Jordan Stolz splits with coach Bob Corby in effort to plan for next Games
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Jordan Stolz is parting ways with his coach, Bob Corby.
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Stolz, the 22-year-old, two-time Olympian and champion from Kewaskum, told Corby on June 11 that he plans to change coaches this summer offseason in a long-term plan to prepare for the next Olympics.
Corby, 76, confirmed the change July 2 to the Journal Sentinel.
“He said he wants to go in a different direction but still wants summer training programs,” said Corby, who was surprised by the decision.
Corby had hip replacement in May and said he is fully recovered. While he had privately debated how much longer he would coach Stolz, he hadn't talked of retirement lately and has been working with a couple of other skaters through US Speedskating. Because of this, he said, he wasn’t expecting the news from Stolz three weeks ago.
“Just shock was all. Shock because I wasn’t consulted,” Corby said. “I’m trying to understand it.”
Corby coached Stolz through both of his Olympics, the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan in February, when Stolz won two gold medals and a silver, and virtually through the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, where Stolz was the fastest American man even though he was just 17 years old.
Corby also encouraged Stolz to take on the prestigious World AllRound championship, which tests the skater in sprint and endurance speed, and Stolz won in 2024 in record fashion.
Stolz also repeated as World Champion in his three best races, the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters, winning in 2023 and 2024. He also set records in those races for being the youngest to win the triple crown. Stolz also set the world record in the 1,000 meters in 2024. This was all under Corby's direction.
But most fans know Stolz for his dominance in Milan five months ago, when he set Olympic records by winning gold medals in the 500 and 1,000. He also won silver in the 1,500.
When reached by phone July 2, Stolz told the Journal Sentinel he came to the conclusion that he wanted to make the change at coach because he was thinking ahead for the next Olympics and, really, the rest of his career.
“I realized I had to think long term going into the 2034 Games,” Stolz said. “It's going to be eight years that I'm going to have to be doing the best things possible. I feel like me and Corby had a great run for the last eight years, and I feel like our relationship has always been pretty good and he was a great coach who helped me improve a lot.
“I feel like in this next four years leading up, I would rather work in a way that can kind of set me up better for the next eight years.”
Corby called the Milan success by the versatile Stolz “the highlight” of his entire career, which dates back five decades.
Corby was a former elite speed skater himself who got into coaching at a very young age and became the US Speedskating head coach in the early 1980s. He coached Dan Jansen and Bonnie Blair Cruikshank in the 1984 Winter Olympics. But a disappointing showing there for the U.S. team, along with other issues with US Speedskating, caused Corby to leave the sport. He almost disappeared from the international world of speed skating and remained only as a local coach on freelance or volunteer basis at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee.
He got to know Stolz when the talented skater was in his early teens and had an injury and needed help. Corby created a second career as a physical therapist and businessman who owned and operated In-Step physical therapy.
When Stolz’s coach unexpectedly died, he needed a coach and called Corby, asking if he would do it. Corby agreed and put aside his physical therapy and business career. He canceled any thoughts of retirement to coach Stolz full time. Corby starting coaching Stolz in the 2018-19 season when the skater was 14 years old.
Stolz got better and better, but the COVID-19 pandemic somewhat shielded his progress at the junior level. By the time Stolz qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in 2022, Corby knew what potential was there, but the Games in Beijing were one of the least watched in decades. China also didn't allow parents or fans to attend, and Corby was prevented from coaching Stolz in person.
After Beijing, Stolz burst onto the scene, winning World Cup races, climbing up the rankings and seizing his first World Championship in 2023. He credited Corby frequently for the coach's training programs.
But after Milan, and some time off after the Games, Stolz said he's fairly certain he's not only committed to the next Olympics in France in 2030, but probably to the Games after that, which return to Salt Lake City in 2034.
“I think I just need to plan more long term, like eight years down the road towards the Olympics in 2034,” Stolz said. “And I would rather start that earlier rather than later, because I don't know how long Corby wants to coach.”
Asked if he has any plans for working with Corby at all going forward, even on summer training programs, Stolz said, “I'll always take his advice on training, but as of right now, I'm working on transferring things over to my new program and what I'll be doing for this season and continuing on for the next four years.”
Stolz did not want to disclose who the new coach or coaches he plans on working with next.
It will be an important part of his development.
Corby was responsible for Stolz’s strength training and the coordination and planning for major competitions. Corby also helped with strategy sometimes on race day.
“On some races, depending on the distance of the race and the opponent, you can foresee what’s going to happen in the race,” Corby said. “Sometimes I would be able to give him insight on what to look for and what to do to help him.”
Stolz often credited Corby for his flexibility as a coach, particularly in the balance between training exercises and competition weekends.
But in the offseason, Corby’s training programs – including running up ski hills in the low skating position – were his calling card. Stolz got stronger every year.
“I would credit him for the progress we made up until now,” Stolz said. “These programs over the summer and on the ice, like, I could see the improvement from each year over a year and I was just getting better and better.
“He's probably one of the best, or most successful coaches that there ever has been in the history of the sport. I felt really confident working with him throughout that time period.
“So I feel like we had a great relationship and he helped me develop from a junior until a higher level where I was winning world championships. I have to credit him.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jordan Stolz splits with coach Bob Corby in effort to plan for next Games