Soňa Kroulikova, figure skating coach
Soňa comes from the Czech Republic. She has over 15 years of experience in coaching figure skating and has joined CH-PL in 2017. She started to work as an assistant coach and later as a coach in a figure skating club in the Czech Republic. At the same time she has experience working as a P.E. teacher at elementary school and also as a sport instructor in kindergarten. She was a national level skater, participated at Czech Nationals and in international competitions in Italy and Austria.
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Soňa obtained a Master’s Degree in Physical Education and Sport (Charles University in Prague). During her studies she spent one semester studying Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. She continues her coaching education by attending various coaching seminars, workshops and summer camps.
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Soňa believes that as a coach one has to learn new things all life because every skater is different and it’s a great learning experience. She enjoys the process of learning and guiding skaters to help them achieve their goals and reach their dreams. She finds the moments when skaters succeed with elements and are happy on the ice very fulfilling. She is grateful she is part of our coaching team and is looking forward what we can built together.
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Soňa speaks Czech and English, knows the basics of French and very little of Luxembourgish.
Ekaterina Baranok, figure skating coach
Ekaterina Baranok was born in Omsk, Russia. She started figure skating at the age of six, practised the sport for ten years and participated in competitions. At the age of 15, she had the opportunity to switch to short track speed skating. Katia was a member of the Russian national short track team for six years (2010 – 2016). During this period, she became the Russian champion more than five times and achieved high international results, such as a bronze medal at the 2012 World Junior Championship and a bronze medal at the 2011 World Cup. She ranked first when selected for the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
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She is a graduate in physical culture and sports coaching, has taken courses in personal physical coaching and Pilates. She holds a management degree in the sports industry. She is coaching since 2015, and has been assistant coach of the Luxembourg national short track team and coach of the development team for four years. During these years, she participated as a coach in the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) and the Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
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She joined the CH-PL in September 2022 and works as a physical and figure skating coach.
Katia’s motto is: “As a former professional athlete, I really like to share my high-level experience as a coach. I always do my best to make athletes understand that there are no limits. I teach them to set goals and go for them. I’m always there for them to achieve their goals, create a positive atmosphere during training in order that they enjoy the process.”
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Katia speaks Russian, English, French and is learning Luxembourgish.
Mara Wagner, figure skating coach
Mara Wagner is from Luxembourg and has been in this club since the age of 5 as a competitive skater and as an assistant for several seasons.
Figure Skating has been her passion since early childhood and she has been participating in several international competitions such as the annual Coupe du Printemps in Luxembourg, Heiko Fischer Pokal (ISU competition in Germany) and 2 Junior Grand Prix (Logrone ESP, Dresden GER).
Over the years, she has participated in several other competitive sports such as Artistic Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Curling and Ice Hockey. Being on the national team in Artistic Gymnastics and Figure Skating, at a young age, Mara chose to follow the competitive figure skating path and was titled 5 times national champion.
She has obtained her Master Degree in International Sport Management at the LUNEX University, and is working with them on various projects, including Erasmus project focused on winter sports. Furthermore, she has obtained a Coaching license C in Germany to become a figure skating coach.
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In the last years she was also supporting the organisation and choreography of Galas and shows. As of 2023​ she has also gained national status as a Data operator and operates in different national competitions in Belgium and Luxembourg.
As a coach, she likes to pass on her passion for this sport to other skaters and takes the opportunity to work with people of every age. She loves to take everything she learns as a skater to teach it to other skaters and looks up to the other club coaches to progress as a coach herself. The club’s skaters are like a family to her, which she will help to rise up to the best of their abilities. She challenges and encourages every skater to follow their dreams on the ice no matter how small or big they are. Starting this season, she is also taking on the role of Anti-doping manager for the FLSG.
Mara speaks fluent Luxembourgish, French, English and German, which helps her to communicate with skaters of all nationalities.
Ysaline Hibon, figure skating coach
Passionate about artistic performance and high-level sports, Ysaline Hibon puts her expertise and experience at the service of aspiring athletes.
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Born in 2005 in Luxembourg, Ysaline Hibon is a high-level athlete and professional dancer with a strong background in ice sports, choreography, jazz, contemporary, and classical dance.
She holds a Brevet Fédéral 1er Degré (BF1) in ice sports, obtained in 2024 from the French Ice Sports Federation, as well as a Brevet d’Études Chorégraphiques (BEC) in jazz dance from the Annecy Conservatory.
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Experience and Skills:
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Former international athlete who represented Luxembourg in prestigious competitions such as the ISU Junior Grand Prix and the European Youth Olympic Festival.
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Triple Luxembourg Champion (2022–2024).
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Trained by renowned experts such as Stéphane Lambiel, Didier Lucine, and Sara Hurtado.
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Over 10 years of experience teaching dance and ice sports in Luxembourg, France, and Spain.
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Coaching and classes at international camps and summer programs, specializing in technical and artistic preparation both on and off the ice.
Teaching Philosophy:
Ysaline favors a personalized approach, combining sports techniques, artistic expression, and confidence building. Her experience in high-level competition allows her to guide her students toward excellence while nurturing their creativity and enjoyment.
Natalia Saenz, figure skating coach
Natalia Saenz is an Italian figure skater who has been living in Luxembourg for two years.
She started skating at the age of 5, exactly when the Winter Olympics were organised in Turin in 2006. The passion for this sport only exponentially grew from there.
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She has competed in national FISG competitions until becoming a coach. As a coach, she likes to let her students master technical (at times even demanding) elements, but she also likes to put a lot of effort into making the athletes “feel themselves on the ice”.
This awareness, associated with ice, comes through implementing artistic movements, of different styles, that challenge the skater into discovering their unique style of skating, letting them become their truest self and unlocking infinite potential.
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Natalia speaks Italian, English, French, Russian and Spanish.