I’m Coach Nick. I help skaters understand technique, practice with purpose, and grow into confident, capable athletes—from their first steps to competitive skating.
Ask About Coaching
You don’t need to be an advanced skater to begin. My coaching is a strong fit for skaters and families who value consistent practice, steady development, and building from one lesson to the next. We’ll consider your skater’s age, experience, interests, and your family’s schedule to find the right coaching structure.
Focused instruction for your skater—from first steps and foundational skills to jumps, spins, and new challenges.
| 15 minutes | $22.50 |
| 20 minutes | $30 |
| 30 minutes | $45 |
| 45 minutes | $67.50 |
Guided practice, repetition, and the chance to learn alongside other skaters. Ask about compatible groups and availability.
15 min $12.50 · 30 min $25 · 45 min $37.50
Supporting work to develop strength, coordination, and skating technique, matched to the athlete.
15 min $10 · 30 min $20 · 45 min $30
Coaching fees are separate from rink admission and skate rental.
Plan pricing is based on standard on-ice coaching rates and includes Coach Nick’s off-ice classes, spinner sessions, progress meetings, and music support.
Consistent weekly coaching and supporting training to build strong skills and productive practice habits.
Weekly coaching
More weekly coaching for skaters whose goals and training demands call for additional technical work and feedback.
Weekly coaching
At least two scheduled progress/goal meetings during the coaching year, plus additional informal check-ins as appropriate to the skater and training plan. Prepare your goals and practice priorities →
Program music editing is included as reasonably needed for the skater’s agreed competitive programs and development. The amount varies with the skater’s competitive track, progress, and number of programs rather than being a fixed number of edits.
Coach Nick’s own scheduled off-ice classes and electric-spinner training are included in the monthly plan. These are typically scheduled about twice weekly when the calendar allows, but frequency may vary with competitions or tournaments, rink scheduling, appointments, meetings, holidays, and other coaching or calendar conflicts. Explore warm-up and off-ice guidance →
This inclusion applies to training taught by Coach Nick. Freestyle ice, rink-run programs, outside specialists, choreography, third-party coaching, test/competition coaching, and other outside services are not automatically included.
Availability: Plans require available coaching time and a compatible small group. We’ll confirm your schedule before enrollment.
Extra lessons: Additional lessons—including recurring extras—are paid separately at standard rates when taught, subject to availability.
Progress grows between lessons, too. I help skaters connect what they learn with a clear practice focus, understand why a technique works, and learn to notice and adjust their own skating. The goal is increasing skill, confidence, and ownership.
Clear progressions and feedback help skaters build reliable skills instead of simply repeating attempts.
Skaters learn how to practice productively, ask useful questions, and take increasing responsibility for their development.
Serious training and enjoyment belong together. Persistence, confidence, relationships, and curiosity are part of the process.
Meaningful development comes from a combination of good instruction, purposeful repetition, and the right supporting work for the individual skater.
Technique + feedback. Focused instruction shaped around current skills, goals, and training priorities.
Repetition + ownership. For skaters ready to practice safely and productively, a useful starting point is roughly three times as much independent practice as lesson time. Practice with purpose →
Repetition + athletic development. Group instruction, off-ice work, and specialists can add important layers to a skater’s development.
More training is not automatically better training.
Volume should increase gradually, with recovery, sleep, fueling, school demands, growth, and the individual skater taken into account. Quality, consistency, and intention matter more than simply accumulating hours. A training session is generally about 45–60 minutes. Recovery and reset guidance →
These are developmental guidelines, not requirements. Training should be adjusted for the skater’s age, level, goals, schedule, recovery, and family.
| Stage | Days / week | Sessions / day | Coached instruction / week | Off-ice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learn to Skate | 2 | 1 | 1 class + optional private lesson | 1–2 activities |
| Academy Prep / Aspire | 3 | 1, progressing toward 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 structured sessions |
| Pre-Preliminary / Preliminary | 3–4 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 sessions |
| Pre-Juvenile / Juvenile | 4–5 | 1–2, progressing toward 2–3 as appropriate | 3–4 | 3–5 sessions |
| Intermediate / Novice | 5 | 2–3 | 4–5+ | 4–5 sessions |
| Junior / Senior | 5–6 | Up to 3 | Individualized, often 5+ | 5+ sessions |
What counts as coached instruction? Private lessons, small-group and off-ice classes, skating skills, spins, choreography, jump technique, ice dance, harness work, and appropriate specialist coaching can all contribute. Instructor-led activities beyond skating—such as ballet and other dance styles, ballroom, gymnastics, aerial arts, yoga, and Pilates—can also support coordination, strength, mobility, and artistry as part of a well-rounded athlete’s development.
My background is in grassroots skating: introducing skaters to the sport, developing them into competitive athletes, and building programs that help skaters and families navigate each stage of that progression. I’ve led programs in privately owned, municipal, and parks-and-recreation rink environments, which has taught me to adapt while keeping skater development and well-being at the center.
My coaching combines a systematic approach and a strong foundation in skating skills with creativity. I want skaters to understand what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, and how to keep improving—while developing persistence, confidence, teamwork, and room to enjoy the sport.
I believe there is always more to learn. Beyond the rink, I’ve written for The Professional Skater, presented at clinics, and maintain a curated Dartfish learning library of more than 2,300 skating clips. I’m continually studying technique, movement, and teaching methods to find clearer explanations and better progressions for my athletes.
Skating is more than checking off skills. It’s a place to build resilience, relationships, and the confidence to get back up and try again.
“We are raising people.” — Read Nick’s U.S. Figure Skating Get Up feature →
“Your energy, encouragement, and dedication have made such a difference in her enthusiasm for skating. Thank you for pushing her to improve while making every lesson fun and motivating.”
“You constantly push me to do better and you always see the potential in me that I sometimes can’t.”
“I am so glad to share the joys (and pains) of the process with someone who cares as much as you do.”
Proper fit and figure-skate-specific sharpening are essential. Have skates professionally fitted whenever possible, and use a professional experienced with figure blades for sharpening. Avoid big-box chain stores and sharpening devices designed specifically for hockey skates. Edges & Dreams at South Suburban Sports Complex is a reputable local figure-skating shop.
A useful sharpening starting point is about 20–30 skating hours, though needs vary with the blade, ice conditions, training, and preference.
Already skating with me? Find calendars and rink check-in instructions in Skater Resources →
Families may switch between a monthly training plan and à-la-carte coaching. Monthly plans reserve an ongoing training schedule rather than a bank of individual sessions, so the monthly price remains unchanged if a skater misses a scheduled session. I’ll make a reasonable effort to offer make-up time when scheduling allows.
If I need to cancel a scheduled session, I’ll arrange reasonable make-up time. Rink closures, holidays, competitions, and other calendar changes are a normal part of skating, and I’ll make reasonable efforts to preserve the planned training schedule whenever possible. Months with a fifth recurring training week do not result in an additional charge.
Please confirm my availability, the skater’s events, and level before registering for a competition, test, or practice ice. Each competition event or in-person test is billed at the one-hour private lesson rate; practice ice is prorated to session length.
Local Denver-area travel is waived unless discussed before registration. For out-of-town events, reasonable accommodations, transportation or mileage, and meals are shared among participating skaters.
Longer events or those requiring substantial travel may also require an advance deposit, credited toward the final competition coaching bill, and an additional coaching fee to account for regular lessons displaced by travel. Any deposit or additional coaching fee will be discussed before families commit.
Tell me a little about yourself or your skater, your skating goals, and when you’re generally available. New to figure skating? It’s okay if you’re not sure which option fits yet.
For skaters under 18, a parent or guardian should submit the coaching inquiry.