The Centre of Excellence is fortunate to have at their services an elite collection of coaches from many corners of the world. Besides the full time coaching group there are also many top quality coaches that use the Centre as a training ground for their students from nearby areas.

Director of Skating
Joanne McLeod

Joanne McLeod is the skating director at the BC Centre of Excellence. She has had numerous National and International Champions, and has been involved in two Winter Olympic Games and eight World Championships. Her coaching achievements have won her many awards, starting with a Sport Canada Coaching Association of Canada Scholarship and a Central Ontario Competitive coach of the year in 1998. She also won the 2002 Bank of Montreal Possibilities Award, the 2004 BC International Coach of the year award and the 2004 Skate Canada National coach of the year. She has also been the BC/YT Competitive Coach of the Year since 2002, and in 2006 was inducted into the Burnaby Hall of Fame for coaching two athletes competing at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Joanne’s unique formula to direct a centre came from many years of experience and university studies. She graduated with a dance degree from Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton and took planning, periodization and bio mechanics classes at York University in Toronto. She did additional classes at George Randolf in Toronto, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal and Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham in New York. Joanne has an artistic background that includes choreography for Ice Theatre of Toronto, New York and Canada Ice dance. She also worked closely with CBC, CTV and entertainment venues throughout North America.

Joanne has received arts culture awards for her choreography in the cities of Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto. In Skate Canada ISU Interpretive Events, Joanne was the only choreographer to receive gold medal honors. Joanne has created a unique training centre that offers a “Child to Champion” developmental system which includes performing arts, exercise physiology, group enrichment team training and an integrated pair and dance program.

Joanne may be reached by phone- 604-291-0626 ex 258
or by email at DrAxel@shaw.ca

Directors of Ice Dance
Victor Kraatz & Maikki Uotila-Kraatz

Victor Kraatz
Victor Kraatz was the 2003 World Champion in Ice Dance. He is a 10 –time Canadian Ice Dance Champion and he has 2 Grand Prix Final titles, 3 Four Continents Cup titles, 4 World Bronze Medals, 1 World Silver Medal and was also a 3-Time Olympic Team Member. In 2000, he was awarded the Civilian Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor General of Canada. In 2003, he won the Sport BC Athlete of the year.

Maikki Uotila-Kraatz
Maikki has a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, in NY, where she studied Modern Dance Composition and various other movement forms. She is a former Finnish Ice Dance Champion and a National Medalist in Single Skating.

Maikki and Victor are in the process of completing their NCCP Level 3 Certification. Maikki and Victor have coached skaters to National Titles and have had skaters go to Junior Worlds.

Maikki and Victor can be contacted by email at icedanceprogram@aol.com

Jr. Academy Coordinator
Jill Marie Harvey

Jill Marie Harvey is a full time coach at the BC Skate Canada Centre of Excellence. She coaches all levels of skaters including National and World level competitors alongside Olympic and World Level Coach Joanne McLeod. She is also the Coordinator of the Junior Academy Program.

Prior to coaching in Vancouver, Jill Marie is a high honors graduate at Seneca College Figure Skating Coaching Techniques Diploma Program, excelling in Biomechanics and Fitness Training.

Jill Marie also has a Theatre background, studying with various theatre companies in Toronto including Second City. In 2005-2006 season, she coached at 3 Junior Grand Prix events, Skate America and the World Championships. Her coaching style focuses on quality and the packaged skater. Jill Marie is a certified NCCP Level 4 coach.

Jill Marie can be contacted by phone at 604 731 - 2204 or by email at: harveyjm@telus.net

Linda is Level 4 Certified. Linda has coached numerous National Champions and the 1973 World Champion Karen Magnussen.

Linda has been a major contributor to Canadian Figure Skating and continues to lead young skaters to the National and International level.

Linda's technical expertise and coaching ability is legendary in Canada and as a result has been a major contributor to our National Team.

Linda may be contacted through the BC Section office: 205-6960 Or by e-mail at brauck@bigfoot.com