“Selecting the right person for the right job is the largest part of coaching.”
– Phil Crosby
MEET OUR COACHES
Karen DesLauriers
Director
During her 31 years of coaching, Karen has been a club coach, Ice Show Director, and choreographer. Karen is a triple Skate Canada Gold medalist in Figures, Skills, Freeskate as well as Senior Competitive Singles. With years of ballet, jazz, tap, gymnastics and music training, Karen is best known for her skills in choreography. After turning professional, she danced with the B.C. Lions, toured with Ice Capades, and performed with the Canada Ice Dance Theatre. Throughout her competitive and professional career, she has been blessed to have had the opportunity to work with a plethora of outstanding world class coaches and choreographers. As a coach and mentor, she hopes to encourage and challenge skaters of all ages to try to do their best, be creative, to always have fun, and to develop a lifelong love for the art of figure skating. Karen is thrilled to be a part of the team at Langley Skating Club.
Rob Woodley
Rob Woodley Rob is a 4-time National competitor in pairs and has competed in National Championships in Synchronized Skating. He is a Leve Certified Coach and is working to complete his Level III. Rob worked with Langley in 2002. As well as coaching in Langley he also dances partners in 12 other arenas and travels to various B.C. communities to partner tests. Rob's passion is pairs and he has coached pair teams to a Jr. national level. Rob specializes in competitive skating and harness lessons for double and triple jumps. Other interests include soccer, skiing, camping, and hiking.
Carol Konkin
Carol has recently joined the Langley Skating Club since retiring 2 years ago after coaching for 45 years. She was the Skating Director at Inlet Skating Club for 32 years and Director at Port Coquitlam Skating Club as well as the Dance Coach at Coquitlam Skating Club for 3 years. She has had skaters compete at BC Sections to the Jr level and competitors at StarSkate Nationals. And three years ago her student won the World Fancy Figure Championship in Vail, Colorado. Hundreds of her students have achieved Gold tests in all disciplines and a few have toured with Disney on Ice.
Carol grew up and skated on the North Shore with a variety of great coaches achieving Gold Test level. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking with her dog, music, reading, going to live theatre, and cooking. Carol’s philosophy is coaching skaters to the best of “their” ability, encouraging the love of skating and dedication. Skating teaches children hard work, focus and determination and will lead to success in all areas of their lives.
Clairesse Friesen
Clairesse completed her CanSkate in 2019 and began coaching at the age of 16. She has since begun work on her Regional Level Training and hopes to complete it in the near future. She has experience creating programs and taking skaters to competitions and test days. She has primarily skated singles and competed at a variety of regional competitions. She continues to skate with the Langley Skating Club and is working on her high-level dance and skills. Clairesse enjoys working with skaters on program choreography and is currently completing a bachelor's degree at Kwantlen Polytechnic University for Science and Horticulture.
Ellen Shin
Coaching at the Langley SC since 2014, Ellen is a certified Regional Coach, and currently is the Club's CanSkate Director. As a freeskater, Ellen had the privilege of working with many talented coaches and experienced various coaching styles. During this time, Ellen has achieved All-Gold Levels in Freeskate, Dance, Skills, and Interpretive. When she is off the ice, Ellen enjoys trying new cuisines, keeping current on BTS content, and playing the violin and guitar.
Kristyn Krause
Kristyn is a dedicated NCCP Regional Certified coach, working towards Provincial
Certification. She is focused on her students’ personal journeys to athletic
excellence. As a coach, Kristyn is passionate about competitive Freeskate, jumping technique and fitness-training focused on the specialized needs of her figure skaters. At the Langley Skating Club, Kristyn feels blessed to work with strong,focused, respectful athletes.
Kristyn, a former professional figure skater, began her skating journey in Abbotsford, BC. At the age of eighteen, after a successful competitive career, Kristyn was offered professional contracts from Disney On Ice and Holiday On Ice. With an appetite for travelling overseas, Kristyn travelled in Europe as a professional figure skater with the world-renowned company, Holiday on Ice.
Kristyn’s competitive career includes a Provincial Championship title in Freeskate.
Kristyn also holds the Gold level in Freeskate, Interpretive and Skills, as well as the
Novice Competitive Freeskate level.
Educationally, Kristyn studied Kinesiology and Physical Education, English and
Education. Kristyn holds a Master of Education degree from The University of British Columbia, as well as a Bachelor of Education degree from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of the Fraser Valley.
McKenna Nickel
McKenna has 9 years of coaching experience and is a Provincially Trained Skate Canada coach. Her coaching philosophy is skater first, focusing on improving her skaters mental and physical individual strength on and off the ice. She started skating at the Langley skating club and competed until the age of nineteen before deciding to focus on university and coaching. McKenna holds a Gold test level in skills and Artistic and a Senior Silver level (Equivalent to Star 10) in Free skating and Dance. She also competed competitively in pairs skating for two years. She most enjoyed free skate and artistic as a skater but believes that work in all disciplines is important for a well-rounded skater. McKenna has a bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Fraser Valley and has ambition to become an elementary school teacher. Other interests of McKenna include surfing in Tofino, skiing, and getting outside whenever possible.
Larissa Horobec
Larissa is an NCCP Level 2 Trained Skate Canada Coach with Gold CEP Status, and 9 years of coaching experience. She competed in figure skating for many years representing British Columbia/Yukon nationally, and Canada internationally, up to the Senior level. She is a quadruple Skate Canada Gold Medalist in Freeskate, Dance, Skills, Interpretive, as well as Senior Competitive Singles. Larissa also competed extensively for 16 years in off-ice dance, receiving many awards, including the title of 2010 British Columbia Provincial Stage Dance Champion. Her 20 years of performance and dance training, including a summer session at New York City's Broadway Dance Center, encompassed many styles of dance: ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, musical theatre, lyrical jazz, hip hop, and contemporary. Her dance certifications include “Honours with Distinction” on the Royal Academy of Dance Ballet exams, including Advanced One Ballet, and the Association of International Dance Teachers Gold Higher Tap. Larissa is a graduate from Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, majoring in Dance and English.
Reina Asai
Reina is a NCCP certified CanSkate coach. She has 7 years of experience as a Program Assistant, and through her many years of training in Freeskate, ballet, and contemporary dance, she has been trained under many accomplished coaches and has achieved Star 9 level Freeskate. Additionally, she has taken courses for anatomy and conditioning, and is currently aiming to become a Regional level coach.
Reina is passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge and love for skating with all skaters regardless of age and ability, in a safe and positive environment.
Ema Asai
Ema is a NCCP Certified CanSkate Coach.
She has volunteered with the CanSkate program for 7 years.
She is currently competing in Star 9 Freeskate after competing in Freeskate for many years and is continuing to train towards Gold level.
Ema is trained in both ballet and contemporary dance, and brings what she has learned onto the ice both in practice and while coaching skaters.
Kobi Chant
Kobi is a NCCP certified Regional coach. He has worked for several clubs in Alberta as a Canskate and StarSkate caoch as well as a Dance Partner. Kobi is currently competing in Ice Dance at the National level at Senior events. He is a Skate Canada Challenge medalist and also a Canadian Winter Games bronze medalist. He is committeed to not only his own training but also passionate about working with the next generation of skaters helping them be their best