CHARLES WAHLIG of Wilmington, Delaware, an acclaimed international benefactor for roller sports, passed away December 7, 2007 after sustained illness caused by cancer.  He was 74 years old.  Charles Wahlig had dedicated 63 years of his lifetime to intense involvement and support of amateur competitive roller skating.  Along this path, Charlie garnered many laurels, first as an athlete and then as a coach in speed and artistic roller skating.  Later, he and his wife Connie created their family livelihood from the development, ownership and successful management of roller skating rinks.  At the same time, Charlie dedicated substantial amounts of time and talent to the management of programs in his roller sport federation, where he was often the one person who was most uniquely qualified to deal with the challenge.  He always found it difficult to say no to any request for help that originated from his sport.

A young Charles Wahlig, resident of New York City, transitioned from recreational rink skating to competitive speed skating in 1947.  New York City was then the USA epicenter for all developing new roller sport competitions.  Charlie’s career as an athlete peaked when he won both the USA National Senior Dance and the USA National Senior Men’s Speed Skating titles at the same Championships in 1957.  This is a feat, encompassing two distinctly different disciplines of roller sports, and one that has never been duplicated.  In 1960 he turned from competing to coaching roller sports.  At the time it was a perfect career fit for him, since he was also employed as a school teacher of mathematics.

In 1967, when USA Roller Sports rejoined the International Federation FIRS, USA speed skaters had never met success at international competitions.  All of the USA events occurred on 100 meter small tracks situated within commercial skating rinks, while international competitions were conducted as either road races or on much larger 200 meter banked concrete tracks.  Charles Wahlig, had a keen eye for identifying correct skating techniques, and soon noted that on smaller tracks Americans mainly favored their right leg for power strokes while going counter-clockwise in a tight circle around the track, whereas European speed skaters powered with equal use of both legs on their longer courses.  Charlie devised training methods that improved use of both legs, and than took advantage of the superior cornering the American’s gained from their small track experiences.  He also noted that Europeans preferred to just pace during the bulk of the race, electing to save strength for a sprint at the final 2 or 3 laps.  Charlie conditioned the USA team to maintain a fast pace throughout a race, relying on their superior cornering and enough physical reserves to finish with a strong sprint at the end.  This strategy brought forth two decades of overwhelming American successes in international gold medal achievement for both our male and female speed skaters.  Charlie then taught a generation of USA coaches “the method.”  The domination by American speed skaters continued at the World Championships even after the change over from use of quad roller skates to inline skates in the early 1990’s.

Charles Wahlig was elected 8 times as President of USA Roller Sports from 1987 through 1994.  He became the USARS Chairman of the Board for the years 200l and 2002, after which he retired.  Charles Wahlig, however, continued to serve as the President of the U. S. Foundation for Amateur Roller Skating (which is the investment trust of USA Roller Sports) from the time of its reorganization in 1993 until the present. 

Charles Wahlig is probably the most honored individual in the 70 year history of USA Roller Sports.  For over 20 years he was a member of the USARS Board of Directors.  He was made the first USARS Life Member in 1960 in recognition of his unique competitive skating accomplishments.  In the 1980’s, US Roller Sports belatedly established a Roller Sports Hall of Fame, dividing candidates into three categories according to the nature of their contribution to the sport.  Each category was independent of the other and each entry must establish separate qualification.  Charles became one of only two people elected to the Hall of Fame in all three categories: Athlete in 1983, Coach in 1993 and Distinguished Service in 1996.  He was a trustee of the National Museum of Roller Skating for many years, making generous personal contributions and serving as trustee until the present.  Dozens of other membership honors, plaques and trophies flowed to him in appreciation for his many contributions, which are too numerous to fully recount here.

For more than three decades, starting in the 1970’s, Charles Wahlig had been an influential member on the FIRS International Speed Skating Committee (CIC) and until now was serving as its Vice-President.  Charles’ contributions to the Committee at the FIRS World Speed Championships obtained for him an enduring reputation among participating countries for his total understanding of the sport and for his predictable fairness with adjudication of their problems and complaints.  He was frequently sought out for his advice and considered as a good friend by hundreds of participating speed skaters and officials from all around the globe.

Charles Wahlig was a man with a real zest for living, who would generate great enthusiasm for whatever project would take his fancy at the time.  Charlie was not afraid to prepare for success or train his mind or body to achieve it.  I think it is fair to say that Charlie was not always the most talented athlete on the speed skating track, but there were few who were smarter at devising winning strategies.   This talent was most evident during the late 1950’s when he became the acknowledged touring rink marathon speed skating king of the United States, taking on all comers, wherever the opportunity arose. 

He carried these qualities with him through life.  I have never heard a report that Charlie was ever a bad sport or would long harbor a grudge, although throughout life he remained passionate about being a winner.  Charlie was very easy to like. 

He was a friendship magnet.                                                             12/10/07

Arrangements for Charles Wahlig

Thurs. December 13       5-8PM

Viewing at Mealy's Funeral Home

Limestone & Milltown Roads

Wilmington, DE 19808





Mass:  Friday, December 14     10AM

St. Anthony's Catholic Church

9th & Dupont Streets

Wilmington, DE 19805



In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2004 Sproul Road, Suite 208, Broomall, PA 19008 and/or Delaware Hospice, 3515 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE 19810

For those needing Hotel Reservations

Christiana Hilton