That’s us!
Der SKATE Club® is a brand of SKATE & Media GmbH and the skating community for everyone who loves ice skating. The focus is on recreational and grassroots sport – founded in early 2019 by professional ice skater and licensed coach Katharina Miles (formerly Rybkowski).
For the love of ice skating
Our aim is to make ice skating accessible to young people and adults, to promote recreational and grassroots sport, to create new opportunities to take part, to support clubs, to provide ice skating coaches with new and additional job opportunities, and to build a strong, mutually supportive ice skating community.
We want to bring exciting ice-skating events to various towns and cities – with the aim of halting the decline of ice rinks and securing the long-term future of ice sports.
The people behind SKATE Club
International coaches, choreographers and professionals – united by their love of ice.
Kat Miles
Professional figure skater and qualified coach. Kat (née Rybkowski) founded SKATE Club in early 2019 with a clear vision: to make ice skating accessible to young people and adults, and to build a community that will ensure the long-term future of the sport.
René Sachtler-Lohse
René is one of the most successful German ice dancers of all time; together with his partner Kati Winkler, he was crowned German champion on several occasions, came third at the World Championships and eighth at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Today, René works as a coach in elite sport at the Federal Training Centre in Berlin.
Jessie Etheber
Jessie is one of the creative minds behind the team. She is primarily responsible for photography and videography and, together with Kat, manages the social media channels. Jessie is an adult amateur figure skater herself and, thanks to SKATE Club, has finally found a way to learn some of the basics without having to train every day. Her enjoyment of ice sports has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Ruben Blommaert
Ruben is a multiple German champion in pairs figure skating and has competed at the European Championships, World Championships and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. As a B-licensed coach in elite sport, he works both nationally and internationally. He coaches in the disciplines of singles and pairs figure skating.
Zabato Bebe
Zabato is a professional figure skater and choreographer with international show experience, including with Cirque du Soleil, Disney On Ice and in the ice shows at Phantasialand. Together with his pairs skating partner, he is currently the only male pairs skating team performing in shows. The duo received four ‘Yes’ votes on Britain’s Got Talent. Zabato also works as a choreographer and provides casting support for national and international ice shows. In training, he draws on a wide range of movements and provides personalised coaching tailored to each skater’s strengths and goals, from expression and musicality to partnering and cool tricks. His coaching builds confidence, is great fun and allows the skater’s personality to shine through on the ice.
Kati Schneider
Kati is one of the most successful German ice dancers of all time; together with her partner René Lohse, she was crowned German champion on several occasions, came third at the World Championships and eighth at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Today, Kati works as a TV presenter and occasionally takes to the ice as a guest coach at SKATE Club and other ice-skating camps.
Gary Jones
Gary has been a NISA Level 4 coach and head coach at Alexandra Palace in London and in Gillingham for over 40 years. He has trained international medallists in freestyle figure skating and ice dancing, including three-time British champion John Hamer. Originally from Edinburgh, he was the first coach at the Gillingham ice rink and played a key role in developing the rink’s young talent during the 1980s and 1990s. His focus is on technical excellence and nurturing top talent.
Anuschka Gläser-Tandogan
Anuschka is a multiple German champion in pairs figure skating, finished fifth at the European Championships, ninth at the World Championships and competed at the Olympics. She competed in professional competitions and, as part of a team with Katarina Witt, Robin Cousins and Torvill/Dean, came third at the 1994 World Team Championships. Anuschka is a B-licensed coach in Stuttgart and primarily coaches children and young people at a competitive level.
Sophia Streubel
Sophia is a Level 2 coach, personal trainer and choreographer from the UK. She was Scottish pairs champion and ice dance champion. During her competitive career, she skated for both the UK and Germany and took part in Junior Grand Prix events as well as the Youth Olympics. As a professional skater, she performed for Hot Ice Show and toured with Illusion on Ice. Sophia lives with her husband Franz in the UK, where she teaches skaters of all ages and levels.
Florian Just
Florian was the first German to win a Junior Grand Prix in the singles event and competed at the Junior World Championships. He also represented Germany on several occasions in pairs skating at European and World Championships. He began his coaching career at the national training centre in Dortmund and obtained coaching licences up to A-level. He was subsequently employed by the German Skating Union as a national training centre coach for young talent and juniors. As a coach, he guided athletes to Junior and Senior Grand Prix events in both singles and pairs. They qualified for and competed at Junior World Championships, European Championships and World Championships. Oberstdorf is also his current place of work, where he coaches athletes of all categories in singles and pairs skating.
Rita Koen
Rita is from Amsterdam and holds the highest coaching licence in the Netherlands. As well as teaching her pupils, she also trains new coaches in the Netherlands. Rita was a competitive skater herself and came third twice at the Dutch Championships. She has been enjoying teaching skating for 30 years, from beginners right through to seniors, and regularly teaches at adult camps such as SKATE Club or in Oberstdorf. As well as Dutch, she speaks German, English and a little French.
Franz Streubel
Franz is a former German figure skater and now works as a skating coach. Franz was a two-time German champion and won six international senior medals (including gold at the Bavarian Open and the NRW Trophy). Franz competed in the European and World Championships. As a professional skater, he performed for the Hot Ice Show and at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg. Franz now passes on his knowledge to skaters of all levels and age groups. He lives in the UK with his wife, Sophia.
Katja Bögelsack
Katja (née Schubert) was an active pairs skater alongside her brother Knut Schubert in Berlin from 1964 to 1977. Together, they competed at the World and European Championships, as well as in many national and international competitions. Katja has been coaching skaters of all levels and age groups since 1985 (Berlin, Hanover, Wedemark). For her, figure skating is the most wonderful sport in the world for young and old alike.
Steffen Hörmann
Steffen has been working for many years as a sought-after choreographer in competitive sport. During his active career, he won several German junior titles in singles and pairs figure skating and competed in international Grand Prix events. He spent 10 years touring the world as an adagio skater with various shows, including Holiday on Ice and Disney on Ice. He also worked as a choreographer for the TV programme “Dancing on Ice”.
Susanne Cerez
Susanne has been working as a choreographer for over 20 years and, since 2012, as a full-time coach and club coordinator in the Netherlands. As a young athlete, she was German Junior Champion and, after her competitive career, toured throughout Europe, Asia and on cruise ships as a professional for eight years. In 2008, she appeared as a professional on the Pro7 programme ‘Stars auf Eis’ alongside Bürger Lars Dietrich. Susi speaks fluent German, English, Dutch and French.
Sharon Jones
Sharon has been coaching figure skaters of all ages and ability levels in Gillingham for over 40 years. She has coached junior and senior medallists in ice dancing, pairs and singles figure skating, including participants in the Youth Olympic Games. Her coaching is based on patience, personalised support and a focus on goals, to provide her pupils with the best possible support.
Theresa Schuhmann
Theresa started figure skating at the age of 3 in what was then East Berlin. She took up pairs skating at the age of 10 and went on to compete for 11 years as a senior with the synchronised skating team Team Berlin 1, where she discovered her passion for the sport. After 20 years of competitive sport, she went on to make various exhibition appearances, including on ‘Dancing on Ice’ in Germany and internationally. Since 2016, Theresa has been working as a freelance coach in the recreational sports sector and loves teaching people to skate without any pressure, focusing on fun and enjoyment.
Nicole Lampe
Nicole holds a degree in sports science. Her area of specialisation is figure skating. As a former competitive and elite athlete, she gained extensive experience at national and international level and was a member of Team Berlin 1. As a coach, she was involved in Berlin’s youth development programme and played a key role in shaping its content and implementation. With great passion, she conveys the joy of movement and inspires children, teenagers and adults alike to take up figure skating.
Lola Wegner
Lola has been working for several years as a licensed figure skating coach, choreographer and qualified dance teacher in recreational sport with people of all ages in Hanover. She is still active herself, both as an athlete on the ice (single skating, solo ice dancing) and as a dancer (ballet, contemporary). She previously competed in singles and show duo competitions and, with her partner, won first place in competitive dancing at the DAT’s German Open. Lola is the first German champion in senior solo ice dancing.
Patricia Kühne
Patricia has been on the ice since she was three years old. Following a successful career in competitive figure skating – during which she was, amongst other things, a multiple Saxony champion, German Youth Vice-Champion and winner of the German Cup – she now works as a coach and choreographer in both competitive and recreational sport. Patricia is currently enjoying a successful career as a show skater. She creates her own ice shows for corporate events and has appeared on camera in productions such as Holiday on Ice, Phantasialand, ice shows on cruise ships and the RTL figure skating series ‘Alles was zählt’.
Jasmin Wiertz
Jasmin has been on the ice since she was four years old and has competed at a competitive level for 15 years, representing the North Rhine-Westphalia squad both nationally and internationally. Jasmin was North Rhine-Westphalia state champion and achieved top-10 placings at the German Junior and Youth Championships as well as the German Cup. She appeared as an extra in the TV series “Alles Was Zählt (AWZ)” and currently works as a coach in club and competitive sport.
Lauren Anderson-Just
Lauren grew up in Minnesota, USA, and took up figure skating at the age of seven. After competing in numerous competitions in the USA and Canada, and winning two gold medals in freestyle and moves, Lauren joined ‘Disney On Ice’, where she performed in over 5,000 shows worldwide. During her time with the show, she worked as a principal soloist and adagio skater, was an understudy in an aerial acrobatics act on the ice, and held the role of ‘Ladies Line Captain’. After her active touring career, Lauren began giving both private lessons and group classes, whilst also skating with the American Ice Theatre on the side. She enjoys working with skaters of all ages and ability levels – from beginners to advanced. Since moving to Germany in 2020, Lauren has been delighted to be part of the figure skating community and to share her passion for the sport.
Mila Morelissen
More information to follow …
Kathi Gierok
Kathi is a former German figure skater who competed internationally in both singles and pairs. She is now a successful show skater, performing on cruise ships and on the TV programme “Alles, was zählt”, amongst other things.
Manuela Machon
Manuela has been working as a coach in Berlin for 45 years, specialising in youth and elite sport. She has completed several additional training courses (TrainerAkademie Köln, and the International Development programme in Ostrava). Throughout her career, she has coached young athletes right up to top-level international competitors, been involved in club work, and been responsible for talent identification and development right up to the state squad. Manuela currently works as a state and club coach in Berlin.
Nicole Kibelka
Nicole has been on the ice since she was three years old and began passing on her passion for the sport to young skaters in Darmstadt and Frankfurt in 2015. She currently coaches children and teenagers in Esslingen, near Stuttgart.
Tobija Harms
Tobija is a real late bloomer on the ice: he didn’t step onto the ice for the first time until he was 11, but quickly found his way into competitive sport. In 2025, he became German Junior Champion in pairs skating and represented Germany at six Junior Grand Prix events and two Junior World Championships (Calgary & Taipei). Following his active career at the national training centre in Oberstdorf, he is now passing on his knowledge as a coach whilst studying sports management. Tobija teaches all age groups and levels, from the very first steps right through to advanced elements. He specialises in power skating and jumps. Through targeted off-ice athletic training in strength training and plyometrics, he optimally prepares the body for the physical demands and dynamics of the sport. It is particularly important to him to create a healthy, motivating environment in which everyone can achieve their goals whilst having lots of fun.
Strong partners by our side
Ready for your first camp?
Join Europe’s largest ice-skating community – we look forward to welcoming you.