karina1974
08-14-2002, 07:06 PM
~~This appeared in the Times Union, an Albany NY paper, yesterday. I had to cut and paste the article b/c it's only available online for one week.~~
The coaches are Olympians
Olympic ice dancers Sinek and Handra set up shop to teach area skaters
By KATE BISHOP, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, August 13, 2002
While the rest of the Capital Region is melting under the summer sun, Olympic ice dancers Beata Handra and Charles Sinek spend their days teaching the sport they love in ice rinks throughout the area.
"It's like creating art work, in a way," Handra said. "You put your own experiences into it. It's a challenge to adapt lessons to different students."
"This is an untapped area for coaching," said Sinek, a Boston native who taught in the Albany area from 1992 to 1995.
Handra and Sinek have been married for six years and moved to Clifton Park from Pamona two months ago to begin coaching careers. The couple finished 23rd in ice dancing at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Sinek, 33, and Handra, 25, who have been skating partners for seven years, give private ice-dancing lessons at rinks throughout the Capital Region, including Clifton Park, Troy, Delmar, Glens Falls and Saratoga. Their students range in age from 8 to 62 and are in awe of their Olympic experience.
"I was so excited," said 10-year-old Michaelee Scarincio.
"I think they're brilliant," added her partner, 14-year-old Justin Morrow.
Handra and Sinek's private lessons last from 20 minutes to two hours, at a rate of $70 an hour. In late September, the pair will start an Olympic Skating School for group lessons hosted by the Uncle Sam Figure Skating Club.
The group lessons, which range from $80 to $90 for eight weeks of 30-minute sessions, will cover basic skills for young children and will be held at Knickerbacker Ice Rink in Troy and B.I.G. Arena in Delmar.
"We want to teach kids, as young as (age) 4, basic skating skills in order to prepare them for private lessons," Sinek said.
"Group lessons are really rewarding," Handra said. "It's great to see so many kids have so much fun at the same time."
On a sweltering summer day last week, the air inside the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink was cool and refreshing. Ten skaters were gliding around the rink, constantly in motion but never colliding. Music played over the loud speaker and changed abruptly from time to time, allowing the skaters to practice different dances.
Handra skated with 11-year-old Tara Britton, closely watching her technique. Occasionally they stopped, and Handra advised Britton with a smile. Meanwhile, Sinek went through a dance with Allie Poll, 12.
Sinek skated just ahead of her, carefully explaining the moves as he executed them. Poll imitated him, and then tried them by herself.
"They're fun, extremely nice and very understanding," Britton said of her instructors. "When I get confused, they can always break it down and show me the basic skills of a move."
Handra, who grew up in San Francisco, said she thinks of her childhood experiences with coaches in order to find the balance between encouragement and constructive criticism.
"They are world-class coaches," said Deborah Britton, Tara Britton's mother. "They're very down-to-earth and caring, and they want the kids to do well."
Scarincio's eyes brightened when she talked about working with Handra and Sinek.
"They're funny and nice, but they work you very hard," Scarincio said.
Luke Skala, a 9-year-old who skates with Morgan Mueller, also 9, said he has learned a lot from his coaches.
"When both of them work with us, we have a couple to work with and watch," Skala said. "In a week or two they have helped me so much. I think I'll go far with them."
Handra and Sinek said they won't compete any time soon, because they're satisfied with their Olympic accomplishments.
"I won't miss it; it's grueling," Sinek said. "It's very tough on the body, and it's expensive."
The two also are involved in another area of skating -- marketing a "Sk8tape" product invented by Sinek in 1997.
"It's a protective tape used to cover the leather of the figure skate," Sinek said. "It protects it from cuts and scrapes, and eliminates the need for polish.
Sinek said he has seen Sk8tape used by top figure skaters in national and Olympic competitions. He also sharpens skates and mounts blades, and is thinking of pursuing a career as a pharmacist.
Handra edits music on her computer and sells it to skaters, plays the piano, and is considering trying to become a psychologist or handwriting analyst.
But for now, being skating instructors is at the top of their list.
"I think skating is a great form of recreation for kids," Sinek said. "It's great exercise, it gives them a sense of accomplishment, and it provides a skill they can use for the rest of their lives."
For more information on skating lessons, call Frank Galle, 237-4044, or send e-mail to sk8tape@aol.com.
The coaches are Olympians
Olympic ice dancers Sinek and Handra set up shop to teach area skaters
By KATE BISHOP, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, August 13, 2002
While the rest of the Capital Region is melting under the summer sun, Olympic ice dancers Beata Handra and Charles Sinek spend their days teaching the sport they love in ice rinks throughout the area.
"It's like creating art work, in a way," Handra said. "You put your own experiences into it. It's a challenge to adapt lessons to different students."
"This is an untapped area for coaching," said Sinek, a Boston native who taught in the Albany area from 1992 to 1995.
Handra and Sinek have been married for six years and moved to Clifton Park from Pamona two months ago to begin coaching careers. The couple finished 23rd in ice dancing at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Sinek, 33, and Handra, 25, who have been skating partners for seven years, give private ice-dancing lessons at rinks throughout the Capital Region, including Clifton Park, Troy, Delmar, Glens Falls and Saratoga. Their students range in age from 8 to 62 and are in awe of their Olympic experience.
"I was so excited," said 10-year-old Michaelee Scarincio.
"I think they're brilliant," added her partner, 14-year-old Justin Morrow.
Handra and Sinek's private lessons last from 20 minutes to two hours, at a rate of $70 an hour. In late September, the pair will start an Olympic Skating School for group lessons hosted by the Uncle Sam Figure Skating Club.
The group lessons, which range from $80 to $90 for eight weeks of 30-minute sessions, will cover basic skills for young children and will be held at Knickerbacker Ice Rink in Troy and B.I.G. Arena in Delmar.
"We want to teach kids, as young as (age) 4, basic skating skills in order to prepare them for private lessons," Sinek said.
"Group lessons are really rewarding," Handra said. "It's great to see so many kids have so much fun at the same time."
On a sweltering summer day last week, the air inside the Saratoga Springs Ice Rink was cool and refreshing. Ten skaters were gliding around the rink, constantly in motion but never colliding. Music played over the loud speaker and changed abruptly from time to time, allowing the skaters to practice different dances.
Handra skated with 11-year-old Tara Britton, closely watching her technique. Occasionally they stopped, and Handra advised Britton with a smile. Meanwhile, Sinek went through a dance with Allie Poll, 12.
Sinek skated just ahead of her, carefully explaining the moves as he executed them. Poll imitated him, and then tried them by herself.
"They're fun, extremely nice and very understanding," Britton said of her instructors. "When I get confused, they can always break it down and show me the basic skills of a move."
Handra, who grew up in San Francisco, said she thinks of her childhood experiences with coaches in order to find the balance between encouragement and constructive criticism.
"They are world-class coaches," said Deborah Britton, Tara Britton's mother. "They're very down-to-earth and caring, and they want the kids to do well."
Scarincio's eyes brightened when she talked about working with Handra and Sinek.
"They're funny and nice, but they work you very hard," Scarincio said.
Luke Skala, a 9-year-old who skates with Morgan Mueller, also 9, said he has learned a lot from his coaches.
"When both of them work with us, we have a couple to work with and watch," Skala said. "In a week or two they have helped me so much. I think I'll go far with them."
Handra and Sinek said they won't compete any time soon, because they're satisfied with their Olympic accomplishments.
"I won't miss it; it's grueling," Sinek said. "It's very tough on the body, and it's expensive."
The two also are involved in another area of skating -- marketing a "Sk8tape" product invented by Sinek in 1997.
"It's a protective tape used to cover the leather of the figure skate," Sinek said. "It protects it from cuts and scrapes, and eliminates the need for polish.
Sinek said he has seen Sk8tape used by top figure skaters in national and Olympic competitions. He also sharpens skates and mounts blades, and is thinking of pursuing a career as a pharmacist.
Handra edits music on her computer and sells it to skaters, plays the piano, and is considering trying to become a psychologist or handwriting analyst.
But for now, being skating instructors is at the top of their list.
"I think skating is a great form of recreation for kids," Sinek said. "It's great exercise, it gives them a sense of accomplishment, and it provides a skill they can use for the rest of their lives."
For more information on skating lessons, call Frank Galle, 237-4044, or send e-mail to sk8tape@aol.com.