Patricia Hole’s coaching is held in high esteem and talented figure skaters have once again sought out her instruction.
While she has demanding standards, she cares about each student and knows how to make it fun too.
Hole says, “I have such a great group of skaters. They all work hard on and off the ice. I truly have the GREATEST skating family.
She’s excited about the coaching season and the new pairs skaters she is working with.
“After the Olympics I felt I was done with pairs … until this year. This year I have taken on Pairs teams. Not one, but two. I have a young pair team that is having a great season, improving so much. They will be a team to watch for.”
Hole says this new challenge is proving to be rewarding for her, for the kids and the entire club.
“Everyone is excited to see where this journey is going to take them. The doors are open for them and Skate Canada is watching.”
Novice Pair, Shallen Bear and Marty Haubrich, 16 and 17-years old respectively, are her newest duo. “We’ve only been together for five months,” says Bear.
However, they stepped onto the ice together with a poise that gives you goosebumps, reminiscent of another Saskatchewan pair, Paige Lawrence/Rudi Swiegers whom Hole coached to the 2014 Olympics.
Haubrich left the hockey ice in a decision he made this May to pursue higher goals in figure skating.
“I’ve been doing both for pretty much my whole life,” he said of hockey and figure skating, explaining that his focus narrowed to figure skating he said, because “it seemed like I had a chance to go to Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta.”
The pair also has their sights set on the Skate Canada Challenge in Pierrefonds, Que. at the end of November, where over 500 Canadian skaters will compete.
However, first they will skate in provincial competition known as Sectionals; a qualifying event for Challenge.
What’s ahead
Challenge is a very important competition. For novice, junior and senior skaters, this is the only opportunity to qualify for the 2019 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships.
These Nationals will be in Saint John, New Brunswick, from January 13-20, 2019, at Harbour Station. The championships will feature approximately 250 of the nation’s best skaters in the men, women, pairs, and ice dance disciplines, competing in three levels: senior, junior, and novice.
Training in Virden
Manitoba skaters preparing to compete in the Manitoba Sectionals this weekend, Nov. 3 and 4, in Morden include skaters: from Virden Abby Collen, Shanna Yaskow, Paige Dryden, Megan Dryden, Kylie Holmstrom; and Hailey Bird (Elkhorn), Sarah Chant (Elkhorn), and Charlotte Little (Hamiota), and Breken Brezden (Dauphin).
Megan Dryden and Wyatt James (Carmen) will be competing in the Pairs Event.
Saskatchewan skaters preparing to compete in the Saskatchewan Sectionals Nov. 11-12 in Tisdale, Sask. include Hunter Beutler (Whitewood), Rory Greenback (Wawota), Shallen Bear (Whitewood) and Marty Haubrich (Esterhazy)
