Two-time U.S. Figure Skating Pairs Champion

John Baldwin

John has been on the U.S. National team as a singles skater since 1986. His accomplishments include a U.S. National Senior Figures (1995) and U.S. National Novice Championship. John was also a World Junior Bronze Medalist.

John grew up at the ice rink first watching his parents skate and coach and then learning from them as he took to the ice for the first time at age two.

As a toddler living in Dallas, John’s parents had no choice but to bring their young child to the rink while they trained and coached (John’s father was World Professional Champion, Junior National and Pairs Champion, and an alternate for the 1972 Olympics and John’s mother coached John and his two siblings).

Not surprisingly, John started skating about the same time he learned to walk and has been a U.S. team member since 1986.

John turned to pair skating after coming to the realization that he could not compete with the quad jumps the Senior Men were mastering. Not ready to end his competitive career, John and his father began the search for a partner.

John’s search for a partner ended when he saw Rena Inoue on a practice session.

When asked about his goals for skating John responds that his goal is the day-by-day satisfaction of training. He feels good at the end of a hard practice and he recognizes that it is his respect for Rena and their hard work that has allowed them to come together as a team.