It was a chilly day in 2009. While choreographing and training skaters at Ice Castle International Arena in Lake Arrowhead, California, Misha Ge’s parents, Sasha and Larissa Ge, asked Phillip Mills to look at his step sequence and spins to check on their IJS levels.  Misha was a young, junior level skater full of energy and enthusiasm, which impressed Phillip from their very first lesson. 

Ove...

Tom has a life-long passion for learning and is always seeking new ways to enhance his skaters’ successes on the ice and in life. In August, Tom arranged for 30 skaters, parents and coaches on his team to participate in a communication skills program called I-SPEAK Your Language taught by Merry Neitlich of the Coach’s Edge. The skaters had great fun interacting with each other while learning thei...

This year’s annual conference will be a combination of two power skating organizations, the Professional Skaters Association and the Ice Skating Institute. The conference will lead off on Tuesday, May 31st with its second annual U.S. Open Professional Championships. A strong line up of professional skaters is expected.

The conference will once again be packed with great keynote sessions leading of...

This is the season of many new beginnings in figure skating. It’s the new competitive season. It’s the new school year offering new chances to grow your coaching business. It’s a time of refocusing efforts and goals for your skaters. It’s also the time of year when new opportunities appear for coaches as skaters move on from group classes, as some skaters look for a new coach as they start at a ne...

Last summer was a joyful experience teaching I-SPEAK communication styles in Monument, Colorado at one of Kori Ade’s TAPS (Total Athletic Performance Seminars) programs. For three days I was one of several coaches and teachers who got to interact and have great fun with all of Kori’s team, both skaters and coaches. 

Although I was aware that Kori’s program was distinctive and different from other...

Coaches continue to look at ways to build and protect their coaching businesses. With the recent FTC/PSA ruling allowing solicitation coaches are delving into online marketing as a strategy to grow their practices.

For those present at last month’s annual PSA Conference we heard the report from Jimmie Santee, our Executive Director, stating that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ruled that so...

The May 20 – 23 annual PSA Conference was exceptional. The fabulous staff, as usual, worked to coordinate all of the details so that the conference went off without a hitch. While all the sessions provided great information and perspective here are a few of my favs.

Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson generously shared their thoughts on the, “Formula for a Champion.” The comradery in the Cricket Club was...

These days, more than ever, every coach needs a strong presence or personal brand if they want to enhance their coaching business. We all have a personal brand – that is to say – how do others perceive us? Are you considered outgoing and fun? Are you known as an excellent jumping coach? Is your brand that of a competition coach who has that special knack to get your skaters focused during competit...

Having spoken with numerous coaches over the past few years there seems to be increasing frustration that their skaters are not showing up prepared, practiced and ready to give 100% every day. In fact one coach cleverly put it, “My skaters want me to land their double axel for them.”

Is this a millennial generational thing or is it just a kid thing in general. I wonder.

According to Scott Hamilton...

Can skaters learn to be competition ready? Is the ability to stay focused and calm while competing just a gift that some skaters possess or are their skills that can actually be learned? According to Dave Diggle of the Smart Mind Institute, competition readiness is indeed something that can be trained. It takes time, commitment and perseverance – much like learning to skate jumps, spins and transi...