Karen Howard found a great foundation in both figure skating and volunteerism in her hometown of Melville. Her passion and dedication to both would take her to the largest stages of the sport.
Howard started figure skating when she was five, but by the time she was 13 she knew she wanted her figure skating future to be as an official. Three women at the club in Melville: Olga Morgan, Mariette Parker and Bev Smith, encouraged her dream and had her prepared to begin her career as a figure skating judge as soon as she turned 16 and was eligible to do so.
After moving to Regina, Howard continued to have strong mentors including SSHF inductee Margie Sandison who helped her along the competitive judging pathway. Now, having reached the highest levels of the sport, Howard is a mentor herself and has never stopped giving her time at the local and provincial levels. It is not unusual for her to stop by a rink on her way home from work to check in with the skaters and coaches. She provides invaluable experience for other officials, skaters, coaches, and parents with whom she is always willing to share her expertise.
Howard judged the women’s figure skating competition at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi where she was one of only five judges to score the short and the free program. She served as a judge and/or referee at three World Figure Skating Championships and four Junior World Figure Skating Championships. She also judged at the International Skating Union’s Grand Prix Final of Figure Skating twice.
In addition to serving as an international-level judge, she is a member of the International Skating Union’s Officials Assessment Commission and has worked to train officials on the latest changes in rules and judging procedures. She also has written exams for judges and was the chair of the national Officials Appointment and Promotion Committee which she served on for a decade.
At the national level, Howard has served as a referee and/or judge from 1998 to present. She has also served four-year terms on the national High Performance Committee (2010-2013), the Technical Officials Committee (2007-2010), and a two-year term on the Board of Directors of Skate Canada (2005-2006).
Closer to home she has been a judge, evaluator, and referee for Skate Saskatchewan since 1981. She began officiating at provincial championships in 1989 and continues to do so to this day. She served on the Skate Saskatchewan Officials Coordinating Committee for a total of 23 years, the Coaches Development Committee for nine years and the Skater/Athlete Development Committee for 16 years.
She won the Skate Canada Officials Award of Excellence in 2014 and was named Sask Sport’s Female Athlete of the Year that same year. In 2014 she was also inducted in the Regina Sports Hall of Fame.
Installed in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame on September 28, 2024.
