Pritula, Kippy

Kippy Pritula
Email: kpritula@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 994-4318 / (734) 368-0435
Rate: $63/hr
Lessons Available
Freestyle, Field Moves, Synchro, Dance
Qualifications
3rd Figure, PreGold Dances

Background:
Kippy started skating at age 7 with the AAFSC. She enjoyed participating in all club activities and was a Hockette for many years, skating in their first "on the road" performances (Lake Placid, Madison Square Gardens, Philadelphia). She trained during the summers with World Team members, gaining a wealth of knowledge from them. She then embarked on her coaching career, teaching in Ann Arbor during the winters and Lansing in the summers. She organized and was the director of the first summer school ever held in Ann Arbor at Veterans Ice Arena. After seven years, her career took an important shift when she was recruited by colleagues to join Ice Capades Chalets as an instructor in Santa Monica, where she later became Assistant School Director. She also became a judge for the Ice Skating Institute of America, traveling to different competitions. Shortly thereafter, she was promoted to School Director at the Houston Galleria, where she guided a reknowned professional staff and administered a large skating school of 1,000 students.

She was responsible for directing ice shows comprised of these students and featuring top name Ice Capades soloists. Together with other directors from around the country, she continually worked on enhancing the curriculum for the Chalets and also conducted training seminars for newly hired instructors. She continued her private lesson teaching as well, which brought the most joy, and was fortunate to have students from all over the world. Her students competed throughout the country. In addition to these responsibilities, she was then promoted to Regional School Director in Dallas, Memphis, and Charlotte, overseeing the schools and directors of these rinks. After many wonderful years serving in this capacity, she returned to Ann Arbor to teach at her home club, where she fully enjoys her many students. She is a member of the Professional Skater's Association. She has been a power skating instructor at the summer Michigan Hockey Camps at Yost Ice Arena and with Keil Power Skating. She also is the owner of Quality on Ice, fitting both stock and custom boots.

Experience:
Kippy has a B.A. from the University of Michigan in English and French, and also a secondary teaching certificate (high school) in English and French. She is a faculty assistant at the Law School of the University of Michigan.