Coach Denise Darling-Mills

Figure Skating Coach

I was a very young person when I began to skate. It all started with the gift of a pair of ice skates for Christmas in 1971. Since we had no indoor facility at that time, I could only skate outdoors and had to wait (impatiently) for the weather to be cold enough for the water to freeze. Finally, in 1979 one of the first indoor ice arenas was built near my hometown and skating became a year-round activity and passion. So began my life’s ambition; my idols were Dorothy Hamill and Peggy Fleming and I dreamed of being as good as they were.

But for that dream to be realized I had to learn the tricks that made champions, from mentors like Gustave Lucci, an American skating pioneer, and his former student Les Hanson. After pursuing a solo career for some time, I became interested in ice dance and pairs. My first partner and I competed four times in nationals for ice dancing.

While training in Detroit I met my life partner and future husband, Ken Mills. Although we had intentions of continuing in competitive skating, fate stepped in when Ron Urban, a producer of ice shows around the world, hired us to perform in our first professional ice show in Lake George, New York. From there, Ken and I went on to perform in Hong Kong, India, Mexico and all over the United States. It was an exciting and adventurous 20-year career.

As our performing career was coming to an end I struggled to know what to do next in skating.
Once again fate stepped in. Going to a local rink for a workout I was approached by an old skating friend to help her coach. I immediately fell in love with seeing children learn and grow in skating and felt gratified to a part of that process. Being an accredited coach for 15 years I bring to you 50 years of skating experience and a true passion for the sport and for teaching children.