Our Coaches

Katie learned how to skate at a young age by chasing her brother who played hockey around the Nantucket Ice Rink. Soon after, she joined the Island Waves Synchronized Skating team where she stayed on for seven years. She also competed individually around the New England area. Growing up skating with team members, family, and friends make up some of her favorite memories. When Katie left for college, she stayed dedicated to her skating and joined the UMass Synchronized Skating Team. There she was not only a member, but a Vice President and President, and competed nationally. 

After graduating from college, Katie moved back home to Nantucket where she has been working as a teacher for over five years now. She started back up with the Learn to Skate program two years ago and has since become a key person in making this program run. It has been dear to her heart since she was a volunteer throughout Middle and High School. Synchronized Skating has always been a love of Katie’s, so when she started at the rink and learned that the Island Waves team had fizzled out because of COVID-19, she could not wait to start it up again. Katie and one of her former teammates, Nia Bessey, have reinstated the Island Waves Synchronized Skating Team and will have a team training and competing this Fall and Winter.

At the rink, you can find Katie scheduling ice time, organizing the Learn to Skate classes, cutting music, and choreographing programs. In addition to a coach of the Learn to Skate program and the Island Waves, Katie coaches private and group lessons for skaters at the rink. 

Nia Bessey moved to Nantucket at the age of three, where she found her love for ice skating at Nantucket Ice. She quickly picked up skating through the different programs that the ice rink offered and skated on the Nantucket Island Waves for many years. In 2013, Nia moved off the island to attend high school at Shattuck St. Mary’s to further her skating career in the Midwest. Throughout high school, she competed on the synchronized skating team and individually.

Nia attended college at Miami University (OH), where she achieved her dream of skating for the Senior Varsity Synchronized Skating Team. There, she competed on Team USA with Miami University for her first three years of college, traveling overseas to Germany, Sweden, Croatia, and France. Unfortunately, her senior year was cut short due to COVID-19. Nia is a 5-time National Competitor, 3-time National Bronze Medalist, and 2-time Gold Medalist.

Nia moved back to Nantucket 2 years ago and has been involved in coaching the Learn to Skate Program and giving private lessons at Nantucket Ice. She is beyond excited to have the opportunity to rebuild the synchronized skating program where she once started.