Nominations Subcommittee
Following the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in March, members of the awards nominations subcommittee will participate in a conference call to nominate coaches for the coach of the year, developmental coach of the year, choreographer of the year, and sport science coaching awards. Appointees for the nominations subcommittee are members of the U.S. Figure Skating Coaches Committee, PSA Board of Directors, coaching members of the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors, and staff members of U.S. Figure Skating and the PSA. The subcommittee will consist of seven to nine members and represent all four disciplines (singles, pairs, dance and synchronized) and all three sections.
Nominees
Nominees for all four awards are selected using specific criteria. There is no set number of nominees for each award, but the coach of the year and developmental coach of the year awards must have at least one nominee from each discipline (singles, pairs, dance and synchronized).
The Ballot
All nominees for all four awards are put on a ballot, which is sent to all members of the Coaches Committee of U.S. Figure Skating and the PSA Board of Governors. In addition, the choreographer of the year award ballot is sent to the International Committee and the sports science coaching award ballot is sent to the Sports Sciences and Medicine Committee. Ballots detail coaching records for the appropriate season as well as other award criteria. Votes are tabulated by the U.S. Figure Skating office to determine the award winners. Nominees are announced at Governing Council and the winners are announced and honored at the PSA Summit (previously Conference) at the end of May. Winners of the coach of the year, developmental coach of the year, and sport science coaching award are then nominated for the USOC coaching awards in December.
Coach of the Year
Presented to a coach who has made a significant impact on an athlete's performance and has distinguished themselves through years of successful teaching culminating in a special career achievement during the past year.
2023 Todd Sand, Jenni Meno Sand, Christine Fowler-Binder, Chris Knierim
2022 Rafael Arutyunyan, Vera Arutyunyan, Nadia Kanaeva
2021 Patrice Lauzon & Ice Academy of Montreal
2020 Todd Sand, Jenni Meno-Sand, Christine Fowler-Binder
2019 Laura Lipetsky
2018 Patrice Lauzon
2017 Tammy Gambill
2016 Rafael Arutyunyan, Vera Arutyunyan, Nadezda Kanaeva
2015 Rafael Arutyunyan
2014 Marina Zoueva
2013 Christy Krall
2012 John Nicks
2011 Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
2009 Tom Zakrajsek
2008 vacated
2007 Vicki Korn
2006 Pam Gregory
2005 Igor Shpilband
2004 Priscilla Hill
2003 Lynn Benson
2002 Robin Wagner
2001 Frank Carroll
2000 Frank Carroll
1999 Audrey Weisiger
1998 Igor Shpilband, Elizabeth Coates
1997 Frank Carroll
1996 Carol Heiss Jenkins
1995 vacated
1994 Peter Dunfield
1993 Evy Scotvold, Mary Scotvold
1992 Christy K. Ness
1991 John Nicks
1990 Ron Ludington
Paul McGrath Choreographer of the Year Award
The Paul McGrath Award for Choreographer of the Year is given each year to the choreographer who best exemplifies the dedication to artistic excellence that was portrayed by Paul McGrath in his coaching and choreography.
2023 Rohene Ward
2022 Marie-France Dubreuil
2021 Rohene Ward
2020 Marie-France Dubreuil
2019 Shae-Lynn Bourne
2018 Scott Brown
2017 Rohene Ward
2016 Cindy Stuart
2015 Rohene Ward
2014 Marina Zoueva
2013 Tom Dickson
2012 Pasquale Camerlengo
2011 Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
2010 Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva
2009 David Wilson
2008 Lori Nichol
2007 Braden Overett
2006 Tom Dickson
2005 Igor Shpilband
2004 Tom Dickson
2003 Tom Dickson
2002 Tom Dickson
2001 Lori Nichol
2000 Igor Shpilband
1999 Lee Ann Miller
1998 Lori Nichol
1997 vacated
1996 Lori Nichol
1995 Jill Cosgrove
1994 Brian Wright
1993 Sara Kawahara
1992 Sandra Bezic
Developmental Coach of the Year
A nominee for [the Developmental Coach of the Year award] must have had one or more skaters medal at:
U.S. Figure Skating Championships (juvenile, intermediate, novice, or junior level),
U.S. Synchronized Team Skating Championships (juvenile, intermediate, novice, or junior level), or
An ISU-sanctioned competition (novice or junior level) representing Team USA.
Nominees must have coached these skaters since the beginning of the season and must be members of U.S. Figure Skating and PSA.
2023 Darin Hosier & Corrie Martin
2023 Chris Pottenger and The Pottenger Academy Coaching Team (Chris Pottenger, Anthony Evans, Caroline Zhang, Russ Scott, Tiffany Chin, and Alan Madina)
2022 Tatyana Malinina & Roman Skornyakov
2021 Tammy Gambill
2020 Laura Lipetsky
2019 Damon Allen, Christy Krall
2018 Josh Babb, Pam May
2017 Elena Novak, Dmytri Ilin, Alexei Kiliakov
2016 Aleksey Letov, Olga Ganicheva
2015 Alexei Kiliakov, Elena Novak, Dmytri Ilin
2014 Todd Sand & Jenni Meno
2013 Tammy Gambill
2012 Tammy Gambill
2011 Kori Ade
2010 Jim Peterson, Lyndon Johnson, Allison Smith
2009 Jim Peterson
2008 Yaroslava Netchaeva, Iouri Tchesnitchenko
2007 Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
2006 Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
2005 Tammy Gambill
2004 Pamela Gregory
2003 Mark Mitchell, Peter Johansson
2001 Jeff DiGregorio, Pamela Gregory
2000 Jackie Yarema Brenner
1999 Pamela Duane Gregory
1998 Priscilla Hill
1997 Jeff DiGregorio
1996 vacated
1995 Traci Coleman
Pieter Kollen Sport Science Coaching Award
The Pieter Kollen Sport Science Coaching Award is for a coach who utilizes scientific techniques and/or equipment as an integral part of his/her coaching methods and/or is involved in research, development, publication and education in the areas of sport science and medicine as it relates to figure skating and coaching.
2023 Garrett Lucash
2022 Dr. Caroline Silby
2021 Melissa Vriner
2020 Garrett Lucash
2019 Dr. Caroline Silby
2018 Devin Wang
2017 Lee Cabell
2016 Lindsay Slater
2015 Diane Miller
2014 Melissa Parker Vriner
2013 Christy Krall
2012 Kat Arbour
2011 Christy Krall
2010 Heidi Thibert
2009 Heidi Thibert
2008 Christy Krall
2007 Debbie Pitsos
2006 Kat Arbour
2005 Kathy Casey
2004 Mitch Moyer