Meet Coach Aimée!

My name is Aimée Ricca, and I’m an ISSA Certified Elite Personal Trainer (E-CPT), ISSA & Precision Nutrition Certified Nutrition Coach (CN and Pn1), ISSA and IYCA Certified Youth Fitness Coach (YFC, YFS-1), ISSA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSSC), and IYCA Certified Youth Nutrition Specialist (CYNS). I'm also a PSA Ranked and Rated Skating Coach/Choreographer (Category A). 

My approach is unique because I am skilled not only with on-ice development, but also off-ice strength and conditioning to optimize on-ice performance and nutrition and health coaching.

I became a coach to help other aspiring skaters avoid making the mistakes that I made. I've suffered injuries, been exhausted, and frustrated because I didn't have access to the right program and tools to achieve my goals properly, I learned everything the hard way by seeking out instruction, information, and inspiration. 

Now, I work with skaters, parents, and even other coaches – because I believe every skater deserves the opportunity to take their performance to the next level under the guidance of a coach who has been there and genuinely wants to help them succeed on the ice and in life!

As I child, I skated recreationally and wanted to be Dorothy Hamill. Her autobiography was my blueprint, but I didn't have access to the right resources. So, I channeled my competitive energy toward skiing and swimming which were more accessible. As a child, my strength and conditioning training came by way of the Jane Fonda Workouts on VHS. I borrowed them from a neighbor and would get up and do them in the mornings before school. 

As I matured, I became more interested in learning about proper training, techniques, and nutrition. While in college, I enrolled in cooking classes as the Culinary Institute of America while finishing my Bachelor's Degree in Communication at William Paterson University (class of 1998). The culinary classes led to my becoming an award-winning executive chef at my family's restaurant in Maine for nine years. 

When I returned to New Jersey and was part of the team that opened the Prudential Center Arena (N.J. Devil's home ice) in 2009. Then, I became the head of branding, marketing and communication for a global professional non-profit organization, and turned my personal attention back to skating. I became a competitive skater at the age of 40. I sought out training programs, but still didn't have a handle on all the right elements. I pushed too hard, too soon and shattered my right ankle and couldn't walk or stand for three months.

In my injured downtime, I researched more programs and techniques and resolved to come back skating stronger. Once I recovered enough, I went out to Colorado Springs to train with Olympic coaches and learn more about their programs. I also started studying to receive personal training and nutrition credentials because I began to understand how critical off-ice training and deep health were to on-ice skating development. 

I went on to pass my first moves test, win competitive medals, and became the 2019 Adult Competition Series Eastern Pre-Bronze Pewter Medalist. 

In 2019, I made a career change and went from coaching part-time, to full-time. I received my IYCA Youth Fitness Specialist Certification as well as earned my PSA Rating and Ranking. PSA Rankings are a distinguished induction based on lifetime achievement. Rankings acknowledge the career coaching record of a professional established only through the performance of the skaters under their direction.  I also joined the National Strength & Conditioning Association and became a member of its Figure Skating Special Interest Group.

In 2020, I was named a U.S. Figure Skating Get Up Champion and nominated by the members of the Professional Skaters Association for the President's Award of Excellence. I also finally completed my personal training accreditation to become an ISSA Certified Elite Personal Trainer, Nutrition Coach, Youth Fitness Coach, and Youth Nutrition Specialist. 

Only a handful of coaches in our area hold a PSA Rating and Ranking. Even fewer are also qualified to train skaters off the ice with personal training as well as strength and conditioning, and coach nutrition. 

In 2021, I was nominated a second time for the PSA President's Award of Excellence and became certified by ISSA as a Specialist in Strength & Conditioning (CSSC). I am currently studying to become an ACE Certified Health Coach and NASM Certified Corrective Exercise Specialist.

I am also incredibly proud of the accomplishments of all my skaters that have resulted in the PSA inducting me into the Ranking system. And, I'm thankful for the dedication of all my skaters and their parents. It's an honor to be PSA Ranked and Rated coach!

✓  Green Light Background Check

✓  SafeSport Trained with Annual Refreshers

✓  Learn to Skate USA Certified

✓  PSA Professional Coach/Choreographer CERs

✓  PSA Professional Group Instructor CER

✓  Insured for On-Ice and Off-Ice Training

✓  Full Member - Professional Skaters Association (PSA) - renewed for 2021-2022

✓  Full Member - U.S. Figure Skating

✓  Coach Member - Learn to Skate USA

✓  Fully Vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine (1st Dose: 03/18/2021, 2nd Dose: 03/29/2021) 

✓ International Sports Science Association (ISSA) Certified Elite Personal Trainer (E-CPT)

✓  ISSA Certified Nutritionist Coach (CN)

✓  ISSA Youth Fitness Coach (CYFC)

✓  ISSA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSSC)

✓  PSA Rating: RG, BA

✓  PSA Ranking: Level I 

✓  PSA Master Sport Science and Medicine Ratings Exam - Passed

✓  PSA Certified in Hockey Skating 1, 2, 3

✓  Precision Nutrition Certificate in Exercise Nutrition (Pn1)

✓  Stanford University Child Nutrition and Cooking Certificate

✓  IYCA Youth Fitness Specialist (YFS-1)

✓  IYCA Youth Nutrition Specialist (YNS)

✓  NSCA Professional Member & Member of the Figure Skating Special Interest Group (renewed for 20221-2022)

✓  TrueSport: Developing Your Coaching  Philosophy and Ethics

✓  OTF Online Fitness Coach Certified

✓  American Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Certified

✓  COVID-19: What You Need To Know (Osmosis.org)

✓  American Red Cross Returning to Work During COVID-19: Safe Work Practices

✓  COVID-19 Contact Tracing (John Hopkins University)

✓  Making Contact: A Training for COVID-19 Contact Tracers is provided by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and
the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD)

✓  CDC Heads Up Concussion Training Certification

✓  SHARP 4 Sports Coach Participant

✓  PSA 2020 and 2021 President’s Award of Excellence Nominee

✓  U.S. Figure Skating 2020 Get Up Champion

✓  U.S. Figure Skating 2019 Eastern Adult Competition Series Pre-Bronze Pewter Medalist 

✓  Skating Club of New York Coach Member

✓  Highland Skating Club (Seattle, WA) Associate Member

✓  Essex Skating Club of NJ Associate Member

✓  B.A. from William Paterson University

✓  Test Sessions

✓  Qualifying and Nonqualifying Competitions

✓  Ice Shows, Exhibitions, Performances

✓  Club Ice Sessions and Activities

✓  Traveling to Competitions as part of Team USA

✓  Learn to Skate USA group lessons

✓  Compete USA Events

+  Off-Ice Performance Training and Strength & Conditioning