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.
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.
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.
Soňa speaks Czech and English, knows the basics of French and very little of Luxembourgish.
Maximin Coia, figure skating coach
Maximin, known to everyone as Max, is French-Canadian. He began his athletic journey as a gymnast before transitioning to figure skating. His progression led him to the French national pair skating team. Junior French champion in 2004 and two-time senior French champion in 2008 and 2009 with Adeline Canac, he represented France at the European and World Championships. His skating career took him to France, Russia, the United States and Canada for training and competition.
Max holds a master’s degree in Sports Science, a French State Coaching Diploma and a National Coach certification from Skate Canada. With more than twenty years of coaching experience, he has worked in sport-study programs and coached national and international athletes in both singles and pairs, including skaters competing on the Grand Prix circuit and at the World Championships. His approach focuses on developing each skater’s technical, artistic and mental abilities while building confidence and independence.
Following his competitive career, Max became a professional performer and travelled around the world with various productions. Most notably, he performed for several years in Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL. His experience on international stages has enriched his coaching by incorporating creativity, artistic presence, adaptability and teamwork.
Passionate and constantly looking for new ways to grow, Max believes that high standards and kindness should always go hand in hand. His philosophy is simple: to help every skater push beyond their limits in a positive and motivating environment without ever losing the joy of skating.
Max speaks French and English.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Natalia speaks Italian, English, French, Russian and Spanish.