Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Skating with your Dream Coach

Okay, I love the way my coach, Miss Bianca, teaches. She holds me to high standards, doesn't let me get away with whining, and my skating has really improved.
I'm sure Miss Bianca toasts my improved skating after every lesson...
Or she just knocks one back to kill the memory of my back crossovers
But really, in your fantasies, doesn't everyone have a dream coach or coaches?  I mean, you know you'll never meet them, but isn't it just fun to make a list?

Aleksander Fadeyev   World Champion, European Champion, 6 time Soviet Champion. 4th at the 88 Olympics behind Boitano, Orser and Petrenko. He coaches at the Chicago at Robert C. Crown Ice Complex.

My lesson?  Blade Sharpening! Apparently when he competed he did his own blades and had a lot of 'little techniques'. I love the engineering side of skating. That could be fun!

 Dan Hollander Dan isn't famous for his amateur career, but for his career as a professional comic skater. And as additional positive, he appears to be knowledgeable about ISI!

My lesson? Selling a program. Performance skills! Costumes! Props!

 Frank Carroll  Probably one of the greatest coaches in the world. His list of elite competitors is long and distinguished. His most recent star is Evan Lysacek. And though Frank stopped competing in the 60's I have video of him in Ice Follies.

I know what you're thinking. What can a low level beginner skater learn from Frank Carroll? Well, in the Manleywoman Skatecast interview with Frank Carroll, he said:
" I have some of the most dreadful skaters the world has ever seen,..."




7 comments:

  1. Sasha Fadeev still sharpens skates, even for adult skaters in the area. And for a very reasonable price - though you have to leave them and it might take a day or two, depending on his rink schedule.
    I recently saw online that Mr. Edge (of USFS "Ask Mr Edge" fame) has skate tech training courses, also just outside Chicago. So perhaps you could make the dream reality!

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  2. I'd be a terrible sharpener, but I'm dreading my coach retiring from skating next month because he always sharpens my skates and does a great job. No problems stopping - can just get back on the ice as if nothing had been done to them. Hoping the mooted alternative sharpener will understand the stopping requirement - or else I may have to learn!
    Laughing at the 'challenge accepted'. We have a coach at our rink who specialises in teaching spinning - as I've never been able to spin I always wonder exactly how much of a challenge I would be for her!
    Not sure who my dream coach would be - they'd have to teach ice dance though.

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  3. I actually met my dream coach at Adult Nationals - Paul Wylie! I loved his artistry and interpretation and could certainly use his expertise to fine tune my programs. He actually told me to go see him in Charlotte!

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    1. YOu could go to Lake Placid Adult Skate camp and take lessons from him every day!

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  4. Sasha sharpens my skates. He does a fantastic job. You know they've been sharpened but can still come to a stop without fear. His footwork sequences are absolutely amazing.

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  5. My dream coach would have to be a lefty because I'm a lefty and it would make life soooo much easier. Maybe Todd Eldridge?

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