Jackie Brenner

"Now they have to be an athlete first and a skater second," said Jackie Brenner, Stucks' coach and the skating director at Arctic Edge."This makes it more physically demanding."

The physical demands of the sport can pose a challenge to keeping the athletes motivated, but Brenner knows this happens with almost every endeavor.

The first year or two are the "romance years" , an athlete learns so much initially and the learning and accomplishment are fun and rewarding.Once the athletes reach a certain level, they begin to plateau and the triumphs arrive in smaller increments and only as the result of extreme dedication.

"It can be a challenge to keep them excited and motivated," Brenner said.

But Brenner excels at meeting that challenge.In 2000, her peers selected her as the Developmental Coach of the Year for the Professional Skaters Association.The national award recognizes coaches who take skaters from the basics of learning to skate and train them through all levels of competition.

Brenner herself was once a national competitor.She grew up in Michigan and started skating when she was 6 years old. "I've always had a passion for figure skating," Brenner said.

Later, she trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado.While there, she met and fell in love with an Air Force Academy cadet.After his graduation, they married and he was later transferred to Vance Air Force Base.

In 1990 when the Brenners moved to Oklahoma, there was virtually no figure skating in the state.Instead of being discouraged by the absence of the sport, Brenner was excited about introducing the Sooner state to figure skating. "I'm making more of a difference by bringing skating to a community that has never experienced it," Brenner said.If she'd stayed in Michigan, she'd be one of many master-rated coaches.In Oklahoma, she is the only master-rated coach in freestyle.

Jackie Brenner

Jackie Brenner

Skating Director

Jackie Brenner is the Skating Director at Edmond's Arctic Edge Ice Arena.As a national and international level ice skating coach with 18 years of coaching experience, Jackie recognizes that a skater with Olympic-sized goals must have, "unwavering passion and dedication to do whatever it takes.At least a 10-year commitment is needed because there is no such thing as overnight success.Such a skater also needs a support system of people who share that passion."Jackie currently coaches at least two such ice skaters: 15-year-old Mirielle Chambers and 19-year-old Linsey Stucks.
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Once in a while, Coach Brenner recognizes in her students that rare juxtaposition of abilities."We truly are athletes," Jackie says.

Jackie Brenner Coaches
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"Now they have to be an athlete first and a skater second," said Jackie Brenner, Stucks' coach and the skating director at Arctic Edge."This makes it more physically demanding."

The physical demands of the sport can pose a challenge to keeping the athletes motivated, but Brenner knows this happens with almost every endeavor. ...