The Albert Lea Figure Skating Club has hired a new coach.

Karen Rothgery, of Oakland, joined the club after 10 years of training with the Figure Skating Club of Fort Collins, Colo.

“We are fortunate to have a coach with such strong experience and skills,” club President Mary Heimendinger said. “With Karen moving back to Minnesota and seeking to continue her coaching, it was an ideal arrangement for her and our club.”

Rothgery is currently training with the St. Paul Figure Skating Club to compete herself and to improve her coaching skills.

“I am working on testing my novice moves and training to compete at Adult Nationals 2012,” Rothgery said. “It is intended for the older skater who wants to continue to skate competitively. I have already competed at regional, sectional and national events.”

Rothgery began coaching as a secondary coach in 2007. Her focus was pre-juvenile, juvenile and intermediate skaters. As a secondary coach, she took direction from the head coach. Her primary job was to help skaters master their single jump, jump combos, and work on multiple revolution jumps.

She will serve as one of the primary coaches for the Albert Lea club as she joins skating professional Suzanne Olson. Olson has been teaching skating for more than 20 years with the Albert Lea club, having taught in Windom and Worthington prior.

The club is now taking applications for figure skating lessons this fall. If interested in learning this lifelong sport, call Heimendinger at 641-568-3410 (home)or 641-590-1477 (cell).