Head Coach - Chang Ho Lee

As of September, 2007, Chang ho Lee officially became the head coach of the Puget Sound Speedskating Club. For the past two years, he and Jan have been sharing the coaching duties but gradually over the course of the past year, Coach Lee has been taking on more of the responsibility becoming the de facto Head Coach. In September, Jan and Coach Lee decided it was best if Coach Lee officially became the Head Coach of the Club.

Coach Lee came to the Puget Sound Speedskating Club by way of the Korean National Long Track Team.  Chang Ho moved to the Puget Sound area in 2004 in order to be closer to family members.  He is married to a former Korean Long Track Speedskating team member and has a 12 year old son named David.  Aside from coaching speedskating, Coach Lee is busy studying English as a second language.  His speaking skills are improving everyday.

Chang Ho has vast experience with elite level skaters and is able to provide much technical advice on the ice.  He is also in charge of the club group dry land programs which are conducted after ice sessions on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Experience -

  • Coach of Korean National Long Track Team at 2003 World Single Distance Championships

  • Coach of Korean Team at 5th Winter Asian Games (2003)
  • Coach of Korean Team at ISU World Cup Long Track events, 2002/2003
  • Coach of Korean Team at 200 World Junior Long Track Speedskating Championships

 

Substitute Coach - Jan Zurcher

Jan had joined the Tacoma Speedskating Club as a skater in 1999 after moving to the Seattle area from northern Alberta, Canada.  She assumed responsibilities as head coach of the Club when former coach, Pete Perron,  decided to take a break from ice speedskating to pursue other interests in 2000. After the arrival of Coach Lee, Jan has moved further away from coaching duties and now only fills in as coach on occasions when Coach Lee asks for assistance.

Certification - National Certification Coaching Program of Canada:

  • Level 1 (Basic Speedskating Skills) Certified

  • Level 2 Technical (Intermediate to Advanced dryland and on-ice skating techniques) and Practical Segments completed

  • Level 3 Technical (Season Planning) training completed with Jacques Thibeault, M.Sc. (instructor of Planning of Training at Laval University)

Experience -

  • Coach of Grande Prairie Speedskating Club (now Peace Wapiti Speedskating Club) - 1982-1989, 1992-1998

  • Coach of Northwest Alberta Speedskating Team at Alberta Winter Games (held every two years) - 1982-1996

  • Coach of Northern Alberta Speedskating Team at Arctic Winter Games (international winter sports event held every two years) - 1992, 1994, 1998

  • Communications Director of Alberta Amateur Speed Skating Association - editor and writer of coaching articles for the AASSA Newsletter

  • Director of Long Track and Short Track Speedskating events for Canada Winter Games, 1995

  • Co-editor (along with 3 other Alberta coaches) of the AASSA Coaching Handbook - 1996

  • Assistant Coach of Alberta Short Track Team at North American Short Track Championships, 1997

  • Coach of Tacoma Speedskating Club - 2000 to present

 

 

Former Coach - Gary Gandee

An accomplished in-line skater with many wins and awards to his credit, Gary often returns  to coach on ice.  He had been a coach for the Tacoma Speedskating Club in the 1998-1999 season and then took a break coming back to support the Club (now the Puget Sound Speedskating Club) in the post-Olympic year.

Gary has a keen kinesthetic sense and has been instrumental in helping a number of in-line skaters make the transition to racing on ice.