“The only place she ever judged us was on the ice.” Simple words. Profound meaning. Spoken by her daughter Lisa, they echo with a clarity that paints the picture of a woman whose standards were rooted in performance, not personalities. In an era where criticism often spills beyond craft, Lynda Hathaway stood as an unwavering example of what it means to lead with grace, grit, and unshakable focus.
For Lynda, the ice wasn’t just a rink—it was a world. And every student who stepped onto it became part of her family. She didn’t see skaters. She saw young lives. And in every practice, every fall, and every triumphant glide across the rink, she taught them not just how to move on the ice, but how to move through life—with discipline, confidence, and dignity. However, her story begins in 1984, when the Portland Ice Arena—now a beloved institution—was seeking new leadership. Lynda stepped in with her close friend Ann Hanson, and together they breathed life into the rink’s programs for over three decades. But it was Lynda’s quiet power, her red lipstick, her mascara, and her figure skates that truly became legend.
However, on April 20, at the age of 81, Lynda Hathaway took her final bow. But her legacy? It skates on. She was the kind of coach who didn’t just teach technique—she taught courage. The proof was there when she said in her interaction with USA Hockey in 2016, “It’s a very positive thing to see a little kid improve his skating and know he’s improving, because we’re teaching heavy duty.” This courage ultimately set the ground to jump higher. “And they are very aware they can now do a crossover. And their parents cheer them on,” Lynda smiled. But how did she acquire all these features to be an excellent teacher? How were her initial days?
Well, Hathaway started coaching figure skating and ice dancing around the same time in 1975. Under the guidance of mentor Carl Walker, who was managing the North Yarmouth Academy Ice Arena in Yarmouth, Maine, Hathaway learned valuable lessons. Walker was highly respected as a power skating coach. And the legacy continued through her. “He instilled in me the pride of teaching good, basic skills to young players,” Hathaway said. “That’s sort of where I got my face in the system of not being afraid to be a figure skater who’s teaching power skating.” The ultimate textbook for any coach!
In years, Lynda trained thousands, among them, future NHL stars. Some of those young hockey players initially doubted what a figure skater could teach them about their rougher, faster game. But Hathaway never blinked. She taught them anyway. She out-skated them. And guess what? She out-taught them. And she did it all with elegance, proving that true skill doesn’t need validation—just ice. Need evidence? Those players still speak of her with awe. Not because she coddled them. Not because she was overly warm. But because she saw them. And because she challenged them in ways they never expected—ways that made them better. But how did she start to train in ice hockey? Well, sit tight. Some stories are coming.
The flawless movements in ice skating and ice hockey
Over the years, Lynda Hathaway welcomed a diverse mix of skaters—from 6-year-old girls dreaming of figure skating to 10-year-old boys prepping for hockey, and even parents wanting to skate with their kids. “We invite parents, male, female, any age, any level,” she said to USA Hockey. “You want to wear hockey skates and learn hockey skills? We’ll find a class for you.” Yes, it was that easy for her. Therefore, as more fathers brought their daughters to learn hockey instead of figure skating, Hathaway embraced the shift with grace.
“I make sure my teachers are neutral in their approach,” she said. “This girl may want to be a hockey player.” And Lynda was always ready to nurture that dream. So, to her students, Hathaway was more than a coach. She was a guiding force—firm, passionate, and deeply devoted. She demanded your best and gave you the belief to reach it. Now, her legacy lives on in the skaters she taught and the lives she touched. As one person wrote on Reddit, “Lynda WAS ice skating in Portland. She lived and breathed skating and taught countless students from toddlers to people in their 80s. She brought joy, charisma, and commitment every time she stepped onto the ice. What a huge, huge loss.” Portland lost a legend. But the ice will always remember.
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