Another positive thread about coaches

[WBLanghans]

I was thinking about some of the negative press lately about certain coaches and how important it is for parents to check out the character and values of their skater's coaches and not just their credentials. I thought it would be useful to start a thread about coaches who emphasize the development the whole person.

How do you identify these kinds of coaches? Well, one way is to look for coaches who don't skimp on academics - do their skaters go to college?

So here's a challege to you posters: who are these coaches and who are their skaters?

I'll start. Mike Tamres teaches Ice Dance in Southern California. To name a few of his skaters that I personally know:

E.B. - National Competitor - Stanford University
T.R. - Junior National Competitor- Stanford University
R.V. - Junior National Competitor - UCLA
E.L. - National Competitor - Haverford College
J.B. - National Competitor - UC Santa Cruz

There are some who have gone on to the University of Chicago and to Boston College. There are some who are applying this fall to Stanford and Harvard who stand a good chance of being accepted, IMO. I'm sure there are others whose names and schools I don't know.

Kudos to Mike.

Now, posters, it's your turn to add to this list of coaches.

//Wendy

[Arsenette]

Can I just merge the 2 threads?

[dancemania]

Barret Brown and Tom Lescinski of the Skating Club of Boston both have college degrees. They value education and provide a wholesome and healthy training environment for their skaters.

Ron Kravette and Amy Webster attended college part-time while training with them. More recently SCOB dancers attending school have included:
Victoria Devins (full-time H.S., Boston College next year)
Kevin O'Keefe (Northeastern , began full time, now may be P/T)
Loren Galler-Rabinowitz (full time at Prep School, applying to
Harvard, B.U. for next year)
David Mitchell (attended prep school F/T while training, is now a
Senior at Tufts Univ & has attended full time, living on
campus, is an officer in his fraternity and will graduate on time)
Phillip Lichtor (attending MIT, F/T I think)
There may be others that I'm not aware of.

The bottom line is that the coaches work with the skaters to help make receiving an education and skating not be mutually exclusive. That dosen't mean it's easy, but the skaters are motivated to study and to train hard. The early morning ice time approx 5-10 am fits nicely with being able to attend classes.

Kudos to Barret and Tom for setting a tone and atmosphere that encourages their skaters to be scholars, athletes, and nice people despite being in a competitive training environment!

If there were more coaches like them, there'd be many more well-rounded happy skaters.

[WBLanghans]

I'm glad you included Barret & Tom. IMO they should absolutely be on this list.

Wendy

[BittyBug]

I would add that Tom has a Masters degree from Columbia.

I think there are a couple of factors that contribute to the academic environment in Boston. The support and encouragement of Tom, Barrett and others is obviously a significant factor. The fact that Boston is a college town is another, since it attracts a lot of students and also makes it convenient for skaters to continue their educations. And the skaters' parents also play a role.

[WeBeEducated]

I agree completey.
Tom, Barret, and Ron dont ask their skaters to scrimp on education.
And look at their skaters! High level intelligence, skating ability, and most with warm and unpretentious personalities.
Kudos to Boston.

[CanAmSk8ter]

I did a USFSA Regional Training Camp in Boston in 1997 and was so impressed I considered attending college in Boston specifically to train there. I found the coaches to be everything everyone else has said. The camp was memorable for me because I trained at a training center with lots of big names in singles and pairs, but not dance, and I was a big fan of Webster and Kravette, so it was cool to actually get to work with them.

[WBLanghans]

OK - we've got three coaches. Thanks for the postings. Now let's get some more....who else wants to share something positive.

[skatepixie]

I dont know why collage is such a priority. Sence 95% of collage student go because u make more $ with a degree, isnt it just really stupid to judge a coach on if their students go to collage or not? If i skated at that level, Id wait. Thats the smart thing to do. Im not saying there is anything wrong with collage, Im just wondering why on earth that is considered so much more positive than some other things.

[sk8lurv]

I think collage is kool. There is nothing to beat it as an art form. Let's have a collage of coache's fotos just to make the point. And of course if u can do collage, it means you'v got craft skills, which can help ur job prospekts. In fakt, I think more coaches should teach collage. Collage is great for ur career, no doubt at about it.