Dalilah Sappenfield | |
---|---|
Born | Miami, Florida |
Occupation(s) | figure skating coach and choreographer; specialized in pair skating |
Known for | permanently banned by the United States Center for SafeSport |
Awards | USFSA/PSA Coach of the Year (2008) |
Dalilah Sappenfield is an American former figure skating coach and choreographer who specialized in pair skating. She started working as a coach in 1993, and was named the 2008 USFSA/PSA Coach of the Year, [1] after her pair teams won the gold medals at the novice, junior, and senior levels at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Her pair Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics. [2] She is the adoptive mother of Laureano Ibarra, and he and his first partner were her first pair team.
In May 2024, Sappenfield was permanently banned by the United States Center for SafeSport for physical and emotional misconduct, retaliation, abuse of process, and failure to report a potential SafeSport violation. [3]
Sappenfield was born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents. [4] She was the fifth of 10 children. [4] [5] She described it as "a strict, Hispanic family" with "a lot of discipline." [4]
At 19 years of age, Sappenfield switched from skating to coaching. [4] Sappenfield coached in Monument, Colorado at the Monument Ice Rinks. She coached Alexa Scimeca Knierim & Chris Knierim to two U.S. National titles (2015, 2018), Keauna McLaughlin & Rockne Brubaker to two U.S. National titles (2008, 2009), Caydee Denney & John Coughlin to the 2012 National title and Caitlin Yankowskas & John Coughlin to the 2011 National title. [6] [7] [8] [9] She also coached McLaughlin & Brubaker to the 2007 World Junior title and the 2006 Junior Grand Prix Final title. Her pair teams have won several medals on the ISU Grand Prix and the ISU Junior Grand Prix. Additional skaters she has coached include Jessica Rose Paetsch & Jon Nuss, [10] Meeran Trombley & Laureano Ibarra, [11] Brittany Vise & Nicholas Kole, [12] Igor Macypura, [13] and Austin Kanallakan. [14]
U.S. National Champions coached by Sappenfield include:
On October 8, 2021, USA Today published an exposé in which former pairs skater Tarah Kayne detailed emotional and psychological abuse she alleged she suffered while being coached by Sappenfield. Kayne ultimately left Sappenfield with her skating partner, Danny O'Shea, in September 2020, before Kayne retired in December that same year. Kayne stated that Sappenfield's abuse prompted her to engage in self-harm behavior, and that she had been afraid to seek mental health treatment out of concern that Sappenfield would find out. She said, "These awful experiences forced me out of the sport I love. Dalilah said multiple times that she wanted to end my career, and she succeeded." O'Shea expressed his support for Kayne on social media. Kayne was one of several skaters to file complaints against Sappenfield with the United States Center for SafeSport, leading to Sappenfield's initial suspension pending further investigation. [15]
In 2021, Sappenfield was banned temporarily by SafeSport from contacting a dozen figure skaters and from coaching athletes without another adult around, during an investigation by Safesport into misconduct allegations against her. [16]
On May 29, 2024, Sappenfield was permanently banned for "physical and emotional misconduct," retaliation, abuse of process, and failure to report a potential SafeSport violation. [17] [3]
The Broadmoor Skating Club is a figure skating club based in Colorado Springs, Colorado that has long been a major training center for the sport of figure skating. Founded in 1939, it was originally known as the Pikes Peak Skating Club, and was based in the Broadmoor World Arena on the grounds of The Broadmoor resort. When that facility was demolished in 1994, the club moved to its current home at the Broadmoor World Arena (1998).
John Patrick Coughlin was an American pair skater. With Caydee Denney, he was the 2012 Four Continents silver medalist and 2012 U.S. national champion. With previous partner Caitlin Yankowskas, he was the 2011 U.S. champion. Coughlin died by suicide, one day after the United States Center for SafeSport announced he would face an interim temporary suspension over unspecified allegations.
Rockne Lee Brubaker, II is an American former competitive pair skater. With Keauna McLaughlin, he is the 2010 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2007 World Junior champion, and a two-time (2008–2009) U.S. national champion. With Mary Beth Marley, he is the 2012 Four Continents bronze medalist and 2012 U.S. silver medalist.
Keauna Inaba McLaughlin is an American former competitive pair skater. With partner Rockne Brubaker, she is the 2008 & 2009 U.S. National Champion, the 2010 Four Continents silver medalist, and the 2007 World Junior Champion.
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