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WHAT ARE PRIVATE LESSONS?

Private lessons are offered to skaters who are looking for more one on one attention within their program.  Only Barrie Skating Club coaches are permitted to coaching on Barrie Skating Club session. See list below.

Skaters working at all levels of the STARSkate and Competitive programs develop their skills though private lessons.  Semi-private and group lessons may also be an option, depending on the coach’s availability and the skater’s needs.

Skaters will register for specific ice sessions (for which they are qualified by test level) during which their will work with their coach. Typically on a 50 minute ice session, a skater will sign up for 15 minutes of coaching and spend the remaining 35 minutes practicing.  Learning to work independently is an important skill for a developing figure skater.

ENGAGING A COACH

Skaters contract individually with their coaches.  Coaches set their own rates, according to their experience, qualifications and services.

Choosing a coach is an individual decision.  Please read their profiles and choose a coach that would best suit you skaters needs. Barrie Skating Club coaches are listed below.

Coaching arrangements, including payment, are made directly with the coach, who operates independently from the club. It is advisable to discuss expectations in advance.  Coaches will expect skaters to be prompt and attend lessons regularly, and to give advance notice whenever possible if a lesson must be missed.

 

SKATER-COACH DIPLOMACY

Skaters experiencing conflict with a coach are encouraged to meet with the coach to discuss the problem.  If a skater plans to change coaches, for any reason, the coach should be advised of the decision, by phone or in person, and outstanding coaching fees should be paid in full.  Keeping relations cordial contributes to a productive and cooperative atmosphere in the club.

 

Coaching Team

Our Team of Coaches are all NCCP Certified Levels 1-5. We work with skaters at all levels and all disciplines from beginner to World and Olympic level. Please feel free to contact us to discuss what you may require to meet your skating needs.

 

Janice Morgan

Director of Figure Skating Development for the Barrie Skating Club

captain_morgan3@hotmail.com

Janice's specialty is creating a yearly plan for athletes that facilitates growth and personal development while pursuing personal skating goals. As a base coach, Janice encourages a team based approach to learning in a fun and positive atmosphere. Using this approach, Janice has successfully taught athletes from the grassroots to Olympic level success.
In Janice’s 30 year coaching career she has been successful in developing Local, National and International level competitive skaters.  A few of her most memorable accomplishments:
  • Coaching Provincial, National and International medalists
  • Coached at 15 National Championships including Canada and South Africa.
  • Coached at many International and Junior Grand Prix events
  • Team coach for Ontario Winter Games in 2012 and 2018
  • Team coach for Canada Winter Games in 2019.
  • Facilitated seminars at the club, provincial, national and international level.
  • Coach/consultant to athletes from countries such as Canada, South Africa, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Australia, Turkey, Iran, India, Germany, Austria, USA, Great Britain and Switzerland
  • Establishing the pair program at the Mariposa School of Skating
  • Coach of Skate Ontario Pre-Novice Men Champion 2021, Novice Pair Gold and Silver Medalist 2021.
 
Available to facilitate seminars at the club provincial national and international level.
 
Janice trained as a skater with Barrie Skating Club and Mariposa School of Skating while competing at the National Level.
She obtained her Gold Free Skate, Gold Dances, Gold Figure, Gold Interpretive Dance, Senior Competitive & Novice Pairs tests. Janice has been a Skate Canada professional coach since 1992 and is well on her way to becoming Level 4 certified.

 

Azure-Dee Perkins

azuredeeperkins@gmail.com
705-985-1061
Director of Skating and Programming for the Barrie Skating Club

 

Azure-Dee competed at the Senior Competitive level and has coached at Barrie Skating Club since retiring from competitive skating.  

  • Developed a successful Multi-Sport Day Camp program which has attracted figure skaters and Hockey players from across Ontario. 
  • Designed Therapy Ice program with the guidance of the children development services at RVH.  
  • Designed Adaptive Skate program.
  • Has proven success developing skaters to be competitive athletes Domestically and Internationally.  
  •  Azure-Dee has been coaching since 1992 and has disciplines of expertise are in Program Development, Hockey Skill development, and CanSkate.

Michael Hopfes

Director of International talent and development

Michaelhopfes@hotmail.com

Olympic Coach, NCCP & Skate Canada National Coach
Singles

Jump Technique 

Spins

Choreography

On and Off ice Harness

Learn to Skate,
Singles Base Coach

Special Olympics

ISU Technical Specialist

Michael and his family offer full-service boarding at their home for skaters year-round. If you are looking for accommodation for your skater, please contact him via email for more information.

 

 Michael prides himself in creating a specialized training plan for each of his students. As an ISU Technical Specialist, his training has allowed him to have a fully trained eye on all skating specifics, levels and how to achieve your maximum points. Michael has coached skaters to the Olympic level. Michael guides skaters to achieve their goals and accomplish personal levels of success in the sport. Michael aims to bring out the best in his skaters and has a dynamic approach to training that has strong and proven results.
Michael has over 25 years of coaching experience and he has been incredibly successful in developing skaters at the Olympic, World, International, National and Local levels including Special Olympic Skaters. 

Michael specializes in jumps, spins, steps, harness (on and off ice), choreography as well as off ice-dry land training. As a World Championship and International skater himself Michael understands his skaters and exactly what it takes to compete at the very highest level in the world. During his amateur career, he competed in multiple International competitions at the Senior and Junior levels as well as in World and Junior World Championships.
Michael is proud to be an approved ISU (International Skating Union) Technical Specialist for singles for over 18 years. Michael has taken this role in various competitions such as the Junior World Championships 2023, Skate Canada 2021, Grand Prix Final, and Four Continents Championship.


Michaels Coaching Career Highlights
 2018 Winter Olympic Games, PyeongChang, South Korea
 2012 Youth Olympic, Innsbruck, Austria
 6 World Championships
 8 Four Continent Championships
 5 Senior Grand Prix Events
 6 Junior World Championships
 16 Junior Grand Prix Events
 2 South East Asian Games
 1 Asian Games
 30 National Championships 
 Coached over 60 international competitions
 Team Leader at the Junior World and Four Continents Championships


Michael has facilitated multiple different seminars around the world and locally including:
 Mexico
 Malaysia
 Singapore
 Germany
 Indonesia
 Yearly Mariposa Seminar

 

Michael has been Base Coach and consultant to athletes from countries such as Malaysia, Canada, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Australia, Turkey, Iran, India, Germany, Austria, USA, Great Britain, Switzerland, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Ecuador, Iceland, China and Mexico.


Michael is fluent in 3 languages:
 German
 Spanish
 English

 

Michael is the base coach to Gabrielle Daleman, Olympic Gold medalist in the team event,
World Bronze Medalist, and 2 times Canadian Champion.

 

Amanda VanDriel

CanSkate Coordinator

aam_vandriel@outlook.com

Amanda trained  to the Competitive level and has coached at Barrie Skating Club since retiring from competitive skating.  Amanda is the CanSkate Coordinator for Barrie Skating Club

  • Amanda enjoy coaching all disciplines including hockey skill development, CanSkate, StarSkaters of all ages.  
  • Amanda is a  Certified Regional Coach, and currently is continuing her education in coaching.
  • Amanda has been involved in Mariposa’s first synchro skating team.
  • Trained a as a competitive figure skater from 2002-2016
  • Competed at Skate Canada Challenge Senior Ladies 2015 and 2016

 

 

 

In memory 

Jo-Anne 

 

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