“Never lose sight of the impact you have in a child’s life.  Youth are sponges and will soak up not only what you say but what you do.”

Job: Coach
Teacher of: Star 1-Gold
Skating club and town: Kenora Skating Club, Kenora

RoxAnne Daignault made the decision at the age of 13 to do whatever she needed to be a professional figure skating coach. She was going to be just like her coach. Now, she’s been a coach for 39 years, with several directing jobs in between.

“Someone once said, ‘Find something you love doing and you will never work a day in your life’ and I found that in coaching,” says RoxAnne.

“I have been walking into an arena almost everyday for 45 years.  Coaching is a way for me to give back to a sport that really molded me as a person.

“Everyday is a great new experience,” RoxAnne answers our query of her favourite experience. “Every day no matter how small it is you will see something new happen, and it is all of the great, but small experiences that become my favourite ones.”

RoxAnne works at the Kenora Skating Club, which she says has been her home club since she was 11 years old. “My club as given me so many opportunities that have helped me grow as a coach, and as a person. I work with an amazingly strong group of professionals who give so much of their time to run the business of our club. They are a positive, fun group of people whose attitudes and personalities are contagious, and you can feel that when the skaters are on the ice. It’s the best environment to work in.

“I have a team of coaches who all bring a different set of strengths to the ice,” RoxAnne says about her co-workers. “We rally around when someone is having an off day to make sure they have a productive practice, competition or test day and we celebrate together each skater’s successes whether that is landing a new jump, having a personal best score at competition or passing a test.

“The rink has always been my safe zone, and my goal is to create that same safe zone for my skaters to have for the rest of their lives.”

RoxAnne competed in the early to late 1970s and has participated in seminars facilitated by Ontario coaches. She’s excited about the opportunities that are coming her club’s way. “As we take steps to venture into this new territory of Skate Ontario, I myself am excited to see the future and opportunities that our skaters will have to grow and inspire them.”