(May 1, 2008)
Seven CanSkate coaches are heading to Regina to attend the 2008 Skate Canada ACGM and National Coaches’ Conference May 28-31, 2008. The selected CanSkate coaches will receive special recognition in front of their peers at the coaches’ reception.
Always looking for opportunities to encourage individuals who are involved in the lives of our skaters, Skate Canada launched this new initiative earlier this season to find the best CanSkate coaches in Canada.
“We are inviting these CanSkate coaches to Regina to promote the good work done in Skate Canada clubs and skating schools at the grassroots level” says Skate Canada’s Recreational Coaching Programs Manager, Josée Landriault. “This is an exciting and exclusive opportunity for us to train some of the best CanSkate coaches in Canada in other fundamental aspects of the CanSkate program so they can go back to their clubs and regions and share this information and overall experience with coaching colleagues.”
- Nicole Dupuis of the Sackville Skating Club (Skate Canada–Nova Scotia) has been coaching since 1998 and has been the administrator of the CanSkate program in her club since 2002.
- Cheryle Gaston of the Greenwood Skating Club (Skate Canada–Nova Scotia) is an NCCP Level 3 certified coach in singles and Level 2 in pairs and dance and currently completing her third term as Section Coaching Representative for Skate Canada–Nova Scotia.
- Anne Desjardins of CPA de Chambly (Skate Canada-Québec) has been the administrator of the CanSkate program in her club for the past five years and has been coaching for 14 years.
- Sheilagh McCaskill of the Gloucester Skating Club (Skate Canada–Eastern Ontario) has been coaching for over thirty years and designing and directing her club’s CanSkate program for twenty years.
- Lynne Finlay of the Dorchester Skating Club (Skate Canada-Western Ontario) has been coaching for 24 years and has been a member of the Board of Directors as the Club Coach Representative at her club for many years.
- Judi Boyle-Krzeczkowski of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Skating Club (Skate Canada–Western Ontario) is the administrator of the recreational programs at her club and has been coaching for 22 years.
- Lynda Thompson of the Hamilton Skating Club (Skate Canada–Western Ontario) started her coaching career in July 1976 and is the CanSkate administrator at her club.
Nicole Dupuis |
Cheryle Gaston |
Anne Desjardins |
Sheilagh McCaskill |
Lynne Finlay |
Judi Boyle-Krzeczkowski |
Lynda Thompson |
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On site in Regina a video demonstrating an Ultimate Best CanSkate session will be produced with these seven CanSkate coaches and some local CanSkaters as well as Program Assistants. The video will then be used as a resource tool to train future CanSkate coaches entering the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
To be nominated, CanSkate coaches were required to:
- be currently registered as a professional coach with Skate Canada;
- be a trained CanSkate coach or NCCP certified coach;
- have obtained a Continuous Education Program (CEP) status – gold, silver or bronze;
- be the primary CanSkate coach responsible for the on-ice and off-ice CanSkate program in their club or skating school;
- and:
- have excellent communication and listening skills;
- have excellent organizational skills;
- organize and deliver the CanSkate program according to Skate Canada delivery standards;
- promote training and development for program assistants;
- interact well with the skaters, coaches, program assistants and parents.
To be selected, CanSkate coaches had to:
- produce and submit their ultimate best CanSkate session that conforms to Skate Canada standards on DVD and;
- describe a seasonal plan for their club’s CanSkate program;
- describe in detail their on-ice CanSkate session;
- outline their program assistant training;
- describe activities that contributed to the CanSkate membership growth in their club;
- talk about the maintenance and communication of skaters’ progress;
- discuss the logistics of organizing and offering parent information sessions.