September/October PS Magazine

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021

2021 Coach of the Year Patrice Lauzon Ice Academy of Montreal

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.

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021

PHOTO COURTESY SKATING CLUB OF BOSTON

COLUMNS

FEATURES 9

2

Team PSA

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President’s Message

6

Ratings

| Alex Chang

| Cheryl Faust

10

Sport Science

14

Education

22

Coaching Development |

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Best Business Practices

| Garrett Lucash

| Carol Rossignol

Exciting Rule Updates for Adaptive Skating |

18

2021 Coach of the Year |

26

New Rule Changes Coaches Should Know |

28

Practical Nutrition Goals for Coaches |

Courtney Fecske

Kent McDill

Juliet Newcomer

Julianne Pondelli

Heidi Thibert

DEPARTMENTS 7 30 34 36

Check the PSA Calendar of Events for a full list of PSA education opportunities.

Professional Development Recognition Professional Skaters Foundation

Up-to-date offerings and registration at skatepsa.com

New Members PSA Calendar of Events Elizabeth Thornton | Editor/Advertising Amanda Taylor | Art Director

Find, Friend, Follow

Issue No 5 |

Cover photo by Jordan Cowan

WWW.SKATEPSA.COM

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

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his year we are focusing on each member’s individual journey on the pathway of their coaching career. PSA offers a wide variety of content and services so coaches of all disciplines and all levels can pursue education and accreditation in a way that is most meaningful and beneficial to them. Just like our athletes, each coach’s journey is unique.

One of the most customizable education options is the Accelerated Coaching Partnership (ACP). The ACP (formerly Apprentice Program) hopes to encourage more participation in this valuable educational program by fostering new relationships between coaches, while offering more committee support to the program. The ACP will help you form an alliance with a masterrated coach who can help increase your knowledge and teaching technique in a personal one-on-one format. You and your masterrated colleague will develop a plan that pinpoints your needs as a coach and fosters your growth in the areas that you choose. Learn more at skatepsa.com.

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Where do you want to go with your coaching career?

www.skatepsa.com

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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 Heather Paige 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 5, a newsletter of the Professional Skaters Association, Inc., is published bimonthly, six times a year, as the official publication of the PSA, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Tel 507.281.5122, Fax 507.281.5491, Email: office@skatepsa.com © 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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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Alex Chang, MFS, RM

Connecting Our Past, Present, and Future T

his season, many of us are having ‘level set’ conversations in our work, in our businesses, and in our lives.

It is the right time to acknowledge our history, to deal with the present, and reposition ourselves for the future. If nothing else, the pressures of the pandemic have shown us our true strengths, our inner ‘why’ for what we do, our resilience, and our adaptability.

There have been many changes happening around the world, and so the world of sport and coaching would be no exception. First, I want to reassure all members that the PSA is in excellent financial health and well-positioned to take on our future. Due to the many changes we have implemented over the past two years, we are able to not just ‘level set’ but to take us to ‘the next level.’

The primary goal of the Board of Governors is to secure our association’s future so we can continue to serve you, our members. To accomplish this, we must focus on our core areas, avoid redundancy, reduce unnecessary expenses, manage assets, and do what we do best — coach education, accreditation and professional development.

The last two years have seen the PSA pivot all programming to incorporate virtual platforms/communication tools and has worked tirelessly to reduce expenses as well as transition to a sustainable business model. We continued to expand our business scope through our recent partnership with the International Skating Union in delivering ISU’s Coach Certification Program. PSA is now not only a global brand but has become a global business by being agile, adaptable, and by leveraging technology to further educate all coaches.

PSA has reduced PSA headquarters – July 2021 operating expenses and streamlined operations to further adapt to changing times regardless of the pandemic. This included taking a hard look at asset management strategies as well as the recent sale of the PSA Headquarters building. At one time, ‘securing our future’ meant building a brick-and-mortar headquarter — however, times change and markets change.

PSA leadership has kept an eye on building expenses for

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many years, but, over time, we witnessed expenses for maintenance, operations, and repairs continue to balloon, weighing heavily on budgets, expenses, and ultimately on membership. We realized securing our future meant looking beyond the building as our primary safeguard and focus instead on streamlining expenses, expanding our educational product and services, as well as adapting and embracing forward-thinking investment opportunities.

The PSA board and the PSA staff take our responsibilities to membership very seriously. The finance committee, the treasurers, and the board studied countless scenarios, all of which determined that the sale of the building would be required as part of proper asset management. And so, the Board unanimously approved the sale of the building which successfully completed on August 1. PSA will keep the same mailing address and most operations will continue uninterrupted. The sale allows us to significantly reduce annual expenses and reinvest these assets into a growth-oriented portfolio, into coach education and accreditation, and into a sustainable future.

With change comes opportunity to renew and reset, and we are excited to share our illustrious history with the world as we move the PSA into a bright future. We are excited to announce that two of PSA’s beloved bronze sculptures, “Ascension” (featuring Frank Carroll, Maribel Vincent Owen, and other skating greats) as well as “Reach” (featuring Paul Wylie) are now on display at The Skating Club of Boston’s new facility in Norwood, MA. Additionally, the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs has agreed to display many of our bronzes for fans of all sports to see in their museum (about 500,000 visitors annually!).

We are so excited for the many skaters, coaches, and fans to enjoy these important pieces of PSA history and our sport, up close and in-person.

Thank you for reading and on behalf of the PSA Board and the PSA Staff, we wish everyone a successful season.

RATINGS Cheryl Faust MFS, MM

Rating Examiner Pathway Program I

t’s not necessarily new, but it is virtually improved! The Ratings Examiner Pathway program provides a comprehensive education to trial examiners, ensuring all PSA examiners are of the highest caliber, both professionally and ethically.

As our virtual ratings continue to flourish, the ratings team identified a need to bridge the gap between a newly-acquired master rated coach and them becoming a rating examiner. Ashley Wyatt and Kelley Morris Adair were appointed to create an educational platform for trial examiners wanting to become full-fledged examiners. The main goal is in-depth education and mentoring of new examiners through their trial experience so they will be fully qualified and prepared to step into the examiner role.

Without on-site exams taking place, there has not been an opportunity for trial examiners to ask questions and get feedback on their thoughts and comments. Likewise, there is not a great deal of time to fully evaluate a trial examiner after a virtual rating site. We are excited to see the progress of this program for our new rating examiners.

Are you newly master rated?

Congratulations! You passed your master exam and want to become a rating examiner… now what?

Check List:

• Begin Tier I trial exam process — registered and certified exams.

• Trial two registered exams and two certified exams.

• Fill out tracking form.

• Attend two additional examiner advancement sessions (1:1) with discipline chair or working group member.

• Attend end of day round tables for discussion of trialed exams (discussion of process).

Contact Barb Yackel at PSA headquarters for the trial examiner application and trial examiner tracking form.

• Obtain advancement from discipline chair/working group member.

Return application and wait for approval.

Contact Barb Yackel for a calendar of rating sites to schedule trial examiner opportunities.

• Begin interim period as an official examiner on registered and certified rating exams, per office schedule.

Attend mandatory virtual examiner training session with Kelley Morris Adair and Ashley Wyatt prior to trialing exams.

• Follow up assessment (reflection) with discipline chair/working group member after third official exam.

NOTE – New Round Table Discussions At the conclusion of a virtual exam day, Kelley, Ashley and Barb will hold round table discussions open to all trial examiners and the monitors that were scheduled that day.

This is a great opportunity for our trial examiners to ask questions, hear feedback, and have a better understanding of sitting on the other side of the table.

We look forward to this program evolving into a unique educational and training opportunity as we obtain the most qualified and professional examiners for our rating system.

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New Tier I & Tier II Examiner Process

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021

• Begin Tier II trial exam process — senior and master exams.

• Trial examiners may be accelerated at the discretion of the ratings chair, discipline chair, or working group member.

For example, examiners that are master rated in other disciplines—and have active ratings—will not be expected to complete this entire process.

• All newly-appointed examiners will be acknowledged in PS Magazine.

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

Basic Accreditation Ann Biernat Anzhela Bogula Michael Bramante Juliette Jones

Hockey Skating 1 Emily Lashchuk Alexis Lord Bridget McErlane Grant Marron

Gianna Nelson Shelby Sylvester Patricia Weeks

July 13, 2021 Virtual Rating Exams Jacqueline Benson SG Alanna Collins RG Alexey Crogh SG

Alexandra Gerday SPD Chad Goodwin CPD Lindsay Johnston CG

Donna Jordan RG Bonnie Weinberg RC Drew Meekins MC

July 22, 2021 Virtual Rating Exams Dana Goldamer RM Jessica Kincade SFS

Inna Kuznetsova CM Caroline Nickerson CFS

Chelsea Winter RM

Natassia Dzemyanovich Madeleine Newby-Estrella Pamela Forster Jennifer Lupia Delandra Ramey Deana Spencer Christy Turner Sharon Wagner

Hockey Skating 2 Jennifer Edwards Jennifer Lupia Emma Ortiz Delandra Ramey Roxanne Tyler

Emeritus Rating

Hockey Skating 3

Vera Elliott Bowen from Fayston, Vermont – Emeritus-21: MDFD-78 Barbara A Fitzgerald from Henderson, Nevada – Emeritus 21: MFF-74 Paul Thibert from Windsor, Colorado – Emeritus-21: MFS-90

Sharon Nelson Corbin Heather Dirkman Kim Interdonato Jennifer Johnson Kelly Lynch Claire Lonergan Felicity Lothrop Beth O'Connor Delandra Ramey Christina Walcak

Rankings Alyssa Blackwell, Level 3 – Solo Dance Laura Lepzinski, Level 4 – Pairs Viktor Pfeifer, Level 6 – Singles

Thoughts on the Rating Examiner Pathway “There is nothing like having a community with the same journey and goals as yourself. Having the support and communication with everyone involved in this program has been very beneficial for my growth. I thank PSA for their commitment towards making us more confident and successful future examiners.” — Tara Patterson, Ice Den Director of Administration & Learn to Skate Manager – Chandler

Shannon Salter, Fundamental – Singles Brinti Trinidad, Level 2 – Singles Sally Watkins, Level 1 – Singles

“Being a trial examiner has brought to my attention how important it is as a coach get to the point of instruction quickly and directly, as we look for in a ratings candidate...The round table discussions that take place after the exams provide additional feedback on becoming a better examiner and coach while providing an opportunity to feel the support from some amazing, fellow coaches. The entire process is a great source of continued learning and growth; both personally and professionally!”

— Michelle Hocknell, Revolutions Skating Club

“The new Examiner Pathway Program is flexible and accessible giving the trial examiners both confidence in their leadership skills as well as clarity on the entire examination process. I am so grateful to the PSA community for continuing to organize, maintain, and increase its standards while providing a community for us as choreographers and coaches!”

— Kate McSwain, Co-CEO of American Ice Theatre

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Exciting Rule Updates for Adaptive Skating!

By Courtney Fecske, PhD, CTRS

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he Adaptive Skating Subcommittee has been hard at work advocating more inclusive and equitable rules for skaters with disabilities within U.S. Figure Skating. Part of this process included more clearly defining the scope of programming options for skaters with disabilities. Adaptive Skating is the umbrella term that includes all of the programming and opportunities that U.S. Figure Skating is providing for skaters with any type of disabilities or health conditions. Within this umbrella there is Special Olympics, for skaters with intellectual disabilities and Skate United, for skaters with physical disabilities. U.S. Figure Skating recognizes that skaters with disabilities are a diverse population with a wide range of needs and to be inclusive of everyone they have designed opportunities for skaters with different classifications of disabilities/health conditions. Skate United is a new program that they are very enthusiastic to offer!

Being that Skate United is new, the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee and Rules Committee needed to write some new rules and they are very excited that these rules passed at Governing Council!

The rationale for the newly approved rules is to support the inclusive development of athletes with disabilities, as well as establish a space for skaters with disabilities to actively engage in figure skating. The new rules will impact both testing and 6.0 non-qualifying competition opportunities!

Testing and 6.0 Non-qualifying Competitions and Compete USA Testing For moves in the field (MIF) testing, skaters with physical disabilities may choose to test on the standard track, Skate United track, or adult track if applicable. The

Skate United track is the same required elements but at a passing standard as one level below the standard similar to the adult testing track. It is important to note that a Skate United test would not meet the prerequisite requirements for a standard MIF test, so a skater cannot switch from the Skate United track to the standard track, but a skater could switch from the standard track to Skate United.

Likewise for free skate, testing skaters with physical disabilities may choose to test on the standard track or Skate United track or adult track. The Skate United track is the same required elements, but at a passing standard as one level below the standard similar to the adult track. It is important to note again that a Skate United test would not meet the prerequisite requirements for a standard free skate test, so a skater cannot switch from the Skate United track to the standard track, but a skater could switch from the standard track to Skate United. The rationale for this is to create a track specifically for skaters with physical disabilities and to encourage testing and sense of accomplishment for these skaters. Currently the Skate United testing track is only available for MIF and free skate tests; however, the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee will examine how these new rules are working and aims to expand the track option to the other test disciplines soon.

6.0 Non-qualifying Competition and Compete USA For non-qualifying and Compete USA competitions, Skate United has been added as an additional grouping at each level. A skater may choose to compete at their respective test level in either the standard competition group or the Skate United competition group. Competitions

should provide the opportunity for skaters to choose, which competition grouping best meets their competitive needs. The rationale for this is that the Skate United track is new and there is no current competition category for skaters with physical disabilities to compete against like peers. Additionally, skaters with physical disabilities may choose to compete in their appropriate level within a standard group should they choose. This encourages equitable competition and increased opportunities for skaters with physical disabilities to compete. It is important to be aware that at this time Skate United is only available for non-qualifying 6.0 singles events, however, the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee is working on developing equitable Internatoinal Judging System competition for Skate United skaters and they are hopeful to have this available in future competitive seasons!

Following Up Please reach out to the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee with inquiries about these new and exciting rules! The Adaptive Skating Subcommittee aims to recruit and support skaters with disabilities in their skating journey and strongly feels these rules will provide a strong foundation to do so. You can find more information about Adaptive Skating and the new rules in the members only area of the website.

The Adaptive Skating Subcommittee chair is Mary Johanson: coachmaryjohanson@gmail.com If you have any Skate United specific questions you can email Courtney Fecske at courtneyjweisman@gmail.com Author Bio Courtney Fecske, PhD, CTRS is a member of the Adaptive Skating Subcommittee and serves as the Skate United lead. Dr. Fecske is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at Indiana University-Bloomington in the School of Public Health, is a former Team USA Synchronized skater, and current official for US Figure Skating. She has founded and worked with adaptive skating programs and conducts research focused on examining the impact of participation in adaptive sports.

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SPORT SCIENCE Garrett Lucash, RFS, RM

Part 3

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

Key principle 2 (practice session design)

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ole of athletes as problem solvers.

As previously stated, the notion of problem-solving, ‘mental agility,’ and athletes’ abilities to find various functional solutions to complex movement and performance tasks lies at the heart of an ecological approach to skill acquisition training. This approach to performance on the ice translates into unique practice session designs that repeatedly reinforce the idea of continuous athleteenvironment interactions. Simply put, coaches should design practice sessions that are rich in task variability and encourage athletes to explore and find functional solutions to produce consistent performance outcomes, yet in various ways. Hence, athletes can become good problem-solvers when they are accountable for making their own choices and decisions, which is a hallmark characteristic of ‘selfregulation’ (Otte et al., 2021).

Further, notions of athlete self-regulation and co-design of practice tasks play critical roles to drive feelings of competence and motivation (see Figure 1). By including and actively involving athletes in planning processes, the ecological viewpoints of co-design and athlete wayfinding are demonstrated (Woods et al., 2020a; 2020b). Here, athletes take on an intentional and exploratory search for opportunities without being constantly steered in one specific direction by the coach. In contrast, when learning is ‘imposed’ on people, there can be an over-reliance on prescriptive verbal instructions and corrective feedback that orchestrates scripted movements, rehearsal, and repetition in drills (see Otte et al., 2020, for a review on coaching instruction and feedback methods). Many coaches still advocate that repetitive practice could enhance the ‘automaticity’ of movement control, meaning that a wellrehearsed movement technique, such as a double loop jump, can simply be ‘run off’ as if actions were internally programmed from ‘muscle memory,’ allowing the individual to perform ‘error-free.’ In such instances, this traditional learning approach will likely restrict the athlete’s learning of a skill and limit opportunities to successfully adapt their movement actions to changing conditions when the competitive performance environment demands it.

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Repetitive practice could very well be a key culprit of practice disorders such as ‘circling’ on jump approaches and ‘popping’ jump takeoffs.

The movement scientist Nikolai Bernstein’s mantra of “repetition without repetition” (1967, p. 134) advocates the ecological idea of athlete problem-solving nicely. Instead of asking athletes to constantly repeat the execution of a predetermined movement solution (to the same problem) in practice, a coach could instead challenge athletes to solve the same problem while requiring minor adjustments and adaptations when needed. As noted earlier, this problemsolving process may allow athletes to learn to find various functional ways of utilizing environmental information to coordinate the same performance outcome, a dynamic leap high into the air followed by a secure landing on the ice, with adapted movement solutions.

Role of coaches as facilitators.

Following the idea of athletes being the problem solvers, coaches have an enormously important, more facilitating role, emphasizing the careful manipulation of task constraints to design challenging learning environments and guide athletes’ exploration and search for meaningful information (Woods et al., 2020b). While it is this important to note that this approach does not advocate an overly passive coaching style, in which learners are left to ‘fend for themselves’ (randomly searching for solutions), a handsoff coaching approach aims to guide athletes’ discovery to develop autonomy in performance and self-regulate their continuous interactions with dynamic task and environmental constraints. Here, coaches guide athletes’ attention towards relevant information variables and action opportunities through constraint manipulations, equipment modification, and limited, rather externally-focused, augmented information (see Wulf & Lucash, 2021). One simple analogy for this hands-off coaching approach may be represented by that of a gardener (i.e., the coach) tending to the needs of their plants (i.e., the athletes), helping them to adapt to surrounding constraints of the garden. (see Box 1)

Box 1. An analogy for an ecological focus on designing individualized learning environments.

“Plants differ in preferred growth conditions, such as soil composition and position in the garden, and gardeners do not dictate when a plant should flower. Instead, evidence shows that flowering is a result of emergent, self-organizing processes, and gardeners play an important role in creating the appropriate growing environment for each plant.

When necessary, gardeners may intervene by watering the plant or relocating it to a larger pot, but the main business of growth and flowering is ultimately left to the plant, which has perceptual systems to sense informational constraints such as ambient temperature and light.” (Yanovsky & Kay, 2002, in Davids et al., 2008, pp. 99-100).

Application to figure skating.

In applying principle 1 to figure skating, we provided some examples of practice designs adapted based on the individual, environment, and task constraints present. In principle 2, we present the value in the athlete co-designing practice with the coach and the importance of the athlete as problem-solver. Essentially, this principle is concerned with providing a self-regulating training environment that continuously supports the needs, goals, and involvement of the athlete.

Figure skating coaches can ask themselves the following question: Is the athlete playing an active role in their learning? Are they searching for information (or is the coach)? Are the athletes making decisions and solving problems, or is the coach doing this on their behalf? Has the coach put learners in a passive role through which they are the active participant, and is the athlete merely complying? Coaches can also think of their verbal exchanges with their athletes. Is this exchange a one-way transmission of information from coach to athlete? Or is it representative of a two-way transaction where coach and athlete mutually engage, respect, and learn from one another? Below are some examples.

Task: the athlete performs a step sequence from their competitive routine.

Passive learner: The coach tells the athlete which turns and steps would receive credit or not (e.g., with the correct entry and exit edge) and then explains what the athlete should do to improve. The session focuses on repetition and rehearsal of a routine.

Active learner: The athlete suggests to the coach which turns and steps were performed accurately and why and presents to the coach what they can do to improve, such as working on a cluster separately to improve its rhythm.

The coach can facilitate this engagement by questioning and commenting to prompt the athlete’s problem-solving and decision-making.

Task: The athlete needs to develop more ‘edge pressure’ on a jump take-off.

Passive learner: The coach selects a common set of drills and exercises to help the athlete connect to the ‘feeling’ of edge pressure, such as power pulls. The athlete complies and performs the exercises. Then the coach provides feedback and asks the athlete to ‘apply’ it to the jump takeoff. Finally, the coach tells the athlete if they are on the right track or not.

Active learner: The coach and athlete discuss what edge pressure might sound and feel like, encouraging the learner to become highly familiar with the information emerging from this action. Then they discuss several options for simplified exercises for the athlete to connect with those sounds and feelings, drawing the links between these specific performance outcomes and the movements involved in achieving them. Finally, the coach asks the athlete to practice the jump and come back over to report if they are starting to connect to the movement information. Here, the athlete must determine if they are making any positive connections between the actual movements and their outcomes or not. They are accountable for their work, and the coach does not have to guess if the athlete learned something.

The distinction between the coach being a facilitator and being overly passive is that the facilitator keeps the athlete on track and offers guidance when necessary without ‘handing’ information over for the athlete to ‘absorb’ it like a sponge or seeing the learner as a ‘bottle’ to ‘fill’ with knowledge. Coaches should not act as navigation devices that take priority over and even distract athletes from connecting to the sensory information that emerges during learning (Lucash, 2020). The skill in facilitating is to decide how to use language as a prompt to guide further exploration and search and when those key moments are to step in and provide different options (e.g., “Let’s try that spin without the new difficult variation added in.”). Coaches can use their heightened awareness of the current constraints (e.g., the athlete’s mindset) to determine when to scale up or down guidance and support.

Next, the notion of ‘muscle memory’ still lingers with us coaches to this day, as is the belief that practice repetition (quantity) is the most significant factor, leading to perfected (i.e., automated) movements. For example, a traditionalist might think: “My athlete needs to repeat their double Axel jump over and over again to narrow the movements down to the ideal pattern. I will create patterns and drills for

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

Key Principle 1 Athlete-Environment Centered Coaching

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Constraints Manipulation

Practice Session Design

them to ‘copy’ over and over until they have mastered the skill.” In this way, the goal of practice repetition is to ‘train away’ variability and ‘zero in’ on perfection. ‘Perfection’ is an impossible goal to achieve because one thing is certain in competitive sport: there are uncertainties in performance conditions! Simply focusing on the volume of repetitions and technique rehearsal in practice will not help skaters become adaptive performers. In fact, when I (GL) trained under this traditional approach in the first half of my career, I always had the psychological strain in the back of my mind: “Did I practice enough repetitions to reinforce the correct movement technique?” This feeling consumes, overwhelms, and provokes a sense of ill-preparedness no matter how many repetitions one completes.

On the contrary, the notion from principle 2 of repetition without repetition implies that the athlete repeat their double Axel in practice to solve the task problem again and again (not repeat the same technical movement).

The constraints-led coach thinks: “I, the coach, will create double Axel tasks that allow my athlete to explore variable experiences so they can learn more. We will focus on the things that vary in competition and use different set-ups, approach speeds, and other task constraints (see principle 1) to provide opportunities for the athlete to perceive new information to guide their actions, rather than starve them of information by asking them to repeat the same ‘feeling’ over and over.” An experienced athlete can adapt to dynamic environments — including when they compete in a rink which differs (e.g., ice composition, rink size, athlete emotions, etc.) than their home practice facility. Therefore, rather than training athletes to be perfect, using identical routines, tempo, sequences, coaches can train them to be more adaptable — a much more realistic and psychologically empowering goal for athlete and coach!

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Key Principle 3 Specificity and Generality 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). 1- 14.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 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 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 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 Wulf, G. & Lucash, G. (2021) Optimizing Figure-Skating Performance part 2.

The Professional Skater, March-April, 10-13

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

Drawing the Line, Pointing the Toe, and Keeping Your Balance W O R D S A N D I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y C H R I S T I E A L L A N - P I P E R , R M , C F S , R G

“Y

ou’re riding around the circle with your hip out! When the hip is IN, there should be a hollow in your hip for your fist,” Maribel Vinson Owen exclaimed in my first lesson with her, as I wobbled around a first test figure eight.

She pounded her fist into her hip to demonstrate as she skated deep edges in the ice.

Maribel, Olympic bronze medalist, nine-time national ladies champion, five-time national pairs champion, had learned skating from Willie Frick, the Boy Wonder of Berlin. She and he were my first teachers. In rinks all over Massachusetts, even on the coldest night on outdoor ice, Maribel, ever moving on fast, deep, ripping edges, with her lambskin jacket flying open, wore a skating skirt to demonstrate line. Back at The Skating Club of Boston, Mr. Frick, in a banker’s suit and tie, slowly led on figure eights, his students following, struggling to match his straight back, neat feet, and extended free leg.

They both taught line, straight back, deep skating knee, straight free leg, and neat feet. Extending the free leg and pressing the toe down the moment it left the ice was as obligatory to them as good manners. Slouching shoulders, slack free leg, or sloppy feet were, we learned, like bad manners—needless and inexcusable.

Sometimes on Christmas Eve, Maribel took her daughters and some of her students to walk about Beacon Hill, enjoying Christmas festivities. We would return to the Vinson family home, the large old farmhouse in Winchester, for tea and cookies.

We gathered in the dining room, where sterling silver trophies filled the shelves, the buffet, and even the floor. Leaning across the dining table to light the candelabra, she balanced on one foot, outstretched arm in front, extended free leg behind.

“See how she points her toe, even to light the candles!”

Lynn Finnegan, national junior ladies champion, exclaimed.

“Of course!” Maribel replied, surprised at Lynn’s surprise. “That’s how you keep your balance.”

Clearly the extended free leg added beauty. But only long after passing the gold test did I fully appreciate Maribel’s remark. Beyond beauty, the extended, well-placed free leg is ballast. Though she preferred to call it the “unemployed

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foot”, it’s always working. As Maribel said, it helps you keep your balance.

The extended free leg, with the blade parallel to the ice over the line of travel, guides us around circles and turns.

It leads the way in front, or steers from behind, the prow or the rudder.

Practicing figures was as rigorous as ballet barre practice.

While mirrors are dancers’ feedback, ice marks were oursour line detectors. While the free leg presses the air and steers, all the other muscles in the body stretch or contract in counterbalance.

Figures helped train the body to achieve stillness and control. Free skating is the beneficiary. A great skater moves only what he needs to move, to do what he needs to do. At high speeds, he may be motionless above the speeding skate.

Removing figures was a loss for skating, but ways remain to strengthen skills. Drawing on paper may substitute for drawing on ice, not only the figures, but the figure itself.

Kori Ade, at a PSA seminar, remarked “every skater should be able to draw at least a stick figure.”

Drawing helps skaters move knowingly, rather than with mere muscle memory. Imagine a long axis running from the sky, through the body, from head to foot, to the center of the earth, head, shoulders, hips, foot, like building blocks, stacked along the line. For Pencil Doll: head, shoulders, hips, and the figure skater, all parts foot along the axis align along the axis. Any part misplaced weakens the skater. Aligned, he is balanced.

To draw the skater, one looks for the plumb line.

Head, shoulders, hips, feet usually align along it.

Any part out of position may make a turn skid, a spin travel, or a jump fail. Illustration 1 shows both balanced and out of balance figures.

Illustration 1 Figures out of alignment

Figures in alignment

Illustration 2 Tenley's Back Paragraph Loop

push against. Often, the fulcrum is less slippery ice beneath the skate, than the shoulder or hip, one moving, the other holding, taking turns, in relay. At the end of a turn, on ice or air, shoulders pushing against hips, halts, or checks rotation.

The iconic photograph of Tenley’s silhouette on a back outside loop, demonstrates how the arms and “unemployed” leg actively engage to balance, shape, and trace the figure.

Had the free leg been limp, there would have been no counterbalance—no balance, no strong torso, no lean, no loop. Unable to obtain the Getty owned photograph of Tenley, I have taken the liberty of sketching the line, as I often observed, from my own patch nearby.

Bending along the axis, equal weights balanced

The oft repeated imperative “push your shoulders against the hips” prompted me to construct a pencil doll to demonstrate, making small paper boxes for the head, shoulders, hips, and feet, then punching holes through their centers, to slide onto an unsharpened pencil, as photo and drawings indicate. The arms attached to the shoulders, legs to the hips. Head, shoulders, and hips swivel. Ankle and knee bend and straighten. Cross body tension between hips and shoulders in alignment, generates motion, controls edges, executes turns, centers spins, and lands jumps cleanly.

Illustration 2 Archimedes said “Give me a fulcrum and I can move the world”. To move, one needs something to

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One can see the long extended free leg, pressed down, allowing shoulders to lean back, in the opposite direction, “pushing shoulders against hips”. The strong diagonal line from the left shoulder to left toe, pressed down, left hip pushing toward the right shoulder, are all in counter balance.

Back paragraph loops were the final figure of the ultimate USFSA Gold test. Of all compulsory figures, that figure demands the most rapid swiveling neck and waist, while knees and ankles rise and bend repeatedly in the tight confines of a circle, no larger than the skater’s height.

Spirals, camels, laybacks, sit spins, spread eagles, and Bauers would seem exceptions to the rule. For these, the back bends. Yet even then, shoulders still push against hips, along the axis. Arms and free leg also act as counterbalance.

Whether one learns from drawing figures on the ice, or from drawing figures, understanding body mechanics leads to safer, more beautiful skating.

Skating is a system of checks and balances around a moving long axis. Leaning, against the air, feeling the ice beneath the skate, shifting, soaring, one feels like a conduit between heaven and earth. Willie Frick, Maribel Vinson Owen, and all legendary skaters would agree, skating is done with the minimum motion, straight back, weight over the skate, cross body tension—and a well extended free leg.

That’s how you keep your balance!

Maribel Vinson Owen

PHOTO COURTESY SKATING CLUB OF BOSTON

Willi Frick's candle dance

Maribel Vinson Owen

PHOTO COURTESY SKATING CLUB OF BOSTON

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17

2021 Coach of the Year Patrice Lauzon

Ice Academy of Montreal amin Benj bois s i Br e

France Marie- reuil Dub

Josée Piché

ain Rom auer n e u Hag

Photo by Jordan Cowan

by Kent McDill

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Patrice Lauzon

Pascal Denis

Unique Year, Unique Team, Unique Achievement

The calendar year 2020 was a strange one in nearly every aspect of human life.

While dealing with a pandemic that frightened civilization and altered human interaction, many people persevered. And that included the figure skating community, which found a way to conduct lessons and eventually competitions in the face of unforeseen and unprecedented complications.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the 2020 PSA Coach of the Year honoree is a unique selection.

The official announcement named Patrice Lauzon and the Ice Academy of Montreal as 2021 PSA Coach of the Year, but the Ice Academy of Montreal (I.AM) includes Marie-France Dubreuil and Steffany Hanlen, as well as others on the I.AM team who all share in the award.

In the year of the pandemic, the Ice Academy of Montreal was home to the three best ice dance teams in the United States.

“We don’t coach for awards,” Lauzon said in an interview with PS Magazine. “We coach all our athletes to win, but it is nice to be recognized by the PSA.”

“All three coaches Steffany Hanlen stressed the philosophy ... to create an atmosphere of championship level competition under their watch, believing that atmosphere will inspire championship level performances when it is time to compete.”

“I thought it was a mistake,” Dubreuil said. “We were very happy because we were nominated as a team.”

The American skaters working with the coaching team at the Ice Academy of Montreal include Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue, who won the gold at U.S. Championships in Las Vegas and the silver at the World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden; Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who earned the silver at U.S. Championships and fourth place at Worlds; and Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, who took the bronze at U.S. Nationals and finished ninth at Worlds.

A tale of two tales This Coach of the Year award is the tale of two tales: the opportunity to coach three teams of high caliber in the same competition at the same time, and the unique situation in which they were coached in 2020.

Let’s start with the teams all ending up with the Ice Academy of Montreal.

Three teams Figure skating provides an unusual condition of team success. There are often skaters competing against each other but doing so in the representation of their nation and its skating federation.

So it was for the three ice dance teams working as pairs with the same coaches representing the same country.

“When Patrice and I competed at our first Olympics in Salt Lake, we noticed the teamwork of the Canadian short track team,” Dubreuil said. “They all competed against each other for the same medals, but lived, trained, ate meals, and hung out as a team. It fascinated us.”

“When you think about it, if an ice dance team is the best in their own country, how do they get elevated to continue to strive and get better?” Hanlen asked.

“What is their benchmark for being world class on a day-to-day basis? By creating an environment where they literally train besides others of their caliber and that have the same goals, the bar is set. This just makes everyone better.”

All three coaches stressed the philosophy of the Ice Academy of Montreal, to create an atmosphere of championship level competition under their watch, believing that atmosphere will inspire championship level performances when it is time to compete.

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“The intention of I.AM is to have champions train with champions in a value-based environment,” Lauzon said.

“Championship energy is shared,” Hanlen said. “When it is time to compete, then whatever happens on that day happens.”

Lauzon asked to acknowledge the man who created the I.AM, Romain Haguenauer, who came to Montreal to create an ice skating school.

“The three of us [Dubreuil, Lauzon, Hanlen] basically set the intentions—organize which team does what—and our amazing team of coaches Josée Piché, Pascal Denis, and Benjamin Brisebois are on-ice experts while Samuel Chouinard, Ginette Cournoyer, Emilie Josset, Evan Airapetian, Emilie Bonnavaud, and Sebastien Soldevila are from outside the skating world and the best in the world at what they do.”

One weird year The year 2020 was weird for everyone. But many, many people found a way to make it work for them, and that included the 2021 PSA Coaches of the Year.

“As soon as Worlds in Montreal were cancelled, we knew we had to shift our training model of the athletes to be supported and stay connected during the lockdowns,” Hanlen said. “We went virtual immediately, and decided to create a virtual program so they could continue training and the coaches could keep working.

We knew it would be an emotional time, with some anger, confusion, and grief, given the inability to compete and the many unknowns. Often my (virtual) sessions were about dealing with those issues.”

“We were focused on solutions to an uncertain future,” Lauzon said. “We shifted to having the skater sign into a class at a certain time of day and make the coach or

“We know the ups and down they go through but at the end of the day it is their own journey. We feel successful when our coaching leads them to achieve or surpass their own goals.”

trainer available, instead of scheduling the coach (first).

We flipped it. Our goal was to keep everyone engaged because we didn’t know how long gyms and arenas would be closed. But it didn’t seem difficult at all since everyone was fully on board every day.”

Dubreuil said Lauzon was being modest.

“Patrice worked crazy long hours with the city of Montreal and surrounding areas to book ice wherever and whenever he could,” she said. “As soon as they were open, he secured it. This was probably the most stressful time for us. We have a 10-year-old daughter who still needed to be home-schooled, so this was a factor that also had to be our priority as a family.”

The coaches agreed that their efforts to normalize the most abnormal situation helped create the atmosphere for success in 2020.

“We normalized the situation Monday through Friday”, Hanlen said. “Regardless of what was happening

Additional I.AM Coaching Team Members

Ginette Cournoyer

Emilie Josset

Samuel Choiunard

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Sébastien Soldevila & Emilie Bonnavaud

Eva Airapetian

Patrice and For more on heck out his team, c ntreal.com ofmo iceacademy cial feeds. so ir e th and

outside, the skaters had a routine they counted on and people they trusted.”

Comparing apples to oranges Lauzon and Dubreuil were ice dance skating partners themselves, earning silver medals in back-to-back world championships in 2006-2007. With their coaching success, they have experienced triumphant moments on both sides of the task.

“Our entire journey as athletes was about finding the right team of coaches that would help us manage the fragile balance between training and rest/recovery so we could achieve our goals,” Dubreuil said.

“Being a coach is the complete opposite. Now we work selflessly to support the skaters so they can achieve their goals. We know the ups and down they go through but at the end of the day it is their own journey. We feel successful when our coaching leads them to achieve or surpass their own goals.”

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PS MAGAZINE

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COACHING DEVELOPMENT Heidi Thibert, MFS, MM, MC

Coach Well-Being and Wrap-up: Assurance of a Quality Experience This is the last article in the series of six reprinted with permission from the “USOPC Quality Coaching Framework 2020” (assembled by the Coaching Education Department of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee). If you missed the earlier five articles, they are accessible through the PSA website: skatepsa.com/ps-magazine. Previous articles have been: Introduction, Chapter 1: Quality Coaching; Chapter 2: Essential Coaching Knowledge; Chapter 3: Athlete-Centered Outcomes; Chapter 4: Contextual Fit;

Chapter 5: Evaluation and Recognition, and the final pieces of Chapter 6: Coach Well-Being and Wrap-up: Assurance of a Quality Experience.

It is my sincere hope that you have found these useful. I know I have, and I refer often to the USOPC Quality Coaching Framework when setting curriculum for PSA and US Figure Skating join coach education and development events.

– Heidi DeLio Thibert, PSA Senior Director of Coaching Development

Coach Well-Being

E

very time coaches step on the field of play, whether to encourage an athlete, run a training activity or provide guidance in competition, coaches are in the spotlight.

Quality coaches invest in developing the habits and learning the self-management skill of well-being to be their most effective and authentic self to best serve their athletes.

One of the saddest ironies in sport is that although coaches strive to provide an enjoyable and healthy experience for their athletes to develop and perform optimally, too often they approach their job in a manner that has the opposite effect on their own well-being. High tension, poor nutrition, sleep deprivation, family conflict and social alienation are common in coaching. Such self-destructive behaviors are neither desirable nor sustainable, and they must be discouraged.

Serving others, as coaches do their athletes, can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Few coaches make it through a competitive season or cycle without experiencing fatigue and anxiety. Left unchecked, these feelings can drain coaches’ passion and motivation. In severe cases, these problems can lead to mental health issues and dropout.

The coach is not the only one who is negatively affected when his or her well-being is compromised. The athletes’ development and performance suffer, as do relationships with family and friends, sometimes irreparably.1,2 Yet, inexplicably, coach well-being has largely been neglected by most sport organizations.3 In making coach well-being a foundational component of its Quality Coaching Framework 2020, the USOPC rightly brings this factor to the forefront. The USOPC

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seeks to promote an environment in which coach wellbeing is readily identified and properly addressed. Rather than passively letting coaches succumb to the negative consequences, the USOPC is encouraging a set of proactive measures that will prevent coaches from incurring such a fate through positively influencing well-being. After all, quality coaches are physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy coaches.

Stress Protection Coaching can bring moments of great joy and fulfillment.

It can also spawn serious stress, more than most coaches can handle. The first step in combatting coach stress is to identify its five primary sources (see Table 6.1).

The second step in managing stress is to design strategies that help coaches effectively cope with it. The most successful approach is for coaches and leaders within the organization to develop strategies (see table 6.2) and then commit to a comprehensive stress-reduction plan.

Although this plan should be tailored to the specific coaching environment, all plans should have two key aspects: (1) providing coaches guidance on how to selfmanage stress and (2) having the organization focus on the infrastructure, systems, and support personnel (e.g., coach developers) needed to help coaches deal with stress positively.

Support Networks Coaches tend to prefer to work independently and address personal and professional issues without assistance from others. But just as athletes require a support

TABLE 6.1 Five Major Sources of Coach Stress

Stressor

Description

Communication Mismatch between coach and administrator philosophies, and conflict interference from parents, miscommunication, and lack of trust among coaching staff, communication with officials Pressure and expectations

Pressure from self and others to meet unrealistic performance targets, being evaluated as a coach based solely on athlete results, lack of job security

Athlete discipline and team dynamics

Lack of commitment, focus, effort, and character by athletes; team cohesion issues related to role acceptance and playing time; recruiting, selecting, or dropping athletes from the team

Program support and isolation

Inadequate support for the program (recognition, funding, facilities, equipment) or personal development as a coach (no formal opportunities to learn with and from other coaches)

Sacrificing personal time

Conflicting demands with family, strain on relationships, keeping pace with multiple roles and workload, health issues due to lack of sleep or regular physical activity

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), 342.

team to excel and sustain, so do coaches. Indeed, a strong coaching network can be a great source for emotional and social support.

The best coaching networks are filled with “energy givers.” These are action-oriented peers who are positive and enthusiastic and will boost the spirits and reduce the tension of those around them. Coaches, therefore, should fill their network with colleagues who have most of the qualities listed in Figure 6.1. 4,5 FIGURE 6.1 Checklist for identifying candidates for a coach support network.

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Exude positive energy and enthusiasm Display uncommon drive Work with a clear sense of purpose Are service- and other-oriented Hold others accountable Are trustworthy Known for their relationship skills Offer frequent and genuine praise Show humility and gratitude Are good listeners Open to learning from others Show positive body language

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), 359.

Although a network of energy givers providing emotional and social support can help to lower stress and heighten spirits, peers who stimulate a coach intellectually can serve to enhance coaching skill and nourish personal

wellness.6,7 Coach developers and sport organizations can facilitate the creation and implementation of effective learning communities by: • scheduling time for regular ongoing discussions about coaching (in-person meetings at competitions, creating virtual meeting spaces, coordinating conference calls) • assigning a coach to serve as a peer facilitator (responsible for keeping the group focused and engaged in the network) and then training that person for the role; and • sharing the results of coach learning group discussions via social media updates, coach storytelling and reports of best principles in action in coaching newsletters and magazines

Self-Care Support—on organization, group, and individual levels—is vital to long-term coach wellness. But no factor is more critical to coach well-being than the coach’s own commitment to self-care. Coach well-being would be much higher if the coaching community subscribed to the notion that those who are helped most are those who help themselves.

Unfortunately, too few coaches take that approach.

Instead, they neglect their own needs and place personal well-being at the bottom of their list of priorities, while they work intently and tirelessly to develop their athletes and programs. They deplete their energy tanks without pausing regularly to fill them.

Coaches must be convinced of the need to monitor their personal energy gauge as they do their vehicle’s gas gauge—and to replenish it before it runs low. An incentive system that rewards coaches for conducting regular wellness checkups may be a good start. One tool that coaches can use to periodically check their health status is provided in Figure 6.2.

Armed with a better awareness of the specific areas of coach wellness that need to be recalibrated, coaches— perhaps with some initial assistance from those who support them—can then focus on designing self-care strategies that address each coach’s unique wellness needs. Instructions: Circle the answer that best represents how you feel right now about coaching. The higher the score, the greater the risk that a coach will succumb to stress and burnout.

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TABLE 6.2 Stress-Reducing and Coping Strategies

FIGURE 6.2 Coach wellness checkup.

Stressor

Coach-level Strategy

Organization-level Strategy

Communication and conflict

Steps and methods for parents, athletes, or other program stakeholders to share concerns

Clearly described expectations and job responsibilities shared with coaches

Pressure and expectations

Setting realistic athlete development and performance goals that are regularly adjusted as needed

Agreed-upon metrics for measuring coach and program success that are periodically reviewed and updated

Athlete discipline and team dynamics

Clear explanation of team values and athlete behavior standards; consequences for behaviors that do not align with values and standards

Efficient and quick response protocols for reporting and resolving coaching concerns with administrators

Question

Not at Exactly all how Somewhat how I I feel how I feel feel

1. I don’t look forward to coaching as much as I used to.

1

2

3

2. I feel physically and emotionally worn out from coaching.

1

2

3

3. I don’t feel that I can cope very well with the demands of coaching.

1

2

3

4. I don’t feel like I’m accomplishing many worthwhile things as a coach.

1

2

3

Program support Regular interactions with and isolation coach mentors

Creation of coach learning and support networks—real and virtual

5. Athletes and others I work with don’t show the same level of commitment that I do.

1

2

3

Sacrificing personal time

Regular and frequent checks with coaches to ensure they have the tools needed to perform their best

6. I don’t feel supported in my coaching.

1

2

3

7. There is a lack of communication and trust where I coach.

1

2

3

8. I don’t feel secure in my current coaching position.

1

2

3

9. I question if the amount of time and energy I spend on coaching is worth it.

1

2

3

Daily physical activity built in to work schedule (e.g., walking, or active meetings, joining athletes during physical training sessions)

Work–Life Balance Coaches are notorious for neglecting their own physical activity and sleep.8 The surest way to improve coach wellness is to build physical activity and good sleep habits into daily routines.

Due to their experience as athletes, coaches often equate physical activity with intense physical training. For coach wellness, though, physical activity should be thought of much more broadly. Walking the dog, yardwork and playing catch with family or friends are all examples of physical activity that help a coach stay fresh—physically and mentally.

Whether coaching young athletes in a volunteer capacity or leading a national team in an elite position, a coach never seems to have enough time for sleep. This is particularly challenging when coaches travel with their athletes for competitions, sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings and adjusting to different time zones or environments. Coaches can follow some simple tips for improving the quality of their sleep:9,10 • Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

• Sleep, and wake, at approximately the same time each day.

• Develop, and adhere to, a pre-sleep routine (how you prepare for bed each night).

• Avoid screen time in the hour before bedtime. At a minimum, use a blue light filter on electronic devices.

• Ensure that the bedroom is cool and as dark as possible.

Wear an eye mask if needed.

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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), 342.

• When possible, take a brief nap during the afternoon (no more than 30 minutes and not after 3 P.M.).

• When traveling, bring your own pillow.

The long workday of a coach often causes great strain on personal relationships. Sadly, coaches often realize too late that they have neglected to spend sufficient time with family and friends while pursuing their coaching goals.

Quality coaching requires intentional efforts to prioritize family and life.8 Obligations beyond regular coaching duties, such as coaching clinics and camps, can mean even more time away from family and friends. This can add tension to already-strained relationships. When possible, coaches should consider some way of fitting family time around such events. This can work if, prior to the coaching event, the coach clearly communicates the responsibilities and commitments he or she will have during the event.

A simple and time-tested self-care strategy for coaches is

to set aside time at the start of each day to do something for themselves.12 Time management experts often refer to this as “starting the day on offense.” Coaches spend most of each day playing “defense”: responding to other people’s needs and problems. This can become exhausting, and it can also lead to frustration and feelings of resentment if coaches feel like they are never making progress toward their own goals.

Other proven strategies for improving coaches’ work–life balance include making priority lists and delegating some responsibilities to others. Successful coaches put first things first. The various things that we need to do and want to do—both in work and in personal life—are not equal in importance and urgency.

Leadership guru Steven Covey has created a simple framework to organize tasks into one of four categories:13 • Critical and urgent: things that are very important and that we must do now • Critical but not urgent: things that are important but can be done later without jeopardizing our ability to complete the task effectively • Not critical but urgent: things that are not that important but do need to be done soon (these are the types of things that coaches should try to delegate when possible) • Not critical and not urgent: things that we often do, or think we are expected to do, that add little or no value to our work or life (these are things we should try to eliminate or discontinue as much as possible) Delegating some less urgent, or less critical, coaching responsibilities is a valuable way for coaches to improve their work–life balance. This makes it even more important for coaches to surround themselves with trusted assistants and supportive colleagues and friends.

Finally, the best way to increase the likelihood that coaches will embrace and achieve a healthy work–life balance is for the organizations and programs that employ them to truly support them in that effort. That means not only explicitly stipulating the need for such balance in coaches’ job descriptions and expectations, but also monitoring that coaches are taking care of themselves.

Chapter 6 - References 1. Olusoga, P., Butt, J., Maynard, I., & Hays, K. (2010).

Stress and coping: A study of world class coaches.

Journal of Applied Sport Pedagogy, 22, 274-293.

2. Frey, M. (2007). College coaches’ experiences with stress- “problem solvers” have problems too. The Sport Psychologist, 21, 38-57.

3. Carson, F., Walsh, J., Main, L.C., & Kremer, P. (2018).

High performance coaches’ mental health and wellbeing: Applying the areas of work life model.

International Sport Coaching Journal, 5, 293-300. doi. org/10.1123/iscj.2017-0078 4. Gordon, J. (2007). The energy bus: 10 rules to fuel your life, work, and team with positive energy.

Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

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

Chapter 6 Takeaway Athlete development suffers when coach health and wellness are neglected. Quality coaching requires mental, emotional. and physical conditioning. Coach wellness starts with an awareness of common sources of coaching stress. Armed with this knowledge, coaches can take regular steps to refresh and reload so they can be at their best more often. To stay fresh, coaches should make time each day to fill their own tanks, and they should surround themselves with others who are energy givers.

With well-being included as a quality coaching principle, coaches can consistently perform at their peak while sustaining physical, mental, and emotional health.

Wrap-Up: Assurance of a Quality Experience Much of sport’s appeal comes from the opportunity to conquer the many challenges it presents to both athletes and coaches. Yet, try as they might, there are no guarantees that the results will be exactly what the athletes and coaches hope for.

Quality coaching is not a destination; it is an ongoing process of continual improvement across the athlete development journey. Quality coaching may not guarantee championships and medals, but it can ensure that the quest for such outcomes will be well worth it. Team USA is fortunate to have many excellent coaches who provide their athletes such positive experiences.

The principles set forth in the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Quality Coaching Framework 2020 are the base upon which we can assure our athletes the coaching they need to be the best they can be while enjoying the journey on their sport pathway. By following these principles, Team USA coaches will also gain greater satisfaction from their role as mentors, both on and off the field of play.

6. Bertram, R., Culver, D., & Gilbert, W. D. (2016). Creating value in a sport coach community of practice: A collaborative inquiry. International Sport Coaching Journal, 3(1), 2-16.

7. Bertram, R., Culver, D., & Gilbert, W. (2016). Using appreciative inquiry to create high-impact coach learning: Insights from a decade of applied research.

AI Practitioner: International Journal of Appreciative Inquiry, 18(2), 58-64.

8. Raedeke, T.D., & Kenttä, G. (2013). Coach burnout.

In P. Potrac, W. Gilbert, & J. Denison (Eds.), Routledge handbook of sports coaching (pp. 424-435). London, UK: Routledge.

9. Thornton, L. (2013). Sleep basics for an Olympic coach. Olympic Coach Magazine, 24(3), 4-12.

Retrieved from www.teamusa.org/About-the-USOPC/ Programs/Coaching- Education/Coach-E-Magazine

10. Walker, M. (2017). Why we sleep: Unlocking the power of sleep and dreams. New York, NY: Scribner.

11. Sterkel, J. (2005). Stress management. In C. Reynaud (Ed.), She can coach! Tools for success from 20 top women coaches (pp. 113-121). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

12. Carlson, R. (1997). Don’t sweat the small stuff . . . and it’s all small stuff: Simple ways to keep the little things from taking over your life. New York, NY: Hyperion.

13. Covey, S. (2013). The 7 habits of highly effective people. Powerful lessons in personal change. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

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New Rule Changes Coaches Should Know and Where to Find the Details

By Juliet Newcomer

T

his year, the U.S. Figure Skating Governing Council delegates considered more than 50 rule changes as well as a revision of the bylaws. Here is a summary of the changes that will have the greatest effect on coaches. Everything goes into effect on July 1, 2021, unless otherwise noted.

BYLAWS The Governing Council approved a comprehensive revision of the association’s bylaws, stimulated by a new U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Certification Program, by an 86 to 14 percent margin.

The revision includes a reconfiguration of the Board of Directors from a constituent-based board to a board of primarily at-large directors.

The board will continue to have 15 voting members but, starting in May 2022, it will have a president, five athlete directors, two independent directors, and seven at-large directors. The treasurer, secretary and vice president will be elected by the board members from among those persons (other than the president) who are elected by the Governing Council as voting members of the Board of Directors. Most permanent committees will continue to report to their respective group coordinator. Group

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coordinators will continue to serve on the board as non-voting members.

Finally, term lengths and term limits for all positions were adjusted, moving away from one-year terms to improve succession planning.

A new composition of the Nominating Committee was also approved. Starting in May 2022, the Nominating Committee will consist of one member elected at Governing Council by each section, three athlete members elected by the Athletes Advisory Committee, and three members appointed by the Board of Directors, for a total of nine members.

Effective for the 2022-23 season, all committees within U.S. Figure Skating will have at least 33.3 percent athlete representation and members of committees will be appointed based on the skill set and experience needed, reflect geographical representation and be reflective of diversity, instead of based primarily upon sectional representation. These changes will help U.S. Figure Skating continue to achieve more diversity, equity and inclusion within its leadership. They also provide more opportunities for coaches to participate in the leadership of U.S. Figure Skating, including allowing coaches to serve in officer positions. They will also allow the board to be more strategic and

react more quickly to the association’s ever-changing needs.

TESTS Notwithstanding the bylaws revision, the biggest changes came from the Tests Committee, which approved virtual testing as a permanent option for U.S. Figure Skating clubs and members. The permanent requirements will closely follow the pilot program that has been in place since January 1.

The Tests Committee also approved a change to the 28-day waiting period for tests marked “retry.” For moves in the field, pre-juvenile and below free skate tests, adult bronze and below free skate tests, adaptive free skate tests, pattern dance, adult pair, adult partnered free dance tests and all figure tests, the waiting period is reduced to 14 days, beginning July 1, 2021. For standard free skate, pair and partnered free dance tests at the juvenile level or higher, and adult free skate tests at the silver level or higher, the waiting period is reduced to one day, beginning July 1, 2021 The Tests Committee also updated the order of the adult pre-bronze moves in the field test, making the spirals the third element, and the forward and backward crossovers the fifth and final element. This will make it easier for test chairs to run adult pre-bronze and preliminary tests concurrently.

Finally, effective July 1, 2021, pre-preliminary and adult pre-bronze moves in the field and free skate tests, preliminary partnered and solo pattern dance tests, and adult pre-bronze partnered free dance tests will be eligible to pass with honors.

for and receive reasonable accommodations to support skater development and advancement within free skate and moves in the field testing and Nonqualifying and Compete USA Competitions (6.0 judging only).

ADULT SKATING The Adult Skating Committee updated adult competition rules to restrict high-level skaters from entering adult bronze pairs, and adult pre-bronze and adult bronze partnered dance events. The committee also updated the names of the adult showcase events, and changed the rules to allow half flip and half Lutz jumps to count as jump elements in adult pre-bronze well-balanced free skate events.

ATHLETES ADVISORY COMMITTEE SINGLES Following the conclusion of the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championship Series Presented by Toyota, the time of the preliminary boys and girls well-balanced free skate and free skate test will increase to 2:00 +/- 10 seconds, and the step sequence will change from a half-ice requirement to a full-ice requirement.

DANCE On March 1, 2021, the option was added for skaters to take the Austrian Waltz, Finnstep, Golden Waltz, Midnight Blues and Ravensburger Waltz as solo dance track tests.

Effective June 1, 2021, the twizzle requirements for the novice solo free dance test were updated to require a different entry edge and direction of rotation for the two twizzles. The Governing Council also approved

repeating the 2020-21 pattern dances for the 2021-22 season for intermediate, juvenile and pre-juvenile.

SYNCHRONIZED The Synchronized Development and Technical Committee revised the competitive pipeline for synchronized skating by allowing more flexibility at each level with regards to the age of athletes and a gradual increase of the required test levels.

The Athletes Advisory Committee updated the rules regarding qualifying for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Those who qualify based on the results from a previous season will no longer need to achieve a minimum total element score.

These changes only represent a portion of what was approved by the Governing Council on May 1. For full details on all approved changes, please visit www.usfigureskating.org/ about/rules.

ADAPTIVE SKATING The Adaptive Skating Subcommittee added both testing (moves in the field and free skate), and nonqualifying competition and Compete USA Skate United tracks for skaters with disabilities to increase equitable programming opportunities. The Skating Accommodation Memorandum (S.A.M.) offers skaters with disabilities the option to apply

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Practical nutrition goals for coaches to give their skaters

By Julianne Pondelli, RG, RM, RFS

C

oaches should maintain focus on technique and training as this is our specialty. However, there are other aspects of the sport that will play a role in training, especially nutrition. While giving educated nutrition advice is within the scope of an athletic coach, we must understand that we are working with children and adolescents that are impressionable. Coaches should encourage their skaters to set realistic health goals that will complement their training.

As coaches, we are aware of the mechanics and physics of skating. Smaller skaters may have a biomechanical advantage of a lower body weight that makes propelling themselves into a double or triple easier. However, if the skater is maintaining a weight that is too low for them the consequences can be quite detrimental. In efforts to prevent this, we should focus on educating our athletes on how to fuel their skating, rather than focusing on an ideal goal weight that will make them jump higher, skate faster, and place higher.

There is no one size fits all when it comes to weight.

Weight is a combination of diet, physical activity level, and genetics. A skater may be predisposed to weighing more due to height, bone density, and muscle mass. Skaters especially have developed quads and hamstrings, causing them to actually weigh more due to that increased muscle mass in their lower body.

Weight and BMI are both a flawed system. Scales and BMI calculators are just clinical tools to determine whether or not someone is in a healthy weight range for their height.

This only compares weight to height and does not take lean muscle mass or overall fat into consideration. Therefore, this is not something skaters should be focused on because one can absolutely be at a healthy weight with a BMI out of the normal range.

If a skater is focusing on a specific weight, and left to their own devices to get to that unrealistic goal, the consequences can be damaging. It is well documented that athletes are at a higher risk of developing eating disorders. They are typically perfectionists and goal-driven individuals that put an unnecessary amount of pressure on themselves. As coaches, the safety of our athletes is priority. An innocent comment about a skater’s weight or food intake can lead them to going to great lengths striving for approval.

"Mental and emotional struggles are common with disordered eating patterns and skating may no longer be fun.

We want to coach skaters to become hard working, determined athletes that have a healthy, realistic perspective."

Focusing on a number on the scale can be an enemy to any athlete’s mind. Athletes may go to whatever length to get to that goal, including skipping meals, restricting certain foods, or binging on junk food they are trying to deny themselves. While this may make them skate better in the short term, eventually these behaviors will damage their skating and possibly their life.

There is no healthy way to drop weight fast. In order to lose one pound, there must be a deficit of 3500 calories.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends 3300-4000 daily calories for an active teenage male, and 2200- 3000 daily calories for an active teenage female, depending on their activity level. In a week, an athlete averaging 2200 calories a day, would have to decrease their calories by 500 each day to lose 1 pound. One to two pounds of weight loss per week is recommended as healthy.

If an athlete is trying to lose more than that, they are at risk of severe undereating.

If a skater is restricting food, physical side effects include increased risk of injury, fatigue, moodiness, weakness, and muscle breakdown. Without food, the body will break down tissue in order to use the fuel it needs. Muscles are

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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.

Leaving a Legacy for Skating Professionals through the PS Foundation B Y P AT R I C K O ’ N E I L , P S F O U N D AT I O N P R E S I D E N T

W

e all want to be remembered in some way and to feel as though we have somehow contributed something to the world. For some, the idea of leaving a legacy can be a driving force leading to great accomplishments, but for most of us with more modest goals, what pushes us to want to leave a legacy?

In a Forbes article authored by Bart Astor, he stated “your legacy is putting your stamp on the future. It’s a way to make some meaning of your existence: ‘Yes, world of the future, I was here. Here’s my contribution, here’s why I hope my life mattered.’”

There are many ways a performing skater or coach can leave a legacy. The most obvious, of course, is bequeathing an inheritance through your last will and testament. For example, in 2018 the estate of Roslyn Ferguson Heath generously donated $191,000 to the Skaters Fund. This amazing gift continues to allow the PS Foundation to assist coaches facing financial hardship due to sickness, disability, or age.

There are a few easy steps that performing skaters and coaches can do if they would like to leave a legacy. One way to do this is donating an IRA to charity upon death.

The benefits multiply when you name a charity as a beneficiary to receive your IRA or other retirement assets upon your death. Some of those benefits include:

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!

• No income tax is paid on the distribution of assets by either your heirs or estate.

• The value of the assets is included as part of the gross estate, but the estate receives a tax deduction for the charitable contribution, which offsets the estate taxes.

• The full amount of the donation benefits the PS Foundation since charities do not pay income taxes.

• Retirement assets can be divided between charities and heirs according to any percentages that you choose.

• Lastly, it allows you to support a cause you care about as part of your legacy.

To designate the PS Foundation the beneficiary of your IRA or other retirement asset, complete a designated beneficiary form through your plan administrator, bank, or financial services firm. Once the forms are in place, the assets will generally pass directly to your beneficiaries (including charities) without going through probate. Please consult a tax professional for further details.

These continue to be uncertain times for many of us and I hope each of you are safe and well.

A Community that Cares 30

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FUELING EFFECTS @SKATERNUTRITION

“There is no healthy way to drop weight fast.

UNDER FUELED

*Skips Breakfast

*Lunch without carbs because they are "bad" *Not drinking enough water

one pound, there

*starving after practice and

3500 calories.”

*Eats Breakfast/Lunch with carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats

In order to lose must be a deficit of

FUELED

*Water first thing in the AM

*Hydrates all day craving sugar so overeats at night.

*Satisfied with dinner *no sugar cravings

*Tired and sluggish *No energy for program run throughs

* High energy levels *Clean program run throughs

the first to get broken down. If energy is * Feel strong during practices not readily available from a recent meal, *Recurring injuries or unable the body will use the energy it has stored to heal injuries *Stronger practices will lead to in the liver and muscles. The result of landing higher jumps, this is a loss of strength. Without muscle *Unable to perform consistent training and strength the caliber of skating will consistently in practice or improved performance competition decrease. Energy levels decrease causing sluggishness and weakness. The brain will also be affected causing the athlete to be unable to focus. With muscle and bone weakness, as well fatigue, there is increase of fruit and vegetables, fiber, protein, and healthy an increased risk of injury and stress fractures. With all carbohydrates choices in their diet. Portion control also is of these complications, there will be a drastic decrease a valuable factor in weight loss. Dehydration can resemble in the athlete’s performance which is the opposite effect symptoms of hunger, so encouraging increased water they were hoping to achieve by losing weight. intake and decreasing intake of sugary beverages can keep skaters well hydrated.

If a skater begins struggling with their weight and their skating performance, the likelihood they will quit If there is a true concern about a skater’s weight or disorincreases. It will be harder for the athlete to keep their dered eating patterns, a conversation with the parents to skating and jumps consistent, which may lead to more have them meet with their pediatrician or a registered dietirestriction and binges. Mental and emotional struggles tian is the best course of action. are common with disordered eating patterns and skating may no longer be fun. We want to coach skaters to Julianne Pondelli MS, RD, LDN is a Professional Figure Skating Coach and become hard working, determined athletes that have a Registered Dietitian in the Boston area. She holds a PSA Registered Rating healthy, realistic perspective. in Group, MITF, and FS and is an AFAA Certified Athletic Trainer. She is the Educating and teaching athletes to eat healthy will maximize their athletic performance and decrease the risk of injury. Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, encouraging skaters to change their eating habits in a nutritious way will keep them mentally and physically healthy, while losing weight. We can encourage 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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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!

Are you compliant?

As a reminder, the coach compliance was due July 1. If your compliance is not updated but you have renewed as a Full member or completed a CER, please contact us so we can assist with getting your compliance chart updated.

www.skatepsa.com/compliance

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RATED ADVENTURER

g n i t a R r u o y t Star t e l d n a y a d o t journey ! n i g e b e r u t n the adve The PSA Rating System is for coaches who want to validate their skating skill and teaching experience. Ratings are an assurance to clubs, rinks, skaters, parents, and the general public that the coach they hire is technically qualified to instruct at the level in which they are rated.

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NEW MEMBERS

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E X CE L L E N C E O N I CE

We lc coac ome hes!

NEW MEMBER

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Help them get a head start on their coaching career, and encourage them to join PSA!

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skatepsa.com/membership

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all coaches are PSA members

all coaches carry liability insurance

Does your club or rink meet these two requirements?

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!

Do you know coaches who are new to the profession?

EX

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

www.skatepsa.com

CALENDAR of E V E N T S

SEPTEMBER Dates:

Credits:

September 12, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings All of Levels of Free Skating and Moves in the Field Disciplines 1 PSA credit per exam taken

Dates: Event: Location Time: Deadline:

September 25, 2021 PSA Seminar The Skating Club of Boston, Norwood, MA 8am – 5pm September 14, 2021

Credits:

8 PSA credits

L Event:

L FU

Find our amazing educational content at PSA TV. free trial & content | videos for purchase | subscription

OCTOBER Dates: Event:

Credits: Lottery Registration

October 12, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings All Levels of Group, Program Director & Choreography Disciplines 1 PSA credit per exam taken August 23-27, 2021

NOVEMBER Dates: Event:

Credits: Lottery Registration

November 14, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings All Levels of Free Skating, Moves in the Field Disciplines 1 PSA credit per exam taken 20-24, 2021

DECEMBER Dates: Event:

Credits: Lottery Registration

December 12, 2021 PSA Virtual Ratings All Levels of Group, Program Director & Choreography Disciplines 1 PSA credit per exam taken October 18-22, 2021

MAY 2022 Dates: Event: Credits:

36

May 25-27, 2022 PSA Summit – Chicago, IL PSA credits TBD (Minimum 28)

SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2021

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

A PUBLICATION OF THE PROFESSIONAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION

3006 Allegro Park Lane SW Rochester, MN 55902

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?

y e n r u Jo It's been a rough road; we won't judge.

We'll bring the tissues and hugs!

eat some authentic deep dish pizza.

More information at skatepsa.com/summit