Whatever happened to Tonia Kwiatkowski? | Golden Skate

Whatever happened to Tonia Kwiatkowski?

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
She eventually went pro, but is she still skating somewhere? She appeared in 13 National Championships and was trained by Carol Heiss.
 
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Rachael

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
She's now a full time coach at Winterhurst FSC in Lakewood, Ohio. Also, she's president of Wintehurst FSC.
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I think she has a college degree in communications. I am surprised she is coaching............I guess it's hard to let go sometimes..........look at Paul Wylie....:) 42
 

Johar

Medalist
Joined
Dec 16, 2003
Rachael said:
She's now a full time coach at Winterhurst FSC in Lakewood, Ohio. Also, she's president of Wintehurst FSC.

Thanks. She was always fun to watch. Remember her Marilyn Monroe routine?
 

guinevere

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
show 42 said:
I think she has a college degree in communications. I am surprised she is coaching............I guess it's hard to let go sometimes..........look at Paul Wylie....:) 42
I can totally see Tonia being a great coach - her technique was fabulous, IIRC, and she hovered in the top tier (but not the top spot) of US Senior competition for so long, I think she would have good perpective to give a skater. If she could get a skater who is super dynamic (something that was not one of Tonia's strengths IMO) with a lot of raw talent, I think it would be a phenomenal combination.

guinevere
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
The last thing I remember seeing her in was this elaborate Christmas special with Dorothy Hammil, Elvis Stojko and Rudy Galindo. I believe she played the title role. Click on the image for more information:

630551934X.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
 

Lillehammer 94

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Call me a little thin in the skin department, but do I sense in the above that a college educated person is wasting their education by coaching figure skating? According to the Professional Skater's Association (PSA) the majority of your figure skating coaches today are college educated.
Once upon a time when I taught skating to school youth at Milwaukee's one time Olympic sponsored ice arena, I felt sometimes that several school teachers had their noses stuck in the air thinking I was some uneducated rink rat teaching the youth to skate. The fact of the matter was (and still is) that I'm degreed from a more prestigious college then they. As the old expression goes - don't judge a book by it's cover. Teaching figure skating is certainly not a waste of a college education.;)
 

mpal2

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Lillehammer,

I can't speak for show 42, but I took her comment to mean that she's surprised Tonia isn't commentating or doing other communications work. I had heard about her doing some local broadcasting jobs and I was also surprised to hear that she may have given that up. Coaching skaters is definitely not a waste of a college degree, I just thought she wanted to head in other directions with skating. Maybe there just aren't enough communications jobs in skating.
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Thank you, mpal........that's exactly what I meant. I had read that she was interested in broadcasting, even commentating for sports, so I was surprised when I read that she was coaching (I am sure that she has a lot to offer her students, since she was coached by one of the best)............42
 

Lillehammer 94

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Thanks for the clarification. Sorry I'm a little touchy on the subject. In all fairness I came across many school teachers who treated me as an equal. It was just the teachers who were condescending that rubbed me the wrong way. I try to treat people as I'd like to be treated myself. Trite as that thinking may be one will see the rewards.
 

pipsqueak

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Hi Lillehammer: I'm sooooo pleased to hear about a coach who treasures a college degree as an intregal part of a coaching career. My opinion: a degree (in ANYTHING) demonstrates the type of goal-setting, self-motivation, discipline, academic ability, and willingness to acquire new knowledge that is important to success in almost any chosen field. I'm not going to "knock' those coaches who did not go on and get a degree in something, as there are always weights and balances for any given talent in any given area that are also worthy of tribute. But, the bottom line is, a degree is never "wasted" if you go on to pursue a career in an area where the formal degree is not a "requirement". A degree is a personal accomplishment. What you do after that is called "life". I happen to think that when you got your degree and then built a coaching career, you were pursuing your "life" and those who are on the receiving end of your academic education and your skating education are the luckier for your dedication and achievement; they will receive the benefits of both. :)
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Skating Pro; Coaching figufe skating; Commentating on Sports. Seems like there are a number of irons on the fire. Good for Tania!

Joe
 

Lillehammer 94

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Pipsqueak, thanks for the words of wisdom. Very well said! Linda Leaver who has coached Brian Boitano for decades, in my opinion, deserves the words of praise you have written so well in the above. If memory serves me correct, Linda was a philosophy major in college.
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Lillehammer 94:

Having a degree is not a requirement to teach skating, but in this day and age education does not hurt. When, I skated, I doubt many of my "pros" as we used to call them had anything beyond high school. Still they were great. I think it's the coaches ability to communicate with the skating pupil that makes the difference. That's not something a piece of paper can provide, that is something that has to come from within. Teaching skating is an honourable profession and an "art" if you are a good instructor.
 
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