Ellis Coleman

Ellis Coleman (born August 16, 1991) is an American wrestler from Chicago who won the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials to compete for the United States team in the Greco-Roman 60 kg competition of Wrestling at the 2012 Summer Olympics at the 2012 Olympics. Coleman overcame challenging life conditions after being enrolled in youth wrestling classes. As a high school senior for Oak Park and River Forest High School finished third in the state wrestling championships. On several occasions, Coleman executed a takedown by jumping over his opponent and grabbing him as he flew over his back. Coleman is sometimes referred to as the Flying Squirrel for this takedown move that he has made famous. Apart from visiting him in jail, the only memory he has of his father is the time his father sold all the family's televisions and the PlayStation for drugs. Federal records describe his biological father as a "career offender" with 19 aliases. Coleman attended Ella Flagg Young elementary school. She applied for section 8 assistance.

Wrestling career As a high school senior at the 2009 Illinois High School Association Class 3A tournament, Coleman endured his only loss of the season to Maxamillian Schneider of Lane Technical College Prep High School to finish third and end the season with a 49–1 record. Following the loss, his heart rate reached 225, necessitating treatment by paramedics. Subsequently, Coleman gained a cult-following for the recording of him performing a move at the 2011 Junior World Championships that he calls "The Flying Squirrel", which involves somersaulting over his opponent just before his takedown. He has performed the move at the 2009 Sunkist Open against Joe Betterman. Ellis is a five-time Greco-Roman US Open champion in (2013, 2016–2019) winning the Outstanding Wrestler Award in 2013.

Ellis defeated Betterman 2 to 0 at the finals of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Coleman had attended Betterman's wrestling clinics when he was younger. Coleman was the youngest member of the American wrestling delegation at the 2012 Olympics. Coleman lost in the first round of Olympic competition to Ivo Angelov of Bulgaria by a 3–1 score.

2012 Olympic American gymnast Gabby Douglas also became known for the nickname "Flying Squirrel". His Twitter handle is @daFlyinSquirrel.