Reference
Motivational
Biographical
Videotapes
Recommended
by
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Suggested Reading
Books &
Videotapes
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 Recommended!
The
Inner Champion: A Mental Toughness Training Manual for Figure
Skaters by Choeleen N. Loundagin. In my opinion, this is a "must
read" for coaches and parents (and some older students as well).
Written by a former competitive skater with a degree in Sport
Psychology, it is well written and easy to read and understand.
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 Recommended!
Games
Girls Play: Understanding and Guiding Young Female Athletes
By Caroline Silby, Ph.D. Games
Girls Play, written by sports psychologist and former figure skater
Caroline Silby, moves beyond the widely reported benefits of sports for
young women--offering both parents and coaches a fresh, smart guide for
responding to the needs of the young female athlete.
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 Choreography
and Style for Ice Skaters
by Ricky Harris
This book provides excellent insight into the subject of
choreography and style. A worthwhile read for coaches at all
levels, and students
and parents alike can also benefit from learning more about this
important topic. |
 Figure
Skating : Championship Techniques
by John Misha Petkevich
A book intended for the competitive skater, not for
the casual fan, it is strong on technique and mechanics. The book is in
need of an update, and I'd argue with some of the techniques as they are
presented, but the concepts are important to understand and I wish more of my
students would read this. |
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 Sport
Stretch by Michael J. Alter This
book illustrates a wide variety of stretching and flexibility, providing
both theory and application to a variety of sports. Proper warm-up
and stretching is an often overlooked way to improve athletic
performance. This book provides a good
reference for coaches, athletes, and parents alike.
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 Warm-Up
and Preparation for Athletes of All Sports by Zoltan
Tenke, Andy Higgins Carefully written and
abundantly illustrated, this text presents basic, comprehensive warm up
and preparation exercises. By selecting one exercise from each of the 15
sections, one can prepare all the major muscles around all the joint
areas.
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 Anybody's
Sports Medicine Book: The Complete Guide to Quick Recovery from
Injuries
by James Garrick, M.D.
James Garrick, medical advisor to the U.S. Olympic
Figure Skating Team, has the ability to explain essential information
about sports injuries in a simple, commonsense way. This book
is recommended for athletes and coaches alike.
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 Book
of Body Maintenance and RepairAn excellent fitness guide from
the American Physical Therapy Association, this book presents solid
information on anatomy, physiology, injury, and exercise, and and offers
simple tips for correcting and alleviating common problems.
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 Figure
Skating For Dummies
by Kristi Yamaguchi, et al.
Don't let the title of this one fool you. This book is full of useful information for the new skater or anyone who
simply enjoys watching the sport and wants to know more. A well
written collaboration by some knowledgeable people.
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 Recommended!
The Complete Book of Figure Skating
by Carole Shulman. An
excellent overall guide with valuable information for skaters and coaches
alike. By Carole Shulman and Donald Laws, two nationally recognized
coaches whom I very much admire and respect.
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 The
Official Book of Figure Skating
by the USFSA
This book is part history, part reference manual,
part photographic essay. It's hard to
criticize the individual elements, but the overall effort comes out a
bit flat. A good book, but not a great one. |
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 Inside
Edge : A Revealing Journey into the Secret World of Figure Skating
by Christine Brennan
Author Christine Brennan has frequently been the
target of criticism from the figure skating community because her work
isn't always complimentary. Some see her work as good investigative
journalism, others as a gossipy blend of fact and fiction, and others
still as lurid tabloid pabulum. I think her work is interesting,
even if it is tailored more for impact than education. |
 Edge
of Glory : The Inside Story of the Quest for Figure Skating's Olympic
Gold Medals
by Christine Brennan
The same comments I made with respect to Inside
Edge apply here. It's
intriguing how different people view Ms. Brennan's comments and
criticisms. While she does have a tendency to abandon objective journalism, step
up to her soapbox and make harsh judgments about people—unfairly, many
say—reading these books does provide an insight as to what's really
involved in top level competition. |
 Frozen Assets: The New Order of
Figure Skating by Mark A
Lund. An intriguing
and mostly balanced effor to reveal the "inside story"
of Figure Skating. Mark Lund is one of the principals behind International Figure Skating
Magazine. |
 The
Winning Attitude!: What it Takes to be a Champion
by Michelle Kwan
This book is written more for teens and pre-teens
than adults, but Michelle dispenses some common sense advice for all.
Not a heavyweight book with profound insight, but let's face it, it
doesn't hurt for kids to hear this message one more time from someone they
admire. |
 Little
Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnast and
Figure Skaters
by Joan Ryan, Jean Ryan
A disturbing read if you take what these women say at
face value, which I wouldn't. The authors' bias is obvious from page one,
and they ignore the physical and emotional benefits of both sports.
True, there are abuses and extremes in any sport, and parents and
coaches must be cautious, but these extremes are the exception and
should not be used to condemn an entire sport. If there's anything one should take away from reading this book,
it's a reminder that maintaining balance and perspective in any endeavor is
important—even writing a book! |
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 Born
to Skate : The Michelle Kwan Story
by Edward Z. Epstein
This unauthorized biography of Michelle Kwan is an
interesting read, although several
people have told me her autobiography (which I haven't read) was
better. If I were handing out "stars", this might get
three out of five. |
 Landing
It : My Life on and Off the Ice
by Scott Hamilton, Lorenzo Benet
I almost listed this one under
"motivational," although inspirational is probably a better
word. This is a very good book not only for fans of Scott Hamilton, but
for anyone facing challenges in their life. |
 Boitano's
Edge : Inside the Real World of Figure Skating
by Brian Boitano, et al.
Light but interesting reading accomplished with a
typical Boitano flair (lots of artistic pictures). Boitano fans
will enjoy this. |
 My
Sergei : A Love Story
by Ekaterina Gordeeva
A poignant memoir by Ekaterina Gordeeva of her life with
Sergei Grinkov. Both touching and tragic, this is written from the
heart. Not a book about figure skating, per se, but still a good
read for those with a romantic heart. |
 The
Passion to Skate : An Intimate View of Figure Skating
by Sandra Bezic, David Hayes
Choreographer Sandra Bezic, who is also a producer of
Stars on Ice provides her own insight on the sport of figure
skating. Nice photography complements the text. |
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 New!
Moves
in the Field Videotapes
From the Professional Skaters Association
(PSA)
Available to both members and non-members, these recently revised tapes
demonstrate each move in its entirety and provides instructional tips
for the areas of difficulty. These are well-done tapes, but coaches
would be well-advised to attend their local judges schools to understand
the standards being applied within their geographic area (as they do,
unfortunately, vary).
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 Spectator's
Video Guide to Figure Skating
by Ann-Margreth Frei
Parents new to the sport of figures as well as casual
spectators will enjoy this presentation, which shows you how to
identify jumps, spins, footwork, pair lifts, ice dancing requirements.
Very well done! |
 The
Magic of Style Vols. 1,2 and 3
by Ann-Margreth Frei
A three-volume set of instructional videotapes
focusing on developing choreography, style, fitness, and
technique. Volume I features 38 exercises to develop
artistry and that winning look of skating champions. Volume II
works on developing flexibility and strength for the skating athlete
with 25 variations in spirals, extensions, butterflies, super split jump
techniques, stretching and warm-up. Volume III helps skater
develop easy to intricate footwork-connecting steps and moves in the
field. 120 exercises. |
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 Figure
Skating School : A Professionally Structured Course from Basic Steps to
Advanced Techniques
by Peter Morrisey, James Young
I'll admit I haven't read this one yet, and frankly
it's tough to imagine that anyone could structure a comprehensive course
in figure skating in just 128 pages, but apparently this book is a
popular seller in its category.
Elizabeth DePalma, a professional in Roseville,
CA, writes: "I like [this book] as an aid to my teaching. It has
great diagrams with step by step explanations, kind of like an old
fashioned dance step card. It covers a wide variety of moves and the
students I have given it too all get a tip or two out of it no matter
what level they're at."
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 The
Ship and the Storm: The Loss of the Fantome
by Jim Carrier
Okay, so this one has nothing to do with figure
skating. However, my
husband and I sailed aboard the S/V Fantome and had so
much fun we intended to do it again. News that the ship was lost amidst the
fury of Hurricane Mitch hit us hard on a personal level. Despite its
loss and the threat of litigation, Windjammer
Barefoot Cruises (the absolute best cruise line in the world, as far
as our family is concerned) was forthcoming and contributed
significantly to the tale. Jim Carrier is a writer for the New York Times who has written on this
subject before. |
Add your favorite book to this
list! If you would like to recommend a book, please send me an
E-mail with your name, the name
of the book, and the reasons for your recommendation.
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