Jan/Feb 2020 PS Magazine

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

For the coaches.

The Professional Skaters Foundation was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a non-profit, charitable foundation. In addition to the Skaters’ Fund which assists coaches and performing skaters in need of assistance.

Visit skatepsa.com for more information.

All contributions are tax-deductible.

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

COLUMNS

FEATURES

2

Over the Edge | Jimmie Santee

19

Because I Can Skate: Sherry Cook

| Terri Milner Tarquini

4

President’s Message | Alex Chang

22

Using Social Media to Gain Skaters

| Kent McDill

6

Ratings | Cheryl Faust

24

Ice Theatre of New York 2019 Gala

| Terri Milner Tarquini

8

SafeSport | U.S. Figure Skating

12

Sport Science | Heidi Thibert

30

2020 PSA Summit

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Education | Carol Rossignol

32

Bi-Annual PSA Membership Survey Results

34

Best Business Practices

DEPARTMENTS 7 11 18 36 38 40

ITNY Ice Angel Award: Hughes Family ITNY Lifetime Achievement Award: Frank Carroll

Welcome 2020!

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

Find, Friend, Follow

Issue No 1 |

Cover photo by Mark Walentiny

WWW.SKATEPSA.COM

PS MAGAZINE

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OVER THE EDGE Jimmie Santee, MPD, MG

Crossroads I

n late October, the Wall Street Journal published, “The Year Teenage Girls Blew Up Figure Skating.” Author Louise Radnofsky wrote, “A group of teenage girls have turbocharged the sport officially known as ladies skating, landing quadruple jumps that were off-limits for decades and in quantities that are already up there with the very top male skaters. It’s either spectacular, or terrifying. It’s definitely youth sports gone mad.”

I didn’t see this coming. A year or so ago I wrote about how Nathan Chen had made the triple Axel irrelevant with the number of quads he could perform. I saw this “quad” race as a male phenomenon, but as written in the WSJ article, pre-pubescent teenage girls are seemingly developing quads at a feverous pace. Tom Zakrajsek is quoted as saying, “Women all over the world are saying, we’re not second to men.” Tom is right, but women have been number 1 in figure skating for some time, at least in artistry and popularity. This recent explosion of technical advancement for women is both frightening and inspiring.

Frightening because of the uncertainty of the physical or emotional cost.

As I read the article further, Radnofsky noted, “…skeptics fear they already know the answer: even for the winners, the current model is unsustainable and unhealthy, built on a skater racing the clock and with the likelihood that every year’s top performer will be replaced by another skater the next.”

I agree and that scares me. I fear that our already niche sport will continue to foster prototypical jumping phenomes that are pre-pubescent, under 5’ tall, and weigh less than 100 pounds. Will we be pushing more and more skaters out of our sport?

I’m not necessarily opposed to the advancement of technical skating if we can make it somewhat safe for our athletes. I say somewhat as any athletic endeavor can expose the athlete to injury. But we also know that our bodies have an adaptive system which allows our brain to learn and solve motor challenges better. In that same WSJ piece, Dr. William Sands, PhD, who has worked with gymnasts, skiers, and skaters, said learning complex skills when young is not only more “I fear that our already effective, it’s beneficial because as the athlete matures, they will likely “still continue to niche sport will progress because they have a huge backlog of continue to foster skill that allows them to modify.” I don’t know prototypical jumping if that statement is based on scientific fact or his experience…we will just have to see.

phenomes that are pre-pubescent, under 5’ tall, and weigh less than 100 pounds. Will we be pushing more and more skaters out of our sport?”

2

We need to balance the scoring of technical elements to those of artistry. Or maybe not.

Maybe the ISU will separate our events into a technical event and one an artistic and make everyone happy. Or maybe not. As the title say, we are at a crossroads, and not knowing which way we are going frightens me.

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

PSA OFFICERS President First Vice President Second Vice President Third Vice President Treasurer Past President PSA BOARD OF GOVERNORS West Mid-West East Members at Large

Committee on Professional Standards Ratings Chair Seminar/ Webinar Chair ISI Rep to PSA U.S. Figure Skating Rep to PSA PSA Rep to U.S. Figure Skating Conference Chairs Executive Director COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards Coaches Hall of Fame Education Apprentice Program Area Representatives Hockey Skating Sport Science Endorsements Executive Executive Nominating Finance Nominating Professional Standards PSA Rep to ISI Ratings Adaptive Skating FCC

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

Teri Hooper Christine Fowler-Binder Rebecca Stump Phillip Mills Debbie Jones Gloria Leous Jordan Mann Heidi Thibert Jamie Lynn Santee Alex Chang Christine Fowler-Binder Carol Murphy Christine Fowler-Binder Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Cheryl Faust Mary Johanson Janet Tremer

PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES Area 1 Martha Harding Area 10 Francesca Supple Area 2 Kimberlie Wheeland Area 11 Charmin Savoy Area 3 Andrea Kunz-Williamson Area 12 Sharon Brilliantine Area 4 tbd Area 13 Liz Egetoe Area 5 Angela Roesch-Davis Area 14 Lisa Mizonick Area 6 tbd Area 15 Don Corbiell Area 7 Robyn Petroskey Area 16 Russ Scott Area 8 Melanie Bolhuis Area 17 Karen Preston Area 9 Lisa Bardonaro-Reibly DISCLAIMER: Written by Guest Contributor | PSA regularly receives articles from guest contributors. The opinions and views expressed by these contributors are not necessarily those of PSA. By publishing these articles, PSA does not make any endorsements or statements of support of the author or their contribution, either explicit or implicit.

THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER Magazine Mission: To bring to our readers the best information from the most knowledgeable sources. To select and generate the information free from the influence of bias.

And to provide needed information quickly, accurately and efficiently.

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

The Professional Skater (USPS 574770) Issue 1, a newsletter of the Professional Skaters Association, Inc., is published bimonthly, six times a year, as the official publication of the PSA, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Tel 507.281.5122, Fax 507.281.5491, Email: office@skatepsa.com © 2017 by Professional Skaters Association, all rights reserved. Subscription price is $19.95 per year, Canadian $29.00 and foreign $45.00/year, U.S. Funds. Second-class Postage Paid at Rochester, MN 55901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to The Professional Skater, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Printed in the USA.

P R O F E S S I O N A L S K AT E R S F O U N D AT I O N

May 19, 2020 TRIPHAHN CENTER ICE ARENA HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL

Free to attend!

The objective of the championship strives to promote professional figure skating as an athletic as well as an artistic event. It provides quality, wholesome entertainment for the entire family. While other professional competitions include skaters by invitation only, the U.S. Open gives all professional skaters a chance to perform and compete.

It has provided a platform for many skaters to showcase their talent and advance their careers.

Competitor registration deadline April 1, 2020

Y 2 0 -2 3 , 2 0 2 0 MA

The best coaches & officials will join us in Chicago to share 20/20 Vision Laura Lipetsky

Patrick Chan

The PSA provides quality and affordable education and accreditation to skating professionals at every level.

W W W . S K AT E P S A . C O M

Early Bird Registration Deadline: February 2, 2020 PS MAGAZINE

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Alex Chang, MFS, RM

Work vs. Fun vs. Engagement S

ocialization is key to development.

The other day, I came across a statistic that made me pause and think. The idea: a ‘best friend at work’ is very important if not the most important factor in the work place. It got me thinking, how is socialization significant to work performance, and not just significant but pivotal? Do we all really need that much confirmation, affirmation, and socialization to be confident and therefore effective at work?

Well, let me take this a step back and open the lens.

We all train our skaters on the value of old-fashioned hard work, pepper it with fun, and hope for the best. I think what we are really targeting is ‘engagement’ which gives purpose to the work and task at hand. Adding a little fun and ‘distraction’ to the work can often yield more engagement and therefore better results, but this formula varies greatly by skater. This is what I refer to in my title: Work vs. Fun vs. Engagement.

Skaters feed off the energy of other skaters and often look to train in environments with similar-minded athletes.

This is the ‘fun’ and social element in the work formula. In a way, it’s a ‘buddy system’ that gives these kids socialization, motivation, feedback, affirmation, and information on what to change and what to keep.

So I had to ask myself, are coaches really so different? (a.k.a. Does this ‘buddy system’ apply to adults too?) As coaches, we interact/engage with other coaches, adults, parents, management, and even form our own ‘teams’ in coaching. We operate in a ‘social setting’ but in a ‘professional capacity’ and we form our professional identities by sharing ideas and receiving feedback, which hopefully confirm our ideas, affirm our value, and build our confidence as professionals.

Think about it this way: We have all gone to a dinner with a bunch of strangers. How many times have we surprisingly had the time of our lives in a new crowd and how many times have we been waiting for the excuse to dismiss ourselves? What made the difference between ‘fun’ and ‘done?’ The point is that social pressure and socialization is a natural part of the ebb and flow of life, a challenge vs. an opportunity. Once we recast the ‘pressure’ into ‘presence,’ we can enjoy what comes with each interaction and just be ourselves.

Let’s bring it from the dinner table back to the rink… what do you do? When you see someone getting into their head, step in and be bold. Strike up that conversa-

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tion, and it doesn’t have to be Pulitzer-Prize worthy. Just a simple comment or even a question can work wonders when someone needs a little affirmation. Remember, we are skating folk and we all have at least one unique thing in common, our connection with skating and our passion for sport.

So what can we learn from the ‘buddy system?’ When you prepare to sign up for your next PSA event, talk with your skating folks and see if they’re interested. Do they see what you see? How did that coaching session land for them? Better yet, sign up for a rating exam together! We need feedback and other personalities to test and affirm our world view, to confirm our thoughts and perspectives, which over time and through repetition builds confidence.

Remember, “you can’t be brave unless you’re scared.” So be bold, be open, and be yourself.

Take advantage of the group rate and experience Summit together!

Talk to your fellow club coaches and find at least three other PSA members to take advantage of the group savings of $30 per registrant. Mail-in form and details can be found at skatepsa.com

2019 SUPER SITE - BOSTON

Trade your boots for slippers.

Watch and learn at your own convenience!

PSA TV is an on-demand video library of past conferences and seminars presented by the Professional Skaters Association as well as tips from master rated coaches, webinars, and podcasts.

We proudly offer a selection of free content, videos for purchase, or subscribe for only $4.99/month for on-demand access to the full catalog.

www.skatepsa.com

RATINGS Cheryl Faust MFS, MM

Rating Discipline Chairs and Sample Questions

I

n keeping with our quest to further coaches’ education, we are continuing to use the ratings articles to show you what types of questions will not only be on ratings exams, but also help you coach!

Each discipline has a Chair who edits, writes, and manages the exams. Please reach out to these volunteers when you have questions. They can help guide you in the right direction or connect you with a master coach.

Remember... they were all registered candidates before they were master rated coaches and they want to help you through the process!

In this article we will be focusing on the disciplines of free skate and group ratings exam sample questions.

1

2

Registered Group Exam Sample Question: Where is the weight placement on the blade and which edges are you on during a two-foot spin?

Answer: Weight is on the middle/back of the forward blade and middle/front (ball) of the backward blade. Both feet are on inside edges.

3

Certified Free Skate Exam Question: Which of these double Salchow drawings is the most correct?

Answer: If you look at the free skate study guide (all study guides are accessible on the PSA website) you will see that you will need to be able to draw all of the jumps. Ideally you should take a notebook out to the ice and draw what you see. This will help your drawing ability immensely! Not only will it help with your exams it will also help your coaching.

The first drawing doesn’t have any curve at the end of the three-turn to initiate rotation, especially for a double.

You may have skaters doing singles that would look like this but a double would certainly be cheated since they would not have the chance to properly get forward before the take off.

The second drawing would be the closest to ideal.

There will be some variations but the three-turn itself should be equal on both sides as well as nice rounded curve along with a pivot forward at the end of the curve.

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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

The pivot looks like the end of a fish hook or half of a back three-turn.

The third drawing indicates a skater rushing the second half of the three-turn and will not have any flow coming out of the jump.

We hope you are able to use these questions to further your studies. Please download and utilize the ratings study guides on the website for free, as well as take advantage of PSA TV for more teaching tips to help make you the best coach you can be!

As always feel free to contact me at any time!

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

Did you know? In the Rankings program, the career

coaching record of a PSA member is established only through the accomplishments of a skater/team under his or her direction.

Basic Accreditation (BA)

RANKINGS

E-learning Academy

Shannon Schwab-TottenLevel I

Mischa DiFilippo- Level II

Lauren Ross- Level III

Alanna Collins- Level II

Kathy Goeke- Level II

Erika Hoffman- Level IV

Cece Frankhuizen- Level II

Don Corbiell- Level IV

Jason Chase Mary Nguyen Heather O’Connor Jessica Sims Amanda Voelker Christina Walczak Brittany Ward

Anita Saxena- Level II

Emeritus Rating Frank Cassella – Emeritus 19: MG-98, SD-90

Transfer of Coaching Certification Chad Goodwin RFS (from Canada)

DISCIPLINE CHAIRS Free Skate

Theatre on Ice

Cheryl Faust HaveanIceDayCF@icloud.com

Becky Stump Rlssk8@gmail.com

Moves in the Field

Synchro

Doug Haw hawskate@gmail.com

Donna Mitchell dlynnmitch@gmail.com

Group and Program Director

Figures

Jason Dilworth Xdilworth@cox.net

Carol Rossignol crossignol@skatepsa.com

NEW RATING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL DISCIPLINES At the Spring 2019 meeting of the Board of Governors the following requirements were passed for all rating disciplines: • Registered Rating candidates must have completed concussion training.

Dance

• Certified Rating candidates must hold a valid First Aid certificate.

Greg Maddalone gmaddalone@gmail.com

• Senior and Master Rating candidates must hold a valid First Aid certificate and CPR certificate.

Choreography Ashley Wyatt awyatt134@outlook.com

Pairs Calla Urbanski callaurb@gmail.com

Rationale: As an organization PSA needs to protect the safety and health of all skaters and participants in the sport.

Effective May 1st, 2020

Free Dance Kelley Morris-Adair indykelley@sbcglobal.net

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Preventing Miscoduct B Y : U . S . F I G U R E S K AT I N G S A F E S P O R T S TA F F

M

isconduct related education and awareness are the most critical components to creating a safe and respectful environment for all U.S. Figure Skating members. Our goal is to encourage each member and volunteer to become champions of this initiative by recognizing, responding to, and reporting any potential SafeSport violations the appropriate organization. For reporting information, please see the most recent version of U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport Policy Handbook.

While our coaches are required to complete the online SafeSport training, their efforts to build and sustain a healthy and supporting skating environment shouldn’t stop there. Below you will find some prevention strategies that can be implemented in all levels of skating.

Promoting Social Norms Talking to athletes about when it’s appropriate to respond to or report misconduct will help them to feel empowered about using their voice to help themselves and others.

Such actions can mobilize athletes and all members as allies while building a supportive team mentality amongst the groups. Knowing there are people looking out for their wellbeing will help our athletes to develop both in and out of the sport.

Teaching Prevention Skills Appropriate social-emotional learning at the club level can help teach athletes to manage their emotions. This can be done by helping athletes set and achieve positive goals and by assisting them with promoting healthy relationships amongst athletes. Real life lessons about social awareness and self-management will follow an athlete throughout the various stages of their life.

Providing Opportunities Providing opportunities of empowerment and support for athletes can help to prevent misconduct in our sport.

Encouraging environments and comradery between athletes can be created by strengthening the social supports within and outside of the sport.

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Creating Protective Environments U.S. Figure Skating has policies in place that are intended to help protect our members. Empowering our members to enforce these policies and report violations can create champions of respect and abuse prevention across the country. Strengthening the voice of all our members helps to reinforce each members’ right to advocate for themselves.

Supporting Victims and Survivors Education is important when working with a victim or survivor of abuse, particularly when thinking of the longlasting impact trauma can have on people of all ages.

Always respect a person’s boundaries and practice patience with all—you never know what another person may have gone through.

If parents of skaters you teach are looking for additional education on misconduct in sports, please send them this link: https://resources.safesport.org/toolkits/library. html These toolkits were created by the U.S. Center for SafeSport to ensure parents have the information they need to facilitate age appropriate conversations with their children about the various forms of misconduct. The guides provide insight on signs to look for and how to respond to potential misconduct.

To ensure athletes are getting the education they need about misconduct, the U.S. Center for SafeSport has created age appropriate minor athlete training which can be found at www.athletesafety.org. These courses require parental consent and it’s encouraged for parents to participate in the course. We encourage coaches to have a conversation with their minor athlete’s parent or guardian about these courses.

All SafeSport related questions can be directed to SafeSport@usfigureskating.org

2020-21 Season CERs are open as of January 1 Are you looking for additional PSA credits? Do you have an idea for a seminar or education event in your area?

Good news! If you have an idea for an event or are interested in an endorsement, please contact office@skatepsa.com or visit skatepsa.com for more information.

No subscription fee! (a savings of $25) Single sign-on. Just log into your PSA membership account!

Pre-bundled modules & single exam = less confusion E-learning platform offers 24/7 customer support www.skatepsa.com

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[ BOARD PROFILE ]

Patrick O'Neil

By Kent McDill If you have not met Patrick O’Neil, you may need to get out more.

O’Neil is the seminar and webinar chair for the Professional Skaters Association, and is also president of the Professional Skaters Foundation. Both roles require a great deal of time from home, which is either Saugatuck, Michigan (from which he serves on the Board of Directors of the Ice House Academy), or Palm Beach, Calif., primarily depending on the time of the year.

PS Magazine caught up with O’Neil to discuss his role with the organization, and his life outside of his skating responsibilities.

“I am currently traveling domestically and internationally, conducting seminars and clinics for coaches, skaters, and clubs on behalf of U.S Figure Skating, the Professional Skaters Association as well as on my own,” O’Neil reported. “I thoroughly enjoy connecting with many of the stakeholders in the skating business.”

As chairman of PSA seminars and webinars, O’Neil is the perfect host and educator because he fully appreciates the task he is charged with performing.

hope that all coaches, no matter the level at which they teach, avail themselves of these opportunities. I believe education is the cornerstone to success and that it behooves all skating coaches to stay current on teaching methods and techniques.”

The Professional Skaters Foundation (PSF) expands the educational opportunities of PSA members through a series of scholarships programs with a selection process based on set guidelines and criteria. O’Neil directs the PSF and works to add to the foundation through donations from individuals who have an appreciation of the value of figure skating.

“I am proud to be a small part of this and looking forward to ensuring that coaches are supported in every way possible,” O’Neil said.

“To date, the Foundation has provided over $300,000 in aid to coaches since 2001.”

His duties promoting figure skating keep O’Neil busy for most of the year, but when he has down time, he spends it as one might guess – by traveling.

“I enjoy traveling to international destinations,” O’Neil said. “I enjoy my golden retriever, Milo, and dinner out with friends. I also work out regularly, playing tennis and pickle ball.”

“PSA continues to create educational opportunities for coaches that are timely, affordable, and easy to attend,” O’Neil said. “It is my

EX C EL LE NCE O N IC E

Congratulations to the following on their pursuit of excellence!

Ames FSC Ames, IA

Elite Skating Academy Inc. Waukesha, WI

Ice Centre at the Promenade Westminster, CO

Ice Den Chandler Chandler, AZ

Ice Den Scottsdale Scottsdale, AZ

The Jones Center Springdale, AR

Kendall Ice Arena Miami, FL

Kettle Moraine FSC West Bend, WI

Lexington Ice Center Lexington, KY

Martha’s Vineyard FSC Vineyard Haven, MA

Marquette FSC Marquette, MI

Moylan Iceplex Omaha, NE

Onyx-Rochester Ice Arena Rocheser Hills, MI

Palm Beach Ice Works West Palm Beach, FL

Park City Ice Arena Park City, UT

Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena Pelham, AL

Skate Frederick Ice Sports and More Frederick, MD

LEFT: Handing out programs

at the 2016 U.S. Open

The Rinx Total Skating Program Hauppauge, NY

ABOVE: Posing with his newly

awarded Volunteer of the Year EDI award in 2018.

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SPORT SCIENCE Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC

Building Athlete Motivation B Y A R I E N E . FA U C E T T

I

magine arriving to the rink for a practice session with a skater who only a year ago gave you more headaches than you can count. However, within the past year, a shift occurred. It is twenty minutes before the start of the session and the skater is in the warm-up area properly dressed, rested, and hydrated. You see them going through their warm up routine, and it is obvious they are totally focused.

Their personal notebook is open nearby with critique notes and previous session jump counts. As you walk in, the skater cheerfully greets you and proceeds with the warm-up. As you are moving to your own preparation area, you hear the athlete supporting other skaters as they talk about the workout ahead. The transformation from problem-skater to focused-skater is not a miracle, but rather the result of intentional effort on your part.

Coaches do more than teach skaters technical skills and strategies for improvement. They also help skaters understand the grace necessary, both on the ice and off, to be truly successful in the sport. Yet the coach’s influence does not stop there. Coaches of all sports shape the way athletes approach competition. These lessons frequently extend beyond the sport itself and shape how athletes react to challenges in their daily lives long after competitive experiences have ended. We all hope that once athletes leave our influence, they take with them the spirit of dedication, respect, and hope that we helped them to embrace in our time together.

While many coaches recognize their influence beyond sport, one goal is still to help athletes reach their full potential. Sport scientists have helped coaches and athletes alike understand there are many areas where specific attention can be directed to help an athlete improve upon and sustain performance. Getting the right amount of sleep, making sound nutritional choices, and incorporating adequate breaks are a few of the ways athletes can take active steps beyond practice reps to improve performance.

Coaches can obviously encourage athletes to take these steps, however, what happens outside of practice is up to the skater (e.g., eat right, sleep well, and integrate active recovery on off days). Still, coaches can also affect effort and motivation during practice times.

With intentional effort, coaches can create an environment where athletes are self-motivated to achieve. Instead of figuring out ways to pull greatness out of an athlete,

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these environments result in athletes approaching training sessions, practices, and competitions with maximal effort and energy. While this may sound like a dream scenario, sport scientists have consistently shown that specific coaching behaviors can encourage intrinsic motivation through the climate they create1. When coaches establish a healthy motivational climate, athletes put forth more effort2, enjoy their sport more3, have higher self-esteem and confidence4 all while having less performance anxiety1, fewer injuries6, and lower rates of burnout and dropout7.

Put plainly, coaches who know how to encourage athletes to motivate themselves have better performing, happier athletes. But how can this be done?

Consider this: generally, two types of motivational climates exist. Performance-oriented climates reflect those in which athletes are praised for their success against the performances of others. In other words, wins and losses and high scores are key markers of success. Mastery climates on the other hand, reflect those in which athletes are praised for their improvement on or mastery of a skill.

While performing at the highest level is part of elite competition (of course we want athletes to win!) performanceoriented climates can result in problems. What if the skater is alone on the ice and there is no one there to compete with? Ultimately, they don’t practice as hard or put forth as much effort. This is because the feedback they need to measure their success is unavailable. It makes sense then that they won’t enjoy practice and will frequently need encouragement from their coaches to put forth effort.

However, in mastery-oriented climates, athletes measure their success in sport by their ability to master skills or do better than they did the day, week, or competition before.

Because they are focused on getting better, these athletes are more likely to push themselves as hard as they can regardless of whether they are alone in the rink or in front of a crowd. Again, this isn’t to suggest that these athletes aren’t competitive and don’t care about winning, they just adopt a more process oriented approach. Coaches who understand this and know how to cultivate this climate possess a secret weapon for helping athletes be driven, eager to learn, and successful.

How can coaches create a mastery-oriented environment in skating? The first step is examining the way coaches talk to skaters. Take the following example,

Information at a Glance

1-7

TASK-ORIENTED ATHLETES

PERFORMANCE-ORIENTED ATHLETES

Experience higher sport satisfaction

Enjoy sport less

Have less performance anxiety

Performance anxiety is more likely

Exert more effort

Don’t try as hard

Participate for the joy of mastering new skills

Participate for social status and popularity

Success = Learning

Success = Being Superior

Adapted from sources within Handbook of Sport Psychology, Third Edition

a skater is struggling to land a particular jump they absolutely need to land in the next competition. In a practice a few weeks before the event, Coach A tells the skater “We need to work on this. You have to land this jump in the event.” Coach B on the other hand asks the skater, “What are the two critical things we need to focus on for you to perform this jump?” Both coaches are talking to the skater about landing the jump. The difference though is the approach. Coach A is framing the conversation around the outcome—the athlete needs to land the jump in the upcoming event. Conversely, Coach B is adopting a process approach by asking the athlete to focus on the technical elements and process of developing the skill. In this scenario, Coach B has given the athlete the autonomy to identify the key elements of the skill that need work thus increasing his/her motivation to work on the skill.

A simple shift in language can result in the athlete focusing on their own skill mastery instead of one competition outcome. By the coach focusing on the skill mastery or personal growth instead of the outcome of the competition, the athlete begins understand that each opportunity to skate is a chance to improve, which results in more motivation. Coaches are then able to spend their time doing the thing they love, teaching skills and helping skaters get better. Time is no longer spent pushing athletes and pulling performances out of them. Instead, skaters become self-motivated to practice and eager to demonstrate their skill mastery in performance settings.

Given the obvious benefits of creating a mastery-oriented climate, what can coaches do to check their own behaviors? Above is a checklist of questions coaches need to ask themselves to determine if they are encouraging a masteryoriented climate or performance-oriented climate.

Coach’s Checklist: • When athletes don’t perform well, what type of feedback are you giving? Do you point out what contributed to the low score (e.g., “You didn’t stick the landing. You can’t win if you fall.”); or, are you gauging whether the skater understands what contributed to the fall in the first place (e.g., “What happened in that jump? Why do you think you fell?”). Focus on the technical skills needed to successfully master the jump and point out that upcoming practice sessions are an opportunity to develop the skill.

• When skaters aren’t motivated in practice, what do you say to help them focus or give more effort? Instead of saying, “You have a month until your next competition, you have to work now”, have a conversation with the skater to identify one skill or area that can be improved upon in the current practice session. In setting small, daily goals, skaters will develop a respect for the opportunity to get better each day.

• When you talk about success or failures with the skater, what is the focus of the conversation? Instead of focusing on a competition or event (“You placed fourth in your last competition…”), point out the growth or progress a skater has made in specific areas of their craft. “You have come so far with your axel. Your hard work is clearly paying off.”

Ways to Check Your Behavior: • Mic up! Current technology provides an easy way to record ourselves speaking. Record yourself during practice sessions so you can go back and listen to yourself give feedback or encouragement. If you are focusing on skill mastery, great job! If you are too focused on competitions or winning, this is an opportunity for self-improvement.

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• Invite a trusted colleague to practice—we all have colleagues who will give us honest feedback if we would only ask for it. Invite a trusted colleague to watch you coach. Have a conversation about the tone you want to set for the skater and your goals for the session. When the session is over, discuss what the colleague saw from you in your session. We all have blind spots; outside eyes may help us see where we need to devote intentional effort in the future.

• Ask the athlete for specific feedback. A simple conversation about what they believe your goals are for them could shine light on whether you are too focused on the outcome instead of the process. All coaches can grow their practice and develop new ways to getter better at their craft. Asking an athlete for their perceptions could help you understand how you are presenting your messages.

References 1. Roberts, G. C., Treasure, D. C, & Conroy, D. (2007). Understand the dynamics of motivation in sport: An achievement goal orientation. In Handbook of Sport Psychology: Third Edition (pp.

3-30). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

2. Sarrazin, P., Roberts, G. C., Cury, F., Biddle, S. J. H., & Famose, J. P. (2002). Exerted effort and performance in climbing among boys: The influence of achievement goals, perceived ability, and task difficulty. Research Quarterly for Exercise Science and Sport, 73, 425-436.

3. Biddle, S., Akande, A., Vlachopoulos, S., & Fox, K. (1996). Towards an understanding of children’s motivation for physical activity: Achievement goal orientations, beliefs about sport success, and sport emotion in Zimbabwean children. Psychology and Health, 12, 49-55.

4. Ntoumanis, N., & Biddle, S. J. H. (1999). Affect and achievement goals in physical activity: A meta analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 16, 183-197.

5. Roberts, G. C. (1986). The perception of stress: A potential source and its development. In M. R. Weiss & D. Gould (Eds.), Sport for children and youths (pp. 119-126). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

6. Williams, J. M., & Anderson, M. B. (2007). Psychosocial antecedents of sport injury and interventions for risk reduction. In Handbook of Sport Psychology: Third Edition (pp. 379-403).

Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

7. Ecklund, R. C., & Cresswell, S. L. (2007). Athlete burnout. In Handbook of Sport Psychology: Third Edition (pp. 621-641). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Arien E. Faucett is a doctoral student at the University of Southern Mississippi in the School of Kinesiology and Nutrition in Hattiesburg, MS. Her current research is on decision-making processes of coaches within the sport environment.

If you want to thrive with unrivaled skating opportunities in every discipline imaginable, then we’d love to welcome you to our community of elite athletes.

DisneyOnIceAuditions.com

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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

Spring Conference

EARLY BIRD DEADLINE

CONFERENCE HOTEL

Jan.10

Hilton Pasadena 168 S. Los Robles Ave.

$249 ISI member | $349 non-member

ADVANCE DEADLINE Feb. 21

March 23-24 2020 ushers in many innovative changes to our conference & trade show, to be held in two parts of the country (spring and fall).

A new, condensed format will allow coaches greater scheduling flexibility and lower their registration and lodging expenses as well as shorten their time away from family and work commitments.

$299 ISI member | $399 non-member

Group Rate: $179/night Name: ISI Spring Conference Code: ISI Deadline: March 6

ON-ICE EDUCATION Tuesday A.M. Pasadena Ice Skating Center 300 E. Green St. (within walking distance of conference hotel)

ON- OFF-ICE GUEST INSTRUCTORS

Patrick O’Neil Ethan Burgess

For more details, visit skateisi.org/conference

PS MAGAZINE

15

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

Landing Educational Theory on Ice

Teacher Expectations on Skater Achievement (TESA)

BY MERRY NEITLICH, M.A .

T

ESA (Teacher Expectations on Skater Achievement) principles can provide coaches with a framework from an educationally researched and proven program.

Imagine if we could tap into the research which was further enhanced by the Education Department Lab School at UCLA. TESA can assist coaches create solid expectations for lessons, skating skills and long-term goals for all of their skaters. Creating clear expectations for skaters and their parents opens the door for increased opportunity and excellence in shorter time periods so skaters can improve more quickly. It also reduces unrealistic expectations, discipline issues and/or negative behavior.

How can TESA help?

World and Olympic choreographer, Phillip Mills, feels that after many years choreographing and coaching, setting clear expectations for a program, for lessons, for a month and even for the longer term, has had a significant benefit on his skaters’ successes. “It has become apparent to me how we, as coaches, must hone our skills in setting expectations to clarify for our students the necessary components of learning new skills, and to increase the probability of success in testing and competition settings.”

“Several years ago, at the annual PSA Conference, I attended a session Merry taught on TESA. It helped me realize, that without even thinking about it, I frequently use this teaching technique as I coach. Setting clear expectations with my skaters, whether in singles, pairs, and dance, has helped lead to their success in learning new moves, elements and enhancing their choreography. TESA is a vital tool that all coaches can put in their toolbox to unlock the possibilities within their own students.

“Whether working with skaters from Juvenile through World and Olympic competitors, I instill a mantra with each of them as we prepare for competition so that their brain will accept and use it to motivate them. That advice goes like this, ‘I do not care about results or medals; however, I do expect a good performance just like you have

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practiced so many times.’

“This competition expectation sets each athlete up for success as more than 80% of the time, they deliver what I expect and they earn a podium finish. Becoming more aware of how I use TESA in my teaching has helped me to be of even greater help to my athletes,” says Phillip.

According to Tom Zakrajsek, “Any type of learning should always be grounded in goals. It’s important to involve the parents and the skater in developing clear goals and what it takes to develop strong technique. This is the essence of TESA. “Parents and skaters alike look too much at the highly successful international skaters. Social media has only put fuel in this fire. What helps my skaters is to teach them how to practice. Frequently the frustration in this process of learning comes about because skaters don’t have the three most important elements needed to practice successfully.”

During a presentation at the 2019 PSA Conference, Tom Zakrajsek discussed the mounting pressure coaches feel to deliver “excellence” in a more defined and shortened time period. Specifically, many parents and skaters, according to Tom, are feeling pressure to land increasingly difficult elements, especially (triple) jumps.

To achieve maximum success these days, the IJS and competitive skating has increasingly been focusing on those landing the most challenging and difficult jumps and combinations—at all levels.

Tom’s uses these three important elements to create proper expectations for skaters and parents: 1. Teach the process of how to practice outside of a lesson.

2. The skater must have proper technique or they shouldn’t be practicing the next harder jump.

3. Skaters must have the proper air time to complete the revolutions. (Tom uses Dartfish to measure.)

But there is more to TESA that coaches can benefit from learning. Research shows that coaches’ interactions with skaters whom they perceive as “lower achievers” are

frequently less supportive and less motivating than interactions with skaters perceived as “higher achievers.” TESA encourages raising the bar of expectations for all skaters.

“Megan, I know you’ve been frustrated since returning from vacation. Just before you left you mentioned some of your pre-juvenile skating friends are landing more doubles than you are landing. Let’s review the basics of the double jump positions and timing. I’d like us to set specific goals to work on to create success in landing them. Please log the time you spend working on these basics daily and also mark your successes along the way. I know we can do this in short order.”

TESA: • Sensitizes coaches to the expectations of all skaters • Shows how expectations affect skaters’ learning • Involves coaches in reflection and careful, attentive practices of new behaviors • Helps coaches practice talking more to lower achieving skaters both in and outside of lessons • Encourages coaches to ask more questions of all skaters but especially those who may not normally perform at top levels “Christy, what do you hope to get out of this lesson?

Here is how we will get there.”

Coaches act on their expectations. This research has shown that having different expectations usually leads to different results.

Transferring TESA to the Ice 1. Skaters will rise to meet the expectation placed upon them. Raising expectations needs to be done carefully though, in order for those expectations to be reasonable for each skater. Set your expectations slightly above the skater’s ability.

2. Coaches may have noticed that if they expect a skater to be resistant, resistance usually follows. Coaches can begin to expect more from their skaters regarding their cooperation and attitude. Skaters should understand the rules and consequences for misbehavior or negative attitudes and know that their coaches will follow up as stated.

3. Coaches can become desensitized to poor skater achievement or attitude and as a result expect too little from those skaters. Raising expectations is tricky because skaters who struggle or have difficulty learning in some areas can be pushed too far and fail. At the same time skaters who are capable of reaching higher levels of success should be pushed to meet these higher expectations.

4. Coaches should make a habit of expecting just a little more from their skaters each day. Pick a skill or element (or attitude adjustment) and push the skater a little more.

It is important that these expectations are not portrayed in an angry, frustrated or impatient tone. Expectations should be conveyed with patience, confidence and in a calm manner 5. Reward skaters for the small actions that show they are meeting expectations by acknowledging the achieved goal.

“That was great Mark and Shelly. I am so proud and impressed by that effort.”

According to Garnet Fiordalisi, international competitor and medalist and coach to national and international competitors, “It is critical for coaches to set goals for the beginning, middle and end of the season with skaters.

This is a definitive way to measure progress and celebrate results. Putting the same energy and interest in each and every skater, no matter their level, is essential in order for them to feel important and for them to see their improvements along the way. I help my skaters achieve their goals by journaling lessons learned and feeling each and every success along the way.”

TESA Feedback • Affirm/Correct—Do you tell all skaters equally why and how they were correct when practicing various elements?

Do you do this more with some skaters than others?

• Praise—Do you praise all of your skaters equally giving the reason they were correct or improved on various elements when practiced?

• Listening—Do you listen attentively to all of your skaters as they talk to you?

• Accepting Feelings—Do you acknowledge the feelings of each skater you teach equally?

The Bottom Line? The research is proven—setting realistic expectations for parents and skaters can raise skater achievement and increase each skater’s responsibility for learning.

Merry Neitlich, M.A. in Education, is the Director of the Coach’s Edge, a marketing consultant, presentation skills coach and educator. Since 2009, Merry has been developing enhanced strategies working with coaches to apply proven educational theories and research to the teaching of figure skating to increase the rate and degree of the success of their athletes.

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OB I T UARY Margaret Anne Graham Holt 1932–2019

Ms. Holt passed away peacefully Tuesday, November 5, 2019, in Tulsa, with family at her side.

Margaret Anne was born in Tulsa to Dr. Hugh C. and Helen Graham on February 15, 1932. She attended Holland Hall and Central High School, graduating in 1949. She then attended the University of Tulsa (TU) where she was a cheerleader, class officer, VP of Chi Omega Sorority, and runner-up to the International Sweetheart of Sigma Chi. After graduating from TU with a BA in Languages in 1953, she married Robert E. Reed, and they had three daughters.

Margaret Anne was a competitive figure skater, beginning her dream at the Tulsa Coliseum, spending summers skating in Lake Placid, NY, and by her senior year in high school was the Ladies Figure Skating Champion for the Midwest.

When Tulsa lost their ice rink in 1950, Margaret Anne represented the Skating Club of Boston. She competed and medaled at the U.S. Championships in Singles and also in Pairs with her brother, Hugh C. Graham and represented the U.S.A. on three World Figure Skating Teams.

Margaret Anne served as Treasurer for Junior League of Tulsa, President and Treasurer for the Tulsa Figure Skating Club, and President of Chi Omega Alumnae Association.

She went on to become a World and Olympic Figure Skating Judge and was on the Board of United States Figure Skating. She served as Chair of Judges, Judges Education and Training Committee, and Singles and Pairs Committee. She was a key member of the team that created and implemented the new test structure known as “Moves in the Field.” Margaret Anne judged numerous World Championships and represented the U.S. as the Ladies’ Judge for the Winter Olympic Figure Skating events in Albertville, France in 1992 and Lillehammer, Norway in 1994.

She was awarded the International Skating Union Diploma of Service in 2002 and was honored as a 50 year National Judge by U.S. Figure Skating in 2014.

Margaret Anne married Charles Holt in 2003 and in 2007 was inducted into the Tulsa Central Hall of Fame. She worked for the Agos Group, LLC until retiring in 2013 and was also an active member of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

Margaret Anne was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Charles Holt. She is survived by her brother, Dr. Hugh C. Graham, Jr. (Jeannie) of Kansas, OK; daughters, Lorrie (Paul) Parker of Morristown, NJ, Lisa (Alex) Pockrus, of Ogden, UT, and Stacey (Barney) James, of Tulsa. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Kelsey and Reed (Kathryn) Parker, Alex, Robert, and Jordan Pockrus, and Meredith and Timothy James.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund or a charity of your choice.

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Homer James Hagedorn 1926–2019

Mr. Hagedorn, born May 2, 1926 in Jefferson, IA, died peacefully on Friday, June 21, 2019 in Cambridge, MA. Homer grew up on a dairy and seed-corn farm in Jefferson, Iowa, the eldest of four siblings. Upon graduation from high school in 1944, Homer joined the US Navy during World War II. He helped repair ships in San Diego while waiting to join the war in the Pacific Theatre. He did not see action, however, as the war ended the day before his ship was scheduled to leave port.

Homer’s next stop, thanks to the GI Bill, was Iowa State University in Ames, IA where he graduated as the Valedictorian of his class. He continued his education at Harvard, earning both an MA and ultimately a PhD in American History in 1955.

Harvard was very important to Homer, not only for his education. He met his future wife, Patricia Kirlin, who worked there. He also found a home for his intellect and a worthy institution to support and in return, was recognized for his commitment to the school via numerous awards.

After schooling, Homer first worked at MIT Lincoln Labs and then as Director of Indian Ocean Strategy for the Institute of Strategic Naval Studies. In 1965, he joined Arthur D. Little as a management consultant. For much of his tenure there, he led the Organizational Design and Development Practice. He retired in 2001.

Homer found a love of sailing and figure skating through his sons Fred and Charlie. After their sons ended their competitive figure skating careers, Pat and Homer became involved U.S. Figure Skating. Homer served on the longrange planning committee for many years, a persuasive voice of reason helping U.S Figure Skating, ISI, and PSA to work together. He was still flying to meetings in Colorado when he was 90. One outcome of this work was the Coaching Program that is now a hallmark of the sport.

Homer and Pat were awarded the F. Ritter Shumway Award by the PSA in 2002. Homer also served in a similar longrange planning capacity for the Skating Club of Boston.

Homer accomplished much and contributed to many, but we who knew him most miss his warm, kindly, intelligent personality. He listened, he empathized, and he returned such insights and understanding that his interlocutor invariably felt both heard and understood. His good humor and affection for others meant each person who met him felt understood and appreciated—good, in other words. We miss him deeply.

Homer leaves his wife, Patricia, his sons Fred and Charlie, daughters-in-law Sarah Alger (Frederick) and Luciana Aquino-Hagedorn (Charles) and grandchildren Tyler, Alex, Clara and Henry.

Obituaries continued on page 20

LEFT: June, 1949 at age 10.

ABOVE: November 2019

Because I Can Skate, I Am Somebody

By Kent McDill

S

herry Cook wears animal hats when she coaches skating, whether she is teaching learn to skate or hockey.

To many of her skaters, she is “the coach in the animal hats”.

Cook believes the hats are a successful part of her skating philosophy to create a comfortable and friendly environment in which to learn.

That philosophy comes in handy best when working with the students with developmental challenges, including those with autism or dealing with Down’s Syndrome or other developmental issues. For the parents of those children at the Cabin John Ice

Rink in Rockville, Md., or the Medstars Capital Iceplex in Arlington, Va., Cook is the coach they request.

“I have empathy toward people, and I have enormous patience,” Cook said from her home in Arlington. “I seem to be able to help people who have mental or physical disabilities.

Some people don’t like slow learners or anyone who is different. I like people, and I honor them and I want them to feel good about themselves. I help people who do not follow the regular learning pattern.”

Cook, who turns 80 years old in November, began coaching as a way to

pay her way through college following a skating career that included a silver medal at the 1948 U.S. Junior Nationals. When college was complete, she realized she had a gift for teaching, and has remained a skating coach since, working in Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City before moving east.

She warmed to the idea of coaching kids with special needs because she had a gift for reaching them. When she started that area of coaching, before the turn of the 21st Century, “I didn’t know there was a name for those skaters. I just knew there were children who were having problems.

“I can recognize them in a skating group class,” she said. “They could not look at me, could not focus on me. I tracked it naturally. I am sensitive to skaters who cannot talk, who scream, who are frightened by noise, as so many of my skaters are. They also have to endure the dislike of their classmates, because they do not fit in.”

Children with intellectual developmental problems also often have physical developmental issues, and Cook has developed a program that allows them to become comfortable on the ice standing on skates.

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O BI TUARY Benjamin T. Wright 1922–2019

“My job initially is to help them with balance,” Cook said. “I don’t touch them.

After a while they start to trust me, trust than I am not going to hurt them, or scream at them, or criticize them, and they start touching me. They are usually stronger than I am, and sometimes they almost crush me with their hugs.”

Success for Cook comes when those special needs skaters become functional on the ice, which sometimes is the place they manage to be mot comfortable with their movements.

“They are not sports people, they feel insecure off the ice,” Cook said. “My job is to see where they are, team them progressions, and work until they get a sense that they are OK on the ice. That’s when the hugs come in.”

Cook believes figure skating is a uniquely promising exercise for children with special needs because they get to feel a fluidity they don’t often feel off the ice.

“Our sport is about feeling,” Cook said.

“We can’t look at our feet, we can’t look down. We have to feel it. We have a lot of falls, but all of a sudden, they know how to make the blade glide, know how to move through space. They think ‘If I am off the ice, I don’t have much going for me” but on the ice, this gives me that freedom where I can move through space. In a few movements, I can go forward or backward.

Once you can flow on the ice, you have that feeling that ‘I am somebody’.”

Benjamin T. Wright, senior official, past president, and chief historian at U.S. Figure Skating, passed away on Nov. 30, 2019. He was 97.

For more than seven decades, Wright served in virtually every capacity at The Skating Club of Boston, U.S. Figure Skating and the International Skating Union (ISU).

Wright served as an official at six Olympic Games, 22 World Championships, 12 European Championships, eight World Junior Championships, and 25 U.S. Championships.

“Ben Wright was a lion in the sport of figure skating and at The Skating Club of Boston,” The Skating Club of Boston President Joe Blount said. “A member for many, many decades, Ben served the Club in multiple capacities, including chief historian and longtime board member.

“No matter how far Ben went in the sport as judge, official and referee, both nationally and internationally, he always chose to return to Boston for test sessions and competitions, and to do what he could for advice and support for skaters at every level at the club. We will always remember and treasure Ben for his keen memory, sharp insight, dry wit and ever-direct manner.”

Wright held the office of president at U.S. Figure Skating from 1973 to 1976. He was the chairman and member of the ISU’s Figure Skating Technical Committee from 1973 to 1992. He served as chairman of the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and Museum Committee for 20 years and is the author of Skating in America (1921-1996): The 75th Anniversary History of the United States Figure Skating Association.

“His knowledge and frame of reference was second to none when it came to U.S. Figure Skating history. Ben’s passion for the sport was unequaled.”

Wright skated as a youngster, but admitted he lacked natural talent.

“Early in my career, my peers would say, ‘You are never going to make it; here’s a pencil. Go take down numbers.’ So I became an accountant,” Wright said in an April 2012 story in SKATING magazine.

Wright met his wife, Mary Louise, through skating. In 1941, Wright’s mentor, SKATING magazine editor Theresa Weld Blanchard, sent him to cover the North American Championships in Philadelphia. There, he interviewed Mary Louise, who was a member of the burgeoning Saint Paul Four, which won for the first time over the Canadians since the inauguration of the event in 1923.

In 1942, they had their first date during the U.S. Championships in Chicago and were pen pals when Wright left for military service in World War II. Wright graduated from Harvard in 1943 and Boston University School of Law in 1950.

They became a serious couple in 1950 when he was invited

by Mary Louise’s father to trial judge in the Minnesota area. They married on March 13, 1953.

Wright followed in Mary Louise’s judging footsteps, calling her the “anchor” of the partnership during his years of coming up through the ranks.

When they weren’t judging competitions or tests, the Wrights enjoyed curling. They were also tennis officials and golfers. *Reprinted with permission from U.S. Figure Skating

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Skate to a brighter future.

Skate to great.

Figure skating teaches you the agility and focus to handle every twist and turn of life.

Get started today, visit LearnToSkateUSA.com

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USIN

By Kent McDill

A

s a figure skating coach, there is one tried and true way to gain new clients, and that is through word-of-mouth recommendations.

experienced, find a new skating coach via social media? Should skating coaches be advertising themselves via social media for those skaters who are looking for a new coach?

can really get an idea of who I am as an individual through Facebook posts and the like. You can highlight your philosophy as well as your likes and dislikes through social media.”

Thanks to the creation of the internet, we were granted social media, a device by which we can all stay connected all the time, always. But that interconnectivity came with a price; through backdoor maneuvers which often cannot be stopped, our social media feeds include advertising, especially for products or services which make sense in our lives.

It is not unusual for skaters to “like’ or “follow” coaches’ professional accounts on social media sites. It is certainly a way for coaches to address their skaters with information on upcoming competitions and to keep them apprised of skating technique details the coach wants to disseminate.

Brenner notes that word of mouth recommendations remain the primary operational tool for skaters to find coaches. But today’s skaters are likely to search for any coach recommended to them on social media to see if they have a presence there. It is in that search that coaches can promote themselves by having a specified social media page aimed at their coaching philosophies.

That’s why when you search for “lawnmower”, you find ads for lawnmowers on your Facebook feed, in your Twitter account, and on your Instagram page. It’s unnerving and annoying and the way the commerce of America works today.

It’s also odd that there appears to be no question typed into a search bar that does not produce some result directly responsive to the question.

Ask your search engine “Do unicorns like sushi?” and see what you find out.

Which brings us back to figure skating coaches.

Can figure skaters, beginners or

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But can coaches use social media to reach figure skaters looking for a new coach, without any previous contact with that skater?

Jackie Brenner, the Director of Figure Skating Operations at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena and Blazers Ice Centre in Oklahoma City, admits social media is not usually the first exposure a figure skater has to a coach’s name, but believes social media can be used by coaches to make themselves more attractive to skaters looking for a first coach or a new coach.

“It can be used for self-promotion,” Brenner said. “New people to the sport are drawn to social media. You

“I have tried to create a more public professional page that is separate from my personal page,” Brenner said. “You can use social media to get across the message you are trying to convey. But success depends on what that client is looking for in a coach.”

The proof is in the practice. Typing the words “figure skating coach” into an internet browser search bar will not get you the names of coaches near you. It will provide you with a primer on how to find a figure skating coach, or provide you with news updates that include references to a figure skating coach.

“...today’s skaters are likely to search for any coach recommended to them on social media to see if they have a presence there. It is in that search that coaches can promote themselves by having a specified social media page aimed at their coaching philosophies.”

A similar occurrence takes place when you search Facebook for “figure skating coach”. In this case, you are likely to get the locations of rinks near you as a way to find a figure skating coach, which would put the skater back at Square One, which is to get a recommendation from someone at the nearby skating rink.

However, once a skater has a coach’s name, a social media presence allows that skater to get a sense of the coach before ever requesting a meeting.

While it is true that social media profiles don’t tell the entire picture, they can present a coach in a manner young skaters are likely to appreciate and understand.

Martine de la Torre, the skating director at the Palm Beach Ice Works (this year’s winner of the Fritz Dietl award for arena excellence) said the social media presence of her younger coaches is a fun addition to their relationship with their current clients.

“My younger coaches do all that stuff,” de la Torre said. “They have a different Facebook page or Instagram page for kids and skating. It’s cute and fun for the kids.”

De la Torre suggested that experienced skaters who are moving into a new area or who are looking for a new coach with specific coaching expertise can often use social media to make an accurate choice, but that’s only after getting a name from someone as a recommendation.

“If your child has been skating and you have some understanding of how skating works and you know what you are looking for in terms of competition, or testing, then it is easier to look at credentials on social media.”

Brenner has another reason—a greater cause—to encourage figure skating coaches to create a social media presence.

“Beyond just trying to gain clients, it is a way to represent our industry and our sport, ‘’ she said. “It is a way to positively represent the other organizations we are involved with, and to convey a positive message. It’s a way to stay connected with others with a mutual interest, and to network with other professionals.”

A REMINDER

Electronic Communication and Social Media • All electronic communications between a Covered Individual and a Minor Athlete must be professional in nature and for the purpose of communicating information about skating activities • When communicating electronically to a Minor Athlete, a Covered Individual shall meet Two-Deep-Leadership requirements by including another adult on the communication (i.e. parent, guardian, another Adult Covered Individual, an Adult Athlete, team leader). It is recommended that the communication have the Minor Athlete's parent/permanent legal guardian copied for transparency • Covered individuals are prohibited from having Minor Athletes join a personal social media page • Covered Individuals and Minor Athletes are not permitted to "private message" the other privately • Member Clubs may utilize social media to communicate to its members and promote their program by creating their own club page • The content of all electronic communication with a Minor Athlete must be saved by the Covered Individual for a period of three years and be readily available to share upon request with the Minor Athlete's family or representative of the Member Club or U.S. Figure Skating • Electronic Communication: Includes email, text messages, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and all other social media and messaging platforms Any questions regarding this information should be directed to SafeSport@usfigureskating.org.

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PHOTO BY P. TSAI

Ice Theatre of New York

2019

Gala

By Terri Milner Tarquini

O

ut of humble beginnings can grow beautiful things.

When a group of “very interested professional skaters” began practicing at what was then one rink at Sky Rink in New York in the middle of the night, no one really knew where it would lead 35 years later.

“We would meet at midnight or one in the morning and skate until 4 or 5 a.m.,” said Moira North, founder and artistic director of Ice Theatre of New York. “It was very grassroots; no one got paid. We used to joke that no one would recognize each other in the light of day.”

What they did recognize was that there might be something… well, more.

North’s vision took the shape of creating a space where skating artists could integrate contemporary dance, music and art, and break with the conventional definitions of figure skating and launch movement on ice to the next level.

“We were all just very dedicated and excited by the idea of skating as a dance form,” North said. “For me, knowing I wasn’t a top competitor, it was finding my own voice in the sport I loved. But there were a number of top skaters who had passionate ideas and things they wanted to do on the ice that the competitive world didn’t really allow.”

Gary Beacom In May 1988, audiences turned out to see Olympic and World champion John Curry, known for combining a variety of dance influences into his programs, as well as creative Canadian ice Continued on page 26

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ITNY ICE ANGEL AWARD

Hughes Family

By Terri Milner Tarquini They say the apple doesn’t fall from the tree.

This might be especially true for the Hughes family.

Make that all of the apples.

Starting with dad John Hughes, who captained the powerhouse Cornell team that went 29 and 0, laying claim to the 1970 NCAA Championship and a record still unbroken nearly 50 years later, all six Hughes children have skated, and most of the grandchildren.

“My husband spent every, single day of his life on the ice,” mom Amy Hughes said. “Then, not too long after our oldest, Rebecca, was born, I was in a rink every day.”

The family moved to Great Neck, New York, in 1981—and they immediately put down roots that grew deep at the local rink, with John playing hockey and five-year-old Rebecca (Hughes child number one) in group skating classes.

“At least one member of our family has either figure skated, played hockey or taught skating in Great Neck every season since then,” Rebecca wrote in the ITNY program, including all three of her own children.

And all six Hughes children, ages 42 to 28, were in attendance with their parents at the Ice Theatre of New York’s annual gala when they were awarded the Ice Angel Award for their ongoing contributions to figure skating and hockey. Amy Hughes made sure of that.

“I was totally blown away when I got the call that they wanted to honor us with the award, but I immediately called each kid—this kind of thing is a family decision,” Amy said. “Everybody was on board right away with no hesitation. So, the next thing I said was, ‘Here’s the date, put it on your calendars.’”

PHOTO BY H. AONO

OTHER PAGE:

John and Amy Hughes THIS PAGE:

Gala honorees and skaters

It’s a good guess that the Hughes passel of skating children have been used to following Amy’s directives for a long time.

“We didn’t just bring one or two kids anywhere we went—we brought everyone, everywhere,” Amy said.

“It was ‘C’mon, c’mon! Everyone in!

Let’s go!”

Picture it: Eight people in a Suburban loaded up with skates and everything else.

“There was never a time that there weren’t multiple pairs of skates in my car,” Amy said. “We just stacked up those smelly hockey bags and shoved everyone in.”

The family pursuit paid off in obvious ways: Most notably, Sarah Hughes (number four) is the 2002 Olympic champion and the 2001 world bronze medalist and Emily Hughes (number five) is the 2007 U.S. national silver medalist and an Olympic competitor.

However, skating is also what the family points to as having provided a solid groundwork for their lives outside the rink.

“I felt very honored that Moira and Jirina wanted to honor the whole family,” said Emily Hughes, of ITNY founder and artistic director Moira North and executive director Jirina Ribbons. “Olympian or not, the foundation skating instilled in us has been huge in how we approach everything.”

As if their immediate family wasn’t big enough, the Hughes’ built an even larger one through the skating community, key players in helping to get them through one of the hardest times in their lives: when Amy Hughes was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 1997.

“I was in the hospital for six weeks and the skating community came

out in force and were so wonderful,” Amy said, understandably emotional.

“It takes a village and there were so many people there for us—and we got to see so many of them at the ITNY gala. It was just overwhelming.”

Skating is also what the family points to as providing a platform for charities and organizations they are committed to, including Figure Skating in Harlem, an organization that provides free ice skating lessons and academic tutoring for children in the Harlem community in New York City, as well as being supporters since the inception of Skate for Hope, which raises as much as $70,000 annually for breast cancer research.

The family has a special love, however, for Ice Theatre of New York.

And how do you show support if you’re a Hughes?

Well, you skate, of course.

“Ice Theatre of New York is a charity that… has been closely intertwined with our family’s skating journey since the first show Sarah performed with them in 1993,” Rebecca wrote in the ITNY program. “Sarah was eight years old and (skated) two numbers each in six shows.”

Brothers David and Matt (number two and three, respectively), couldn’t keep themselves off the ice and, by the fourth show, they had joined the acrobats on the ice because their skates were in mom’s trunk, of course. Emily began skating in ITNY shows soon after, when she was five years old, and Taylor (number six) came aboard later.

“Nobody wanted to be left out and people would always ask, ‘How many of you are there?’” Amy said.

“Being able to skate in front of that big of a crowd, it had a direct effect on the joy my kids always found on the ice and at competitions and

games. Ice Theatre of New York fostered all of that.”

The Hughes family sees the good that ITNY does as two-pronged.

First, there’s the community outreach.

“They let the schools come see the shows for no charge and provide them figure skates and hockey skates and get them out on the ice,” Amy said. “These are kids who live where, often, there are no ice rinks around.

It is all so inclusive. Moira and Jirina have done an unbelievable job keeping it going and growing it so it can reach so many more people.

They are so passionate and positive.

We’re all so grateful to be honored by an organization that brings so much help and joy.”

Then, there’s what ITNY means to skating.

“Skating isn’t just a once-everyfour-years thing—it’s an all-the-time art,” Amy said. “It’s not just jumps and spins; there are so many facets to the sport. Ice Theatre of New York is about the artistry of skating and having fun on the ice. They are always thinking of new things that are amazing.”

For the family, the gala event was like a true homecoming that packed an emotional wallop of a walk down memory lane.

“We were all so overcome with gratitude seeing all of the people we have been friends with for so long who have supported us through all kinds of shows and competitions and two Olympics,” Amy said. “I can’t give you enough adjectives for how it all felt.”

“There were so many people there who have been a part of our journey,” she said. “And that journey is still going.”

PS MAGAZINE

25

Continued from page 24

FROM THE ARCHIVES Above: Ice Theatre of New York Ensemble in “Horizons”

choreographed by Douglas Webster. Right: Lucinda Ruh in “The Prayer” choreography by Robin Cousins.

artist Gary Beacom. Beacom performed two programs—a 22-minute solo to original music, “Between Steel and Ice” and a piece to the sound of birds called, “Alberta Biography”—that captured the attention of the New York Times dance critic, Anna Kisselgoff, receiving a rave review and eventually afforded ITNY the funding to start daytime rehearsals.

Formed as a dance company, ITNY is a non-profit organization that has trained a professional ensemble of skaters and built a critically acclaimed repertory of over 80 performance pieces choreographed by ballet, modern dance, skating, and contemporary artists. ITNY performs both nationally and internationally.

“We have put ice on the stage,” North said, “and we want to continue developing in all directions so more people can learn about what is possible on ice.”

North and executive director Jirina Ribbens are driven by a shared desire to expand the skating horizons and bring skating in all its possible forms to audiences, the next generation of skaters and future choreographers.

Offering free admission to more than 10 public performances a year, ITNY is ground zero for training aspiring ice dance artists and conducting master classes with dancers for skating professionals and enthusiasts. The organization also holds educational programs focusing on ice dance and figure skating for children in the New York City area, capturing the students’ creative minds by presenting them with skating through a different lens.

“Our outreach program is so special,” North said. “To watch these public school kids be exposed to a performance and then get out on the ice and skate themselves. It

26

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

really is very special.”

At the October gala, ITNY honored Frank Carroll with the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Hughes family with the Ice Angel award.

“We haven’t honored a lot of coaches, but, with Frank retiring, it was the obvious choice,” North said. “He has touched so many lives in skating.”

“The Hughes family is the family I want to be born into in my next life,” North laughed. “The family is involved in hockey, figure skating, outreach, and charities. They have a deep appreciation for all forms of skating.”

ITNY has the distinction as the first ice dance company to receive dance program funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

With so much success in the past, the goal is to continue to collaborate with choreographers from both the dance and skating worlds while exploring the outer boundaries of on-ice creativity with artists from theatre, music, installation and new media disciplines, including the MIT media lab in its Opera of the Future program, which explores concepts and techniques to expand the future of music in all its forms.

“We want to share the joy of skating while both challenging and entertaining people,” North said.

“Exploring the beauty and virtuosity of all forms of skating —in ways we haven’t even thought of exploring yet—is so exciting. There’s absolutely nowhere this poetic ice exploration can’t go.”

ITNY Lifetime Achievement Award

Frank

Carroll

By Terri Milner Tarquini

F

rank Carroll had just accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ice Theatre of New York two nights before when he received news that shocked him: Over the course of his storied career, he has built a resume that qualifies him as the most successful figure skating coach in United States history.

“Is that true?” said Carroll, flabbergasted. “Really?” Long pause. “I had no idea.”

In a career spanning 60 years, Carroll has coached the following: one Olympic champion, six Olympic medalists, 11 Olympians from five countries at 10 Olympics, three world champions, four junior world champions and six U.S. national champions. Beginning with Linda Fratianne, who won the Olympic silver medal in 1976, Carroll coached skaters at 10 of the next 12 Winter Games, only missing 1984 and 1994.

He has adeptly navigated the eras of compulsory figures, the 6.0 judging system, and the IJS judging system.

In 1991, Fratianne’s mother, a skating judge, suggested Carroll bring in 11-year-old Michelle Kwan for a try-out.

“When I looked at Michelle, I saw a diamond in the rough,” Carroll remembered. “I could see under the layers what could be there and the grooming it would take, the interpretation of music, the grace, the line, the strength, the spring and the eagerness and I knew right away— that’s a world champion.”

For 10 years, he coached Kwan,

PHOTO BY H. AONO

The award recipients—John and Amy Hughes and Frank Carrol—with Tenley Albright and ITNY Founder Moira North

the most accomplished U.S. ladies figure skater in the last half-century, through most of her five world titles, nine national titles, and Olympic silver and bronze medals.

But it was with a six-foot-twoinch Illinois native who moved to California fresh out of high school to work with him that Carroll accomplished the biggest accolade of his coaching career: Olympic gold.

“Evan Lysacek was a disciplined young man with an impressive competitive record, but was not considered a threat to the Russian skaters,” said the video presentation played at the ITNY gala in October.

“Under Frank’s coaching, Evan transformed from a solid skater into a risk-taker, charged by the confidence instilled by his coach.”

In the six years Lysacek trained with Carroll before becoming Olympic champion, he also won two U.S. Championships and a World Championship.

Among many others, Carroll coached Christopher Bowman to a national title and two world medals; Timothy Goebel to an Olympic bronze by being the first skater to land a quadruple salchow in competition, as well as the first to land three quads in one program; Denis Ten to an Olympic bronze and two world championships; and Gracie Gold

to two national champions and an Olympic team medal.

But the path of life is rarely straight, and it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that Carroll would be a coach at all.

At his local movie theater in Worcester, Massachusetts, Carroll had seen a news clip of Dick Button winning the Olympics and he was drawn to the jumps, spins, athleticism, and power of figure skating.

After initially becoming a student of Cecilia Colledge, an Olympic silver medalist and world champion, he soon found his coach and life mentor in the legendary Maribel VinsonOwen, training on weekends while staying at her home.

“I was friends with Maribel’s daughters, but I had no idea who she was; I didn’t know the history,” Carroll said. “Her daughters told me everything she had done and then I realized.”

As a singles skater, Vinson-Owen was an Olympic bronze medalist, two-time world medalist and ninetime national champion, a distinction she shares with only one other skater: Michelle Kwan. As a pairs skater, she was a six-time national champion with two different partners. And she did it all while working as the first female sports reporter at the New York Times.

PS MAGAZINE

27

Figure Skating Team en route to Belgium for the World Championships.

Eighteen skaters, plus 16 others in the group, died—among them, Vinson-Owen and her two daughters.

“It was just so hard to comprehend,” said Carroll a few years ago.

“It still is.”

In 1964, Carroll left the Ice Follies and, although accepted at the law school at the University of San Francisco, Hollywood beckoned.

From Mr. Carroll's personal collection: Frank and Michelle Kwan He worked as an extra practice in 1997. PHOTO BY KATHY GOEDEKEN on three campy beach movies, but found there was too Even to this day, the impact she had much downtime to hold his interest. on Carroll’s life is extensive and Which is when fate intervened unquestionable. and called him to the career that “How she taught me became how I he was meant for: A photographer taught,” Carroll said. “She explained friend, knowing Carroll had done skating to me—how the body moves, some coaching while still in college, how it flows—in a way I could underput him in contact with a rink in stand. Taking lessons from Maribel Van Nuys, California, during the was an eye-opening and world1965-1966 skating season. changing experience for me.”

By 1968, he had a national At the Skating Club of Boston, medalist and the following year Carroll met a fellow skater, Tenley he had a novice men’s national Albright, who was in the midst of champion.

In 1972, he coached winning Olympic gold and silver, an Olympic team alternate and, two world titles, and five national in 1976, ten years after he started titles. Over 65 years later, it was teaching in earnest, he coached Albright who introduced Carroll Fratianne, his first Olympian. at the ITNY gala for his Lifetime The rest, as they say, is history.

Achievement Award.

“The skaters I coached who “We called her ‘The Divine became champions had a lot of Tenley,’” Carroll said. “She was divine skills, but, more than that, they had on the ice and off. She could not have great work ethic and motivation,” been nicer to everyone. I will never Carroll said in a previous interview. forget how kind and encouraging she “I have always felt lucky to have was to all of us.” been along for the ride, but they Meanwhile, Carroll was making his made themselves champions.” own mark, winning the junior bronze Carroll has racked up his share medal at the 1959 U.S. Figure Skating of his own accolades, including Championships and the silver medal inductions into the U.S. Figure the following year, while earning a Skating Association’s Hall of Fame, sociology degree from the College of the World Figure Skating Hall of the Holy Cross. Following graduation, Fame, Ice Skating Institute’s Hall of Carroll chose to turn professional and Fame and the Professional Skaters join the Ice Follies; had he not, there Association’s Hall of Fame, as well is a real likelihood he would have as four-time Olympic Coach of the been on the Sabena Flight 548 that Year, the first figure skating coach crashed, carrying the entire 1961 U.S.

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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

to hold that honor.

“I have been fortunate to have been honored a lot in my life, but I am so flattered that they (Ice Theatre of New York) thought of me and my accomplishments for this (the Lifetime Achievement Award),” Carroll said. “It was very unexpected, but the tributes were lovely. I had tears in my eyes; all of it was deeply moving.”

Last year, shorty after his 80th birthday, Carroll retired and is enjoying relaxing in Palm Springs, long a peaceful haven for him, but he’s not left the sport completely.

“I am at the stage of my life that is really fun for me,” Carroll said. “I can fiddle in skating as much or as little as I want to.”

Carroll has been going to Oakland to work with current national champion Alysa Liu, reinforcing the teachings of the young phenom’s coach, Laura Lipetsky, a former Carroll student herself.

“It’s fun being in a secondary position and to not have all of the responsibility,” Carroll said. “It’s a lot like what my sister said being a grandparent is like—you don’t have to be the disciplinarian; you can just give them encouragement. Any coaching I do now is just for the love I have for skating.”

That love extends to a desire to share the history of skating so that future generations know what came before them. His speech at the ITNY gala was a moving history of his memories of times when VinsonOwen fought for what was right in skating and in life.

“She was loud and opinionated and outspoken,” Carroll said. “It’s one of the things I loved about her. She was so brave and so inspirational, and I so respected her.”

That strength of personality left an indelible mark on Carroll that has carried over to 60 years’ worth of his own students.

“Don’t look for where to place blame, take it for what it is and move on,” Carroll said. “You have responsibility for your life. Isn’t that wonderfully powerful?”

Alysa Liu

2019 U.S. National Champion Featured athletes are not guaranteed to compete.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships return to the Greensboro Coliseum January 20-26, 2020.

See America’s top skaters compete for the title of U.S. champion in ladies, men’s, pairs and ice dance.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING MADE EASY!

NCSKATE2020.com PS MAGAZINE

29

Chicago, Illinois May 20-23, 2020

Hyatt Regency Schaumburg Chicago 1800 E Golf Road Schaumburg, IL 60173

A New Perspective on Coaching

ROOM RATE DEADLINE:

The annual international coaching summit (formerly known as conference) is the premier education event offered by PSA. With multiple days of learning and networking through education sessions, an industry trade show, and fun social events, the Summit is the best way to sharpen your coaching techniques.

As part of the event re-brand, the Summit has a new name, a new feel, and a new vision. PSA is incorporating new changes designed to make the learning experience optimal for attendees. Similar to the conference last year in Palm Springs, all education sessions will take place off-ice at the convention center.

Presenters will incorporate video and more interactive sessions so you can see better, hear better, and document your learning better. The Summit will foster a more intimate environment allowing for ample question and discussion time.

With the PSA Summit, you can focus on your professional coach development.

Bring your coaching into focus with the tools and techniques you learn at the 2020 PSA Summit. See you in Chicago!

April 15, 2020

Registration Deadlines Early Bird: February 1, 2020: $425 Advanced: April 15, 2020: $525 Late Registration: After April 15, 2020: $625 *non-members add $100

Ratings Registration Deadline:

March 15, 2020 or until full

Co

tulat ions on a r ng our free reg istrat ion ! y

Trivia Contest Winner Laura Kriegel

"I am most excited to attend Summit 2020 to network with other passionate coaches and I look forward to learning from the most respected professionals in our field!"

30

20/20 COACHING VISION

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

ional Addit erings off HOCKEY

Hockey 3 and 4 courses (on and off-ice sessions) will be offered on Wednesday at Oakton Ice Arena at 8am-12pm. Summit attendees may attend the sessions at no extra charge, but coaches who wish to take the exams must pre-register. Hockey 1 and 2 must be completed online prior to the Summit as the pre-requisite to Hockey 3 and 4 certificate exams. Registration includes the course, study guide, and exam.

CPR/FIRST AID

First Aid/CPR training will be offered in a blended learning format. Two hours of online training must be completed prior to Wednesday May 20, and two hours of hands-on classroom training will be completed on-site, to be scheduled between 8am-12pm on Wednesday May 20. Registration includes a $25 fee for the on-site training, paid through PSA, and a $30 fee for access the online training, paid through Red Cross. A maximum of 48 participants are able to be accommodated. The First Aid/CPR training will be valid for two years.

F E ATUR E D S P E A KE R S Christy Krall

Laura Lipetsky

Announcing keynote speakers Patrick Chan and Cirque du Soleil!

What can you expect to see at the Summit?

Professionalizing the Profession Series – Focus on Professionalism A View From Here — Patrick Chan Vision Quest — Laura Lipetsky & Frank Carroll Hidden in Plain Sight — Talent ID & Development — Justin Dillon

Frank Carroll

You See More Clearly When You Set No Limits — Cirque du Soleil Vision.Value.Voice. SafeSport Discussion — John Anderson & Shelbi Meyer Hindsight is 20/20: The History of Skating Great Debate — David & Jimmie Santee

Scott Brown

Technique Acuity Series — Technical Detection and Correction Vision is the Art of Seeing What is Invisible to Others — Mitch Moyer & Rafael Arutyunyan A New Perspective on Edge and Toe Jump Take-Offs — Christy Krall

David Santee

A Bird's Eye View: Choreography — Scott Brown Seeing is Believing: Spins — Janet Champion

Rules & Programs Series – Rules in View for Coaching Success Janet Champion

The Future in Focus: U.S. Figure Skating Aspire Program — Patrick O'Neil Seeing All Possibilities: The USFS Adaptive Program — Mary Johanson IJS & Rules Update & Acumen — Denise Williamson & Libby Scanlan

Denise Williamson

Look to the Future — LTS USA

Sport Sciences Series — Coaching With Athletes in Sight and Mind Insights to Mental Health — USOPC/USFS Sport Science Panel

Libby Scanlan

Performance Nutrition — USOPC/USFS Sport Science Panel Adjust Your Focus — Growth & Development — USOPC/USFS Sport Science Panel In Retrospect: Lessons Learned — Concussion Panel

PS MAGAZINE

31

Membership Survey

e+88+8775554420

T

his past fall PSA conducted our 6th bi-annual membership survey. Seven hundred forty eight coaches completed our survey (15% of membership).

Industry standards indicate a good return for external surveys is between 10 to 15%.

Of respondents: • 88% are full members

M E M B E R S H I P AG E

• 87% are female • 75% of respondents fall between 36 and 65 years of age

AGE

30%

• 55% are rated. Of those who have not chosen to be rated, the highest number of respondents cited cost as a determining factor.

20%

• 44% have a bachelor’s degree

15%

• 20% have post graduate degree

25%

10% 5%

2009

2011

2015

2017

2019

Group 81%

Choreography 60%

Dance 33.5%

Hockey 26%

Synchronized 18% Skating

Of all respon-

Theatre on Ice 12.5%

dents, 65% describe free skating as their

main focus as a coach. The discipline of Theatre on Ice (TOI) is the fastest growing.

• Of the coaches who do pay a commission, fees are quite irregular. As a percentage of coaching revenue, the range is as low as 3% all the way to 30%, for an average of 15% of those who responded. Some monthly fees range from $35 to a high of $650 per month. Some charge weekly from $80 to $85 per. Hourly rates range from $5 to $20 per lesson.

56+3.5+154510R 4%

10%

4% 5%

MIF 89%

• 61% of respondents do not pay a commission

Commission 15.75% Yearly $220-5800 Monthly $239 Weekly $75-500 Daily $9-100 Hourly $5-18.75 Per Lesson $4-6

3.5%

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

61+39

Pay commission

56%

9189+ 81+ 60+ 33.5+ 26+ 18+ 12.5+ 11+

Free Skating 91%

32

2013

CO M M I S S I O N

15%

DISCIPLINES

Pairs 11%

Full Member Female 36-65 yrs Rated Bachelor's Degree Post Graduate Degree

Do not pay commission

COAC H I N G CO M M I S S I O N S Percentage of coaches who pay a commision by region Upper Great Lakes 12.5%

Eastern Great Lakes 29%

Northwest Pacific 30%

New England 13%

North Atlantic 38.5%

Central Pacific 47%

South Atlantic 64.25% Southwest Pacific 57.5% Overall, 63% of coaches from the southern states

Southwestern 64.25%

pay a commission

A N N UA L COA C H I N G I N CO M E H O U R LY R AT E S

2019 2017 2015

Private lessons over selected years

25%

70%

20%

60%

15%

50%

10%

40%

5%

30% >$ 60,000

>$105

86-95 $

$

96-105

66-75

76-85 $

$

Private lessons

$

2 0 1 9 H O U R LY R AT E S

56-65

10%

46-55

50-60,000

$

$

40-50,000

$

$

30-40,000

$

2019

20%

25-35

20-30,000

$

2015

36-45

10-20,000

$

2011

N/A

<$10,000

2011 2015 2019

$

30%

<$25

35%

$

55-65

$

66-75

$

76-85

22%

17%

14.5%

46-55

$

36-45

96-105

$

9%

6%

5.5%

86-95

OVER $105

N/A

7%

4%

3%

$

10% $

$

25-35

UNDER $ 25

2.5%

PROFESSIONAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER: The following results of the 2019 Fall Survey were compiled by PSA as a service to the skating industry.

PSA publishes this data for informational purposes only and disclaims any attempt to directly or indirectly suggest appropriate compensation levels or amounts for industry members. PSA complies strictly in all respects with federal and state antitrust laws in the collection, dissemination, and the use of this data. To this end, PSA cautions users of this survey that it is illegal under the antitrust laws for two or more industry members to agree directly or indirectly on specific compensation to be paid.

PS MAGAZINE

33

BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES

Doubt Matters:

A Practical Guide for Coaches

BY CAREY TINKELENBERG, RFS, CM, MG, MPD

I

clearly recall the complex emotions of being a new director. I had the opportunity to dive into uncharted personal territory and create a program and a skating culture from scratch. I was motivated by the challenge and committed to giving it my best effort. I was also very conscious of my inexperience. It was daunting when former authority figures, like my employers and professors, joined our program and looked to me as an expert, even when I didn’t feel like one. I pushed myself to think through every contingency, worrying, “Can these people see it when I don’t know what I’m doing? Who am I to enforce policies on them? Why do they seem to think I know everything and that I’m an elite-level coach!?” I felt pressure to catch up when I wasn’t, in fact, behind. As a result, it was difficult to ask for help at times, or to appear like I didn’t have the answers.

While the experience has been more fulfilling, fun, and full of growth than I could have anticipated, I can now recognize that doubt has played a role in my experience as a director and coach—just as it does for every athlete, every director, and every coach at periods in their careers.

None among us are immune to self-doubt, especially in a competitive field that attracts high-achievers.

Doubt is a common experience that can either fuel us to produce our best work, or inhibit us from performing at our true ability level.

Doubt can be uncomfortable to acknowledge. Though it is nearly universal, we tend to feel like we’re the only ones who experience it. The trouble is, if we avoid it or if we’re unclear how to work with it skillfully, it is more likely to hold us back. We may avoid asking for help out of fear of exposing ourselves as weak or unskilled, or become less likely to embrace new challenges. We can become more risk-averse, or, as is common for athletes, have a difficult time performing consistently.

For athletes, doubt surfaces in training and performance obstacles. For coaches and leaders, the way we manage - or don’t manage—our doubts can impact our athletes, our training environments, and all of those with whom we interact in our sport. It’s time to explore some practical strategies for dealing with doubt.

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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

Doubt explored While all humans experience self-doubt, research shows that 70% percent of us will also experience at some point during our lives or careers a particular variety known as impostorism.

Impostorism, or impostor syndrome, is defined by Harvard Business Review as, “A collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success.” Heather Whelpley, impostorism speaker and life coach, describes it as, “Assessing yourself as lower or worse than you actually are, and feeling doubt, insecurity, or like a fraud even though you’re qualified and successful. It begins to manifest around the middle-school age, and it’s not something you have; it’s something you experience in certain situations.” Notable figures such as Maya Angelou, Albert Einstein, and Michelle Obama have all openly acknowledged their experiences with it.

For skaters, expressions of doubt or impostorism may sound like, “I’m not ready, I don’t belong in this group/ rink. I’m not good enough to be landing this jump, I don’t deserve to be at this competition/level.”

Many athletes and coaches can identify, including Rachael Flatt, Olympian and 2010 U.S. Ladies Champion.

“Even when I was finishing in the top ranks nationally and internationally and I knew how hard I’d worked to get there, I still questioned why I was doing as well as I was,” Flatt said. “I would pick apart my performances, and it could be challenging to feel confident.”

According to Dr. Caroline Silby, Team USA sports psychologist and recipient of the 2019 Pieter Kollen Sport Science Award, impostorism is, “The inner turmoil created by the belief that you’re being inauthentic.” There are pivotal moments when athletes are more vulnerable to doubt running amok, such as after a breakthrough performance. “Athletes can understand that with a blink of an eye the result could have turned out differently,” Dr. Silby said. “The attention athletes receive after an achievement can lead to intense worry about rejection, criticism, scrutiny and being ‘found out’ that they aren’t as good as everyone thinks.”

Doubt can also be useful—sometimes. “Setting high

standards, an aspect of perfectionism closely associated with impostor feelings, is a behavior that contributes to successful outcomes,” says Dr. Silby. “However, turning on oneself when an expectation is not met will negatively impact performance.”

What can coaches do to guide athletes through these experiences and to foster the best possible outcomes?

Normalize doubt for your athlete “One of the most powerful things I do is tell clients, ‘Hey, I have doubt, too,’” said Dr. Silby. For Flatt, “It was most beneficial when my coaches made sure I knew it was a normal process, both from an athletic perspective and a general personal growth perspective.” She recommends that coaches, “Be present and honest with your athletes, validate their concerns, and be supportive.”

View mental training as preventative skill-building According to Dr. Silby, “Mental training is the first line of defense for mitigating issues before they take hold.” She describes a juncture during adolescence when increased expectations collide with decreased confidence, and performance and sport enjoyment suffer (typically age 12-14 for girls and age 15-17 for boys). “Let’s try to get ahead of that so kids are armed with strategies when it hits. Self-doubt is something we can all learn how to acknowledge, accept, and manage.”

Debrief successes and failures “Confidence is built not through succeeding, but by understanding how you created that success,” says Dr. Silby. She recommends helping athletes identify personal strengths and actions that contribute to their success. For example, in the “two pluses and a wish” exercise, athletes list two things that went well and one thing they wish had gone better. This teaches them that both can be true simultaneously. Things could have gone well, and things could also need to improve. “Athletes don’t tend to think like that,” Dr. Silby says. “They think, ‘I missed my double Axel today, everything was terrible.’ Or, ‘if I’m stressed, my problems are impossible to solve.’ That’s not true.

We can feel stressed and we can be perfectly capable of solving problems.”

Provide conscious feedback “Be careful of statements like, ‘you always,’ and ‘you are’ in moments of frustration with athletes who are underperforming,” says Whelpley. “Our brain interprets those as permanent states; things we can’t fix. Instead of, ‘you always fall apart if you miss the double Lutz,’ try, ‘let’s take a look at what’s going on after the Lutz for you,’ leaving it more open for dialogue.”

Use “fake it ‘til you make it” with caution According to Dr. Silby, this popular mantra has its limits.

Continued on page 37

PS MAGAZINE

35

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

Officers, Board Members and Trustees PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER SECRETARY BOARD MEMBER

Patrick O'Neil Carol Murphy Scott McCoy Gerry Lane

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

Richard Dwyer Robbie Kaine Wayne Seybold Moira North Curtis McGraw Webster

Skaters' Fund – Donation Levels: • Platinum • Diamond • Gold • Silver • Bronze

$10,000+ $5,000+ $1,000+ $500+ $100+

Recognition opportunities for donors available The Professional Skaters Foundation (PSF) was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation.

The PS Foundation recently joined the Smile Amazon Program. Amazon donates 0.5% of all eligible purchases to a charity that you designate on the Smile.amazon.com website.

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the PS Foundation every time you shop, with no additional cost to you.

Simply go to smile.amazon. com from your web browser, choose the PS Foundation as your designated charity, and use your existing amazon. com account with all the same settings! We all shop on Amazon today; please consider choosing the PS Foundation as your designated charity and start shopping on smile. amazon.com! Please spread the word to family and friends!

36

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

PSF Scholarships

By Patrick O’Neil The mission of the Professional Skaters’ Foundation is to assist coaches and performing skaters with educational opportunities or at times when they may find themselves in financial need due to sickness, disability, or age. Several scholarship opportunities have been established and it is the hope of the Foundation Trustees that each of you reading this article will take the time to read about the opportunities and then apply. The deadline for all scholarships will be February 15, 2020.

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

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

THE WALTER AND IRENE MUEHLBRONNER SCHOLARSHIP • • • •

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

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

Continued from page 35

“Athletes need to know that they don’t have to fake it.

They can use their strengths to navigate it and choose effective responses.”

Practice mindfulness Mindfulness, a calm and non-judgemental awareness of the present moment, can be cultivated through meditation and other exercises. Mindfulness fosters the clear-headedness to recognize choices for moving forward, rather than reacting out of raw emotion. It makes us more aware of our thoughts and helps us “see the forest for the trees.”

As Dr. Silby points out, mindfulness can also strengthen emotional recovery, focus, and optimism.

When Doubt Strikes Coaches Think about the last time you experienced self-doubt as a skating professional. Was it when your athlete was struggling? When you made a difficult leadership decision?

When you experienced a setback or a success? How did it affect you? How did you cope with it?

The strategies suggested above can also be effective for coaches. Whelpley recommends identifying a personal “doubt recovery toolkit” of three to five actions that inspire you to move forward, whether through self-care, movement-based practices like yoga or running, engaging in creativity, community activities, nature, or mindfulness.

For me, I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—that regular yoga and mindfulness practice, setting boundaries with respect to my time, and engaging in creative activities outside of skating bolster my ability to maintain perspective and stay grounded most effectively.

This has required a significant shift in the way I perceive self-care, and it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all formula. Coaches are a busy and driven bunch, and we often deprioritize self-care as a luxury for which we have no time. However, there is a reason why Stephen’s Covey’s popular book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People identifies “sharpening the saw” as its final habit of effectiveness. Research shows that understanding what rejuvenates us - and seeking it out regularly - is well beyond a luxury. It is a practical and responsible tool for long-term success and for leading others skillfully.

Coaches have a formative impact on the way athletes think and feel about themselves and their skating. Dr. Silby reminds us, “A coach’s behavior is never neutral as it relates to impacting an athlete. If coaches are putting outcome pressure on themselves, ultimately they’re putting it on their athletes. It’s important to redefine success at different points in your career, otherwise the outcome goals

“...in the “two pluses and a wish” exercise, athletes list two things that went well and one thing they wish had gone better. This teaches them that both can be true simultaneously.” can become suffocating. Talk with a trusted confidante or seek professional assistance. Identify personal strengths that contribute to positive outcomes and job satisfaction.

Seek mentors with whom you can share experiences.”

The people and the culture around us will either encourage or discourage feelings of doubt and impostorism. Ask yourself, which do you want to cultivate in the rink? As Whelpley points out, “We are all harder on ourselves than other people are on us. We do best in an environment where you can try hard things and be supported.” It’s important that we recognize our personal accountability in cultivating an environment that leads to the best outcomes for our athletes, not to mention a healthy workplace culture. Flatt’s recommends, “If you see someone struggling or asking for help, that’s a great chance to step up to supply your own knowledge or help them problem solve. That will foster rapport within the rink and within the skating community more broadly.”

Through conscious leadership and self-awareness, we can all take charge of doubt, for ourselves, for our athletes, and for our sport.

Carey Tinkelenberg is the Founding Owner of the Northfield Skating School and a Master Rated program director and coach. She is a trainer and consultant for Learn to Skate USA and PSA, serving on numerous leadership projects and committees. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Carleton College, is a coach at SQSA Parade and Shattuck-St. Mary Figure Skating in Minnesota, and presents mindfulness and mental training to athletes.

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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

Welcom e coaches!

Do you know coaches who are new to the profession?

Help them get a head start on their coaching career, and encourage them to join PSA! For an up-to-date listing of banned and suspended persons, see skatepsa.com

Tips from Past Conference Presenters 2009 PSA CONFERENCE Excerpts from Charyl Brusch's

“Advanced Spins” *Note; the focus of this article will be sit spins in the counter clockwise direction.

T

here are three basic spin positions, upright, sit, and camel. The four most important things I look for in spins are: • Speed • Control • Centering • Position

I think it is so important at the beginning, or at any level, to have really good basic spins. A lot of skaters would like to learn all the different levels but they have not learned really good basic spinning techniques and so their spins suffer and they are really not getting the levels they are looking for.

I really work on the entrance into each spin because so many times this is where the errors are and once you miss the entrance it’s hard to regain the center on your spin. The most important thing when you’re spinning is your axis.

If your body is not lined up over your skating foot you’re going to have a hard time centering that spin. Also, realize what three-turn it is. A three-turn goes in forward and comes out backwards. If you can wait long enough on the entrance of your spin to hit that three-turn you’ll immediately start making concentric circles instead of loops. The moment you start doing a loopy entrance you’re going to start traveling.

I don’t think you need a big three-turn. The smaller your three-turn the sooner you’ll start spinning. The longer you wait the more your weight rolls up to that diminishing circle then you will hit the front of that blade and at that point you will start going backwards(on forward spins) .

Forward sit spin: I like the free leg directly behind your skating foot as you hook into the three-turn. You can get a little quicker snap when you bring your free leg and free arm around together which, in turn, will create a faster spin. Press down with your back arched and towards the front of your blade with both hands right over the front of your skating foot. Watch that your shoulders and hips are not hanging out. Get your belly button right over you’re skating knee.

Sit change sit: Be careful not to transfer your weight too soon. From the front sit into the back sit, bring the right arm back before you step. Set your foot down on your big toe as you turn. Don’t think of going on an outside edge because it’s going to do it anyhow. Your right arm and your

foot should do a ¼ turn at the same time. Less is more, the more you move the more you have to correct. Shoulders and hips need to be lined up over your skating foot with the pressure over the skating foot as well. Do not transfer your weight until you turn.

Flying sit spin: I use the same theory on the entrance by holding that diminishing curve until you go up to the front of your blade. If you don’t have enough height it will be tough to get a good spin out of it.

Exercise: from a stand still bend your hips, knees, ankles, toes everything should work together. Bring your arms back and jump up as high as you can tuck both knees. Land on your toes with your back up and bend your knees.

On the actual flying sit you want to jump up, left foot tucks, you’re arms are out in front of you in the air the left foot comes back down and as you’re ready to sit your hands drop down over your skating foot and then you sit, it’s very quick. Also, right as you’re about to jump, make a little hook with your left foot so you’re thinking of jumping off your big toe, it will help you go up straighter. A lot of skaters have trouble with the flow of this spin. Work on coming into the circle just a little bit more right before you take off.

Flying reverse sit: same take-off as a flying sit but you switch feet at the top. Jump up tuck your left leg; switch to tuck your right leg and land on the tip of your right toe.

This will help to start your foot into small circles a little quicker. Watch you don’t take off too soon. Wait for that forward edge and you’ll pop straight up more. As you land you’ll create that speed right as you hit.

Is this spin more difficult? Actually, it’s easier for some people because they’re better spinners on their right foot than they are on their left foot.

Death drop: I teach this spin a bit more like a waltz jump because you don’t want your body dropping until you’re in the air. How much height you can generate? Kick your right leg and arms through together. At the top of the air position both arms are forward then your right arm goes back. Land the spin in a back camel position on the tip of your right toe. Your right arm should be back as you land on your big toe then turn into your back foot (left) by using your arm (right) at the same time that you turn. You want to go for that scissor action. The second leg (left) should kick on the way up, not on the way down so when you land you’ll pick up more speed.

Remember for all spins the more patient you are on the entrance the more quality spin you are going to get.

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CALENDAR of E V E N T S

Ohio Seminar

JANUARY Date: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

January 8, 2020 Preserving the Art of Figures Glacier Ice Arena, Vernon Hills, IL 4 PSA credits December 27, 2019

Date: Event:

January 11-12, 2020 Kelley Morris Adair PSA Ratings – Registered thru Master Moves, Free Skating & Group only Embassy Suites by Hilton Philadelphia Center City, Philadelphia, PA 1 PSA credit per exam taken December 16, 2019

Location: Credits: Deadline:

MARCH Date: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

March 1-2, 2020 PSA Ratings – Registered thru Senior City National Arena, Las Vegas, NV 1PSA credit per exam taken January 3, 2020

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

March 2-4, 2020 PSA Ratings Prep City National Arena, Las Vegas, NV TBD January 27, 2020

Dates: Event: Location Credits: Deadline:

May 18-19, 2020 PSA Ratings – Registered thru Master Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, Chicago, IL 1PSA credit per exam taken March 15, 2020

MAY

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

Salt Lake City Seminar

May 20-23, 2020 PSA Summit and Tradeshow Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, Chicago, IL TBD April 15, 2020

Please visit www.skatepsa.com for the complete Calendar of Events 40

Denise Williamson and Kelley Morris Adair

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2020

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