COACHES
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.
Jennifer Adamini
Jen Adamini
Achievements: 15 years coaching, Juvenile Freeskate, Bronze Dances, testing in Figures
Personal: Competitor for 10 years, Native of Escanaba, Graduate of Northern Michigan University, Bachelor’s Degree in History/Business. Experience in Choreography for Freestyle and Artistic through Juvenile levels.
Areas for Lessons: Basic Skills through Freeskate Level 6, to Pre-Juvenile Moves, Juvenile Freestyle, and Pre-Silver Dance. Power instructor.
Rate: $8.00/15 minutes
Contact: 906-553-2502 jadamini@charter.net
Mary Gauthier
Achievements: 33 years coaching, Juvenile Free Skate, Pre-Gold Dance, 2nd Figure
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: 280-3720 marygauthier@chartermi.net
Shirra Sinnaeve
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 869.4907 slsskateup@hotmail.com
Amy Wellman
Years Coaching: 31 years
Test 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)420-3589
.jpg)
Beth Berube
Achievements: 18 years coaching, 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: 280-2476 waygirl_17@hotmail.com
Tiffany Hewitt
Achievements: 16 years coaching, 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 Assistant. 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
Contact: 280-6618 tifflaht@live.com
Heather LaPalm
Achievements: 18 years coaching, Preliminary Free Skate, Adult Bronze Free Skate, Pre-Bronze Dance, Adult Bronze Moves
Personal: Assistant Coach of High School Team. Former Director of Learn to Skate Program and 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) 553-2133 Heather.LaPalm@yahoo.com
Alicia Trudell
Years Coaching: 9 years
Test Achievements: 10+ years coaching experience, Juvenile Freeskate, Silver Dances, Novice Moves in the Field
Personal: Current EAFSC Board Member and Current Ice Show Director. Competitive figure skater for over 10 years, past member of the EAFSC Synchronized Skating Team, and participated in 15 ice shows as a member of the EAFSC. Master's Degree in Child Development and lives in Rock with her husband and two daughters.
Areas for Lessons: Learn to Skate, Synchronized Skating
Phone: 906-398-8061
Email: alicia.trudell@yahoo.com
Kassidy Wigand
Years Coaching: 3 years of private coaching and 6 years of Learn to Skate coaching.
Achievements: Current LTS director and EAFSC board member. Competitive skater for 10 years, including 2016 State Championship competition.
Personal: I began skating at 4 years old and you can still find me practicing new skills on the ice! Outside of the rink, I'm a hairstylist and college student. I enjoy traveling and spending time with family.
Areas For Lessons: Basic skills through preliminary free skate, preliminary dance, and up to pre-juvenile moves in the field. Experience with artistic programs and choreography.
Rate: $5/15 minutes
Contact: (906)398-8967 kassidy059@gmail.com
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:
-
Be at least 14 years of age.
-
Provide proof of USFSA registration and USFSA/PSA liability insurance to the coach liaison or EAFSC Treasurer before coaching any private lessons that year.
-
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.
-
Attend one coaching seminar per yer, if offered by EAFSC.
-
Shadow and 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 asking an adequate effort to complete the shadowing requirement in a timely manner, coaching privileges may be suspended until the required shadowing has occurred.