The Edge Protocol — Twin Cities, MN

Hockey Power Skating Coaching — Twin Cities, MN
Your player has the compete level. His skating is the one thing scouts will use to say no.

The Edge Protocol is the individualized power skating program built to get serious hockey players into NCAA, junior, and NHL organizations — by fixing the one skill scouts rank above everything else.

Apply for The Edge Protocol →

Who This Program Serves

Players in this program are targeting NCAA, Tier 1 Junior, and professional rosters.

The families who come to The Edge Protocol are not looking for improvement. They are looking for results — a college offer, a junior contract, a professional tryout. Their player is already competing at a high level. The gap is skating. And the gap is closable.

In 90 days of individualized edge-work, players see measurable improvement in crossover efficiency, zone-entry speed, and edge-to-edge transition — the specific mechanics that differentiate players at every major scouting evaluation from AAA through pro.

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90
Days, Individualized
1:1
Sessions Only
20+
Years Coaching Experience
3×
U.S. National Champion

The Scouting Reality

Scouts rank skating first. Most players are not training it the way scouts evaluate it.

Every NHL scout, every NCAA coach, and every Tier 1 junior evaluator applies the same first filter: skating. Not compete level. Not hockey sense. Skating — because it is the one physical attribute that immediately signals whether a player can survive at the next level.

The gap between where most serious players are and where they need to be is not about effort or training volume. It is about edge mechanics — the specific blade angles, weight transfers, and transition patterns that scouts notice within the first two minutes of watching a player skate.

Fixing that requires working one player at a time, with a coach who evaluates edge mechanics the way scouts do.

"Edge work is measurable. The difference is visible."
Close-up of hockey skate blades on ice — edge mechanics at ice level

The Methodology

Built on the same edge-work fundamentals NHL skating coaches use.

Stephanie Culver coaching on ice — individual edge-work instruction

The most effective skating coaches at the professional level share one foundation: figure skating methodology. They built their edge mechanics — blade engagement, hip position, weight transfer, and rocker transitions — before speed or power. The result is the effortless transition and precise edge control that scouts identify immediately, and that separates the players who make it from the ones who plateau.

The Edge Protocol applies this methodology to hockey players one at a time. Every program is built from an individual edge assessment, identifying the specific deficiencies in that player's skating and building a progression around those deficiencies — not a standard drill package.

The Program

90 days. Individualized. Built around your player's specific deficiencies.

  • Initial edge assessment — every deficiency mapped, compensation patterns identified, individualized roadmap built before session one
  • 1-on-1 sessions only — no group sessions, no shared ice, no diluted coaching time
  • In-person, on-ice coaching — scheduled around existing team commitments, at Twin Cities-area rinks
  • Video analysis — every session recorded and reviewed; progress is documented, not assumed
  • Position-specific training — defenders and forwards train different edge patterns; your player's program matches their role
  • Regular progress reports — measurable benchmarks after each phase; you know what is being worked on and why
1

Assessment

Full edge mechanics evaluation. Every deficiency mapped before session one.

2

Edge Development

1-on-1 on-ice sessions. Position-specific, video-documented, built around your player's deficiencies.

3

Performance Benchmarks

Measurable outcomes. Documented improvements. Specific mechanics visible to scouts and evaluators.

Apply for The Edge Protocol →

The Programs

Three ways to work with Stephanie — from first assessment to full transformation.

Starting Point

Edge Audit

90-minute on-ice assessment + written Performance Report + Zoom debrief. Find out exactly what to fix before choosing a program.

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30-Day Program

Edge Sprint

6 private sessions over 4 weeks with before/after video analysis. Real, measurable improvement — on video.

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Flagship Program

90-Day Edge Protocol

The complete edge transformation. Full 90-day private program with assessment, video documentation, and direct access to Stephanie. For players targeting NCAA, AHL, or NHL.

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Who This Is For

This program is for players who are serious about what comes next.

The Edge Protocol is built for players at the level where skating is the deciding factor. Stephanie coaches in-person at rinks across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area:

  • AAA and Tier 1 Junior players (ages 14–21) being evaluated for the next level
  • College players targeting professional tryouts or development contracts
  • Players who have received skating feedback from coaches or scouts and have not found the right intervention
  • Families who understand that elite-level results require elite-level coaching — and are ready to invest in it

We work with a limited number of players per cohort to protect the coaching quality that makes the program work. Applications are reviewed before a spot is offered.

Hockey player in full equipment, on-ice training — 16-19 year old target demographic

The Coach

Elite edge-work expertise. Built for this level.

Stephanie Culver — founder and head coach, The Edge Protocol

The Edge Protocol is run by a 3-time U.S. National Champion figure skater who competed at the ISU World Championships and has served as a USFS Competition Judge since 2018 — evaluating edge mechanics at the national level as part of her professional role. Twenty years coaching experience. Active contract at the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.

This is not a resume. This is a methodology. The credential matters because it means your player's skating is being evaluated by someone who assesses edge mechanics the same way professional scouts do — and builds programs around what she actually sees.

  • 3× U.S. Synchronized Skating National Champion
  • ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships competitor (Haydenettes)
  • USFS Competition Judge — active since 2018
  • 20+ years coaching experience
  • St. Paul Figure Skating Club — active coaching contract
Full Coach Biography →

Cohort spots are limited.
Applications are open now.

We work with a small number of players per cycle to protect the quality of coaching attention each player receives. When the cohort fills, a waitlist opens.

Apply for The Edge Protocol →

Application takes 5 minutes. No commitment required to apply.

What happens after you apply:

1

Application Review

We review your application within 48 hours.

2

Intake Call

If your player looks like a fit, we schedule a 20-minute call to understand their current level and skating challenges.

3

Assessment & Program Build

If we move forward, we schedule the initial edge assessment and build the program around your player.

Interested in the founding cohort pilot? Learn more →
USFS Judge
Active Since 2018
20+ Years
Coaching Experience
1-on-1 Only
No Group Dilution
On-Ice
In-Person, Twin Cities Rinks