Career Info

Age 19 May 2010 A very busy month! Recognized by the mayor and city council of Federal Way with J.R. Celski Day, May 18th. Was guest speaker at his three alma mater schools in Federal Way: Sherwood Forest Elementary (where all his teachers, principals and administrators were there in the picture), Illahee Middle School and Todd Beamer High School. Speaks at other high schools in the area. Travels to Cincinnati, OH to speak at Procter and Gamble event, and then travels to NYC to ring the bell of the New York Stock Exchange. Films a community service commercial with King County Metro.

April 2010 The start of a very busy spring season. Moves home to Federal Way from Salt Lake City. On the way, has a tremendous visit with long-time sponsor AIM Companies in Boise, ID. Greets fans at Seattle Niketown. Takes a four day trip to Washington D.C. with the U.S. Olympic team to visit the White House and President Obama, the Pentagon and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and the Supreme Court. Throws out first pitch at the Seattle Mariners game on April 30th.

March 2010 Flies home to Federal Way from Vancouver to greet fans in the Seattle area with 24 Hour Fitness and Comcast. Competes in the World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria earning a silver and two bronze medals. Spends two weeks after worlds with his friends Atze Kerkhof and Neils Kerstholt in The Netherlands, also visiting Belgium and the Czech Republic capital of Prague.

February 2010 Spends nearly the entire month of February in Vancouver at the Olympics Games for the “Experience of a Lifetime.” Only about 95% recovered from injury, J.R. becomes a double bronze medalist at age 19 in his first Olympics, earning medals in the 1500m and 5000m relay. Fully enjoys the Olympic experience. Over 75 family members and close friends watch J.R. compete or travel to Vancouver to spend time with the J.R. and the Celski family.

January 2010 With little more than a month to go to the Olympics, J.R. starts “speed” training on Thursday, January 7th for the first time since the injury. Prior to that he only did conditioning and endurance training. Receives medical clearance from the US Speedskating doctor on January 21st to attend the Olympics. Has cleared the final hurdle and is destined to skate in Vancouver. Recovery is moving along but still has more obstacles to overcome.

December 2009 On December 1, J.R. slowly starts training in Salt Lake with two months and 12 days to go before opening ceremonies in Vancouver. Progress is sluggish as he tries to regain balance, strength, endurance and feel for the ice. Comes home to Federal Way for four days at Christmas holiday to be with the family.

November 2009 Intensive therapy continues for the entire month at the US Olympic Training Center under the expert supervision of Bill Moreau and his staff. Continues watching from the Olympic Training Center while the skaters compete in World Cup meets in Montreal and Marquette, MI. The day before Thanksgiving, J.R. returns to Salt Lake City 2 1/2 months after the injury and a full three weeks ahead of schedule.

October 2009 Moves temporarily to The U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for intensive therapy and recovery. Progress is slow and can’t be sped up until the wound mends itself. Stays on crutches until October 23rd when he finally sheds them, a full six weeks after the injury occurred. Left quad is totally disfigured (picture at left taken October 28th – note the difference between the quads on each leg). Watches from the U.S. Olympic Training Center while the rest of the skaters compete in World Cup meets in China and Korea. Spends much time with brother David and sister-in-law Brittney who live near the training center in Colorado Springs.

September 2009 Wins overall silver medal at the U.S. Olympic Trials after competing in only six of the eight total races due to a severe laceration of his left quad during the 500m semi-final.

Age 18 March 2009 Wins overall silver medal at the World Championships in Vienna, Austria. Also wins gold in the 3000m race, the 5000m relay. Wins bronze medals in the 1500m and 1000m races.

February 2009 Wins the gold medal in the 1500m and silver medal in the 1000m at World Cup VI in Dresden, Germany.

January 2009 Wins overall bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Wins gold in the 500m. Does 3000m relay with Eddy Alvarez, Robert Lawrence, and Jonathan Sermeno earning the gold medal and setting a new Junior World Record. Sets the new world junior record in both the 500m and 1000m.

December 2008 Wins overall silver medal at the U.S. Senior Championships in St. Louis, MO. Earns spot on WC and World Championship teams.

November 2008 Wins overall gold medal at the U.S. Junior Championships in Midland, MI.

October 2008 Moves from Long Beach, CA to Salt Lake City, UT to join the U.S. National Team.

September 2008 Places 3rd overall at the American Cup I and earns a spot on the U.S. World Cup Team for the first time.

Age 17 June 2008 Graduates from Lakewood High School (Lakewood, CA) in the California Merit Scholar Program with high honors.

May 2008 Received notification that he was accepted at University of California, Berkeley.

February 2008 Inducted in to the City of Lakewood CA Youth Hall of Fame as a 2007 Performer of the Year for Lakewood High School.

January 2008 Places 5th overall at the World Junior Championships in Bolzano, Italy.

November 2007 Wins overall gold medal at the U.S. Junior Championships in Bay City, MI.

January 2007 Decides that he needs to continue following his dream, and to return back to train with the DeMorra Speedskating Club and Wilma Boomstra in Lakewood, CA. Moves in July 2007 to an apartment in Long Beach, CA with his Dad and starts training again after a 16 month break. His back is completely healed from the injury sustained in Romania.

Age 15 March 2006 Chooses to leave speedskating and return from Lakewood CA back home to Federal Way, WA. Attends Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, WA for his junior year.

January 2006 Wins bronze medal in the 500m at the World Junior Championships in Romania, finishing 8th place overall. Sustains a compressed disk injury in his lower back during a fall in the 1000m event. Starts physical therapy to recover from injury.

December 2005 Wins overall silver medal at the U.S. Junior Championships in Midland, MI.

Age 14 March 2005 Wins overall 8th place at the U.S. Senior Championships in Milwaukee, WI. Wins 5th place in the 3000m final.

December 2004 Wins overall silver medal at the U.S. Junior Championships in Bay City, MI. Earns spot to skate World Junior Championships in Serbia, but is too young to attend the meet.

August 2004 Moves to Lakewood, CA and lives with brother Chris. Starts training with Wil Boomstra on Ice Club DeMorra.

Age 13 March 2004 Skates first international meet, competing at the North American Championships in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Earns a bronze medal.

Age 12 February 2003 Skates his first short track ice National Championships in Milwaukee, WI. Earns a silver and two bronze medals.

August 2002 J.R. attends his first ice clinic with Coach Wilma Boomstra at the Glacial Gardens Ice Center in Lakewood, CA.

Summer of 2002 J.R. decides to transition to ice after having won three national inline championships. The decision was reinforced after the announcement that the 2010 Olympics would be held in Vancouver, BC – a 2 1/2 hour trip up the Interstate from Federal Way.

August 2002 Defends his title and wins his third national championship at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Lincoln, NE. Also won the two-boy national championship with his good friend Jordy Spriggs and set a new national record by over six seconds – a record that would hold for the next six years.

Age 11 August 2001 Wins his second national championship at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Pensacola, FL as a first year Elementary Division skater.

Age 10 August 2000 Wins the overall silver medal at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Lincoln, NE. Also wins a bronze medal in the two-boy relay with his friend Chris Farris.

Age 9 May 2000 Earns a trip to NYC as a finalist in the Sunny Delight Strongest Kid in America contest. Meets Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist Summer Sanders.

August 1999 Helps his four mixed inline relay team earn the silver medal at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Syracuse, NY. Teammates were Jordy Spriggs, Carol Brewer and Nadia Jose.

Age 8August 1998 Wins his first national championship at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Fresno, CA. Sets a new national record in the 400 meter race.

Age 7 August 1997 Competes for second time at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Pensacola, FL. Places fourth overall.

Age 6 August 1996 Competes for the first time at the U.S. Inline National Championships in Lincoln, NE. Places in sixth place overall and was not happy about that result!

5th Birthday August 1995 Skates his first inline meet in Auburn, WA.

Age 4 September 1994 Follows his brothers Chris and David by joining Pattison’s West Inline Speedskating Club in Federal Way, WA.

3rd Birthday July 1993 Receives a plastic pair of Playskool skates and takes off skating with no hesitation. A natural on skates!