Scott Hamilton

Many of you know how much I love winter sports.  I taught children with special needs how to ski – ten Saturdays per season for 10 seasons.  I also was blessed to become a certified adaptive ski instructor through the Professional Ski Instructors of America.  When my parents dragged me to Evergreen, CO in 1976, they bought a Subaru, ski equipment for themselves (having never skied before), and signed me up for lessons in Winter Park.

Before skiing, there was skating.  Chicagoland winters are long and cold.  Both of my parents skated outdoors during their growing-up years.  They continued skating as adults.  My dad sharpened the runners on my sled so he could spin me round in circles on local ponds.  It was cold, but it was fun.

 I also watched a fair amount of skating on television on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.  I remember watching Peggy Fleming.  Santa brought ice skates for my dolls and I cajoled my maternal grandmother into making skating dresses for them as well.  Like many my age, I got the requisite Dorothy Hamill haircut.

Scott Hamilton is probably my favorite skater of all time.  Why?  He’s only 5’4”, experienced health challenges as a child and he’s a hard worker.  Since retiring from skiing he’s married, fathered two children, and had cancer twice.  I thought some of you might enjoy hearing his story.