A FORMER star figure skater in the world famous Moscow on Ice, Russian coach Galina Pachin is now the new coaching director at the Glacarium Ice Skating Centre in Baulkham Hills.

Pachin is a first class coach with her current students including Olympian and West Pennant Hills resident Joanne Carter.

The former Russian international also has Australian male figure skating champion Bradley Santer and Sarah Yvonne Pertula under her wing.

Her valuable coaching methods and experience will be a boost for the centre, looking to develop skaters from the junior levels.

Pachin paired up with her husband to perform in Moscow on Ice, and it was during a trip to Australia that Galina and husband Andrei were approached to coach in Australia.

After 11 years of coaching throughout Australia, Pachin is now comfortable at the new Glacarium.

"I have three main skaters that I coach from here," she said.

"It's a great opportunity. When the manager asked me to come and work here I thought it was great.

"I have the challenge of taking on beginners and developing them."

According to Pachin, coaching figure skating can be quite difficult.

She says the sport takes various amounts of patience and discipline.

"It is a very disciplined sport," she said.

"You have to have a lot of self control on the ice and it's not like a team sport.

"It's very difficult to coach because all kids are different. They have moods just like everyone else and you coach them full-time and your like another parent to them.

"You are with them all the time, so there are arguments."

Pachin and her husband are very committed to the sport they love.

Andrei is currently coaching in New York for a few years, and only sees his wife during international events.