Paul Wirtz
| Paul Wirtz | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 |
| Died | 2006 |
| Years in Thunder Bay | by 1978 |
Paul Wirtz (May 3, 1958 - April 6, 2006) was a Canadian figure skating coach. Originally from Marathon, Ontario, he was the brother of Kris Wirtz and the uncle of Sean Wirtz.
A coach of pairs skaters, athletes he worked with included Valérie Marcoux, Craig Buntin, Nicholas Young, Elizabeth Putnam, Sean Wirtz, Kristy Sargeant, Kris Wirtz, Dylan Moscovitch, Tanith Belbin and Eric Radford.
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Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Paul Wirtz was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 as a builder (ceremony date given as 27 September 2008), for figure skating.[1]
Raised in Marathon, he developed his skills as a competitive skater during the 1970s while training in his hometown, Thunder Bay, and Toronto. In 1978, he secured the Northern Ontario ice dance championship. Following his competitive years, he returned to Marathon to begin his career as a skating instructor.[1]
From 1980 to 1987, he provided coaching to athletes across various clubs in Northwestern Ontario. His instruction covered multiple disciplines, including singles, dance, pairs, and precision skating. Under his guidance, the Marathon Figure Skating Club rose to become a premier organization within the Northern Ontario Section. His success on the national stage began at the 1986 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, where his novice pair teams earned both gold and silver medals. This achievement represented the first time a club from Northwestern Ontario produced national medalists in the pairs category.[1]
He moved to Montreal in 1987, where he spent the 1990s mentoring emerging talent. In 1992, he coached his brother Kris Wirtz and partner Sherry Ball to a bronze medal in the senior pairs division at the national championships. That same year, the duo finished 12th at the Winter Olympic Games and 10th at the World Figure Skating Championships. He later paired Kris Wirtz with Kristy Sargeant, a team that went on to win two gold and five silver medals at the national level, competed in the 1994 Winter Olympics and 1998 Winter Olympics, and achieved multiple top-ten finishes at the World Championships.[1]
In 2000, he moved back to Ontario to continue his professional work. He spent five years as the Director of Skating at the Toronto Cricket, Curling and Skating Club before moving to the Thornhill Skating Academy. During this period, he coached his nephew Sean Wirtz and partner Elizabeth Putnam to consecutive senior pairs bronze medals at the 2003 and 2004 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. His final major success occurred at the 2006 national championships, where his junior pair teams mirrored his earlier success in Marathon by winning gold and silver medals. He passed away in April 2006.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (by 1978) rests on the following dated evidence. He skated in Thunder Bay during the 1970s and won the Northern Ontario ice dance title in 1978 before returning to Marathon to coach.[1]
Achievements listed in the profile:
- Won the Northern Ontario ice dance title in 1978
- Coached the first pair teams from Northwestern Ontario to win national medals in 1986
- Guided Kris Wirtz and Sherry Ball to a 12th place finish at the 1992 Winter Olympics
- Developed the pair team of Kris Wirtz and Kristy Sargeant into two-time national champions and two-time Olympians
- Served as Director of Skating at the Toronto Cricket, Curling and Skating Club for five years
- Coached junior pair teams to gold and silver medals at the 2006 Canadian Championships[1]
Relatives named in the profile:
- Kris Wirtz, a brother
- Sean Wirtz, a nephew[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Paul Wirtz", builder profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/builder-profile/65590dc7-0ace-4ea0-8ca7-98ad0c2d7ea2 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.