Claudia Kovach a "Creativeskater", for May/June 2011
By: Elizabeth Hollett Shackett

Claudia Kovach had longed to skate from watching it on T.V. for most of her life, but didn’t start until she was in her fifties. She literally started out hanging onto the boards in a Learn-to-Skate program. Although it was slow going at first, she loved the challenge to improve and now competes in Adult skating events and has passed several U.S. Figure Skating proficiency tests in Freeskating, Moves in the Field and Ice Dance.

Claudia loves everything about figure skating. She loves the physical challenge of pushing her body to accomplish what she thought impossible, “the artistry involved in putting together programs, the joy of learning compulsory ice dances, and the
camaraderie of the skating community, especially that of adult skaters,” says Kovach.

Originally, Claudia chose figure skating as good exercise for combating bone loss. Add it to her other activities like Chinese ethnic minority dance classes and karate. Claudia holds a 4th-gup green belt in Tang Soo Do. She feels her skating has benefited from the physical and mental discipline that karate has given her.

This season, Claudia has qualified to compete in the State Games of America in San Diego, CA, which is being held in early August 2011. She qualified by medalling at the Pennsylvania State Championships. Claudia is preparing to compete in the Adult Freeskate, Artistic and Showcase events at the Pre-Bronze level. She is especially looking forward to performing her new showcase program incorporating a version of her Chinese dance. Best yet, the trip is a family affair since her 2 daughters also skate and have qualified to compete at their respective levels too.

If her activities and competitions aren’t enough, Claudia is also an accomplished educator who has
been on Neumann University’s faculty since 1980. She currently is a Professor of English and
French and formerly the Dean of Arts and Sciences. She attained her Masters and Ph.D. in
comparative literature at Purdue University.

I enjoy coaching Claudia because of her passion for figure skating and her joy of attaining small
triumphs in every lesson. I work on her skating skills, Moves in the Field and choreography.
She is also coached by Jimi Lewis for jumps and spins technique, and Chung-Gun Lee on
compulsory dances.

Claudia's Upcoming Events:
          June 2011:     Chesapeake Open, Laurel, MD
          Aug. 2011:     State Games of America, San Diego, CA
          Nov. 2011:     Autumn Skate, Wilmington, DE
          Dec. 2011:     Bronze Moves in the Field Test, Swing Dance

"My Coach" An Adult Student's Perspective
When my family and I began our love affair with the ice in 2004, Elizabeth was Director of the
IceWorks Learn-to-Skate program. I remember how she made my eyes pop open when she told
us that figure skating is "one-foot skating.” At that point, I wasn't even navigating very well on two
feet!   Somehow she always has a new idea to encourage, challenge, and explain. She appears to
have more confidence in my abilities than I do, and she has told me with great certainty when I
get stuck while trying to advance in a skill that there is no reason why I cannot do it. She thus has
a way of convincing me to redouble my efforts.

As a choreographer Elizabeth’s abilities are unsurpassed.  She has an uncanny ability to fit the
music to the skater, and she leaves no note of music abandoned in her creation.  She also can make
even my elementary abilities look good. I have learned from her, too, that perfecting basic skating
skills can go very far in fashioning an attractive program.  She designs programs that make the
most of the skater’s current skills while nudging forward artistic and athletic competence. My
family and I have been very fortunate indeed to have Elizabeth to guide our skating in various
ways and at various stages.      

Tests Passed
Adult Pre-Bronze Freeskate
Adult Pre-Bronze Moves in the Field
Fiesta Tango, Cha Cha