“Over these three years, I’ve learned to look at skating in a slightly different way. Of course, I don’t see things quite the way Rafael does, but he drilled me intensely so that I could begin working here the way he showed me.” Tomas Verner returns to work in Czech Republic
Tomas Verner Returns to the Czech Republic to give back to figure skating
original source: sport.ceskatelevize.cz dd. July 29th 2025
This year, Tomas Verner, 2008 European champion, is returning to the Czech Republic from overseas and has shared his immediate goals. Here’s a translation of his comments.
For the past three years, Verner has been working with Rafael Arutyunyan, one of the world’s top figure skating coaches. Now, Verner hopes to apply the knowledge he gained back home at his skating academy in Prague.
“Good fundamentals like skating, spins, and edge work are all tied to a single technique, which needs to be taught from the very first steps on the ice,” explained Verner.
The 39-year-old traveled to California specifically to learn from Arutyunyan, the renowned coach of Olympic champion Nathan Chen. Arutyunyan’s connection to Czech figure skating stems from his work with Michal Brezina, who was his student and now trains in Irvine. Verner temporarily joined their team.
“Over these three years, I’ve learned to look at skating in a slightly different way. Of course, I don’t see things quite the way Rafael does, but he drilled me intensely so that I could begin working here the way he showed me – to nurture children from their earliest stages all the way to the national team,” Verner said.
In California, Verner began coaching children as young as four years old, a stark change from his previous experience working with skaters starting at the junior level and above.
“I didn’t know how to teach skating to four – or five-year-olds who’d never been on the ice before. How many hours should they spend on the ice? What should they do off the ice? I first had to learn patience, kindness, and how to balance lessons between technical and fun activities,” Verner described.
While the World Championships will take place in Prague this March, Verner won’t be involved as a coach for the Czech national team – or likely anytime soon. Instead, he is focusing on working with children, not only at his academy but also through the national “Kids on Skates” program for schools.
“I’d like skating to become a basic physical skill for the entire nation. If someone stays in figure skating, I’ll be happy, but if someone moves on to tennis or hockey, I’ll also be happy,” Verner emphasized.
Though he plans to concentrate on solo skating disciplines, he expressed limitations regarding ice dance and pairs skating, as they require additional space and resources that he cannot currently provide.
Verner also spoke about the logistical challenges of ice time availability and affordability:
“We have ice from around 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anything beyond that is simply unaffordable. Earlier in the day, children are in school, and we strongly oppose them skipping school for figure skating. It’s already hard enough to convince someone to start early morning sessions at 6 a.m.,” he admitted.
Tomas Verner’s commitment to fostering the next generation of skaters reflects his passion for the sport. From developing new foundational skills for young children to inspiring a broader national appreciation for skating, he is turning his years of professional experience into a meaningful contribution to Czech figure skating.
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