2021 Professional Skaters Association (PSA) Best Performance & 'EDI' award winners; U.S. Open Pro Champs results

[Sylvia]

The Professional Skaters Association (PSA) announced the winners of the annual "Best Performance" at 2021 U.S. Nationals -- Jason Brown's SP, Amber Glenn's FS, Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue's' FD, Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier's FS -- back on March 9 (press release is linked from here): https://www.facebook.com/ProfSk8rsAssoc/posts/3855945541117912

Best Performance Awards — Professional Skaters Association

Best Performance Awards

skatepsa.com

Criteria and Winners through 2021 (includes their coaches/choreographers/music selections/costume designers): https://skatepsa.com/best-performance-awards

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The 2021 EDI award winners were honored during the 53rd annual PSA Awards Banquet and the virtual ceremony was hosted by Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue on May 27 (video replay): https://psatv.uscreen.io/programs/910-thursday-edi-awardsmp4-f810f0
*The award presentation order in the video is noted in brackets below [#].

Joint PSA/USFS EDI AWARDS

[#14] Coach of the Year: Patrice Lauzon & Ice Academy of Montreal Coaching Team (Marie-France Dubreuil & Steffany Hanlen also were on the Zoom call) - screenshot #1 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399120829636648963
Nominees: Rafael Arutyunyan/Vera Arutyunyan/Nadia Kanaeva; Tammy Gambill; Todd Sand/Jenni Meno-Sand/Christine Fowler-Binder

[#12] Paul McGrath Choreographer of the Year Award: Rohene Ward - screenshot #2 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399121258332180485
Nominees: Shae-Lynn Bourne, Alex Chang, Renee Roca

[#9] Developmental Coach(es) of the Year: Tammy Gambill (she coached the 2021 U.S. Junior Ladies silver & bronze medalists, among many others) - screenshot #3 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399121550599720960
Nominees: Joel Dear/Inese Bucevica, Yulia Kuznetsova, Trudy Oltmanns

[#10] Pieter Kollen Sport Science Award for use of scientific technology in figure skating: Melissa Vriner
Nominees: Garrett Lucash, Lindsey Slater

All joint PSA/USFS award winners through 2020: https://skatepsa.com/joint-psa-us-figure-skating-edi-awards

[#3] PSA Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Inductees (2):
Osborne Colson (Early Influences; 1916-2006), accepted by his student Sarah Kawahara (sporting the iconic red cap he used to wear) - "his career spanned 70 years as a competitor, Ice Follies star and coach ... he nurtured me, a shy 6-year old, and helped me blossom and guided me through my entire career... [in] Patrick Chan Mr. C. knew he had a champion on his hands; Osborne taught him right up until the end of his life... He believed in team teaching in the 1960s he was ahead of his time..." - screenshot #6 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399123028689276928
Audrey Weisiger ("Be that person that kids want to take a lesson from") - screenshot #7 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399123827142057987
Her most famous student was Michael Weiss and she also coached 2008 World Junior Championship competitor Tommy Steenberg who won a President's Award of Excellence in coaching this year.

PSA EDI AWARDS

[#11] Gustave Lussi Award: Nathan Chen - screenshot #4 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399121876488650755
Presented to a male, professional skater who has brought recognition to the sport in a positive and favorable manner.
Nominees: Zachary Donohue, Sean Rabbitt

[#5] Sonja Henie Award: Mariah Bell (was in her Pilates class & showed up after #7 spoke to accept her award in her car) - screenshot #5 in this Twitter thread: https://twitter.com/SylviaUnseen/status/1399122589520433156
Presented to a female, professional skater who has brought recognition to the sport in a positive and favorable manner.
Nominees: Starr Andrews, Amber Glenn

[#13] Action Photo of the Year: Melanie Heaney (2-time winner now): https://www.instagram.com/p/CPdlm16LwCg/
Nominees: Jacob Marsh, Pablo Saccinto

[#8] The Betty Berens Award: Dedicated to the entire skating community and the PSA membership after such a challenging year
Established in memory of Betty Berens who gave unselfishly of her time and talent both on the ice and off. It is presented to a coach who has overcome adversity - physical or emotional - and who has continued in dedication and perseverance to serve their profession with dignity and fortitude.

[#6] F. Ritter Shumway Award: Carol Rossignol
Presented to a person who has earned distinction for unending dedication and significant contribution to the world of figure skating.
Nominees: Patrick O'Neil, Nick Perna

[#7] Joe Serafine National Volunteer of the Year Award (co-winners): Cheryl Faust
Recognized for outstanding service to the PSA over the past year.
Nominees: Teri Klindworth Hooper, Andrea Kunz-Williamson

[#2] Distinguished Official Award: Ann Barr (U.S. national technical specialist)
Nominees: Kathleen Krieger, Kimberley Moore

[#4] Fritz Dietl National Award for Ice Arena Excellence: Ice Den in Chandler, Arizona
Other Nominee: World Arena Ice Hall in Colorado Springs, CO

[#1] President's Award of Excellence (exceptional grassroots coaches in each of the 9 regions)
New England: SC of Boston coaches Michael Bramante, Bryna Oi, Alexandria Shaughnessy-Ronzio, Ron Kravette
South Atlantic: Nathan Truesdell
North Atlantic: Lisa Cardinal
Eastern Great Lakes: Erin Donovan
Upper Great Lakes: Tommy Steenberg
Southwestern: Jill Ahlbrecht
Southwest Pacific: Deividas Stagniunas
Central Pacific: The Strategic Method - Tiffany McNeil, Stephanie Chace Bass, Erika Roberts, Jeremy Barrett, Chris Obzansky
Northwest Pacific: Mari Malama & Nani Tanaka

EDI Award descriptions and winners through 2020: https://skatepsa.com/edi-awards

EDI Award Nominations Virtual Reveal Party video: https://psatv.uscreen.io/programs/edi-awards-reveal_v2mp4-c6af30

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The 2021 Virtual U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships was streamed live on May 23, 2021 (there currently is a 3-day free trial option available to watch the replay video): https://psatv.uscreen.io/programs/us-open-final-with-awardsmp4-dfe599

Winners announced with photos here: https://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalSkatersFoundation/posts/4176651882391013

Grand Champion Award winner: Alissa Czisny

Creative Visionary award winner: Harmony Ensemble (Paige Bartholomew, Piercyn Hunt, Alyssa Kormos, Ashlyn Olson, and Ashlee Pantano)

Skater's Skater award winner: Kseniya Ponomaryova & Collin Brubaker

Ground Breaker award winner: duet of Maria Starr & Sarah Santee

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

The 2021 Virtual U.S. Open Professional Figure Skating Championships was streamed live on May 23, 2021 (there currently is a 3-day free trial option available to watch the replay video): https://psatv.uscreen.io/programs/us-open-final-with-awardsmp4-dfe599

Winners announced with photos here: https://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalSkatersFoundation/posts/4176651882391013

This looks to be a lovely event, but why is no one in costume?

-BB

 

[Sylvia]

The 2021 EDI award winners were honored during the 53rd annual PSA Awards Banquet and the virtual ceremony was hosted by Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue on May 27 (video replay): https://psatv.uscreen.io/programs/910-thursday-edi-awardsmp4-f810f0
...
Action Photo of the Year: Melanie Heaney (2-time winner now): https://www.instagram.com/p/CPdlm16LwCg/

I forgot to mention that Melanie's winning photo was a black & white shot of Jason Brown from his "Melancholy" exhibition performance at 2021 Nationals. She shared a very nice anecdote about first seeing a young Jason skate to "You'll Be In My Heart" (from Tarzan) in her acceptance speech at 48-minute mark of the video.

 

[Sylvia]

Just noticed USFS published a press release dated June 2, 2021:

PSA announces winners of 2021 EDI Awards | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org