Philosophy
“My mission is to train, educate, and inspire figure skaters to achieve athletic success and personal growth. This is done through a modern, strategic, and thoughtful coaching approach that forms an enriching relationship for skater and coach. ”
About Drew
Drew Meekins is a national and international figure skating coach in both freestyle and pairs and a world and Olympic Figure Skating choreographer.
Competitive Skating
As an athlete, Drew was a member of team USA for five years and won MULTIPLE national and international medals at the junior and senior levels. He and his partner, Julia Vlassov, were ranked in the top ten in the world by the ISU, competed in the senior grand prix series, and were the World Junior Pair Champions of 2006.
Coaching
AS A COACH, DREW HAS BROUGHT SUCCESS TO BOTH SINGLES AND PAIR SKATERS. IN 2018 DREW’S CHOREOGRAPHY MADE ITS DEBUT ON THE OLYMPIC STAGE, AND DREW ATTENDED THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA, AS PART OF MIRAI NAGASU’S (USA) COACHING Team. AT THE OLYMPICS, NAGASU BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO LAND A TRIPLE AXEL ON OLYMPIC ICE, EN ROUTE TO SECURING A BRONZE MEDAL FOR THE US IN THE TEAM FIGURE SKATING EVENT. In 2018, Drew choreographed for Camden Pulkinen (USA) when he won the silver medal at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final. This season, he helped guide Pulkinen back to the Final, and choreographed for another Junior Grand Prix Finalist - Yelim Kim (KOR). IN 2017, HE COACHED VINCENT ZHOU (USA) TO A GOLD MEDAL AT THE WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS, AND A SILVER MEDAL AT THE US CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE SENIOR LEVEL. While Drew has coached and choreographed for multiple national and international medalists, DREW IS also ONE OF FEW IN THe SPORT WHO HAS WON A WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP, BEEN THE PRIMARY COACH OF AN ATHLETE WHO HAS WON THE WORLD JUNIOR title, AND has been the CHOREOGRAPHer of A WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPION.
With a focus on education and his own coaching development, Drew has attended several of US Figure Skating’s Champs Camps, High Performance Camps and Elite Coaches College at the Professional Skaters Association conferences. In June of 2018, Drew was selected as one of only two figure skating coaches to attend the United States Olympic Committee’s Coach Accelerator Program, where he learned the newest and most advanced techniques to deliver his figure skating knowledge to students. Drew has studied dance technique, dance history and dance composition academically, and has performed as a professional dancer in several companies, including the Interweave Dance Theatre and the High Altitude Dance Ensemble. He spent the early years of his coaching career closely mentoring with Tom Zakrajsek and Dalilah Sappenfield at the Broadmoor World Arena. He is grateful for the incredible guidance and experience he gained from them, and he continues to team coach with them both. Currently, Drew is a resident coach at the Broadmoor World Arena, a US Olympic Training Site, in Colorado Springs, where he is one of the only coaches who has experience as a primary coach in both freestyle, pairs, and as a choreographer.
Drew’s approach to coaching is a holistic one. Rather than focusing on just technique or artistry, he looks at the sport from all angles to maximize performance and score. Drew believes passionately in the life skills and life-changing memories the sport can provide athletes and coaches, and it is his priority to make time for these teachings and experiences on his journey with his athletes. Together, this modern approach fuels Drew’s passion for his work with his athletes, from the developmental level all the way to the Olympic stage.