Who are Alysa Liu’s coaches? Meet Bay Area-based duo who helped American figure skater win gold medal

Alysa Liu is a gold medalist.

She became the first American to win the women's singles figure skating event at the Olympics since Sarah Hughes earned gold in 2002. While much of the focus on her win is on her comeback from a brief retirement, it is worth noting that the figure skater changed her coaching staff in 2020.

Coaches in figure skating help plan routines, train their athletes, and focus on improving moves while minimizing weaknesses on the ice. They are just as important to a skater’s success as coaches in any other sport.

After Liu faced some struggles, it was her father who decided she should switch coaches. She began working with Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali in 2020. A year later, her father fired the coaching pair. She returned to figure skating for the 2024–2025 season and resumed working with DiGuglielmo and Scali. Just two years later, the change paid off as she earned an Olympic gold medal.

Here's more on Liu's coaches.

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Who are Alysa Liu's coaches?

Liu has had several figure skating coaches in her career, including multiple stints with her current coaches. The American figure skater is currently coached by DiGuglielmo and Scali. She began working with them in 2020, but her father fired the coaches in 2021. After Liu took a break from figure skating, she returned for the 2024-2025 season. She went back to DiGuglielmo and Scali and has seen much more successful results since rejoining forces.

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Where are Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali from?

Not much is known about Diguglielmo's early life, but he has ties to Colorado, as he got his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology/Chemistry from the University of Colorado-Denver in 1994. He currently resides in San Francisco, California, per his LinkedIn profile. 

Scali is a former competitive ice dancer. He was born in Monterotondo, but his hometown is considered Mentana in Rome, Italy. After his competitive career ended, Scali began working as a coach and choreographer in Michigan. He stayed in Michigan until 2020 when he moved to San Francisco to begin coaching at the Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center. 

MORE: Alysa Liu celebrates with F-Bomb after winning gold

Were Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali Olympians?

DiGuglielmo's LinkedIn profile mentions that he had a competitive figure skating career. He says that he was a U.S. national competitor and was an Italian national silver medalist. DiGugelielmo then toured as a member of the Ice Capades, but there is no mention of competing in the Olympic games. 

Scali won seven gold medals at the Italian Championships, but didn't find the same success at the Olympics. He and his skating partner, Federica Faiella, qualified for the 2002 Winter Games, and they finished 18th. They then finished outside of the top 10 at the 2006 Olympics and fifth in the 2010 Olympics.  

MORE: Alyssa Liu takes home gold with near-flawless performance

What do figure skating coaches do?

Figure skating coaches have a multitude of jobs. They train their skaters in techniques, choreography and performance. Coaches also will help to develop personalized improvement plans ranging from beginner to competitive. They can help skaters with their jumps, spins and edge work, while also providing teaching and mentoring.