Top Figure Skating Coach:
Pieter Kollen was considered one of the most influential and energetic figure skating coaches in the United States.
Date and Place of Birth:
Pieter Kollen was born on May 27, 1939 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Pair Skater and Ice Dancer:
Pieter Kollen competed at the 1962 World Figure Skating Championships in both pair skating and in ice dancing. He was the 1962 United States Pair Skating Champion. He won that title with his pair skating partner Dorothyann Nelson.
Influenced Figure Skating in Two Cities:
Pieter Kollen lived and taught in Colorado Springs and in Indianna. In Colorado Springs, he taught at the famous Broadmoor World Arena. He taught singles and pairs and he helped build the figure skating program at Sertich Ice Center, at Memorial Park, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He left Colorado Springs in 1987 to build the ice skating program at the Indiana World Skating Academy. He directed the figure skating program in Indiana for twenty years.
Famous Students:
Pieter Kollen helped teach
Scott Cramer who was a three-time U.S. men's national medalist and world professional champion. He also taught Lisa-Marie Allen, an Olympian and Tim Wood, who was the 1971 Men's World Figure Skating Champion.
Power Skating for Ice Hockey :
Pieter Kollen did not only work with figure skaters, but he also worked with hockey players. In the 1960s, he began to create power skating drills for ice hockey. He coached players and helped them with their skating skills as they prepared to compete in hockey for the 1976 and 1980 Olympics. He also taught power skating camps to hockey players of all ages and levels. Figure skaters remember being forced by Pieter Kollen to do power skating in ice hockey skates, but also admit that learning those skills improved their figure skating techniques.
Inventor:
Pieter Kollen invented two figure skating blades: the
K-Pick and the parabolic design blade.
Family:
Pieter Kollen and his wife, Bonnie, raised their children, Craig and Christine, in Colorado Springs. He had two grandchildren. His parents were John and Margie Barlow Kollen.
Choreographer, Show Director, and Creator:
Pieter Kollen directed numerous figure skating shows. He was known for being creative and innovative. He is remembered for being able to do
axels on ice hockey skates.
Died on August 5, 2007:
At the age of sixty-eight, Pieter Kollen died suddenly. He died on August 5, 2007. He is missed and remembered by many in the skating world.
