up, he was talking about the beginning of the PSA and what they had gone through, and then said he wanted us to know ‘What you spent on dinner for all of us this evening was more than our entire budget during my term as president’. It was so funny and so true, because when he was president, we didn’t have anything.” O’Connell, who served as President of the PSA in the organization’s infancy of 1956-59, died June 18, 2018 at the age of 90. O’Connell was a member of the PSA for 67 years, and held a Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Member Award from the PSA. He also held a master rating in figures and free skating. Bob had two coaches in his career, Howard “Nick” Nicholsen and Lew Elkin, both his mentors and lifetime friends. After a successful skating career of his own, O’Connell became
a coach in the 1950s, went back to college to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration and went into banking, which caused him to retire from coaching in 1963. But, like many professional athletes of today, O’Connell’s retirement was more of a guideline and not a strict rule. “When I was in eighth grade (in 1993),” said former pairs skater and current choreographer Kelly Corcoran Smith, “I moved away from home (in North Dakota) to Minneapolis to train. My coach got pregnant, so the father of one of her students had skated for Bob and got him to come out of retirement to work with us. “I loved the way he taught, and the information he had,” Smith said. “It was a whole new thing to me. He was old school. His technique was very methodical. He was very enlightening. He liked the traditional. I was one of those kids who loved everything about skating and wanted to know as much as I could. I soaked up everything Bob taught me and told me.” Smith said the “retired” O’Connell took him to regionals and sectionals through his career and “He was always there for me and my sister. He was always a good sounding board when I was in college and wavering between things, and when I turned professional.” O’Connell’s wife of over 32 years, Lenore, said her husband suffered through the changes that have occurred
• Coached: Starting in Canada, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Minnesota, and California • Claim to Fame: Commissioned PSGA's first official logo and pin
in coaching strategies over the last few decades, but that he tried to stay current as well. “What I heard from him was that when he was coaching, the coach did everything and he thought that was much better for the student than having several people do various things such as choreography and footwork and all of that other stuff,” Lenore O’Connell said. “It was old school, but it was the only school he knew. “But the one thing that was unique about Bob was that he enjoyed being with younger people,” she said. “He did not like being with people his own age.” PSA will be forever thankful for Bob’s dedication to PSA and the sport. PS MAGAZINE
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By Terri Milner Tarquini ware of the risks of disordered eating in athletes, PSA and U.S. Figure Skating have gathered the information and made the resources available to their members.
Now, it is up to the coaches to hear the call of change and heed it. There’s been a shift in figure skating relating to body types, and in an effort to keep athletes strong and healthy, the sport’s organizations are responding. “There is a lot being done with coaches as to how to talk to their athletes so that the conversation can be had openly and positively,” said Peter Zapalo, director of Sports Science and Medicine for U.S. Figure Skating. “It’s important that coaches are empowered to drive the conversation regarding nutrition appropriately and promote the idea of seeing food as fuel. Respecting that this is a rotational sport, nutrition has to be a part of training.” Rachael Flatt, the 2010 U.S. ladies champion, recalls having her body image challenged at a time she felt at the top of her game.
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LOW-UP
Disorders
“I had coaches and judges telling me that I needed to drop 20 pounds— and this was when I was at my peak,” said Flatt, who was 17 when she won the title. “Here I am, winning medals and, at that point, I was by far the most consistent U.S. female skater competing. I felt like they had no respect for the fact that I felt healthy and that I was skating well.” In college, Flatt became a Stanford research assistant and worked on an online screening tool for the National Eating Disorders Association. She also helped develop the PSA’s CER for healthy body image and eating disorder prevention (CER ACP 303). “It delves into the basics of eating disorders so coaches have more understanding and awareness,” Flatt said of the CER. “It outlines what eating disorders look like and how to address them head-on effectively. Most importantly, it gives coaches the tools to communicate their concerns with parents and athletes. It also provides several resources coaches can reference for more information, as well as pass on to athletes and parents to get help.” Flatt graduated from Stanford in 2015 and is attending graduate school at the University of North CarolinaChapel Hill for clinical psychology. “A sports nutritionist should be a part of a figure skater’s training
regime,” Flatt said. “Even if they don’t have an issue now, it is a proactive measure that can help identify any eating issues as soon as an athlete demonstrates any symptoms. That way, athletes can get help as quickly as possible instead of waiting until it’s become a much bigger problem.” While a nutrition professional would be a proactive approach to healthy eating, the person the athletes spends a large chuck of one-on-one time with can be a big piece of the puzzle in curbing disordered eating from happening in the first place. “The language and approach coaches use with athletes is very important,” said Carol Rossignol, Senior Director of Education and Accreditation for PSA. “For instance, the chapter in the [Sport Science & Medicine] manual talks about the coach’s role in prevention, identification, talking with parents, and language. There has been a bigger emphasis on what coaches can’t say. They know more now, but it’s important they keep learning.” Bottomline: what a coach says is huge. Comments matter and they carry considerable weight. Body type and image is an extremely sensitive issue and comments can be taken very personally. Coaches can greatly reduce the risk of eating issues by creating comfortable and confident skaters. Talking about eating disorders does not cause them. As a coach, being educated as to proper ways to address weight and nutrition and creating awareness in the athletes can provide a solid foundation for skaters who are at risk. With that in mind, let’s talk specifics. According to the Sport Science & Medicine Manual: Focus on performance and how important fuel/food is to enhancing both strength and endurance. De-emphasize weight by eliminating weigh-ins, body composition testing and comments about
weight. Avoid talking about appearance, good or bad. An innocent comment like, “you look fit” can be easily misinterpreted. Say instead, “your jump was strong” or “your endurance is improving.” A negative comment like “you need to be leaner” could be addressed more effectively by identifying the real performance issues. If an athlete is performing well, they may not need to be leaner, and if the athlete is performing poorly it may not have anything to do with weight or body size. Factors such as conditioning, technique and sport psychology play key roles in improving performance. Focus on coaching to improve performance, not controlling body type. It is also equally crucial, however, to know that, while education is power, coaches are not nutrition professionals—so it’s vital the athletes go to those who are. “We promote the idea of athletes, coaches and parents discussing nutritional concepts, but at the same time coaches shouldn’t be recommending a specific caloric consumption or meals, because the needs of each athlete are so highly individual. That’s the job of a sports dietician,” Zapalo said. “Oftentimes you’ll have the media or peers or parents who advocate certain types of diets or lifestyles or supplements. And that might be fine for them, but they might not be suitable for a competitive figure skater. Specific dietary advice should ideally come from a CSSD (a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics).” The old saying, “If there isn’t enough gas in the tank, the car won’t run,” is especially true in athletes, who need to have a full tank to be able to perform optimally. “Figure skaters are at times poor fuelers,” Zapalo said. “An athlete’s diet and nutritional needs are highly individualized. An informed coach looks for a performance dieti-
cian so there can be a sports focus. Oftentimes, parents and coaches want to involve a dietician, but they go to a registered dietician, who is more than qualified to discuss nutrition, but who does not have the additional training of a sports dietitian. Because of that, you hear, ‘They don’t get it.’ An athlete’s requirements are much more involved than, ‘Clean up the junk food.’ A CSSD is much more likely to ‘get it’ and provide information that can be extremely helpful.” The phraseology of “food for fuel,” is becoming a popular one as a means of athletes to understand that they need food—the proper food— for their bodies to function properly and optimally. “The issue within skating tends to be that, when a skater needs to be fueling optimally—going into competition, is when they restrict the most,” Zapalo said. “Then, after the competition when they’re training less, they feel like they can eat whatever they want. It’s a double-whammy that is backward for performance.” A team of performance dieticians has been working with U.S. Figure Skating and International Selection Pool (ISP) athletes, who are skaters being considered for international competition, on an analysis, “Am I Getting Enough Fuel?”
“Bottomline: what a coach says is huge. Comments matter and they carry considerable weight.” The flow chart analyzes three subjective categories—performance, recovery, and mood—and three objective categories—body composition, menstrual cycle (if applicable), and performance levels. “USOC Dietitian Susie Parker Simmons tells the athletes that eating in the off-season is practicing how Continued on page 20
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BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES
Creating a Fun, Safe, and Efficient Lesson BY NICK KRAFT CM, RFS, MG, MPD
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t’s the first day of a new session of learn to skate. There is a contagious energy of both excitement and anticipation pulsing through the rink. Each brand new skater has a myriad of thoughts running through their head as they wonder how their very first slippery steps on the ice will go. Some are eager and others cling to their parents while tears begin to well in their eyes. You’ve put thought into your lesson plan and have tricks up your sleeve to make their first day fun and memorable. The class is lined up against the wall, equipment has been checked, and now it’s time to discuss your class rules. Obviously it’s important for everyone participating in the class to understand and recognize the rules so the environment is conducive for learning. But rules are the opposite of fun for a brand new skater. John Medina of Brain Rules said, “People don’t pay attention to boring things.” So how can you go about making your rules thorough but not boring? The answer—utilizing and creating your own mnemonic devices! You already know a handful of these memory enhancing tools, even if you’ve never heard the term before reading this article. Organizing detailed information into easy-to-remember chunks, acronyms, and rhymes are just three types of mnemonic devices that can help both young and old remember new information.
CHUNKS Before we step on the ice, I give a class of new skaters three rules to stay safe. They repeat them after me—having them speak out loud helps ingrain the message and targets your auditory learners. We also collectively act out the rules to ensure the visual and kinesthetic athletes are learning as well. 1) Hands in front—We stand like Superman or Frankenstein and discuss “the magic table” 2) Relaxed knees and ankles—We bounce lightly and feel the difference between being loose and locking our knees 3) Eyes on the prize—We look forward, up, and down, and discuss how important it is to look where you’re going whether you’re skating, riding a bike, or driving a car, and even walking We learn how to dip, fall, and get up by marching over to a pretend camp site and playing a couple of games. During that time, it’s fun to see who has been paying attention by having a pop quiz of the different safety rules. Keep them simple and bulleted to a limited number so it’s easier for the class to remember.
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ACRONYMS You will, of course, have more than three rules while managing your class on the ice. Instead of just listing class rules in a numerical format, I utilize a relevant acronym of the word skater, detailed below. An acronym is a series of words or an abbreviation formed from letters that deliver meaning. Every Good Boy Does Fine parlays the notes of the treble clef into something simple that rolls off the tongue, and Roy G. Biv, is a silly name that helps one remember the progression of colors in a rainbow. I present the following acronym of my class rules in a welcome letter on the first day so my expectations are outlined clearly. Because the acronym covers several rules, it’s helpful to have them printed for the skater to take home. Start the session off right —Arrive early in proper attire, hair up, with a smile on your face, warmed up, and ready to learn. Know ice etiquette—Keep food and gum off the ice. Keep hands to yourself. Do not kick the ice. All eyes and ears—Actively listen during a lesson and pay attention to your surroundings. Try 100% always—Attempt all of your moves to the best of your ability. Dedicate time outside of class to practice. Expect great things—Think positively and believe in yourself. Set long and short term goals. Respect—Respect your coach, fellow skaters, parents, skates, the rink, and yourself. Organizing the more detailed rules into the larger ones is a helpful way to categorize information related to each other. When you have an issue with a skater breaking a specific rule, an easy reminder is to say the phrase they are breaking; “Jordan, All Eyes and Ears. Ruby, Expect Great Things. Ice etiquette, Tyler.” Depending on the athlete, a follow up might be called for with or without a parent. If you have a particularly troublesome athlete, you might need to have a discussion with your skating director or fellow coach for ideas to keep your class in line.
RHYMES If you are working with a tot class, rhymes are a perfect way to engage young skaters. Additionally, rhymes can be useful for adults as well—if you ask an American adult to recall when European explorers landed on our shores, they may remember the phrase In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean
blue. Rhymes are one of the best tools for auditory learners. Adding hand motions or drawing pictures on the ice that complement the words to target the kinesthetic and visual learners. Starting the class with your rhyme of rules can help make them memorable and feel less restrictive. Here is the rhyme I use: In Coach Nick’s class we say this rhyme, to know the rules and start on time. Our hands and skates stay in this bubble, so we stay safe and out of trouble. We do our best and listen well, working skills until they’re swell. We raise our hands and use our manners, good effort is what really matters. With each new session of classes you may find you are enforcing some rules more than others as your approach will reflect—and ideally complement—the unique personalities that make up your group! The most important thing to establish is that you are in charge and control the tone and pace of the class; take ownership of your class and the rules that keep it successful. Create your own mnemonic devices or utilize these ideas for your own class. As a coach, you most likely already have a slew of rhymes/buzzwords at your disposal and you’ve seen their effectiveness in action—carry that same process over to your rules and have fun with them. Your class will appreciate it!
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Eating Disorders Follow-up Continued from page 17
you’re going to eat for the rest of your life,” Zapalo said. “How to fuel for performances in-season is typically different than in the off-season. It is sometimes difficult for a skater to figure out how to do this on his or her own. A sports dietician can give guidelines and explain why it’s important so the athlete understands and wants to fuel themselves properly.” There are also resources that can aid athletes with the swipe of a finger. Zapalo suggested the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition website through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (www.scandpg.org), that can find local CSSDs, as well as providing information. Flatt suggested Recovery Record (www.recoveryrecord.com), which provides self-assessment and can be
a tool for those who do not have easy access to or cannot afford a local professional or who travel a lot and cannot meet for in-person treatment often, such as elite athletes. In addition, Flatt was part of the team at Stanford who partnered with other organizations who developed the free and confidential online screening on the National Eating Disorder Association website (www. nationaleatingdisorders.org) that can help determine if a participant is highrisk or is demonstrating signs of an eating disorder and provides resources. “A lot of our research revolves around digital mental health tools and my goal is to get resources to those who need them as quickly as possible,” Flatt said. “But where things really need to change are in the ice rinks. It takes a long time to change the culture
of a sports world, but I’ll just keep doing what I can to help athletes in really vulnerable situations.” As a coach, being sensitive to the pressures of aesthetic-sport athletes, choosing words wisely and including a sports dietician in their athletes training can allow a skater to safely attain their goals. “Coaches’ words can be very powerful so they need to be very careful, when they encourage a skater to lose weight or when they hand out a compliment on weight loss,” Zapalo said. “Coaches are thrilled when a skater loses weight and performs better, until they don’t perform better and by then they’re over the cliff. Not everything is about weight if a skater has a bad performance; it’s only one component of many. Coaches need to remember that.”
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SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
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PS MAGAZINE
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Patrice accepts his 2018 Coach of the Year EDI Award at the PSA EDI Awards & Banquet May 25, 2018.
on z u a L e c i r at P 2018 Coach of the Year By Terri Milner Tarquini
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oing all in goes a long way. “What I value as a coach are athletes that have commitment,” said Patrice Lauzon, U.S. Figure Skating/PSA 2018 Coach of the Year. “Truly successful athletes won’t have any excuses. When they make a mistake, they just want the
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solution so they can fix it. Some athletes come by it naturally and some you have to work with for years to get there – and some will never get there. But the less excuses an athlete has, the faster they will improve and the higher they will succeed.” Once upon a time, Patrice Lauzon and
his then-partner and now wife, MarieFrance Dubreuil, had to move away from their native Montreal to take their ice dance training to the next level. Fast forward 16 years and the trainees have become the trainers. Lauzon and Dubreuil had a dream to bring elite-level ice dance back to Montreal and, when they opened their skating school in 2010, they started down the path that has done just that. “One of the reasons I think we’re successful is that we’re not just trying to help them with their skating, but we’re trying to teach them the philosophies behind being a real athlete,” Lauzon said. “We really care about the athletes and who they’re becoming—not just as skaters, but in their lives. Their success in both of those things means a lot to us.” Success doesn’t seem like a big enough word. The ice dance school at the Gadbois Centre had a whopping eight teams competing at this year’s World Figure Skating Championships and four teams competing at the 2018 Winter Games: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, and Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac. “It’s an interesting feeling taking several teams to the Olympics,” he said. “I knew going in that one team was going to be happier than the other teams, so I was happy and super-disappointed at the same time. I felt two extremes at opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s going to be difficult
LEFT: Patrice presents his on-ice session at the 2017 PSA Conference & Trade Show in Nashville, TN. BELOW: Patrice addresses the attendees of the 2018 EDI Awards & Banquet after accepting the Coach of the Year award.
“We really care about the athletes and who they’re becoming—not just as skaters, but in their lives. Their success in both of those things means a lot to us.”
2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships
as long as you have many teams that are that good competing against each other.” Lauzon and Dubreuil bring a rich international background to the coaching table, having won five Canadian championships, two World silver medals, a Four Continents gold medal, numerous Grand Prix medals, and being two-time Olympic competitors. “The Olympics is a different competition from any other competition,” Lauzon said. “It feels huge, but you’re only one part of it. Skating might be one out of 10 events that day. There’s someone winning
a medal in a whole different sport five minutes before you take the ice and there’s someone winning a medal in something else five minutes after your event is done. But it’s a whole different environment from other competitions and the skaters need to be prepared for that. It’s mental as well as physical.” The ice dance school in the last few years has attracted teams from all over the world, including: Virtue and Moir (three-time Olympic champions, threetime World champions, and eight-time Canadian national champions), Papadakis
and Cizeron (Olympic silver medalists, three-time World champions, and fourtime European champions), Hubbell and Donohue (World silver medalists, Four Continents champions, and U.S. national champions), Lauriault and Le Gac (International Cup of Nice champions and two-time French national silver medalists), Madison Chock and Evan Bates (two-time World medalists, two-time Grand Prix Final silver medalists, and U.S. national champions), Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen (five-time ISU Challenger Series PS MAGAZINE
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Orlando, FL | May 25, 2018 Patrice, Fedor Andreev, Meryl Davis, John Zimmerman
medalists), Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker (Four Continents champions), Misato Komatsubara and Tim Koleto (Japanese national silver medalists) and Carolane Soucisse and Shane Firus (Four Continents silver medalists). “The teams that work with us and stay with us, they will succeed with us,” Lauzon said. “If they have the right mentality for our way of training, they will rise. We don’t have the only solution for how to do things, but we believe it’s the way that works best for our skaters.” Virtue and Moir had announced their retirement following the 2014 Olympics when they came in second to Meryl Davis and Charlie White, but in 2017, in what could only be seen as a huge coup for the Lauzon and Dubreuil skating school, the team announced they were moving to Montreal to train for the upcoming Olympics. “After they retired, we worked with them doing choreography for different things and they said, if they ever came back, they would want to train with us,” Lauzon said. “It happened over a long period of time, but, when we had their commitment, it was a little bit scary. It’s different teaching someone with no previous success versus someone who already has an amazing career. In the first, there are no comparisons to be made; in the second, there is more pressure.” He needn’t have worried. The proof, as it goes in figure skating, is in the results with both Virtue and Moir and Papadakis and Cizeron skating innovative and breathtaking programs in South Korea to take home the gold and silver medal, respectively. “I never thought I’d be doing this 10 years ago,” Lauzon said. “It has been an intense and fun journey.” And one that is in his genes to take fairly seriously too. “I’m pretty good at analyzing movements to see better and easier ways of doing things,” Lauzon said. “I’m also
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“I don’t have goals for my coaching; I have goals as a coach that are dictated by what my skater’s goals are. And my skater’s goals are very high.” pretty good at analyzing scores and peak performance training, as well as managing all of the parts of the school. I do more of the technical stuff and Marie-France does more of the choreography, but sometimes we each do the other things as well. The approach is different for each skater, but the result is what’s important.” It’s a wheel that turns well because of a strong team coaching dynamic, including Dubreuil who focuses largely on choreography, as well as Romain Haguenauer, the long-time coach of Papadakis and Cizeron. “We started out slowly and the school was very small the first few years,” Lauzon said. “But the last four or five years, as it caught on and we started producing results, it took off like a rocket ship. What makes our school successful is that we work together. We don’t have to be right all of the time and we don’t insist on ownership. Every coach brings things to a skater and that all blends together. It’s not about us; it’s about the skaters
and the school doing well." There’s no two ways about it, however: there are a lot of elite and rising teams training under the same roof. “Some teams are pushed by training with other teams,” Lauzon said. “Some are better with teams in front of them and some are good at being the leaders and being pushed by those coming up. It’s one of the challenges of managing a school.” Lauzon and Dubreuil have built the program and the skaters have come, and now that Montreal is a magnet for elite ice dance teams, there are higher objectives for everyone. “We have high goals as a coaching team because of the athletes we have,” Lauzon said. “I don’t have goals for my coaching; I have goals as a coach that are dictated by what my skater’s goals are. And my skater’s goals are very high.”
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GENERATION
Training the Confident Athlete By Terri Milner Tarquini
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I
t’s the goal – and the uphill battle – of every coach the world over: getting their athletes to do in competition what they are able to do in practice.
“The hurdle in translating practice into competition is based on a lot of factors,” said Dr. Patrick Cohn, founder of Peak Performance Sports in Orlando and a leading mental toughness coach. “Most often, the struggle for the athlete comes down to perfectionism, fear of failure, and social approval.” For Generation Z, a group characterized by a constant need to be perfect that often manifests itself in anxiety when concerned they might not be, these hurdles can seem almost insurmountable. However, a large piece of the solution actually has less to do with the athlete and a lot to do with who’s standing at the boards.
That’s right: it’s you, coach. “I would say that in eight out of ten cases where an athlete is not performing in competition like they are capable of, is a fear of failure that stems directly from not wanting to disappoint a coach or a parent,” Cohn said. “Especially in judged sports where opinion comes into play, the opinion of coaches and sometimes parents really concern them.” Hold up. So every coach wants their skater to perform well, but it would seem the coach is a big reason they are not able to? Talk about hurdles. “The coaches have to remove the aftermath,” Cohn said. “The athlete is worried: ‘What is coach going to say if I fall?’ That kind of thinking cannot come into play. It’s too distracting and immobilizing. Figure skating coaches, with all of the one-on-one time, have a tremendous amount of influence. In an athlete’s attempt to be perfect, they are worried what the coach will think if they are not. Coaches don’t always realize how their words – and unsaid words—affect athletes whose self-esteem often hangs on the coach’s opinions.” It’s a reversal in roles that Cohn says is backward. “It’s not the athlete’s job to make the coaches and the parents happy,” he said. “They’re not working for the coach. I tell the athletes, ‘The coach gets paid to help you so, be clear, he or she is working for you.’ A coach—and a parent, really—needs to understand that their purpose is to help them be what they can be, not just be in control of everything. Encouraging a skater to take ownership of their training can go a long way in them feeling in control and not just performing in an effort to make someone else happy.” For the coach who wants to really drive that point home, here are two words to remember: proactive confidence.
“It’s not the athlete’s job to make the coaches and the parents happy... A coach—and a parent, really— needs to understand that their purpose is to help them be what they can be, not just be in control of everything.”
“So often, athletes only get positive feedback at a competition from a coach after the program if—and only if—it went well,” Cohn said. “It doesn’t make sense that you’re giving the athlete confidence after the performance; they need to feel confident before the performance. It is a coach’s job to get them in a confident and strong mindset before they take the ice so, when they go out, they know they already have the support of their coach so there is no fear of failure.” Building an athlete up before they perform can be the very best path to a strong mental foundation that can reap performance rewards. “Remind the athlete of their talents, skills, and strengths,” Cohn said. “Remind them how long they’ve been doing it and how hard they’ve worked for everything that’s in their program. Tell them how they deserve to be confident and that the program doesn’t have to be perfect to still be a success. Give them permission to feel good about all they’ve accomplished even before they go out on the ice.” The structure of skating also brings with it some unique challenges when it comes to a skater performing up to par. A huge hurdle for skaters in particular is that they are constantly in a practice mindset,” Cohn said. “They are taught to have perfect form, taught to always look good; they’re mindset is always about getting better to attain perfection. And, yes, skaters need that mindset to improve, but the challenge becomes when they have a hard time transforming into performance mode.” When a skater stays in practice mode, they become anxious about falling and letting others down and they tighten up, either unable to perform the elements they know how to do or they end up playing it safe. “It’s like if you were overthinking every single little thing you do while driving down the highway,” Cohn said. “You would be tense and your grip would be tight on the wheel. You know how to drive, but you’re so worried about your driving being
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“Staging somewhat frequent ‘dress rehearsals’ when the skater can wear their competition outfit and perform their program with mock judges will get the skater comfortable with the performance mindset and will lead to confidence in such situations.”
perfect that you end up not being as good of a driver as you could have been if you’d just relaxed and been confident in the skills you have as a driver.”
Something that can also help with both competition troubles and practice issues isn’t new, but it needs to be remembered all the same: keep it simple.
Performance mode, on the other hand, is when a skater can go in with confidence of what they have and they enjoy showing it off.
“As a coach, how simple can you make it?” Cohn said. “In practice, work on one or maybe two things to improve at a time. As they get those things, that begins to build the element and their confidence—so that’s a win-win. When preparing for competition and doing run-throughs, give them only a couple of mental cues to keep repeating in their mind so that they can do the emoting and expressing. In competition, keep those couple of mental cues the same as when you practiced the program. When they have too much to think about, that is when you’ll see circling, popping and the inability to perform at competitions up to their abilities.”
“Skaters have fewer competitions than a lot of other sports so they can’t experience performance mindset often,” Cohn said. “Coaches need to mimic competition situations so the skaters can feel it more often. Full program run-throughs—and that means with all the choreography and expression and emotion. Cut back on trying to make the elements in the program harder and harder and do a little more of making the elements that are in the program really solid so the athlete can feel good about them.” Staging somewhat frequent “dress rehearsals” when the skater can wear their competition outfit and perform their program with mock judges will get the skater comfortable with the performance mindset and will lead to confidence in such situations. “That is a time for them to smile, to get in touch with the music and really put on a performance,” Cohn said. “When a singer steps on a stage, they go into performance mindset. They know they know the words of the songs and, because they are confident in that knowledge, they can therefore really perform with feeling. That’s important in a sport like figure skating.” And while competition struggles are frustrating for coaches, there are two practice issues that are universal as well and often have similar root problems: circling and popping. “I call it the waiting-for-the-stars-to-align syndrome,” Cohn said. “It’s not really about everything being perfect and, if it’s not, the skater bails on the element. What’s really going on is that either they have too much on their mind that they’ve been given to remember and it’s just overwhelming or they are fearful of a negative result such as they fall and the coach is frustrated.”
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Another path to overcoming the fear of failure is encouraging the skater at every turn to go for it. “Being tentative doesn’t work for athletes,” Cohn said. “Cheer them on to take risks. Praise them when they have done so. That aggressive mindset goes a long way in building a confident athlete.” Cohn stresses that showing frustration or handing down punishment is the very last thing a coach should do when trying to help a skater improve. Rather than bolster confidence, those kinds of behavior tear it down and destroy it. “The question you have to really get down to when a skater is not doing well in practice or competition is: What’s the ultimate fear?” Cohn said. “A lot of times, when you really look deep, it’s a fear of disappointing you. As a coach, you can go a long way in helping that. You can go a long way in building their confidence. If they know you know how hard they have worked and you are proud of them, they can start to take pride in those same accomplishments. That confidence can lead them to great places.”
Professional Skaters Foundation
Officers, Board Members and Trustees PRESIDENT Carol Murphy VICE PRESIDENT Kelley Morris-Adair TREASURER Scott McCoy SECRETARY Gerry Lane BOARD MEMBER
Paul Wylie Carol Rossignol Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil Jill Maier-Collins TRUSTEE
Richard Dwyer Cindy Geltz Robbie Kaine Wayne Seybold Moira North Curtis McGraw Webster Skaters' Fund – Donation Levels: • Platinum • Diamond • Gold • Silver • Bronze
$10,000+ $5,000+ $1,000+ $500+ $100+
Recognition opportunities for donors available
The 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!
A Community that Cares
David Shulman Leadership Scholarship The PS Foundation established the David Shulman Leadership Scholarship last year and will be accepting applications during the next several months until the deadline of January 1. The PS Foundation is dedicated to celebrating and recognizing Mr. David Shulman as a key “builder” for the Professional Skaters Association, having served in many capacities for over 58 years. Mr. Shulman was a competitive skater, a volunteer, committee chair, PSA President, ratings examiner, and General Counsel for the PSA. The David Shulman Leadership Scholarship provides an opportunity for a PSA coach to develop leadership skills with the goal of enhancing PSA’s leadership depth. The selected candidate will be given the opportunity to attend a PSA Board Meeting as an observer and to attend the PSA Conference & Trade Show, including attendance at the PSA Awards Dinner, a “one-on-one” Q & A with Mr. Shulman (either inperson or via telephone) or other PSA leader (past or current president, or other senior management), and will shadow a PSA leader. The selected applicant will receive travel to and from conference and accommodation for up to three nights. Applicant requirements include: • Be a full member in good standing of the PSA • Hold a senior or higher rating in any discipline • Continue to stay committed and engaged as a leader in PSA • Must provide a nomination letter from a PSA, U.S. Figure Skating or ISI member endorsing your leadership role • Minimum one year serving on a PSA committee
TOP: PSGA President David Shulman addresses attendees of the 1975 PSGA Conference in Boston, MA.
David with wife and past PSA Executive Director Carole Shulman at the 2017 PSA Conference in Nashville, TN.
To be considered for the scholarship, the applicant must complete the application form available on the PS Foundation page on the PSA website. Materials to be included with the application are: • Personal information • Video submission – maximum five minutes in length, brief personal introduction, volunteer philosophy and definition of a leader, volunteer or work experience in a leadership role, strengths and challenges in a leadership role, and some goals/objectives that you want to pursue and achieve that would further enhance coaches and coach education. • Two reference letters supporting volunteer or work experience in a leadership role (skating rink or club or school) • Short essay on how you plan to utilize the funds to further your involvement in a leadership role within the PSA. All materials must be received by January 1 and should be sent to David Shulman Leadership Scholarship, Professional Skaters Foundation, 3006 Allegro Park SW Rochester, MN 55902, Attn: Jimmie Santee. Recipients will be notified by February 15 and will be required to participate in the BOG orientation and sign a confidentiality agreement. Race, religion, color, creed, sex and ethnic background are not considered in the selection of recipients. The PS Foundation also offers several other scholarships, including the Don Laws Scholarship and the Muehlbronner Scholarship, additional information can be found on them on our website: www. skatepsa.com. We urge you to review our scholarships and apply today!
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2018
P H OTO S B Y
Mark Walentiny ASHLYN OLSON
MISSED CONNEC TIONS
SABRINA LOGREN R OHENE WARD
KRISTEN NARDOZZI/NICK TR AXLER
ASHLE Y PANTANO
AMERIC AN ICE THEATRE BOSTON
K AT Y GARRIT Y
TAM BUI
BRIDGE T C ARRIG
AMY BER GLUND
K AITLIN CLEAR
JONATHAN C ASSAR
RYAN JAHNKE
DAVID LIPOWITZ
CHRISTA JOHNS
PAIGE BAR THOLOME W/ALYSSA KORMOS
PIER C YN HUNT
AMANDA E VOR A/MARK LADWIG
JASON GR AE TZ
SAR AH FR ANCE
R ACHEL FR ANZESE
RINKBLAZER
Corrie Martin
The music was in her—and Corrie Martin didn’t care where she let it out. “As a kid, I was always dancing to music—in grocery stores, department stores, school, anywhere and everywhere,” she said. “To this day, it doesn’t matter what music is playing, I just feel it.” The mom of a 19-year-old son (who, though he’s away at college, is still her student’s “biggest fan”), Martin has turned her love of music and movement into a growing career. Partnering with many coaches, Martin is a five-time international, national, junior national, and sectional choreographer. But hers wasn’t what is often viewed as a “traditional” path to coaching. At 13, her father was diagnosed with a terminal illness and her mom could no longer afford skating. “From 13 to 18 years old, there was no skating in my life,” Martin said. “He died when I was 15 and we just couldn’t financially do it.” But she couldn’t shake what was in her soul. “When I was 18, my mother got transferred to Alaska and I started college. One day I went and bought ice skates and that was it—I started skating every day,” she said. “A coach there suggested I go into ice shows. I’ve had a very non-traditional path, but I found my way back to skating because it’s always been in me.” An international show skater in Japan, Mexico, France, and the U.S., Martin finished her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in theatre from the University of Washington. It was while in Washington that Martin met Barbara Flowers, a renowned choreographer who had worked with several national and international competitors, and a pivotal turn in Martin’s life journey occurred. “It was such an unfortunate, but such a beautiful thing, that happened,” she said. “Barbara was such a wonderful woman. She observed me for quite a while and she took me under her wing. When she died of brain cancer, she asked me to take over her clientele. She was an incredibly nurturing personality and she gave me the wonderful opportunity to work with high-level skaters from the beginning.” All of this is at the heart of what means a lot to Martin: That, if she can do it, there is the possibility for others. “Everyone’s journey is going to be entirely different,” she said. “It’s important to me that people know that they can do it even if they didn’t pass their gold free skate test. Even if they haven’t had a successful competitive career, everyone is capable.”
How did you first get into skating? I grew up in Boise, Idaho and I went to a birthday party at the ice rink. After that, I asked my mom to take me skating every day. Every. Single. Day. Was there a moment when you realized coaching was in your future? I had finished my last show tour in France. I was 23 and I came home and worked as a nanny for three months. I went skating and a coach came over to me and said, “You are the most graceful skater. Can you work with my kids?” I hadn’t thought
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about it before, but I did it and I knew absolutely that it was for me.
Skating as a sport takes great passion. So does coaching. What are you most passionate about? Watching a skater develop artistically. For me, it’s not so much about mastering a certain move; it’s when they bring something special to it. All of a sudden, their skating becomes more sincere and genuine. It’s a beautiful moment. Some skaters just naturally have it. If they don’t have it naturally, it takes time to develop a relationship to help them bring it out,
By Terri Milner Tarquini
but all skaters have the ability to do it. If they’re not expressing to the music, there has to be a reason—they don’t like the music, they’re embarrassed, they’re not sure if they’re doing it “right.” As a choreographer, you have to understand where they’re coming from and then figure out how to overcome it. Something I do is I’ll only allow them to skate in a small area of ice. I’ll give them some music and only three elements they can perform. Then I switch the music and they can only do the same three elements. Then I’ll switch the music again. What’s interesting is that they’ll start skating strong and dramatic or soft and floating depending on the music. That’s when it clicks in their head.
You’ve been team-coaching with your best friend, Darin Hosier, for over 25 years, as well as many other coaches. What are the benefits to team coaching and what are some things that are important for a solid team-coaching partnership? I think it would be difficult for any coach to have all of the answers. Today’s skating has more components than ever so a team approach can be very valuable. It’s a true collaboration where everyone has a role and brings something to the table. Communication is important, as are mutual respect and being open-minded. The technical aspects of choreography, the step sequence and the spins has changed greatly since the 6.0 system. As a choreographer and spin specialist, what do you think of the IJS system? I have so much respect for the skaters who can actually do all of it. Here I am telling them they need three more revolutions on that spin, it’s not laid over enough, their counter is dirty on the entrance, to make sure they have enough different turns that go clockwise and counter-clockwise. It’s difficult to not develop some level of anxiety. With so much to think about, it might take away some of the freedom of feeling the music. If they’re stressed out, it’s hard to bring out the feeling inside of them. With that in mind, it’s important to master that technique as much as possible, so then the emotion can happen.
Corrie works with skaters on the ice and leads a stretch class
up into a camel spin at the same time and see who holds it the longest. It’s a fun way to challenge them. I also do stretch classes and take videos of each skater’s spirals at the beginning of the summer and we chart their progress every month. They do partner stretching and they work together to accomplish their goals.
How do you keep up with all the rule changes as they’ve continued to evolve? (Laughs) I read a lot. I have to. Oftentimes it’s said that IJS has birthed “cookie-cutter programs.” As a choreographer, what say you? I honestly have not experienced that. I do choreography that comes from the music. Each piece of music brings different things to the program and each skater brings different things to the program, so how could they all look the same? Yes, it’s more structured than it used to be, but if you really step into the music and get the skater to connect to it, each program will be unique. Spins have so many more rules and positions now. How do you go about approaching the teaching of spins so they can attain the higher levels? Really, really strong basics. I need them to be able to do at least 10 revolutions centered, in each basic position before I add feature positions. Increasing flexibility is also extremely important. Stretching has to be a regular part of their training. In my spin classes, we do a last-man standing where they all do scratch spins and, the ones who center it, keep going until there’s only one skater left. We also do it where everyone winds
You are pre-certified in Gyrotonics, a unique, holistic approach to movement that, with consistent use, has been shown to increase range of motion, greater joint stability, and improved agility. Please tell me about this. Eight years ago I was having severe lower back problems. My osteopath introduced me to Gyrotonics, which was developed by a ballet dancer to prevent injuries and increase flexibility. I fell in love with the practice and later became pre-certified so I am able to incorporate some of the practice in a stretch class I teach. I am limited, however, and have suggested skaters attend a studio that offers the full program with all the equipment. I have seen an improvement with every skater who has consistently gone. It’s an incredible workout and at the same time feels like you are getting a massage. What is your favorite move to watch when it is performed really, really well? Camel spin and a spiral. What would be your advice to coaches who are interested in growing their career? Develop goals for yourself. Define what type of coach you want to be, whether it’s basic skills or national level. And then have absolute dedication to it. Devote yourself to furthering your education, be consistent, and make the development of your skaters—as skaters and as children— a huge priority.
Take the time to really understand each student. Delve into what the goals are for this season and what you want them to look like this year as well as next year so you can see the plans for the future. It’s hugely important to have a strategy. Don’t put the choosing of music into the skater’s hands, unless it’s a great piece of music. And don’t just go with the first music that you come across. I usually ask the skater to look for music and then so do I. I narrow those down to three or four pieces and then we keep listening to them, move to them, sometimes even put them over the loudspeaker and skate to them. Also, for choreographers, I strongly advise to keep watching a lot of different styles of dancing and movement. It keeps you fresh.
How would you describe your journey in the skating world so far? Oh my gosh. It’s been a long journey, but I’m so incredibly fortunate to be doing something I love. I don’t take it for granted; I’m so grateful. And I’m so lucky to be able to work with some of my closest friends—there’s not many careers you get to do that. It’s such a safe place and gives me such a sense of family. Do you have a motto or philosophy? Show up every day and give 100 percent. Even if I’m tired or am having a bad day, I push through it. Giving 100 percent is what my skaters deserve. What are some things down the road of life that you hope your skaters take with them that they learned from you? That life can be messy, but you can work through it. Do not over-celebrate success and do not underestimate the value that can be found in failure. And to not take simple pleasures for granted.
What’s your advice be to coaches who are interested in making choreography their profession? PS MAGAZINE
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PS MAGAZINE
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CALENDAR
OF
EVENTS
SEPTEMBER Date: Event: Location: Credits:
September 9, 2018 Area 10 PSA Full Day Seminar Bloomington Ice Garden in Bloomington, MN 12 PSA credits
Deadline:
August 17, 2018
Date: Event: Location: Credits:
September 9, 2018 Area 16 Foundations of Coaching Course The Rinks Westminster Ice in Westminster, CA 12 PSA credits
Deadline:
August 10, 2018
Date: Event: Location: Credits:
September 16, 2018 Area 6 Foundations of Coaching Course Gardens Ice House in Laurel, MD 12 PSA credits
Deadline:
August 20, 2018
Date: Event: Location: Credits: Schedule:
September 22-23, 2018 Area 8 PSA Super Site Dearborn Ice Skating Center in Dearborn, MI 12 PSA credits September 22 - Coaches & Judges September 23 - Skaters & Coaches
Deadline:
August 31, 2018
O C TO B E R
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Date: Event: Location: Credits:
October 21, 2018 Area 8 Foundations of Coaching Course Mount Clemons Ice Arena in Mount Clemons, MI 12 PSA credits
Deadline:
October 5, 2018
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
October 26-28, 2018 Area 16 PSA Master Rating Site (all levels included) Radisson Phoenix Airport Hotel in Phoenix, AZ 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken
Deadline:
September 15, 2018
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2018
Please visit www.skatepsa.com for the complete Calendar of Events
MARCH Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
March 10-11, 2019 PSA Rating Site Fiesta Rancho Casino in Las Vegas, NV 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken
Deadline:
January 11, 2019
Dates: Event: Location: Credits:
March 11-13, 2019 PSA Ratings Prep Fiesta Rancho Casino and Sobe Ice Arena in Las Vegas, NV 26-28 PSA credits
Deadline:
February 8, 2019
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May 22-25, 2019
2019 PSA Conference & Trade Show Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa
PALM SPRINGS