ABOUT ME

Hello and welcome!

I'm Barb Kohlman, and I've been passionate about coaching figure skating since the age of 16—which means I’ve been doing what I love for the past 37 years.

I began my journey with Learn to Skate classes and transitioned into private lessons after graduating high school. Not long after, I also started coaching some of the clubs "precision" teams, now known as synchronized skating teams.

Over nearly four decades on the ice, I’ve gained a wealth of experience, insights, and memorable moments that continue to shape how I coach today.  Here are some facts about me personally and my skating journey:

• I am a founding member of the Magic City Figure Skating Club.  The club was formed by a handful of parents in the 70's.  In the beginning years of the club, I remember sleeping in the stands of the All Season's Arena while that small group of parents swept the stands after hockey games to help pay for the ice time we were using.  That group of families will always hold a special place in my heart.  They spent endless hours working so that our community could have a figure skating club.

• I started skating when I was 4 year old.  I remember being terrified!  My coach took me and put me in the center of the ice and said, "If you want to get off the ice, you have to skate off the ice by yourself".  All I remember is looking around at how BIG the All Season's Arena was.  I don't know how long it took me to get off the ice.  All I know is after that, I was hooked!!

• I had a brief stint with pair skating.  Unfortunately, my pair partner decided figure skating wasn't for him and he quit right before the Ice Show leaving me, Snow White, without a Prince Charming.

• During my competitive skating years, I was lucky enough to travel in the summers to train at rinks in California, Colorado Springs, and Rockford, Illinois.

• In 1990, I was on the Magic Blades Precision Team.  Along with the Magic Picks, we became the first MCFSC teams to compete at the National Precision Skating Championships in Houston, TX.  

• During my skating career, I passed my 6th Figure, Novice Freeskate, and Silver Dances.  

• I didn't start dancing until I was 16 years old.  That year I competed Novice Freeskate and Preliminary Dance at the Magic City International!  🤣 I don't remember what I placed in freeskate, but I KNOW I got first in dance and I still have that medal!

• I've coached in 5 different clubs:  Minot, Bismarck, Hazen, Devils Lake and Rockford, Ill.

• I've coached numerous Synchro teams at Midwesterns and Nationals.  I also was assistant coach to the 1999 Team USA Precision Team from Minot that competed in Milan, Italy.

• I co-coached a very famous even historical Juvenile Synchro team in 1998 that opened their porgram with a 4 spoke wheel that was supposed to transition to a 4 line block down ice.  Two lines when one direction down ice, and the other two lines went the opposite direction down ice.  They skated their entire program on opposite ends of the rink.  If you ask any official that was around then, they remember that team.  It was truly UNFORGETTABLE!!

• I have coached numerous skaters through their Gold Moves in the Field/Skating Skills, Partnered Dance, Solo Dance and Free Dance.

• I LOVE the color black.

• I have 2 kiddos, Andrew and Addison, who are my entire world.

• I have 2 bernedoodles, Bella and Finley, who are the rest of my world.