Who We Are
We’re exceptionally good at seeing and improving the individual skater.
Our People
The people behind The Skating Company matter. We choose to work with people whose character, professional standards, and commitment to the sport we respect. Our team consists of three detail-oriented instructors who share a common philosophy and a genuine commitment to developing the individual skater.
Three instructors - One analyzes it. One rebuilds it. One teaches the skater how to use it. Each instructor brings a different area of expertise and a unique perspective to the ice. Together, these complementary approaches provide skaters with the technical building blocks, knowledge, and understanding needed for continued development and long-term progress.
Together, we Analyze, Deconstruct, and Develop.
We break skating skills down to their essential components to help skaters understand not just what to do, but how and why it works.
CLAUDIA STEINKE, R.N., Ph.D.
Focus: Analysis and Deconstruction
Breaking skating skills down to their essential components.
Claudia Steinke directs The Skating Company and has specialized in skating analysis and technique training for hockey players since 1992. She has coached at every level from novice to professional with a particular focus on understanding the mechanics, technical foundation, and techniques for effective skating.
Throughout her career, Claudia has had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from some of North America's leading skating instructors, including Laura Stamm and Brenda (Daniels) Burger, whom she considers among the very best in the field.
A Skate Canada Triple Gold Medalist and nationally certified NCCP coach in both hockey and figure skating, and CanPowerSkate certified. Claudia skated professionally on the international circuit for many years with Hermanos Fuentes Gasca and Feld Entertainment’s Disney on Ice.
Her approach is rooted in careful observation, analysis, and deconstruction - breaking skating skills down to their essential components so that each skater can better understand, develop, and apply them.
Claudia Steinke directs The Skating Company and has specialized in skating analysis and technique training for hockey players since 1992. She has coached all levels from novice to pro, and alongside some of the leading technical skating instructors in North America. She is a Skate Canada triple gold medalist, nationally certified (NCCP) in both hockey and figure skating, CanPowerSkate certified, and skated professionally on the international circuit with Hermanos Fuentes Gasca and Feld Entertainment’s Disney on Ice.
TRAVIS HILLIER
Focus: Reconstruction and Efficiency
Rebuilding skating patterns into more efficient and effective movement.
Travis Hillier is a skating skills instructor with The Skating Company and brings a unique combination of competitive, professional, and coaching experience to his work. A former national-level competitive skater and Skate Canada Quadruple Gold Medalist, Travis went on to perform professionally on the international circuit with Feld Entertainment's Disney On Ice for many years.
Following his professional skating career, Travis continued his development as a coach, becoming a nationally trained skating coach and CanPowerSkate certified instructor. Along with his wife, a former professional figure skater and coach, he co-founded the Southern Alberta Skating Academy.
Travis's approach focuses on analyzing existing skating patterns and identifying opportunities to rebuild them into more efficient and effective movement. His goal is not simply to change a skater's technique, but to help them understand and develop movement that is both natural and repeatable.
Travis Hillier was a national-level competitive skater and is a Skate Canada quadruple gold medalist. After his competitive career, Travis skated professionally on the international circuit with Feld Entertainment’s Disney on Ice. He currently serves as co-founder and figure skating coach with Southern Alberta Skating Academy and a hockey skating instructor with The Skating Company. Travis is a Certified Provincial Coach and CanPowerSkate certified.
SEAN GILLAM
Focus: Application and Transfer
Applying skating skills to game-like situations.
Sean Gillam is a hockey skills instructor with The Skating Company and brings more than three decades of experience as a player, coach, and hockey development professional. A former third-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, Sean played more than 1,000 professional games across the AHL, IHL, CHL, and SPHL.
Sean has also made a significant impact in amateur hockey, coaching at the University of Lethbridge and with the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association (LMHA), including at the U18 AAA, U17 AAA, and U15 AAA levels. As a member of the U18 AAA coaching staff, he helped lead the team to an Alberta Midget Hockey League championship and a national bronze medal at the TELUS Cup.
Sean currently serves as Director of Hockey Operations for the Lethbridge Minor Hockey Association. His coaching approach focuses on helping skaters transfer technical improvements into the realities of the game - applying skating skills with purpose, under pressure, and in game-like situations.
Sean Gillam is a former third-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings and has been involved in hockey since 1992, with over 1000 games of experience playing and coaching at the professional level (AHL, IHL, ECHL, CHL, and SPHL). Sean has also coached at the amateur levels of USport and the LMHA and is currently the Assistant Coach of the AAA Midget Hurricanes and the defensive skills instructor for The Skating Company.