Building Champions On Ice How KZN Is Shaping The Future Of Figure Skating

From the outside, figure skating is often seen as a sport of beauty, elegance and medals. What is less visible is the dedication, structure and people behind the scenes who make the sport possible. In KwaZulu-Natal, a meaningful and inspiring rebuild is underway — one that focuses not only on developing athletes, but also on growing the officials who protect the integrity, fairness and future of figure skating.

When Jo Cossavella took over as Chairperson a year ago, two critical priorities for the growth and development of figure skating as an Olympic sport in Durban were identified: athletes and judges. These two pillars are essential to building a strong, sustainable system. After the successful completion of last year’s development programme, KZN Figure Skating will proudly have 10 figure skaters competing in the Gauteng Inter-Provincial Championships in March in Pretoria — the first time in five years that the province will be represented at this level. At the same time, KZN Figure Skating has been intentional about retaining skaters who are no longer competing, creating pathways for them to remain involved in the sport through officiating and development roles, ensuring their experience and passion are not lost.

Training as a figure skating judge is a long, demanding and highly specialised journey. All figure skating judges are volunteers, and trial judges receive no funding, meaning they personally carry the cost of their training, travel and development. This requires real passion, commitment and belief in the sport. In response to this challenge, KZN Figure Skating partnered with Alicia Benade, a National Senior Judge specialising in Solo Ice Skating and Synchronised Ice Skating from Western Province, to facilitate a structured 12-month online development programme for five prospective trial judges. Alicia also serves on the National Technical Committee and is a Level 1 coach at Black Panthers Ice Skating Club in Cape Town.

The quality and standard of the programme is overseen by Jacci Brits, Chairperson of the National Judges and Technical Committee, and a National Senior Judge, ensuring that all training meets high national standards. The programme was intensive and required discipline, commitment and consistent effort. Candidates completed theory work, structured study, regular assessments and “homework” in preparation for each online session.

Out of the five applicants, KZN Figure Skating is proud and grateful that Tannah Roode and Aquilla Fernandez successfully completed the full theory programme. Their training covered multiple modules, including ISU and SAFSA judging regulations, systems and procedures; element recognition and technical understanding for fair and accurate evaluation; panel procedures; ethical judging conduct; and practical assessments with senior judges from other provinces. Their practical exposure ranged from the lowest development levels through to Olympic-level standards. Before they can be considered for promotion, both trial judges must complete practical trial judging at two inter-provincial championships in two different provinces, allowing them to gain the necessary real-world experience on competition panels.

One of the success stories is Aquilla Fernandez (21) from Durban, a third-year Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design student at Vega School at Emeris. Aquilla describes her journey into trial judging as both challenging and exciting: “I feel nervous yet excited — nervous about the responsibility, but excited for the opportunity to learn and represent KZN Figure Skating at an interprovincial level.” She credits the training group and mentorship for making the opportunity possible: “We’ve been blessed to have people willing to make time to teach and guide us. Without the study group, I would not have this opportunity.”

Aquilla is passionate about how interior design can shape and improve people’s lives and enjoys relaxing with a good book or sketching creative ideas. Her connection to figure skating runs deep — she has been skating since the age of eight and sees trial judging as a natural way to remain part of the sport that has shaped her life. “Trial judging and what comes next feels like the perfect way to stay involved in the sport that has given me so much,” she says.

Equally inspiring is Tannah Roode (20) from Durban North. Tannah has just completed her Higher Certificate in Preschool Education at Stadio and will register in March for her bachelor’s degree in Foundation Phase Education, beginning her first year of studies. She describes her experience in the judging programme with honesty and optimism: “I’m super excited for the opportunity and looking forward to the continuous learning and experience I will gain. In the beginning, I found it a bit overwhelming, but the more the course progressed, the more knowledge and confidence I felt I had gained.”

Tannah enjoys staying active and creative through running, drawing and puzzles, and has a deep passion for working with children. She previously coached multiple sports for two years at a primary school, completed her junior netball officiating course through SSISA, and is currently completing her BokSmart certification for rugby as well as junior hockey coaching through SSISA. Her dedication to education, youth development and sport reflects the values at the heart of KZN Figure Skating’s vision for figure skating.

Judging development requires strong foundations. Applicants ideally have a background in figure skating, are registered SAFSA members in good standing, and have a solid understanding of technique, rules, elements and skating culture before beginning training. The minimum age to begin training as a judge is 16, but the person can only officially be on a judging panel from age 18 for legal reasons.  Trial judges typically start at lower-level club competitions, regional events, club tests and level tests. Judging offers a lifelong pathway, with progression through provincial and national levels, ongoing education, and opportunities to grow into senior officiating roles.

This KZN Figure Skating initiative represents more than just a training programme — it reflects vision, collaboration and long-term commitment to building a sustainable future for figure skating in KwaZulu-Natal.

This initiative represents more than just a training programme — it reflects vision, collaboration and long-term commitment to building a sustainable future for figure skating in KwaZulu-Natal. It is not a once-off project, but one step in a series of ongoing development programmes designed to strengthen the sport at every level. Each phase builds on the next, creating pathways for athletes, officials and volunteers, and laying the foundation for a thriving, self-sustaining future for figure skating in the province.

In closing, sincere thanks and congratulations go to Alicia Benade, Jacci Brits, Tannah Roode and Aquilla Fernandez for taking on this challenge and for their commitment to working with KZN Figure Skating. Their dedication, professionalism and passion are helping to rebuild figure skating in the province — and their contribution will benefit generations of skaters for years to come. A truly outstanding achievement.