“It?s a wonderful, creative sport,” Hamill, who also won three straight world championships between 1974-76, said. “You don?t need to be at an elite level to enjoy it. This is to get people interested in skating. It?s great to see young people get involved.”

Hamill, who was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000, won the World Professional Figure Skating Championship four times between 1984 and 1987.

She also skated eight years after her Olympic victory with Ice Capades, which she eventually owned from 1993-1995.

She took a break from touring this past year to help her daughter, a senior at Roland Park, with her college admissions process. However, she did say a tour will take place in Baltimore over the upcoming winter holiday.

The Mount Pleasant Ice Arena is home to Towson University?s Ice Hockey team, the Baltimore Youth Hockey program and the Baltimore Figure Skating Club. It is also the original training ground for figure skater Kimmie Meissner, the 2006 World Champion and 2007 U.S. National Figure Skating champion.

Hamill is an advocate for many charities including the President?s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and the International Special Olympics. The 50-year-old Hamill acknowledges that skating is not as easy for her as it used to be, but can?t imagine her life without it.

“There is so much more to it than just the athletic side,” Hamill said. “I think I?ll always do it. It?s just such an escape for me.”

“I hope young people see Kimmie and the other youngsters and raise their awareness (of skating),” she continued. “It?s a great recreational sport. It?s very peaceful. You can listen to whatever music you want to listen to that day and just go out and skate.”