How is an Edge Audit different from a private skating lesson?

A lesson delivers instruction in the session. An audit delivers a diagnosis with a written report. The audit tells you what to work on and why. Lessons without that foundation are often working on the wrong things.

Can we do the Edge Audit and then work with Stephanie on corrections?

Yes. Many families use the audit as the entry point into ongoing work. The written report from the audit guides the correction work that follows.

Our player's team coach says their skating is not the issue. Should we still do an audit?

That is one of the most common situations. Hockey coaches evaluate skating relative to the current competitive level. An Edge Audit evaluates skating relative to the level the player is trying to reach — and uses a technical framework coaches are not trained in. Both assessments can be true simultaneously.

How quickly after the Edge Audit would we see change?

The audit itself does not produce change — it produces information. Players who take the corrective plan into focused work see measurable improvement in 4–6 weeks. The audit is the starting point.

Is the Edge Audit worth it?

For hockey players aged 14–22 pursuing NCAA, USHL, NAHL, AHL, or NHL development pathways, the Edge Audit provides something no other product delivers: an individual, diagnostic, written assessment of blade mechanics from a coach with Stephanie Culver's background. Parents who go through the process consistently say the same thing — they had no idea how specific the problem was, or how addressable it was, until they had the written report in hand.

What Is an Edge Audit — And What Hockey Families Get From One

Q: What is an Edge Audit?

An Edge Audit is an individual on-ice assessment of a hockey player's blade mechanics, conducted by Stephanie Culver — a three-time U.S. National Champion figure skater and USFS judge. It covers edge integrity under load, balance and weight transfer timing, crossover mechanics, pivot transitions, posture and center of gravity, and fatigue pattern indicators. The assessment produces a written report with a priority-ordered corrective plan delivered to the family.

What Happens During an Edge Audit

The assessment takes place on ice with Stephanie. It is structured around a technical evaluation sequence — not a workout, not a scrimmage, not a camp drill set. Every component of the session is designed to reveal information.

The evaluation covers:

Edge integrity under load

Stephanie assesses both inside and outside edge loading during isolated drills that remove compensatory movement. Most players have one edge that performs significantly weaker than they realize.

Balance and weight transfer timing

The sequence of how a player moves their weight from blade to blade is measured, not estimated. Timing errors that are invisible at game speed are visible in the assessment structure.

Crossover mechanics

Crossovers are analyzed for whether they are generating acceleration or simply maintaining momentum. Flat-blade crossovers are identified.

Pivot transitions

Forward-to-backward and backward-to-forward transitions reveal hip mobility, blade sequence, and edge confidence under direction change.

Posture and center of gravity

Where a player’s weight lives on the blade affects every other mechanic. A heel-weighted player cannot generate edge power efficiently. This is identified and documented.

Fatigue pattern indicators

Stephanie identifies which mechanics are likely to degrade under third-period conditions based on what the assessment reveals.

What Families Receive

At the end of an Edge Audit, the family receives a written report. Not verbal feedback in the parking lot. A document.

The report includes:

A summary of the player’s current edge mechanics — what is working and what is limiting
Identification of the specific flaws found during the session
A priority-ordered corrective plan: what to address first, what to address next
Position-relevant context (the demands for a forward differ from a defenseman)
Recruiting-relevance notes: which findings are most likely to affect how scouts evaluate this player

The written report is what distinguishes an Edge Audit from a skating lesson. A lesson delivers instruction in the session. A report delivers a roadmap the family can execute on for weeks or months after.

Who the Edge Audit Is For

The Edge Audit is designed for hockey players aged 14–22 who are serious about pursuing competitive hockey at the next level — NCAA, USHL, NAHL, AHL, or NHL development pathways.

It is not a beginner program. It is for players who already compete at AAA, Tier 1 or Tier 2 junior, or college prep levels — players where skating mechanics are the difference between advancing and stalling.

The families who get the most from an Edge Audit typically recognize at least one of these situations:

Their player is attending showcases without generating recruiting interest
Their player looks different — slower, less explosive — than their effort and conditioning suggest they should
Their player’s coach has mentioned skating but cannot specify what to fix
A tournament or combine skating test came back weaker than expected

What the Audit Tells You That Nothing Else Does

There is no other product that delivers an individual, diagnostic, written assessment of a hockey player’s blade mechanics from a coach with Stephanie’s background. Hockey camps assess performance in groups. Power skating clinics deliver general instruction. Private coaches teach skills in sessions.

An Edge Audit diagnoses what is actually happening — at the blade level, on your specific player, documented in writing.

Parents who have gone through the process consistently say the same thing: they had no idea how specific the problem was, or how addressable it was, until they had the written report in hand.