A special coach
Local skating director helps athletes fulfill their dreamsBy Keith Frederick, kfrederick@altoonamirror.com
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Fact Box
If you go
n What: 2009 Special Olympics State Winter Games
n When: Sunday through Tuesday
n Where: Venues throughout Johnstown
n Admission: Free
n More information: Visit www.special olympicspa.org
In the past five years, John Kauffman of Roaring Spring has been to two Winter Olympics, has coached world-class athletes - and been served breakfast by three of the greatest figure skaters in United States history.
But the 45-year-old skating director at Galactic Ice in Lakemont isn't just sitting back and enjoying the ride; he's helping Special Olympians make their dreams come true.
He returned this week from Boise, Idaho, where he served as one of 10 figure skating coaches for Team USA at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games from Feb. 7 through Feb. 13. He first worked with Team USA in 2005, at the World Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.
And he will be coaching three local athletes in the Special Olympics State Winter Games Sunday through Tuesday in Johnstown. The figure skating events will begin Monday morning at the War Memorial Arena.
Kauffman, a former competitive skater, got involved with the Special Olympics eight years ago, shortly after he moved back to Blair County. He had worked for the Skating Club of Wilmington in Wilmington, Del.
''When I moved out here, I wasn't coaching as much as I had been before, and I was looking for other things to fill my time,'' he said. ''I was approached by Special Olympics of Blair County - they were interested in starting a figure skating program and a speed skating program. So I volunteered to help develop those programs.''
It was Kauffman's first experience with working with athletes with intellectual disabilities.
''It was interesting. It didn't take long at all (to adapt) because we had a common goal,'' Kauffman said. ''That made it so much easier - there weren't any struggles, there weren't any disagreements, there weren't any questions. ... I helped them go as far as they wanted to go.''
There are difficulties in coaching the Special Olympians, Kauffman said.
''Each individual may express their disabilities in different ways,'' he said. ''For example, I had an athlete at the World Games who took three hours to get ready every morning. That was a challenge, especially when you have a tight schedule, and you have other athletes that you have to take care of.
''It's different from dealing with non-disabled skaters. With non-disabled skaters, you might deal with some (problems), but not on the same scale.''
It's also a more intense level of dedication to the athletes.
''I was there 24 hours a day for 10 days, not only as their coach but as their support person,'' he said.
Kauffman's World Games experiences are filled with fond memories. In 2005, he was with Team USA in Nagano for more than two weeks, living with a host family and sightseeing in Japan.
''It wasn't so much about the competition, it was more about being in another culture and being with people from other cultures,''he said.
This year's Winter Games included events visited by many famous faces, including Olympic champions like Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi and Picabo Street and Vice President Joe Biden. President Barack Obama and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sent video greetings.
But no celebrity appearance was quite as unique as their surprise breakfast servers.
"Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan came and made us breakfast," Kauffman said with a smile. "They came to our hotel and they made the U.S. team and the Austrian team (who were also at the hotel) breakfast. It was nice to have them come over, they really support Special Olympics."
The games were a big success for the U.S. team, according to Team USA figure skating manager Shane Keisner.
"We had 40 athletes and we ended up with 23 medals and 22 ribbons (given to fourth through eighth places). We had a few athletes that got more than one medal,'' he said.
Keisner said Kauffman was chosen as a coach after an audition process, adding that Kauffman, a master-rated coach by the Professional Figure Skaters Association, interviewed very well.
''We were really impressed with John and his background," Keisner said. "We actually interviewed John for the head coach position. We didn't select him for that, put he would've been an excellent head coach.
"He has a lot of knowledge with the sport, as well as a knowledge of working with our athletes.''
Mirror Staff Writer Keith Frederick is at 946-7466.
