The Stoery Family

Distinctive Edge isn't just one person, it's the culmination of one family's love of skating. From sisters Debbie and Jodi's skating expertise and parents Samuel and Marianne's dedication to the sport, Jess carries a wealth of experience and artistry, which can be traced back to skating champion Pierre Brunet.

Debbie Stoery

Debbie Stoery has over 35 years of teaching experience. Debbie has coached students to qualify for over 30 World/Jr. World/Internationals, over 30 US National/Jr. Nationals and 26 Midwestern Sectionals—producing over 200 medalists from the Regionals, Sectionals and Nationals to the Junior Worlds (’82 & ’01), as well as thousands of top three placements in USFS non-qualifying competitions. Read more »

Jodi Stoery Tipton

Jodi Tipton is PSA (Professional Figure Skaters Association) rated Senior Freestyle, Senior Program Director, and Certified Figures. She has compiled a near perfect USFS testing record with students in all levels of Moves in the Field and Freestyle and coached students through the Senior and National competitive levels with hundreds of medalists emerging during her coaching career.
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Samuel Stoery

Samuel Stoery grew up skating on the frozen river in his childhood hometown. He later built an outdoor rink with lights for his wife Marianne, an accomplished skater, and children. When his daughters began to train two hours from home, he became involved at their Wagon Wheel Figure Skating Club, eventually becoming President and taking on great responsibilities with the United States Figure Skating Association. Yet whether singing a cheerful wakeup song to the early morning skaters at the rink or designing club logos for Wagon Wheel FSC and Skokie Valley SC, he was happy to contribute without actually getting on the ice. He was also a devoted fan at his son's hockey games!

Samuel Stoery coupled his own retirement as President and co-founder of Midwest Packing and Gasket Corporation with the retirement of Mr. Brunet, and purchased Brunet's unique equipment and technique to establish a new career.

Marianne Stoery

Before pursuing figure skating, Marianne Stoery had studied ballet, tap, and acrobatics from the age of three. She was also an accomplished baton twirler and marched in many Chicago parades. Marianne skated with the Chicago Figure Skating Club during the school year, and trained in St. Paul and Canada in the summer. As an adult, she participated in ice dance sessions three times a week with the Skokie Valley Skating Club and served on the Board of Directors. As a parent, she volunteered to be the Test Chair of the Wagon Wheel Figure Skating Club. As a performer, she wowed ice show audiences with her fire baton twirling on ice with the assistance of her flag wielding daughters!