Mihoko Higuchi’s journey with the LYS Skate Club

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Two years ago, renowned figure skating coach Mihoko Higuchi embarked on a new adventure. She parted ways with her long-time team to open her own figure skating club, the LYS Skate Club, finally fulfilling her childhood dream. LYS is an acronym for “Let Yourself Shine.” As head coach, she is assisted by her son Shota Higuchi, who serves as a fitness coach at the rink. Higuchi has worked as both a coach and choreographer for over 35 years, training many top figure skaters and cementing their legacy in the sport.

Despite being relatively new and having few students, the LYS Skate Club quickly gained recognition. Last season, one of its youngest talents, Rena Uezono, achieved remarkable success by winning the bronze medal at both the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final and the 2024 Junior World Championships. This achievement is particularly impressive considering Rena was only 13 years old.

Last week we had the opportunity to visit the ice skating facility and talk to the coach and her son, who gave us a friendly welcome and introduced us to the LYS Skate Club.

LYS beginnings

Mihoko Higuchi founded the LYS Skate Club in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan in 2022. This initiative marked a significant step in her career as she established herself as an independent coach. Her son Shota followed his mother to take on this new challenge.

“This is the third year of our club since I became independent,” said Mihoko Higuchi.

“We decided to become independent from the previous club,” adds Shota Higuchi. “Instead of just being my mother, I also decided to join. My mother and I founded this club together and it has been around for about two years now.”

The LYS Skate Club is located in Moricoro Park, which was built next to the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park. The facility is equipped with a small cafeteria, a free rest area with snacks, a seating area and a spectator area with free seating on the second floor. The indoor area includes the main track with an attached side track for laps where students practice.

The vision

Driven by a long-held passion for the sport and for children, Mihoko Higuchi founded the LYS Skate Club with the vision of providing young children with a comprehensive education in figure skating and supporting them as they grow.

“I have always wanted to teach children from a young age and support them in their development,” says Mikoho Higuchi. “I want to offer my students a comprehensive education in figure skating from the very beginning, covering both physical and mental aspects.”

“When the figure skaters are young and enter puberty and beyond, I want to spend time with them,” she added. “I want to prepare and train them to become athletes. It all started with a desire to teach children. While it’s a little different than starting a club, what I like most is that I really enjoy it when I get to share a wonderful moment with our athletes!”

At the club, Mihoko Higuchi teaches children of all ages the basics of figure skating, from crossovers to triple jumps. Shota Higuchi is in charge of warming up and conditioning the skaters and assists his mother in running the club. The rink is open year-round and the atmosphere is not only calm but also full of laughter.

“The atmosphere in the club is nice,” says Shota Higuchi. “Our athletes are all serious, respectful and very hardworking. They are also all uniquely different. When it comes to training, all the skaters are focused but happy and get along well with each other off the ice too. So I think the atmosphere here is great!”

Philosophy and Mission

What perhaps sets LYS Skate Club apart from other clubs, however, is their vision and approach when it comes to skating. In fact, the club’s philosophy goes beyond competitive success. With their motto “shine in your own way,” they strive to create a place where unique individuals can come together and reach their full potential.

“At LYS Skate Club, we believe that while it is important to achieve good results in competitions, we also want to develop athletes who can flourish as people,” explained Mihoko Higuchi. “Our club’s mission is to develop athletes who can succeed as individuals and spread their wings around the world. I believe that we are a club that allows everyone to shine in their own way.”

It seems that not only are the skaters growing, but so are the coaches. By helping the athletes utilize their unique talents and achieve their goals, the coaches find great fulfillment in witnessing their growth and success.

“To become a good coach, I think it is first important to educate and develop yourself and to understand each individual athlete,” shared Shota Higuchi. “It’s about developing athletes who can succeed in the world and letting them shine through their individual strengths. I am very happy every time I see our athletes grow, it is a fulfilling feeling. Everyone has a different goal, but I am happy when each athlete achieves their own goals.”

Training approach

The club aims to focus on both on- and off-ice training, so before on-ice training, all skaters begin with a 30-minute off-ice warm-up session supervised by Shota Higuchi. The club’s approach ensures that its athletes are not only technically proficient, but also physically fit and mentally prepared at each training session.

As the skaters step onto the ice and begin their session with long crossovers, the first notes of the Japanese version of bolero start playing on the ice. The skaters then carefully begin warming up for their jumps.

The practice on the ice lasts about two hours and thirty minutes, with each skater going through their routine twice. Mihoko Higuchi and Shota Higuchi, as well as other coaches, stand close to the boards to give instructions and advice. As the Zamboni machine circles the ice, the skaters have time to cool down before taking off their skates and returning to their parents, who are waiting for them at the end of the lesson.

In closing, Mihoko Higuchi recalled with a smile, “I started training because I love figure skating and children, and I’ve been doing this (training) for over 35 years now. As for my career goals, I haven’t set a specific goal for the LYS Skate Club yet. If I fail, I’ll think about it when it happens, but I want to go as far as I can in my career.”

As the LYS Skate Club continues to grow, it is poised to make a lasting impact on the world of figure skating with the combined expertise and passion of the Higuchis and the hard work of their students.