Photo submitted to the Times Observer Figure skating coach Jaylyn Worgan, left, and skater Ian Montour are in Florida where Montour is set to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Eastern Sectional Singles Final.

Competitive figure skater Ian Montour is on his way to following in his coach’s footsteps.

Montour, a 17-year-old senior at Warren Area High School, is in Coral Springs, Florida, for the U.S. Figure Skating Eastern Sectional Singles Final. And his coach, Jaylyn Worgan, is cheering him on.

“I have had the honor of coaching Ian for many years,” Worgan said. “Watching him grow as a skater and individual has been very rewarding. His sense of humor offers a comedic relief from the stressors that figure skaters and coaches are faced with. His talent and work ethic have given him the opportunity to compete at this high caliber. I look forward to continuing working towards his future goals of becoming a United States Figure Skating triple gold medalist and to be hired with a professional ice show.”

Montour has a good mentor. Worgan is a USFS quadruple gold medalist- winning in the freestyle, moves in the field, ice dance and solo free dance categories – and skated with Disney on Ice for four years. She now coaches and directs the Learn to Skate program at the Jamestown Skating Club in Jamestown, New York. She is a Pittsfield native currently living in Youngsville.

Montour and Worgan share similar skating backgrounds: both started young, Montour at a little more than three years old and Worgan at around six years old; and both started with the Jamestown Skating Club.

“I tried skating just for fun in the Learn to Skate program when I was 6 years old, and had no idea where it would take me,” Worgan said. “The feeling of gliding across the ice with the cold air against my face was addicting, and the joy of learning and mastering new skills motivated me to continue.”

“My husband, John, Ian’s dad, loved hockey and took Ian to the Learn to Skate program,” Montour’s mother, Susan, said. “Ian ended up liking to perform and would copy what the skaters were doing for the shows. A born ham!”

The Eastern Sectional competition marks the furthest Montour has made it in his young career.

“He is excited. But it feels strange. It wasn’t something we expected,” Susan Montour said. “So it was a surprise. This is the farthest he has traveled for a competition and (for one) this important! It’s been a journey. He plans to skate in shows in the future and to coach.”

Coaching is another step Worgan could provide some insight on.

“I began coaching for fun on my summers at home between my Disney on Ice contracts,” Worgan said. “I soon fell in love with passing on my knowledge and love of the sport to others and sharing their joy when they mastered new skills. I started gaining more and more students, and decided to make it a permanent part of my life. I am so grateful to be able to improve my skaters as athletes, but also influence them to be determined, dedicated, and resilient individuals.”

Montour isn’t the only skater Worgan has coached that has found some success. Three of her skaters traveled to Boston earlier this year to compete in a National Showcase Competition. She has also had skaters compete in the Empire State Games in Lake Placid, New York.

Worgan recalled some highlights from her own experience as a skater.

“Some of my favorite memories of my own skating career are traveling to new places to compete and performing in our local community ice shows,” she said. “Traveling the world performing as a skater with Disney on Ice and performing in my first show as a professional figure skater are my favorite highlights.”

The USFS Eastern Sectional Singles Finals run Oct. 31 through Nov. 5 with competitive skating starting Nov. 1 at the Florida Panthers Ice Den in Coral Springs, Florida. Live streaming is available at usfigureskatingfanzone.com/watch. Results will be available at /ijs.usfigureskating.org/leaderboard/results/2023/30615/index.asp.

U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States.