Milja Sarkkinen celebrates gold with Team Fintastic at the 2022 Finnish Nationals. (Credits: Sari Niskanen)

From team culture to skating fundamentals, Finnish coach Milja Sarkkinen has recently launched a thoughtful Instagram series supporting synchro coaches through the early season. Drawing from decades of experience, she offers concrete tools to help teams thrive from day one.

Milja Sarkkinen, better known on Instagram as @coachmilja, uses social media to share her decades of experience with the synchro community. Based in Järvenpää, Finland, Milja has spent over 30 years in the sport, first as a top-level athlete with Team Fintastic and Rockettes, and now as a globally respected coach and mentor.

Today, she works alongside Tiina Turunen at Marigold Ice Unity and regularly supports teams and coaches in Milan, Nottingham, and beyond. Known for her technical precision and warm leadership, she is also a coach educator for the Finnish Figure Skating Association.

This season, Milja launched a six-week Instagram series for coaches. “I noticed that many synchro coaches face similar challenges at the start of the season: building new teams, keeping motivation high, planning the training year, and dealing with the pressure of expectations,” she says.

“I wanted to offer practical tools, spark reflection, and create a sense of community among coaches.”

Week 1 of the series focused on building team identity and culture. “Start with clarity: what kind of team do you want to be, and how do you want people to feel in your practices?” she advises. “From there, build habits that reflect those values. Create rituals, set expectations together, and make connection a priority early on. Culture doesn’t just happen, you create it day by day with your words and actions.”

Week 2 shifted to the fundamentals. “Maybe it’s because the basics feel boring—always the same and too easy. Everyone wants to jump ahead to exciting choreography, but without strong basics, nothing works,” Milja explains. Her solution? Keep drills engaging by using variety in patterns, rhythm, and partner work: “Basics can be incredibly rewarding when skaters understand why they matter and feel progress.”

The content is entirely created by Milja herself—from writing to visuals. “I like to keep the style clear and a bit playful, just like my coaching approach,” she says. The response has been enthusiastic: “The reception has been really warm, and it feels encouraging to see people save my posts to return to them later.”

For Milja, the drive to mentor comes from a deep-rooted love for the sport and a desire to uplift others. “I know that coaching can be a lonely road, and the expectations are high. I believe every coach deserves to learn more, and feel confidence and pride in their work. When we support each other, we all raise the level of the sport.”

Up next in her series: strategies for summer motivation, long-term planning, and personal growth. As Milja puts it, “Coaching is not about having all the answers. It’s about passion, curiosity and presence.”

In a future article, we’ll explore how Milja approaches seasonal planning, athlete motivation, and what she hopes coaches will take away from this online journey.