EAFSC Professional Coaches
EAFSC coaches are members of the US Figure Skating and Professional Skaters Association (PSA). They reach various levels as defined in their profile. Matching a coach's personality and skills to skater's goals makes for a very rewarding skating experience. Club members are responsible for obtaining their own coach.
Coach Selection
Selecting a coach is a very important decision for a skater. You should contact prospective coaches to make sure they are available during the ice session you are interested in, and that they are aware of your skating goals for the season, including your desire to test and/or compete. All coaching fees are billed to you by your coach. Please be respectful with prompt payment of these bills. If you are not available for a scheduled session, it is up to you to contact your coach in advance and let them know of your absence.
COACHES
Years Coaching: 12 years
Achievements: Juvenile Freeskate, Bronze Dances, Experience in Figures
Personal: Competitor for 10 years, Learn to Skate USA Assistant Director, Native of Escanaba, Graduate of Northern Michigan University, Bachelor’s Degree in History/Business. Experience in Choreography for Freestyle and Artistic through Pre-Juvenile levels.
Areas for Lessons: Basic Skills through Freeskate Levels, to Pre-Juvenile Moves, to Pre-Juvenile Freestyle, and Dance. Power instructor.
Rate: $8.00/15 minutes
Contact: (906) 553-2502 [email protected]
Years Coaching: 18 years
Achievements: Juvenile Free Skate, Pre-Gold Dances, Senior Moves
Personal: Past Learn to Skate Coach for the Bay de Noc Skating Academy, On-Ice Director for the Bay de Noc Skating Academy, Co-Director of the Manistique Learn to Skate Program, Coordinator Skills and Conditioning and Group Moves in the Field, and past member of the Synchronized Figure Skating Team and of the EAFSC Board of Directors.
Areas for Lessons: Free Skate through Intermediate Level, Dance through Pre-Gold Level, Moves in the Field through Senior Level
Rate: $8.00/15 minutes Available Sundays & Wednesdays
Contact: (906) 280-2476 [email protected]
Years Coaching: 31 years
Achievements: Juvenile Free Skate, Pre-Silver Dances, 1st Figure
Personal: Past member of EAFSC Board of Directors, former Synchronized Skating Team member,and Ice Show Director 2009-11. Coached Regional Competition. Coached in Escanaba, Iron Mountain, Buffalo, MN and Breezy Point, MN. Exchange Program coordinator with SHARE! High School Exchange. Graduated from St. Cloud State University with BS in Communication Studies. Owner of Sk8 SHACK, specializing in figure skating accessories.
Areas For Lessons: Learn to Skate, Free Skate through Intermediate level, Dance through Pre-Silver, MIF through Intermediate level
Rate: $8.00/15 min
Contact: (906) 553-1757 [email protected]
Years Coaching: 33 years
Achievements: Juvenile Free Skate, Pre-Gold Dance, 2ndFigure
Personal: Competition / Testing Director, Synchronized Figure Skating Coach, Coached Regional, Sectional and National Competitor Angie Vandermissen. PSA-Hockey Certification Level II Accreditation. Escanaba High School Team Coach. Currently pursuing Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Accounting from LSSU. Coach of Three Time Michigan High School Novice State Champion.
Areas for Lessons: Free Skate through Senior Level, Dance through Gold Level, Moves in the Field through Senior Level
Rate: $10.00/15 minutes
Contact: (906) 280-3720 [email protected]
Years Coaching: 9 years
Achievements:
Personal: Competitive figure skater for over 10 years, past member of the EAFSC Synchronized Skating Team, and participated in 15 ice shows as member of the EAFSC. Previous Learn to Skate coach, in addition to private/competitive coaching. Currently sharing the love of skating with two young daughters as a Learn to Skate coach and EAFSC Board Member. Obtained a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and works as a Family Service Worker for the Escanaba Head Start.
Areas for Lessons: Learn to Skate, Synchronized Skating
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Contact: (906) 398-8061 [email protected]
Years Coaching: 18 years
Achievements: Preliminary Free Skate, Adult Bronze Free Skate, Pre-Bronze Dance, Adult Bronze Moves
Personal: Former Director of Learn to Skate Program, Member of the EAFSC Board of Directors, National Champion in Synchronized Skating-Adult Open Division 1998, Former Synchronized Skating Coach, Former Ice Show Soloist. Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from NMU.
Areas For Lessons: Free Skate through Juvenile Level, Dance through Pre-Bronze Level, Moves in the Field through Juvenile. Basic Skills 1-8.
Rate: $8.00/15 minutes Available Sundays & Thursdays
Contact: (906) 786-4302 or (906) 553-2133 [email protected]
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Years Coaching: 16 years
Achievements: Intermediate Free Skate, Pre-Gold Dance, Intermediate Moves
Personal: Previous Learn to Skate and Basic Skills Coach, member of EAFSC Synchronized Figure Skating Team, Regional competitor, Ice Show Assistance, Choreography, Costume Design. Also coached at Fox Valley in Appleton, WI and the Pettit in Milwaukee, WI. Other achievements include High School State Championship Cheerleading, Ballet, Jazz and Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising and Business Administration.
Areas for Lessons: Free Skate through Junior Level, Dance through Gold Level, Moves in the Field through Junior Level.
Rate: $9.50/15 minutes Moves & Free Skate focus
Contact: (906) 280-6618 [email protected]
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Achievements: 34 years coaching experience
Personal: Is a current PSA and USFS member, certified CPR/AED and has coached with the Marquette Figure Skating Club since 1985. Duties with the MFSC have included Basic Skills Director, Summer School on Ice Coordinator, Ice Show Co-Director, On and Off Ice Choreographer. She has assisted and participated in past MFSC clinics and presentations along side with World and Olympic coaches.
Shirra has been invited as a guest coach to teach at Chilled Ponds -Chesapeake VA, Escanaba Area FSC, Escanaba MI, Timberline FSC- Wausau WI, and Michigan Tech University, Houghton MI along with many local hockey teams on skating power and technique.
Coach of Regional/Sectional competitors. Shirra has coached numerous students through the USFS Gold level in the disciplines of Moves in the Field, Dance, and Freestyle, 5 time Individual High School State Champions. Students Gayla Rovelsky won the National Artistic Young Adult (2005), and Robert Doepker went on to tour with Disney on Ice (Toy Story).
Her start, inspiration and love for the sport of figure skating came from her parents who were coaches of National Ice Dance and Pair teams. In addition to coaching Shirra is an authorized dealer of name brand skating equipment with Nan-Cees Skatique and can service your skates with a precision skate blade sharpening.
Areas for Lessons: Beginners through Senior Free Skate, Senior Moves in the Field, and Gold Dance.
Rate: $11.50/15 minute lesson Available Wednesdays Only
Contact: (906) 346-5207 or (906) 869-4907 [email protected]
Coach Qualifications
Coaches are an important factor in the development of a skater's skills and their continuing enthusiasm for the sport. The following minimum qualifications have been established by the Escanaba Area Figure Skating Club. All coaches are required to have completed these requirements in order to coach either group or private lessons:
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Be at least 14 years of age.
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Provide proof of USFSA registration and USFSA/PSA liability insurance to the coach liaison or EAFSC Treasurer before coaching any private lessons that year.
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Volunteer for a full fall or winter session of the Learn to Skate program; one excused absence per session is allowed, Volunteer coaching may occur prior to the coach turning 14 years of age.
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Attend one coaching seminar per year, if offered by EAFSC.
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Shadow an experienced (post-high school) coach while coaching private lessons. Shadowing shall include at least two lessons each of Free Style, Moves, and Dance. In the case of Moves, group Moves may be substituted for private Moves lessons. This shadowing shall be completed as early as possible in the skating season.
A beginning coach must complete the volunteer coaching in the Learn to Skate program prior to coaching private students. The beginning coach may then coach private lessons during the same time period that they are shadowing an experienced coach, on a provisional basis. If in the opinion of the EAFSC Board of Directors the beginning coach is not making an adequate effort to complete the shadowing requirement in a timely manner, coaching privileges may be suspended until the required shadowing has occurred.
