Coaches
We are fortunate to have many talented and professional coaches at Silver Blades, all of whom are accredited through the Skate Canada program. Our coaches work on group PreCanSkate, CanSkate, Preliminary and Junior sessions, as well as providing private lessons at all program levels.
Private Lessons
While not mandatory, private lessons may start at the CanSkate level and can greatly help improve a skater's progression. These begin the week after Thanksgiving weekend in the fall and are held during the 10-minute cool-down portion of the CanSkate program.
Once a skater moves up to the Preliminary level, they will need a professional coach to oversee their development and testing, and guide them through participating in local competitions.
These arrangements and related payments are made directly with the coach, and not through the club. Fee schedules vary. Please be courteous and notify your coach 24 hours in advance if you have to cancel a lesson.
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Pam Balevapambaleva@hotmail.com 416-885-6839 Disciplines Taught: Preliminary, Junior, Intermediate, |
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Qualifications: NCCP Provincial Coach Certified; CanPowerskate Certified; Skate Canada Primary/Juvenile Figure Skating Evaluator Certification Coaching Since: 2002 Accomplishments: 95% Low Test Skaters' Pass Rate; Skate Canada’s Continuous Education Program (CEP) – Gold Status 2012-2014; Silver Status 2014-2016; Gold Level Freeskate, Dance, Skills & Figures; Competed in Novice Competitive Single Ladies Freeskate; Senior Bronze Ladies Dance C.O.S.I.C. Champion, Reverse Skater; Registered Practical Nurse. |
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Barbara BasarDisciplines Taught: Preliminary, Junior, Intermediate,
Coaching Availability: Preliminary/Junior Session - Wednesday |
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Qualifications: NCCP Provincial Coach Certified Coaching Since: 2012 Accomplishments: Barbara competed in Novice competitive singles and has achieved Gold Tests in the four main disciplines of figure skating (freeskate, skills, dance and interpretive). Her interest in figure skating lies in the exploration of body movement, proper alignment and artistry on the ice. Helping skaters attain strong technical basics along with discovering skating’s creative charm. Off the ice Barbara is involved in the design world, she holds a bachelor’s degree in fashion design from Ryerson University. |
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Rosemary Clarkerosemaryclarke@rogers.com 416-239-8759 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate, Skills, Ice Dance, Choreography,
Coaching Availability: Preliminary Sessions - Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday; Junior Sessions - Thursday and Sunday; Intermediate and Senior Sessions |
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified Coaching Since: 1984 Accomplishments: I started my coaching career in 1984 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Silver Blades was my home club when I competed, so I was very happy to join its coaching staff when my daughter started skating at Silver Blades in 1998. Availability: Tuesday and Saturday Preliminary Sessions |
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Leah Culottaleah.culotta@hotmail.ca 416-568-0092 Disciplines Taught: Preliminary, CanSkate, Ice Dance, Freeskate, Skills and Interpretive |
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified; CanPowerskate Certified Coaching Since: 2007 Accomplishments: Gold Dance, Gold Skills, Gold Interpretive (working on Senior Silver and Gold Freeskate) |
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Pat Devereuxpdevereux19@yahoo.ca 905-815-9795 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate (competitive and test stream), Skating Skills, Coaching Availability: Preliminary and Junior Sessions |
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Qualifications: NCCP National Coach Certified; CanPowerskate Certified Coaching Since: 1975 Accomplishments: Gold Figures, Gold Freeskate, Gold Dances; Founder – Orangeville Training & Skating Centre – 1992; 40+ competitive tests from Juvenile to Senior; Many finalists at Sectionals; Taught the 1984 Novice Korean Ladies Champion (dual citizen) from beginning to National level; Various skaters toured with Disney on Ice (two skaters with principal roles); 80+ Gold medalists, many from beginner to Gold level. Availability: Preliminary sessions |
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Kalina Doruchkalina.doruch@gmail.com 416-875-3920 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate, Ice Dance, Skills, Choreography, Interpretive, |
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Qualifications: NCCP National Coach Certified; CanPowerskate Certified; CEP Gold Status Coaching Since: 2004 Accomplishments: Very experienced in Theater on Ice; Quad Gold Medalist (freeskate, dance, skills, interpretive); Open Ladies C.O.S.I.C. Championship; Former Senior Ladies competitor; Trained by world-renowned coaches and choreographers. Kalina has taught skaters at all levels from CanSkate, to adult, to competitive athletes. She enjoys empowering skaters of all ages and sharing her love of skating. She holds a B.A. Hons. in Philosophy and Political Science with a minor in Economics from the University of Toronto, and is pursuing ongoing studies in acting and performance at the Actors Foundry. |
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Victoria Gemmavictoria.gemma@hotmail.com 416-252-2472 Disciplines Taught: CanSkate |
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Qualifications: NCCP Club Coach Certified - CanSkate Coaching Since: 2013 Achievements: Has been skating at Silver Blades since 2002. Completed Gold Skills, Gold Interpretive and Gold Dance. Currently working on Gold Freeskate and Diamond Dances. Has volunteered as a Program Assistant on CanSkate sessions from 2007 through 2013. |
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Karen Hanleyfs_coach@hotmail.com 416-720-5599 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate, Ice Dance, Skills and Artistic Coaching Availability: Preliminary Sessions - Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday |
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Qualifications: NCCP Provincial Coach Certified Coaching Since: 1998 Achievements: Has been coaching in the Etobicoke area for 19 years, and really enjoys helping students reach their goals and full potential. Whether it's learning to stop or passing a Gold test, the thrill is the same. |
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Christopher Hockadaychristopher_hockaday@hotmail.co.uk Disciplines Taught: Ice Dance and Skills |
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified Coaching Since: 2008 Achievements: A former competitive ice dancer in Great Britain, Chris specializes in solo dance, couples dance, skills and synchronized skating, and is also an ISU-qualified international technical specialist for ice dance. He has coached skaters who have competed at the Junior Grand Prix level and won national championships in solo dance multiple times, and he was nominated and named 2014's Young Coach of the Year in Great Britain by his coaching peers. |
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Ken Langloislanglois.ken@gmail.com 416-937-6153 Disciplines Taught: Ice Dance, Freeskate, Skills, Synchro |
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified Coaching Since: 2005 Accomplishments: Competed both nationally and internationally in senior competitive dance, and completed the Diamond dance test. Currently still competing in dance and synchronized skating. Coached numerous dance teams to the challenge level, and coached the 2008 national silver dance biathlon champions. |
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Wendy Mantonmantonwendy@gmail.com 416-579-2770 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate, Skills, Ice Dance, CanSkate/Preliminary/Junior/Intermediate/Senior private lessons |
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified Coaching Since: 2006 Achievements: Gold Freeskate, Gold Dance, Gold Skills, Gold Interpretive, Skate Canada Junior Synchronized Skating National Champion and two-time Skate Canada Synchronized Skating National Silver Medalist (Novice and Junior). Availabity: Tue CanSkate, Intermediate, Senior; Sat CanSkate, Intermediate, Senior; Sun CanSkate, Junior |
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Mairi Middletonmairi.middleton6@gmail.com 647-524-7096 Disciplines Taught: CanSkate |
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Qualifications: NCCP Club Coach Certified - Canskate Coaching Since: 2018 Achievements: Senior Silver Dance, Senior Silver Skills, Senior Silver Freeskate, competitive dancer. |
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Anastasiya RomanskaDisciplines Taught: CanSkate, Preliminary
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Trained Coaching Since: 2017 |
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Roksana Sazdanovicroksanamasliak@hotmail.com 647-505-7623 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate, Ice Dance, Skills, CanSkate private lessons
Coaching Availability: Preliminary/Junior Sessions - Wednesday |
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified Coaching Since: 2006 Accomplishments: Gold Dance, Gold Skills, Senior Silver Freeskate. Skate Canada Continuous Education Program (CEP) – Gold Status 2012-2014; Silver Status 2014-2016. Student Achievements: 98% pass rate on low and high tests, including Junior Silver, Senior Silver and Gold Skills; numerous medalists at local competitions. Availability: Tuesday and Saturday Preliminary sessions |
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Devinder Singhforcing_the_edge@hotmail.com 416-904-3000 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate (Test Stream & Competitive), Ice Dance, Skills,
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Qualifications: NCCP Regional Coach Certified; CanPowerskate Certified; Skate Canada Sectional Level Technical Specialist Coaching Since: 2002 Accomplishments: Senior Competitive Test, Junior Competitive Pairs Test, Gold Freeskate, Gold Dance, Gold Skills. Third in Pre-Novice Pairs at Junior Canadians, second in Novice Pairs in Arizona at North American Challenge. Competed at Canadian Nationals in Senior Men and Junior Pairs for over four years. Competed internationally for Canada in Poland and the United States. Student achievements: Junior Competitive Freeskate, Gold Skills, Gold Artistic, Junior Silver Freeskate and over 30 Gold Dances |
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Sarah ThiffaultDisciplines Taught: Freeskate, Ice Dance, Skills, Canskate private lessons, Choreography Availability: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday |
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Qualifications: Skate Canada Certified Regional Coach, Bilingual (ENG/FR) Coaching Since: 2012 Accomplishments: Expertise in choreography, stroking, dance and skills. Former Disney on Ice skater and Junior ladies competitor. |
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Sonya Von Kaufmann (Shewchuk)sonyaskatingschool@rogers.com 905-846-3887 Disciplines Taught: Freeskate, Artistic, Ice Dance, |
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Qualifications: NCCP National Coach Certified Coaching Since: 1982 Accomplishments: Gold Freeskate, Gold Figures, Gold Dance, Gold Skills. Former Ice Capades skater and International Show skater. Former skating coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Currently running power skating schools for hockey players. Students' achievements: 8 Gold Figures levels, 28 Gold Freeskate levels, 14 Gold Dance levels, 16 Gold Skating Skills levels, 9 Gold Interpretive levels, Senior Competitive Free Skating test, Junior Competitive Free Skating test, Novice Competitive Free Skating test, Pre-Novice Competitive Free Skating test, Diamond Dances; numerous other high and low tests. Toronto Maples Leafs in 1993 - Semi Finals - worked with Pat Burns Skating Coach. Availability: CanSkate, Junior, Intermediate and Senior sessions |
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