Empowering Figure Skaters Through Global Connection – The Impact of Klevr
Klevr serves as a dynamic platform, connecting coaches with their athletes, regardless of their global locations. Consider the case of Katherine Hill and Ben Agosto, renowned international figure skating coaches and choreographers for elite athletes. While their primary training base is located in Colorado Springs at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, Klevr has enabled them to reach their athletes in countries like Australia, South Korea, and beyond. In a recent interview with Katherine and Ben, we delved into their adoption of Klevr, their most-used Coach Mode features, and their valuable advice for budding elite figure skaters. Let's delve into their story!
ABOUT KATHERINE & BEN
“Klevr has been instrumental”
Katherine Hill, an international figure skating choreographer, and Ben Agosto, the 2006 Olympic Ice Dance Silver Medalist and Five-Time US National Ice Dance Champion, bring a unique blend of expertise to their coaching. Katherine excels in the singles discipline, while Ben specializes in ice dancing, a partner-oriented discipline. Ben remarked, "It's been a really great way to work together, combining her creativity and ideas with my understanding of how to make it work with two people." When not teaching performance and style lessons to World & Olympic athletes, Katherine & Ben can be found choreographing for stage, television, and film. Their journey led them to meet Klevr Founder, Kris Versteeg, during their collaboration on the television program "Battle of the Blades."
After retiring from the NHL as a 2-time Stanley Cup champion, Kris Versteeg sought an efficient way to provide athletic feedback to the community that sought his guidance. Coincidentally, Katherine and Ben were grappling with a similar issue. Ben explained, "We used to capture videos on our phones and then share them with our athletes through AirDrop or text messages. However, the quality often suffered, making it challenging for our athletes to grasp the details." Many of their clients reside overseas, requiring extensive travel for choreography and training sessions. Katherine added, "Klevr has been instrumental in maintaining our connection with clients and providing them with our ongoing insights."
INTEGRATING KLEVR
“All of these tools have been extremely helpful for us”
A significant portion of their work involves choreography, catering to athletes at the pinnacle of their sport as well as those in the developmental stages. Katherine highlighted, "Many coaches, parents, and skaters we work with express concerns about retaining choreography quality when we aren't physically present." With Klevr, athletes coached by Katherine and Ben can submit videos of their performances or specific sequences for review and feedback. Ben emphasized the utility of Klevr's tools, stating, "It's incredibly useful because we can draw, add arrows, and pinpoint areas for improvement directly on their videos. We can pause, slow down, and highlight the necessary adjustments. Moreover, we can narrate over the video, which enhances the learning experience."
Using the front-facing camera in Coach Mode, they can demonstrate correct movements for their athletes. Additionally, Comparison Mode allows them to juxtapose their own choreography execution with their clients' performances, aiding in pinpointing discrepancies. "All of these tools have been extremely helpful for us," Ben noted.
Katherine praised Klevr's customer service as a key factor in their continued partnership. Unlike other programs with complex support pipelines, Klevr's team, led by Kris, was exceptionally responsive and transparent. Katherine explained, "We could directly message Kris, and he would promptly address technical issues or provide timelines for fixes. This accessibility to leadership was a significant draw for us." When they initially adopted the platform in early 2022, the maximum clip length was insufficient for recording their entire choreography. In response, Kris and the team extended the maximum recording time for clips. Katherine reiterated their positive experience, saying, "We've worked with other startups that didn't iterate as swiftly. However, Klevr has been a value add for us, and being part of its development has been truly rewarding." Ben concurred, emphasizing how Klevr had enabled their business to expand in ways previously unattainable.
PARTING ADVICE
In parting, we asked Katherine and Ben to offer advice to young athletes. Ben advised, "Embrace mistakes as opportunities for growth. The path to improvement is paved with mistakes, so welcome them and trust the process. Save the judgement for the judges and give your absolute best effort." Katherine echoed this sentiment, emphasising the importance of enjoying the journey, not just the destination. She stressed, "From my experience and personal anecdotes, I've found that athletes who truly love the practice, relish day-to-day progress, sustain their curiosity, and commit to the process are the ones who ultimately succeed."