Coaches

We are fortunate to have the following coaches with top-notch credentials as members of and coaching at TBSC


Coach Alex Nacsa
CIA Skating Director
Home Rink: CIA

My name is Alex Nacsa.  I am from Toronto Ontario, Canada.  I have been skating as long as I can remember.  I am so fortunate that I have been able to continue making a career out of my love and passion of figure skating.  Over the years, I have performed all over the world and recently have made the Tampa Bay area my home. My competitive training was focused primarily in Pair Skating.  I am a Skate Canada triple gold medalist and therefore qualified to teach all disciplines of Figure Skating. I am excited to continue sharing my knowledge of the sport with our Tampa Bay Ice family and hope to see you on the ice someday soon.

Contact Info: 517-974-8119

Accepting new students


Coach Alexis Van Vliet Cross
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I have been skating with the TGH Ice Plex for over 19 years, competitive both ISI and USFS.  Professional member of ISI (Gold certified, Synchro certified) PSA, and USFS.  Coaching all ages and levels, specializing in figure skating, synchronized skating and hockey.

Contact Info:
figsk8_avanvliet@hotmail.com


Coach Ali Stipe
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Contact Info: 813-597-4418
ali.stipe@aol.com

Accepting new students


Coach Allison Nacsa
Home Rink: CIA

I am a USFS Gold Medalist in Freestyle and Moves in the Field. I have spent over 15 years traveling the World as a professional figure skater. For the last 7 years I have been performing at Busch Gardens as the Principal Pair team with my husband. I have been so lucky to continue performing while being able to share my love for skating here at the Tampa Bay Skating Club. I am looking forward to sharing my joy and passion for this wonderful sport with you and your family.

Contact Info: 517-775-3305
Allisonqnacsa@gmail.com

Accepting new students


Coach Alyssa Krajacic
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I began skating as a young child right here at the TGH Ice Plex and I haven’t left the ice since!

In addition to coaching freestyle figure skating, I love teaching moves in the field, ice dance, synchronized skating, as well as training future hockey stars.  During my collegiate years, I had the privilege of competing from coast to coast for Miami University.  I welcome students of all ages and levels.

Memberships:  ISI (Gold) , USFS

Contact Info:
theoneskij@gmail.com


Coach Angela Pandolfo
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I started skating at TGH Ice Plex as a young child in the Learn to Skate Program and instantly fell in love with skating. I got involved with Synchronized Skating and from there moved onto Professional Ice Skating. I got the opportunity to start traveling and skating in ice shows around the World. I am also currently working on my Personal Training Certification. I love being able to take my experiences and help all ages learn and grow on the ice. 

Contact Info:
angelaicam13@gmail.com


Coach Bonnie Barrett
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Bonnie combines a Master’s degree in Education with 25 years of coaching experience in Colorado and now Florida to teach students ages 2 to 72! She has coached recreational skaters (ISI & USFS), competitive skaters (USFS through Novice level) and hockey players (Mini-Mite to Bantam). She has also directed & choreographed ice shows, synchronized teams, and summer camps and owned her own retail skate business. She is a former member of the National Board of Directors of ISI.

Contact Info: 813-523-0970
bonniejbarrett@verizon.net

Accepting new students


Coach Courtney O’Conner
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I started skating here at TGH Ice Plex at the age of four.  I have over 16 years of competitive experience.  I am a USFS Gold Medalist and Regional Medalist.  I have extensive ballet and dance background.  I enjoy teaching all ages and levels.

Memberships:  ISI (Gold), USFS, PSA

Contact Info:
courtney.oconnor1@aol.com


Coach Georgia Fuller-Smith
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Georgia has a Bachelors in Elementary Education with a minor in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) along with a Florida Teaching license in elementary education grades K-6. She is a Professional figure skating, hockey skating skills, and Special needs skating coach and has extensive experience helping tots develop basic skating skills to continue in the sport for many years. Georgia ia an Ice Sports Industry (ISI)  Certified Gold level Judge & has over 10yrs experience coaching figure, hockey, and special skaters of all ages and skill levels. She also has experience choreographing performances for ice shows, competitions, and recitals. She loves to help all who desire to skate develop a lifelong passion for the sport.

Contact Info: 727-215-3413
gfuller777@gmail.com

Accepting new students


Coach Karl Kurtz
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

US Olympic and World Coach, Nation and International Coach, over 30 years of coaching experience.

Areas of expertise: Singles/FS | Pairs | Moves in the Field | Choreography | Basic Skills | Adults

Elite Accreditations: Professional Skaters Association Master Rated Coach | PSA Ranking Level VII | USFS Technical Specialist Certified

USFS Certified and Category A Compliant

Contact Info: 302-540-2942 (prefer text)
Ksk8ing@gmail.com

Accepting new students


Coach Lauren Steen
Home Rink: CIA

Lauren has been coaching for over 12 years. She is ISI, US Figure Skating, and USA Hockey certified combined with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She trained under coaches Vanessa Valle and Helga Valle through her competitive years. Lauren has been performing professionally for over 10 years in shows within the US, Canada, China, Mexico, and Central America. She has held positions ranging from soloist, adagio, chorus, costume character, choreographer, and stage manager.

Contact Info: 727-418-3412
steen_lauren@yahoo.com

Accepting new students


Coach Lauren (Wilner) Reinhard
Home Rink: CIA

Lauren Reinhard completed her Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Vocal Performance at Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia. She has taught voice and piano to students of all ages for over 15 years. Lauren also has 7 years of experience teaching General Music and Chorus ​at the elementary and middle school levels. Performing locally and around the globe, Lauren has had extensive training and experience. She has performed with the Freiberg Oper Haus, International Performing Arts Institute, United States Youth Ensembles, and Mittlesaechsisches Theater. Lauren began skating as an adult 10 years ago and began coaching 3 years ago. She utilizes her education and performance experience to make classes and lessons productive, fun, and engaging for her students.

Contact Info: 339-832-1763


Coach Maida Laird
TBSA Figure Skating Program Director
Home Rink: TBSA Countryside

Maida has over 30 years of coaching experience, over 27 years at TBSA Countryside. BS degree in Social Work and Psychology from MSU. Member ISI (Gold certified), USFS (CER certified) and PSA (rated in freestyle). Comprehensive dance and theater background. Teaches Freestyle, Moves in the Field, Choreography, Learn to Skate, and team events such as Synchro and Production. Taken teams to numerous ISI World Championships, as well as Florida Sunshine State Games, where students earned top placements. Students have tested through ISI FS 9 and USFS Senior MIF and Freestyle. Several students have gone on to show skating and/or coaching careers.

Contact Info: 727-460-7092


Coach Marianne Tisch
Home Rink: CIA

Marianne is a USFS Gold Medalist in Figures, Freestyle, and Ice Dance, and a Canadian Gold Medalist in Figures. She is a member of US Figure Skating (CER-Coach Compliant), the Professional Skaters Association (Certified Rating in Figures & Freestyle; Hockey Skating II accreditation), the Ice Sports Industry, and the World Figure Sport Society. She began coaching in the early-80’s while attending The Ohio State University, from which she received a B.S. in Psychology. After enjoying 14 years performing in various ice shows, including Busch Gardens Tampa, she returned to coaching in 2004. Her goal is to help students achieve their dreams through a strong foundation of edgework and technique, while nurturing a lifelong enjoyment of the ice.

Contact Info: 813-928-6329
marisk8r@yahoo.com

Accepting new students (at Clearwater Ice Arena)


Coach Nadine Allan-Vaught
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Nadine Allan-Vaught is a skating coach, choreographer and off-ice fitness instructor at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy in Oldsmar, Clearwater’s Countryside Mall and at the Clearwater ice rink. She spent her early ice-skating career training and competing throughout Great Britain and later toured with “Disney on Ice” as a performer and show director. After traveling and working in more than fifty countries Nadine and her husband settled in St Petersburg, Florida where she achieved another one of her life time goals, graduating with a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of South Florida. When she is not coaching, she teaches adults how to speak and write English, and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and travel.

Contact Info: 941-704-7840

Accepting new students


Coach Pauline Gasparini
TBSC TOI Coach
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Pauline has coached over 35 years at all levels of ISI and US Figure Skating. She has trained Skaters to top 4 places in 3 Olympic Games & 8 World Championships as well as developed multiple International Champions, including 8 National Champions and several National Medal Winners. Pauline coached at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs & she has been honored with numerous awards by peers through the PSA, including a Ranking Level Seven – this requires a candidate to have coached in multiple Olympic & World Championships. She has skated to a Bronze Medal at the World Professional Championships.

Contact Info: 727-204-7980

Accepting new students


Coach Pavel Dimitrov
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Coach Pavel Dimitrov is an professional skating coach from Bulgaria. After skating for the Bulgarian National Team, Pavel attended the National Sports Academy of Bulgaria where he studied and received his degree in coaching figure skating. Since completing his academic programs in coaching he has devoted his professional life to using the knowledge he gained as a skater and the valuable skills he has developed as a coach to teach figure skaters of all levels across several countries internationally. During his European coaching career he was responsible for coaching individual skaters and pairs teams in the European Championships, the Grand Prix championships and the World Championships. In 2006, he was the coach for his home country of Bulgaria in the Olympics in Torin, Italy.   

He then brought his incredible wealth of skating knowledge and infectious enthusiasm for skating to the United States where he coached for an additional 9 years at the Ashburn Ice House in Ashburn, Virginia. During his tenure in there, his skaters represented the Ice House at U.S. Regionals, U.S. Sectionals . In 2011, Pavel was again the primary coach for the Estonia pairs team (Kulbach/Zabijako) at World Championships in Moscow, Russia. 

Contact Info: 703-727-2259


Coach Rachel Duckworth
TBSC TOI Coach
Home Rink:

Rachel has a Master’s Degree in Speech Language Pathology and brings many years of experience in working with children with special needs. She has a PSA Registered Rating in Moves in the Field. She is USFSA CER-A compliant, a USFS Gold Medalist in Solo Ice Dance, and has passed her Junior Moves in the Field. She competed with the Miami University Collegiate Varsity Synchronized Skating Team and earned two USFS National Gold medals and one silver medal. She has been synchronized skating for more than 20 years and 10 of those at the Intermediate, Junior, and Collegiate levels. She has coached recreational and competitive USFS skaters from Beginner to Senior level. She loves to teach Moves in the Field, Ice Dance, and  Synchronized Skating.

Contact Info: 314-566-1933


Coach Sarah Fuller
Home Rink: TBSA Oldsmar

Contact Info:

Accepting new students


Sha'non McManus
Coach Sha’non McManus
TBSA Countryside Figure Skating Director
Home Rink: TBSA Countryside

23 years coaching experience. Teaches Freestyle, Choreography, Synchro, Learn-to-Skate and Moves in Field, as well as team events, such as ensemble and production. Member USFS (CER certified), ISI (Gold certified, Synchro certified) and PSA. Featured performer at Busch Gardens for 5 years, currently one of the choreographers and a talent scout for Busch Gardens shows. Graduate of Pinellas County Center for Arts, specializing in choreography.

Contact Info: 727-543-0442


Coach Tara Ruhmel
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I was a USFS competitor for 14 years through the Senior level.  I am a double gold medalist in Freestyle and Moves in the Field.  I coach all levels of figure skating ( USFS and ISI) and skating skills for hockey players.

Memberships:  USFS, PSA, ISI (Gold)

Contact Info:
tbulzone@aol.com


Coach Terry Lynn Zellner
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

Turned professional in 1972 with 28 years of ice show experience.  Owned my own production company, Larue Productions, specializing in choreography and production. Formerly with Ice Capades, Ice Follies, Holiday International and Cypress Gardens Ice Shows.  Current Head Synchro coach at TGH Ice Plex specializing in sync and production.  I enjoy coaching all ages and levels including edgework for beginner hockey players.  I have 15 years experience with Special Olympics and enjoy coaching special needs students. 

Membership:   ISI (Gold Judge-Certified Syncro), PSA – BA-04, RG-05, Certified Sports Science 1&2 -05, USFSA-USFS Cer B

Contact Info:
larueterrylynn@aol.com


Coach Tommy Brannen
TGH Skating Director
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I have been skating for over 35 years and starting coaching here in 2002. I performed for 17 years with professional shows including Disney on Ice and Advanced Ent. Productions. Coaching over 20 years, my students have tested through USFS Senior MIF & Freestyle, ISI 8.  I am currently coaching all levels and ages. Membership ISI (Gold), USFS , PSA (B.A.)

Contact Info:
tommy.brannen@TGHIcePlex.com


Coach Vanessa Corson
Home Rink: TGH Ice Plex

I am a USFS double Gold Medalist, professional performer in both skating and dance, and have been coaching since 2010. I specialize in edge quality, ice dancing and presence, posture, and performance. I also enjoy teaching edge work, turns, and specialized skating to beginning hockey players. Memberships include USFS and ISI (Gold).

Contact Info:
vgilbert2010@gmail.com