J.R. is the youngest of 3 sons born to Bob & Sue Celski. \u201cJ.R.\u201d stands for John Robert which has great meaning for two special men in his life: Robert John Celski \u2013 his father and his Mom\u2019s late brother, Al Mendoza Sabado, Jr. who was lovingly called \u201cJR\u201d by his five sisters. Thus the name \u201cJ.R.\u201d given in honor of both great men. Born and raised in a disciplined army family, J.R. especially had his Dad and two older brothers to emulate.<\/p>\n
J.R. is the youngest of 3 sons born to Bob & Sue Celski. \u201cJ.R.\u201d stands for John Robert which has great meaning for two special men in his life: Robert John Celski \u2013 his father and his Mom\u2019s late brother, Al Mendoza Sabado, Jr. who was lovingly called \u201cJR\u201d by his five sisters. Thus the name \u201cJ.R.\u201d given in honor of both great men. Born and raised in a disciplined army family, J.R. especially had his Dad and two older brothers to emulate.<\/p>\n
A native of Federal Way, Wash., Celski had early ties to Ohno, who hails from the same Seattle suburb. Celski’s older brother, Chris, grew up skating with Ohno. Though J.R. was just 3 years old when he started inline skating, he got to know Ohno as he rose through the ranks. Celski, decided take up short track after watching Ohno win gold at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City. Though comparisons to Ohno are inevitable, Celski says, “At first I liked it, but I’m my own person, just like everybody else.” Watching a video of Apolo Ohno winning Gold in Torino, Celski says, \u201cI want the same feeling as every other athlete.\u201d<\/p>\n
At age 14, when Celski had been skating short track for about a year, his family decided he should move in order to get the best coaching. His parents, Sue and Bob, weren’t able to leave their jobs in Washington, so his brother Chris moved with him to Long Beach, Calif., where J.R. worked with world-renowned Dutch coach Wilma Boomstra. Chris, who had just graduated from San Jose State, found an apartment for them to share and got a job in the area. J.R. spent his first two years of high school in Long Beach before moving back home for his junior year. But it didn’t last. “I decided something wasn’t right, so I moved back to California to keep skating,” Celski said.<\/p>\n
See J.R. as a little boy took to skating quickly<\/b><\/p>\n