Coaches

Coaches are invaluable in the development of an athlete’s skills. They are teachers and mentors for the thousands of young athletes they interact with in their day-to-day work. They work not only with athletes but also the athlete’s parents in setting realistic goals and the training required to reach their potential and their goals. All Skate Canada coaches are required to be trained and/or certified in the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).

Becoming a Skate Canada Professional Coach requires planning and commitment to the profession. A certified coach is an experienced, skilled and dedicated professional. Coaches have a huge impact on the lives of their skaters and coaches always need to be aware of this fact and conduct themselves in a professional manner. Coaches need to constantly educate and update themselves in order to be effective.

Currently, all coaches who work at Skate Canada member clubs and Skating Schools must meet the minimum criteria as outlined in Rule 2401 of the Skate Canada Rule Book and other provisions set from time to time by the Skate Canada Board of Directors, and be registered professional coaching members of Skate Canada.  At WSC we encourage team coaching.

Meet Our Coaches

	Beth Lochhead EMAIL: beth.lochhead@yahoo.com CanSkate Certified Provincial Certified National Trained StarSkate 1-5 Assessor Certified    Years of Experience: 44 years   Personal Skating Experiences: 42 years with WSC: Pre-CanSkate-Diamond Dances, Preschool age-Adult.  Challenge level dance team Adult II Synchro - 20 years and current member. WSC Executive Member    I'm truly blessed to be able to say I've spent most of my life doing what I love to do....Skate.  My own skating successes pale in comparison to the excitement of watching my students succeed and reach their own personal goals.    MANTRA - Practice like you plan on performing
	Grayson Lochhead EMAIL: gray.lochhead@gmail.com     CanSkate Certified Regional Certified PowerSkate Certified StarSkate 1-5 Assessor Certified   Years of Experience Coaching: 2 years partnering under mentors & 7 years professionally, 3 years PowerSkating with various AA and AAA age levels.   Personal Skating Experiences: Completed Gold 3 Gold Skating tests, Dance, Skills, Interpretive Competitive Ice dancer for 10 years 2016 Novice National Champion 4 years at Junior level 5 International competitions representing Canada Trained with Olympic level coaches and competitors
	Andrea Carruthers   EMAIL: andreacarrutherso3@gmail.com   Regional Certified CanSkate Certified StarSkate 1-5 Assessor Certified   Years of Experience Coaching: 9   Schooling: Master of Human Kinetics Bachelor of Education Bachelor of Arts: Sport Psychology   Past Personal Skating Experience: Completed 4 Gold Skating Tests: Freeskate, Dance, Skills and Interpretive Synchronized Skating Coach (Youth & Adult) - 10 years Trained with Olympic level coaches and athletes Former All Ontario Champion (pairs and ice dance)   With my background in Sport Psychology, I share those tools with my skaters to help conquer the mental aspects of the sport alongside the physical. I am trained in all disciplines, but have a keen interest in choreography, creative movement, and performance.
	Alanna Yungblut   EMAIL: ayyungblut@gmail.com   CanSkate Trained   Years of Experience Coaching: 1   Past Personal Skating Experience: Completed Gold 3 Gold Skating tests, Dance, Skills, Interpretive
	Amber Lovell   EMAIL: loveambe316@gmail.com   CanSkate Trained   Years of Experience Coaching: 1   Past Personal Skating Experience: Completed Gold 3 Gold Skating tests, Dance, Skills, Artistic as well as 2 Diamond Dances 2024 Ontario STAR Athlete of the Year 2024 Canadian National Skating Championships - Silver Medal NEXXICE Intermediate   2024-25 Nexxice Intermediate Synchro team member

Vision For Coaching

As Skate Canada Professional Coaches we believe coaching is a privilege earned through our commitment to:

1. Competently and professionally serving the athlete as a role model, teacher, coach, athlete manager, strategist, and volunteer.
2. Developing a well-rounded individual and creating a positive and safe sport environment that will promote physical development and well-being, mental development and positive self image, social skills development, creativity and artistic development, discipline, self-reliance and independence, and principles of fair play and good sportsmanship.
3. Providing quality service to and being accountable to the athletes, parents, clubs and schools, community, and Skate Canada.
4. Sharing knowledge with athletes, parents, coaching peers, clubs and schools, volunteers and Skate Canada.
5. Actively engaged in continuous improvement and education and overall professional development
6. Maintaining an open-minded attitude to new ideas and change.
7. Supporting the  Strategic Plan – Skate Canada
8. Conducting oneself in a manner that is befitting of a coaching professional and that is compliant with Skate Canada and ISU rules, regulations and policies.

Key Messages For Coaching

These messages were approved by the Coaching Development Committee to help guide coaches for the skating season.

1. Maintain Professional Development points .Maintenance of Certification | CAC (coach.ca)
2. Further educate yourself on the Cumulative Points Calculation (CPC) judging system and the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model
3. Take responsibility for your education and your business
4. Manage your athletes effectively
5. Develop healthy athletes
6. Earn the respect of others
7. Model, encourage and support ethical coaching behavior
8. Ensure a safe and welcoming environment
9. Anticipate and embrace change
10. Share information and embrace a team coaching approach

This Vision for Coaching and Key Messages was established by the Advisory Coaching Committee (ACC) in September 2000 and was revised and approved by the Coaching Development Committee in October 2014.