4 minute read
2023 Coach(es) of the Year: Todd / Jenni / Christine / Chris
By Kent McDill
In the field of championship figure skating, it is rare that any competitor works with only one coach.
So, it is not surprising that the 2023 PSA Coach of the Year is, in fact, a team of four coaches, three of whom won the award together previously in 2020.
Todd Sand, Jenni Meno Sand, Christine Fowler Binder and Chris Knierim were selected as the 2023 PSA Coach of the Year for their work through the previous year, including the 2022 World Figure Skating Championship for Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier.
“We were very honored to win the award,’’ said Jenni Meno Sand, speaking for herself and her husband Todd, who suffered a heart attack in March and is still recovering. “We are a great coaching team, and our athletes put 100 percent trust in us, doing whatever we ask of them. We have great families that support us as well. We are really fortunate for that.”
A team of skating coaches is often asked to delineate the coaching duties involved, but the Sands and Fowler-Binder have been together for 17 years, so that the separation of duties is less important than the combined efforts of the coaching talents.
“Jenni is more of the manager, and Todd is the detail person, handling the technical as well as the finishing programs,’’ Fowler-Binder explained. “He is always reading coaches and books and studying coaching philosophy. Chris helped a lot with twists and lifts. I work with polishing programs.”
The team works from the relatively new and huge facility in southern California, the Great Park Ice and Fivepoint Arena in Irvine, which was created specifically to serve training for pairs.
Chris Knierim worked with the team for three years, but moved with his wife Alexa back to her Chicago area hometown and now operates from the Oakton Ice Arena in suburban Park Ridge, Ill.
Knierim’s absence with the team has been filled by Frazier, who provides the youthful coaching point of view previously provided by Knierim.
In 2022, the Sands-Fowler-Binder-Knierim team coached champions at Junior Worlds, Junior Nationals and Novice Nationals.
“I think we were selected for our coaching season as a whole,’’ Sand said.
Thank you to the athletes for sharing photos and words.
What do the athletes say?
“Finding your home both on and off the ice can be hard for any athlete. Starting with Todd and Jenni in 2019 opened the door for me to find a training camp founded on love and support. Brandon and I reached our dreams becoming World Champions by trusting our incredible team of coaches.” Alexa Knierim
“Training with this team has taught us so many lessons that we will cherish forever. Something Todd has taught us is to always give it all we've got—no matter the circumstances—and to never back down. They push us to our limit everyday and it is an honor be a part of this team. Thank you for this opportunity to speak about our amazing team!” Ellie Korytek and Timmy Chapman
“Todd and Jenni's team is my second family. Todd is always focused on details and safety for girl partner. He’s very big on that! Jenni is always there for me for pep-talk or nice push when I need it. Christine is the happiest coach I know and a huge cheer leader for all of us on an everyday basis...Todd and Jenni created an atmosphere of high standards, hard work, and full support between the skaters and coaches. I couldn’t be more grateful for sharing the ice with my teammates and I love my coaches forever!” Sonia Baram
