• Tests Passed: Gold Medalist, Freestyle & MIF. Pre-Silver Dance. Great

       Britain Level 10, Freestyle & MIF

 

• PSA Ratings: Certified Freestyle (CFS), Certified Moves (CM), CER Category A Coach, Hockey 1

 

• Member of: PSA & USFS

 

• Experience: Two Time US National Competitor, US Junior National Medalist, Two Time Great Britain National Team Member, International Competitor

 

I began skating at the age of 8, which everyone told me was too late to start skating. As you can see, I didn’t listen!

 

Just a few months after I began skating, I competed in my first competition. I remember winning a gold medal in the first event and then telling my mom that I wanted to get 2nd place in my other event so I could have a different color medal. I moved to Atlanta in 1998, shortly after I had started skating.

 

I took lessons from two coaches for only a couple of months, before switching to Aren Nielsen, my coach of 8 years over my career. In the first 6 years I was with Aren, I accomplished making it on the 2002 US Junior National team, where I won the short program and made it on the podium with 4th overall. I also accomplished all of my triple jumps, as well as landing multiple triple, triple combination jumps, all by the age of 14.

 

In 2005 my mom, brother, and I moved to Hackensack NJ, for me to train with Robin Wagner, former coach of 2002 Olympic gold medalist, Sarah Hughes. In my first year with Robin, who was at the time, also training 2 time Olympic medalist Sasha Cohen, I made it to the US National Championships at the novice level, where I won the short program and came 6th overall.
 

My second season with Robin Wagner, I moved up to the Junior level and made it to sectionals with an 8th place finish. In the two years I trained with Robin, I learned an unbelievable amount. It was also very cool training alongside Sasha Cohen!
 

At the end of 2006, we moved back home to Atlanta. I began training with Aren again, and made it back to sectionals with a 7th place finish. The last two seasons of my career I competed as a senior lady for the United Kingdom, making it on the UK National team both years.  At the end of my 2008 season I decided to fully switch to coaching.

 

I absolutely love coaching and having the opportunity of teaching my students everything (and more) I’ve learned over my skating career. However, I believe that for most of my students, I am helping to shape them as people along with being an athlete. 

 

Skating taught me much more than just how to jump, spin and glide on a 1/8 inch blade across a surface of ice. It taught me from a very young age, the meaning of work ethic. It taught me that nothing worth having is easy, it also taught me how to appreciate the journey that it takes to reach your goals. I couldn’t be more blessed from the life lessons of this sport!

 

Pictured above is my husband, Patton and I. He's a huge fan of all of my students and loves to cheer them on at competitons.

My Story