43 Years of Sharing a Love of Skating
For Kelly Witt, skating has always been about more than what happens on the ice. It’s about the people who introduce us to the sport, the coaches and families who help us grow, and the opportunity to pass that love of skating on to someone else.
His own skating story began in 1967, holding the hand of his mother, Jacqueline Witt, during a public skating session.
That childhood introduction would eventually take Kelly from beginner group lessons to becoming a national and international medalist and representing Team USA. It would also lead him to a coaching career at The Skating Edge that has now spanned 43 years and generations of skaters.
“My mother grew up in the 1930s and always wanted to be a competitive skater,” Kelly remembers. “She shared that love and passion with me. She inspires me to this day.”
From Beginner Group Lessons to Team USA
Kelly was seven years old when he began skating, a beginning that makes one of the highlights of his competitive career even more meaningful.
Over the course of his competitive skating career, Kelly became a national and international medalist and earned 10 U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medals, including achievements in Ice Dance, Free Dance, International Dance and Moves in the Field.
Kelly also went on to represent Team USA alongside his ice dance partner, Robi, competing around the world. One particularly memorable experience took them to Holland, where Kelly recalls performing in front of the Queen and having the competition filmed by ESPN.
For Kelly, those experiences reinforced something that continues to influence the way he coaches today.
“Anything is possible if you have the love, passion and support.”
It’s a message he has now had the opportunity to share with generations of skaters.
Finding His Way Back to Harbor City
Kelly’s history with the rink in Harbor City began long before he became one of its coaches.
He remembers competing at the rink as a child in 1970. Years later, Kelly returned to California with his skating mentor, Olympic bronze medalist Barbara Roles Williams, after the two had been based at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs.
Walking back into the rink brought back memories. Kelly remembers it looking like a beautiful Swiss chalet, complete with a large round fireplace. Even more remarkable was how familiar it felt from the rink where he had competed years earlier.
In 1983, Kelly was hired by Jerry Rehfield, the rink’s original owner and builder, beginning a coaching career at The Olympic Ice Arena, now known as The Skating Edge, that has continued for 43 years. Kelly has remained part of the rink through three different ownership eras and says each has made him feel like a valued member of the family and an important part of the business.
That sense of belonging inspired Kelly to give back in return, helping build and strengthen the skating community and making the rink a place where generations of skaters could grow.
Coaching Every Skater with the Same Passion
Over the years, Kelly has had the opportunity to coach everyone from beginner Basic Skills skaters to World and Olympic competitors, often training on the very same ice.
Despite the enormous difference in levels, Kelly says he has seen something in common across them all: a love of skating and a desire to become the best they can be in their own skating journey.
Kelly remembers coaching future Olympians Michelle Kwan, Madison Chock, Nicole Bobek and Beverly Zhu when they were young skaters in the Bay Harbor area. He recalls not only their talent and dedication on the ice, but also the strong family support that helped them develop as skaters and pursue their goals.
Kelly’s contribution to the sport has also extended beyond his own skating and the students he has coached. He served as a voting member of the U.S. Figure Skating and Professional Skaters Association Dance Committees and has been a guest speaker at numerous judges schools, sharing his experience and knowledge with the broader skating community.
Those experiences have reinforced something Kelly has seen throughout more than four decades of coaching: every skater’s journey is different, but each one deserves the opportunity to develop strong skills, build confidence and discover just how far their own love of skating can take them.
Building Skills, Confidence and a Love for the Ice
Kelly’s coaching style has naturally evolved throughout more than four decades, but the foundation behind it has remained consistent.
He wants his students to enjoy learning a new skill and then experience the confidence that comes from building upon it. Not every skater will pursue the sport for decades or compete at the highest levels, and Kelly doesn’t believe they have to.
Instead, he wants each skater to become the best skater they want to be while enjoying the journey along the way.
For those who do remain in the sport long term, Kelly has had the opportunity to guide students through years of development, including skaters who have gone on to earn U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist achievements before heading off to college and the next chapter of their lives.
“My job has been to share the love of great skills and confidence in every lesson,” Kelly says.
When Students Return with Their Own Children
Some of Kelly’s most meaningful coaching moments haven’t happened at competitions or come with medals.
They happened years later.
Former students who once came to Kelly as young skaters have grown up, left for college, built careers and started families. Years later, some return to The Skating Edge with their own children, ready for them to take their first lessons with “Mr. Kelly.”
For a coach whose own love of skating began with his mother, there is something particularly meaningful about seeing that cycle continue.
Kelly says one of the greatest rewards of his career is when a student returns 20 or 30 years later to say hello, remember the fun they had together and thank him for being part of their skating journey.
It’s a connection that reaches far beyond learning a particular skill.
43 Years and Generations of Skaters
After 43 years at the rink, Kelly’s impact can’t simply be measured by competitions, medals or the number of students he has coached.
It can also be found in generations of skaters who remember the lessons they learned, the confidence they gained and, perhaps most importantly, how much fun they had along the way.
In many ways, Kelly’s story has come full circle.
“My wonderful mother, Jacqueline, gave me the special gift of ice skating that I have enjoyed since I was 7 years old,” Kelly says. “I hope I have inspired others at The Skating Edge Ice Arena to do the same.”
Nearly six decades after his mother first took his hand during a public skating session, Kelly is still sharing that gift.
Interested in Working with Coach Kelly?
Kelly is currently accepting new students who are motivated and want to advance in their skating journey.
Click here to inquire about private lessons with Kelly at The Skating Edge.
Learn More About Our Coaching Team
The strength of Skating Edge lies in its people.
Our Coach Spotlight series highlights the unique backgrounds, coaching philosophies, and experiences that help make our rink a welcoming place for skaters of all ages and levels.
Follow along as we continue to spotlight the coaches who help shape the Skating Edge community both on and off the ice.
