1:03 p.m., Feb. 3, 2010----Ron Ludington has stepped down as director of the University of Delaware's Ice Skating Science Development Center, which he headed for 23 years, but he will continue coaching skaters at the center.

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"It's been a privilege to work with Ron during the last 12 years," said James Kaden, manager of UD Ice Arenas. "I have learned a lot about the ice arena business from Ron and I look forward to working with him as the center continues to build on the strong skating history that he has established at the University of Delaware."

Ludington, who has coached skaters in nine consecutive Olympics and 36 World Championships, was instrumental in developing the professional education program and the coaches accreditation program at the University of Delaware. He is master-rated in figures and freestyle, dance/free dance and pairs skating by the Professional Skaters Association.

Ludington also started the only figure skating coaching practicum (minor) in the U.S., through which college students studied the art of coaching. There are only two other such programs, each in the Russian cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Upon successful completion of the practicum, Ludington also helped most of the students in the 18 graduation classes to find jobs throughout the country, where many of them have been very successful.

Ludington holds several skating titles: 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).

Ludington was named Coach of the Year in 1990; inducted into the Ice Skating Hall of Fame in 1993; named to the World Ice Skating Hall of Fame in 1999; became the first ice skater to be named to the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2000; joined the Professional Skating Hall of Fame in 2002; and inducted into the Ice Skating Institute Hall of Fame in 2008.

The Ice Skating Science Development Center is a year-round training facility designed to meet the needs of first-time competitors and champions alike. Its primary mission is to assist athletes and coaches in reaching their maximum potential.

The center, which is housed in state-of-the-art facilities on UD's Newark campus, provides the most complete training environment in the country. Skaters have access to two ice surfaces, at the Fred Rust Ice Arena and the Gold Ice Arena, as well as strength and aerobic training rooms and a dance studio.

Article by Martin A Mbugua