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Ron WIllard pauses for a quick greeting in the midst of making announcements to coordinate Special Olympics figure skating practice at Mt. Vernon Recreation Center's ice rink in Alexandria, Virginia USA.
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When you live in Maine it’s almost a given that you’ve at least tried winter sports. Ron Willard, 64, is no exception. Willard grew up in Bethel, Maine, and also grew to love ice skating there. After brief stints in teaching, Willard worked for the U.S. Navy for 25 years and then the Defense Logistics Agency for four as a position classification specialist. While whiling away time at a local ice rink in 1985 — Willard has lived in Northern Virginia since 1973 — he noticed a flier welcoming people to volunteer for the local Special Olympics Program.
“I saw a notice for skating volunteers on the bulletin board where Special Olympics north section practices,” said Willard, referring to the Mount Vernon Recreation Center that houses a rink that has been used by anyone from beginners to the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Washington Capitals. Under the guidance of ice skating program director for Special Olympics Virginia Marty Nielson, Willard became the volunteer assistant speed skating coach for Special Olympics in Northern Virginia. In 1992 he became a certified coach and for a brief period was head coach of speed skating for the Program. Along the way he’s also logged time volunteering for figure skating, playing the athletes’ music for both their practice and competition performances. As you can imagine, he has some memories.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing athletes progress and take pleasure in skating as well as social trips and attending dances. I’ve served as chaperone so I’ve got to know them a little bit better as individuals.”
Of the many athletes he’s tutored, few have been as exceptional as Frankie Dashnaw, who won the gold in speed skating at the 1993 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Salzburg and Schladming, Austria. Dashnaw’s father, Frank, served as Special Olympics Virginia’s north section ice skating program director and, in fact, was speed skating head coach for most of Willard’s tenure as assistant. Frankie remembers these years well and like his father, holds Willard in high regard.
“He treats everybody equally. Part of the reason that I like him so much is that he doesn’t judge people by their limits. If we needed his help he was there,” said Dashnaw. A master motivator, Willard helped the athletes give it their all. “He pushes everybody. If you’re slowing down he says, ‘dig it out, dig it out, faster. There are guys gaining on you,’” Dashnaw enthused. “Ron’s a cool guy. He works hard at what he does. He’s there for the athletes.”
These days, Willard has slowed down his schedule of volunteering, but if you show up a few times at speed skating practices at Mount Vernon Recreation Center, you’re bound to run into him. Both he and his wife Joan, 64, are retired, with two sons and three grandsons who live in the area. Regarding his foray into the teaching world back in New England, Willard’s self-effacing dismissal about not being “cut out” for the task flies in the face of all the lucky athletes he’s mentored in the rink for Special Olympics.
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