Vol. 19, No. 31

May 18, 2000

Skating director named to hall of fame

Ron Ludington, director of the UD Ice Skating Science Development Center, added another jewel to his sparkling array of awards and honors May 11 when he was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame. A member of induction class of 2000, he shared the honor with several others honored for their contributions to Delaware sports. A member of the World and U.S. figure skating halls of fame, a gracious Ludington said the local honor is special because it is the first time he has been honored outside the sport of figure skating. "This is the first nonsport-specific honor I've received," he said. "I have been honored in my own field, but this is the first time I've been recognized as a sportsman outside of skating. "When sports writers ask me to name the highlight of my career, I always point to the 26 Olympians we've trained here, especially the eight we took to the Olympics in 1984. But, when I sit down and really reflect on what's made the biggest difference in my career, I have to say it was joining hands with the University of Delaware. The program and the relationships we've been able to build here are very special for the skaters." Ludington, who holds several titles from his own days of competitive skating, came to coach at Delaware in 1970, when his program grew too big for the facilities at the Skating Club of Wilmington. Today, the Ice Skating Science Development Center supports some 300 athletes and 56 coaches who teach all aspects of ice skating including figures, freestyle, pairs, dance and stroking. Programs are designed to meet the needs of first-time competitors and Olympians. Its primary goal is to assist athletes and coaches in reaching their maximum potential. Housed in a state-of-the-art facility, the center provides the most complete training environment in the country. UD faculty who specialize in sports medicine, exercise physiology, biomechanics and sports psychology and students majoring in those areas work with the athletes to advance their competitive stance and to advance the body of knowledge in figure skating. Ludington has coached skaters in nine consecutive Olympics and 36 World Championships. His own skating titles include U.S. Pair Champion (1956-60), U.S. Silver Dance Champion (1958), World Bronze Medalist (1959), Olympic Bronze Medalist (1960) and World Invitational Dance Champion (1965).