Flying Squirrel
- 2005 - 2009
- Transactions:
- Flying Squirrel has been a coach for GGRD since 2005 and was a GGRD referee from 2005-2008. He is the founder and captain of the New York Shock Exchange men's roller derby team.
GGRD Coach
- Background
Flying Squirrel was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. He grew up roller skating with his father and still loves going to rinks. Off skates, Flying Squirrel is known for his enthusiasm for science, comic books, and poetry. He teaches high school biology in Harlem.
Flying Squirrel competed as an artistic roller figure skater from 1990-1996, winning numerous state and regional championships. In high school he played 4 years of football and ran 4 years of track.
At a post-bout open skate in 2005, he was invited to coach and referee for Gotham Girls Roller Derby. Additionally, he has coached practices for the neighboring Long Island Roller Rebels, NJ Hellrazors, Suburbia Rollergirls, and Garden State Rollergirls. In 2006 he began organizing the men's roller derby team that would come to be known as the New York Shock Exchange. He retired from refereeing to manage the Queens of Pain in 2009. Currently, he serves as the NYSE's captain and skates under a shortened version of his birth name, "Jonathan R."