July/August 2021 PS Magazine

JULY/AUGUST 2021

2021

Photo of the

Year By

Melanie Heaney

For the coaches.

The Professional Skaters Foundation was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a non-profit, charitable foundation.

Visit skatepsa.com for more information.

All contributions are tax-deductible.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

body COLUMNS 2

Team PSA

4

President’s Message

6

Ratings

FEATURES

| Alex Chang

| Cheryl Faust

10

Sport Science

18

Education

22

Coaching Development |

36

Best Business Practices

| Garrett Lucash

| Carol Rossignol Heidi Thibert

8

TEAM PSA: 2021 Summit Recap

15

EDI Award Recipients Press Release

17

PSA Coaches Hall of Fame Inductee Press Release

20

Adaptive Skating |

28

Creating A Positive Body Image |

30

2021 Coaches Hall of Fame: Audrey Weisiger |

Kent McDill

33

Considering Hockey Coaching Opportunities |

Jordan Mann

37

Seattle Kraken: Coaching Staff Announcement

Mary Johansen

Julianne Pondelli

DEPARTMENTS 7 27 32 38 40

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

Issue No 4 |

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Find, Friend, Follow

COVER: Jason Brown skates his "Melancholy" exhibition program at the Skating Spectacular following the 2021 U.S. Championships. Captured by Melanie Heaney

PS MAGAZINE

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

Find Your Way With PSA

PSA BOARD OF GOVERNORS West Mid-West

W

elcome back to a printed PS Magazine!

We know many of you missed the physical magazine, as did many of our Board members and staff. The decision was made to go digital last year to ensure the financial health of PSA during all the uncertainty of the pandemic. However, we are happy to report the Board approved the return of a printed magazine for four of the six issues each year! The July/Aug and Sept/Oct issues will be printed, Nov/Dec will be digital, then Jan/Feb and March/ April will be printed.

Last season our focus was Team PSA. We recognized the need to come together as a community and support our members the best we could during the pandemic. We are so proud of our members for supporting each other and we hope you feel your professional development was supported as we pivoted to all virtual events, including ratings, Foundations of Coaching, Ratings Prep, and the Summit.

For the next season, our guiding focus is “Find your way with PSA.” Our goal is to personalize our communications to each person’s journey within PSA and help our members find the education they need for their professional development path.

Wherever you want to go with your coaching career, you can find your way with PSA!

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NETWORKIN G

EDUCATION

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MEMBERS HI

REDITAT ACC IO

Where do you want to go with your coaching career?

www.skatepsa.com

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JULY/AUGUST 2021

East Members at Large

Committee on Professional Standards Ratings Chair Events Chair ISI Rep to PSA U.S. Figure Skating Rep to PSA PSA Rep to U.S. Figure Skating Summit Chairs Executive Director COMMITTEE CHAIRS Awards Coaches Hall of Fame Education Accelerated Coaching Partnerships Area Representatives Hockey Skating Sport Science Endorsements Executive Executive Nominating Finance Nominating Professional Standards PSA Rep to ISI Ratings Adaptive Skating PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES Area 1 Martha Harding Area Area 2 Kimberlie Wheeland Area Area 3 Andrea Kunz-Williamson Area Area 4 Jill Stewart Area Area 5 Angela Roesch-Davis Area Area 6 Maude White Area Area 7 Nicole Gaboury Area Area 8 Jackie Timm Area Area 9 Mary Anne Williamson

Alex Chang Rebecca Stump Patrick O'Neil Denise Williamson Lisa Hernand Christine Fowler-Binder Phillip Mills Michelle Lauerman Andrea Kunz-Williamson Ashley Wyatt Cheryl Faust Doug Haw Denise Viera Tom Zakrajsek Phillip DiGuglielmo Kelley Morris Adair Cheryl Faust Tim Covington Jane Schaber Colin McManus Kelley Morris Adair Teri Klindworth Hooper Rebecca Stump Tim Covington Jimmie Santee

Andrea Kunz-Williamson Christine Fowler-Binder Rebecca Stump Phillip Mills Debbie Jones Gloria Leous Jordan Mann Garrett Lucash Jimmie Santee Alex Chang Christine Fowler-Binder Lisa Hernand Christine Fowler-Binder Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Cheryl Faust Mary Johanson

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

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

DISCLAIMER: Written 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 4, 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 © 2020 by Professional Skaters Association, all rights reserved. Subscription price is $19.95 per year, Canadian $29.00 and foreign $45.00/year, U.S. Funds.

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B L A D E F A M I L I E S Our blade families allow skaters and their coaches to select a preferred pick pattern and transition from an intermediate level to advanced as their skating skills evolve. A consistent rocker eases the transition within each family.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Alex Chang, MFS, RM

Teamwork, Authenticity, and Compromise…

A

s life returns to a version of normal and we return to the work of coaching and competitions, we will undoubtedly return to all the craziness, personal conflicts, and limited resources that were a reality of pre-COVID life.

Sure, during the pandemic, many of us missed what we had, but we also forgot the daily challenges we faced, yet ultimately overcame. The question now is: can we keep the mindfulness and life lessons we learned this last year as the pace of life quickens and accelerates?

I think we can, but it’s important to use last year’s reset button to put all those life lessons and best practices into action. I’m talking about better systems, better application, and better teamwork. Are you scheduling check-in time with your fellow team coaches, with your support staff, and with your skaters and their families?

Are you integrating off-ice into all levels of programming?

We had a whole year to reflect, reassess, and refine, but now it’s time to put it into action… for real.

A key to ensuring we do this is to surround ourselves with team members who will keep us accountable in putting it all into action. That is the beauty of teamwork, when we can be authentic with each other, identify the gaps and corrections, and cooperate to make it happen.

You don’t want a team that’s always saying “yes”. You want a team that will be honest & authentic, yet sensitive and respectful to each member of the team. Easier said than done right?

The point I’m trying to make is that we can’t accomplish our greater goals going at it alone. We need mentors, team support, check-ins, and real accountability if we want to make lasting changes, which, luckily, we can do!

We just finished the 2021 PSA Virtual Summit and this year’s theme was “TEAMS — Together Everyone Achieves More Success.” To be effective, TEAMS must be about people over product, about authenticity and common vision, and about mutual respect where every TEAM member counts.

To be clear, TEAMS is not just about your coaching

team, but the team within your building, the team between clubs, coaches, and rinks, the skaters’ team at home and support system, and the team in each of your communities. Small teams can be aligned together to make larger teams and accomplish even greater goals. I think we are at a pivotal time in the world to reach new heights through new connections and renewed intentions. Everyone counts in reaching our common goals, and I like to think we can celebrate the unified and the unique in our sport and the world. We can each bring something unique in ourselves to a shared and common goal.

Nicely said, but how can this be when I just said we are returning to the conflict, chaos, and limited resources of pre-now-post COVID-19 life? This is where compromise comes in… it’s the glue that allows disparate parts to attach, collaborate and create new connections. No two beings are exactly alike, and no two opinions are fully the same. So let’s embrace our differences and what makes us unique, while working together on a unified goal for each of our skaters. Again, compromise can create a path to celebrate the unified and the unique. It can even allow us to explore parts of ourselves we see in others and develop new interests and fields of study. Appreciating others can actually help us grow by learning from others’ mistakes and triumphs, and by trying something new for ourselves too.

For that reason, we can think of compromise as not always a “giving into” but how it can also be a “getting.”

You see, compromise creates a space for someone else to get what they need to succeed on some level, allowing us to see what clicked for them. We can learn from this and more importantly, we can feel empathy and sharing in their success too, especially when we know we were a part of this.

Don’t forget, as the billboard says, empathy is free. So let’s collaborate and build those incredible teams this season.

Cheers to you and all you do!

“We need mentors, team support, check-ins, and real accountability if we want to make lasting changes, which, luckily, we can do!”

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RATINGS Cheryl Faust MFS, MM

Professional Goals Check-In S

ince we’ve made it more than half way through the year, let’s do a goal check-in!

• What are your goals personally?

• What are your goals professionally?

• What is your timeline to achieve these goals?

Now let’s talk about how ratings can help you achieve your professional goals.

In my opinion, coaching and learning is similar to yoga.

There is no perfect pose. In each pose, you are fine-tuning, thinking of different body parts, and constantly reaching to make the pose better. No matter how long you’ve been coaching, there is always more to learn!

With regard to PSA ratings, taking the exam is the final step in the actual ratings process. Your education begins when you decide you are going to take a ratings exam and begin to think through your coaching process: • Gathering information

communicate to your athletes exactly what you want to see from them. Your understanding and walk-throughs of each element will make you a more effective communicator. You can be the best technician in the world but if you can’t effectively communicate it to the athlete, it’s rendered useless.

The PSA website offers so many options for education to help you through the rating process. Make sure you use this valuable resource to: • Watch PSA TV videos • Sign up for seminars and webinars • Order any manuals and reference materials you may need • Connect with a master coach • Enroll in the ACP (Accelerated Coaching Partnerships) • Download the free ratings study guides As always please reach out to me for any questions or help you need!

• Seeking out answers • Studying • Practicing drawings • Videoing yourself off-ice walking through and explaining elements • Taking notes during lessons • Identifying common errors • Researching and using exercises to fix common errors or reduce them • Investigating best business practices This journey to seek answers for your ratings exam will not only make you a better coach but give you a more complete understanding of sport. When you have this more complete understanding you will be better able to

“A goal without a

date is just a dream”

– Milton H. Erickson

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

Congratulations to our newly-minted master coaches!

The following coaches have dedicated themselves to learning and thereby validated their skating skills and teaching experience. We applaud your success!

Melanie Black MM Anne Goldberg-Baldwin MC Stacie Kuglin MG

Claire Lonergan MG Tara Lorenz MM Tracey Seliga-O'Brien MM

Basic Accreditation

Hockey Skating 1

Cordelia Pride

Eduardo Montiel Tovar

Christina Donelson

Laura Lepzinski

Shannon Salter

Patch David

Dana Goldamer

Elizabeth Lehtola

Joslyn Walti-Johnson

Corinne Small

May 2, 2021 Virtual Rating Exams Hayley Chamberlin SM

Drew Meekins SC

Hockey Skating 2

Shayne Orologio RFS Chelsea Strouf RM Christina Ussery RFS

Kathryn Vaughn RFS

Emeritus Rating Mary Ruth Halapatz, Sandstone, VA — Emeritus 21: RG-06, RFS-06

Rankings Rick Reyor – Level 4 Singles Jackie Tomsik – Level 1 Singles Meredith Longoria – Level 2 Singles Alexis Mante – Level 3 Singles Kelly Harper – Level 3 Singles Julie Morris McKenny – Level 3 Singles Svetlana Khodorkovsy – Level 5 Singles Marisa Ruiz Di Cicco – Level 6 Singles Page Lipe – Level 6 Singles Amanda DeAguila – Level 5 Singles

Lindsay Johnston Fran Trudeau Martin Schneider Emma Ortiz Kelly Potter Jennifer Edwards Jennifer Garcia

Madeleine Newby-Estrella SG

June 3, 2021 Virtual Rating Exams Robi Chalmers RFS Christina Donelson RFS Gabrielle Hawkinson RM

Carey Tinkelenberg MM Kathryn Vaughn MM

Shayne Orologio – Level 1 Singles Level Fun Solo Dance Level 2 National Showcase Kathryn Vaughn – Level 1 Singles Level Fun Solo Dance Level 2 National Showcase Danielle Brezina Montalbano – Level 5 Singles Leslie Deason – Level 6 Singles Darin Hosier – Level 6 Singles

Fran Trudeau Martin Schneider Jennifer Garcia

Hockey Skating 3 Lisa Blue Aimee Ricca Alanna Collins Chad Goodwin Fran Trudeau Melissa Gade-Wasz Patti Itzin Martin Schneider Jane Taylor Tracey Seliga-O'Brien Caryn Silver Donna Jordan Angela Dodge Rachel Reynolds

PS MAGAZINE

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2021 PSA Virtual Summit Review

By Carol Rossignol

The 2021 PSA Virtual Summit was a resounding popular success! The 2021 Summit was originally scheduled to be held in our favorite holiday destination, Orlando, FL near Disney World, but due to the pandemic, the PSA Board of Governors quickly made the decision to make it a virtual summit again.

With over 60 presenters, eight showrunners, several videographers, and eight PSA staff, the 2021 PSA Virtual Summit went off without a hitch. This year’s theme was “TEAM PSA: Together Everyone Achieves More Success”.

There were judges and coaches registered from all over the world, including Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Asia, and of course the U.S. The Summit opened with a welcome from PSA President, Alex Chang. What a great way to kick off the TEAMS theme with a presentation by Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, and Steffany Hanlen with “The Montreal Effect”.

Teri Hooper, PSA Summit Chair, shared her thoughts saying, “I am so happy with the 2021 PSA Virtual Summit and all the incredible educational presentations along with the fun social events. I was especially impressed with the time and energy the presenters put into their presentations to make them so professional, and the openness with which they shared their expertise and knowledge. I look forward to exploring the journey we have all been on and will continue as we move into the Olympic year at the 2022 Summit…LIVE in Chicago!

We will all be ready to embrace interactive presentations in addition to reconnecting with friends and networking with new acquaintances. I hope to see many of our PSA members in Chicago next year!”

Maude White, a longtime member of PSA since 1959,

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reflected on the virtual format. She stated, “I thought Virtual would be a good way to attract those who couldn’t get to the Summit for one reason or another. I still do. This year I had back surgery and would have not been able to attend in person anyway. This year’s virtual summit was good with lots of great information. I haven’t seen everything, as I like to look at some things later on and sit and absorb the info that is presented. I love to see new ideas.”

Presenter Jonathan Huer said, “The PSA Virtual Summit was a great opportunity to connect with the skating community amidst a difficult year. We can integrate more technology, look at new business models, share, and learn from skating and others who are also facing challenges. It’s exciting to take all the challenges and find new ways to be not just different, but better.”

“Being a showrunner for this year’s Summit was an eyeopening experience. I was so impressed with every presenter for their commitment to sharing their knowledge with each of us. I am also thankful to be a member of this amazing organization and was blown away by the PSA staff and their dedication, time, and passion to and for our sport. A lot of coordination and logistics go on behind the scenes to make the Summit a great experience for all,” commented Kirsten Miller-Zisholz.

Heidi Thibert, Sr. Director of Coaching Development reflected on the event. In Heidi’s words, “The Summit theme of: TEAM PSA: Together Everyone Achieves More Success far outpaced my expectations for content and delivery. The fact that every presenter took the time and effort to tie their session to the main theme of “teamwork” speaks to the commitment and

TEAMS

TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE SUCCESS

dedication of the PSA staff and volunteers to assist in the advancement of their fellow coaches. There are so many valuable presentations to view that I cannot decide which one I would say that my favorite is the one I am watching at the moment I am asked! The Summit was designed to be full of information and strategies that coaches can’t obtain anywhere else, to be information that they can use all year and into the future whenever needed, and to inspire coaches to take this opportunity after the pandemic, to change and adapt their coaching in ways to ensure future fulfillment of their coaching dreams. As Pete Naschak quoted in the final presentation: “Teamwork is Everything”.

Mariano Fuentes from Lima, Peru commented, “I enjoyed the PSA Summit theme this year: TEAMS. The current pandemic has taught us that in this difficult time, we ought to collaborate among each other to progress. The Summit content was very enhancing to learn more about the effort and success that we would like to spread in our country.”

Show-runner Ashley Wyatt remarked, “The 2021 Virtual Summit capped off a year that was interesting to say the

Thank you to our sponsor!

least. Summit is my favorite time of year, so the idea of another lonely week on Zoom instead of seeing everyone in person was a little less exciting. I think Teri Hooper and her team knew we were all feeling that way and wow, did they deliver! The idea of presenting “TEAMS” in all their various aspects, during a time when we all need each other the most, was brilliant and inspiring. I had the honor of interviewing Shae-Lynn Bourne this year as one of the pre-recorded segments. She is a true gift to our sport. Her self-aware and holistic approach to her craft was echoed throughout so many of this year’s presentations. For me, the most beneficial moment of the week was the Diversity, Equality and Inclusion group led by Nathan Truesdell. I applaud the PSA for seeing the importance of this education, and I thank the members of this group for taking the time to facilitate our evolution. Go Team PSA! I can’t wait for our journey to Chicago in 2022!”

Find your way with PSA…it’s time to travel!

Continue your coaching journey at the 2022 PSA Summit in Chicago, happening May 25-27, 2022.

Wisdom from Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon, and Steffany Hanlen: • It is not the building but the people that make up the team.

• The power of three: architect, artist, technician • ICE: Intention, Context, and Environment We'd love to hear what resonated with you!

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SPORT SCIENCE Garrett Lucash, RFS, RM

Part 2

Dynamics of Skill Acquisition in Figure Skating B Y G A R R E T T L U C A S H , K E I T H D AV I D S , P H . D , A N D FA B I A N O T T E , P H . D

This is the second of a four-part series on motor skill acquisition in figure skating. Readers can refer to the reference list to explore topics more deeply. I encourage anyone who has questions to reach out to me: garrett@acskating.com.

Key skill acquisition principles for designing practice Key principle 1 (athlete-environment-centered coaching).

Understanding athletes and their individual constraints Every athlete is unique. However, this notion appears to be disregarded in many traditional coaching contexts (see Davids et al., 2008, and Button et al., 2020, for introductory books on this topic). When we look at athletes’ individual constraints on structural and functional levels, this idea of unique individuality becomes apparent (see Otte et al., 2021). For example, on a structural level, all athletes have various genetic dispositions: varying in height, weight, body fat and levels of movement flexibility. They each have unique developmental trajectories and injury histories. On a functional level, athletes display different perceptualcognitive abilities (problem-solving and decision-making tendencies, and body-orientation awareness in space), physical capacities (such as explosive leg strength or speed, dynamic balance, aesthetic qualities, emotional), motivational tendencies (such as resilience, motivation levels), and social backgrounds. These evolving individual constraints shape how athletes behave and function in changing practice and competition environments (see left column in Figure 1). Understanding how to harness these individual differences and ‘individual dynamics,’ considered as the set of movement capacities and capabilities that each learner brings with them to practice settings (Button et al., 2020), is critical to adopting an athlete-environment-centered coaching approach (as opposed to a traditional coach-led approach) (top part in Figure 2; Chow et al., 2020). The idea of individualizing practice contexts and collaborating with each athlete to co-design unique practice tasks and training schedules provides a valuable approach towards factoring in athletes’ individual constraints and personal circumstances (see key principles 2 and 3; Button et al., 2020).

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Understanding task and environmental constraints Individual constraints represent just one category of the contemporary constraints-led coaching approach. However, athletes never perform in a competitive vacuum or coordinate their actions in complete isolation of context because they interact with their varying practice and competitive environments. Therefore, consideration of two additional constraint categories is important: environmental and task constraints (see central and right columns in Figure 1). These constraints channel the intended actions that emerge from each performer in practice and competition and demand movement adaptation due to interaction with dynamic (ever-changing) performance environments.

For example, when a first athlete enters their approach for a triple Lutz jump during practice and another athlete passes in front of them, the first athlete is challenged to stay focused and adapt their movement pattern. Similarly, consider another athlete who has to compete on ‘harder’ ice than what they are used to in the conditions of their practice rink. To achieve their intended movement goals, athletes need to perceive information from the performance environment, such as the feel of the ice, wear and tear of their boots, and the location of their head, limbs, and torso in space. As they become more skillful, skaters become better attuned to the most relevant information sources in their practice and performance environments.

Further, social factors, such as crowd noise or different cultural norms, are important environmental constraints that shape an athlete’s ability to perform with and without added pressure. In figure skating, performance outcomes, like ‘normative’ characteristics of the movement forms themselves (e.g., how judges may perceive a performance of a layback spin), with set performance criteria (e.g., what a layback spin is supposed to ‘look’ like to receive credit), provide a narrow performance scale to which the athletes must adhere. However, under varying environmental constraints (mentioned in Figure 1), these same performance outcomes may emerge in different ways between performance venues. From a coaching perspective, these task and environmental constraints may be manipulated for practice purposes to drive athletes’ problem solving,

Figure 1. Examples of individual, task, and environmental constraints that may interact during learning and performance in sport.

Examples of interacting constraints on the emergence of skill, expertise, and talen in athletes Performer

Task

Environment

Cognitive skills, emotional capacities, mental attributes, goals, motivations, intentions

Specific rules, markings, boundaries, surfaces

Family support and networks

Physical constraints including strength, speed endurance, flexibility, height, weight, and acoustic and visual system function.

Anatomical Constraints; differences in abilities and capacities

Instructional Constraints including coaching methods; types of feedback provided; exposure to discovery learning, etc.

Cultural expectations and attitudes, social constructions of age, gender, race, etc.

Genes

Use of video, images, simulations and models for practice

Peer group pressure; media images; commercialisation of physical activity and sport

Specific activities undertaken during practice time

Design and scaling of practice equipment (e.g., object mass, implement length, texture)

Access to high class facilities for practice and training

Amount of learning and previous experience

Design of practice tasks: task simplification v. task decomposition

Access to high quality learning opportunities and teaching

Developmental status of various subsystems including those for locomotion, postural control, reaching and grasping, etc

Artificial aids and devices

Physical constraints such as gravity, altitude, ambient lighting, and ambient temperature

movement adaptation, and increased self-regulation in practice (see Figure 2).

To summarize so far, all sport-specific constraints (i.e., environmental and task constraints) need to be well understood and incorporated into practice, at varying times depending on individual athletes’ needs, by coaches. There is a constant interaction between constraints of all three categories, driving skill acquisition and talent development processes in sport (Chow et al., 2020). Constant exposure by a coach to interacting constraints helps a skater to better self-regulate under competitive pressure on the ice.

Integrating the athlete and environment in practice The complex interactions between the three constraint categories help us understand why it is important to consider the relationship between athletes and their environments. By building a deeply interconnected relationship with their dynamically-changing environments, athletes learn to perceive relevant information or particular action opportunities and coordinate their actions accordingly. In constraints-led coaching, it is fundamentally important to respect the deep connections that develop between each individual and the performance environment and avoid the isolation of information and movement in rather decontextualized or decomposed practice ‘drills’ (see Davids et al., 2008). Isolating actions into separate movement components could occur when coaches ask an athlete to focus on their arm’s motion on a jump takeoff.

An example of a decontextualized practice drill is when an athlete ‘walks through’ a jump takeoff in slow motion

before attempting the skill. Instead, coaches could design practice tasks that help athletes maintain opportunities to couple their actions to surrounding information (see central part in Figure 2). The key methodologies in constraints-led coaching seek to: (i) help learners maintain (enrich and stabilize) these deep interconnections between perception and action systems, and (ii) design practice environments rich in opportunities that athletes learn to explore and exploit as preparation for competition (Otte et al., 2021). Based on information which is representative of and specific to the competitive environment (e.g., practice under varying ice conditions when possible; practice with shortened warm-up durations; delays between warm-up period and performance), athletes can effectively self-regulate their movement behaviors in competition (Figure 2). Thus, while coaches may not be able to control the precise nature of the ambient conditions of competition venues, such as temperature, ice qualities, and lighting, and sound, they can prepare athletes to adapt to possible variations in environmental and task constraints.

Application to figure skating “How do you teach a Lutz jump?” Coaches often ask each other these types of questions and my (GL) answer is always, “Well, that depends.” Using Newell’s constraints model as a framework guides how I teach a Lutz jump or any other figure skating skill. This depends on the unique characteristics of the athlete (individual constraints described above, which can change from day to day, or even during a single session!). Does this athlete appear

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Figure 2. Key skill acquisition practice principles in figure skating.

Key Principle 1 Athlete-Environment Centered Coaching

ign

ca

Co -D

du

es

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ac Co

INFORMATION

n tio

ACTION Key Principle 2 Practice Session Design

Constraints Manipulation

Key Principle 3 Specificity and Generality of Practice

to be motivated right now? Are they up for a challenge, or should I dial back the level of challenge? I also consider the unique characteristics of the environment (environmental constraints). What opportunities for action does this ice session invite? Is it crowded or not? Is the ice surface harder or softer or is the ambient temperature colder or warmer than usual? How can I leverage these environmental constraints to create challenging, effective, and stimulating learning opportunities for my skater? Finally, I consider the skill(s) we will work on during the session and the many ways I can adjust the task goals to present new information to support the athlete’s learning (task constraints). I think about the type, order, and number of exercises, games, rules, and other strategies to be used; key technical adjustments for the skater to explore; and the types of feedback I can incorporate to support this exploratory process, such as video replays, the use of model performances, or verbal feedback (task constraints) to guide athletes to search and explore the conditions.

When all three constraints categories are considered, I find it best to focus is on designing stimulating learning conditions since it is impossible to ‘teach the same lesson’ each day. The same athlete could be invited to explore and search the Lutz jump in different ways on different days, simply because the athlete and the environment invite various opportunities for action. For example, if an athlete appears motivated, energetic, and positive, this could be an opportunity to dial up the task variability to challenge the athlete to explore new information. I might introduce the athlete to a new entrance to the Lutz or invite them to perform it right after a spin, challenging them to perform while dizzy. The same athlete could be in a negative mindset or be slightly more tired the next day. In this case,

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it might be best to dial down the task variability to enhance the athlete’s feelings of stability, comfort and competence (the ease of performance, in this case, is effectively prioritized over the struggle of learning).

Take Action Coaches can get started with the task of constraints manipulations by listing specific constraints in the three categories. They can think of these constraints as a ‘dynamic toolkit’ to design unique practice sessions for each athlete —use Figure 3 as a starting point for listing various constraints.

When filling out the list, you may realize that some constraints may be out of your control to manipulate— especially some individual and environmental constraints.

For example, a skater might have had a bad day at school, and they arrive at the rink lacking that positive mindset to cope with task challenges. They may also lack energy or feel fatigued from previous training sessions, especially possible during adolescence. Coaches may also not have control over the rink temperature, whether or not the ice will be softer or colder, crowded or not. However, coaches could adopt a mindset of ‘emergent coaching’ which means that they can still plan for when these constraints change, facilitating opportunities for skaters to adapt to surrounding conditions. This coaching approach may help them focus on ‘skill adaptation’ in learners, rather than ‘skill acquisition,’ raising some important questions to consider.

For example, what type of practice opportunities can I prepare for a school vacation day when more skaters will be on the ice than usual? By changing up the ‘sameness’ of daily practice, coaches can help athletes to adapt by practicing their skills in different locations on the ice (e.g.,

Figure 3. Some examples of individual, task and environmental constraints may interact during learning and performance specific to figure skating. Readers are invited to reflect on other examples of interacting constraints and fill in the empty spaces in the columns, providing clear reasoning why specific examples of individual, task, and environmental constraints may be included in the Figure.

Performer

Task

Environment

Previous experience with coaches (Positive or negative? Coach-led or athlete-led?)

Approach speed

"Energy" of the training session with other athletes (competitive, high energy, or not)

Beliefs of self toward competition (strong and positive or weak and negative?)

Transitional steps and turns

Quality of ice (hard or soft, fresh or worn)

Length of limbs

Heart rate

athletes are tasked to jump once in each of the four corners) or even change the size of the ice surface the athlete is allowed to use (e.g., athletes are tasked to jump across the short length of the ice).

Task constraints open up a wide range of skill adaptation possibilities only limited by our creativity. We urge coaches to think beyond the repetition of technical skills when considering task constraints and consider psychological skills and perceptual behaviors, such as how each athlete copes with practice and performance challenges or even their timeliness in arriving at training. We also remind coaches not to think of constraints as barriers that block action, but rather opportunities for new and unique learning opportunities for adapting their actions.

For example, we could react to the athlete who arrives at training with a negative mindset as a barrier to conducting an effective practice session. However, we could also turn this into a unique training opportunity that centers on methods to trigger motivational shifts within the athlete. In other words, “I have this negative athlete in front of me— what one do to help them through this?”. The answer might require a re-defining of ‘success’ for the day by putting technical work aside to emphasize those feelings of competence displayed in the capacities for an athlete to physically and mentally adapt to changing conditions and circumstances of practice.

References Bernstein, N. A. (1967). The Co-Ordination and Regulations of Movements.

Oxford: Pergamon Press.

Button, C., Seifert, L., Chow, J.-Y., Araújo, D. & Davids, K. (2020). Dynamics of Skill Acquisition: An Ecological Dynamics rationale (2nd Edition). Champaign, Ill: Human Kinetics.

Chow, J.-Y., Shuttleworth, R., Davids, K., & Araújo, D. (2020). Ecological dynamics and transfer from practice to performance in sport. In A. M. Williams & N. Hodges (Eds.), Skill Acquisition in Sport: Research, Theory and Practice (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.

Davids, K., Bennett, S., & Button, C. (2008). Dynamics of skill acquisition.

Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Lucash, G. (2020). The athlete’s navigation device. The Professional Skater.

March-April. 12-13 Newell, K. M. (1986). Constraints on the development of coordination. In M. G. Wade & H. T. A. Whiting (Eds.), Motor development in children: Aspects of coordination and control (pp. 341-360). Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff.

Otte, F. W., Davids, K., Millar, S-K., & Klatt, S. (2020). When and how to provide feedback and instructions to athletes? – How sport psychology and pedagogy can improve coaching interventions to enhance self-regulation in training.

Frontiers in Psychology - Movement Science and Sport Psychology, 1(1444). 114.doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01444 - Available online at: https://www.frontiersin. org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01444/full Otte, F. W., Davids, K., Millar, S-K., & Klatt, S. (2021). Understanding how athletes learn: Integrating skill training concepts, theory and practice from an ecological perspective. Applied Coaching Research Journal, 7. Available online at: https://www.ukcoaching.org/resources/topics/research/applied-coachingresearch-journal Rudd, J., Pesce, C., Strafford, B., & Davids, K. (2020). Physical Literacy - A Journey of Individual Enrichment: An Ecological Dynamics Rationale for Enhancing Performance and Physical Activity in All. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01904 – Available online at: https://www.frontiersin. org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01904/full Woods C., Rudd J., Robertson S., and Davids K. (2020a) Wayfinding: How ecological perspectives of navigating dynamic environments can enrich our understanding of the learner and the learning process in sport. Sports Medicine – Open, 6 (51): 1-11. - Available online at: https://sportsmedicineopen.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40798-020-00280-9 Woods, C., McKeown, I., Rothwell, M., Araújo, D., Robertson, S., & Davids, K. (2020b). Sport Practitioners as Sport Ecology Designers: How Ecological Dynamics Has Progressively Changed Perceptions of Skill “Acquisition” in the Sporting Habitat. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00654 - Available online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ fpsyg.2020.00654/full Wulf, G. & Lucash, G. (2021) Optimizing Figure-Skating Performance part 2.

The Professional Skater, March-April, 10-13

PS MAGAZINE

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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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endorsed by

EDI Awards

Professional Skaters Association Announces

Winners of the 2021 EDI Awards June 1, 2021 Rochester, MN — The Professional Skaters Association (PSA) announced the winners of the annual EDI Awards at the Professional Skaters Association headquarters in Rochester, MN on Thursday May 27, 2021.

The Education and Dedication International (EDI) Awards are named after the late World and Olympic

coach, Edi Scholdan, who died in the 1961 world team plane crash. Scholdan was the first president of the PSA and inspiration for the awards, which recognize exceptional achievement in the sport of figure skating.

2021 Joint PSA and U.S. Figure Skating EDI Awards COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD Patrice Lauzon and Ice Academy of Montreal

DEVELOPMENTAL COACH OF THE YEAR Tammy Gambill

PAUL MCGRATH CHOREOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR AWARD Rohene Ward

PIETER KOLLEN SPORT SCIENCE AWARD Melissa Vriner

2021 PSA EDI Awards F. RITTER SHUMWAY AWARD Carol Rossignol BETTY BERENS AWARD All PSA Members JOE SERAFINE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD Cheryl Faust

GUSTAVE LUSSI AWARD Nathan Chen

SONJA HENIE AWARD Mariah Bell

PHOTO OF THE YEAR Melanie Heaney FRITZ DIETL AWARD Ice Den Chandler in Chandler, AZ

SHULMAN AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT PSA Staff

DISTINGUISHED OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR AWARD Ann Barr PRESIDENT’S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE Jill Ahlbrecht – Southwestern Region Lisa Cardinal – North Atlantic Region Nathan Truesdell – South Atlantic Region Michael Bramante, Bryna Oi, Alexandria ShaughnessyRonzio, Ron Kravette – New England Region Tommy Steenberg – Upper Great Lakes Region Erin Donovan – Eastern Great Lakes Region Mari Malama and Nani Tanaka – Northwest Pacific Region The Strategic Method – Tiffany McNeil, Stephanie Chase Bass, Erika Roberts, Jeremy Barrett, Chris Obzansky – Central Pacific Region Deividas Stagniunas – Southwest Pacific Region

PS MAGAZINE

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E XC E LLE NC E ON IC E

all coaches are PSA members

all coaches carry liability insurance

Join the talented Disney On Ice team and find infinite opportunities to reach your potential as a performer.

Start your journey at DisneyOnIceAuditions.com

Does your club or rink meet these two requirements?

CLASSIFIEDS WIA Skating Director Skating/Program Director for World Ice Arena, Flushing, NY, to oversee entire scope and day-to-day operations of the Skating School, plus private lessons, freestyles, ice shows, clinics, off-ice programs. Full-time. Benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.

Email resume to ktortorella@worldice.com

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

As a registered facility you will receive an EOI shield for display and international recognition in PS Magazine—all at no cost!

E

Professional Skaters Association Announces

Figure Skating Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2021 June 2, 2021 — The Professional Skaters Association proudly welcomes Osborne Colson and Audrey Weisiger to the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame.

Their inductions were formally announced during the Virtual Edi Awards Presentation on May 27, 2021.

The Figure Skating Coaches Hall of Fame is the highest award of recognition by the PSA and recognizes a lifetime of accomplishment in coaching. Through the success of their athletes and/or

their profound contribution to the coaching profession these coaches have made a significant impact. The candidate must have produced the majority of their work in the United States. They must be a member of the Professional Skaters Association now or in the past and may be living or deceased.

Please join us in honoring Osborne Colson and Audrey Weisiger to celebrate their many profound contributions to the sport.

Osborne Colson Osborne Colson, often known as Mr. C, was the 1935 and 1936 Canadian Champion and went on to coach Hall of Famers Red Bainbridge, Don Laws, Lori Nichol, and Sarah Kawahara, amongst thousands of skaters, who are now coaches, from all over the world. His career spanned 70 years as a competitor, Ice Follies star, and coach.

He directed and choreographed Barbara Ann Scott’s Canadian Professional Tour in the 1950s. He took Don Jackson under his wing when he became a professional in the 1960’s. He nurtured Sarah Kawahara, a shy 6-year-old, guiding her throughout her career.

When Patrick Chan was 15, Mr. C. knew he had a champion on his hands. Osborne taught him right up to the end of his life.

Mr. C.’s ultimate creation was a skating school to encompass his vision – The Banff School of Fine Arts.

It lasted 11 years. His philosophy was that the arts are all related, and figure skating is indeed an art form as well as a sport. He believed in team teaching in the 1960s and was ahead of his time.

Whether his students became career skaters or not, Mr. C. was interested in cultivating multi-layered people. Beyond being a life teacher, a skating teacher, and coach, he was simply a wonderfully creative, unique individual.

Audrey Weisiger Two-time U.S. Olympic Team Coach Audrey Weisiger was the 1999 PSA and U.S. Figure Skating Coach of the Year.

She has her PSA World Coach ranking and is master-rated in Figures and Freestyle. She has been asked to be the presenter at several PSA Conferences, including the Keynote Speaker for the PSA Conferences in 2000 and 2003; and Canadian Coaches Conferences in 2005 and 2006. Weisiger has held positions on the Board of Governors of the PSA and various U.S. Figure Skating and USOC committees. A member of the USOC Developing Young Champions committee, she has organized and directed numerous Grassroots to Champions seminars.

In 1999, U.S. Figure Skating and the PSA recognized Weisiger as Coach of the Year. Some of her former students include Michael Weiss (three-

time U.S. Men’s Champion, two-time U.S. Olympic Team, two-time World Bronze Medalist), Timothy Goebel (2002 Olympic Bronze Medalist), Lisa Kwon (National Novice and Intermediate Ladies Champion), Christine Lee (World competitor), Tommy Steenberg (Estonia Junior Grand Prix Gold Medalist) and Anthony Dang (North American Challenge competitor). Audrey has coached at the Fairfax Ice Arena in Virginia since 1973. Before that, she herself was a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist in Figures and Freestyle, and a U.S. National Bronze Medalist at the Novice and Junior Levels.

In 2010, Weisiger created the Young Artists Showcase, featuring and educating young choreographers worldwide. She is the founder of Grassroots to Champions seminars, a company whose mission is to mentor coaches and their skaters. The company has worked with skaters of all levels from around the world. Weisiger was the recipient of the F. Ritter Shumway award in 2014.

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

The Tea-Time Foxtrot COMPILED BY KELLEY MORRIS ADAIR , BOB MOCK , AND CAROL ROSSIGNOL

In an effort to be more inclusive, references to “lady” have been changed to “follow” and references to “man” have been changed to “lead” within the descriptive text. Anyone can learn and enjoy these dance steps, regardless of gender or

role. This is especially relevant as tests can now be partnered by same-gender partners. Within the pattern drawings, references to “lady” or “man” remain in place as the graphics are copyrighted by the ISU.

N

eedless to say, the past year has been more than a challenge for skating coaches across the U.S. One of those challenges is important information regarding the Tea-Time Foxtrot, which was introduced as a new pattern dance by the ISU in April of 2019.

U.S. Figure Skating held a Judges Seminar, hosted by judges Barbara Buch and John Cole, at the Baltimore FSC on April 6, 2019 in Baltimore, MD to deliver and promote the educational material on the Tea-Time Foxtrot to the judging and skating community.

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, everything came to a halt as rinks closed, and training suffered around the world. Due to this unfortunate situation, many coaches missed important information on the development of the Tea-Time Foxtrot.

Here is a brief outline of information that will get you headed quickly in the right direction: The Tea-Time Foxtrot International Dance Test The dance was invented by Sylwia Nowak-Trebacka, Natalia Kaliszek, and Maksym Spodyriev of Poland. It was first performed in Obersdorf, Germany in September 2016.

For U.S. Figure Skating testing at the international level, just one pattern is required to be performed. Additionally, all international pattern dances that are partnered are now available for the solo track, including the Tea-Time Foxtrot and Finnstep.

• The dance takes 56 seconds to complete one sequence/ pattern • It is a slow foxtrot at 27 measures of four beats per minute • It is 108 beats per minute (four beats faster per minute that the Rocker Foxtrot) • 4/4 timing • The pattern is optional • The steps are choreographed as: slow...quick...quick... slow…quick…quick…slow

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The dance should be skated as smooth, effortless, with continuity, and good rise and fall with great posture. While in closed position, the partners should be nearly or lightly touching in the diaphragm area. This dance requires the lead skater to present the follow skater and the dance holds should be elegant throughout the pattern.

The dance has the following sections: 1. Opening 2. “Toe Pick Hop” 3. Choctaw/Twizzle 4. Slide to the Three-Turn (skidded) 5. Mirror-Switching Joyfull Hops 6. Three-Turn Bracket 7. “Walk-Around Three-Turn” See ISU Communications No. 2241 for more detailed information about the Tea-Time Foxtrot, as well as the new PSA Dance Booklet (2021, 7th edition) pages 122-125. An instructional video is also available for download from the ISU website.

Special thanks to: Martha Rasmussen, U.S. Figure Skating Judge Jeff Petri, PSA Dance Coach Barbara Buch, U.S. Figure Skating Judge ISU Ice Dance Seminar on the new Pattern Dance — Tea-Time Foxtrot | Detroit, MI, April 27– 28, 2019 (segments of this seminar are available on YouTube)

Important things to know about the Tea-Time Foxtrot: • Speed is vital to the dance, but it should appear effortless and relaxing “like you are drinking tea.”

• The toe steps are very challenging for the follow.

• There will be shoulder positions not common to the Foxtrot.

• Timing is very difficult due to the toe pick hops.

• The drag for the lead after step 14 is optional, but deserves to be noted as it helps the unison.

• Step 15 skid needs to follow a deep curve or separation will occur.

• Watch for loss of speed on step 15.

• Check Steps 17, 18, and 19 for loss of unison and timing. The kick is to the side.

• Step 22a and 22b look for poor tracking during the lead’s waltz jump; the follow holds step 22 for two beats.

• Some arm positions are optional.

Updated Dance Book!

26.95

$

This booklet provides a pattern diagram and overview for each dance from the Preliminary through Gold and International levels. Diagrams of each dance along with guidelines for test expectations, focus points, checks, and common errors are included.

The 7th edition, released in 2021, includes a thorough review and update. New features include: • Updated descriptions of dance rhythms • Dance holds by step number • Pattern requirements for test and competition • Addition of Tea-Time Foxtrot The new booklet is also printed in portrait format with two-page spreads for each dance. This puts the pattern on the left-hand page and text on the right-hand page, allowing for easier-to-read font size and plenty of space for making notes; an ideal rink-side resource.

TEA-TIME F

Tea-Time Foxtrot — Follow

40 RFI-Pr3-CIMo 1+2 1 39 LFO 46 XF (crossover) RBI 41 LFO 1 2+2 a brief touchdown 38 RFI-Ch 1 RBO 42 RToe Hop and 37 LFO 1 43 LFI 1 45 LBO 36 RFI 1 and 35 LToe Pick Hop 51 LFO 4 and LToe Pick Hop 1 44 RFO-Br 2 34 XF-RBI 3+2 52 CR-RF03 1+1 2 3 33 XB-RFI-InBa-“Rk” 53 LBO 2 START 54 CR-RF03-RBI 1+5 32 LFO 1

48 RFI-Pr 1 49 LToe Pick Hop 1 50 RFI 1

1+3

47 LFO 1

30 XF-LBO 1

1 RFI3-RBO 2 CR-LBO 1 3 XF-RBI3-RF03

2 29 XF-RBI

1+1+1

4 LToe Pick Hop LToe Pick Hop and

5 RFI-InBa-“3” 6 XF (crossover) -LBI 1 16 LBO 7 XF (crossover) -RBI 1 1 1 8 LBO 2 9 XF (crossover) 1+3 15 RFI-Pr Crossed Slide 1 RBIO-WdCho 2+1+1+1+1+3 RFI03 (skidded) -RBI-Tw1-RBI 10 LFI 1 ½+½+1 11 RFI Tw2

2 1

3 31 XF-RBO

28 XB-LBO

2+2 27 CR-RFO-SwRk 17 XF (crossover) RBI 18 LBHop

1 26 LFO

1 24 LFO

20 LBI3-LFO 1+1 21 RFI3+22 RBO

1

1 14 LFO 12 LFO 13 RFI-Pr

1 25 RFI-Pr

19 RBO-XF-RBHop

1+1

½+½

23 LFO-RFI-Ch

2

© ISU

Price includes shipping fee. www.skatepsa.com

PS MAGAZINE

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Adaptive Skating Provides

Opportunities for All On the Ice

By Mary Johanson

A

s I walked into my rink in Ann Arbor, Michigan seven years ago, I assumed I was headed for just another Saturday morning Learn to Skate USA class. I had no idea how my life was about to change.

On this particular Saturday morning, I met a young skater named Grace who would challenge how I thought about coaching, open my eyes to unknown possibilities in skating, and remind me of the pure joy of skating.

Grace is on the autism spectrum. She spent many mornings in the stands watching her younger brother learn to skate. On the morning I met her, she convinced her mother to register her for classes.

Having tried other sports with varying success, the family was not sure what to expect. They were nervous about how Grace would do in a group environment as well as whether the other skaters in the group would welcome her.

As Grace took the ice for the first time, she displayed some nerves as many first-time skaters do, but it was not long before Grace found herself marching and gliding across the ice. While she achieved more success that day, her smile got wider and wider. She was exuding a sense of pride and pure joy that I had not seen in many years teaching learn to skate classes. Everyone in the group felt her infectious enthusiasm. Not only did the other skaters in the group accept Grace, they embraced her and allowed her larger than life personality to lift the excitement of the group.

I will never forget the moment when I looked up into the stands and found Grace’s mom, who had tears

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of joy streaming down her face as her daughter had finally found a place to belong and feel successful working at her own pace. Suddenly that Saturday morning felt like one of those important and pivotal moments where you realize you can make an impact.

Grace has since gone on to represent the United States at the Special Olympics World pre-Games in Austria and will head to Russia for the World Games in 2022. When asked about why she loves skating, her response is always, “It makes me feel free.”

Grace’s life—and that of her family and mine—will be forever connected and altered for the better. That is the power of skating.

The Ann Arbor Figure Skating Club started its Adaptive Skating programs soon after Grace entered our lives. As a club, we realized we wanted to do more and reach further into our local community.

We launched two programs: an Adaptive Skating class and a Special

Olympics competitive team. Since implementing the program, we have averaged 20 skaters in a class and have 10-12 Special Olympics athletes who compete regularly.

These programs have not only brought more skaters through our doors but have really made a positive impact on our club, it’s members, and our rink.

Why Adaptive Skating?

The greatest benefit of any new skating program is bringing more people into your rink.

Ideally, more customers mean more revenue.

Sometimes Adaptive Programs don’t bring big money, but you expose more people to what you have to offer. Family members of Adaptive skaters will be interested in joining learn to skate classes and word of mouth will reach a larger population.

The interest will give you the potential to increase membership and nextstep programming that will contribute to club and rink revenue, including private lessons, synchronized skating teams, hockey programs, and more.

Adaptive programming gives you the opportunity to network with community organizations you never had the chance to before, like veterans’ organizations and your local Special Olympics chapter.

The community outreach increases your presence in the area, but more importantly, provides club members a feeling of pride and philanthropy.

Along with all the physical benefits any sport provides its athletes, we have found the more profound

benefits of Adaptive Skating are social and emotional. At our program, one parent has said that her daughter, who competes with Special Olympics, is no longer the “special needs” girl at school but now is known as the special girl who gets to compete all over. Another parent reported that her son is managing better at school since he started skating as he has gained more spatial awareness, allowing him to navigate the busy hallways at school that he struggled with before. These stories are the reason I am so passionate about adaptive skating.

Every great program starts with an idea. One theme I hope you will take away is that creativity is king. With Adaptive Skating, there really is no “one size fits all” here. As you start to craft your idea of an Adaptive Skating program for your facility, you will need support from your staff, the community and your club or rink.

How to Start an Adaptive Program Here are some things you will want to consider with your support systems.

Although each situation and location is different, this should help you get the conversation started.

1) When will you hold your class? Will it be a weekly class or a short-term, limited offering? Will it be seasonal or year-round? Keep in mind some of your skaters may have sensitivity to noise or light so you may want to find a quieter time at the rink to hold your class or have a designated space for skaters who become overstimulated. Routine is also a big factor for many of the skaters, so try and find consistency in your scheduling and staffing.

2) Find out what resources your rink or club can provide, such as skates, helmets, discounted ice, and other equipment they may have around like simple walkers used for public skating.

3) Look around and assess your facility’s accessibility for Adaptive skaters. Are there ramps and handicap-accessible facilities? Is

there easy parking?

Is there barrier-free access to the rink surface?

4) Think about waivers or other legalities that would make all parties comfortable. For example, we require all our skaters, staff and volunteers to be members of Learn to Skate USA for insurance purposes. Find out the rink or club policy on allowing family members or caregivers on the ice with the skaters. Staff at U.S. Figure Skating headquarters can help you get skaters and others registered with Learn to Skate USA as well as answer general liability questions.

5) Find your skaters! Reach out to local schools and special education programs, physical and speech therapists, community agencies, veterans programs and autism social groups to name a few.

6) Staff your program. If you want to look beyond your regular learn to skate or professional staff, think about partnering with high school hockey teams or members of your figure skating club. More on training coaches to work with adaptive skaters is coming in future PS Magazine articles.

Opportunities Abound for Adaptive Skaters U.S. Figure Skating’s Adaptive Skating program offers two tracks with numerous opportunities for both recreational and competitive skating. Athletes with physical disabilities can participate in Skate United, and skaters with intellectual disabilities have opportunities with Special Olympics.

Skate United offers skaters the ability to participate in classes within a skating school, or they can engage in specialized Adaptive Skating tests.

Skaters can also choose to test within

U.S. Figure Skating’s test structure and compete in 6.0 competitions and events. Many exciting Skate United developments are being established to enhance opportunities and will be shared within the near future.

Special Olympics and Skate United competitive events are being offered through Compete USA, national showcase series, adult competitions and many other local events.

Skaters interested in hockey may find a special needs or Unified team in their area. Sled hockey teams can be found in many states and is an international Paralympic Games event.

Special Olympics also offers speed skating through its local and international games. If these programs do not exist in your area, why not be the first?

There are resources to help you and a community to support you.

Visit usfigureskating.org/adaptive-skating for more information on U.S. Figure Skating and Learn to Skate USA’s program resources. Visit specialolympics.org or contact your state’s Special Olympics office for more information regarding Special Olympics opportunities.

For general adaptive sports information, visit moveunitedsport.org.

Additional questions? Contact PSA Adaptive Skating Committee chair Mary Johanson at coachmaryjohanson@gmail.com. Watch for more adaptive skating articles in upcoming PSA magazines!

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COACHING DEVELOPMENT Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC

Coach Evaluation and Recognition With permission to reprint from the “USOPC Quality Coaching Framework 2020” (assembled by the Coaching Education Department of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee) the Coach Development column has been a series of articles excerpted from the framework.

Previous articles have been: Introduction, Chapter 1: Quality Coaching, Chapter 2: Essential Coaching Knowledge, Chapter 3: Athlete-Centered Outcomes, Chapter 4: Contextual Fit, and now Chapter 5: Evaluation and Recognition.

On an individual level, all coaches should have a process to formally evaluate the progress of both their athletes and their own coaching. It may be that other sport struggle with this piece, PSA has a long history of doing a particularly good job with evaluation (PSA Ratings System) and recognition with the PSA Edi Awards annually.

– Heidi DeLio Thibert, PSA Senior Director of Coaching Development

H

ow do we know whether we are doing a good job helping athletes progress in their development?

Unfortunately, far too few coaches fail to consider that question. Even fewer establish the assessment criteria, tools, and process to answer it objectively and accurately.

This is because nearly the same small percentage of sport administrators conduct systematic and comprehensive coach and program evaluations.

Sports organizations cannot be successful for long if administrators and coaches fail to effectively monitor and evaluate performance. Coach and athlete development will be haphazard, based on intuition and hope instead of credible evidence and careful planning that serve to close development gaps. In short, what matters must get measured.

Effective, ongoing coach evaluation is essential, as is proper recognition of quality coaching. Coaches who demonstrate the desired behaviors should be praised and supported, or at least acknowledged. The U.S. Olympic Committee’s approach to quality coaching recognition is outlined later in this chapter.

Step-by-Step Evaluation When evaluations are done poorly or are perceived to be an administrative mandate without any meaningful follow-up, the evaluation process will not be well received. At worst, it will be a source of stress and frustration for everyone involved. A quality evaluation system includes four steps.

Step 1: Determine What to Evaluate The evaluation process starts by deciding what to evaluate.

All program evaluation systems should include tools for measuring athlete development. As discussed in previous chapters, athlete development should span the Four C’s:

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competence, confidence, connection, and character.

Therefore, athletes’ progress toward achieving target outcomes across each of the Four C’s should be evaluated on a regular basis.

Although the primary role of the coach is to develop athletes, in many Team USA coaching contexts coaches also play an active role in administration, fundraising, athlete recruitment and event planning. The ability to create a quality sport experience that results in comprehensive athlete development often hinges on how well a coach fulfills such duties. Therefore, evaluation should encompass as many of the key responsibilities of a coach as possible.

Practicality is also an important factor in program evaluation, meaning sport administrators should collect only the quality-related information that can be gathered and summarized efficiently.

Step 2: Specify Sources of Feedback Once evaluation items have been identified, decisions will need to be made about who should be asked to provide

Athletes Coaching Staff

Parents

Opposing Coaches

Coaching (self)

Mentors and Peers

FIGURE 5.1 Potential sources for coach or program evaluation.

Reprinted, by permission, from W. Gilbert, 2017, Coaching better every season: A year-round system for athlete development and program success (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics), 233.

Athletic Director

Sport Officials Support Staff

Alumni

evaluation feedback. An effective evaluation system ensures that information is collected from all key program stakeholders.

At a minimum, coach self-evaluations should always be supplemented with feedback from members of the coaching staff and athletes. This is the only way to ensure a balanced and comprehensive approach to making evaluation decisions.

Program feedback from athletes on leadership councils and from senior or departing athletes can provide particularly helpful insights on how to improve a program.

Program evaluation can be further enhanced by collecting feedback from others who have experience with the program or the coach.

Just as professionals in fields such as business are encouraged to ask a wide range of people for feedback when conducting an evaluation—commonly referred to as a 360-degree evaluation—coaches also benefit from adopting this approach.1 Feedback might be solicited from athletic administrators, opposing coaches, game officials, formal or informal mentors, program alumni and trusted coaching colleagues (see figure 5.1) Step 3: Select Evaluation Methods and Collect Data After securing reliable and accurate information sources, the next concern is how to gather the data efficiently and in the most useful form possible. Options for evaluation tools are endless, with many examples available for coaches and administrators to either use or adapt to meet their specific needs.2 A combination of objective and subjective evaluation tools may be most useful.

Examples of objective evaluation tools include knowledge tests and ratings of the coach’s performance achievements, adherence to rules and policies, and observable

behaviors. Subjective evaluation tools are often used to measure things that are not easily quantified, such as attitude, work ethic and motivation.

All evaluation efforts should include observation of the coach in action with her or his athletes. Regardless of how the observation is conducted (videotaped or live, selfevaluated or with others), the effort should be guided by examining how effective the coach is at developing athletes.

A valuable way to approach observation is to watch the coach during a training session with the following three questions in mind:3,4 1. How does the coaching facilitate or fail to facilitate athlete development?

2. What evidence is there that the athletes achieved the intended learning goals for the session?

3. How can the coaching be revised to provide stronger opportunities for athlete development and achievement of learning goals?

Step 4: Decide How to Use the Results The final step in the evaluation process is determining how the results will be used. Coach and program evaluations typically are either formative or summative. Formative evaluations are used to provide feedback on what is working well and what needs to be improved. Summative evaluations are used to make judgments on coach or program quality, and they are often used to make decisions about whether to retain, reassign or remove a coach. An effective coach and program evaluation system is both formative and summative. The results should be used to help coaches improve while also providing evidence of coach and program growth.

A formal method for reporting evaluation results, such as writing an evaluation narrative or preparing an end-of-

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TABLE 5.1 Characteristics of Traditional Versus LTPD-Oriented Sport Programs

LTPD-oriented sport program

Characteristic

Traditional sport program

Shared purpose

Poorly identified vision and values

Clearly articulated vision and values

Mindset

Short-term “win now”

Long-term continuous improvement

Methods

Sporadic improvements and setbacks with inconsistent or unclear processes for improvement

Plan, do, check and adjust cycles based upon current condition, target condition and performance gaps

Metrics and rewards/punishments are extrinsic and

Mutually agreed upon targets and metrics that create alignment and intrinsic motivation

Techniques

top-down and often create fear

Collaboration

People operate in intellectual silos

Systems thinking tools employed to surface mental models and enhance communication and collaboration

Leadership

Charismatic hero-leader, characterized by excessive achievement orientation

Servant-leader, characterized by a humble yet focused mastery orientation

Decision making

Little consensus, with influence gained through politics and manipulation

Collaborative learning teams of problem solvers using shared power and collaboration

Communication

Limited and controlled

Open and shared

Processes

Inconsistent tools and programs with sporadic implementation and results; leads to resistance to change

Consistent tools and processes used to improve and standardize instruction, methods, and relations

Results

Variable, based on capabilities of current athletes and coaches

Program excellence sustained over time across all sports

Reprinted, by permission, from M. Siwik, A. Lambert, D. Saylor, R. Bertram, C. Cocchiarella, and W. Gilbert, 2015. “Long term program development (LTPD): An interdisciplinary framework for developing athletes, coaches, and sport programs,” International Sport Coaching Journal 2(3): 305-316.

season statistical report with summary observations from selected feedback sources, is essential. Evaluation reports should be kept on file for formal debriefings and to spot trends across seasons, years, and quadrennials.

Evaluation works best when it is done regularly and when results are used to make constant incremental improvements. Evaluation systems should be approached with an “evolution, not revolution” mindset. Unfortunately, many coaches and program administrators avoid conducting meaningful and regular evaluations as a matter of practice because: (1) they don’t feel they have the time or (2) they are content with the status quo.

This is a serious mistake, because neglecting to evaluate typically results in having to invest a lot of time to fix exacerbated problems that were once minor issues when

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administrators and coaches realize that the status quo is no longer acceptable.

Long-Term Program Development Just as athlete development is optimized when coaches embrace a holistic, athletecentered approach, coach development is optimized when a holistic, long-term program development (LTPD) approach is adopted.5 The LTPD approach is most effective when coaches and sport program administrators have a clear sense of shared purpose, are sensitive to the unique profile and characteristics of the context and operate like a learning community.

Table 5.1 summarizes the key differences between a traditional sport program approach and the LTPD approach. The LTPD approach works because it keeps coaches and program administrators focused on continuous improvement aligned around a shared purpose and open communication. The goal is sustained development and achievement, not short-term wins.

Close High-Impact Performance Gaps Effective program evaluations conducted with a long-term development mindset constantly reveal areas for improvement. Indeed, the task of trying to address every exposed performance gap can be overwhelming. A more efficient approach is to focus on a few key performance weaknesses that, if fixed, have the potential to lead to the greatest gains in development and performance. High-impact performance gaps are significant issues that directly affect other performance aspects of the system. Even a small improvement in these performance gaps can potentially produce big results.

In sports such as field hockey or soccer, individual

TABLE 5.2 USOC Coach Recognition Examples and Suggestions

Program

Description

Additional suggestions

Order of Ikkos

Program conducted during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in which U.S. medalists may award a coach of their choice the Order of Ikkos Medal. The medal is produced by the USOC, and the recipient coach is listed in the Honor Roll of Coaches for that Games.

Have athletes award a coach some token of appreciation that celebrates the athlete– coach connection.

Creating an award or ceremony to celebrate this will build memories for a lifetime.

Coach of the Year awards

The USOC allows NGBs to award annual coaching recognition plaques in five categories:

Annual coaching awards for your organization or program allow coaches to join a long list of previously recognized peers. An awards program can also incorporate criteria that are rooted in quality coaching principles, evaluation results and athlete and organization feedback.

Olympic Coach Paralympic Coach Developmental Coach Volunteer Coach Sport Science Coach (Doc Counsilman Award) Once the NGBs select their winners, the USOC then determines a national winner from the NGB honorees.

Newsletters and publications

The USOC publishes news- letters and the Olympic Coach magazine, which frequently have articles from top-quality coaches in the U.S. These publications are great ways to give public recognition and notoriety for coaches who are innovative and serving as positive role models for Team USA. These publications also offer a platform for coaches to be recognized as experts in their field.

Does your program have a website or blog? Have your coaches who exhibit quality principles write an article, participate in a podcast or share a video talking about best principles or concepts that would be of interest to the community. This gives the coach some recognition and visibility.

Speaking events

Each year the USOC holds coaching programming to develop top-level Team USA coaches. The USOC consistently looks for coaches in the Team USA system to present to up-and-coming coaches, while also looking for ways to highlight key areas where that coach is innovating the profession.

You can celebrate your coach’s knowledge by having him or her speak at a town hall meeting, do a key- note address at a banquet or speak to your school board on what is involved in quality coaching.

guarding or marking may be cited as an important performance issue, but poor fitness may be an underlying highimpact performance gap.

Regardless of how skilled an athlete is at shooting, if he or she is not fit enough to gain the strategic advantage needed to get into an optimal position to shoot, then the shooting performance issue will never be adequately resolved. Another high-impact performance

issue might be team trust. If teammates don’t trust each other enough to sacrifice personal glory for team success, then it is unlikely that they will do the work such as pressuring a defender in order to put teammates in optimal scoring situations.

Once performance gaps have been identified, have multiple people familiar with the program review and rank the items on the list. Then sum the ratings and compare the rankings. This exercise will illuminate the high-impact performance gaps that should be addressed first. Such systematic addressing of highimpact performance gaps provides the greatest return on investment in seeking continuous program and coaching improvements.

Build on Coaching Strengths

Although it is important to identify performance gaps, there is a growing recognition that identifying and building on strengths is a powerful way to stimulate continuous improvement. This is referred to as a strength-based approach to evaluation, as opposed to a deficits-based approach. In simple terms, the strengthsbased approach involves emphasizing the positive rather than the negative.

Coaching strengths are those instinctive coaching characteristics such as behaviors, feelings or ways of thinking that are authentic and energize optimal performance. By focusing on their strengths, coaches act in ways that are aligned with their purpose and core values. When people use their strengths, they are more engaged with their work and also report greater happiness, a surge in

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“Many coaches are retained or celebrated energy and performance and enhanced optimism.6 Also, focusing on strengths builds coaching confidence and resilience— both of which are essential for sustaining effort and energy as a coach.7 The strengths-based approach is founded on five core principles:8 1. Focus on what is right, what is working and what is strong.

2. Every person has strengths and deserves respect for their strengths.

3. Our areas of greatest potential are in the areas of our greatest strengths.

4. Weaknesses can best be fixed when we are making the most of our strengths.

5. Using our strengths is the smallest thing we can do to make the biggest difference.

Although perhaps not self-evident when starting a coaching career, the best coaches learn over time what aspects of coaching suit them best. A simple technique coaches can use to spot their natural strengths is to answer the following three questions at regular intervals (for example, at the end of each month of coaching).

• What was my best day of coaching this past month, and why was this the best day?

• In what specific coaching situation was I at my best this past month?

• What aspects of coaching most energized me last month?

Recognize Quality Coaches and Their Impact At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is only athletes who receive medals. Coaches do not receive medals and do not get to stand on the podium to be celebrated by their peers, family, or country at the Games. It is up to the athletes and the National Olympic Committee to honor the coaches and staff who contributed to the team’s success.

Recognition of quality coaching is something that the U.S. Olympic Committee takes very seriously at each Olympic and Paralympic Games. Coaches in the U.S. system are not all receiving full-time wages and operating under professional contracts. The majority of coaches in the United States are volunteer coaches at the youth level or part-time coaches in the scholastic or club systems. They are pushing to help athletes achieve while nurturing the sports they love.

Ideally, all the coaches in an athlete’s pathway of development will strive to be quality coaches and to maximize that athlete’s potential at all moments. For this reason, the

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based on wins or championships, but quality coaching happens at all levels and manifests itself in many ways.”

USOC is seeking additional ways to recognize the impact coaches have on athlete development and performance.

Using an evaluation process based on quality coaching factors helps identify coaching growth and impact beyond just the outcomes of the season. Many coaches are retained or celebrated based on wins or championships, but quality coaching happens at all levels and manifests itself in many ways.

Each organization should recognize results and actions in ways that are meaningful to the coaches. Table 5.2 provides examples of coach recognition offered by the USOC and suggests other options an organization might consider for acknowledging quality coaching.

Recognizing quality coaching in a variety of ways ensures that coaches feel valued and rewarded for their work. Bringing attention to those who are doing a truly quality job can help foster a culture of quality coaching and should therefore be a priority of every administration.

CHAPTER 5 Takeaway All coaches should have a process to formally evaluate the progress of both their athletes and their own coaching. By making systematic evaluation a habit, coaches can start to think about long-term pro- gram development and how they can close performance gaps for their athletes, themselves, and the program. In addition to closing gaps, adopt a strength-focused approach to development. Lastly, it’s important to publicly recognize quality coaching and its impact and to further engage coaches in the community who are making a difference, both on and off the field of play.

OBITUARY

Evy Scotvold U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame coach Evy Scotvold passed away on May 25, 2021, at the age of 85.

Known as one of the preeminent technical coaches of his time, Scotvold, and his wife Mary, guided many of the sport’s top skaters, including Olympic medalists Nancy Kerrigan, Paul Wylie and Scott Hamilton. They also helped lead standouts such as Terry Kubicka, Sandy Lenz, David Santee, Jimmie Santee and Jennifer Kirk to sterling careers.

As a competitive skater, Scotvold was coached by greats Montgomery Wilson, Maribel Vinson Owen, Howard Nicholson, Eugene Turner and Gus Lussi.

“Evy and Mary Scotvold were so instrumental in my

growth both as a skater and as a man,” David Santee said in a tribute post on Facebook. “Evy was a master technician but what set him apart was his ability to know what to say and how to say it.”

Recognized as PSA Coaches of the Year in 1993, the couple was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the PSA Hall of Fame in 2007. *Reprinted with permission from U.S. Figure Skating

Evy and Mary at the 2007 PSA Conference in Los Angeles.

DON‛T Miss These FUN ISI Events for Your Skaters!

2020ne ISI Adult Championships Oct. 8-10, 2021 Test & Entry Deadline: Sept. 1 Las Vegas Ice Center Las Vegas, NV

2020ne ISI Holiday Theatrical Challenge Dec. 3-5, 2021 Test & Entry Deadline: Oct. 15 Iceoplex Simi Valley Simi Valley, CA For details, visit: skateisi.org/adultchamps skateisi.org/holidaychallenge

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health

body

CREATING A POSITIVE BODY IMAGE:

How to talk to your athlete about their body in a healthy way

By Julianne Pondelli, RG, RM, RFS

C

oaches have a great responsibility to their athletes when it comes to creating a healthy and positive body image. In an aesthetic sport such as figure skating, the way coaches talk to their athletes will foster either a positive or negative experience for the skater. Our mission is to provide skaters with a positive, fun environment where they can learn and grow.

emphasis on particular weight or body type being the ideal for success. As coaches, we have to reinforce that success is possible in sports for every body type. Looking at Olympic figure skaters, there is definitely a body type that is able to rotate triples and quads easier than others. These athletes are naturally and genetically inclined. However, regardless of genetics, athletes can still strive to be the strongest, healthiest, and most successful they can be in our sport.

Just because an athlete may not be built like a future Olympian, does not mean that they cannot accomplish their goals on the ice. We must take great care creating a coaching environment that will support our skater’s individual goals. These skills can be carried over later in life.

for an athletic coach to encourage healthy eating and fitness in efforts to increase athleticism and strength, as long as the information is educated. Coaches should be able to relay the basics of healthy nutrition with the knowledge they have attained from continuing education classes.

The PSA typically offers courses through the annual summit and through webinars regarding nutrition for athletes. Teamusa.org is also a fantastic resource on how to fuel on training and rest days. By educating our coaches on evidence based nutrition information, coaches will be able to then relay those healthy messages to their athletes.

Nutrition education should center around how food is used as fuel to help athletes rather than restricting calories, counting macros, or following the new fad diet.

Old school training used to be about athletes weighing in, fitting into costumes, eating as little as possible, cutting out entire food groups, and not being allowed snacks during practices. These behaviors and requests from coaches can be triggering to athletes who are often striving for approval. The constant quest for perfection may eventually lead to disordered eating patterns, if not a fully diagnosed eating disorder.

Educate yourself: The manner in which coaches talk to

Empower Athletes: Skaters by nature are typically drawn

Celebrate their individual strengths: Certain sports place

their athletes can have an effect on the athlete’s relationship with food. It is absolutely within the scope of practice

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to the sport because they have a personality that loves structure, follows rules, and pleasing people. Understanding

hy

strength triggers are essential as a coach. Choosing words wisely to impressionable skaters, will ensure they mature and develop into healthy adults without a food complex.

Damaging words or suggestions can last long after they land a double Axel for the first time. Instead of suggesting losing weight, suggest to the skater all they can gain from a healthy nutrition plan. Gaining strength, muscle and athleticism will help progress their skating skills so much more than “losing weight” will. They will feel hydrated, have more energy and be able to train much more efficiently when properly fueled. Changing this perspective will promote a more positive training environment.

Promote anti-perfectionism: Skating is a sport of consis-

tency, which requires repetition and enhancement of mastered skills. Perfectionism can be viewed as a hard work ethic to coaches. However, skaters who demand perfection of themselves are often that way outside of the rink as well.

This can mean that they may have the same feelings around food by trying to maintain control over what and how much they put in their bodies and the number on the scale. When dealing with athletes who are very hard on themselves, coaches should not encourage perfection. Mistakes are how a healthy skater can learn and grow. We can help them by celebrating their successes and supporting them on their progression without demanding perfection or consistent podium placements.

Loss of control is a huge factor in disordered eating patterns. The athlete may feel that they cannot control much in their life, but what they eat or weigh is something simple that they do have power over. Unfortunately, oftentimes this control is exerted in the form of restriction which can snowball and inevitably lead to a greater loss of control such as injury or illness.

Establish Personal Goals: Skating is also a sport where

skaters are subjectively judged. Growing up as a competitive skater has many advantages. Being able to put themselves out there to skate in front of a panel of judges and technical specialists is a very courageous thing to do.

Training to perform and compete at a high level can build a skater with the confidence that they will need later in life by teaching the athlete to put their best foot forward and going out there and giving their all.

The transition to IJS has changed the sport in a positive way. Instead of directly ranking skaters against their peers, skaters can now strive to skate their best and achieve their personal best score. Constant comparison can feel like the skater is never good enough prompting them for a greater sense of regaining control. Using the IJS system is a way to show the skater, where their strengths lie and celebrating those, as well as where improvements can be made.

Referring to Medical Professionals: By understanding

the characteristics of an athlete that may be at higher risk of developing an eating disorder, coaches can intervene by suggesting their athletes meet with a dietitian.

Understanding that disordered eating is often not solely about the food, can help coaches in their dialogue with skaters. For example, skaters may be struggling mentally or emotionally which presents as an eating disorder.

It is important to stress that food is fuel and should not be labeled as good or bad. By stressing the importance of eating enough and allowing skaters snack breaks to replenish during their training, the importance of food as fuel will be a positive message to athletes. Referring athletes to registered dietitians before negative eating habits start is another way that coaches can encourage building positive relationships with food. Also, recognizing if the skater is struggling with disordered eating patterns and subsequently referring them to a medical professional who specializes in eating disorders will help keep athletes healthy and safe. Some physical signs to look for are dramatic weight loss, calorie or food group restriction, or purging behaviors. A change in mood or attitude can also be a red flag.

Be an Example of a Living a Healthy Lifestyle: Lead

athletes by example. By practicing what you preach, an example of a healthy lifestyle will be set for the skaters.

Leading by example, includes getting enough sleep, packing nutrient dense meals and snacks for long coaching days, hydrating with water, and occasionally splurging without guilt. Coaches actions will show the skaters how it is possible to be successful while having a healthy relationship with food.

Coaches have the unique opportunity to be a positive role model for their skaters. A successful positive training environment is where coaches are able to celebrate athletes’ individual strengths and goals, educate, and promote healthy life skills that will stay with that athlete long after they accomplish their skating goals.

Julianne Pondelli MS, RD, LDN is a Professional Figure Skating Coach and Registered Dietitian in the Boston area. She holds a PSA Registered Rating in Group, MITF and FS and is an AFAA Certified Athletic Trainer. She is the Head Coach of Northeastern University’s Collegiate Figure Skating Club and coaches at many clubs in the Boston Area. Instagram: @skaternutrition

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uuuuuuu uuuuuuu Audrey uuuuuuu Weisiger uuuuuuu uuuuuuu A uuuuuuu Audrey speaks at the 2011 PSA Conference in Dallas, TX.

2021 HALL OF FAME

By Kent McDill

udrey Weisiger believes her selection for the PSA Hall of Fame is a consideration of her body of work over several decades of coaching.

But she is aware of her most recent “Hall of Fame” coaching moment, and it came during quarantine.

“I was able to adapt to teaching virtually, which I am proud of myself because it is not in my nature to be very techy,” Weisiger said. “I was able to teach a couple of kids their first triples. Talk about a Hall of Fame moment!

“That made me aware that we are onto something,” she said. “The pandemic taught us that we can be effective virtually. But I don’t think it will ever replace live in-person coaching.”

Weisiger’s Hall of Fame selection is the capstone to a career that has included numerous other awards, like the PSA and USFSA Coach of the Year in 1999. She was a U.S.

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Olympic team coach in 1998 and 2002, and most famously worked with U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame skater Michael Weiss, the three-time national champion.

But Weisiger believes her Hall of Fame selection comes as a result of her body of work, which has included both on-ice one-on-one coaching with skaters as well as off-ice coaching of athletes and coaches with the Grassroots to Champions program she founded in 2003. Grassroots to Champions offers seminars to raise the technical level of skaters and coaches. After a hiatus due to Covid-19, Weisiger said Grassroots to Champions seminars will start again soon.

“That’s what I want people to remember, that it is a body of work. I had a high profile career for a while, and it is certainly lovely to be respected and honored. But every coach that does a great lesson is a Hall of Fame coach in

uuuuu uuuuu uuuuu uuuuu uuuuu uuuuu Audrey at the boards in 1995 PHOTO BY PAUL HARVATH

Sasha Cohen, Sarah Hughes, Audrey, Emily Hughes PHOTO COURTESY OF AUDREY WEISIGER

my book. That’s how I want people to think of themselves.”

That is also very similar to the message Weisiger offered in the two occasions she gave the keynote address at the PSA Conference back in 2000 and 2003. Although she is not one to quote herself, she said her message has always been to “believe in themselves.”

“That is my pretty standard message,” Weisiger said.

“I say if I could do it, you can do it. I’m not in some fancy training facility. I had to do everything myself. I had to use ingenuity and willpower, plus a semi-cooperative pupil, to make a champion. That is the message I usually deliver: everything is possible as long as you want it bad enough.”

Such was the case with Weiss, the Washington, D.C. native who found Weisiger at the Fairfax Ice Arena in Fairfax, Maryland at the age of nine.

“I raised him from a little guy that scooted around the rink and most people did not give him the credibility or think he had the potential to be a great skater,” Weisiger said. “When you take a skater that started as a beginner and get them to that level, that is the culmination of their ability,” she said.

The virtual induction ceremony honoring Weisiger included a celebration of those selected for the 2021 President’s Excellence Award, and that included another Weisiger student, Tommy Steenberg.

“That was special for me,” Weisiger said. “I was getting the ultimate recognition and I had a young coach now

getting recognized as a teacher and an up-and-coming coach. Full circle.”

Like every other skating coach in the world, the 18 months of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic stressed Weisiger, but she was quick to point out that they provided a teaching lesson as well.

“I know other people had it worse than I did,” she said.

“I was able to teach once the rink reopened, on a limited basis. We had our skaters back in the building. I have a friend visiting from Canada and she said her lower level kids are still not allowed back in the rink.

“You kept thinking ‘this can’t go on much longer’, and it did. I would dissuade anyone who thinks they can have a coaching career by sitting on their butts in their house.

That is not going to happen. I’m so glad to be able to teach the kids in person again. The first couple of lessons back, I am sure I was very emotional and the kids had to wonder what was going on.”

Unlike some other coaches who have been selected to the PSA Hall of Fame, Weisiger does not consider herself a coach with a particular emphasis in any one area of competitive skating.

“I think I am good at the big picture,” Weisiger said.

“On a football team, you have the kicking coach and the passing coach and the defensive line coach. I think I am the head coach of skating. I can see the whole path of a career laid out in front of me. I can see the danger zones, the potential pitfalls. Let’s make sure they don’t get injured, let’s make sure their artistic ability becomes more enhanced. I can look at the whole picture and see the status in the marble block.”

As far as Weisiger sees it, her “lifetime” as a skating coach is not yet complete.

“The Olympic motto is ‘citius, altius, fortius’, which means ‘faster, higher, stronger’,” Weisiger said. “It is not ‘I am the best, I am the strongest, I jump the highest’, it’s ‘I will get better’.

“So my saying is “get an ‘er’ every day’,” she said. “I want to get better every day. So I don’t think I’m done.”

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

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

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

Richard Dwyer Robbie Kaine Wayne Seybold Moira North Curtis McGraw Webster

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Successful Competition!

Check it out on PSA TV!

I

Award Recipients n a year filled with much emotion and loss for so many, it was very important to the Grand Champion Award Professional Skaters Foundation to host the Alissa Czisny 2021 U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships this year, even if in a virtual Creative Visionary Award format. We wanted to give the skating commuHarmony Ensemble: nity an outlet for their creativity and something Piercyn Hunt, Paige Bartholomew, to look forward to.

Alyssa Kormos, Ashlyn Olson, Back on May 4th, we convened the panel Ashlee Pantano of judges and our Masters of Ceremonies to The Skaters’ Skater Award record the U.S. Open which was then stitched Kseniya Ponomaryova & together by Tim Johnson of 828 Studios for the Collin Brubaker live stream event on May 23rd. The competition The Ground Breaker Award saw familiar faces like Sarah France, who has competed in the U.S. Open since it was revived Maria Starr & Sarah Santee back in 2015 in Bloomington, MN, as well as several brand new U.S. Open competitors. The Foundation is indebted to each competitor who showed their collective passion and energy in their programs this year. The skating has never been better!

A heartfelt thank you to the entire committee of dedicated volunteers who ensured the 2021 U.S. Open could be held this year. Jamie Santee, Barb Yackel, Kelley Morris Adair, and Carol Murphy put hours of time and energy into the success of the event and all of them deserve a big thank you. The amount of work that goes in to both live and virtual events is enormous, and it takes a village to pull things off. A special thanks to Amanda Taylor for the terrific virtual program that accompanied the live stream event.

Events like the U.S. Open cannot work without faithful and generous donors. FMC Ice Sports was a Silver Sponsor again this year and our Pewter Sponsors included the Skating Council of Illinois, Detroit Metro Council, Nathan Birch and the Next Ice Age, Tri-State Council of Michigan, ISI District 1 (Scott McCoy and Alane Swiderski) and Debbie and Gerry Lane.

Jackson Ultima provided each competitor with pair of skate guards and we appreciate the support and generosity. The PS Foundation is humbled by the fact that each of you gives so graciously and we are deeply appreciative to each of you.

A big thank you to our esteemed panel of judges and our Masters of Ceremonies for generously giving their time, talents and feedback to our skaters. Sarah Kawhara and her daughter, Hayley Kiyoko, Frank Carroll, Evelyn Kramer, Doug Webster, Phillip and Michelle Mills, Amanda Evora Will and Mark Ladwig rounded out our judging panel with Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker as the emcees. The interaction between and among the group was electrifying!

Thank you judges!

Phillip Mills

Michelle Mills

Sarah Kawahara

Evelyn Kramer

Frank Carroll

Mark Ladwig

Amanda Evora

Hayley Kiyoko

Douglas Webster

U.S. Open Sponsor

A Community that Cares 32

JULY/AUGUST 2021

Donna Helgenberg and Tara Lane

From Edge Changes to Line Changes —

Considering Hockey Coaching Opportunities

By Jordan Mann, PSA Hockey Skating Committee Chair

I

n early 2020, I had some pretty good luck. I was the head coach for a 10U AA hockey team based outside of Chicago in the Central States Developmental Hockey League, and we were on a late-season roll. We had won eleven of our last twelve games, squeaked out a couple of overtime victories against higher-seeded opponents, and somehow made it to the state finals. Then for about an hour and a half, the luck ran dry. But hey, second place in state is decent. A few hours later our 16U AA team stepped into the same arena, flipped the script, and were crowned state champions for the second time in three years. I had been an assistant and/or skating skills coach for that team for seven seasons at that point. Two state finals games! Another trip to nationals on the horizon! Life was good!

Behind the bench in the finals was an odd place to find a figure skater. I had grown up on 6am patch sessions, triple jumps, and pretending that I was running my long program way more than I actually was (shhhh…). For me,

hockey was reserved for pickup games when the ice was open at midnight on a Friday. Or on the blacktop of a friend’s cul-de-sac on a Sunday. I had good friends that played on elite teams, but I did not grow up immersed in the game.

My professional life began as a figure skating coach, and for a while I did primarily that. So how did my coaching career veer off in such an unexpected direction? How did I end up coaching against former NHLers instead of former Grand Prix skaters? Well, at one point I was asked, as most of you certainly have been, the six words that changed everything: “Can you make my kid skate faster?”

Well, yes, I guess.

I started working with some local players on their skating mechanics, and it snowballed from there. I immediately found a passion for the game, immersed myself in the sport, and found every opportunity to learn.

I was beyond fortunate to have some phenomenal mentors and some people who took chances on me. But the bottom line was simple: I knew skating in an environment where too many did not. That gave me a niche, which opened up doors to do more. Skating is skating. It is the different application of the same principles that separate Connor McDavid from Nathan Chen.

As a PSA member I had attended Hockey sessions at conferences, and I had my Hockey 1, 2, and 3 certifications.

So, when I was asked to join the Hockey Skating Committee I jumped at the chance.

Our committee is made up of some top-notch hockey skating coaches, all with a background in figure skating and decades of hockey experience:

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Paul Paprocki

• Paul Paprocki (Rochester, Minnesota) • Tara Lane (Vail, Colorado) • Donna Helgenberg (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) For a few years we were quite busy. We revised the Hockey 3 Manual. We developed the Hockey Skating 4 curriculum, presented at conferences, and really started to spread the gospel about how the Hockey Skating program can help PSA coaches expand their business and serve a different demographic of skaters. We held an in-person hockey-only seminar in Chicago that was a huge success, with close to twenty PSA coaches earning educational credits for spending the day with us talking about hockey skating.

Then came COVID. Just four days after those state finals games, the pandemic hit Illinois. Our rink closed early on a Thursday evening and would not reopen in any capacity for two and a half months. USA Hockey made the tough call to cancel nationals. Life was altered in a way that had no reference point, no way to predict what the next day would bring.

Hockey is about pattern recognition and anticipation.

Anticipate and win, react and lose. But there was no way to anticipate COVID. All we could do was react - and quickly.

PSA did an unbelievable job of pulling together so much in so little time. Summit 2020 was an incredible achievement, and it seems like our leadership hasn’t taken a day off since. It is time for our committee to adapt and react so we can continue to provide opportunities for PSA coaches who work with (or want to work with) hockey players. In light of the current educational trends, the PSA Hockey Skating Committee currently has three major initiatives in the works: Hockey Skating 3 Certification Online

This certification, traditionally offered in-person at conferences, will now be joining Hockey Skating 1 and Hockey Skating 2 as a course that can be done any time, from anywhere. With the new Summit format staying virtual, this provides a great opportunity to further your education and

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dive a little deeper into the sport. The Hockey Skating 3 course sheds light on more details of the game and more advanced skating concepts than Hockey 1 and 2.

Mini-Modules

The Hockey Skating Committee will roll out a series of “minimodules” devoted to specific skills and situations. These short video presentations will each have a narrow focus.

Examples include “Skating for Defensemen” and “Quick Start Mechanics”. These will be quick, inexpensive, and exceptionally useful for coaches who want to get more information about certain topics.

Virtual Hockey Skating 4

We are looking to offer virtual Hockey Skating 4 courses by early 2022. This program will consist of both webinars and an exam for certification. For coaches interested in the content but not the certification, you will be able to purchase the webinars only at a discounted rate. Hockey Skating 4 addresses the elite level player, long-term coaching, as well as the business side of building a brand.

I could not be more excited for the future of PSA Hockey.

Every day more PSA coaches are teaching hockey players, and as we pull ourselves out of the COVID quagmire, it is in everyone’s best interest to stay open minded about expanding professional opportunities. My story is not unique, and I am simply one example of hundreds of skating-centric coaches who have had positive experiences in the hockey community. We would love to hear from all of you and begin a dialogue about how the PSA Hockey Skating program can best serve our membership, and the sports community as a whole. Please feel free to reach out to myself or any of the committee members if you’d like to discuss the power skating business. If you have not started working with players in your area, consider the PSA Hockey Skating program as a great starting point to build your brand and attract new clientele.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep your head up through the neutral zone!

BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES

PSA Grievance Process A

s of May 24, 2021, the PSA Board of Governors approved the decision to stop accepting grievance applications and discontinue the grievance process. Any outstanding duly filed grievance which has been accepted will proceed forward under the current PSA Grievance rules. The PSA Board will be amending its Bylaws to reflect this change.

The PSA began the grievance process 50 years ago to fill a need to resolve disputes between coaches by individuals who understood the skating industry. Today, a party may file a grievance with U.S. Figure Skating, ISU, another member federation, and the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

Each entity has their own rules, procedures, burden of proof, and legal resources.

The PSA’s grievance rules requires that only evidence submitted by the parties be reviewed. Other organizations, particularly U.S. Figure Skating and the U.S. Center for SafeSport, conduct their own independent investigations into the allegations with professional expertise. PSA does not have the infrastructure or bandwidth to conduct its own investigations. This will allow PSA to focus on its core mission of education, accreditation, and training quality coaches around the world.

PSA currently recognizes disciplinary actions of other member organizations and will continue to do so in the future.

Notice of the PSA PSA Board of Governor’s decision was first announced during the General Assembly of the 2021 PSA Summit.

The ethics page of the PSA website has been temporarily disabled and is under revision due to this change. Updated information and a revamped ethics page are coming soon!

It's that time again.

Time to gain compliance.

Are you ready? www.skatepsa.com/compliance

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JULY/AUGUST 2021

About Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are the National Hockey League’s newest franchise, set to play their inaugural season in 2021-2022 at Climate Pledge Arena at Seattle Center. www.nhl.com/kraken

Seattle Kraken Announce Kraken Youth Hockey and Skating Academy Coaching Staff Hockey and skating programs will be open to the public this fall at the Kraken Training Center SEATTLE – April 14, 2021 — The Seattle Kraken today announced the coaches who will spearhead youth programming at the Kraken Training Center, including Learn to Skate, NHL Learn to Play, recreational and competitive programs. Chad Goodwin comes on board as Director of Skating. Martin Hlinka joins as Director of Youth Hockey alongside David Min and Katelyn Parker as Player Development Coaches.

The programs will begin in Fall 2021 when the center opens to the public. Registration will open in early summer for adult and youth Learn to Skate, Chad Goodwin adult and youth Learn to Play, and 8U, 10U, 12U youth hockey.

Goodwin comes from the Vegas Golden Knights where he established

their skating program, while Hlinka joins from the Canisius College’s Men’s Hockey Program in Buffalo, New York where he was an assistant coach. Min joins from just across the water where he was most recently coaching for Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association in Kirkland, Renton and Snoqualmie, while Parker, a native of Bellingham, is returning much closer to home after serving as an assistant coach for the Division I NCAA University of Connecticut Women’s Hockey team.

“The diverse experience this group brings, as athletes and as coaches, gives them unique perspectives that will benefit their students,” said Rob Lampman, Kraken Training Center General Manager. “They are all excellent additions to our team and will be integral to the development and success of our youth hockey and skating programs. I can’t wait to see

them on the ice developing talent and sharing the values of sport to create leaders of the future on and off the ice.”

The Kraken Training Center will be a community-oriented facility consisting of three NHL-sized ice rinks, Kraken Bar & Grill, and team store. In addition to skating and hockey lessons, fans will be able to participate in countless activities, from watching Kraken team practice to attending public skate sessions and more.

This week, a significant construction milestone is taking place as all three rinks receive their ice slabs.

These concrete slabs will be laid over the cooling lines and provide a smooth foundation for the ice. On Rink 1 where the team will train, over 300 yards of concrete will be poured which will then cure for one month.

The ice installation process will begin in July. To see pictures from the pour please check out our media page at www.nhl.com/kraken.

Kraken Training Center Kraken Training Center is set to open fall 2021 and will serve as the hockey hub of the Pacific Northwest. Not only will it house the team’s official practice rink, but it will also be a community-oriented facility for adult and youth hockey, figure skating, leagues, events and more. The facility is located just five miles north of downtown Seattle at Northgate Mall, and will have three ice rinks, an official team store, restaurant and bar, and Kraken staff offices. A full schedule of activities and registration will launch summer 2021.

PS MAGAZINE

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NEW MEMBERS

38

NEW MEMBER

SPONSOR

NEW MEMBER

SPONSOR

Kayla Barlow

Jimmie Santee

Darius Radziszewski

Robby Glantz

Sabrina Brewington

Ashley Wyatt

Sarah Rasavanh

Elena Tobiash

Benjamin Brisebois

Carol Rossignol

Brittney Rivelli

Jimmie Santee

Taylor Brittain

Erik Larson

Julianne Pondelli

Hailey Callahan

Karen Lambert

Aimee Rooney Shaughnessy

Carolynn Golden

Jimmie Santee

Kristine Sabo

Jimmie Santee

Mckayla Gunderson

Jimmie Santee

Christie Sausa

Paul Wylie

Romain Haguenauer

Carol Rossignol

Molly Schelosky

Lindsay Page O'Donoghue

Sophia Heidtke

Sarah Kiel

Kristen Seeba

Jimmie Santee

Jayna Hosman

Carri Siroky

Anna Senjem

Ferelith Senjem

Kayla Hunter

Kent D. Johnson

Kevin Shum

Tina McPherson

Michaela Jaeger

Jimmie Santee

Daniela Sovak

Scott Davis

Summer Jones

Alana Summer

Natalia Suarez

Ana Cecilia Cantu Felix

Joe Kang

Viktor Pfeifer

Shelby Sylvester

Mindi Swallow Priskey

Klabera Komini

Mindi Priskey

Mackenzie Thaxton

Jimmie Santee

Hailey Kops

Lisa Kops

Judy Thomas

Jamie Lynn Santee

Jennifer Lagomarsino

Dmytri Ilin

Cassidy Tull

Laura Sanders

Kori Lambert

Jimmie Santee

Beverly Wooden

Daniil Barantsev

Lauren Leonesio

Bailey Styzinski

Kristen Lester

Shaylun Young

Kae Mankovich Geller

Jimmie Santee

Pam McCracken

Scott Davis

Thea Milburn

Jimmie Santee

Edward Minkoff

Christie Sausa

Natalie Motley

Jeff DiGregorio

Kathryn O'Brien

Jimmie Santee

Stacy O'Daffer

Lisa Ware

Collin Ogren

Jan Sullivan

Natalia Pizarro Suarez

Ana Cecilia Cantu Felix

Cordelia Pride

Robbie Kaine

Elsie Proudfoot

Scott Davis

Jack Quinn

Jamie Jones

Marisa Radow

Gerry Lane

JULY/AUGUST 2021

We lc coac ome hes!

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! skatepsa.com/membership

Membership Anniversaries We would like to recognize the dedicated members who have supported the PSA and our profession for so long. We value your commitment to education and skating.

30

30 Years James Bowser Jana Brazee Dawn Frisch-Franklin Mary Lynn Gelderman Darin Hosier

40 50 60

Jeannie Lafornara Jennifer Licciardi Sherry Marvin Carole Fortini Mercer Jeffrey Nolt

Linda Putkonen Leslie Sharrio Serguei Soukhanov Sheila Thelen John Thomas

Holly Viall Thad Wocasek Kirk Wyse

Melanie Bolhuis Patricia D’Alonzo Joanie Glick

Priscilla Hill-Wampler Susan Mitchell Billy Schneider

Donna Schoon Kathy Zarpaylic

Marie Millikan Lorraine Nelson

Patricia Noska

David Shulman

Maude White

40 Years June Banasik Denise Beaumont Linda Marie Blount 50 Years Vera Bowen Robert Crowley 60+ Years Carole Shulman

Shulman Award for Lifetime Achievement Recipients

Y

ou can imagine our complete astonishment when the Shulman Award for Lifetime Achievement was so graciously given to the PSA office staff. This action was extremely thoughtful and appreciated more than you know.

After what has been the most challenging year, both personally and professionally, this recognition means so much. We believe

deeply in the PSA mission of education and accreditation, and we are proud to be part of the PSA team.

When we selected the “TEAM PSA” theme last year, none of us realized just how important that mantra would become. The staff truly came together like never before. On the days when we felt like we had nothing left to give, the PSA team was right there with support for each other. We have worked so hard to do more, be more, and be the very best in order to support our members throughout the pandemic.

Translating gratitude into words from feelings is one of the most difficult things to do, especially when it comes from a deep place. As we reflect on this honor, we want to be clear. We are not just grateful for the recognition; we are grateful for the support to make it happen. The PSA staff would be lost without the volunteers that work alongside us through thick and thin and the members who make this organization run. Each of you should know how grateful we are for all of you. We are all TEAM PSA.

PS MAGAZINE

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CALENDAR of E V E N T S

JULY Date: Event: Credit: Lottery Registration:

July 13, 2021 Virtual Ratings – G, PD, CH (all levels) 1 PSA credit

Find our amazing educational content at PSA TV.

May 10-14, 2021

free trial & content | videos for purchase | subscription

Date: Event: Credit: Lottery Registration:

July 22, 2021 Virtual Ratings – FS, MIF (all levels) 1 PSA credit May 17-21, 2021

AUGUST Date: Event: Credit: Lottery Registration:

August 12, 2021 Virtual Ratings – G, CH, MIF (all levels) 1 PSA credit

Date: Event: Credit: Lottery Registration:

August 31, 2021 Virtual Ratings - FS, MIF, PD (all levels) 1 PSA credit

June 7-11, 2021

June 21-25, 2021

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

Skating Director/World Ice Arena, Flushing, NY

Highly motivated individual needed to oversee day-to-day operations of skating school, plus private lessons, freestyles, ice shows, clinics, off-ice programs. Full-time. Benefits. Salary commensurate with experience.

Email resume to ktortorella@worldice.com

World Ice Arena is fully COVID-19 compliant; we follow all CDC, NY State and Queens County guidelines.

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JULY/AUGUST 2021

The entire Summit is available to watch on PSA TV. Check it out!

www.skatepsa.com

202 2 S UMMIT

May 25–27

Chica go x

Join us in Chicago to reflect on where we've been and map out the path ahead.

There will be hugging, laughing, learning, sharing... crying?

It's been a rough road; we won't judge.

We'll bring the tissues and hugs!

y e n r u Jo

More information to come

take in the views on the Skydeck at Willis Tower