Fritz Dietl - Coach
Passed Away

Fritz Dietl, figure-skating champion and coach; at 91 
Sunday, March 30, 2003 

By EMAN VAROQUA
STAFF WRITER 

Fritz Dietl, an international figure-skating star who shaped the careers of many professional skaters, died Saturday from complications of heart trauma. He was 91 and lived in Hillsdale.

Although retired, Mr. Dietl continued to be active in figure skating until his last month. Just weeks ago, he told a girl at his Westwood rink how to perfect her spin.

"He was still giving advice to people whether they liked it or not," said Carola Dietl, his wife of 39 years. "He was trying to help others all the way to the last minute."

Mr. Dietl was born in Vienna, Austria, on July 30, 1911. He held a master's degree in engineering and trained to become a professional tennis player, but his love was ice skating. He began ice skating at the age of 12 on the frozen Danube River in his hometown, according to his wife.

In the 1930s, Mr. Dietl had his own European ice skating show. He also was an original member of the Ice Capades.

He came to the United States in 1940 and began skating with the Olympic champion Sonja Henie. Together they toured the nation. In 1958, he opened the Fritz Dietl Ice Skating Rink, which is still in operation, in Westwood.

Mr. Dietl was a skating coach and judged regional competitions. He was invited to lecture as far away as China, Japan, and Russia.

He was a charter member of the Ice Skating Institute of America and was named to the association's Hall of Fame.

In 1991, Westwood honored him for his years of service and declared July 29 Fritz Dietl Day.

He also was a founding member of the International Skating Union and an influential member of the Professional Skaters Guild of America.

The Ice Skating Institute gave Mr. Dietl the organization's highest award: a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dietl coached Scott Allen, who won an Olympic bronze medal in 1964 at the age of 14.

"I was just on the phone with Scotty, and we agreed that his character was the strongest thing about him," Carola Dietl said of her husband. "He never did anything that he didn't feel was right."

In addition to his wife, Mr. Dietl is survived by his sons, Ernst and Gregory.

A graveside service will be held Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Westwood Cemetery on Kinderkamack Road. Arrangements are by the Becker Funeral Home in Westwood.