Lead Coaches

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Sarah Taylor – Lead Coach, Advanced Speed Skating

Sarah has been involved in speed skating since she was eight years old. As a skater, she represented PEI in numerous national competitions, including the 2003 Canada Winter Games in Campbellton, NB. Even before her own competitive days were done, Sarah was drawn to coaching and coached in PEI, in Fredericton, NB, in Calgary AB and finally, back in PEI since 2012. Sarah is certified at the NCCP Competition Development level in speed skating and was one of the first coaches in the country to attain this new certification level in speed skating. Sarah was awarded a Speed Skating Canada Coaches Award of Excellence in 2015, capping a very successful season in which she coached PEI’s short track team to some best ever team finishes at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, BC. She’ll be back as PEI’s short track coach for the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, AB. Sarah is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) practicing in the not-for-profit sector. The Rice Point resident is an avid sports participant and fan, most notably enjoying softball, dodgeball and cheering for her beloved Pittsburgh Penguins.
sarah@speedskatepei.ca

 
 

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Kathleen Cullen – Lead Coach, Intermediate Speed Skating

Kathleen is a former competitive skater and represented PEI at the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse. In 2012, Kathleen served as an assistant coach with Speed Skate PEI’s former Competitive B group. After a year away from PEI earning her degree in Chemical Engineering, Kathleen returned to PEI in 2014 to work with BioVectra. She and Phil Byrne formed a dynamic team to lead the Intermediate Speed Skating group in 2014-15, with Kathleen taking the lead role in 2015-16. Kathleen has led or co-led PEI’s coaching staff at many regional meets. Kathleen is NCCP trained at the Intro to Competition level and is working toward her full certification at that level. Kathleen enjoys skating some smooth laps on Monday nights with our Adult Rec group, often serving as a great demo person and technical resource for newer members of the group.
kathleen@speedskatepei.ca

 

 
 

 

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Alex Bubar – Lead Coach, Learn to Skate

Alex becomes our lead coach for Learn Skate in 2016-17, after three seasons leading our Learn to Speed Skate group and assisting with our former Development 2 group prior to that. Alex is originally from Fredericton, New Brunswick and competed regularly as a member of the Fredericton Amateur Speed Skating Club where he also assisted as a coach with the Learn to Skate group for several years. Alex moved to Charlottetown in 2012 to join BioVectra, where he works with the Research and Development group. A certified coach at the Introduction to Competition level in Speed Skating, Alex also enjoys photography in his free time.
alex@speedskatepei.ca
 

 
 

 
 

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Jamie Nickerson – Lead Coach, Learn to Speed Skate

Jamie returns as a lead coach in 2016-17 with our Learn to Speed Skate group, where he assisted in 2015-16. Prior to that, Jamie spent three years as our lead coach for Learn to Skate. Jamie has an extensive background in sport and in coaching. Growing up in New Brunswick as a competitive speed skater, Jamie represented NB in the Canada Winter Games and also trained and competed at a high level in Quebec. He’s also well known in PEI’s triathlon community from his time as a competitor, administrator and coach. Away from sport, Jamie puts his PhD level scientific education to work with Avivagen. Jamie and his wife Jenn live in Charlottetown with their daughter Holly, who is a member of our Intermediate Speed skating group.
jamie@speedskatepei.ca

 

 
 
 
 

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Rob Binns – Lead Coach, Adult Rec / Masters

Rob took up speed skating as an adult, after watching his kids enjoy the sport for several years. After starting out as a member of the Adult group, Rob now trains with our Advanced group and regularly competes in short track within the Maritimes and beyond. Rob began coaching with Speed Skate PEI in 2009 and coached our former Development 1 (Learn to Speed Skate) and Development 2 level programs before moving on to coach the Adult group. Trained at the NCCP Intro to Competition Level, Rob is also involved with various administrative aspects of Speed Skate PEI. Rob’s teenage children, Kristen and Andrew, are members of Speed Skate PEI’s Advanced Speed Skating Group. Away from speed skating, Rob enjoys supporting his kids in their other sports including soccer and volleyball, while enjoying many other sports himself including running, cycling, golf and hockey. Rob is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) and greatly enjoys his work as CFO with ScreenScape Networks.
rob@speedskatepei.ca