Coaching Staff
Our staff’s coaching philosophy is that the work we do as a team will translate to valuable life lessons. The Chicago Skates coaching staff is committed to building better skaters on the ice, in order to build better youths off the ice. Our knowledgeable and committed coaches will teach you the skills in a program, to compete at your highest level and to learn from the experience. We are dedicated to the growth of the Chicago Skates organization, the Windy City FSC, and the sport of synchronized skating.
Jessica Burbano – Coach Jessica has been coaching synchronized skating teams at McFetridge for the past five seasons. Jessica skated for the Chicago Skates from 2002-2009. Upon graduating from Robert Morris University she decided to come back to the ice and begin coaching for the program that taught her so much. Jessica has eleven years of competitive figure skating experience in USFS and ISI. She brings the energy and desire to work with our teams by challenging them with choreography and basic skills concepts.
Shannon Jahrling Coach Shannon grew up and trained on the East Coast, where she started skating 19 years ago. She currently holds two USFS gold medals in Moves in the Field and Ice dance. Coach Shannon also had the honor to represent the United States as a member of the Lexettes of Hayden Synchronized Skating Teams on Team USA 1 at Junior Worlds for two years. In addition to this, she holds three National Gold medals, and one National Bronze medal, as well as a plethora of sectional, national and international skating experience. She has been training synchronized skaters individually for the past six years, and was the coach of the Intermediate Team this past year. She will continue to coach Intermediate this upcoming season, along with our Pre-Juvenile and Open Juvenile teams. Coach Shannon strives to give her skaters back what this sport gave to her during her competitive years, both on and off the ice.
Kathy Murphy – Coach Kathy laid her synchro roots back in 1988, when she taught a synchro skills class at McFetridge. She eventually turned the class into a competitive synchro team and continued coaching Chicago Skates teams for more than 20 years. After taking a 2-year hiatus from coaching, Kathy came out of retirement for the 2011-2012 season, to coach the ISI Junior Youth Formation team and now coaches our Basic Skills 1 and Basic Skills 2 teams. Coach Kathy started the Chicago Skates Scholarship Fund and continues to manage and award money to Chicago Skates families that are in need.
Taryn Siko– Coach Taryn fell in love with figure skating at the age of 5 when she began. Through skating she learned commitment, discipline, what it means to work hard and achieve goals, camaraderie, teamwork, and that you can have fun with the sport too. Her 10 years of synchronized skating experience with the Chicago Jazz Synchronized Skating Teams began on the Chicago Jazz Mousettes and advanced through various team levels reaching the Chicago Jazz Junior team. Her Chicago Jazz teams competed nationally and during that time she became a National Gold Medalist four times. Coach Taryn competed internationally as well representing Team USA 1 for four years at the Novice and Junior levels. She is a 2-time World Junior Team Competitor and also won Gold Medals in both Prague & Milan during their international assignment competitions. Taryn’s individual training in freestyle, edges, moves, power skating, and ice dance enabled her to achieve the USFS Gold Medal for Moves in the Field and Pre-Gold Ice Dances. Coach Taryn attended Illinois State University and graduated in 2014 with a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science. Living in the city of Chicago now, she is excited to share her ice skating knowledge and synchro expertise with the Chicago Skates to succeed as a team, and give her skaters the same outlook on the sport that she had experienced growing up.
Miranda Shaver Miranda has been involved in synchronized skating for the past 15 years and has just completed her second year on the Chicago Skates coaching staff. Miranda skated on Chicago Skates for nine years before graduating from Jones and attending college. She studied at Michigan State University where she joined their synchro team. She helped MSU earn several awards in the Collegiate division including a National Bronze medal in 2014. Her senior year, she served as Treasurer on the team’s executive board. She graduated in 2016 with Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Miranda is excited to share her passion and enthusiasm for the sport with the new generation of Chicago Skates. She hopes to teach her skaters the valuable lessons that the sport offers and help them grow as skaters, teammates, and individuals
Chicago Skates Synchronized Skating 