Vincent Zhou Wins Bronze at the 2022 World Championships!

USA TODAY: Vincent Zhou's story gets a happy ending at worlds after a devastating run at the Beijing Olympics

CHRISTINE BRENNAN | MARCH 22, 2022

COACHING TIPS

Tom Z's Coaching Tips are a resource center providing tools to help skaters and anyone else interested in maximizing their training and athlete development process. Useful information is provided in such areas as:
• Periodization
• Goal Setting
• Specific jump exercises
• Agility   • Speed
• Coordination and timing drills

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BOOK A SESSION

Steadfast in his beliefs to use sports science to educate and train his skaters, Tom Zakrajsek is a passionate and committed award winning figure skating coach who knows how to achieve Olympic results. If you would like to speak one-on-one with Tom, he has limited openings each month to schedule a private call with interested coaches, parents and skaters*. These confidential calls provide in-depth access to tackle your most challenging issues.

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JOIN CLUB Z

Club Z gives you immediate access to a deeper level of knowledge to find the champion within. Fast forward your training with access to tips for improving technique with your jumps, spins, and transitions. Learn strategies to compete under pressure while gaining more focus and confidence. Tom Zakrajsek's Club Z is packed with resources for gaining excellence in your performance. Become a member of the club.

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Are YOU tired of attending camps and seminars and receiving the same BASIC technical information?

Perhaps you are looking for a deep dive into the details of “HOW” to get your skater to do a clean jump instead of “WHAT” to do?

Are you craving the nitty gritty of training complex jumps in order to perform them under the pressure of competition?

LOOK NO FURTHER:

If they can’t feel it, they can’t fix it.

Coach Tom Z has a giant tool box of exercises and tips guaranteed to help your skater GET THAT JUMP!

Gold Medal Consulting offers you the personal insights needed to turn the promise of your developing athlete into the performance needed to reach the top of the podium.

It's just you, your squad of skaters and Coach Tom Z.

If they are willing to work, then Coach Tom Z is willing to travel!

Consultations are available for coaches, skaters, parents, clubs and rink managemnet.

In person daily rates start at $500
For in person consultations inquire at tomzak1@msn.com

Zoom, FaceTime, Team and Skype (tomzak11) hourly rates as low as $120
For phone or video chat, Coach Tom Z requests that you use 719-491-9050 and initiate your online appointment by clicking on the box below.

Book an Appointment

Sunday consultations are by appointment only and you need to contact Coach Tom Z at tomzak1@msn.com to schedule.

Vincent Zhou won a Bronze Medal at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan under Coach Tom Z's training.

More about Vincent Zhou >

Coach Tom Z was a recipient of an Order of Ikkos Coaching Award from the USOPC at the 2018 Olympics Games.

Order of Ikkos Honor Roll >

Tom Zakrajsek and Mirai Nagasu at Ikkos Awards

Team USA

Team USA Develops Gold-Medal Coaches With Innovative Leadership Education Program

Coach Tom Z was one of the first USFS coaches selected for the United States Olympic Committee’s National Team Coach Leadership Education Program (NTCLEP).

The NTCLEP is the USOC’s blueprint to assist Team USA coaches in achieving international competitive excellence. The program is open to national team coaches of any Olympic, Paralympic or Pan American sport, and over the course of 16 months, coaches attend five seminars. This allows coaches the opportunity not only to learn from experts within the seminars, but learn from their colleagues as well. For many of the coaches, this unique environment was a large part of what attracted them to the NTCLEP.

READ MORE >

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

John Wooden smiling

"Just try to be the best you can be; never cease trying to be the best you can be. That's in your power."

—John Wooden

WORD OF THE MONTH

"Present"

pres·ent1
/ˈprez(ə)nt/

noun
the period of time now occurring.
"they are happy and at peace, refusing to think beyond the present"

Similar: now, today, the present time, the here and now, this day and age

"Skaters can reach their personal best when they remain present while competing."

SPORTS SCIENCE TIP OF THE MONTH

Working on floor jumps is very common. Try this exercise demonstrated by Phoebe Stubblefied, the fifth woman in the United States to land a triple axel, in order to develop the proper power angle and increase explosiveness on the take off.