Meet Our Coaches

Come join us for our sixth annual Adult Skating Camp featuring Olympian’s and World Class coaches at AZ Ice Peoria.

• First man landing the first ever quadruple jump in competition (1988)
• Four-time World Champion (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993)
• Four-time Canadian Champion (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993)
• Carried Canadian Flag at the 1994 Opening Ceremonies 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway
• Three-time Canadian Professional Champion
• Three-time World Professional Champion
• Lou Marsch Trophy recipient (Canada’s top athlete) 1990
• Lionel Conacher Award recipient (1990 & 1991)
• Order of Canada (1990) Professional Skater of the Year
• Gustaw Lussi Award 2001
• Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1994)
• Skate Canada Hall of Fame (2001)
• World Figure Skating Hall of Fame (2006)
• Inaugural International Skating Union Skating Lifetime Achievement Award (2020)
• Sports Commentator for NBC, ABC, the CBC since 2006
• Has starred in 925 performances with Stars on Ice culminating in 2023.

• US Ice Dance Champion 1992
• US Olympic Team Member 1992
• National Competitor
• International Competitor
• Olympic Competitor

Russ is a National International Coach who has been teaching since 1996. He is a member of the PSA and serves on many USFS committees including the Judges Committee.

As a skater, Russ was a National, International, World & Olympic competitor for Team USA in ice dancing, a 1992 US Ice Dance Champion and a member of the 1992 US Olympic Team.

After 30 years of coaching figure skating, and after working in production for ABC Sports, and as a Public Affairs Coordinator for the Olympic Authority, founded SOS™ as a way to give more skaters and coaches access to the tools and techniques she has gathered throughout her career.

As a US Team Member and International Competitive Ice Dancer, she was known for her authenticity as a performer. After retiring from competition, she was a principal performer in the Ice Capades and performed and choreographed with the Ice Theatre of NY.

Mimi Wacholder was awarded 2023 PSA President’s Excellence Award for Innovative Programming with System of Skating SOS.  Offering expert training and certification for coaches and adult skaters.

As a coach, Richard Alexander specializes in free skate, pairs, spins, moves in the field, stroking, power and off-ice training.

Skating Achievements:

• 1990 US Junior Pairs National Champion
• 1989 Junior Pairs Nationals 2nd
• 1988 Junior Pairs Nationals  3rd
• Bronze Medal | St. Jervais International Competition in France
• Bronze Medal  | International Competition Obersdorf Germany
• Second Place | 1988 Novice National Championships free skate
• 1992 World and Olympic Alternate
• 4-Time Pacific Coast Pairs Champion
• 3-Time Pacific Coast Solo Champion
• Former Principal Skater | Knotts Berry Farm Show
• Principal Skater | Italian Stars On Ice

• National and International Competitor for the United States
• 2021 Dancing On Ice U.K. Semi-Finalist
• 10 Years of Professional Ice Show Experience
• Principal Soloist Performer for Holiday on Ice
• Principal Adagio Pairs Performer for Disney on Ice
• Principal Adagio Pairs Performer for Royal Caribbean
• Skated competitively for 15 years
• USFSA Double Gold Medalist in Moves and Freestyle
• USFSA Junior Level Pairs Test
• Three Time Regional Champion in Singles
• Specializes in Choreography, Jumps, and Edges
• Coaches all levels beginner to advanced

• USFS Double Gold Medalist in pairs and freestyle
• Performed in over 50 professional ice skating shows
• Stared in Ice Capades
• National and International medalist
• Coached pupils in National and International competitions
• Coaches:
  • Basic skating skills
  • Moves in the field
  • Freestyle
  • Choreography
  • Pairs
  • Hockey Power skating

• U.S. Figure Skating Quadruple Gold Medalist (Freestyle, Moves, Free Dance, and Compulsory Dance)
• U.S. Junior Ice Dance National Champion
• U.S. Novice Ice Dance National Champion
• 2-Time Alternate for the Olympic Games
• 3-Time World Figure Skating Championship Alternate
• Skated in shows in the U. S. (including recently televised in Ice Dance International on PBS
• Specializing In: Ice Dancing, Moves in the Field, Footwork, Choreography Edge Work, and Power Stroking

• President & Co-Owners of Glacier I.C.E., Inc. (a Full service Ice show production company)
• USFS Gold Medalists and competitors
• World Professional Champions
• Coaches for over 25 years including international skaters from US, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Finland, Hungary, Poland, Canada, UK, & Sweden
• Extensive Ice Show experience both past and present
• Casting Director for “Ice College” Phantasialand, Bruhl, Germany,  Friedrichstadtpalast, Berlin, Germany-  Ice Show co producers, performers. Company manager and performance director

Coaching: Moves, Dance, Choreo, Freestyle:

• Master of Fine Arts 1994, ASU
• Footwork & Moves Correction Specialist • PSA Master Rating Moves
• PSA National Coach Level 6
• USFS Gold Figure Test
• USFS Gold Dance Test & Sr International Dance
• USFS Senior Freeskate US & Intern’l Freestyle Competitor
• Coach of USFS Intermediate National Dance Champions 1991
• Switched to Professional early ‘80/reinstated 2003 to compete Dance adult • ISU Adult World Champion Championship Dance w parnter
• USFS Adult Gold Dance Champion w partner
• PSA Certified Program Director +
• Ballroom American & International style Competitor
• Strong Ballet Background
• Coaching Skating 40 yrs +
• Arizona State University faculty, former

Alex is a USFSA Triple Gold Medalist in Moves in the Field, Dance and Solo Free Dance. Alex’s experience also includes 10 years as a competitive and social ballroom dancer. Since 2013, she has held a certificate as an ACE Personal Trainer.

Alex has been coaching for 14+ years and coached at USFS Sectional and National Competitions. PSA Member, USFSA Cert. A and an ISI Certified. Alex specializes in Ice Dance, Moves in the Field, Choreography, Hockey, and Freestyle.

•  Gold Medalist Ice Dance
• Skating director AZ Ice Arcadia since 2013
• Coaching since 1994
• PSA Certified and Registered Dance
• Test Chair: Valley of the Sun Figure Skating Club

• Triple gold medalist,
• Specializes in coaching dance and pairs (can partner both)
• 2014 novice pair champion
• Coached dance through gold and certain international dances
• Coaches Pairs
• SOS certified Coach

• 2-Time Senior U.S. National Pewter Medalist (2009 and 2011)
• 2010 Four Continents Bronze Medalist in Ice Dancing
• 2005 Volunteer coach Cleveland Special Olympics Program
• 2008 – 2020 Skate and Partner Instructor Detroit Skate Club (DSC)
• 2012 + Associate Resident Coach at DSC.
• 2011 – 2014 Skate Instructor Lakeland Ice Arena in Waterford, MI
• 2015 + Resident Coach Saint Claire Shores Figure Skating Club

• 7-Time US Senior Dance medalist
• US Olympic Team alternate-member in 1994
• World Professional Bronze medalist
• Winner of the PSA President’s Award of Excellence in Coaching in 2020 and 2021.
• Current PhD candidate in Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and Harvard University MA in Government