November/December 2012

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER2012

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NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2012 ~ No 6 #ISSN-574770

9 Ratings Exams Passed

33 Excellence On Ice

40 New Members

41, 43 Notices

42 PSA Calendar of Events

FEATURES

COLUMNS

Jimmie Santee | Editor

Carol Rossignol | Contributing Editor

Lee Green | Advertising

Amanda Taylor | Art Director

Elizabeth Peschges | Editorial Assistant

Laura Hanrahan | Editorial Assistant

Over the Edge | Jimmie Santee

President’s Message | Angie Riviello-Steffano

Ratings | Kris Shakarjian

IJS | Libby Scanlan

Sport Science | Heidi Thibert

Education | Carol Rossignol

Hockey Skating | Karen Howland Jones

Best Competition Practices | 2012 Panel

Legal Ease | David Shulman

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20 75 Most Memorable Moments: #50 – Skating Notables Who Served

26Combat Boots and Blades | by Terri Milner Tarquini

302013 PSA Conference and Trade Show

34What Would Robbie Kaine Do? | by Terri Milner Tarquini

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MemoriesThe fiftieth most memorable moment is in truth the most memorable

sacrifice. While not everyone linked with this memory was a member of the Association, many were. World War II impacted the American way of life like no other event in history. It happened not so subtly in 1938 when the Nazi regime annexed Austria; simply, the country ceased to exist. It destroyed the Austrian skating commu-nity as many of the top skaters and coaches fled Europe for the remainder of the war, and those that stayed competed as Germans. From the end of the 1st World War until annexed in 1938, the Austrian skaters won 62 World medals. Twenty-four of those were gold. Willy Boeckl, the first President of the American Skaters Guild, the PSA’s forerunner, won gold four times. During that same period Germany won ten medals, six of the medals by one skater - Ernst Baier. In 1938, following the annexation of Austria, Worlds was held in Berlin with the Germans winning five medals, including a sweep of the pairs. Three of those medals were won by Austrians.

Conflict and CompetitionsThe following year in February, the 1939 ISU World Championships were held. The men’s and pairs events were held in Budapest, Hungary, where the German teams once again swept the pairs. The women competed in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The lone U.S. medal was silver by Hedy Stenuf, who was born in Austria and represented that country in the 1935 Worlds. She placed 4th and was 4th again in 1937 representing France. The 1939 Championships were the last for seven years. The cause of this was that on September 1, 1939, German forces invaded Poland from the north, south and west. Two weeks later the Soviet Union invaded from the east. This was the beginning of the Second World War, and for the next seven years, both the world and skating were in turmoil. Skating news from Europe was in short supply during the conflict, although it is now known that some competitions were held. In Germany, national competitions were held, except for 1945 and 1946, with Berlin hosting twice, as well as Vienna and Essen in 1941, and Düsseldorf in 1944. Since Austria was annexed, a “Gao-Championship” was held instead from 1938 to 1943. In occupied France, only the 1942 championships were held in Paris. Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland held a Northern European Championships in 1940. England held no championships from 1939 to 1945. In Japan, there were no competitions from 1942 to 1946 and the Soviet Union did not hold competitions from 1942 to 1944. The Canadians cancelled senior level events in 1943 and only the ladies competed in 1944. The 1940 and 1944 Winter Olympics were cancelled. Initially the 1940 Games were awarded to Sapporo, Japan, who gave up the Games after the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937. The Games were

NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 20124

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, 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. 507.281.5122, Fax 507.281.5491, Email: [email protected]© 2004 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. ISSN-574770. Second-class Postage Paid at Rochester, MN 55901 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER send address changes to The Professional Skater, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Printed in the USA.

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COMMITTEE CHAIRMENAwards

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PS MagazineSport ScienceEndorsements

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PSA AREA REPRESENTATIVESArea 1Area 2Area 3Area 4Area 5Area 6Area 7 Area 8Area 9

Area 10Area 11Area 12Area 13Area 14Area 15Area 16Area 17

Angela Riviello-SteffanotbaChristine Fowler-BinderDorothi CassiniCarol MurphyKelley Morris Adair

Doug LadretTodd SandDorothi CassiniBrandon Forsyth Denise WilliamsonRebecca StumpAlex ChangPaul WylieJackie BrennerKris ShakarjianGlyn JonesBrittany Bottoms

Jimmie SanteeDavid Shulman

Denise WilliamsonKelley Morris AdairChristine Fowler-BinderThomas AmonDorothi CassiniRebecca StumpGloria LeousPaul PaprockiBob MockHeidi ThibertJamie SanteeAngela Riviello-SteffanoKelley Morris AdairCarol MurphyPatrick O’NeilDavid SanteeDavid ShulmanKelley Morris AdairLynn BensonGerry LaneBrandon ForsythKris ShakarjianEleanor Fraser-TaylorAlex Chang

Amy Hanson-KuleszkaAnne Marie Filosa Lee CabellStacie KuglinGloria LeousMary LinScott CudmorePatrick O'Neil Jennifer CashenThomas AmonBrigitte Carlson-RoquetAndrea Kunz-WilliamsonTracey Seliga-O’BrienLeslie DeasonDon CorbielJosselyn Baumgartnertba

Over the EdgeJIMMIE SANTEE

then awarded to St. Moritz, Switzerland. When contro-versy arose between the Swiss organizers and the IOC, the Games were withdrawn again. Next, the IOC gave the 1940 Winter Olympics to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Three months later Germany invaded Poland. That was the final straw and the 1940 Games were cancelled. The 1944 Games scheduled for Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy, were cancelled as well.

U.S. Enters the WarUntil December 7, 1941, the U.S. managed to stay out of the war. That changed at 7:51 that morning when the first wave of Japanese planes hit the Hawaiian islands. In a strange twist of fate, Joan Tozzer, three-time U.S. Woman’s Champion (1938-1940) from The Skating Club of Boston, had recently moved to Honolulu, HI, with her new husband and was on the island during the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor. Joan wrote in Skating Magazine about her experiences and about the hardships the war created- mostly the blackouts. She worked four days a week for the Army on the Woman’s Air Raid Defense, plotting all planes around the islands, whether enemy, friendly, or uniden-tified. On her days off she worked at the U.S.O. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, many clubs who were losing members to the service sought to re-establish contact with service members who were stationed near their arenas. The St. Moritz Club in Berkley, CA, organized a

successful program that allowed members of the Army, Navy, and Air Corps to attend club sessions. Nevertheless, it was noted in the December 1941 Skating Magazine that even though skating was still growing in North America, with so many men serving, it was becoming more and more a women’s sport. The United States’ entry into the war immediately affected the 1942 Championships, which were moved inland from Berkley, CA to Chicago. The Pacific Coast was experiencing near panic conditions because citizens expected similar attacks. Japanese submarines were attacking merchant ships off California’s coast within days of Pearl Harbor and in late February, the Barnsdall-Rio Grande Oil Field near Santa Barbara was shelled by the Japanese Submarine I-17, reinforcing those fears. The USFSA found itself in another quandary in 1944. The Men’s event had to be omitted as only one senior man was entered. Arthur Preusch Jr. of Minneapolis had been deferred and was attending the University of Minnesota. The rest were serving in the military. Preusch Jr. performed an exhibition, with the Men’s title being retained by the 1943 champion, Arthur “Buddy” Vaughn, Jr. of Philadelphia. Vaughn was serving in the Army, having enlisted on March 16, 1943, less than a month after winning the 1943 U.S. Championships. Preusch Jr. was the 1943 U.S. Men’s Silver Medalist. He enlisted shortly after the 1944 Nationals and served in the U.S.

>> continued on page 12

PS MAGAZINE 5

The holiday season is such a wonderful time to reflect on what each of our blessings are. I reflect on how

lucky I am to have a beautiful family, wonderful friends, a career I love, and an organization (PSA) that has changed my life in so many ways. This past year, as President, I have had the oppor-tunity to share in some wonderful moments that I am very thankful for. I have had the pleasure of meeting and networking with so many coaches and listening to their brilliant ideas. It truly has been a wonderful experience to represent the PSA. One of my most humbling moments came in August when I had the honor, along with Kelley Morris Adair, Christine Fowler-Binder, and Bob Mock, of dedicating a plaque for the 75th anniversary of the Professional Skaters Association (previously American Skaters Guild). Thirteen pioneer coaches came together in Lake Placid, NY and decided there needed to be standards for coaches and they formed an organization that today is the PSA.

This group of coaches had a vision of being able to share information, learn from each other, be held accountable, and move forward with the athlete’s best interest in mind. It was a remarkable time for such a historic move. This organization, 75 years later, has continued to strive to bring the coaches together for the greater good of the sport and the athletes. We are thrilled to say the plaque now hangs proudly outside of the 32 Rink at the Olympic Arena. I want to wish all of you a very happy holiday season and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!

Happy Holidays!

KEEP UP WITH THE PSA...KEEP UP WITH THE PSA... Take note. . .

ProfSk8rsAssoc

Professional Skaters Association(PSA)

@ProfSk8rsAssoc

New PSA e-newsletter

LAKE PLACID, NY: The PSA is recognized for its 75 years of dedication to coaches. Pictured from left to right are Christine Fowler-Binder, Angie Riviello-Steffano, Kelley Morris Adair, and Bob Mock.


President’s MessageANGIE RIVIELLO-STEFFANO

Karen Courtland Kelly Olympian

PSA Master Rated Coach Host of Instructional DVD

Karen’s photo by: Paul Frederick

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Earning PSA Educational CreditsEmeritus ratings will remain active without having to maintain educational credits.Coaches may check their own educational credit status online. Go to www.skatepsa.com/Ratings

Credit is given for approved PSA educational programs:

PSA Nationwide Seminars 12 credits

PSA Apprentice Program 8 credits

PACE (Professional Accreditation & Certifying Education) 22 - 28 credits

PSA State Workshops 4 - 6 credits

PSA Entry Level Coaching Course 12 credits

PSA Conference & Trade Show 28 - 36 credits

Pair or Dance Development Camp 10 - 12 credits

PSA Hockey Skating 3 credits

Credit is given for approved PSA online courses: www.skatepsa.com

Online courses located on PSA website:1. PSA E-Learning Syllabus (1 or 2 credits per course)2. ISI Courses (generally 1 credit per course) to be considered part of the total from ISI3. U.S. Figure Skating CER courses (generally 1 credit per course) CER credits will be considered part of the total

from U.S. Figure Skating.One (1) credit is given for each PSA online course completed unless otherwise indicated.

Credit is given for PSA oral ratings exams:• Oral rating candidates will receive one credit for each exam taken whether the exam was passed successful or not.• Ratings examiners can receive one credit for each exam examined up to a maximum of 12 credits in a three-year

period.• Attendance at Trial Examiner or Examiner Training will receive two credits per training session

Credit is given for pre-approved programs: [These include U.S. Figure Skating, ISI, USOC, ISU, and Skate Canada programs]Sixteen (16) of the twenty-eight (28) credits may be earned through pre-approved programs combined from U.S. Figure Skating and ISI events. A total of eight (8) credits may be earned through USOC, ISU or Skate Canada educa-tional events. Agendas for all these events are required to be submitted with the affidavit or no credit will be given. One (1) credit is given for each hour presented.

1. Rated coaches, including those who have passed the Basic Accreditation (BA) exam or the Entry Level Coaching Course (ELCC) certification, are required to obtain a total of twenty- eight (28) educational credits every three (3) years in order to maintain an active rating. A year is based on the PSA member-ship year - July 1st to June 30th.

2. A total of sixteen (16) of the twenty-eight (28) credits may be earned through pre- approved programs from U.S. Figure Skating and ISI events. CER credits will be considered part of the total from U.S. Figure Skating. A total of eight (8) credits may be earned through USOC, ISU or Skate Canada educa-tional events. Agendas for all these events are required to be submitted with the affidavit or no credit will be given.


RatingsKRIS SHAKARJIAN

Congratulations to the following coaches who passed the Basic Accreditation (BA) and ELCC:

Congratulations to the following coaches who successfully completed the requirements for an Oral Rating Certifi cate:

RATING EXAMSRecently Passed

BA | online

ELCC | Skokie, IL Skokie, Illinois | September 15, 2012

Alexander AikenTrish CazeauAllen DavisKassandra Erven-FelockAmy FrewShannon Grossman

Ashley HamiltonKimberly HeazlettMichelle HoganKatherine HuppiNicholas KrongardAmanda Marston-DeAguila

Nicole MillerRyan O’MearaShauna PanczyszynJodi PorterIsabelle PrischmannAlyssa Reder

Samantha ReeseLauren SkaathunAmanda WernerMaria WrightNicole Zawojski

PSA pre-approved programs:Elite Coaches College USFS Synchro Coaches College CFSA - Skate CanadaISI - Ice Skating InstituteISU - International Skating UnionUSOC - US Olympic CommitteeU.S. Figure Skating Event (i.e. Technical Panel Training Seminars)

Credit is given for attending a U.S. Figure Skating qualifying competition meeting:One credit is available for a PSA regional meeting and two credits for a PSA sectional meeting. To receive educational credit(s) at PSA meetings held at qualifying competitions, coaches are required to sign the attendance sheet in order to receive their credit.

Leah Carlson RGAngela Dodge RGAmy Forbes SGKelly Hayes RMMichelle Hogan RGDenise Kaczmarcyk RGVearle Klinger RFS, CFSColin Loughlin CFSKim Reehoff Johnson SPDBecky Spillar RM

Jessica Batastini Andrew Brown Dorie Cascio Christopher Davis Jody Diehl Benjamin Lee Ellis Krystina Haas Christina C. Haras Kelly Haynes Gina Heimbecker Nancy Hitch Michelle Hogan Christopher Hyland Leslie Kirchler Haley Kootstra Allyson Korn Nancy J. Larson Karen Loncar

Kristina Lowell Shannon Mcdonnell Yulia Mikhaylova Liz Miles Jacqui MuellerCindy Pepera-Lee Shelly Pepera-Perrone Courtney PhilbinCarissa Polo Meagan Powell Kimberly QuitterStephanie Reda Kimberly Reehoff-JohnsonAgata Robak Jacquelyn Scott Renee Tesmer-BrainerdAmanda Waugh Christine Wenger

Congratulations coaches!

PS MAGAZINE 9

This season, the ISU has made some technical changes in Pair skating for the upcoming 2012-2013 compe-

tition season. In addition, U.S. Figure Skating has also made some changes regarding Juvenile and Intermediate pairs, most notably developing new features for those events meant to encourage and develop basic pair skating skills. This article will provide the details of many of these changes, but for further clarification and the original documentation, please consult the U.S. Figure skating website (www.usfigureskating.org).

Technical Rule and Requirement ChangesAs in singles, there are now five levels of difficulty that can be achieved in the leveled elements:

• Level Base – in case of no features• Level 1 – in case of one feature• Level 2 – in case of two features• Level 3 – in case of three features• Level 4 – in case of four or more features

The scale of values has been amended to account for this, so that skaters performing a Level 1 of any element earn more points that those performing a level base. Also as in singles, the spiral sequence has been replaced with the choreographic sequence. The choreographic sequence, like the spiral sequence, is awarded a base value, and is included in the novice, junior, and senior pairs free skate. The sequence consists of any kinds of movements such as steps, turns, spirals, arabesques, spread eagles, Ina Bauers, hydroblading, transitional jumps, dance lifts, transi-tional spinning movements, etc. It must include at least one spiral (not a kick) by both partners, and must fully utilize the ice surface. A sequence that fits this definition and fully utilizes the ice will receive credit and will be marked with a GOE. If the requirement is not filled, the sequence will have no value. There have been other changes to basic technical require-ments and rules as well. Pairs may no longer do two twists of a different nature in the free skate. They are limited to one twist, and the only take-off type that is identified as different is the Axel twist. All other twist take-offs are valued equally. In all lifts, the minimum rotation requirement by the lady has been eliminated. This season, for a lift to receive a base value, the man has to execute only one rotation, meaning

the lift rotation requirements are only a minimum of one and a maximum of three and a half rotations by the man. The list of take-offs for group five lifts has also been changed. The group five loop take-off (5LoLi) has been re-named the group five backward take-off (5BLi). This is not to be confused with the group five reverse take-off (5RLi). In a group five backward lift, both partners begin skating backward with the lady’s right hand holding the man’s right hand and her left hand holding his left hand (same hand hold). She rotates a full rotation on the way up and ends up over his head with her arms in front of her body, facing the same direction as the man. The scale of values for a group five backwards lift are the same as a group five Axel take-off lift (5ALi) as it is essentially a group five Axel lift in which both partners begin the element skating backward. In a group five reverse lift, both partners also begin skating backward but the lady’s right hand is holding the man’s left hand and vice-versa (opposite hand hold). She rotates a half rotation on the way up and ends up over his head with her arms behind her body, facing the opposite direction from the man. The scale of values for the group five reverse lift has increased, and is now ½ point higher at all levels of difficulty than that of the group five axel and backward take-offs.

Changes to Features / Levels of Difficulty: Novice, Junior, and SeniorLifts: The difficult variation of the lady’s air position feature has been further clarified this season. In a lift, the lady’s position can be either upright with her head up, vertical with her head down, star (sideways with upper body parallel to the ice), or platter (flat, facing up or down with upper body parallel to the ice). In a given program, a difficult variation of air position can only be awarded once in any given lady’s air position (upright, vertical, star, or platter).

Twists: A fifth feature has been added in which the man’s arms move sideways, reaching shoulder level or lower after the release of the lady. The arms do not have to be straight to achieve this feature, but they do have to be at the sides of the body, not in front.

Step Sequences: As in singles, there is no longer a pattern

Technical Updates for Pairs, 2012-2013 SeasonBy Whitney Gaynor, Technical Panel Committee Vice Chair for Pairs Education


IJS InsightsLIBBY SCANLAN

requirement for the step sequences. The crossing feature has been changed to require three crosses covering at least ⅓ of the sequence but not more than ½ of the sequence. The upper body feature has also been changed from ½ the pattern to ⅓.

Solo Spins: As in singles, some new features have been added. These include a jump within a spin without changing feet, and a clear increase of speed in a camel, sit, layback, or Biellmann position. As was the case last year, the maximum number of features attained on one foot (if a change of foot is executed) is two, and a basic position is required on each foot to achieve levels 2–4 in both short program and free skating. However, new this year is the requirement of all three basic positions executed to achieve levels 2–4 in both short program and free skating. Unlike in singles, there are still restrictions on the use of difficult variations. Only one variation may be counted per foot, per basic position. In combination spins, one difficult variation can be executed in a non-basic position. The use of difficult variation in pairs solo spins, unlike singles, has not changed from last season.

Pair Spins: The use of difficult variations in pair spins has changed slightly from last season. This year, to achieve three difficult variations of both partners, each partner must have at least one of those difficult variations, only one of which can be in a non-basic position. To achieve an additional variation (four in total) each partner must execute two of the variations, and still only one may be in a non-basic position.

Changes to Features / Levels of Difficulty: Juvenile and IntermediateThis season, U.S. Figure Skating has implemented new features for Juvenile and Intermediate pairs, aimed specifically at lifts, death spirals, solo spins, and pair spins, to develop basic pair skating skills. The ISU features will continue to be used for twists and step sequences. Below is an introduction to those features and levels. For the additional corresponding rule vetting and element requirements, please consult Pairs USAid, the handbook for Juvenile, Intermediate, and Novice Pair skating, which can be found online at usfigureskating.org.

Lifts:1. Simple variation of the take-off2. Simple landing variety (landing on the opposite foot is not

automatically considered a simple landing variety)3. Coverage of ice from red line to blue line or equivalent

(25 feet).4. Additional coverage of ice from red line to blue line or

equivalent (25 feet).A simple variation of the take-off may include: a change of hold on the ascent, a position that is different than the required group hold, for example: the man skating forward on the take-off of a group 2 or group 4 lift. A simple landing variety may include: a change of hold on the descent, landing on the other foot with a change of direction or a difficult leg hold. Ice coverage will begin with the continuous ascent of the lift to the continuous

descent of the lift. At no point can the man “carry” the lady to achieve these features. Group 1 lifts are eligible to achieve all listed features (maximum level 4). Group 2 lifts in which the man’s arms are not fully extended are only eligible to achieve features 3 and 4 (maximum level 2). Group 2 lifts in which the man’s arms are fully extended are eligible to achieve all listed features (maximum level 4). These features are designed to promote proper lift technique as well as introducing variations that can be built upon in Novice and beyond.

Death Spirals:1. One full revolution with the man in the low pivot position2. One full revolution with lady in the low position3. Additional revolutions by both partners after the first

revolution (counts only if the team achieves features 1 and 2).4. Difficult entry (immediately preceding the death spiral) and/

or exit (only one feature can be achieved for this regardless of whether the team does a difficult entry, exit, or both).

The minimum requirement for a base value for the death spiral in Juvenile and Intermediate pairs remains at half a revolution in a pivot by the man and achieving the low position momen-tarily for the lady. The above features are designed to encourage pair teams to develop the basis for achieving the features at the higher levels by promoting proper low positions for both partners. The feature for difficult entry and/or exit is an overlap with the ISU features.

Solo Spins:1. Three revolutions in a basic camel2. Three revolutions in a basic sit3. Two revolutions in all three basic positions (counts twice if

executed on both feet)4. Flying or backward entry5. At least six revolutions without changes in positions/

variation, foot and edge (camel, sit, layback)

In any spin with a change of foot, the maximum number of features attained on one foot is two.

Juvenile and Intermediate: Combination spins with a change of foot

• All three basic positions are required for a level 4• One basic position on each foot is mandatory for levels 2

and 3• One basic position for two revolutions is required to

receive a maximum level 1• Non-basic positions will not be awarded as a feature

Intermediate: Spins in one position with a change of foot• Only one basic position for two revolutions is required for

a maximum level 2

Juvenile: Spins in one position with or without a change of foot• May be awarded a maximum Level Base if there is no basic

position

PS MAGAZINE 11

These features were designed to promote and reward basic spinning skills in order to lay a strong foundation upon which to build the more difficult ISU features. Difficult variations of positions may be executed, but are not awarded as features. They will count towards the basic position features if executed in basic positions and held for three revs. Features 1 and 2 cannot be repeated for credit within the spin.

Pair Spins:1) Three revolutions in basic camel (both partners at the

same time)2) Three revolutions in basic sit (both partners at the same

time)3) Two revolutions in all three basic positions (both

partners, do not have to be at the same time)4) One difficult variation of each partner (must be

executed for two revolutions in basic position)

5) At least six revolutions without any changes in position/variation and foot (camel, sit or difficult upright)

These features were designed to both promote basic spinning as a team but also to be a stepping stone to the ISU features. Basic positions are emphasized, as difficult variations can only be awarded in those basic positions. The above changes and clarifications are current as of this article’s deadline, but as always, the IJS is changing and evolving, and as the new features for Juvenile and Intermediate are put into practice, the calling standards will become clearer for all. Because technical notifications are released on Thursdays on usfigureskating.org, the best way to stay up to date is to check the website.

Navy in the Asian-Pacific Theater from 1944-1946, sailing on the U.S.S. LSM 328 and U.S.S. LSM 142 (Landing Ship Medium), ranked as a Seaman 1st Class and discharged as RM3c (T) Radioman 3rd Class. The Men’s event was again cancelled in 1945.

Hardships at HomeWhile clubs lost members to the service, materials for the war effort were also a constant issue. Through Skating Magazine, the USFSA asked all figure skaters to help in the war effort by donating their medals and trophies to the Sportsman’s Trophies Salvage Committee, a division of the War Production Board. “Pewter Trophies contained between 88-90% tin, which was essential in the manufacture of battleships, tanks, airplanes and other war equipment.” In Cleveland, the Elysium Figure Skating Club did their part by forming a Transportation Committee whose task was to organize school groups and neighborhood car pools to save on gas and tires. In some areas, indoor arenas were taken over by various government groups to be used as drill halls and storage. The Southern Connecticut FSC and the FSC of Omaha were among the rinks that lost their facilities. The FSC of Omaha ended up skating on a frozen tennis court, while the Southern Connecticut FSC formed the “10-B-Low Club, Sub (zero) Division.” Their badge was a cube of ice made from glass and silver ice tongs. The Illini FSC at the University of Illinois in Champaign sacrificed its rink to the Army and Navy trainees. The Army took over the Springfield Ice Birds ice rink, forcing the club to skate outdoors for the season. Shortly after losing their ice, the Ice Birds were given another blow when a ban on pleasure driving was banned, limiting skating to those who could take the bus or walk. Even with these hardships, Springfield Ice Birds pair team Doris Schbach and Walter Noffke won the U.S. Pair title three straight times – 1942, 1943, and 1944!

Skating Magazine also dropped its April edition, publishing only five issues due to paper restrictions in 1942. The next year it published only four issues and did not publish a new rule book. The magazine faced other hardships as well: curtailing advertising revenue, rising costs, and the loss of several staff members to the service. The magazine donated one-third of its working typewriters. Staff members who served were Corp. Richard L. Hapgood; Edith Ray, an Assistant Editor who entered the WAVES; and Air Cadet Winfield A. Hird, who was the managing editor of the magazine. Hird, who became a navigator in the U.S. Army Air Corps, was killed in action in China October 1943 .

Defense and War BondsThe American Skaters Guild held a special meeting during the 1942 U.S. Championships at the Chicago Arena on February 21, 1942. Presided over by then-Chairman Nate Walley, it was unanimously voted to invest half of the present funds in Defense Bonds. Less than four years old, the ASG became inactive until 1945. After Pearl Harbor, Defense Bonds were renamed War Bonds. By the end of the war, Americans had purchased close to $186 billion dollars worth of bonds. Sonja Henie was one of the celebrities who toured the country selling war bonds. Twentieth Century Fox’s studio boss Darryl F. Zanuck ordered Sonja’s participation in the War Bond after an autographed ceremonial picture of the ice skating superstar with Hitler got into general circulation. This same photo hung on a wall in her house in Norway during the war, allegedly displayed prominently to help ward off the possibility of her home being commandeered by the Nazis. In England, even more rinks were taken over by the military. In the December 1941 issue of Skating Magazine it was reported that “London has lost 50% of its rinks. Empress Hall, Streatham and Bournemouth have been taken over by

Over the Edge continued from page 5


the military. Westminster’s glass roof was shattered in an air raid.” Even through all of this, skating was as popular as ever. It was reported that often during air-raids, skaters would skate on in spite of the wailing sirens and the sounds of blasting anti-aircraft guns. By the fall of 1945, the Allies had achieved total victory over the Axis powers. Skaters and coaches alike were being discharged and returning to their homes. Getting back to normal, the government released ice back to the Omaha FSC and the Muskegon SC. The U.S. Championships once again held a Men’s event, won by Dick Button. From the end of World War II until the fateful crash of Sabena flight 548 in 1961, the U.S. won 49 world medals.

For other notables who served, see page 20.

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PS MAGAZINE 13

One of the ironies of a coaching life, is that the great majority of the long hours that elite coaches spend

are not evaluated, while a small minority of their work is endlessly and publicly scrutinized. For most coaches, 95% of their work and time is spent in training and practice, yet the evaluations of coaches are often based on that 5% of time spent in competition. For coaches of some team sports, it is possible to take time-outs and talk to your team during competition, but in the great majority of Olympic sports, the ability of coaches to influence athletic perfor-mance stops the moment the event begins. Because of this reality, the last few minutes before a competition can loom large in the mind of coaches. Is it possible, through your words and actions in those last few minutes, to help an athlete win a gold medal? Is it also possible, through your coaching words and coaching actions, to cause an athlete to lose a gold medal? While the impact of these last few minutes is often overstated in the media, there is certainly some value in considering the best ways for coaches to manage this time. Based on observa-tions of great coaches, feedback from great athletes, as well as having watched things go terribly wrong in those last few minutes, here is a list of do’s and dont’s for coaches in the last few minutes before competition.

1. Have a coaching plan for the last few minutes. Just as we tell athletes to come up with a specific plan for competition (the goal being to maximize ideal thoughts, emotions, and behaviors), it is certainly worth taking the time to prepare a specific plan for managing yourself at competitions. As we tell the athletes, however, a plan should help free up your mind to adapt to the situation, not be a straitjacket that limits your behavior. A plan based on past excel-lent coaching moments reminds you of who you are at your best as a coach, and gives you a framework for managing those last minutes before competition. Set aside time to think through what has gone well and what has gone poorly in the last few minutes, and make some notes. Summarize this raw data into some rules for coaching behavior just before competition

and you will be more likely to succeed in those situa-tions. It sounds simple, but I would guess that fewer than 10% of elite coaches have done this exercise.

2. Have a clear idea of what behaviors you are looking for from each athlete. The odds of influencing behavior go up dramatically in your favor when you know what impact you want to have and what behavior you want to see. Successful coaches know how each of their athletes behaves at their best and their worst, and will orient their interactions with each athlete to maximize the best behaviors. This is a simple idea, but frequently under pressure, coaches do not take the time to clarify in their mind what they want to see from each athlete.

3. Try to do what you normally do. One of the most common complaints we hear from Olympic coaches and athletes about the Olympics, is that too many things are different at the Olympic Games. These differences make everybody uncomfortable and out of their normal routine. Unfortunately, coaches can also change things up at big competitions, and this is frequently a mistake. If you have been doing a good enough job to get to the big competition, you probably have managed the last few minutes just fine. Why change that at the biggest competition? An exception to this rule is when you observe that the normal program is obviously not working. A good rule of thumb is to do a lot of work determining the best pre-competition program for your athletes, with plenty of experiments early on. Then, once you have decided on the best program, stick with it. Athletes like routine, routines build confidence and certainty, and routines reduce decision making on competition day.

4. Individualize. Some athletes need to be pumped up. Some need to be calmed down. Some need a clear head. Some need specific technical information. Some need to laugh. Some need to get angry. NFL great Marshall Faulk was recently asked if coach

Coaching in the Last Few MinutesTen Things to Rememberby Sean McCann, USOC Sport Psychologist


Sport ScienceHEIDI THIBERT

Dick Vermeil deserved his reputation as the best pre-game motivational speaker. Faulk replied that he didn’t know, since he didn’t listen. His pre-game focus was on reading defenses, understanding new plays, and other specific tasks for the game. In my experience, the best way for coaches to determine what each athlete needs in the last few minutes is to ask each athlete individually. One strategy I have used is to have the athletes fill out a competition plan with their ideal thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and coach interactions. Once this is filled out, I have the coaches and athletes meet and discuss it.

5. Raise energy, but not negative energy. While the pressure of competition requires that everybody take their job seriously on competition day, too many coaches equate a serious approach with a joyless one. While I have certainly seen exceptions, most of the best big event coaches raise their intensity but not their negativity for big events. When coaches are able to enjoy themselves under pressure, the message gets sent that everything is going to be ok. There is very little down-side to positive energy. Negative energy, on the other hand, can disrupt, distract, and drain useful excitement from staff and athletes. Frequently, negative energy comes from focusing on what might go wrong, or what has gone wrong. Either of these thoughts means that you aren’t focusing on the present. The worst negative energy is exter-nally-directed sniping at athletes or coaching staffs. Interpersonal conflict at competitions is distracting and threatens performance.

6. Prepare for the worst (but expect the best). Coaching in the last few minutes is much easier when you have done all the work you needed to in the hours, days, weeks, and months, preceeding the last few minutes. Coaches who are scrambling in the last few minutes because they haven’t prepared for the kinds of things that can change or go wrong at competi-tions, are rarely effective. When you have effective contingency plans for the worst case scenario, you can relax as a coach. You can only know if they are effective if you have actually practiced these situa-tions in training. Essentially, the goal is to organize competition simulations in which your athletes have to handle conditions at least as tough as the worst case scenario. Examples include competing without a normal warm-up, changing the time of competition, playing loud crowd noise (USOC Sport Psychology has a 30 minute crowd noise CD we have distributed to coaches and athletes), and any other logistical wrinkle or challenge you can throw at your athletes.

7. Think questions, not just speeches. We have all seen the movies where a coach gives an inspirational speech and the team goes out and “wins one for the gipper”. Many coaches believe that a powerful speech is part of a job requirement to be a great coach, but

as evidenced by the Marshall Faulk story, many athletes may not need or want speeches. I have seen many successful coaches use an alternative to speeches: good questions. Instead of a coach giving a speech, reminding players about a key defensive assignment, a coach simply asks each player or groups of players, “What is your key in this defense?” The athlete’s answer tells you if they understand or not. When athletes understand the keys to their performance, the process of answering a question actually impacts that athlete’s self-talk in ways that you can see and react to. You simply don’t know if that is happening when you give a speech.

When a coach uses open-ended questions such as “what’s your main goal today?”, athletes give that coach a wonderful opportunity to react and modify thinking. For example, I have seen athletes say “my main goal is to get a decent result” to which the coach responds, “Great! So, what do you need to do to make that happen?”, which shifts the athlete’s mind away from outcome onto the task at hand. By doing this, the coach keeps the athlete in the present, and keeps the athlete’s focus on the controllable. If this coach had simply told the athlete what to think, the athlete would probably have just nodded, with the coach thinking they had gotten through, when instead, the athlete was still thinking about results. Effective questioning may be the best tool in a coaches bag of tricks in the last few minutes before a competition.

8. Don’t say “Don’t!”(Frame behaviors in the positive). I will never forget a trip I took to work with coaches at one of our country’s traditional college football powers. The football coach at that time had done a great job recruiting, but was under pressure because his team regularly under-performed in big games, especially the annual giant game with a conference rival. We met in the football team’s auditorium, and on the wall were the top five team “rules for success” on a giant sign. I immediately understood why the team failed on the biggest stage when I saw rule #1: “The team that makes the fewest mistakes wins.” It’s not that this isn’t true. While the pressure of competition requires that everybody take their job seriously on competition day, coaching staffs that focus on not making mistakes are not focusing

“For most coaches,

95% of their work

and time is spent in

training and practice,

yet the evaluations

of coaches are often

based on that 5%

of time spent in

competition.”

PS MAGAZINE 15

on winning. They are focusing on not losing, not getting yelled at, not getting benched, not getting fired. This is the dark underside of perfectionism, and it makes athletes and coaches vulnerable in the big games, with the most pressure. In the case of this football team, rather than attempting great plays, the team focused on safe plays. Years later, a staff member on the team said that their opponent’s defense in the big conference game was calling out the plays, knowing exactly what the team would do, because the team was avoiding anything risky. Contrast this fear of making mistakes to the quote from UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, whose teams dominated

the big games for a decade: “The team that makes the most mistakes will probably win. There is much truth in that statement if you analyze it properly. The doer makes mistakes, and I want doers on my team -- players who make things happen.”

By identifying specific goals to go after, rather than specific things not to do, coaches can help athletes focus on execution and excellence, reduce worry, and stay optimistic and positive. These are hallmarks of athletes who perform under pressure. Nowhere is this approach more important than in the last few minutes before competing. Identify what you want to see, not what you don’t want to see, and keep the conversation focused on the positive competition behaviors.

9. Sweat the little stuff well before competition. The last few minutes before competition is the time for stripped down thinking, focusing only on simple, powerful, and useful ideas. Unfortunately, many coaches make the mistake of obsessing about little details that don’t matter at that point in time. There is a time and a place for sweating the details, and the time is early and the place is away from competition. When you develop your personal plan for competition (see point #1), you have a great opportunity to think of every possible detail and make a plan to ensure that the details are taken care of. If you are worying about details at the compe-tition, you didn’t do your work ahead of time. I have known many nervous coaches, constantly and obsessively checking, and these coaches tend to irritate everybody around them. These coaches are frequently avoided by athletes and other coaches in the last few minutes, because the worrying rubs off on everybody and you may not have time in the last few minutes to clear your thoughts of these

worries. If you are a coach who worries more than most people, you need to find a way to take care of the worries and let them go for those few minutes before competing. If you don’t, you will have an unintended negative impact, creating much more lasting damage than some little detail left undone.

10. Remember the role of emotions. Emotions are the wild card in the last few minutes before competi-tion. Sometimes strong emotions produce personal best results, and sometimes they create disasters. Because many of us are afraid of strong emotions, we frequently do what we can to put a lid on emotions. In the last few minutes before competi-tion, the last thing many coaches want to see is an athlete crying, since many of us believe that someone who is crying is out of control. On the other hand, if you develop the skills to coach even when emotions run high, you can operate much more effectively in the last few minutes. If an athlete is able to tell you they are afraid, then you can help. If the athlete is unable to do that, then you cannot help, and the athlete will probably fail. Which situation would you prefer?

If you remember a couple of basic ideas when faced with emotions in the last few minutes, you may have an easier time with this important skill. One simple idea is not to be afraid. If tears or anger don’t scare you, you can keep talking, and keep on working. Another simple idea is don’t be embarrassed. Many coaches who see athletes with strong emotions stay away, because they feel the eyes of observers watching them and they are embar-rassed to be on stage. If you act as if strong emotions are a normal occurance, it has a calming impact on everyone in the vicinity, especially the athlete. One final idea when dealing with strong emotions is not to make any assump-tions about what those emotions mean. An angry athlete may or may not know why they are angry. The anger may or may not have anything to do with the competition. The anger may be realted to the coach, or it may not. The key strategy is engaging the athlete, talking through the situation, and remembering what you ideally want to see from this athlete in competition (point #2). As long as you know where you want to go, you can get there, even when working with a very emotional athlete. If the strong emotion throws you off your stride, however, and you forget your goal, you may end up throwing away a performance opportunity in those last few minutes. To summarize, if a coach is unafraid, unembarrassed, and doesn’t make assumptions, they can be a great resource for an emotional athlete in the last few minutes before competing.

“As long as you

know where you

want to go, you

can get there,

even when

working with a

very emotional

athlete.”


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Part II

Technique of Butterflies

PHASE 2: ON-ICE STATIONARY BUTTERFLIESThe knowledge and practice of the previous article on illusions, stars and the off-ice preparation for butterflies will be most useful at this time. At this stage, stepping onto the ice, the skaters are often excited to attempt the butterfly and will throw themselves out of control into something that has never been seen before. This is the right time to review on-ice what we did on the floor, then add the new skills.1. Standing still, let the skater walk high up on the toe picks to feel the traction and safe grip as the take-off will be from the toes with no slipping or sliding.

2. Practice the Can-Can jumping from one toe to the other, kicking the free leg backwards.

3. Barrel PositionFeet apart and parallel (no pigeon-toe or spread eagle). Sit on the barrel, arms in a circle in front. Standing in the middle of the blade with the body weight between the feet, have the skater shift the body weight to the left foot, rocking forward to the toe pick to jump. At the same time, kick the right leg high and backwards while leaning forward and opening the arms to the sides. Land on the right toe in a back camel position. Remember this is just a review of what was done on the floor.

4. Barrel SpinWe will now borrow some rotation from the barrel spin as the skater is not ready for the torque and release action yet. Have the skater spin in the barrel sitting position as fast as possible for at least five rotations. There should be no resistance from edges as the right blade will actually glide forward in a little circle and the left blade will glide backward on the same circle (about one foot in diameter).

5. Standing Still SimulationReview the take-off again pretending to be spinning in the barrel position. To really feel it well, make the skater close their eyes and feel the shifting of the body weight from between the feet to the left toe, then the jump and change of foot. Repeat several times. Keep it small and safe but technically perfect (the eyes usually open when jumping).

6. The Moth in the Cocoon (almost a butterfly)Now, we are putting the barrel spin and the take-off together by allowing the skater to rotate at least two turns before the take-off. Make sure the skater is certain which leg to kick backwards first. The landing is identical to the flying camel. If the skater is a little weak and tentative on the landing, have the skater do a few flying camels to recog-nize the feeling of the strong landing and some spinning. But before going back to the butterfly, review the take-off again and the difference between the two elements (see pervious article).

Once the skater is comfortable and sure with this phase, we can add the tension and release action of the body twist.

Tension and release action: BODY TWIST

A. Have the skater stand still, feet apart as in the barrel position. This time the arms will be open wide to the sides but the upper body will be turned tightly to the right. Let the skater feel the extreme tension of the right arm very far back. The body weight is mostly on the right foot.

B. Without moving the feet, rotate the body to the front by bringing the right hand to the left one. This is the familiar barrel position with the arms in a circle in front of the chest, the knees slightly bent, feet apart, and the body weight is now in the middle.

By Ann-Margareth Frei Hall, MC

This article on the butterfly is a series

of articles that were printed in the 1999

Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec issues and the 2000

Jan/Feb and Mar/Apr issues. The informa-

tion has been updated for inclusion in PS

Magazine, with Part I running in the previous

Sept/Oct 2012 issue


EducationCAROL ROSSIGNOL

C. Without moving the feet, keep the upper body rotating to the left, start leaning forwards and open the arms when reaching the far left. The body weight is all on the left toe now. Hold that strange position and observe the position of the feet still apart and pointing forward.

D. In one movement now, without stopping, have the skater do the body twist and then go over the toe and jump while kicking the right leg backwards. It is just a little scissor action and change of foot. Repeat several times adding more knee bend (hair-raising drop) and more forward lean until the chest is touching the left knee on the take-off.

E. Add the skills above to a fast barrel spin, allowing the skater two rotations (at least) to prepare for the first position with the twisting to the right. Keep rotating and spinning during the body transition from right to left, jump and land.

Make sure that the skater always kicks the right leg straight backwards like a spiral for the take-off. The power of that kick will also give timing and height as the skater must jump exactly at the same time as the leg goes up. Make sure that the feet are about a foot apart for the barrel spin to allow the shifting of the body weight from right to left. The take-off is from the toe and it will feel like that foot is turned in as it didn’t change position (parallel) while the body rotated from right to left during the spin.

PHASE 3: ON-ICE ADVANCE MOVING BUTTERFLIESOnce the exercises are mastered, the skater is ready to add some speed with a pattern as a reversed $ sign. Each half circle is about five feet with the long axis running lengthwise through it.

1. The skater pushes and will glide on two feet on the first half of the circle with the right foot in front of the left one. The right arm goes very far back with much tension. The left is in front on the tracing.

2. As the skater glides into the second half of the circle, the body weight will shift to the front foot in a forward inside edge on a very bent knee. The left foot will drag on the ice behind and with a straight knee. The upper body will lean forward, flat over the right knee in the same position as above with much tension and the right arm still far behind.

3. In order to check the position and tension, let the skater stop on the long axis facing the starting point. Make sure that the left knee is dragging behind, slightly inside the tracing and straight, the right knee is very bent, the body is twisted to the right and flat (parallel to the ice). Only the body weight is over the line of the axis. The legs are on the other side.

4. The skater can do a barrel spin now on the axis with a few revolutions and much upper body tension before rotating the body to the left and jumping off the left toe. Give the skater time to think while spinning.

5. Go through the same process as above without stopping on the line this time. Again spin a few turns before jumping.

To improve the skater’s timing, the spin should be done on medium bent knees and dropping very low just before the take off. At the same time the body also goes very low and stays parallel to the ice through the landing in the camel spin position. As the skater becomes proficient, the barrel spin becomes shorter and shorter until the skater can do all the moves in order and holding the tension until only half a barrel turn is needed. At this point, the skater will throw the upper body from one side of the line to the other very fast. The rotation will come from throwing the body forcefully from right to left in a circular motion. Make sure that the right arm stays behind until the last second. If the skater throws the arms too far back during the butterfly, the arms usually end up bouncing forwards, resulting in a weak, off balance landing. During the butterfly the arms should only be stretched out to the sides. Have the skater do a couple of flying camels now to feel the strong back and arm positions on the landing as well as the rotation. The landing of the butterfly is identical. Variations can be added later.

Take-off pattern into a Butterfly

Barrel Spin

PS MAGAZINE 19

Most Memorable MomentsMost Memorable Moments

#50 • Skating Notables Who Served

U.S. ArmyPSA’s first patron member and past USFSA President, Ben Wright, began his service as an ROTC student at Harvard from 1940 to 1943. He went on to the Officer Candidate School for Field Artillery at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Thereafter, Wright served stateside before going to the Philippines in early 1945 as a second lieutenant, where he joined a medium field artillery battalion (136th) of the 37th Infantry Division in the battle for the liberation of Luzon. Returning from the War in late 1946 he remained in the active Reserve until 1965, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Leaving the St. Paul FSC in Minnesota, Montgomery “Bud” Wilson, a Canadian, was a Major in the U.S. Field Artillery, 75th Division, earning a Bronze Star in the European Theatre. Back from the war, he joined the coaching staff of The Skating Club of Boston in 1946, where he coached for 18 years. Bud was a competitor in three Olympic Games, earning a bronze in 1932. Over his career, Bud won a total of 18 Canadian and 10 North American titles in singles, pairs, and fours. He was elected into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1976 and the PSA’s Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003. Born in Germany in 1922, Walter Muehlbronner’s family immigrated to the U.S. when he was five years old. Joining the Army on April 7, 1943 as a Private, he was eventually deployed to England to train for the eventual invasion of mainland Europe. While training for D-Day, his Sergeant asked him if he was a citizen. He was not; as a young immigrant, he was not eligible to become a citizen until he reached the age of 21. The Army’s concern was that if he was captured by the Nazis, he would most likely be executed as a traitor. He was sent to get his papers in order. After having been passed around from office to office and forgotten about over a period of time, he missed D-Day. Eventually his paperwork was sorted out and at that time the Army noticed that he was a draftsman and spoke some German. He was then assigned to the allied headquarters in London to translate German signs into English. Stationed in Hyde Park, Walter was within walking distance from the Queens rink. His Mother shortly thereafter sent him his skates, and he regularly skated until the end of the war. Walter took advantage of learning the English style of ice dancing, taking lesson from Sissy Krueger, and eventually helped introduce several new dances to the U.S. Once a week, the Queens rink was closed and on those occasions,

Walter and his skating compatriots would travel by train to Brighton to skate. On one occasion while dancing, the sound of the air-raid sirens and buzz bombs filled the air. Calmly, the very British announcer asked the skaters to please clear the ice. As an orderly exit was easily executed, the sound of the buzz bomb engine quit, signaling that the bomb would drop. Fortunately, the exploding bomb did not hit the rink, but landed close enough to the building that the glass roof shattered over the ice. As the air-raid ended, the skaters cleared the ice of broken glass and resumed dancing. Walter was a Past President of the PSGA (1972-1974) and along with his wife, Irene, is a member of the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame, class of 2008. In 1942, Wally Sahlin was the U.S. Jr. Champion. Reported in the October 1942 Skating Magazine, Wally announced that he was putting away his skates for the duration of the war, spending ten hours a day working on war products. By the time of the next nationals, he said he was planning on serving in either the Navy or Air Corp…he ended up serving in the Philippines with the U.S. Army. Wally is a Past President of the PSGA (1959-1967) and a member of the 2010 class of the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame. William Grimditch Jr. enlisted as a Private in the U.S. Army on July 26, 1943 after being denied enlistment in both the Navy and Air Force due to poor eyesight. He was the 1940 U.S. Novice Champion, 1941 U.S. Jr. Champion, and 1942 U.S. Men’s Silver medalist. A Harvard law student, William married Gioia Gould Barker, daughter of Gloria Gould and a great-granddaughter of Robber Baron Jay Gould, shortly before enlisting in the service. William sued for divorce in a sensational trial in February 1948. He contended that Gioia was unfaithful while he was serving in the armed forces during World War II. Lewis “Lew” Elkin was the 1930 Canadian Jr. Champion, placing second that same year in the Canadian Men’s Championships. At the 1931 Canadian Championships he earned the bronze in the Men’s event. In 1938, he moved to Chicago to become the Chicago Figure Skating Club’s senior instructor and joined the American Skaters Guild in

SKATIN

G M

agazine • May 1942, pg 43


1940. Still a Canadian citizen, he enlisted in Los Angeles on February 6, 1943 as a Private First Class in the U.S. Army. Following the war, he went back to coaching, becoming a skate school director and the long time manager of the Rochester Institute of Technology Arena in Rochester, NY. Lew served on the Board of the PSA and was a charter member of the ISIA, also serving on their board. During his coaching career, he worked with Robin Lee, Danny Ryan, Jim Sladky, and former USFSA President F. Ritter Shumway. Elected into the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame 2007 he passed away from cancer at age 84 in Atlanta, Georgia in 1989. Both the Genesee FSC and the Atlanta FSC have club dance awards in his honor. Lloyd “Skippy” Baxter and his brother Meryl were both born in Saskatchewan, Canada, and moved to Oakland, California in the late 1920’s. Skippy was a speed skater, and as a single and pair competitor, qualified for the cancelled 1940 Olympics. Meryl began his professional career with Sonja Henie’s ice show in New York City in 1939. He later toured the world with “The Three Rookies,” his slapstick comedy act. World War II interrupted the Baxters’ careers, with both enlisting in the Army in the newly formed 10th Mountain Ski Troops. The 10th trained in high altitudes at Camp Hale, Colorado before being deployed to Northern Italy. Considered the “special forces” of its time, the 10th Mountain Division taught mountaineering, survival and

tactical skills for winter conditions. Following the war, Skippy and Meryl skated with Sonja Henie’s ice show. Together, Skippy and Meryl owned and operated the Santa Rosa Ice Arena from 1960-1968. Skippy was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame.

U.S. NavyBernard “Babe” Fox was a three time U.S. Pair Champion and 1939 North American Champion with Joan Tozzer. He completed a “back to back” winning in 1935 as a novice and 1936 as a junior. In 1936 he won both singles and pairs. Babe became a Navy Reservist in 1940, completing his training cruise on the New Orleans-class heavy cruiser, USS Quincy (CA-39). A Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, he served from May 1942 to November 1945, and spent the last year deployed in the Mediterranean. A graduate of Harvard, he went on to be a successful Hollywood producer. He died on his birthday, October 6, 1998 at the age of 82. “Sheldon Galbraith was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Air Force in 1942 as a flight instructor. He served until 1945, gaining useful teaching experience and learning various instructional methods that would have a significant influence on his coaching techniques. For example, he later applied the idea of flight simulation to figure skating, allowing his skaters to get the feel for complicated jumps on a trampoline or a spinning device before trying them on ice.” He was the first President of the Professional Skaters Association of Canada (1965) and inducted into the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003. Edward LeMaire, the 1942 U.S. Jr. Pair Champion, 1943 U.S. Jr. Men’s Champion, and 1943 U.S. Pairs Bronze medalist, was a U.S. Navy Flight Instructor. Mr. LeMaire died on the ill-fated Sabena Flight 548 on his way to the 1961 World Championships. Robin Lee, from St. Paul, MN, was a five-time U.S. Men’s Champion from 1935-1939 and 1936 Olympian. During the Second World War, Robin served on the USS Tolman, a Smith Class destroyer minelayer as a Boatswain’s Mate Second Class. Lee saw action on the Tolman during the Okinawa campaign. In the early morning of March 28, 1945, the Tolman encountered eight Japanese torpedo boats. Defending itself with five inch and 40-millimeter batteries, the Tolman maneuvered to evade the torpedoes. By the end of the engagement, all eight Japanese vessels were destroyed. The following day, the Tolman was credited with shooting down several kamikaze planes. Lee was honorably discharged October 8, 1945, and went on to perform in various professional ice shows like Ice Cycles, a joint production of both Ice Capades and the Shipstads and Johnson Ice Follies. He eventually worked as a coach in the Minneapolis area. Inducted into the U.S. Figure

SKATIN

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agazine • October 1942, pg 16

PS MAGAZINE 21

Skating Hall of Fame in 1995, Robin Lee passed away in Minneapolis on October 8, 1997 at the age of 76.

U.S. Army Air ForceEugene Turner was the 1940 and 1941 U.S. Men’s Champion. In 1941, he was also the first skater to medal in all three disciplines. In addition to his Men’s title, he won the pair event with Donna Atwood and the bronze in dance with Elizabeth Kennedy. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Gene was still skating and teaching, had done three movies, and completed a short tour with Sonja Henie. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force and eventually piloted a P-47 Thunderbolt for 69 missions over Germany and occupied France. When Lieutenant Turner was asked if he had any close calls over Germany, he replied the only exciting time was when a farmer took pot shots at his airplane. According to a recollection that Gene wrote to his daughter Chris, Gene had just come out of a strafing run when there was an explosion in the cockpit. “I’ve been hit!” he yelled, only to realize that his rear view mirror had been blasted. He got a sliver of glass in his eye. Returning to the base, the glass was removed and he was shown the hole in his canopy where the bullet had penetrated. In typical fashion, his fellow pilots teased him to put in for a purple heart. Bobby Specht of Chicago, Illinois, 1942 U.S. Men’s Champion, U.S. Army Air Corp, enlisted October 14, 1942. Contracting rheumatic fever, he was discharged November 6, 1943. Jack Might, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Corp, quit his competitive skating career due to World War II. Having medaled at the U.S. Championships in 1941 in pairs with Patricia Vaeth, he would have been on the world team, had there been a Championship. Jack enlisted in the Army Air corps on December 12, 1942 at 19 years of age. His first post

was at Camp Pickett, VA, as a Sanitary Technician. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant and stationed as a medic at Robins Field in Macon, GA, and then at Randolph Field, TX, where he was a Flight Surgeon’s Assistant. His final post was at Patterson Field, OH where he was discharged from active duty on Jan. 26, 1946. He served in the reserves until discharged from that duty as a “Second Lieutenant, United States

Air Force Reserve” on March 10, 1949. Mr. Might was decorated with the Good Conduct and WWII Victory Medals, and the American Theater Ribbon. He also was a charter member of the Pikes Peak FSC in 1938. Pikes Peak FSC became the Broadmoor SC and he was the club president from 1971-1984. He had been a member of the club until his death in 1997. From 1943 to 1946, Marcus J. “Marc” Nelson Jr., was a U.S. Army

Air Force Bombardier in the Mid-Pacific Theatre, and from 1950-52, a Korean War U.S. Army Air Force Bombardier and Armament Officer. Marc’s competitive record includes winning a silver medal in both the 1942 U.S. Novice and 1943 U.S. Junior Men’s Championships. A PSA member in good standing for 46 years, Marc joined the Professional Skaters Guild of America in 1965. To that end, Marc served on the board of directors for the Ice Skating Institute and the Professional Skaters Association. He was a long time contrib-uting member to the ISI, PSA, International Professional Skaters Union (IPSU), Metropolitan Ice Rink Managers Association (MIRMA), and USA Hockey. In fact, he was the main force behind the implementation of PSA representation on the ISI board and vice versa.

U.S. Coast GuardWhen Ollie Haupt Jr. was drafted in 1942 to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard, eight of his family and friends went to Union Station to see him off. Ollie’s mother handed him a fifth of whiskey as he was getting onto the train. First sent to the Marine Commando School, he transferred to the Naval Air Corp only to discover that his eyes were lacking in depth perception, forcing him to drop out. Determined to stick to the sea, he entered the Merchant Marine and trained as an officer. Ollie was the 1934 U.S. Novice Champion and the1937 U.S. Jr. Champion. While never winning the senior title, he did place third in 1938 and won the silver medal in 1939 and 1940.

British Armed ForcesPresident of the Professional Skaters Guild of America from 1953—1956, Cliff Thaell followed a different path to service. Skating Magazine reported, “Cliff Thaell, who enlisted in the Canadian Army after being turned down by the British Army, was again rejected for physical reasons.” Thaell was eventually successful, joining the British Armed forces as a Second Lieutenant in a milita-rized tank squadron, fighting in France, Italy and North Africa. He was discharged from the British Armed Forces in New York City in 1946. His wife Edwina Blades served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), whose job

SKATIN

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agazine • March 1944, pg 38


Jack and Ginny Might on their wedding dayPHOTO COURTESY DEBBIE MIGHT


was to support the Royal Air Force by packing parachutes, manning barrage balloons, and many more operations. Cliff ’s sister Rona worked in an aircraft factory.

Arnold Gerschwiler, who had resumed teaching in Richmond, was taking his turn at fire-watching at the rink. He was there when a 2,000 pound bomb fell in the engine room but did not explode. One of his pupils in 1940 was an elderly man with a heavy moustache - Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, who was sometimes able to get away from his task as Commander-in-Chief, RAF Fighter Command, to relax on skates. Interestingly, members of the British Military stationed in Washington, DC often skated at the Chevy Chase Ice Palace. Coaches Hall of Fame inductee Cecilia Colledge drove a civilian ambulance in London during the blitz, and her brother, Maule, became a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force. He never returned from a September 1943 mission over Berlin. In 1944, Colledge, Daphne Walker and, a group of fellow British skaters put together an “Ice Follies” show at the Richmond rink outside of London for members of the U.S. Army Air Force. The 1939 World and European Champion Graham Sharp fought with the British Army in Belgium and France. During the British retreat from Dunkirk, he was wounded.

Returning to duty he served in North Africa, where he was promoted to Captain. Frederick “Freddie” Tomlins, the 1939 World silver medalist and European silver medalist, joined the Royal Air Force as a truck driver and later transferred to a pilot school in Canada. A RAF crew member, he participated in many bombing raids over Germany and was killed in battle on June 20, 1943, by a Nazi submarine over the English Channel. Robert (Bob) Ogilvie had fallen in love with the complexity of skating and made it his life’s work to under-stand the sport. The war unfortunately intervened and he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps. On September 6, 1940, Bob reported for training as an X-ray technician at the Royal Army Medical College in London. The college was about half a mile down the Thames River from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament and about 100 yards from the “Ice Club.” On the second night of his stay, the Germans started the “blitz” by dropping a bomb on the Ice Club, destroying the building, which was never rebuilt. After a period of intense attacks, bombing continued spasmodically during his stay. Fortunately, the Queens Ice Club near Hyde Park was below ground and continued to function throughout the War both as a rink and air raid shelter. Regrettably, one of the Queens Ice Club professionals, Walter Gregory, the inventor of the Rhumba, joined the Royal Air Force and was killed while fighting a German attack. Mr. Ogilvie spent about 18 months working in a large army hospital before being sent out to Singapore, Malaya, which fell to the Japanese a few months later. Thus, Bob spent the remaining three and a half years of the war as a POW. Detention was very difficult on Mr. Ogilvie as the Japanese did not give the prisoners their Red Cross parcels and restricted daily rations to the volume of dry rice that would fit in the palm of your hand. “At one point,” said Nigel Ogilvie, Bob’s son, “the medical officers concluded that eating food with maggots was okay because they added some protein value.” In a camp where almost 100% of the POW’s had malaria and nearly 30% died, Bob credited his guardian angels for protecting him although at the end he did come down with beriberi (vitamin deficiency). The future Mrs. Robert Ogilvie, Joan Astley was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) where her father was an invest-ment banker and was raised in Calcutta before returning to England. She was eventually introduced to her future husband by Jack Gerschwiler, who thought she would be a “good match” for Bob Ogilvie’s partner search. During World War II, she was an operating room nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, the same hospital and ward where Alexander Fleming had discovered penicillin in 1928. During the Blitz bombing, Joan drove an ambulance. Periodically, she managed to get in some skating at Queens Club where Jack Gerschwiler continued to teach throughout the war.

PS MAGAZINE 23

Mr. Ogilvie described postwar Britain as a depressing place. Joan skated with Bob, winning the 1947 British Pair title, and in 1948, skated in the European and World Championships and were members of the British Olympic Team. According to Bob Ogilvie, “The 1948 Winter Olympics were the first to be held for eight years, and the number of entries was far greater than anticipated. Each country was allowed three entries. However, at that time all ice skating events were held in the open weather that was appalling—mainly a thaw and high winds—so the figure events were delayed, thus curtailing the total time available. The result was that the time schedule was in compete disorder and certain countries had their entries cut from three to two. The British pair team consisted of John Nicks and his sister, the Silverthorne’s, and us. We had only just joined the team so we had to stand down, but we were still officially members, not alternates, and marched in the parade.” Following the Olympics, the Ogilvies became performers and toured across the continent (Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, and even northern Africa) in several produc-tions before coming to the U.S. Bob and Joan spent many years coaching in California, St. Paul, MN, and the Baltimore area. In 1986, they were awarded honorary memberships in the PSA and in 2012, Mr. Ogilvie was enshrined in the PSA Coaches Hall of Fame. He is the author of several books including the U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills Program and New Era Figures which was published by the PSGA, and Bob holds a patent for the Ogilvie Blade Gauge. Canadian Armed Forces Ralph McCreath was the 1940, 1941, and 1946 Canadian national champion (after serving four years overseas) and 1941 North American Champion in single skating. In pairs, he won six national and two North American titles with three different partners. Overall, Ralph earned 13 Canadian and four North American titles. McCreath served with the 48th Highlanders and the Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps between 1941 and 1945. He was stationed initially in England, and then saw action in North Africa and France, rising to the rank of Major. After his competitive career, he became an international figure skating judge for Canada, and later officiated in four Olympic Games and ten World Championships.

German Armed ForcesRobert Unger served in Luftwaffe, piloting a Messerschmitt 109 from 1943 to 1945. Towards the end of the war, and after the allies had entered Germany, Mr. Unger had his fill of fighting. On what would be his last sortie, Mr. Unger slowly allowed his plane to fall back behind the formation he was flying with. He made a break and flew to his home in Nuremburg. Landing his plane outside the city, he hid until he was able to get a local village woman to go to the home of his

mother. The woman returned with civilian clothes and Mr. Unger made his way into town where he surrendered to an American Lieutenant who Mr. Unger said had treated him extremely well under the circumstances. Years later in the U.S., Mr. Unger met the Lieutenant again. After the war he skated in “Holiday on Ice” and in 1963 immigrated to the United States to establish the Robert Unger School of Ice Skating in Knoxville, TN and Huntsville, AL. He was a leader in the development of the Ice Skating Institute and earned his PSA Master Rating in Figure, Freestyle, and Group Instructor, as well as Administrator (Program Director.) Twice named “Man of the Year” by the Ice Skating Institute, Mr. Unger was elected to membership in the Ice Skating Hall of Fame in 1983 for his contribution to the sport. Following his win, the 1942 German Champion Erich Zeller was forced to enter the Wehrmacht, which essen-tially destroyed his figure skating career. He began coaching in 1956 and became the most successful coach in West Germany. Among his students were four-time ladies champion Dagmar Lurz and Norbert Schramm. Austrian born, German skater Eva Pawlik was to compete in the 1940 Winter Olympics in both singles and pairs with her future husband, Rudi Seeliger. Because of the war, they could only take part in domestic German competitions. Rudi Seeliger was drafted into the Wehrmacht , and was captured while fighting the Soviets on the Eastern Front in 1943. He was taken to a labor camp in the Donetsk Basin in the Ukraine where he mined coal until the Soviets let him go in December of 1949 at the age of 26. Rudi returned to skating winning the 1950 Austrian Pairs title with Susi Giebisch and eventually turned pro and joined the Vienna Ice Revue. After a year of touring, Rudi re-teamed with Eva, and they performed together until they retired from the show in 1961.


SKATIN

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agazine • March 1944, pg 39


OBITUARY

SALLY-ANNE REID, age 83, passed away on June 10, 2012 after a seven year battle with breast cancer. Sally became a member of the PSA in 1959. During her long association with the PSA, she served on the Board of Governors and was the first woman to be elected vice president. Sally also gave her time as a conference chairman, ratings examiner, seminar and competition host, and presenter. Sally was master rated in figures and free skating as a Program Director and Group Instructor. Her teaching background was impressive; training skaters from beginners to the national level, and her Power Skating course led her to become the Power Skating coach for the Philadelphia Flyers from 1977-1979. In 1992, Sally was the recipient of the PSA Honorary Member Award. She is survived by her three children, Cindy Reid Traynor of Chester Springs, PA, Scott Reid of Brookfield, WI, Stephen Reid of Wayne, PA and two grandchildren Brent and McKenzie Reid of Brookfield, WI. Anyone wishing to contact the family may send e-mails to: [email protected]

Barbara Ann Scott KingWorld and Olympic figure skating champion, Barbara Ann Scott, died Sunday September 30, at the age of 84. Barbara Ann, known as “Canada’s sweetheart”, often graced the cover of

magazines and newspapers. She skated to an Olympic gold medal in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland and took two world titles in 1947 and 1948. Barbara Ann began skating at age seven at the Minto Skating Club in Ottawa with Otto Gold and Sheldon Galbraith, winning the national junior championship of Canada at age 12. By 15, she was the Canadian Ladies champion—a title she won four times. In 1948, she was the last non-European skater to win the European Championships. The next season, the rules were then changed to allow only Europeans to enter. After she stopped competing, Ms. Scott skated in ice shows, eventually replacing her idol, Sonja Henie, in the “Hollywood Ice Review”. Her contract stipu-lated that a percentage of all her earnings go to aid crippled children. She retired from show skating at age 25 and in 1955 married publicist Tom King. They settled in Chicago, where she opened a beauty salon. In addition to the salon, Barbara Ann passed her time raising show horses and remained involved in figure skating as a judge. She was honored on two separate occasions to carry the Olympic torch. The first being the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary and the second in 2009 in anticipation for the 2010 Vancouver Games, in which she was one of several legends to bear the Canadian Flag during the opening ceremonies. She is survived by her husband, Thomas V. King.

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PS MAGAZINE 25

Brittany Brooks hasn’t been anywhere near an ice rink in ten months. That’s because the Florida figure skating coach has been tending to injured soldiers while serving her country in Afghanistan. A hospital corpsman for the United States Navy, Brooks was deployed the beginning of November 2011 to a country that has been at war for 10 years, but she waged her own internal battle when it came to leaving her skaters behind.

“My girls knew of the danger and the possibility of me not returning, but I insisted they had nothing to worry about because I would do everything in my power to make it home and back to them,” said Brooks, who carries a weapon, although, as medical personnel, is a non-combatant. “As I drove away from the rink I looked out my window and saw the tears flowing from every single girl and I promised myself that I would make it back to see them again.”

A former gymnast, Brooks started skating at age eleven at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando, Florida. Her competitive career took her to the Ellenton Ice Complex to train with top coaches and the likes of Kerry Leitch, Lyndon Johnson, Allison Smith and Elizabeth Manley, but at 18 she was back at RDV, this time as a coach. “It was then that I was blessed with the kids that I have been coaching for seven years now,”

One coach trades her skates for another kind of boot as she serves her country in the U.S. military

By Terri Milner Tarquini

Coach Brittany Brooks poses with her skaters.


Brooks said. “I have enjoyed every minute.” The impact of her time as a compet-itive skater clearly shows in how she coaches her skaters. “Kerry Leitch implemented a buddy system that paired a younger skater with an older skater and at competi-tions the skaters attended each other’s events. That’s the first time I had ever seen something like that done and I’ve always done it with my kids,” Brooks said. “I truly think it’s because of that camaraderie that I’ve taught my skaters that they were able to get through this deployment. They depended on each other for support while I was gone.” This is a sentiment that is echoed by her skaters, although they also point to the idea of knowing that, no matter how far away, their coach was watching them. “She always tells us that even when she is not looking we should always work hard, because if we start slacking off when she is not noticing, it might not show now, but it will show when competition comes,” said Lalee Ibssa, 13, who started skating with Brooks in 2006. “I love that she is fighting for our country, but I never want her to leave again.” Having joined the military in 2008, Brooks was first sent on an eight-week deployment to Africa in the summer 2011. It was when she returned that she was told that she would be going to Afghanistan “on a mission that could change everything,” Brooks said. “I started preparing my skater’s parents as soon as I found out but I asked them not to tell the kids yet,” said Brooks, who was taking her skaters to their first regionals in a matter of weeks after finding out she would soon be leaving. “After regionals I brought all the kids together as a team and told them.” In November 2011, she left to join a different kind of team. “I came on active duty with the mind-set I was adopting these men and women for the next year as my sons

and daughters and if I had anything to do with it, they were all coming home alive,” said Brooks, whose particular role of Hospital Corpsman assigns her to attending to the United States Marines, which meant she would sometimes be tending to soldiers on the front lines and driving through bomb-laden areas. “I never went on one mission without my Bible in my medical bag and photos of my skaters in my pockets and I prayed every moment for my country, my girls and my family back home.” Family had a lot to do with Brooks temporarily trading her skates for combat boots, as her father, grand-father and uncles were all in the military. However, Brooks said her interest goes far beyond her family tree. “I have always had a fascination —probably since the second grade—with Clara Barton,” said Brooks of the pioneer American teacher, Civil War nurse and founder of the Red Cross. “There she’d be, bullet holes in her dress, tending to the men. I was always drawn to her and her story and

“I gave them all goals

before I left...They

knew I was keeping

track of them. I’m so

proud of how they’ve

kept working and all

they’ve accomplished

while I’ve been gone.”

Brooks during her tour of duty.

PS MAGAZINE 27

her dedication. It is my firm belief that not everyone can do this job. There are a lot of ways to serve one’s country, but it has to be in someone’s makeup to serve your country in this particular way.” Even with her patriotic interests leading her to the military, Brooks herself is a little surprised by where that path has taken her. “My father served for years and never went to war,” Brooks said. “I never thought I would carry the title of veteran. It’s been an interesting experience for sure.” Having been successful in her goal of all of the enlisted men and women in her care coming back home to their loved ones, Brooks is eager to see how her skaters did with the goals she set for them when she left. “I gave them all goals before I left,” Brooks said. “It was so great getting emails from them all the time and them sharing their progress with me. They knew I was keeping track of them. I’m so proud of how they’ve kept working and all they’ve accomplished while I’ve been gone.” Despite being almost 8,000 miles away, Brooks never really left her skaters. “Brittany’s presence has been sorely missed,” said Susan Rose, whose daughters Sydney, 13, and Sarah, 11, have been taking lessons with Brooks for seven years. “Sydney says she always hears Brittany’s voice in her head when she’s practicing a new jump. She can picture her standing on the ice while she’s practicing. Sarah says she misses Brittany the most when she’s having a bad skate. She wishes Brittany was there to talk to her about it. We have missed her dearly.” Missing their coach, the skaters wanted to share with Brooks, not just about skating, but about the day-to-day. “I’ve been able to keep in touch with her through letters and Facebook

and she’s been really great about keeping in touch with everyone and letting us know she’s doing well,” said Sheena Mayo, 18, who started taking lessons with Brooks in 2006. “There’s no one thing I want to tell her when I see her because I want to tell her everything. I get so used to telling her about school and my friends and what’s going on that I just want to tell her about everything she’s missed.” But when it comes to being a skating coach who also carries a weapon for the United States military, her students say that Brooks doesn’t miss much. “She is very organized and precise,” said Olivia Smith, 14, who has been taking lessons with Brooks since she was eight years old. “Ms. Brittany will also push you to your best ability because she knows what you are capable of. She will be honest with you and tell you what you did wrong and what you need to work on.” Brooks was careful and realistic when choosing coaches to work with the skaters while she was gone. “I set my kids up with coaches

that I thought would work well with them. I really believe in team coaching. I absolutely think it results in a better, more well-rounded skater,” Brooks said. “I have taught my kids to be flexible. Life can change so quickly. You have to go with what comes your way, live every day and make it worth it.” Half-way through her six-year contract with the Navy, Brooks will have to report once a month for training for two to four days at a time for the next three years, but she should be on U.S. soil for at least another year. “The only way I would be deployed sooner is if we had another huge attack,” Brooks said. “But we are over there specifically to not have another 9/11.” Brooks laughs while comparing the similarities of skating boots with combat boots – “except for the lack of a blade, they feel kind of the same” – but it would seem there are a lot of ways that her military and teaching passions intertwine. “She has been an incredible role model and coach to my girls,” Rose said. “Her coaching style is no-nonsense and motherly. I like to call her a drill sergeant/mother hen. Brittany is very passionate about coaching. She would work diligently and right at my girls’ side on the ice.” And now it is time for Brooks to return home through a maze of airplane flights to the faces she can’t wait to see. “I have been truly blessed this deployment with the responsibility of caring for the men and women that keep our country safe and our freedoms free,” Brooks said. “But exciting is the key word I feel about coming home. I also feel relieved that I have all my limbs and I believe that God’s grace is the reason why I am still here. My kids are my life and I can’t wait to see them at the airport when I get off that plane.”

“I set my kids up with

coaches that I thought

would work well with

them. I really believe

in team coaching. I

absolutely think it

results in a better,

more well-rounded

skater.”


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Mark your calendar for the biggest and best yet PSA International Conference, Trade Show, and Reunion, May 23-25, 2013. The event will be held in Chicago, Illinois at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare Hotel and The Edge Ice Arena. This year, we will be celebrating 75 years of the Professional Skaters Association; going back in history to the PSA’s humble begin-nings in 1938, and building up to where it is now. All living past PSA presidents and PSA Coaches Hall of Fame members will be invited to attend the reunion, and be honored for their service and dedication to the association and to the sport of figure skating. You won’t want to miss this unique gathering!

Keynote SpeakerWorld famous skater Scott Hamilton will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 Conference. In addition to winning four consecu-tive U.S. and World Championships and an Olympic gold medal, Scott was the co-founder, co-producer, and performer in Stars on Ice for 15 years. He was a CBS commentator for many years, serves on the Board of Directors for Special Olympics International, and has been honored with many awards, including being inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. Known for bouncing back from many life challenges with inspiring determination and a positive attitude.

AgendaAs always, we will offer great on- and off-ice sessions targeted at improving technical skills. However, in responding to your needs, this year we will be offering a variety of sessions on creating the well-rounded athlete. A grassroots track will also be available.

• In looking at creating a positive coaching experience, we have turned to nationally recognized expert, David Benzel, founder and Executive Director of Growing Champions for Life, Inc. For those of you that heard David in Boston you will want to hear him again as he provides parents and

coaches with more information, practical tools, and positive strategies for helping athletes reach their full potential while enjoying the youth sport experience.

• Janet Champion will host a special presentation on school figures, presenting the technique of Eugene Mikeler.

• Renowned sport psychologist, Gloria Balagué, a keynote speaker in Boston, will be with us once again to show attendees how they can contribute to the increased confidence of their athletes and how psychological skills are important to avoid failure in effective training and performance.

• How do you handle the most important legal and tax issues that you face? Come hear Jonathan Geen speak on Coaching as a Business.

• Joe Inman will continue his talk from Boston on Music and Movement: The Key to the Components. He, along with Gale Tanger, will educate coaches and judges about the IJS Program Components through several presentations.

• Come hear Judy Thomas and Cindy Stuart from Disney on Ice tell us what opportunities and options are available to skaters after testing and competing, and how coaches can help direct skaters to performing in shows, judging, or coaching.

• Ever wonder how to bring out the best acting capabilities of your skaters? Tim Covington, former skater and profes-sional actor, now coaches skaters and their coaches on how to Create a Winning Character for Success.

• Once again we will be hosting a thought-provoking Breakfast Panel Discussion.

• For all you hockey or power skating enthusiasts, we are offering Hockey Skating II at conference and introducing the new Hockey Skating III course and manual in Chicago. Hockey Skating I is going online in January 2013.

• Doug Haw, master rated coach, will present Coaching 101 geared for the grassroots coaches.

PRO

FESS

IO

NAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION

75 TH AN NIVERSARY

CHICAGO • May 23-25, 2013

75 Years of Coaching Excellence2 0 1 3 P S A I N T E R N AT I O N A L CO N F E R E N C E & T R A D E S H O W


On a Need-to-Know Basis• Registration opens November 2012 at www.skatepsa.com• Early Bird Registration deadline is January 9, 2013• The President’s Reception will be on Thursday evening, allowing

for more time to network with past presidents and Hall of Fame inductees

• The annual PSA Awards Dinner will be held on Friday evening.• See the much anticipated sumo wrestling rematch: Gerry Lane vs.

Bob Mock• Want to save some money by winning a free conference registra-

tion? Check your email or PSA’s Facebook page for upcoming trivia, YouTube contests, and other events.

Get an additional $20 off the early bird rate by registering for conference on

Cyber Monday, November 26th!

REGISTRATION DEADLINESEarly Bird — January 9th, 2013

Advance — April 15th, 2013

Jonathan GeenAttorney at LawPartner, Borton Petrini, LLP

Over 20 years of legal experienceNational Judge in Singles / PairsFormer Skater

619.232.2424 or 619.572.9984

Coaching AgreementsRink / Coach AgreementsDispute Resolution / Grievance Counseling

Agent AgreementsShow / Entertainment Contracts

General Business Law and Trademark / Copyright

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FRANK CARROLL, OTHER WORLD TEAM COACHES AND WORLD CHAMPION EVAN LYSACEK

KNOW WHO TO CALL WITH LEGAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS. DO YOU?

FRANK CARROLL, OTHER WORLD TEAM COACHES AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION EVAN LYSACEK KNOW WHO TO CALL WITH LEGAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS. DO YOU?

Hyatt Regency O’Hare The Edge Ice Arena

Keep a look-out for more details to come!

PS MAGAZINE 31

Hockey season is upon us, and as PSA coaches, we have an opportunity to make some extra money

teaching these up and coming hockey players. They need to be good skaters first, and then the rest of the game will be a lot easier. How many times have you seen young hockey players skating with their feet wide apart and with very choppy strides? No wonder they get tired skating up and down the rink! So how can we make their skating better, faster and smoother? I incorporate the following exercises. First, I start with inside edges, making sure the free foot ends up behind the heel of the skating foot. Keep the weight on the outside of the skating knee. With each push, work on a long, strong push using the ankle and blade of the pushing foot against the ice. The more both knees bend for the push, the better. Second, I work on the stride by emphasizing the outside edge. Start with crossing each foot in front of the other, keeping narrow half circles on outside edges. Work on increasing the outside edge as much as you did on the inside edge. In addition, this exercise is very good for improving forward crossovers. Third, I teach push lunges to stress the importance of keeping the pushing foot on the ice longer, a key component to more powerful pushes. It also teaches your student how to transfer the weight from the pushing foot to the skating knee. Simply head down the ice pushing with the left foot into a lunge (dragging the left boot), return to two feet with both knees bent. Push with the right foot in front into a lunge (dragging the right boot). Continue down the ice, alternating push lunges. Begin working on the stride slowly at first, teaching that deep knee bends are essential. To get the correct angle of the push in clock terms, push at 4:30 with the right foot, and at 7:30 with the left foot. After a correct push, have the student return the free foot by almost touching the heel of the skating foot, thereby getting the feet closer together. Now concentrate on the step-down foot. I teach skaters to step straight down the ice, hitting a slight outside edge. After this has been achieved, I work on the timing of the push with the timing of the step-down. As the new push begins, the other foot strikes the ice leaning on an outside

edge, then rolls to the inside edge to push. Repeat the process with the other foot. This type of push is done after the quick start speed is achieved. There are three distinct timings for strides. The first is a quick-start timing where the skater makes the feet move quickly with the weight as close to the toes as possible. The second timing can be explained as quick, but with longer pushes, and the third is a slower, full out long push. Hockey players should have much more speed and power with less effort by doing these three different stride timings. Coaching hockey skating can be so much fun and rewarding. Give it a try!

Karen is a member of the Hockey Skating Committee, certified in hockey level I and II, master rated in figures, free skating, group instructor, and program director; senior rated in dance and moves in the field; and certified rated in choreography.

Coaching Tips for Developing Hockey Skills

The PSA Hockey Skating Accreditation program is a program designed to teach skating instructors the

proper methods of teaching Hockey Skating.

Hockey Skating I This course covers: the forward and backward stride, crossovers stops

and starts, turns, basics of the game, traffic patterns, and drills to reinforce these skills, and will be available online January 1st 2012.

Hockey Skating II This course goes into further depth to include some of the nuances of the game, details to properly fit hockey skates, explain offensive and

defensive zone play, how to work with goalies, preparing team lesson plans, and customizing private lessons.

Hockey Skating III This course covers confusing hockey rules, the basics of shooting,

more about goalies, preparing lessons and drills for advanced teams, and coaching elite hockey players and will be delivered at the 2013

Conference in Chicago.More information at www.skatepsa.com

The PSA Hockey Skating Accreditation program is


Hockey SkatingKAREN HOWLAND JONES

PROFESSIONAL SKATERS ASSOCIATION

EXCELLENCE ON ICEAMES FSCAmes, IA

BLADE & EDGE FSCOmaha, NE

CENTRAL IOWA FSCUrbandale, IA

CITY OF KETTERINGKettering, OH

COLORADO SPRINGS WORLD ARENA ICE HALLColorado Springs, CO

CRYSTAL ICE HOUSECrystal Lake, IL

EXTREME ICE CENTERIndian Trail, NC

GERMAIN ARENAEstero, FL

HONNEN ICE ARENAColorado Springs, CO

ICELAND COMPETITIVE EDGE FSCFlint, MI

KENDALL ICE ARENAMiami, FL

MOYLAN ICEPLEXOmaha, NE

ROCHESTER FSCRochester, MN

SAVEOLOGY ICEPLEXCoral Springs, FL

SHATTUCK-ST. MARY’S SCHOOL AND FSCFaribault, MN

SPRINKER RECREATION CENTERTacoma, WA

STAMFORD TWIN RINKSStamford, CT

THE GREENSBORO ICE HOUSEGreensboro, NC

THE POND FAMILY FRIENDLY ICE RINKChagrin Falls, OH

2012-2013 Membership Year

Cyber MondayGet ready for the holidays by checking out these great Cyber Monday deals on PSA products!

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PS MAGAZINE 33

What Would Robbie Kaine Do? By Terri Milner Tarquini

Robbie Kaine, who skated since childhood but began his competitive career while in college, has had an immeasurable impact on the sport, but particularly in the discipline of ice

dance. A former member of the board of directors of U.S. Figure Skating and the board of governors of the Professional Skaters Association, he was also a part of the “think tank” that brought American ice dancers back to the international podium after a 20-year drought. A one-time student of Ron Ludington and Sandy Lamb, Kaine assisted Ludington at the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics and coached many national, world and Olympic teams, including most recently, the 2008 and 2009 U.S. bronze medalists of Kim Navarro and Brett Bommentre. A self-proclaimed proponent of the younger generation of skating coaches, Kaine has assuredly had an impact on just those coaches he “tremendously admires and respects,” as many of them have assuredly asked themselves, “What Would Robbie Kaine Do?”

What is the thing you value most as a dance coach?

Developing relationships between partners. I encourage them to make a lot of decisions on their own … things with choosing their own music and getting them to be individuals in the sport, sort of a “set your own trend” kind of idea. I really encourage learning the history of skating and studying it. It’s important to look at the best in the world and know what’s out there but with the caveat of, “Don’t be a copycat.”

What is your main goal for your skaters?

I would love to impart to them that they can get to a point where they can truly and genuinely enjoy performing. That doesn’t necessarily mean being fi rst in the country, but really having an enjoyable experience where they are in synch with someone else on the ice. For instance, when Kim (Navarro) came to try-out with Brett (Bommentre), she hadn’t competed in two years. She looked fantastic but I was curious why she, as this graduate from Columbia, would want to do this. And she said to me, “You probably think I’m going to say I want to go to the Olympics but that’s not it.” She said she missed the true performance experience and I thought, “What a great answer!” It’s an answer that focuses on the process and developing, not just the result.

What is the feeling like getting your skaters to the national, world and Olympic level?

Anti-climactic. The real thrill for me is in the everyday. I have great memories of going to my fi rst internationals in the early ’80s and being asked by Ron Ludington to go to the Olympics with him, and it is so wonderful seeing how proud the skaters are of themselves and knowing how proud I am of them for what they have accomplished. But really, the real thrill is working with the athletes and getting them to that point.

What do you think are some important things ice dance can teach skaters?

The fi rst thing that comes to mind is being able to work with someone intimately and develop a level of respect for another person on that unique level. I have always stressed to my skaters that skating is only part of their lives, but what they can learn can be applied to all the other parts – treating your partner with respect, working under what can at times be adverse conditions, problem solving. I really stress being able to problem solve. Skating is easy when it’s a perfect performance day, but the people who are champions can handle what happens and can problem solve at that moment and get through it and make it happen.

Most young skaters do not start out ice dancing solely, but many decide ultimately just to focus on that one discipline. What are some important qualities for a skater who wants to concentrate on ice dance that a coach should stress?

I am a real strong proponent of learning to skate at an early age, doing a basic skills program and learning at least basic jumps and spins. However, the skills necessary are really good rhythmic knee action, an understanding of the music, how to maintain tempo and excellent upper body carriage.

Any tips on how to help with a skater who has a total lack of rhythm?

When I have a skater who struggles with that, I have them bring in their favorite music and I ask them to clap with it and then to dance a little with it. Of course they don’t want to do that because they think they’ll look silly or whatever, so I usually start dancing and they always fi nd that funny because I look sort of goofy and then they usually will loosen up a little bit. To be in ice dance particularly, there has to be some natural body rhythm, but I always think the glass is half-full. I’m the coach; I have to fi nd a way, no matter how challenging.

What has to be there to pair two skaters together?

They have to have compatible personalities and they have to be a good physical match.

It has been said that with the loss of � gures, it is more challenging to teach things like generation of power, knee bend, body lilt, etc. Do you agree and, if so, do you think ice dance has a more important role for singles skaters in the post-� gures era?

I would say it has always had an important role. There are so many benefi ts – better control of edges, rhythm, timing, tempo, body control, knee action. I was so impressed in the 1960s when I went to Lake Placid and all the best skaters – Gus Lussi’s skaters, everyone’s freestyle skaters – were taking dance lessons, in addition to fi gures, of course.

When Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto won a silver medal in 2005, following it with a silver at the Olympics the following year, that was the � rst time Americans had been on the podium in 20 years. What changed for Americans to be a force within ice dancing again?

I was very fortunate to be a part of the process of turning that whole thing around. In 1998, I, along with a lot – a lot – of other U.S. Figure Skating offi cials and coaches who loved skating very, very much and were motivated to do something about it, formed a think tank and came up with a plan: the Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats Plan. It had all kinds of things that went into it, but basically it was about developing Junior Nationals teams, putting kids together and keeping them together. We also developed the fi rst pairs and dance college, which invited the coaches of the top pairs and dance teams to a weekend seminar. We realized we had to identify the skaters, motivate them, support and develop them, and support and develop the coaches. Other countries were already doing this, i.e. Russia. They had huge support for their teams. Literally, the goal was not going to be short term. We set the goal of a medal in fi ve to seven years and it happened six years later with Tanith and Ben. Now it’s North Americans on the podium all the time. It changed the sport of ice dancing in this country forever. Now we just can’t become complacent.

What are some memorable ice dance performances you can recall?

Too many to even begin, but as far as learning something from watching a performance? That would


have to be watching (1984 Olympic gold medalists) Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. I was watching them on a practice session and they were running through their dances and I saw them make zillions of mistakes because they took so many risks, but what impressed me was how amazing their work ethic was. Not taking anything away from their actual skating, but it really was their work ethic and attention to detail. I remember Luddy (Ron Ludington) had me come down to the boards when they were doing the Westminster Waltz. During the rocker-counter section he had me close my eyes as they came around where we were standing. He said, “What did you hear?” and I said, “Nothing.” He said, “Exactly.” It made a huge impression.

What is your favorite dance to watch when it’s performed really well?

My favorite thing to see is someone capturing the spirit of the dance completely … like with the Killian. The constant cadence is really fun for me to see, and you can see a mistake or a quirk so easily. My kids will laugh when they read this because I’m always pushing the Killian. I have always tried to get my kids to do it really well.

If there was one thing you could change about the sport, what would it be?

I think what really needs to be worked on is better technology for the boots. They simply haven’t changed much and it’s a huge problem. I don’t think enough is really being done to reduce injury and help with jumps and make it more comfortable for kids to continue in the sport. As far as the sport itself … you know, every sport has rules. I don’t like complaining and I always say that whatever you choose to do, always understand the rules – and that includes the written handbook as well as the unwritten rules. All sports

have written rules and unwritten rules and every sport has good and bad, but you have to have an understanding of that and, if you don’t like it, don’t do it.

If you hadn’t been a skating coach, what would you have done?

A psychologist involved in some kind of organizational psychology. (Kaine has a degree in Psychology from Butler University.) It was great to be on the boards of U.S. Figure Skating and PSA … that’s why I say something organizational. I’ve always had such great experiences working with people. Nothing ever comes to fruition without teamwork.

Do you have an overall coaching philosophy or mission statement?

A few years ago the skaters had t-shirts printed up that said, “Team Kaine: Get Organized.” I constantly say that. Luddy used to always say, “I am your guide, but I cannot do it for you.” I am a huge proponent of that idea. I guide my skaters, but they have to fi gure it out, get organized and stay organized. Another personal goal of mine has been to always try and do what is fair and ethical in everything I do in the sport.

You currently coach at the Philadelphia Skating Club. What are your plans for the future?

Keep coaching. I’ve been married (to wife Valerie) for 24 years but I’ve known her for over 38 and I’m so fortunate to have her support. I plan to keep working while the phone is still ringing, and to enjoy it and keep learning. I still do CERs (U.S. Figure Skating’s Continuing Education Requirements) and online learning; it’s so stimulating to keep learning. I watch a lot of skating – and not just ice dancing. I watch programs from the era of Toller Cranston. And, man, some of the programs from the ’70s and ’80s were just amazing. Programs from now too. There’s so much complaining that all the routines now are “cookie-cutter.” No they’re not. There are a lot of great programs being created. The challenge is to use the system and take creative moments and inject them into the system. It’s possible.

How would you describe your journey in the skating world so far?

Fortunate and grateful. I just think I’m so fortunate to have developed my friends in the sport and have so much respect for the people in this sport, and I’m so grateful for all of that good fortune.

DID YOU KNOW?

Past PSA President and Coaches Hall of Fame member Don Laws served in the U.S. Army Security Agency during the Korean War. Even though the soldiers of the Army Security Agency were non-combati ve, Don was stati oned just four miles from the front and was required to carry a machine gun. The focus of the ASA was to monitor and interpret military communicati ons of the North Koreans and their Chinese advisors. Following his military service, Don interviewed with the CIA. The CIA off ered him a positi on but when he found out his fi rst post would be in Ethiopia, he declined the off er.

PS MAGAZINE 35

Best Competition Practices

Best Tips for Staying Focused and Calm During Competition Earlier this spring the PSA and Merry Neitlich of the Coach’s Edge surveyed PSA members to explore what the coaches thought were the best competition practices. The following is an addendum to go with the charts presented at the 2012 PSA Conference. The comments below capture and reflect the coaches’ suggestions for best competition practices in the following areas:

Breathing/Stretching/Relaxation/Focus• Do stretching, warm-up exercised and jumps off the ice.• Deep breathing exercise while going through program.• Breathing techniques with repeating calming ‘mantra’. • Stretching, hip, core, legs and fingers—focus on themselves.• Find quiet spot to focus on breathing after they have

warmed up.• Brief warm-up to increase heart rate, active stretching,

physical run through of program, visualization of program then put skates on.

• If skater is nervous practice deep breathing techniques and walk, jump or jog lightly to get body moving.

• Listen to music on their iPod, calming exercises with yoga.• Go somewhere away from people and read, sing or sit

quietly. • Short practice session then give them time to sit with family.• Let them be alone if needed, but they know I’m close by.• Toss a ball, go for a walk, play video games or meditation to

calm the skater.• Talk about it as just another day on the ice.• Focus skater on importance of staying in the moment as it

happens.• Isolate skater from watching other skaters and away from

family to help them stay focused on their own performance.• Review their mental training journal.• Coordination exercises to retain focus.• Wear earphones when entering rink.

Visualization/Music• Off-ice warm up, visualize step-by-step clean program.• Visualize a perfect program on the ice.• Listen to program music while walking through perfor-

mance. Stretching to music.• Talk about how fantastic they saw themselves skating.• Visualization being in a relaxing calming place—such as

lying on the beach.• As competition gets closer more visualization and meditation.• Listen to their mix of music that inspires them. • Give them one word reminders to stay focused on certain

elements in their program.

Pre-planning• Follow normal routine, schedule, diet and rest.• Practice warm-up at regular rink. • Discuss what to expect at the competition rink, flow of the

day, check equipment so skaters know what to expect.• Arrive at rink early to orient them to the venue.• Never ask more of a skater on competition day.• Find quiet place to view rink, visualize their program. Then

ask them to verbalize each element and how they will execute it and what they will need to do to master that element.

Distractions• Distract them as much as possible to hold their attention off

the ice.• Talk with them to keep their mind occupied.• Talk about other things in general – how nice the rink looks,

do they like their hotel, about their day, moves, books, nonskating activities etc.

• Play with tennis ball on their feet. • Keeping them away from chatting, family friends or

distracted by other skaters.• Keep their mind off the other skaters and distractions by

asking them questions that make them happy.• Talk about outside events and the best feeling they had of

their week of skating.

Lighten Mood /Have Fun• Work is over time to have fun.• Remind them to be happy with their personal efforts.• Joke about anything but skating.• Joke, dance with them to keep them unstressed, ready and

motivated.• Keep it light – it is just another practice.• Remind them to have fun – they have the ice to themselves.• Make them laugh, have fun group warm up.

Motivation/Positive Reinforcement• Tell them believe in yourself! You are prepared!• Instill their joy in skating.• Remind them to smile and have fun.• Tell them I believe in them and have 100% confidence in

their abilities.• Tell them whatever happens I am proud of them.• Remind them they are well trained and ready for this event.• Give them positive affirmations.• Skater selects card from card deck of Inner Peace cards.

Explain to coach how it relates to their skating performance.• Talk about the accomplishments to date.• Remind them of their goals and talk about reaching them.• Staying positive so they know I believe in them.• Tell them to have a good time – enjoy the time do it just like

it is a practice run through.• Talk with them to reaffirm their ability and remind of expec-

tations areas to focus.• Tell them to relax and let their body do what we have trained

it to do.• Remind them they love the sport and that is the most impor-

tant reason they are here.• Remind them of their goals for the competition and to be

proud of themselves.• Their parents love them no matter what and have fun.• Set three achievable goals for the performance.• Show video of a good performance they did within the

previous two weeks to boost their confidence.


Sheila ThelenChampion Cords – Alignment

PRESIDENT – Champion CordsEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR –Grassroots To Champions

What To Bring – For A Hostess Gift… In Korea?Several weeks ago, I got a great call from Chris Conte, who was traveling to teach and choreograph in Korea. “I need an awesome Hostess gift – I need 60 Champion Cords! The skaters & coaches will be really impressed, I know how much they will improve with the Champion Cords! Can you ship them today?” Of course Chris! We all know how much Champion Cords help skaters. Now you also have the prefect gift for: New coaches, Thank-you gifts, “You landed your first loop jump – you win Champion Cords” treat, CHRISTMAS, OR a Hostess gift in Korea/USA/Canada/Europe/Australia/North Pole. Thank-you Chris Conte. You’re a genius.

Send your photos and success stories to me at: [email protected] Champion Cords can be purchased online at the PSA Store (www.skatepsa.com)

»»CHAMPION CORDS ARE ENDORSED BY THE PSA

www.ChampionCords.com

PROFESSIONAL SKATERS FOUNDATION

Scholarships AvailableThe Professional Skaters Foundation (PSF) was founded to expand the educa-tional opportunities of PSA members through a 501(c)(3) non-profit, chari-table foundation. A scholarship program is available to PSA members through the PSF. The selection process is based on estab-lished guidelines and criteria. Applications for the Professional Skaters Foundation may be obtained from the PSA headquar-ters and website. The scholarships are intended for the reimbursement of direct expenses incurred for PSA education programs and development of coaching skills. Awards are based on financial need, dedication to coaching, sound character and ethical practices. Accurate and complete data in support of financial need must be shown in the application. Race, religion, color, creed, sex and ethnic background are not considered in the selection of recipients.

Qualification requirements: The applicant must be a full member in good standing of the Professional Skaters Association. Each applicant must include two letters of recommendation; one from a current club officer, rink manager or supervisor and one from a current member in good standing with the PSA. In addition, an essay outlining your future skating plans must accompany your application. The applicant must have been a full PSA member for at least one year and hold a Registered or higher rating in any discipline. The award of scholarships is made by the Scholarship Committee of the PSF for attendance at programs that are approved by the board of governors of the Professional Skaters Association. To be considered for the 2013 scholarship year, applications MUST BE RECEIVED in the PSA office by January 1, 2013. It has been determined by the

Foundation Trustees to award one schol-arship each to four members to attend PACE, Seminars, Workshops, or the International Conference. These scholar-ships will be available for 2013 programs only. The continuation of the Scholarship program depends entirely upon the amount of contributions received by the Professional Skaters Foundation. In addition, the awards are for one year only and are not to be looked upon as a scholarship in the same or larger amounts in future years. Applicants may, however, re-apply every year. Contact the PSA office for additional information or an application or visit www.skatepsa.com and click on the PS Foundation Scholarship link.

Applications must be received in the PSA office by January 1, 2013

25 years of Patinage Magazine

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The most emotional moments!

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How many times in your career have you come out to a lesson only to find the student not interested

in your skating advice, but very interested in “unloading” about things? These things could be social or otherwise in nature—not spins, but rather homework not done, boyfriend or girlfriend problem, parent divorce, split custody arrangement, etc. I can name it and I am sure you have heard it. So around and around you go during the session, deep in conversation, feeling the cell phone video of the parent boring holes in your back. And while listening to the tales of “real life,” you are also thinking of what to say to the parent about what the heck were you doing during that expensive ice time and lesson. Next is how to get the student to get back on track…the skating track, when they really want to share some serious stuff, like actual or perceived infidelity of a parent, abuse of some kind to a sibling, or possibly to them. The Penn State (referred to in this article as P/S) problem flashes into your thoughts. Many persons unfamiliar or unwilling to follow rules got into big trouble and are still in a mess with pending criminal and civil actions, the end of which is not in sight. And then there are the stories you, as a client, tell your lawyer. Are they truly kept as secrets forever? Can you tell the lawyer everything and not be worried she/he will disclose what was said? In the P/S matter, reports of abuse incidents were given that followed the chain of authority. When and by whom was the investigation to start after getting the reports? Lawyers are required to maintain, with few exceptions, all that a client wants kept secret. Exceptions to confiden-tiality are facts showing a commission of a fraud is about to occur, facts to prevent death or certainty of great bodily harm, non-compliance of a court order, and facts needed involving the investigation of claims against a lawyer involving a claim against that lawyer.

So, while all of this can make for interesting reading, how, if at all, does it impact skating coaches? In almost every state, you as coaches are mandatory reporters of any type of abuse impacting minors. Information we acquire, by whatever source, means reporting. It does not mean you are an investigator. Remember your skater and that lesson going around the rink without even a spin performed. The talk was about home situation, maybe a parent who says to the child, “No double axle? Go to your room without dinner.” Think I am kidding? That and worse has been known to have been shared. Is this report-able? After P/S, even a possible, as opposed to probable, situation of abuse needs reporting. As coaches, you are frequently told things by your student that are very personal and very private. Unlike lawyers, there is no law directing you not to tell or report. It is opposite…you are mandated to report. Disclosure of confidential information is required if that information involves the abuse of a minor.

A Rule Revisited


Legal EaseDAVID SHULMAN

25 years of Patinage Magazine

five times per year - French & EnglishThe most beautiful photographs!

The most emotional moments!

✎ TO SEND TO PATINAGE MAGAZINE 39 bld de la Marne 76000 Rouen - France

[email protected]

❏ Mr ❏ Mrs ❏ Ms Name: Firstname: Address:

Zip: City: Country:

your email: @

❏ I subscribe for one year to Patinage Magazine (5 issues): 30 € (CEE-Suisse), 32 € (USA, Canada, other countries), 35 € (Asia-Oceania)

❏ I order (Postage included)“Skating’s jumping for joy”(2009-2010) 35 € (France-CEE-Suisse), 40 € (other countries)

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Carol RossignolPamela ForsterLaura DunnAllison MillerRon LudingtonDebra CoppingerCheryl George SmithTom LescinskiAllison RittJessica ShulikJeff MarshallCarol RossignolCarol RossignolLindsay Page-O’DonoghueJeanne SelkerShirra SinnaeveDebi LeemingBeth BrownDorie CascioMandy EdwardsJennifer LupiaSusan BabcockMolly SpindlerCarol RossignolKerry MurphyLori Richetelle-PizziJennifer Gray-SarverDonald MitchellLisa MayJudy Ferris-Brunett Meagan ShaftoCarol RossignolCraig MauriziCynthia Van ValkenburgKurt NicholsThad WocasekLinda CarriganBarbora Simkova BowserRebecca GallionPenny CarpenterKaren LudingtonKathleen Schmelz-GazichCarol RossignolKseniya Ponomaryova Carol RossignolAudrey KammSylvia DavenportCarol RossignolDenise MooreDonna Mitchell

NEW MEMBER SPONSOR

PATRON MEMBERS • Emily Clingan• Choon Goh• Edith Lebet

Four RevolutionaryWEBINARS FOR PSA COACHES

45 Minute Sessions by David Benzel,** former U.S. Water Ski Team Coach

Are you ready for a breakthrough in coaching that will set you apart from every coach who is still using command and control tactics? Today’s athletes and their parents are increasingly hesitant to give coaches respect and loyalty before it is earned. For this reason, coaches must offer more than sport knowledge. Transform your coaching effective-ness by learning to use positive coaching techniques, having principle-centered motives, and improving self-belief in young athletes for their life journey, not just their athletic journey. The following webinars will help you master the right-brain skills that earn this kind of credibility.

1. “Why You Can’t Motivate an Athlete to Excellence”

But You Can Do Something That Works Even Better • Watch a recorded replay of this webinar! Available in the PSA online store.

2. “Not All Praise is Created Equal” Why Your Praise Might Be Holding Back

Your Athletes • Watch a recorded replay of this webinar! Available in the PSA online store.

3. “How to Turn Parents into Partners” Receive the Support You Need

• Watch a recorded replay of this webinar! Available in the PSA online store.

4. “Three Silver-Bullet Coaching Techniques” How to Increase Athletic Performance &

Player Loyalty • Watch a recorded replay of this webinar! Available in the PSA online store.

**Presenter at 2012 PSA International Conference and Tradeshow. David Benzel is a speaker, author, and expert in the principles of influence and coaching. His ten years as a commentator for ESPN and fifteen years as a professional water ski coach provide him with vivid insights about the challenges of sport.

IN COOPERATION WITH THE PSA

GROWING CHAMPIONS David Benzel’s

Elena RodriguesWendy Root

Mindy RosenKelsey RowleyCaryn Sachar

Sarah SacksCarli Sayre

Jessica SchreppleJacquelyn ScottCallie SheehanSimon Shnapir

Jaclyn SiffrarHannah Simeone

Hayley SkousenRachel Starks

Andrea SteinerKatie Stewart

Nicholas TaylorPhillippa Teague

Kory ThomasMarie Tieri

Destiny TirrellTori Topp

Autumn TurnerWhitney Turner

Stephanie Umezaki-ObaKimberly Vanpelt

Julia VlassovAmanda Waugh

Alyssa WeaverBethany Weed

Kimberly WilczakLaura WohlfordAnja Woodland

Kevin WuJennifer Zambrano

Page LipeKaren Haiday HawesGwyn RosenJessica ShulikJenny Wesley GwynBrandon ForsythBarb YackelStacey MonsCarol RossignolDia Toussaint-McGaughey Amanda FarkasCarol RossignolAnita CarranoKathy GoekeCraig JoerightWendy WilkeHeidi MassÃ¨ Andrew NewberryJason WongBarbara LaughnerKaren Haiday HawesLinda CarriganParker DeWeeseMary FlesherHelene WolfCheryl FaustNatalie Mitchell-SchraderLaura AmelinaCarol RossignolAlexei MantsorovLaurie WinkleStacy PetriJennifer KellyRyan JahnkeVal PrudskyKerry Murphy

NOTICE is hereby given that Genrikh Sretenski of Maryland has been suspended from membership effective the 17th day of September, 2012. Mr. Sretenski’s status may be reviewed upon the conclu-sion of all legal actions brought forth by the People of New York.

PS MAGAZINE 41

Date: November 3 Area 10Location: Miner’s Memorial Arena, 819 - 9th Ave S, Virginia, MN 55792Event: Entry Level Coaching Course (ELCC) [8 am - 5 pm]Credits: 12 PSA creditsContact: PSA Office at 507-281-5122 or [email protected] Register online at www.skatepsa.com Host: Marcia Homer 218-365-6367 [email protected]: October 8, 2012

Date: November 9 - 13 Area 2Location: Yarmouth Ice Club, Hyannis, MAEvent: Eastern Sectional Coaches MeetingCredits: 2 PSA creditsContact: Barb Yackel at the PSA Office 507-281-5122 or [email protected]

Date: November 9 - 13 Area 9Location: Greater Cleveland Council of FSCs, Strongsville, OHEvent: Midwestern Sectional Coaches MeetingCredits: 2 PSA creditsContact: Barb Yackel at the PSA Office 507-281-5122 or [email protected]

Date: November 9 - 13 Area 15Location: Peaks FSC, Provo, UTEvent: Pacific Coast Sectional Coaches MeetingCredits: 2 PSA creditsContact: Barb Yackel at the PSA Office 507-281-5122 or [email protected]

No Events

Date: January 22 - 23 Area 12Location: Hilton Omaha, 1001 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68102Event: Rating Zone 3: Oral Rating Site at U.S. Figure Skating ChampionshipsContact: PSA Office at 507-281-5122 or [email protected] Register online at www.skatepsa.com Credits: 1 PSA credit per oral exam takenDeadline: December 3, 2012

N O V E M B E R

D E C E M B E R

J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 3

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Please visitwww.skatepsa.comfor the complete Calendar of Events

Statement of ownership, management and circulation (required by 39 U.S.C. 3685)

TITLE OF PUBLICATION: The Professional Skater - PS MagazineDATE OF FILING: September 22, 2012FREQUENCY OF ISSUE: Bi-monthly, 6 issues annually, $19.95 annual subscription rateOFFICE OF PUBLICATION AND GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE PUBLISHER: 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902PUBLISHER: The Professional Skaters Association, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902EDITOR: Jimmie SanteeOWNER: The Professional Skaters Association, 3006 Allegro Park SW, Rochester, MN 55902

Average No. copies each issue preceding 12 mos.

Actual No. copies

single issue nearest

filing date

A. Total no. copies printed (net press run) 4881 4654

B. Paid circulation1. Outside county subscriptions 4741 4391

2. In county subscriptions 0 0

3. Sales through dealers & carriers, street vendors & counter sales

0 0

4. Other classes mailed through UPS 0 0

C. Total paid circulation 4741 4391

D. Free Distribution - samples, complimentary & other

100 100

E. Total distribution 4841 4491

F. Copies not distributed 40 40

G. TOTAL 4881 4531


High End West Coast Training Facility seeking U.S. Figure Skating Elite competitive head coach.

Multiple surfaces with freestyle sessions all day, figure skating club with test sessions, gym, summer training camp, ice shows and competitions, off ice conditioning and ballet. Assistance for National and International skaters available. Great location with easy access to airport for competition travel. Strong competitive clientele and very large learn to skate feeder program.

Please send resume and/or contact information to [email protected] All inquires will be kept strictly confidential.

ADVERTISE WITH US!Does your club/rink have an upcoming compe-tition or event? Looking for someone to fill a job posting? Find out more on opportunities to advertise with the PSA for affordable rates by contacting Laura at [email protected]

JOB PLACEMENTS

PS MAGAZINE 43

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Documents

November/December 2012