ANNOUNCEMENTS

Hello everyone! I am Coach Gracie and I've been working as a coach at George's Pond since fall 2018 (Director/Head Coach since January 2020)! I am also the Director of Corporate Partnerships for  Shreveport Mudbugs Hockey! I graduated from East Texas Baptist University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences and plan to pursue a Master's degree in behavior analysis. My goal is to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst and work with children with special needs.  What sparked my interest for the special needs community was volunteering at an organization called Skate Therapy at my home rink in Sugarland, TX. Skate Therapy teaches individuals with a variety of special needs how to ice skate. My time as a volunteer from 2010-2018 fueled my passion for that community while integrating my passion for figure skating.

My love for ice skating started when I was young. My brother played hockey growing up, so when he was at hockey practice I would watch the figure skaters and beg my mom to let me skate. I took my first ice skating class when I was six years old and have been doing it ever since! (18 years and counting!) I am junior level in moves in the field and novice level freeskate and hope to pass through senior in both! My family moved from New Hampshire to Texas when I was 9 and I began to work under 1984 pairs Olympic silver medalist Kitty Carruthers, B.L. Wylie (mother of 1992 men's singles Olympic silver medalist Paul Wylie), and ice dancing Olympian Mark Janoschak at my home rink in Sugarland, Texas. Each have played an integral role in shaping who I am as a skater and individual. I have been an ice skating coach since I was about 12 years old. I started off as an assistant during Learn to Skate group classes and started leading those classes when I was about 15. When I turned 18 I began offering private lessons and have been a private and group lesson coach ever since! My biggest goal is to share my love and passion for ice skating with my students. I absolutely love working with all of my skaters and hope to see you in my classes soon!