May/June 2019 PS Magazine

MAY/JUNE 2019

2019 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships

STARLIGHTS Silver Me dalists COACHED BY

Heather Paige, Jenna Halm

A Community that Cares The Professional Skaters Foundation was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation. The Trustees of the PSF have developed several scholarship programs for its members through a selection process based on established guidelines and criteria.

www.skatepsa.com

MAY/JUNE 2019

P HOTO BY MA R IS A JA R A E

COLUMNS 2

Over the Edge

4

President’s Message

6

Ratings

8

SafeSport

FEATURES

| Jimmie Santee | Christine Fowler-Binder

| Tim Covington | U.S. Figure Skating

12

Sport Science

14

Education

35

Best Business Practices

HAYD ENE T TES BY JAMES HASKIN S ASSTA

| Heidi Thibert

| Carol Rossignol

9

CER Visual Guide

16

Teaching Hockey Players How To Skate

19

Coach Laura Lipetsky

23

2019 Honor Roll of Synchro Coaches

27

U.S. Open Competitors and PSA Conference

28

Laura Kottlowski's "To Return"

| Kent McDill

| Terri Milner Tarquini

| Terri Milner Tarquini

| Nick Kraft

DEPARTMENTS 7 11 33 34 36

Professional Development Recognition Board Profile Professional Skaters Foundation New Members PSA Calendar of Events

See you in paradise!

Elizabeth Thornton | Editor/Advertising Carol Rossignol | Contributing Editor Amanda Taylor | Art Director

Find, Friend, Follow

Issue No 3 |

» COVER: Junior Starlights by James Haskins ASSTA

WWW.SKATEPSA.COM

PS MAGAZINE

1

OVER THE EDGE Jimmie Santee, MPD, MG

Safety and Your Liability A

s we get closer to renewal time, it is apparent that our liability insurance rates are going up. In discussions between our insurance carrier and their underwriters, surprisingly or not, the main issue is the number of collisions on free skate sessions that are resulting in an injury and our members being sued. In talking with our insurance carrier, it was suggested that PSA remind our coaches of their responsibility in helping foster a safe training atmosphere.

Their comment reminded me of an article I had written years ago called, “The Forgotten Art of Skating Etiquette.” I did several seminars on the topic and a companion DVD was produced and can be seen on PSA TV— it is free for everyone! I encourage you to share the link with your skaters and fellow coaches. It is our responsibility to teach our skaters safety and the rules that help create a safe and efficient training environment. Here are some of the highlights of what is important.

General Rules for Skaters: • Skaters should be courteous – “Excuse me, Thanks, Heads-up” • Look both ways before skating away from the barrier • When passing slower skaters, always pass to the outside of the skater • When skating towards another skater, and when in doubt, skate to the right Right of Way: • Programs have the first priority to the right of way • Lessons have the second priority to the right of way • Seniority has the third right of way and the responsibility to avoid collisions • MIF and dance have the lowest priority on designated free skate sessions Programs: • Programs have the 1st priority to the right of way • The program skater should be easily identifiable. Use a fluorescent colored vest or material that can be tied around the waist.

• Coaches should not follow a skater during the program Coaching Suggestions: • Closer to competition time, coaching should be done from the No Jump Zone

Edge Jumps Spinning

Stand Still Jumps

Edge Jumps

Harness Run

Lutz Corner No Jump Zone

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Stand Still Jumps

No Jump Zone

No Jump Zone

Lutz Corner

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

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

Christine Fowler-Binder Alex Chang Tim Covington Rebecca Stump Carol Murphy Kelley Morris Adair Phillip Mills Michelle Lauerman Teri Hooper Patrick O'Neil Cheryl Faust Janet Tremer Derrick Delmore Jason Dilworth Ben Miller-Reisman Kelley Morris Adair Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil Scott McCoy Kirsten Miller Zisholz Kelley Morris Adair Jimmie Santee

Teri Hooper Kelley Morris Adair Rebecca Stump Janet Tremer Angela Roesch-Davis Jordan Mann Heidi Thibert Jamie Lynn Santee Christine Fowler-Binder Kelley Morris Adair Carol Murphy Kelley Morris Adair Kelley Morris Adair Gerry Lane Tim Covington Mary Johanson Janet Tremer

PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVES Area 1 Martha Harding Area Area 2 Kimberlie Wheeland Area Area 3 Andrea Kunz-Williamson Area Area 4 Tim Covington Area Area 5 Angela Roesch-Davis Area Area 6 Kevin Curtis Area Area 7 Robyn Petroskey Area Area 8 Melanie Bolhuis Area Area 9 Lisa Bardonaro-Reibly

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Stacie Kuglin Charmin Savoy Sharon Brilliantine Liz Egetoe Lisa Mizonick Don Corbiell Josselyn Baumgartner Karen Preston

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

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

And to provide needed information quickly, accurately and efficiently.

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

The Professional Skater (USPS 574770) Issue 3, a newsletter of the Professional Skaters Association, Inc., is published bimonthly, six times a year, as the official publication of the PSA, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Tel 507.281.5122, Fax 507.281.5491, Email: office@skatepsa.com © 2017 by Professional Skaters Association, all rights reserved. Subscription price is $19.95 per year, Canadian $29.00 and foreign $45.00/year, U.S. Funds. Second-class Postage Paid at Rochester, MN 55901 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to The Professional Skater, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Printed in the USA.

• • •

• •

side or off the ice completely. Practice as you compete, compete as you practice.

As a general practice, do not let skaters skate behind you Coaches have the ultimate responsibility to control the safety of a session When teaching spins, it is advantageous to do so in the center of the ice. This cuts down on the skater having to travel straight across the traffic pattern to the barrier and less disruptive to the flow of traffic.

Coaching corners— a great spot to teach younger skaters who need closer attention.

Avoid standing jumps using the blue lines or the center red line. This can be very disruptive to the flow of traffic and dangerous for the skater. If required, use the area in the second half of the session, the rationale being that generally there is less skating activity as the session progresses.

We'll saveytohu!is chair for

Training Harness: • Skater to the left of instructor • Two hands on bar • Skater directly under wire • Jump in the center “third” • Support, do not lift • Coach’s responsibility to make sure area is clear of traffic

*

Last call for paradise!

May 22-25, 2019

BENEFITS of the NEW PLATFORM

PSA is excited to announce a brand-new e-learning platform!

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

Improved navigation Pre-bundled modules = less confusion Single exam E-learning platform offers 24/7 customer support

Visit skatepsa.com and click CERS at the top of the page

PS MAGAZINE

3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Christine Fowler-Binder, MPD, MG

Thank You! I

t is hard to believe that this is the last article I will write as PSA President. The last three years have gone by very quickly, but it has been exciting, challenging, and full of hard work. I can truly say that I have lead this organization with determination, perseverance, and heart, and hopefully I have helped PSA become stronger and more prepared for the future. Briefly, I would like to reflect on my Presidency and recognize the people who have helped me along the way.

There were many things I wanted to accomplish when I started my Presidency, but the top three goals and objectives were very clear. First, I wanted to increase communication amongst our own Executive Committee, Board Members, Committee Chairs, and PSA Staff. Secondly, I wanted to forge a stronger relationship with U.S. Figure Skating by signing a Joint Memorandum of Understanding and facilitate more direct communication with their respective committees. And thirdly, I wanted to develop a more cost-effective education platform (online education and webinars) to help our members receive affordable, quality education without having to leave their homes.

Our monthly Executive Committee phone calls help bring together all facets of our organization, allowing each of us to know what the other is doing. The first Thursday of every month the Executive Committee meets on a conference call for up to 2 hours to discuss finance, events, education, and the overall business of PSA. In turn, our Committee Chairs, Board of Governors and PSA staff are copied on the notes from the call. The weekly staff meeting notes are also shared with the Board of Governors, keeping everyone informed as to what PSA staff is doing: planning seminars, webinars, ratings, ratings prep, conference, PS Magazine, etc. Overall, I think this has allowed our organization to run more effectively, but I could not have done it alone. I want to thank my Executive Committee (Jimmie, Alex, Becky, Tim, Kelley, Carol M., and Christopher) for giving their time and expertise, at any time of day or night.

And a big thank you to the PSA Staff (Carol R., Barb, Heidi, Elizabeth, Amanda, Jamie, Jennifer, Donna, Mandy, and Jimmie) for always going above and beyond to help our Committee Chairs, Board of Governors, and Executive Committee get the job done. Our members are lucky to have you working for them.

Our relationship with U.S. Figure Skating has grown significantly and I am happy to see that more coaches are serving on U.S. Figure Skating Committees and are part

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ABOVE: Christine addresses attendees

of the 2018 PSA conference in Orlando, FL, last May. LEFT: President Christine at the 2017 PSA Conference & Trade Show in Nashville, TN.

of U.S. Figure Skating events. In June of 2018, PSA and U.S. Figure Skating signed a Joint Memorandum of Understanding that states that the two organizations will work together to provide coaches education at various events. I am thankful to Mitch Moyer for being at every PSA Board of Governors meeting and sharing his insight and knowledge as U.S. Figure Skating High Performance Director. Mitch is an invaluable part of PSA Board. His guidance has allowed us work with both U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Figure Skating on this year’s PSA Conference, and it was his suggestion (almost four years ago) that PSA should have a full-time employee at U.S. Figure Skating headquarters. We listened to him and hired Heidi Thibert for the position.

Having a full-time PSA employee at U.S. Figure Skating has been impactful for both organizations and has helped solidify our relationship with U.S. Figure Skating.

Providing quality education in an affordable manner has been made possible with our Webinar platform, PSA TV, and live streaming of events. The development of these new educational platforms and providing new content for these events was a huge undertaking. A big thank you goes to Jimmie Santee for helping administer the webinars and for developing PSA TV. And to many others who volunteered countless hours to develop the content for our webinars, thank you. There are so many people to thank, but please know I am thankful for everyone who has given their time to help our coaches learn more and become more educated in our sport.

Teamwork makes the dreamwork!

In closing, I would like to thank all of you for trusting me to lead this organization for the last few years. It has been an amazing journey. I am thankful every day for the relationships I have made and the amazing people I have been blessed to work with. I will miss my daily phone calls with Jimmie and managing the day-to-day business of PSA, but look forward to serving as Past President with a very talented Board of Governors and new President.

Thank you for a great three years!

RATINGS Tim Covington MFS, MM, RC

All Were Winners in Las Vegas!

BY R E B ECCA S T U M P, M S , MG , M M , R P D, C F F

W

hat an exciting three days of sharing coaching knowledge and networking at the PSA Ratings Prep Training event held at the Fiesta Rancho Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, March 11-13, 2019. With 56 coaches in attendance this marked one of the largest Ratings Prep sites the PSA has hosted in several years. In addition, there were 18 coaches taking PSA ratings exams for two days prior to Ratings Prep Training.

The primary focus of Ratings Prep is to assist coaches in preparing to take a PSA oral rating exam. Not only do potential ratings exam candidates participate, but others come to Ratings Prep to brush up on coaching tips and up-to-date coaching standards. Ratings Prep provides an opportunity to earn up to 28 PSA educational credits.

Sessions are held on ice and off ice covering various topics in each discipline. With a faculty of eight master rated coaches, seven ratings disciplines were offered in Las Vegas including free skating, moves in the field, group, program director, dance, choreography, and synchronized skating. Participants selected which sessions they wanted to attend according to the discipline and the track level (registered through master) of the ratings exam they were preparing for.

During Ratings Prep Training in Las Vegas, additional general sessions were offered over the three days. Kevin Wu of Jackson Ultima presented on boots and blades.

Along with the ever popular drawing class offered for

Interested in taking a rating? Explore the study guides at skatepsa.com!

free skate and moves in the field, there were sessions covering SafeSport, ethics, and education. An Intro to IJS session was held as well as more comprehensive IJS sessions with up-to-date ING FREE SKAT GROUP clarifications.

One of the highlights of this Ratings Prep was watching a great demonstration by Jason Dilworth as he tiptoed and fluttered his arms in his interpretation of “Let It Go” during Ashley Wyatt’s Intro to Choreography session! Another highlight was the wine and cheese offerings at the end of the first day where coaches could mingle and chat. Not only did the coaches gain a great deal of assistance in preparing for their future success in the ratings system, they also had great fun exploring the fun times in Las Vegas. PSA looks forward to hosting another Ratings Prep in Las Vegas in the future and is researching to find a new exciting hotel location!

RATIN GS

TION SAMP LE QUES GUID E TO

S

RATINGS GUIDE TO SAMPLE QUESTIONS

Instructor

Rating

Instructor Rating

PROFES

SIONAL

S K AT E R S

ASSOCIA

TION

Est. 1938

Trade your boots for slippers.

Watch and learn at your own convenience!

PSA TV is an on-demand video library of past conferences and seminars presented by the Professional Skaters Association as well as tips from master rated coaches, webinars, and podcasts. We proudly offer a selection of free content, videos for purchase, or subscribe for only $4.99/month for on-demand access to the full catalog.

www.skatepsa.com 6

MAY/JUNE 2019

PROF ESSI O N AL D EV E LO PM E N T Ratings Las Vegas, NV | March 10-11, 2019

Basic Accreditation (BA) E-learning Academy

Regina Barrera Alexandra Elizondo Mariana Martinez Caroline Nickerson Tara Patterson Justin Schumann Svetlana Serkeli Kelsey Stevens Walter Stevenson Tammy Sutan Cheriyon Thomas Ariana Veltre Cailey Weaver Anderi Zharkov

Dakota Delsey RG Tara Denkers CM,RG Kathy Goeke SPD Debra Hartman CFS, RM

Anna Kaverzina-Eppers CM Rick Reyor RFS Alexandra Vargo SM Andria Kelling CM, CG Delsie McCoy RFS,CM Christine Miller CM

Ratings Irvine, CA | March 14-15, 2019

Ashleigh Bauer RM Trista DeMuth RM Amanda Gelb RFS Danielle Montalbano RFS

Grace Orpiano RFS Sara Robertson CFS Kristen Robles RM Lauren Ross CM

Justin Schumann RM Katie Shepherd RM Charlene Wong CFS

Ratings Coral Springs, FL | April 6-7, 2019

Emeritus Rating Frank Carroll Emeritus 19: MFF-81

Lauren Kriegel CG Andrei Zharkov RFS Marisa Miner RM

Denise Viera RM Jeanine Goberna CM, RFS Cailey Weaver RG

Svetlana Serkeli RM

Foundations of Coaching Course Jacksonville, FL | February 24, 2019

Hansel Baxter Sarah Copeland Abigail Crawford Sabrina Dale

Allen Davis Melanie Jenkins Lauren Kriegel Sarah Jane Meak

Amanda Meek Sarah Milton Mira Shoukry Elizaveta Titova

Are you looking for additional PSA credits? Do you have an idea for a seminar or education event in your area?

Good news! The PSA offers the opportunity to broaden our outreach for educational credits and coaching seminars and is looking for educational partners and events that we can put a stamp of approval on and endorse.

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

PS MAGAZINE

7

This chart is a simplified view of the Center's Response and Resolution Process, please refer to the full policies and SafeSport Code of Conduct at safesport.org/policies-procedures

REPORT RECEIVED

U.S. CENTER FOR SAFESPORT: RESPONSE & RESOLUTION PROCESS

By phone:

720.531.0340 OR

Website:

REPORTING AND INTAKE

safesport.org/ reportaconcern

1. Is the alleged misconduct covered under the SafeSport Code? AND 2. Was the alleged misconduct committed by a participant within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements?

NO

Center does not have jurisdiction, makes necessary referrals.

YES

Alleged Sexual Misconduct Center has exclusive jurisdiction, will address and resolve.

YES

Alleged Emotional and Physical Misconduct NO Center has discretionary jurisdiction, may address or may refer to relevant NGB for resolution.

NGB handles all other SafeSport Code violations.

Intake process: Preliminary information gathering, initial contact with parties, interim measures may be imposed.

INVESTIGATION

REFERRED FOR FORMAL RESOLUTION

ADMINISTRATIVE CLOSURE: Insufficient information to move forward

1. Assign a trained investigator.

2. Conducts interviews, gathers all relevant information and evidence.

3. Prepares formal investigation report for Director’s Decision.

INFORMAL RESOLUTION

Respondent takes accountability for misconduct, Center resolves.

RESOLUTION

INVESTIGATOR’S REPORT DIRECTOR’S DECISION If a sanction is assigned, the Respondent may request arbitration.

Director issues a Decision as to whether a violation of the SafeSport Code occurred, and if so, assigns a sanction.

DECISION IS FINAL

ARBITRATION

8

MAY/JUNE 2019

This chart is a simplified view of the Center’s Response and Resolution Process, please refer to the full policies and SafeSport Code of Conduct at safesport.org/policies-procedures

Visual Step-By-Step Guide New and improved e-learning platform delivers CERs OV E RV I EW 1. Purchase a CER module in the PSA online store 2. Check your email for a link to the course content 3. Review the course materials, take the exam, and submit for credit

Access the e-learning platform by clicking My E-learning Courses while signed into your PSA Membership account.

Enter the module then review the course materials.

When ready, click Take Exam.

The 60-question exam must be completed in one sitting and you will have three attempts.

Each pre-packaged, pre-priced module contains four individual CER courses (one in each topic area). Choose and complete only one module.

Completion of the module will fulfill the CER requirement for U.S. Figure Coach Compliance for the 2019-2020 season.

A completion certificate will be automatically issued from the e-learning system.

PS MAGAZINE

9

[ BOARD PROFILE ]

The Greensboro Ice House Greensboro, NC

Kendall Ice Arena Miami, FL

Kettle Moraine FSC West Bend, WI

Skate Frederick Ice Sports Frederick, MD

Ice Den Chandler

Alex Chang

Chandler, AZ

Ice Den Scottsdale

Alex Chang is the first vice-president of the Professional Skaters Association, and current president-elect. After years of serving as a coach and choreographer for skaters at Paramount Iceland, in Paramount, Calif., Chang has transitioned to a management position in program development for skating programs at six facilities in Southern California as the Director of Figure Skating for the Rinks and Great Park ICE. He maintains a foot in coaching by working on choreography needs for individual skaters “mostly for the thrill and satisfaction of choreography.”

Chang expresses great pride in the recent accomplishments of the PSA board, while maintaining a healthy focus on what the board can accomplish in the future.

“We refreshed the format for the annual PSA Conference, including USOC programming and faculty, bringing in advanced teaching tools to all of our attending member coaches,” Chang said.

“We have also expanded our on-demand library (including PSA TV), and have hosted many webinars and live-streamed events for our members who prefer to learn remotely. Additionally, we have worked closely with U.S. Figure Skating

Scottsdale, AZ

Cincinnati Skating School Cincinnati, OH

Central Iowa FSC Urbandale, IA

Edge Skating School/ Edge Ice Arena Littleton, CO

Palm Beach Ice Works West Palm Beach, FL

Ice Centre at the Promenade Westminster, CO

Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena Pelham, AL

Marquette FSC and the USOC to continue improving coaches’ education and different aspects of coaching previously unexplored.”

Chang is a proponent of advancing the technological opportunities in coaching, and believes the PSA needs to continue on its current path of coaching in the 21st century.

“Technology is a wonderful tool,” Chang said. “We need to continue to refine our educational products and expand our course offerings through on-demand services, livestreams, and webinars so that all of our members can grow and improve our wonderful sport.”

Looking ahead, Chang will become president of PSA following the conclusion of the 2019 PSA Conference in May. Please join us in congratulating him on the start of his presidency!

Marquette, MI

Palm Beach Skate Zone Lake Worth, FL

Honnen Ice Arena Colorado Springs, CO

Rochester FSC Rochester, MN

World Arena Ice Hall Colorado Springs, CO

Carolina Ice Palace North Charleston, SC

Martha’s Vineyard FSC Vineyard Haven, MA

Park City Ice Arena Park City, UT

Hertz Arena Estero, FL

The Rinx Total Skating Program Hauppauge, NY

ONYX Suburban Skating Academy Rochester, MI

Alex with Jere Michael at the 2014 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Congratulations to these progressive training facilities dedicated to excellence in coaching both on and off-ice.

PS MAGAZINE

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SPORT SCIENCE Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC

The Mechanics of Movement Preparation B Y T I M P E L O T, S E N I O R S T R E N G T H & C O N D I T I O N I N G P H Y S I O L O G I S T U S O C

T

he secret to long-term injury prevention strategies and orchestrating impactful workouts for the long haul may lie in pre-calculated warm-ups. How one prepares his/ her body to move is critical. In sport, if the movements in practice, games, or strength sessions are fast, explosive, multi-planar, and require large ranges of motion, one must spend time in movement preparation sessions mimicking the internal demands of training. If not, then the door is opening to the possibility of injury as well as submaximal performance. Movement preparation is a high priority for setting up and maximizing training performance.

No matter the age or the level of athlete, a good movement preparation routine can have a significant impact on training performance. Systematic and progressive routines impact how athletes feel physically, emotionally and mentally. Movement preparation time is not just a time to begin calibrating the body to perform, but it is also a time to dial in an athlete’s attention and focus. As an athlete listens and learns how their body feels while moving through ranges of motion, they become more in tune with themselves internally. This awareness helps bring their attention to themselves and helps direct their attention, bringing an intensified level of focus for the training that follows.

High intensity movement is important. Warm-up games are fun to play, and they will always help spice things up every once in a while. However, if we need to prepare all systems for explosive and impactful training sessions it is important to understand the rationale behind not taking off too quickly into our warm ups. Sprinting, cutting, and jumping require the prerequisites of a proper warm-up.

Here, movement preparation is broken down into five parts or phases, each of which is progressive from one phase to the next. This may provide some understanding of why long warm-ups make sense for long-term joint and muscle health and when maximum performance is the intention.

General warmups can be combined with specific warmups. For example, low intensity jumps can be added towards the end of a warm-up to prepare for jumping movements. Additional warm-up sets for specific exercises, especially as the loads become heavier, can be useful to activate the nervous system for intense activity.

Capturing attention is another critical aspect of the

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MAY/JUNE 2019

Five Phases of a Warm-up 0-5 minutes 5-10 minutes

Tissue preparation (foam rolling, lax ball and etc...)

Low- intensity muscle activation (thermogenesis, prehab-shoulder, hip and trunk)

10-15 minutes

General mobility work

15-20 minutes

Dynamic movement (joint mobility/range of motion) and dynamic flexibility

20-25 minutes

Higher intensity neuromuscular activation, coordination (sprints, change of direction, games) and higher cardio-metabolic activation.

warm-up. It is crucial to find a mechanism to get athletes to be present and leave what happened 10 minutes ago behind. Do not be locked to specific exercise routines, but rather use categories and vary exercises. This maintains the effectiveness of the warmup without creating burnout.

The warm-up is a time to connect with athletes.

Music is a factor that can positively influence the mood and energy of athletes. The limbic system, which controls emotion, is engaged with music and the result of stimulating the autonomic nervous system is seen in the hormone and neurotransmitter changes (Murrock, 2005).

Music has also been shown to positively effect pain levels in individuals with chronic osteoarthritis (McCaffrey & Freeman, 2003).

Warm-ups should progress from low intensity to high intensity and low speed to high speed. Movements and drills should go from simple to complex, partial to full range of motion, and aim to activate before potentiating.

The time of the week may affect what needs to be done.

For example, everyone is a little sluggish on Mondays and everyone is more tired from training volume on Fridays.

What the athletes are warming up for will determine what needs to be done. High- intensity testing sessions or games will require a different level of readiness compared to a low intensity pre-practice activity.

Physiological Objectives and Progressions of a Warm-up Tissue Preparation

Reduces any joint stiffness by releasing intramuscular adhesions and trigger points that occur from long periods of inactivity or from intense physical activity. Prevents muscles from lengthening.

Thermogenic and Muscle Activation

Activities used to increase body temperature.

General Mobility

Dynamic Mobility/ Flexibility RFD (rate of force development), Energy System Activation

Activities used to increase blood flow, take joints through ranges of motion and prepare the body for movement. Generally, they are all the low-level muscle activation, dynamic and transit exercises.

Improves long-term joint health.

An activity that takes joints through a specific range of motion, while traveling over a prescribed distance. These movements are designed to reinforce athletic movement, increase dynamic flexibility, while also increasing the intensity of physical exertion.

An activity that takes joints through an explosive or rapid range of motion, as well as activating the energy systems needed for training/competition.

Psychological Objectives of the Warm-up The amount of time allotted for the warmup, the priority of that moment, the population and injury history of athletes, athlete age, environmental factors, training volume, and specific areas of soreness or stiffness are all factors into what determines the warm-up.

Older athletes, for example, may need more time for mobility while younger athletes might need more time spent on motor control. Having a feel for the athletes and team will help a coach’s ability to influential psychological aspects such as mood.

A warm-up with proper design and implementation can be an influential piece of the performance program and help get the most out of each athlete. The warm-up serves as a bridge each day for athletes. It takes them from where they are and gets them where they need to be. Some days the bridge might only be a few feet long, and others it might span over a hundred feet. Regardless, a quality bridge will get the athletes to their destination every single time.

Read the whole articleat www.teamusa.org.

Excerpted with permission from the USOC SPORT PERFORMANCE OLYMPIC COACH NEWSLETTER Volume 29, Issue 2

Engagement

Meet the athletes where they are.

Some days the energy might be high/low but no matter where it is, engaging with them will help influence their mental state.

Fun

The current state of athletes can often include pain, fatigue, soreness, and other negative factors. Having fun helps them get away from a negative state and towards a positive one.

Mood

Enhancing the mood and building excitement as the warm-up progresses can help athletes get to higher states of readiness. Most athletes will respond to excitement with excitement, so having a great mood personally may be important.

Team Communication

For team sport athletes, they will be asked to communicate in their sport, so including competition and communication during the warm-up is a good way to prepare them mentally for what is to come.

PS MAGAZINE

13

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

3 Sports Psychology Tips for Parents and Coaches B Y D R . P AT R I C K C O H N A N D L I S A C O H N

A

s youth sports psychology experts, we often work very closely with parents and coaches when we provide mental coaching for young athletes. Parents and coaches who are knowledgeable about "mental game" challenges and strategies are better equipped to instill confidence in their young athletes.

If you are a sports parent or coach, you'll want to learn how to improve your athletes' mental game so they can get the most out of their skills in competition.

Here's just one example of how coaches and parents can improve athletes' mental toughness using proven mental game strategies.

1

Sports Psychology Tip No.1

Lower Expectations

3

You might not know that coaches' and parents' high expectations for their kids can cause kids to feel pressured.

Parents and coaches sometimes impose their own expectations on their kids, with the intended goal of boosting kids' confidence. But often, this has the opposite effect.

When working with softball and baseball parents, for example, we help parents and athletes understand that strict expectations—parents' demands about how their kids should perform—actually hurt kids' performance.

Athletes who have high levels of self-confidence end up in the winner's circle. You want your athletes to feel fully confident at game time. That means you need to keep your expectations in check. Parents' and coaches' overly high expectations can cause athletes to focus too much on the results. This often makes them feel frustrated, especially when they are not performing up to their (and your) standards.

2

Sports Psychology Tip No.2

Watch What You Say

Here's how it works: Parents and coaches, in their sincere efforts to be supportive, often say things that kids interpret as expectations. For example, a softball parent, with good intentions, might say to an athlete, "You should go 4-for-4 at the plate against this pitcher today."

At first, you might think this sounds supportive. It's

14

MAY/JUNE 2019

what parents should say to improve athletes' confidence, right? Wrong.

Many athletes do not interpret such well-meaning input this way. In fact, we have found that young players interpret such statements in surprising ways.

Some athletes might think they need to be perfect at the plate and get a hit every time at-bat, and if they don't they are letting down the parent or the coach.

You might think this sounds like a stretch, but this is how the minds of young athletes works. Kids internalize or adopt your high expectations, then become overly concerned or worried about getting a hit every time at-bat out of the fear of letting others down.

Sports Psychology Tip No.3

Emphasize Process Over Results Be careful about the expectations you communicate to your young athletes. We suggest you instead focus on more manageable goals or objectives that help kids focus on the process.

For example, you might ask softball players to see the ball early when at-bat or let go of mistakes quickly. Your players can accomplish these important objectives more often than getting a hit every time at bat.

If you, as coaches or parents want to help your young athletes achieve their full potential in sports and reap the many benefits, be sure to acquaint yourself with these and many other mental game strategies to improve success.

Lisa Cohn, award-winning parenting writer and Dr. Patrick Cohn, Youth Sports Psychology expert, are co-founders of the Ultimate Sports Parent.

Article reprinted with permission from Peak Performance Sports, Mental Training for a Competitive Edge. Learn more at www.peaksports.com.

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PS MAGAZINE

15

Teaching Hockey Players How to Skate

By Kent McDill

16

MAY/JUNE 2019

M

ost successful skating facilities face the conflict of ice time for both figure skating and hockey practice and competitions. Although it is a battle, it is not a bad one to have. It indicates an abundance of interest in the sport of ice skating in its various forms, and is better than having available ice time and no one interested in using it.

Figure skaters and hockey players are two different animals. They are easily distinguishable. In terms of competition, one participates in an objective sport with a clear winner, the other competes in a sport that is by nature subjective.

But both types of skaters have one thing in common; they skate. It is up to the coach to ensure that the athlete can skate to the best of his or her ability based on the type of skating

and competing they are involved in.

At a relatively early age, children who want to play hockey are separated from figure skating classes, even in the Learn to Skate level, to concentrate on the particulars of playing hockey.

For many athletes, that is not the best approach to becoming the best possible hockey player.

Coaches who concentrate on figure skating instruction can teach a hockey player how to skate stronger and more efficiently, if given the chance to do so. But the time and money required to learn to skate and to learn to play hockey is not always available.

There is also some pushback from people in the pursuit of hockey success against the idea of turning a hockey forward, wing, or defenseman over to a figure skating coach for advanced skating instruction.

the skill set and development.”

Learn to Skate classes allow children as young as 3 years old to get on the ice, and most hockey players start their careers on the ice in a Learn to Skate class. But, often, skaters who want to play hockey will transfer to Learn to Play classes as soon as they can, leaving figure skating behind.

Different facility managers see the relationship between figure skating and hockey differently. The storyline that the two pursuits do not get along may never go away.

“I would say there is a little bit of disconnect between the two, and there is some distrust,” said Jordan Mann, the facility supervisor at Oakton Ice Arena in Park Ridge, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. “Some hockey coaches don’t think figure skating skills are applicable, and don’t believe figure skating coaches know how to translate the skills to hockey. But overall, I would say the gap between the two is getting smaller and there is more of a bridge, that hockey players understand the advantages of edge work as beneficial.”

Jackie Brenner, the director of figure skating operations at Arctic Edge Ice Arena and Blazers Ice Centre in Oklahoma City shared her experience saying “I have worked with hockey players for 30 years. To me, it is a level of respect for them to understand what you can do for them in terms of skating skills, efficiency of movement.

I have always enjoyed success working with hockey players, all the way from grass roots programs to NHL players, individually as well as with teams on the local and collegiate levels.”

Mann, who runs the Oakton Learn to Play and House League programs and

also coaches hockey, says he splits his coaching time 70-30 in favor of hockey.

He is a USA Hockey Level 5 certified hockey coach and a PSA Hockey Level 4 certified coach. But he works weekly with 25 figure skaters and is a senior rated free skate instructor.

“There are plenty of programs that run both figure and hockey skating classes and there is a lot of movement between the two,” he said. “I don’t know of any figure skating programs that are purposely trying to draw hockey players in, but there is more of a push to try to get communication lanes open between the two.”

Brenner agrees that communication is the factor preventing hockey players from getting skating instruction from figure skating coaches, but says the communication deficiency is with parents rather than with athletes or coaches.

“A lot of times, the family will already have decided if their athlete is going to be a hockey player or figure skater or play broomball,” she said. “They have a preconceived notion, whether their athlete is a boy or girl. The communication gap is more in the family and the parents than it is in the young athlete. If you treat them in an athletic development sense, they don’t think anything of it. It’s not about the sequins and the sparkle and the competitions right away. It is about

“At the younger age, there is a disconnect between what is best for the athlete and what the player thinks,” Mann said. “Even older players suffer with the stigma of taking ‘figure skating lessons’. But players tend to see the value once they get into the process.”

It is difficult due to time and cost restraints to participate in both hockey and figure skating classes, and even more so from a cost standpoint when hockey players reach higher levels and require individual instruction from a skating coach.

“If they are at a lower level, they can learn a lot in a Learn to Skate program, but when they are at a travel or more elite level of hockey, they would need more focused work on the skating that applies to the hockey world,” Mann said.

Mann and Brenner agree that once a coach understands how figure skating skills can translate to a better hockey performance, reluctance to share the athlete goes by the wayside.

“If you approach the hockey organization, the proof is in the pudding,” Brenner said. “You get an opportunity to get your foot in the door and you work with an individual player or hockey team and prove you can make difference, the organization and coaches tend to have a greater level of respect, and realize more of what you can do with your programming.” continued on page 21

PS MAGAZINE

17

“WHEN LOOKING AT THE OTHER COUNTRIES, NOBODY ASKS, ‘WHAT’S THE THIRD-PLACE SKATER DOING?’” LIPETSKY SAID. “WE KNOW WHAT HER COMPETITORS ARE DOING, AND WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO WIN." Coach Laura with Alysa at the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships practice rink.

Laura Lipetsky B Y T E R R I M I L N E R TA R Q U I N I

W

hat happens when a driven coach, with an eye for that undefinable spark, meets an extremely eager 5-year-old in her beginning skating class?

Well, eight years later, figure skating crowned the youngest national champion in the history of the U.S. When 13-year-old Alysa Liu went to Detroit in January, she brought along an irrepressible smile, a bubbly confidence and an arsenal of triples— and put the world on notice.

“When the U.S. is looking to compete with the young Russians and the young Japanese,” commentator Johnny Weir said during the NBC broadcast, “this is the skater that can do it.”

Liu’s short and free skate programs both broke point records and captured figure skating’s attention.

With a total of three triple Axels over the two programs, and eight triples in the free skate alone, Liu was a blur of enthusiasm and ambition.

In so doing, Liu dethroned Tara Lipinski as the youngest U.S. national champion and became the youngest skater in U.S. history to land the triple axel at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and only the third to do so ever.

But none of this surprised her coach, Laura Lipetsky.

“Knowing all of the hard work that has been put in is what made the whole thing so exciting and rewarding,” Lipetsky said. “I’ve been with Alysa since the beginning, so I know that we started at ground zero and I’m proud of the skater and person she has grown into. It was so exciting that she showed

the world what she does on a daily basis. Whether she won or not, she did what she came with—and that’s really rewarding.”

Liu’s trajectory has been steep—the 2018 U.S. junior champion, proceeded by being the youngest intermediate national champion in 2016. All of this in relatively short order from when Lipetsky had a certain feeling about a smiling, eager little girl in her learn to skate class.

“What drew me to her was her bubbling passion,” said Lipetsky, a 1995 national senior ladies competitor who was coached by Frank Carroll. “She never wanted to leave the ice when she was little. I saw the same love of skating in her that I’ve always had. I look for passion and she has a real fire.”

During the NBC broadcast, commentators said that, prior to her short program, Liu was in tears due to nerves. Lipetsky said that it was actually the exact opposite.

“At competitions, she really, really steps up to the challenge,” she said.

PS MAGAZINE

19

Laura and Alysa take time away from international competition to explore the host city.

“There were no nervous tears; she was ready to go and very excited the moment had come.”

Barely a teenager (reality check: she likes playing with slime), there were a lot of eyes watching the 4’7” Liu. “I told her that this day—the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships— would never happen again, so to take it in and enjoy it all,” Lipetsky said.

“Once you’re at nationals, you’ve qualified to be here so it’s time to revel in that. Before she skated, we were having fun, we did a foot race, we were laughing. I told her that she’d put in the work and now she had the tools to get it done.”

Tools, indeed.

With the two most technically difficult programs in the ladies event, Liu made three separate three-and-ahalf rotation statements that might resonate until 2022 and beyond.

“When looking at the other countries, nobody asks, ‘What’s the third-place skater doing?’” Lipetsky said. “We know what her competitors are doing, and we know what we need to do to win. The plan is to keep progressing with our immediate goals, while keeping an eye toward the Olympics and building every day toward that, one day at a time.”

And there is plenty of time to do just that, as Liu is too young to

20

MAY/JUNE 2019

compete on the senior international circuit until 2022.

The age minimum of 15 in figure skating has been discussed and challenged before, as recently as last summer, when the Dutch federation submitted an urgent proposal at the ISU congress to raise the minimum age to 17 for international competitors. The proposal cited the need to cultivate more mature and well-rounded figure skaters who will flourish in the sport for longer, as well as curbing the risk of injury due to intense training.

“Part of me says, ‘If a skater is ready to go, let’s go,’” Lipetsky said.

“But I’m also a coach who always looks at the positives: Let’s get better and better and better. We can’t change the rule so let’s do what we can do, which is improve your own game and focus on being the best in the world. Alysa still hasn’t reached her maximum potential, so this gives her time to grow as a skater.”

With the Russians and Japanese dominating ladies figure skating, Lipetsky knows what that growth needs to look like.

“It’s time to start working on the quad again,” she said. “Alysa tried it at Regionals and fell. It was good that she put it out there, but, since then, we turned our focus toward nationals

and fine-tuning what she had. We will continue to work on improving her skating skills, speed and maturity on the ice. When you’re trying to be the best, you need all those things. We have our work cut out for us.”

Lipetsky has a lot going for her when it comes to training a skater who could end up being a significant figure in U.S. skating—first, she was trained and mentored by Carroll, and second, she’s not afraid to go all in herself when it comes to her skaters.

“A lot of sleepless nights,” Lipetsky laughed, when asked how she guided Liu to her current accomplishments. “I was lucky to have passionate coaches.

A little kid knows when their coach is working hard, and then they work harder. Kids know when their coach believes in them. When something is not working, I go home and study video and dissect the jumps, so I have a game plan when I go into the rink the next day. I have invaluable experience taking from legendary coaches like Frank, learning what works and what doesn’t work. I have an intense passion and drive for the sport and for my skaters to succeed. I want Alysa to be the best in the world because she has the potential to do just that.”

Figure skating is acutely aware that the last medal earned in ladies figure skating at an Olympic games was by Sasha Cohen in 2006.

Already having earned a place in the history books, could Liu be the skater that gets the U.S. back on the Olympic podium?

“That would be amazing,” Lipetsky said. “Every day when I go into the rink, I’m looking at, ‘This is what we need to work on today.

This is what we’re going to improve today.’ I always look at the daily process. Of course the Olympics is the big picture, but there are a lot of pieces to that puzzle. There’s a lot of work to be done before then.”

Lipetsky laughed, “And a lot more sleepless nights.”

Teaching Hockey Players How to Skate continued from page 17

“The argument of a hockey coach is that the figure skating technique is different and it can mess up the hockey stride, the hockey mentality, especially with quickness as opposed to sustained pushes,” Mann said.

“But more and more coaches are seeing that the potential detriment is outweighed by the potential increase in skills as a whole.”

Brenner believes there is a short-sighted issue among hockey coaches that creates the sense that figure skating coaches are incapable of providing skills which translate to hockey. But hockey coaches are teaching the fundamentals of a team sport. There is a presumption of skill in the hockey player, that he can skate to the level needed to play the sport. That presumption is fine to a point, but if a hockey player wants to excel and to grow in the sport, that presumption needs to be set aside.

“The agility and coordination it takes to succeed in that sport now is essential, and hockey coaches don’t always have the time to break down that skating skill technique and efficiently teach it,” Brenner said. “Summer is the best time to make a difference, to break down the skills and bring it all together in the offseason.”

Brenner has unique experience discussing the nature of a relationship between a hockey player and figure skating coach. She pointed specifically to Matt Donovan, a defenseman with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League.

“He figure skated with me and worked on power skating through the years since he was very young,” Brenner said.

“He will be the first to tell you figure skating helped his skill set and his development. There are a lot of athletes who have done both.”

Brenner and Mann agree that there is a degree of selling involved. The figure skating coaches must build upon existing relationships with hockey players currently to indicate to others the benefit of a relationship with a figure skating coach.

“If you are good and making a difference on the athlete, the word will spread you are the one to work with,’’ Brenner said.

Do you know about the PSA Hockey program?

The PSA Hockey Skating program is designed to teach skating instructors the proper methods of teaching hockey skating. The primary focus is up-todate techniques to help hockey players become better skaters. Courses are progressive with four levels of certification from Hockey Skating 1 to Hockey Skating 4. Hockey Skating 1 and 2 are currently offered in the PSA e-learning platform. Hockey Skating 3 and 4 may be offered at a PSA conference or a hockey-specific seminar or clinic. MORE INFORMATION AT SKATEPSA.COM PS MAGAZINE

21

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2019 2019 HONOR ROL L

Honor Roll of Synchro Coaches

2019 U.S. Synchronized Skating Champions

Joe Epstein - ASSTA

Haydenettes C OAC HED BY

Saga Krantz

KR Photogs Photography PS MAGAZINE

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PHOT O BY KR PHOT OGS PHOT OGR APHY

2019 HONOR ROL L

Honor Roll of Synchro Coaches

SKYLINERS

CO AC HE D BY

U.S. SYNCHRONIZED SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS 1

SENIOR Haydenettes

Saga Krantz

2

Skyliners

Josh Babb, Pamela May

3

Crystallettes

Holly Malewski, Shannon Peterson, Cathy Dalton

4

Miami University

Carla DeGirolamo, Lee Ann Shoker, Kelley Morris-Adair

1

JUNIOR Skyliners

Josh Babb, Pamela May

2

Starlights

Heather Paige, Jenna Halm

3

Teams Elite

Danielle Ostrower, Robert Peal, Lauren Roman

4

Fond du Lac Blades

Jennifer McMahon, Heather Pagel

1

A D U LT Crystallettes

Denise Dobert, Stacy Holland

2

Esprit de Corps

Deirdre Wilson, Erika Hoffman

3

DC EDGE

Jennifer Bacon, Elizabeth Rhoads

4

The Colonials

Amanda Werner, Chad Brennan

1

MASTERS Allegro!

Carrie Brown, Hilary Menestrina

2

IceSymmetrics

Charlene Lambros, Alyssa Lewis

3

Goldenettes

Alexandra Gamber, Dena Grissman

4

Denver Synchronicity

Alicia Jordan

1

C O L L E G I AT E Miami University

2

Western Michigan University

Carla DeGirolamo, Lee Ann Shoker, Kelley Morris-Adair

University of Michigan

Erin Donovan, Ashley Korn

4

Adrian College

Ashley Carlson, Bonnie Lynch, Brandon Forsyth

1

NOVICE Skyliners

1

I N T E R M E D I AT E Ice Mates

Saga Krantz, Eliana Marostica, Ashley Tomich

2

Teams Elite

Danielle Ostrower, Robert Peal, Lauren Roman

3

Skyliners

Josh Babb, Pamela May, Ashlyn Nadeau, Nikki Wylan

4

Capital Ice Chips

Becky Gallion, Hayley Bortke, Selena Morris

1

JUVENILE Skyliners

Natalie Martello, Nikki Wylan

2

Mini Mates

Kendra Meller, Ashley Tomich

3

DC EDGE

Jennifer Bacon, Christine Burke, Elyse Lerman

4

Teams Elite

Danielle Ostrower, Robert Peal, Lauren Roman

2019 U.S. Figure Skating Pacific Coast Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships 1

A D U LT Denver Synchronicity

Alicia Jordan

2

California Gold

Amanda Falkowski

3

Tremors of San Francisco

Chantal Hersey, Lindsey Wolkin

1

O P E N A D U LT Washington Ice Emeralds

Danielle Buckley, Ashley Keithley

1

MASTERS IceSymmetrics

Charlene Lambros, Alyssa Lewis

2

Denver Synchronicity

Caitlin Cattelino, Alicia Jordan

3

Washington Ice Emeralds

Sarah Berkshire, Rachel Franchock, Marie Grieshaber

1

OPEN MASTERS Cold Fusion

Charlene Lambros, Alyssa Lewis

1

NOVICE Matrix

Sarah Sherman, Alexis Kinney, Stefani Andrews

I N T E R M E D I AT E Team del Sol

Karen Wiesmeier, Janelle Craft

Alyssa Dutton, Amy Yuengert, Dean Copley

3

Josh Babb, Pamela May

Pamela May, Natalie Martello

2

Teams Elite

Danielle Ostrower, Robert Peal, Lauren Roman

1

2

Starlights

Jennifer Cherry, Kristi King

2

Fusion

Barbara Blada, Tiffany Shih, Ashley Tike

Martha Plummer, Debbie Buirge, Barb Foltz

3

Denver Synchronicity

Alicia Jordan, Caitlin Cattelino

4

Pacific Edge

Tisha Green- Walker

4

24

Dazzlers

MAY/JUNE 2019

2019 HONOR ROL L

1

JUVENILE Team del Sol

Karen Wiesmeier, Janelle Craft

1

OPEN MASTERS Allegro!

Carrie Brown, Kelsey Roggenbuch

2

Matrix

Sarah Sherman, Alexis Kinney

2

Lake Effect Flurries

Tara Allen

3

Evolution

Jenny Gibson

1

OPEN JUVENILE Team del Sol

4

Kalamazoo Kinetic

Laura Marunde

2

Flatirons Sparks

Kristen Alipit, Heather Hope Robinson, Fiona Rudnicki

1

C O L L E G I AT E Miami University

Carla DeGirolamo, Lee Ann Shoker

3

California Edge

Amy Bailey, Christopher Kinser

4

Sivler Stars

Laura Erle, Lauren Glavor

1

PRE-JUVENILE San Diego Shining Blades

Susan Morrison, Brian Thayer

2

Rose City Crystals

Sunshine De La O, Talia Marin, Kari Savoie, Crystal Uribe- Schoelen

3

Fire Crystals

Pamela Kurtz

4

Tremors of San Francisco

Chantal Hersey, Lindsey Wolkin

1

PRELIMINARY Tremors of San Francisco

Chantal Hersey, Lindsey Wolkin, DeDe Messner

2

Denver Synchronicity

Alicia Jordan, Gabrielle Talbot

Janelle Craft, Susan Morrisson, Karen Wiesmeier, Brian Thayer

JUNIOR Northernettes

2

Saint Louis Synergy

Western Michigan University

Alyssa Dutton, Amy Yuengert, Dean Copley

3

Adrian College

Ashley Carlson, Bonnie Lynch, Brandon Forsyth

4

Michigan State

Laura Sienkowski

1

O P E N C O L L E G I AT E Adrian College

Ashley Carlson, Bonnie Lynch

2

Miami University Club Team

Allyson Klovekorn, Cheney Lyford

3

Univeristy of Michigan

Erin Donovan, Ashley Korn

4

Trine University

Madeline Franchock, Rachel Franchock, Elena Rodrigues

1

NOVICE Teams Elite

Danielle Ostrower, Lauren Roman, Robert Peal

2

Dazzlers

Debbie Buirge, Martha Plummer

3

Crystallettes

Holly Malewski, Denise Dobert

4

Starlights

Jennifer Cherry, Kristi King

Alana Christie, Hailey Voss

1

I N T E R M E D I AT E Teams Elite

Danielle Ostrower, Lauren Roman, Robert Peal

Ramona Peterson, Charity Hendrickson, Hannah Meneely

2

Starlights

Jennifer Cherry, Nicole Marconi-Voloch

3

Capital Ice Chips

Becky Gallion, Hayley Bortke, Selena Morris

Katherine Jaessing, Angela Johnstad, Courtney Petersen, David Redlin

4

Fond du Lac Blades

Jennifer McMahon, Heather Pagel, Kayla Sellers

1

JUVENILE Teams Elite

2019 U.S. Figure Skating Midwestern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships 1

2

3

Wisconsin Edge

1

A D U LT Allegro!

Carrie Brown, Hilary Menestrina

2

Crystallettes

Denise Dobert, Stacy Sue Holland

2

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Heather Paige, Nicole Marconi Voloch

3

Starlights

Nicole Marconi-Voloch

3

Capital Ice Connection

Becky Gallion, Ashley Fisher, Aubrie Steinwand

4

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Alissa Mariage, Liz Smith

4

Chicago Jazz

Kristi Frank, Tammy Cervone

1

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Dawn Crowder-Dudley, Cathryn Tremewan

1

OPEN JUVENILE Chicago Skates

Jessica Burbano, Shannon Jahrling

2

Infinity Onyx

Helene Wolf, Deanna Willmarth

2

Dazzlers- Blue

Dana Murphy, Nicole Struble

2

University of Missouri

Rachel Bruemmer

3

Emerald Blades

Elizabeth Beatty, Jillian Westrum

4

Wisconsin Edge

Katherine Jaessing, Angela Johnstad, Courtney Petersen, David Redlin

4

Starlights

Alexis Kaplan, Nicole Marconi-Voloch

1

MASTERS Allegro!

Carrie Brown, Hilary Menestrina

1

PRE-JUVENILE Madison Ice Diamonds

Emily Dehmer, Chelsea Schlecht, Megan Statz

2

Goldenettes

Alexandra Gamber, Dena Grissman

2

Chicago Radiance

Nicole Paunicka, Jordan Kurry

3

Evolution

Brooke Sloan, Amy Wright

3

Teams Elite

Kristina Lohre, Tracy Sandler, Laila Schlesinger

4

Synchro Panache

Tracy Deering, Janet Hoitomt, Jerre LeTorneau

4

Fond du Lac Blades

Jennifer McMahon, Heather Pagel, Kayla Sellers

Danielle Ostrower, Lauren Roman, Robert Peal, Susan Burdick

PS MAGAZINE

25

2019 HONOR ROL L 1

PRELIMINARY Crystallettes

2

Katilyn Fargo, Jaclyn Young

1

I N T E R M E D I AT E Ice Mates

Starlights

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ONYX Synchro

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Team Image

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4

DC EDGE

Caitlin Gallagher, Nicole Davies

1

JUVENILE Skyliners

Natalie Martello, Nikki Wylan

2

Mini Mates

Kendra Meller, Ashley Tomich

2019 U.S. Figure Skating Eastern Synchronized Skating Sectional Championships

Saga Krantz, Eliana Marostica, Ashley Tomich

1

JUNIOR Team Image

Cindy Kim, Alexis Leahy

3

Team Image

Cindy Kim

2

DC EDGE

Jenny Bacon, Christine Burke, Elizabeth Rhoads

4

DC EDGE

Jenny Bacon, Christine Burke, Elyse Lerman

3

Team Delaware

Wendy Deppe, Megan O'Donnell 1

OPEN JUVENILE Skyliners

Celeste Cote-Estrada, Natalie Martello

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Sarah Blosat, Stacey Richmond- Orfini, Lori Zimmerman

4

Shadows

Valerie Legutko, Kari Pace, Gina Valenzano- Gomez

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Sarah Blosat, Alexandra Sais, Lori Zimmerman

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Kimberley Sutton, Brielle Frieda, Victoria Mueller

4

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Christine Burke, Caitlin Gallagher

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PRELIMINARY Skyliners

Sarah Blosat, Ashley Mulhern, Nina Newby

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Team Excel

Merita Mullen, Lee Anne Filosa, Johanna Jackson

4

Team Excel

Merita Mullen, Melissa Delano, Kristin Curran

1

A D U LT DC EDGE

Jenny Bacon, Elizabeth Rhoads

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Esprit de Corps

Deirdre Wilson, Erika Hoffman

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Team Image

Cindy Kim

1

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Amy Henderson, Janice Reinke

2

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John Merrill

Sarah Blosat, Sennett Cooke, Celeste Cote- Estrada

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Team Excel

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O P E N C O L L E G I AT E University of New Hampshire

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Mirror Images

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Orange Experience at Syracuse University

Lisa Mirabito

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Boston College

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26

MAY/JUNE 2019

TA ES HA SKI NS ASS PHO TO BY JAM

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PS MAGAZINE

27

Laura Kottlowski’s

To Return

BY TERRI MILNER TARQUINI

PHOTOS BY MARISA JARAE &

LAURA KOTTLOWSKI

“What is it about the fleeting nature of things that draws us toward them? Rareness defines value, urgency. It’s there one day, one minute—gone the next.” » Laura Kottlowski, “To Return” 28

MAY/JUNE 2019

L

aura Kottlowski is seriously cutting edge.

It’s not just that she is a high alpine lake figure skater.

It’s not just that she has skated in ice caves, on top of glaciers, and in the crooks of mountains.

It’s not just that she has hiked long miles and up daunting inclines in freezing temperatures

“I thaw the roots of figure skating, inspired by century-old patterns. I bring new ones to life.” » Laura Kottlowski, “To Return”

in the hopes of finding incredible outdoor ice surfaces that look to be balancing on the edge of the world.

It’s actually all of those things, but then there’s also this: She just completed work on the first virtual reality outdoor skate exploration film.

A creative director, graphic designer, figure skater, and coach in Colorado, Kottlowski attended a

Virtual Reality 180 workshop at the Adventure Film Festival in October 2018, qualifying her to apply for a related grant.

“I realized the coolest thing I could do would be a virtual reality skate exploration film in Canada,” she said. “I sent them some visuals I had from a trip I did up there before and that sold them. They said they’d

never seen anything like this before.”

That’s probably an understatement.

It takes the right combination of time of year and temperature to produce naturally-occurring ice that can be skated on.

“When that happens, it’s sky over your head and surface that is smoother than Zamboni ice under your feet,” Kottlowski said. “There’s

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nothing more freeing.”

In December, Kottlowski was gifted the grant, awarded through a partnership of the Adventure Film Festival and Google.

Yes, that Google.

“180 film is newer than 360,” Kottlowski said. “It was discovered that it was actually rare for people to want to turn around when the subject matter is in front of them. The 180 virtual reality film is what’s in front of you, including peripheral vision. With goggles on, you can look up and down and can look to the left and the right.”

Once Google shipped her the

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virtual reality 180 camera equipment, Kottlowski couldn’t be restrained.

“I’d been jonesing to go back up to Canada and go ice exploring,” said Kottlowski, who had done outdoor ice exploration in Canada a few years ago.

“When this came through, I couldn’t wait for the adventure to begin.”

Two days after Christmas last year, Kottlowski and her adventure partner and photographer, Marisa Jarae, packed up a Toyota 4-Runner outfitted with “massive studded snow tires” to handle weather and off-roading, and drove over 1,200 miles to Golden, British Columbia.

“We had no idea what we were in for,” Kottlowski said. “We had no idea what the conditions might be like, but we were up for finding out.”

The conditions turned out to be hazardous at times, but the duo was undaunted. “We were stranded for several days in Golden with a severe snowstorm,” Kottlowski said.

“The roads were shut down due to avalanches.”

This wicked turn in Mother Nature actually turned into a gift, as Kottlowski, for the first time, was able to do figures on snow-covered ice. “Lake Abraham had three to four inches of snow on top of it, but it was smooth as glass underneath,” she said.

“I could’ve skated for miles.”

The resulting images of Kottlowski skating an intricate snowflake-like pattern through so much snow that her blade and the bottom of her boot is totally swallowed up, is stunning—and completely foreign to skaters who are only familiar with groomed rink ice.

“Skating through snow was new territory for me,” said Kottlowski, who competes in the World Figure & Fancy Skating Championships, where competitors perform figure patterns on black ice. “Being able to do figures and explore and glide on

ice masked by thick snow was wild. I just kept skating and making shapes and exploring.”

At some level, all skaters see themselves as artists and the ice as their unique canvas, which makes a film like this particularly beautiful and interesting.

“Laura’s appreciation for the roots of skating and watching her skate intricate patterns on the ice was emotional because I knew it was one of the few times that someone watching could finally see how much beauty there is, not only in the patterns themselves, but in the skater’s execution and abilities to be able to skate them,” Nicole Lemanski said.

Lemanski, who viewed Kottlowski’s “To Return” film with the VR180 headset, was a competitive figure skater who competed as a junior at the 1999 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the last year compulsory figures were included in the competition.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house at that nationals,” said Lemanski, an ophthalmologist. “As someone who holds these fundamentals so near to my heart, it was magical to see such beautiful skating in such a beautiful place (as in Laura’s film). The experience was even more magical in that I

could look around and be totally immersed in the sights and sounds of skating in the outdoors.”

“As I followed Laura around in the film, moving my head from right to left and watched her carve intricate patterns in frozen glacial lake, I realized this was really a celebration of so many things the human body can accomplish, and some of the fantastic hidden places on the planet,” said Lemanski, who took up skating again after 17 years away from the sport to compete in the World Figure & Fancy Skating Championships last September. “Skating can allow you to better understand yourself. The ability to follow Laura through the maze of trees in the frozen-over ponds and misty environments was surreal and you realize there are so many beautiful places to explore in nature— and so many places to skate.”

This is true exploration at its finest: From Lake Abraham, the brave female team of Kottlowski and Jarae took their ice quest to places such as Banff National Park, Canmore, Calgary, Edmonton, and North Jasper National Park.

In their searches, they discovered ice so smooth Kottlowski could jump and spin, an extremely wide frozen river that appeared to stretch as far as the eye could see, and tractorgroomed ice trails running through

“It’s beautiful when awe happens—flooded, shrouded, preserved— ’til spring’s thaw.

Freedom and surrender.

Sweat and frostbite.” » Laura Kottlowski, “To Return”

some cities and towns—some of the trails which are so large they have ice rinks inside the skating loop.

“It is so cool how many areas up there have embraced outdoor skating,” she said. “I could live there and just skate outside all of the time.

Can you imagine how amazing that would be?”

And there it is: The sense of wonder that is Kottlowski’s hallmark whenever she talks about her outdoor skating adventures.

Once she began viewing some

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of the footage with the 180 headset, Kottlowski was both eager and apprehensive to get an immersed view of what the film would eventually look like, which was a big deal considering it’s one thing to see skating in a two-dimensional movie—and an entirely different thing when enveloped in a virtual reality 180 experience.

“To the viewer, it could feel super-smooth or it could be nauseainducing,” she said. “I had to get a feel for what it would be like, what it would feel like, what it would look like.

Outdoor skating isn’t always smooth.”

But the overriding interest for Kottlowski was bigger than just the mechanics, it was in the pure joy of skating and breathtaking beauty of the naturally-occurring ice.

“I just kept thinking, ‘How can I bring people into this world?’” she said.

“This is a magical world that few people get to experience. How can I best share that with them so that they really, really get it?”

The finished five-minute-and-fortyfive second film has struck a chord with early viewers.

“Skating always seems to bring with it a nostalgic feeling; people have gotten emotional,” Kottlowski said. “When you’re in the headset it really transports you to a euphoric place. Non-skaters have been speechless. Skaters have gotten teary-eyed and said, ‘Thank you.’”

It is an immersive experience that draws on memories and touches the heart.

“She took the opportunity to make the most of the VR experience—you can look up and down and left and right, you can see things coming at you and moving away, you see things from her perspective and you see her skating up close and far away, and you can follow her from one side of the lake to the other,” Lemanski said.

“There is sun and shade and mist and bubbles, the sounds of nature, music and voice. This array of experiences submerges the viewers senses and allows anyone to be drawn into the film, whether they are an Olympic

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“Twenty-six years on ice have shaped my life. Twenty-six years comprised of moments: humility, flight, freedom, creativity, joy.” » Laura Kottlowski, “To Return”

figure skater or have never seen figure skates in their life.”

“For any skater, the dedication, determination and desire needed to succeed in skating influences other aspects of daily life,” Lemanski said.

“This virtual reality experience is not contained; this is the first time that you aren’t static and staring at the screen in front of you. Instead, you are drawn in and invited on the journey.”

And that’s really what’s at the heart of skating: All that makes skating what it is, is also what makes all skaters who they are.

“All of that comes through in the film,” Kottlowski said. “Childlike love and joy and enthusiasm, mixed with total awe.”

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

Officers, Board Members and Trustees PRESIDENT Carol Murphy VICE PRESIDENT Kelley Morris-Adair TREASURER Scott McCoy SECRETARY Gerry Lane BOARD MEMBER

Paul Wylie Carol Rossignol Tim Covington Patrick O'Neil Jill Maier-Collins TRUSTEE

Richard Dwyer Cindy Geltz Robbie Kaine Wayne Seybold Moira North Curtis McGraw Webster Skaters' Fund – Donation Levels: • Platinum • Diamond • Gold • Silver • Bronze

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

Recognition opportunities for donors available The 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!

Scholarship Recipients The Professional Skaters Foundation is pleased to announce that five of our members have been awarded a Walter and Irene Muehlbronner Scholarship in the amount of $ 1,000 to be used for reimbursements of direct expenses for attending a Conference, Clinic, Seminar, or Ratings Prep program during the year 2019.

Congratulations to Kathy Goeke, Nicole Kappenhagen, Grace Orpiano, Crystal Smith, and Tiffany Thornton for their commitment to coaching and their desire to continue their education.

The Walter and Irene Muehlbronner Scholarship is available to PSA members for attendance at PSA education programs such as Ratings Prep, Nationwide Seminars, State Workshops or the International Conference. Scholarships are intended for the reimbursement of associated fees to attend PSA education programs. Four to five scholarships are awarded annually up to $1,000 each. More information can be found on our website at www.skatepsa.com. The annual deadline for applications is January 1.

The Don Laws Apprentice Scholarship offers three merit based apprentice scholarships, each intended for the reimbursement of direct expenses incurred for attending the PSA Apprentice Development Program at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Minnesota. Direct expenses include travel to the program site, lodging, and meals.

Awards are based on dedication to coaching, sound character, and The PSF ethical practices. Additional information can also be found on our th r o ugh the Ska website at www.skatepsa.com. The annual deadline for applicaters' Fund has d tions is April 1. is The Professional Skaters Foundation (PSF) was founded to expand the educational opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable foundation.

tributed 71,000 to 2 5 coaches sin ce April 2015 $

Please consider supporting the PS Foundation.

Donations can be made via our website at skatepsa.com or checks can be mailed, payable to the PS Foundation, (please indicate the specific program you wish to support) at: PSA Attn: PS Foundation 3006 Allegro Park Lane SW Rochester, MN 55902 Please include your email address on the check.

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NEW MEMBERS

NEW MEMBER

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Alexandra Elizondo Perez Sara Bucio

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Nathan Evancho

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MAY/JUNE 2019

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! Visit www.skatepsa.com to learn more about PSA membership opportunities.

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BEST BUSINESS PRACTICES Nick Kraft, RFS, CM, MG, MPD

Knowing the Flow: Feng Shui for Directors O

ne thing figure skating coaches emphasize daily is flow. It’s what we teach - skating isn’t skating without it. It is even a focal point for several patterns of moves in the field. Knowing and understanding flow is not only important for figure skating coaches, but for skating directors as well. What is the flow of your program, physically and metaphorically? Just as a skater with good continuous flow has a higher chance of passing their moves test, a rink and learn to skate program with good flow should also expect better success. Yes, there are several factors that play into both scenarios, but we know attention to detail and diligence pays off in the end.

Physical Flow The ancient Chinese developed an art of placement, known as feng shui. Wildly popular among some interior design aficionados, the basic concept of feng shui is to create a home that allows for the free flow of chi, or energy. The more energy flowing through your home, the more energy you in turn have, feeding your health and happiness.

Think about a really great, engaged group learn to skate class—lots of variety with traffic patterns, contagious energy, and constant movement…you could say a class like that has great flow. Now imagine a really slow moving class with an unenthusiastic coach keeping her hands in her pockets…not the same vibe, right?

Zoom out away from the fishbowl of the ice surface and observe the current feng shui for both the exterior and interior parts of your building. The next time you pull into the parking lot of your facility, adjust your perspective to that of a first time visitor. What are your general impressions? If the weather is beautiful, are the grounds well-maintained or are the bushes overgrown and the flowerbeds withered? If the weather is inclement, is there salt on the sidewalk and has any snow been shoveled? Are the trash bins overflowing or are they emptied regularly?

Think about the kind of chi the entire façade welcomes through the front doors.

When you first walk into the building, notice the quality of the flooring. Look up towards the air vents— are there more dust bunnies than patrons? Is there a general feeling of cleanliness? Are there any major safety hazards? (If there are, stop reading this article and alert the general manager.)

Now, take off your director or coach hat and step into the role of a parent wanting to sign up their child

for classes. Yes, there is the great resource known as the internet and your website should offer a plethora of information and preferably a way to sign up. That being said, you still want to capture registrations from people joining a birthday party, or those in the building to watch a friend play hockey or perform in a recital. When you look around the building, where are your eyes being directed? Are you marketing a $5 beer or a $100 class? Which pays off more in the long run?

If your program doesn’t have eye catching signage drawing people to information about your classes, consider adding something to do so. Is the staff at the front desk knowledgeable and friendly? They can encourage flow of participants towards or away from your program. As an aside, it never hurts to check in on new hires by calling the front desk to ask general questions about your program. Once you have captured your registrations, how do your participants know where to check in and meet their instructors?

So you have good traffic flow for learn to skate classes, people know where to go and what to do—that’s a great victory and you deserve a pat on the back. But before you get too comfortable, what is your relationship with these customers? Are the coaches speaking with the parents before and after class, and does the director know what is actually happening on the ice and what is being discussed in the stands?

These people walking through your doors once a week carry a huge impact when marketing your program. And they don’t even directly affect your advertising budget.

What they tell their friends about their impression of your program has the power to either bring new people to your door or keep them from ever entering your parking lot. You want good impressions to flow out from their mouths.

Metaphorical Flow We want the physical flow of our patrons to be continually inward and outward, meaning they all need to leave the building at some point. As much as we joke, no parent or coach is renting out a cot in the maintenance room. On a deeper level, we know we want to build customers for life. Losing patrons is inevitable, but we want the cash to keep flowing in the building. Your Learn to Skate classes feed into all of your other integral programs, like public skating, hockey, and figure skating, as well as concessions continued on page 37

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CALENDAR of E V E N T S

MAY

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

May 11-12, 2019 2019 Pro Skaters Seminar Knoxville Ice Chalet, Knoxville, TN 4 PSA credits May 1, 2019

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

May 20-21, 2019 PSA Rating Sites Hyatt Regency Indian Wells, Palm Springs, CA 1 PSA credit per oral exam taken March 15, 2019

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

May 22-25, 2019 PSA Conference and Trade Show Hyatt Regency Indian Wells, Palm Springs, CA 36 PSA credits April 15, 2019

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

June 14, 2019 PSA Endorsed Event – Grassroots to Champions Prince William Ice Center, Woodbridge, VA 16 PSA credits June 4, 2019

JUNE

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

June 22, 2019 PSA Endorsed Event – Competitive Skills Seminar Lancaster Ice Rink, Lancaster, PA 5 PSA credits June 8, 2019

Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

June 23, 2019 PSA Foundations of Coaching Course McKendree Metroplex, O’Fallon, IL 12 PSA credits May 31, 2019

SEPTEMBER Dates: Event: Location: Credits: Deadline:

September 20-22, 2019 PSA Master Rating Site Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport 1 PSA Credit for each exam taken July 15, 2019

DECEMBER

Dates: December 6-8, 2019 Event: PSA Ratings Prep Location: Scott Hamilton Skating Academy/

Ford Center, Nashville, TN Credits: TBD Deadline: November 1, 2019

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

Starlights by James Haskins ASSTA

AUGUST

Dates: August 24 -25, 2019 Event: PSA Super Site – for coaches, judges & skaters Location: Utah Olympic Oval, Kearns, UT Credits: TBD Deadline: July 15, 2019 Skyliners by James Haskins ASSTA

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MAY/JUNE 2019

Best Business Practices continued from page 35

and any pro shops inside the building. Knowing this, it should be a high priority to know the flow and cycles of your skating program.

First off, it is important to recognize the cycles of your program. You may plan that in a four-year cycle your program will have grown organically from the excitement of the Olympics. Subsequent years will retain and drop some members, and most likely the fourth year will be the lowest. If possible, pull data from your system to see if that is reflective of your program.

Once you have a broad idea of your quadrennial cycle, break your year into quarters and determine if there are patterns in your flow. Most rinks experience higher volume in the winter and fall months. During the summertime, we often lose semi-active skaters due to extended vacations or other sports. Knowing the cycles helps you plan your budget, and tracking retention throughout the year provides your team with data to know how everyone is delivering.

Learn to Skate USA says its programs should aim for at least 60% retention, meaning six out of ten skaters are re-enrolling. Any program holding an 80% retention rate should be celebrating—they have a solid understanding of what their customer base wants and are most likely going above and beyond in providing their services.

The broadest and simplest way to look at your retention is to compile your numbers in a spreadsheet and compare trends. This is the easiest and most minimal way to keep a pulse on the flow of their program. This information translates into dollar signs for the rink and yourself.

You have the ability to dive deeper and really take a look at the overall feng shui of your program. Do you have any blocks, meaning do you notice certain classes where skaters drop off and don’t re-enroll? If so, consider pushing supplemental booster lessons in that class or splitting the level into two different classes. You may determine that certain coaches have a higher retention rate than others, but also factor in the levels they are teaching and how many skaters are in their class. If you assigned a coach two skaters in a higher free skate class and one skater doesn’t sign up the next session because of an extra-curricular play, the coach’s retention rate for that class is only 50%. If you have the time to plunge into your numbers at that level of supervision, be sure to recognize the instructors who are doing a stellar job of keeping enrollment high (and be sure to put them on your introductory classes and challenging levels since you know they’re great at keeping bodies in the building).

Know Your Flow Whether it is a quick walkthrough the lobby before class to make sure there aren’t any literal blocks in the pathway (who put that chair there?) or recognizing that one instructor has some great chi and shares it liberally with her classes, being repeatedly mindful of the flow in your program is essential. Utilize your local resources to ensure the building is kept in tip-top shape, and reach out to other facilities or mentors for help with developing a retention plan if you are struggling. At the end of the day, we’re all in this sport together!

Helping coaches in need.

The

Skaters'Fund 100% supported through contributions from the general public. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Donating is easy. Visit skatepsa.com and navigate to the Foundation page. Clicking the Donate button will take you to our online store where you may choose which program to support.

www.skatepsa.com The Skaters' Fund is a part of the 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable Professional Skaters Foundation.

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3006 Allegro Park SW Rochester, MN 55902

2019 U.S. Synchronized Skating Champions

Haydenettes C OACHED BY

Saga Krantz

PHOTO BY KR PHOTOGS PHOTOGR APHY

World Juniors

skyliners C OACHED BY PHOTO BY VILLE VAIRINEN

Josh Babb, Pamela May