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Ryan Jahnke performs during the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. (Getty Images)

By Lois Elfman, special to icenetwork.com

(07/09/2010) - During his years as a competitor Ryan Jahnke was known for his musicality and creative nature. Since retiring from competition in 2006, he's concentrated on coaching and performing when opportunities arise. He also went back to college, graduating from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in December 2009 with a finance degree and an information systems minor.

Recently, Jahnke put his professional experience and education together to launch MySkatingMall.com, a Web site where people can sell and buy gently used items such as skates and costumes. Sellers pay a 10 percent commission, with only 5 percent going to the site. The other 5 percent is a donation split between the skating club or team of the buyer and the seller.

"As a coach, I saw a number of families struggling to keep up with the expenses of skating," Jahnke says. "Then also knowing skating clubs and teams were having trouble having the money needed to support their membership. They needed a place to sell all of these wonderful gently used outfits that most skaters have a closet full of. It's like a customized eBay."

Even more specific than eBay when it comes to how items are categorized. When a seller lists an item there are questions regarding details -- everything from size and make of boots and blades to style of a costume. There is even a team-wear category for synchronized skating teams or theater on ice groups.

"People can go on the site and search for Spanish-themed outfits or certain sizes or certain colors," Jahnke explains. "Everything about the site is customized exactly for figure skaters' needs."

MySkatingMall.com also has partner stores that purchasers can go to for new items. In those transactions the entire 5 percent goes to the buyer's club or team.

"These are existing skating businesses that have joined the vision of supporting grassroots skating," Jahnke says. "Every purchase or sale raises money for clubs and teams."

In addition to developing this new project, Jahnke is quite busy as a coach at the World Arena in Colorado Springs. He has about 10 students for who he is the primary coach and he also does a lot of team teaching. Known for quality of movement, he even assists ice dance teams with their step sequences.

"I also help out other coaches with a variety of things -- everything from moves in the field to jumps to choreography," he says. "What I really like that about coaching is the variety that I've been able to pursue. I'm not just teaching someone an axel all day long."

Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Jahnke came to Colorado Springs to train with his former coach, Diana Ronayne. It's where he met his wife of eight years, Tashiana, and he sees no reason to leave.

"This place is amazingly beautiful and after I stopped competing, I wanted to stay here," he says. "My wife's family is here, except for her mom's family, which is in Brazil. Obviously, this is one of the best training centers. It's a great place to be a coach."

Jahnke admits he misses performing and wishes he had more opportunities. He keeps his skills sharp by skating on a couple of freestyle sessions a week and says he can still do all his jumps through triple Axel.

"I've also taken up ice dancing and I'm trying to get through my compulsory dances," he says. "It is so strange having someone so close to you when you skate." Quite a few ice dancers who train in Colorado Springs have skated with him on practices and for dance tests. Doing something new is keeping him inspired. He says he may give the U.S. adult championships a try one day.

"I'm 32, so I can get in there," he says. "That would be fun to have all the 'old guys' show up." Not long ago he dared some of his former competitors from the senior ranks to consider the showdown.

On this year's plans is also one big item -- starting a family.

"For the longest time we were waiting for me to graduate from college," Jahnke notes. "Now that I've graduated, both sets of parents are saying, 'Come on, let's get going.'"

Hopefully soon a real life baby will join his other baby, MySkatingMall.com, which Jahnke hopes will have an impact on aspiring skaters. There is an additional fundraising component, as sellers can opt to have virtually the entire sale price donated to the club or team of their choice. Some people have already donated items such as Team USA uniforms, and the proceeds will go the USFS Memorial fund.

"The vision behind it is to reduce expenses for a lot of skating families so everybody who wants to skate has the ability to keep going," he says. "People can reduce their expenses, earn money from items they are no longer using and raise money for grassroots skating."