Theodore Stroukoff
Theodore Stroukoff has encountered many challenging situations in his work as a travel nurse. But his 27 years as a figure skating coach have prepared Theodore Stroukoff for a variety of situations, as well as boosting his people skills.
When asked what skills he gained from his years of coaching, Theodore Stroukoff points to several. The first is creativity. In helping students prepare for competition, Theodore Stroukoff says that he was forced to tap into his more artistic side. This creativity now helps Theodore Stroukoff in his work as a travel nurse, when he has to think outside the box as it relates to taking care of his patients.
Theodore Stroukoff also notes that he learned persistence during his time as a figure skating coach. Watching numerous young skaters show up day after day, continuing to practice even when competition was fierce, Theodore Stroukoff says that he discovered an important lesson about the benefits of hard work. The students also inspired Theodore Stroukoff with their focus and commitment, he says. It is a philosophy Theodore Stroukoff carries with him into his nursing work today.
One of the most valuable benefits Theodore Stroukoff gained from coaching, he says, was learning innovative ways to explain technique to students. Theodore Stroukoff finds himself regularly using the skills he learned as a teacher in his nursing duties. Whether it’s helping a patient learn to use crutches or teaching a first-time mother to care for her newborn baby, Theodore Stroukoff has fine-tuned a talent for patiently explaining techniques to others.
Patience was another trait Theodore Stroukoff says that he honed as a figure skating coach. According to Theodore Stroukoff, the patience he learned as a teacher has translated well to his work as a travel nurse.
While Theodore Stroukoff thinks back fondly on his coaching days, his work as a travel nurse has led him to challenges he never imagined. Theodore Stroukoff says he has been able to work in a variety of facilities and situations and doing so has allowed him to stretch his abilities as a nurse, taking him to the next level professionally.
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You must be very patient to be so good at what you do, Theodore Stroukoff. I’m sure there are many lives you have touched! What an honor and a reward! Keep it up.
@Leigh Anderson – Thank you for the compliment. As with any teacher, you need to have patience to deal with students of all levels. What will work for someone may not work for the next student. The biggest thing to remember is to always encourage them and keep them motivated. I hope your children continue to enjoy ice skating! – Theodore Stroukoff
I always watch ice skating events during winter and I love how graceful they look. You’ve shown me in this article that it takes a lot of dedication and hard work. I know that you have a lot of patience, being a coach. You’ve helped many who study ice skating to sharpen their creativity.
@Jennifer Bowman – I enjoy watching ice skating as well. Ice skating is definitely a hard sport to learn, especially if you haven’t set foot on an ice skating rink before – but like anything else, if you put forth a strong will and determination, you can learn it and the muscles will start to develop. Winning is an art of its own – you have to put the time in to learn the techniques AND display them in an artistic way. Thank you for your good wishes. Same to you – Theodore Stroukoff
Theodore Stroukoff, with your patience, you have been able to give a lot of inspiration to young people. More power to you, and I hope you keep inspiring people in the future.
@Craig Stapleton – Thank you! My desire is to help those that have the same passion and love of ice skating that I have to reach their goals – Theodore Stroukoff
Commitment and dedication are obviously the keys to being successful in this sport. It’s interesting to see the techniques that you teach to students to cause them to be the best at the sport. I see how the parents can trust in you. You obviously know what it takes to be the best. Thank you so much for explaining how ice skating can also be fun.
@Catherine Dempsey – Being a coach, I realize that the artistry in a performance is founded on technique – that’s why I spend so much time with students on it. If they practice the technique to the point that they don’t think about it, it becomes second-nature and they can spend their time focusing on the interpretation of the piece. I always make sure that the parents understand both aspects so that they can encourage their child as they practice. I’m glad you enjoyed reading this post! Thanks – Theodore Stroukoff
This article was very helpful. I now understand how hard ice skating can be. I cannot imagine the training that ice skaters must do to become the best in that sport. No wonder Michelle Kwan has been so successful. She must practice hours and hours!
@Anges Kho – Yes, ice skating does take a lot of hard work. But almost any professional you see performing any sport, whether it’s ice skating, gymnastics, golf, basketball, soccer, baseball…etc…has to put in a lot of practice and conditioning before they can be good. They are ALL dedicated at what they love! – Theodore Stroukoff