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Skate Oakville Department Heads

Joni McPhail - Skating Director

Joni McPhail has more than 20 years of experience as a certified skating coach in Ontario and British Columbia. She is a former member of the Coaches Committee for Skate Canada - COS, and also served as the high performance director for Skate Canada BC Section, where she was responsible for selecting skaters for the Canada Winter Games, athlete funding and provincial teams.  Joni is a former provincial and national novice ladies skating champion. She has also worked as an international broadcaster for the 1997 and 1998 world figure skating championships.

Joni McPhail has been the Skating Director of Skate Oakville since 2008 and is responsible for all the technical aspects of the club's programs.

Michelle Leigh - Competitive Skating Director

Three-time Olympic coach, and over 30 years of coaching and mentoring experience, Michelle oversee's the competitive programs. NCCP level 5 certified, Michelle specializes in Dartfish (an advanced visual feedback and analysis software), jump analysis, athlete management and mental training. Michelle has trained some of the world’s top figure skaters including; Canadian Champion, World Champion and Olympic Siver Medalist, Elvis Stojko; six-time Canadian Champion, Jennifer Robinson; two-time World Bronze Medalist, Takeshi Honda; and Canadian Ben Ferriera.

 

Mark Bradshaw - Competitive Ice Dance Director

Mark Bradshaw, Canadian Ice Dance Champion in Novice and Junior, International Ice Dance Competitor and Skater Canada Technical Ice Dance Specialist heads up the competitive dance program. Professionally, Mark is an N.C.C.P. Level 3 & partial Level 4 accredited coach.  The past 10 years he has worked with competitive freeskaters, pair teams, dance teams, and synchronized teams from Juvenile to Senior. He has coached many dance teams to great success including champions & medallists in every level at Sectionals and Challenge and the National Championships.  Mark also enjoys working with star skate skaters on dance and skills tests, from Preliminary to Diamonds.

Mark’s philosophy towards coaching is “Skating is a journey; competition is 1% and training is 99% of your career.  If skaters skate for themselves and enjoy the process they will have more fun and are more successful, no matter what their level!”

 

Karon Dalby - Learn to Skate Director

Karon specializes at the entry level of skating as the director of our learn to skate program. With a passion to develop young talent to excel to be their best. A talent identification consultant keeping a close eye for those wishing to pursue figure skating. A resource coach and graduate of Skate Canada CanSkate University Program. Karon, directs the Learn to Skate coaches and program assistants to meet the delivery standard of the new CanSkate program you see at the club today.

She also coaches Starskate in all disciplines and works as a team coach to pursuit personal excellence in all athletes.  A technical specialist in singles and volunteers many hours within our section as a coaching representative.

Karon's philosophy is to provide a platform and encourage and support athletes/participants in every level of skating ability to fulfill their potential and remain involved in skating for life.

 

Jennifer O'Brien - Synchronized Skating Director

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As Synchronized Skating Director, Jennifer O’Brien oversees the continued development and success of the Oakville Edge Synchronized Skating teams.

In 2002, Jennifer’s Junior team was crowned Junior World Champions.  To this day, she remains the only coach outside of Finland to claim this title.  The team returned to worlds the following year to claim the silver medal.  On the national stage, the team won gold in 2001 and 2002, silver in 2003 and bronze in 2004.  During this time, Jennifer also coached the Novice team to an unprecedented 8 consecutive Canadian National Championship Titles from 1997 thru 2004 and in 2005 they won the bronze medal.  In 1995 Jennifer took on the Juvenile team in her first year with them, they won the silver medal at the Ontario Provincial Championships.  The following year, the team was crowned Ontario Provincial Champions.  They went on to win bronze in 1999 and gold again in 2000.  

After 23 years of coaching all levels of Synchronized Skating, Jennifer has become one of the most decorated coaches in Canada.