Ice dance star Scott Moir named head coach of second Ice Academy campus

Olympic ice dance champion Scott Moir will be guiding Canada’s future stars.

The 33-year-old from Ilderton, Ont., has been hired as head coach and managing director of the Ice Academy of Montreal’s second campus in southwestern Ontario.

“I have always been extremely passionate about figure skating,” Moir said in a Facebook announcement. “Now that my competitive career is done, I am looking forward to giving young local, Canadian and, hopefully soon, international skaters, the opportunity to reach their potential at a world-class skating academy.”

Moir and longtime former partner Tessa Virtue are the most decorated ice dancers in Olympic history, capturing dance gold in 2010 in Vancouver and 2018 in Pyeongchang, plus silver in 2014 in Sochi. 

“As a coach, I am committed to not only developing well-rounded athletes but also good human beings,” Moir said. “For some, sport is just a short chapter of their lives so I am excited to help athletes develop many life skills that they can take with them on their next chapter.”

Virtue and Moir trained at the Ice Academy of Montreal (I.AM) for the final two years of their careers, which Moir called “a dream come true.

“The environment was truly spectacular,” Moir said. “Not only does it provide you with a platform to allow you to reach your potential as athletes but I.AM has also created an environment where all athletes thrive personally as individuals.”

Moir credited Montreal coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer for helping he and Virtue recpture a love for their craft ahead of winning gold in Korea. 

“Canada is on the map being home to the best ice dance school in the world,” Moir said. “I look forward to continuing and building on that in southewestern Ontario.” 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2021. 

The Canadian Press