Jennifer Cochrane’s Coaching Journey: A Passion for Skating and Mentorship

For Jennifer Cochrane, the rink has always been a second home. Her love for figure skating began at just three years old, and from that moment, the sport became a lifelong passion. Growing up in Lethbridge, Alberta, Jennifer quickly excelled on the ice, becoming the youngest skater in her club to complete the Gold Dances at just 12 years old. By the age of 16, she had achieved Quadruple Gold tests in Freeskate, Dance, Skills, and Artistic, along with completing half of her Gold figures. Jennifer competed at the Junior Competitive Freeskate level, often participating in Regionals and Sectionals. Even as an adult, her love for the sport never wavers as she continues to participate and compete in synchronized skating.

But Jennifer’s impact on the skating world didn’t end with her time as an athlete. At 19, after returning from traveling abroad, a fellow coach encouraged her to pursue coaching herself. Jennifer jumped at the opportunity, completing her NCCP Level 2 certification and securing her first coaching position in Taber, Alberta. “It felt like the natural next step,” Jennifer recalls. Over the next few years, she coached in rural towns like Fort Macleod before settling into the Lethbridge Skating Club, where she’s been for the past two decades.

Balancing her coaching career with a demanding job and family life has been a challenge, but Jennifer has managed it all with grace. Alongside coaching, Jennifer works as the manager of the Operating Room and Recovery Room at Chinook Regional Hospital, and she also serves as the team manager for her son’s U9 hockey team. Through it all, she finds joy in coaching, sharing her love of the sport with her athletes. “The rink is my second home,” Jennifer says. “When I step onto the ice, I can leave the outside world behind.”

Over her 25-year coaching journey, Jennifer has gathered countless memories, but one that stands out is her experience as a coach at the Alberta Winter Games. “It was such a fun and exciting event for the skaters,” she says. “Sleeping in a school was interesting, but fun! We were bussed everywhere and felt like royalty. The opening and closing ceremonies were electric, with fireworks lighting up the sky.” Jennifer also recalls organizing the Lethbridge Skating Club’s Year-End Carnival for over 300 skaters, a monumental task that she still remembers fondly. “The theme was 'Circus on Ice', and it felt like a circus in the planning phases,” she laughs, “but in the end, it was a blast for the skaters and the families. I even enlisted my mom for help!" Jennifer's mom was involved as a volunteer and even the Carnival chair back in Jennifer's youth.

For Jennifer, coaching is about much more than teaching skating techniques. She has always placed a strong emphasis on mentorship, supporting her skaters not just as athletes but as individuals. “Coaching isn’t just about the sport—it’s about being there for them, listening when they need to talk,” she says. “Watching them grow year after year and then letting them go when they graduate is always hard, but it’s rewarding to know you’ve been a part of their journey.”

Jennifer’s dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. She was recently recognized with the Lethbridge Sport Council Community Coach Excellence award, an honor that validated all the time and energy she has poured into her athletes over the years. “It was incredibly humbling to be recognized,” Jennifer says. “But the greatest reward is seeing my former skaters become coaches themselves. It’s like everything has come full circle.”

As a coach, Jennifer’s advice for new coaches is simple but powerful: “Be patient with yourself. Coaching is a long journey, and you can’t possibly know everything at once. Reach out to mentors, collaborate with other coaches, and never stop learning.” She also emphasizes the importance of attending workshops, seminars, and competitions, not just for the skaters but for the coaches as well. “The more you expose yourself to the sport, the more you’ll grow as a coach,” she adds.

As Jennifer reflects on her 25-year coaching career, she looks forward to many more years of mentoring young skaters and watching them fall in love with the sport that has given her so much. “I’d miss the camaraderie and the joy that skating brings to so many people,” she says. “But more than anything, I’d miss the skaters, their families, and my colleagues. They’ve become like family to me.”

Jennifer Cochrane’s journey as a figure skating coach is a testament to her dedication, passion, and love for the sport. As National Coaches Week continues, her story serves as an inspiring reminder of the power of mentorship and the lasting impact coaches can have on their athletes’ lives.

National Coaches Week is a time to celebrate the positive impact coaches have on athletes and communities across Canada. This annual campaign is an opportunity to recognize coaches for the integral role they play, and to take time to say #ThanksCoach.

Please take minute this week to say Thanks Coach, to all the coaches who are out there making a difference.