STAFF
Heather Austman
National Coach /
RSA Program Manager/
Junior Development Program Manager
A passion for working with children and seeing them progress, keeps Heather, an organized, reliable and hardworking skating coach for more than 35 years, motivated. Her goal is to instill a love of figure skating in her skaters, just as her coaches did when she first put on figure skates at the age of five years.
Heather is a former Canadian Novice Ladies Champion, Canadian Junior Ladies Silver Medalist, and BC Section Senior Ladies Champion. She has completed her Gold Figure, Gold Freeskate and Gold Dance levels in Canada and the US.
Heather has coached International competitors, developed skaters from the beginning to the Senior levels, National medalists and champion, National level competitors, as well as Provincial and Regional champions.
Heather is NCCP Level III certified, working on level IV. In her spare time, Heather likes training for her next marathon.
Provincial Coach /
CANSkate Program Manager /
Junior Development Program Manager
A person who is enthusiastic, committed, and hardworking. Mark emphasizes the athlete-centred approach in program development. He thinks that parents' support is essential in the development of a professional athlete.
Mark holds a bachelor's degree in Physical Culture and Sports and has won the ISU Junior Grand Prix, three times Ukrainian Senior Pair Champion.
Mark is a hardcore disc golfer in his free time.
Mark@skatecoquitlam.com
Mike Craigmyle
Reginal Coach / Coach Representative
Coach Mike's ice escapades kick-started way back in Northern BC at a tender age of 4. Picture little Mike zipping around the rink, puck in tow, causing a bit of chaos and mischief. But fate had plans for him when the club needed a comedy act for their annual ice-show, and that's where his skating love story began.
Off to Vancouver he went to train with the legendary Dr. Hellmut May from Skate Canada's Hall of Fame. With Dr. May's magic touch, Mike snagged medals at BC Provincials and danced his way through the Canadian Nationals and Junior National Team.
His skating journey led him to Mariposa's School of Skating, brushing shoulders with Canada's finest coaches. Mike's claim to fame? Nailing a triple axel at BC Provincials and soaring a record-breaking 20ft single axel jump!
Post-competition, Mike was a crowd-pleaser on Disney on Ice and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. He even rocked the rink with "The Icemen", a comedic skating squad that globetrotted to fundraise for cancer research.
Coach Mike's secret recipe? Blending the demanding sport's technicality with his late coach's Olympic mantra of "Faster, Higher, Stronger." He's all set to sprinkle some fun into your kid's skating dreams, wherever the ice wave takes them!
Bruno Delmaestro
National Coach / Pre-Power & Power Skating Program Manager
A competitive, driven person as well as passionate about skating and seeing skaters reach their potential through hard work, Bruno takes a great deal of pride as a coach and mentor to children for more than 32 years.
Figure skating, and playing hockey since he was 9 years, Bruno is a former three-time Italian Senior Men's Champion, International medalist, European and World competitor. He has developed National champions for Canada, Finland, Singapore and Hong Kong, International medalists, Junior World competitors and has coached at the 12th Chinese National Winter Games. At the 2015 World Championships in Figure Skating, Bruno coached Ronald Lam to a top 14 Placement, and a top 9 technical score in the World. He has had skaters land all jumps up to a quad/triple in competition.
He has been named BC/YT Section Competitive Coach of the Year in 1999, 2001 and 2006 and is a contributor on the Long-Term Athlete Development Plan Committee for Skate Canada National Office. He is the Master CanPower Skate Course Conductor for BC and was a contributor to the new program. Bruno is NCCP Level IV certified. In his spare time, Bruno likes to study economics and business structures.
In Hockey, he has trained players who have played in the N.H.L., the W.H.L., B.C.H.L., as well as players who have been awarded University Scholarships. He has worked for many different Minor Hockey Associations who have used his skating programs for their players’ development.
Deneen Sokoloski
National Coach / STARSkate Program Manager
Deneen’s passion for figure skating and working with athletes of all skill levels has cultivated a purposeful strategy in the development of the whole child. Deneen believes the skating experiences an athlete gains not only ensures a life long passion for the sport but also transcends into valuable life skills.
Deneen is a double Gold medalist, NCCP level III certified with CEP Gold Status and has over 30 years of coaching experience. Deneen has developed skaters from beginner level to Regional and Provincial Champions to both National and International level competitors.
Deneen’s educational background in Recreation Leadership and Human Performance has been pivotal in fostering her passion for program development and a love for working with community based organizations. In her spare time Deneen is a self- taught artist who enjoys theatre, gardening, travel, and skiing.
deneensokoloski@gmail.com
Foundation Team Coaches
Keira Bailey
Sofia Balog
Julianne Delaurier
Megan Kan
Justine Ladrido
Liya Li
Andrea Quan
Mia Webster
Program Assistants
Alexander Lu, Amelia Yoon, Ana Carolina Ciszewski, Annika Pobran, Braelyn Bach, Brieana Quan, Caitlin Gillis, Celeste Desaulniers, Charlene Fong, Charlotte Diep, Charlotte Yoon, Doreann Griffiths, Gloria Si- Yao Wang, Jaiden Keenan, Jake Willing-Sato, Janet Lu, Kaliyah Mazloum, Katelyn Wongkitigumjorn, Kathy Tan, Maisie Wylie, Meadow Balser, Mia Halim, Mila Zhou, Renie Qiao, Sarah Rebecca Garshowitz, Sasha Goldenberg, Sophie Mao, Valencia Budijanto, Viona Khalilipour, Yolanda Tong
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Eva Huang – eva@skatecoquitlam.com
Vice President
Cheri Keenan - cheri@skatecoquitlam.com
Secretary
Wendy Griffiths – wendy@skatecoquitlam.com
Treasurer
Gordon Quan - gordon@skatecoquitlam.com
Directors
Ady Liu - Event Coordinator - ady@skatecoquitlam.com
Dora Goldenberg - Registration Coordinator - dora@skatecoquitlam.com
Lily Shi - Fundraising/Test Coordinator - lily@skatecoquitlam.com
Amy Yeung - Volunteer Coordinator - amy@skatecoquitlam.com