If you have ever been to the skating rink at Mount Vernon Rec Center, chances are you have seen Shirley Hughes. Her presence at the ice rink was always easily identified as she spent most days standing behind the boards in one of her many winter coats, leather gloves in hand and eyes always fixed on the skaters on the ice. She always stood perfectly poised, whether it was 6 a.m. or 6 p.m., and her steadfast presence created the program and legacy of the Mount Vernon figure skating program. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we are honored to highlight the remarkable life and achievements of Shirley Hughes, a beloved figure skating coach whose impact resonates deeply within the skating community at Mount Vernon and the Fairfax County Park Authority.  

Hughes’ journey in figure skating began as a child in Denver, where she was drawn to the grace, athleticism and discipline of the sport of figure skating. Throughout her career, Hughes achieved many milestones and made lasting contributions to the sport. She coached Derrick Delmore to his Junior World Championship title in 1998 and served as a Team USA coach at international skating events for more than two decades. Notable students who trained with her at the Mount Vernon Rec Center include Olympic medalist Ashley Wagner, National competitor Brynne McIsaac and World Championship competitor Diane Chen. In addition, Hughes was dedicated to the national accreditation and education of coaches. She held an annual coaching workshop at Mount Vernon, which drew participants from all over the region; she authored the Professional Skaters Association (PSA) handbook; and she was a PSA rater (part of a panel of three raters/judges) for nationwide coaching accreditation exams.

Hughes’ coaching career began at Mount Vernon Rec Center, where she taught for an impressive span of more than 40 years, from 1979 to 2020. During her tenure, she touched the lives of countless skaters and became known for her tough-love coaching style, always pushing her students to strive for their best. She believed in the importance of consistency and on-ice and off-ice conditioning and implemented innovative techniques for both. Hughes always had her famous ‘clip board’ on the boards, where students fill out a sheet using a points system (which she created) to rate themselves when doing their daily routines. This system created an opportunity for students to hold themselves accountable and see improvements across weeks of training while also creating comradery and friendly competition within her group of skaters. Always looking for new and innovative ways for her students to train, she installed a climbing rope to improve core strength, a harness to train rotation and a stretching aid to improve back and leg flexibility in the arena. At this time, these aids were not widely used like they are today. She introduced weekly power stroking classes (for skaters to work on speed and agility) and held bi-weekly off-ice classes with plyometric jump and conditioning drills to enhance her students’ training.

Hughes directed an annual Holiday Ice Show that showcased some of the most talented skaters who trained at Mount Vernon. She also hosted an annual holiday party where she so graciously welcomed her skaters and their families into her home. It was notably the event of the year, all the skaters dressed to impress and rich with traditions like trivia and her famous rainbow sherbert punch. Being a student of hers, meant that you were trained not only in the sport of skating, but also in the etiquette and traditions of the sport. She took great pride in raising skaters with strong life skills, teaching them how to manage emotions, set goals, resolve conflict, and effectively communicate and present themselves to others.

Hughes was a coach who cared deeply about her skaters’ ability to skate as well as their well-being. When students needed skates, dresses or protective pads, she always found a way to keep students on the ice. Passers-by could often hear her encouraging skaters to “skate it off.” Hughes truly believed that answers could be found at the rink and that students could learn about movement, music and hard work through their skating. She was dedicated to her students’ success, often spending hours upon hours editing music for their routines, planning off-ice programs or brainstorming new strategies for her lessons the next day. Hughes’ passion for figure skating shined through in everything she did as a coach.

Despite her demanding coaching career and raising a family, early in her career Hughes also found time to work as a schoolteacher for kindergarten through 12th-grade students with special needs, demonstrating her dedication to education and helping students succeed both on and off the ice. She balanced her professional commitments with grace and determination, inspiring all those around her with her passion and work ethic.

Her students and family cherish many memories of her time as a coach. She taught both her daughter and granddaughter to the national level. “More than just the skating you were doing, she always cared about your attitude and the way you were approaching whatever it was you were attempting to do,” says Delia Hughes, her granddaughter. Delia is currently a student at the University of Virginia and last summer coached skating to underserved communities at the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Rec-PAC synthetic ice pilot skating program.

Shirley Hughes was not just a coach; she was a mentor, a trailblazer and a role model. Her dedication to figure skating and her students’ success will forever be remembered and celebrated. Hughes currently resides in Colorado where she is enjoying retirement with her daughter and grandchildren. She leaves behind a legacy at the Fairfax County Park Authority of excellence and passion that will continue to inspire generations of skaters to come at the Mount Vernon Rec Center.