Frank Carroll, a renowned coach to Olympic figure skaters such as Michelle Kwan and Evan Lysacek, has passed away at the age of 85 after a battle with cancer.
“U.S. Figure Skating mourns the loss of coaching legend Frank Carroll,” the organization expressed. “A member of the World and U.S. Figure Skating Halls of Fame, Frank played a pivotal role in the careers of numerous Olympic and World champions and many future Hall of Famers.”
U.S. Figure Skating mourns the loss of coaching legend Frank Carroll.
A member of the World and U.S. Figure Skating Halls of Fame, Frank was instrumental in the careers of numerous Olympic and World champions and many future Hall of Famers. pic.twitter.com/OYpi16mMbj
— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) June 9, 2024
Carroll’s career in figure skating began with junior bronze medal wins at the 1959 and 1960 U.S. Championships. After skating professionally with Ice Follies for over four years, he transitioned to full-time coaching.
Throughout his six decades as a coach, Carroll guided one Olympic champion, six Olympic medalists, and 11 Olympians from five countries at 10 Olympics, as stated by U.S. Figure Skating. He also coached three World champions, four World Junior champions, and six U.S. champions.
Many of Carroll’s students achieved fame in the sport under his mentorship. He coached Linda Fratianna to two world championships and a 1980 Olympic silver medal, Timothy Goebel to two world silver medals and a 2002 Olympic bronze medal, and Evan Lysacek to a 2009 world championship and a 2010 Olympic gold medal — making him Carroll’s first student to win the title.
He notably coached five-time world champion Michelle Kwan for the majority of her career, aiding her in securing silver and bronze Olympic medals in 1998 and 2002, respectively.
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“For over 10 years Frank was by my side — coaching and mentoring me to be the best skater and person that I can be,” Kwan conveyed in a text message to USA Today. “He bestowed upon me a wealth of knowledge and history of the sport he loved so much. Off the ice and over the years, he became much more than just a coach. I know he’s changed the lives of thousands of skaters for the better, and I’m grateful that I’m one of them and I wouldn’t be here without his guidance. I love and miss Frank very much.”
Carroll was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1996 and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2007. In 1997, he became the first figure skating coach to be named Olympic Coach of the Year.
The legendary figure retired from coaching in 2018, 23 days after his 80th birthday.
