Our Coaches

Alyson Bailey

$70/hour

Alyson is a dedicated and experienced figure skating coach with over 16 years of experience working with skaters of all ages and levels. Her coaching style is positive, motivating, and technique-focused, creating a supportive environment where skaters feel confident and encouraged to grow. She is a singles head coach, secondary coach, and choreographer for all levels, and collaborates closely with all coaches at TFSC to support each skater’s development. As a former national Theatre on Ice competitor and a USFS Gold Medalist in Skating Skills, she enjoys helping skaters build strong fundamentals while developing a love for skating.

[email protected]

Elena Betchke

$90/hour

*LOCATIONS: WCC, CARY, ICEPLEX

*SPECIALIZATIONS: MOVES IN THE FIELD, POWER, FREE SKATE, CHOREOGRAPHY, SPINS

*USFSA MEMBER. REGISTERED AND CERTIFIED IN FREE SKATE CATEGORY

*COACHING EXPERIENCE: 29 YEARS OF CONSISTENT COACHING. 1996-2003 RICHMOND, VA 2003-PRESENT RALEIGH, NC AREA

*COACHING PHILOSOPHY: “ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST NO MATTER HOW YOUNG, OLD, TIRED OR FRUSTRATED YOU ARE. ONE STEP AT A TIME. HARD WORK WILL GET YOU WHERE YOU SEE YOURSELF GO”

[email protected]

Josie Bodle

Kennedy Briggs

Eryn Cannon

Tonya Crowley

Oleg Efimov

$90/hour

Coaching Experience: 24 years

Training Locations: Invisalign Arena (Raleigh), Wake Forest

Disciplines Coached: Singles, Pairs, Off-Ice Strength Training

Coaching Highlights: Oleg has coached singles and pairs skaters who have qualified for and medaled at the U.S. National Championships, as well as skaters who have competed and medaled at the regional and sectional levels. He currently coaches skaters competing in the U.S. Figure Skating National Qualifying Series (NQS).

Skating Background: Former member of the USSR National Figure Skating Team; Belarusian National Champion; Master of Sport (USSR). Principal skater for 15 years with the Leningrad and St. Petersburg Ballet on Ice and Holiday on Ice productions.

[email protected]

Natalia Efimova

$90/hour

Coaching Experience: 24 years

Training Locations: Invisalign Arena (Raleigh), Wake Forest

Disciplines Coached: Singles, Ice Dance, Skating Skills, Choreography

Coaching Highlights: Natalia has coached skaters who have competed and medaled at the regional, sectional, and national levels. She has also prepared skaters who have gone on to join Team USA and has coached skaters to compete in ISU international competitions. Natalia prepares skaters for U.S. Figure Skating tests in Skating Skills, Freestyle, Ice Dance, and Solo Ice Dance.

Former member of the USSR National Figure Skating Team; Russian National Championships Silver Medalist; Master of Sport (USSR). Principal skater for 14 years with the Leningrad and St. Petersburg Ballet on Ice and Holiday on Ice productions.

[email protected]

Katherine Cherie Farrington

Shar-narne Flowers

Janet Ford

$42/hour

Facilities: Iceplex (home base), Cary (limited mornings) but will and do teach at all Polar facilities based on schedulingSpecializations: Singles/Freestyle, Moves

26 years coaching experience

Personal Skating Background: USFS National Competitor 1991; USFS Collegiate National Champion 1990; Trained under National, World, and Olympic Coaches; US National Technical Specialist; Cornell University Graduate

Coaching philosophy: I focus on the athlete as a whole person, developing not only just skills on the ice but life lesson skills that will stay with the athlete forever. I am a firm believer in team teaching and collaboration. None of us has all the answers. I also believe in the “long term process”, where the longevity and the “bigger picture” is more important than small, instant, early successes. Mental process and confidence building are huge. Youth will rise to the expectations set for them.

[email protected]

919-815-0483 (text preferred)

Kelly Garrity

Sarah Godwin

Roberta Harger-Quigley

Kristy Hemstreet

$80/hour

I have been coaching for over 20 years with a strong focus on building competitive skaters from the ground up. I specialize in Singles, Skating Skills, Choreography and Off-Ice Strength and Conditioning. I am a USFS Gold Medalist in Skating Skills and am a former Adult Championship Masters Intermediate/Novice two-time Sectional Medalist and Adult Nationals Championship Master Intermediate/Novice competitor. I have taught skaters who have gone on to Disney on Ice, who have competed internationally in the FISU World University Games, as well as National Excel Series Championships competitors and National Showcase competitors. My goal is always, first and foremost, to instill the love for the sport that I hold so close to my heart in those I teach.

[email protected]

Sarah Hicks

Marilyn Nolte

$70/hour

Facilities you teach at – Cary, Garner, IcePlex (occasionally), WCC

Specialization – Singles, MIF(first 2 tests), Intro to Hockey, Beginners of all ages – just getting started with skating.

PSA/USFS Accolades – Registered Group, Hockey Power Skating Club, Adult competitive skater, Eastern Section Bronze Competition Series winner 2017-2018, National Vice Chair for Learn to Skate and Nonqualifying for the Adult Committee for 2024-25 Skater Accolades – Adult Competition Series sectional placements since program began.

Coaching since 2007

Philosophy- focus on beginner skaters of all ages, and having skaters develop a desire to skate throughout their life

[email protected]

Ami Patel

$60/hour

Coach at: Invisalign Arena (Morrisville), Polar Ice Cary, Polar Ice Raleigh

Hi, I’m Ami! I love teaching beginner figure skaters of all ages, from energetic 3-year-olds to adults stepping onto the ice for the very first time. I coach the Learn to Skate basic levels as well as adult beginner figure skaters, and I truly believe anyone can learn to skate. I meet every skater where they are, breaking skills down step-by-step using cues and drills that click for their learning style. My lessons focus on progress, confidence, and having fun on the ice, with the goal of helping skaters feel proud of their growth and excited to come back each week!

Yaroslava Petukhova

Brean Prefontaine

Jaqueline Pusztay

Alison Schilf

Samantha Schilf

Madeleine Tharrington

Madelyn Williams