St. Croix Valley Recreation Center

Disciplines: Freestyle, Field Moves, Choreography, and Ice Dance

USFS Triple Gold Medalist in Free Style, Moves and Dance

• Discipline:  Choreography
• Former Professional Disney On Ice Skater
• Great with Tiny Tots & Tots

Leah has been coaching figure skating since she was 16, and skating since she was 8. While growing up in Duluth, her passion for the sport left her with a senior gold in both freestyle and moves in the field. After a very competitive career, she stopped figure skating and switched over to hockey. She played four years at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls while majoring in Health and Human Performance, and also played in the NCAA frozen four her freshman year. She currently is the Skating Coordinator at Hunt Arena Skating School in River Falls, and coaches private, group lessons, and plyometric classes at the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center in Stillwater. She teaches both USFS and ISI skaters as well as hockey players and power skating. She is also trained in Dartfish technology. She works hard to make a difference in each skater’s life!

Freestyle, Jumps, Pairs, Power

Bio:
Holds a degree in Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Massage, & Special Education from the Odessa Pedagological Institute.

• • Was a member of the Elite Pair Skating Team-Team Dinamo Russia.
  • Was trained by Two Time Olympic Pair-Gold Medalist Alexander Zaitsev.
  • Has competed in many National competitions in the Ukraine & Russia.
  • Is a European Junior World Champion in Pairs.
  • Performed in many ice shows in Russia, South America, & the United States.
  • Disney On Ice -as a principal performer-he has skated the roles of Tarzan, Hercules, Aladdin, Gaston, Simba, and more.
  • Was the skate engineer for Disney On Ice touring cast members. He was responsible for the sharpening and maintenance (blade mounting, safety check of skates) of over 40 pairs of skates per season.

Jackie Loughrey has been the Skating Director at the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center for the past two years. She is a two-time U.S. Figure Skating Gold medalist in Moves and Freestyle, and has passed her USFS Bronze Dance test.  She is an ISI Gold Certified Judge, and has passed her ISI Freestyle 9 test.

She has been coaching ISI and USFS for over ten years.  She enjoys coaching jumps, spins, and special needs skaters, but is available for all ages and levels, competitive or recreational.  In addition to coaching private lessons, Jackie has also taught in several different ISI Learn-to-Skate programs, USFS Basic Skills programs, as well as Hockey training programs, including our Hockey Start-Up program. 

Carey is a coach of Gold Test skaters (MIF), and non-qualifying competition skaters.  USFS Double Gold Medalist (Freestyle & MIF), PSA Master Rated Program Director, Senior Group Instructor, Registered MIF & Registered Freestyle Instructor.  She is also a New England Regional Medalist, Sectional, & National Competitor; Carey is rained through senior level in Boston under Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson, World Competitors and PSA Developmental Coaches of the Year; Founding Owner/Executive Director, Northfield Skating School.  She is a basic Skills subcommittee member; SKATING, PS, and RINK Magazine contributor.  Carey is a regular speaker at USFS Instructor/Director Training Workshops and PSA Nationwide Seminars.  She is an Adult Pairs National Silver Medalist and also has 13 years ballet training.  She has a B.A. in Psychology at Carleton College; and also a Graduate coursework in Kinesiology and Human Resources through the University of MN.  Miss Carey has been coaching since 2000.

Choreography, Field Moves, Edges, Yoga, Dance
Bio:

• Holds a Business Degree and Dance degree from UWRF and is trained in Ballet, Lyrical, Modern Dance, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Tap, Gymnastics, and Flamenco (Spanish Dance).
• Has been a dance & gymnastics instructor and choreographer for 15 years-she was chosen by Sara Kawahara (Michelle Kwan's Choreographer) to teach Ballet, Jazz, & Edge Classes to the cast of Disney on Ice 1997-2005.
• Was also an assistant choreographer in the pre-production choreography for Disney on Ice-Jungle Adventures (Tarzan, Jungle Book & the Lion King)
• Was also a member of the NHL-Minnesota North Stars Dance Team-The Electric Stars.
• Was a principle performer on stage at the 1992 Super Bowl.
• Was Female Dancer of the Year Minnesota in 1992.
• Competed in many national dance competitions in the Twin Cities & at Disney World, FL.
• Has a rich background in many forms of dance (Jazz, Tap, Ballet Lyrical, & Gymnastics) and would like to share her knowledge with the skaters of the St. Croix Valley Recreation Center.

Sectional Coach; U.S. Adult National Coach; PSA Senior Rated Freestyle; PSA, USFS & ISI Member; currently working with skaters beginner through Senior level in MIF, Freestyle & Canadian Gold test levels; works with USFS and ISI skaters; Regional competitor; BA in Education - College of St. Catherine; coaching since 1985.