Liberty’s ‘Rollerblading Guy’ Rolls Through Campus On Eight Wheels

What has eight wheels and flies? Rollerblade master Andrew Agrila, a sophomore mechanical engineering student, hurls down unexpected inclines, kicking his legs behind him as he weaves between the students walking on Liberty’s busy campus.

“My love for rollerblading began when I was about 8 years old,” Agrila said. “One of my neighbors brought over a pair of big rollerblades, and it was like love at first sight.”

Liberty’s “rollerblading guy” takes on the hustle and bustle of campus daily with rollerblades planted on each foot. 

“I rollerblade because it’s something I love to do,” Agrila said. “I’ll be skating campus and people will say, ‘Look! It’s the rollerblading guy!’ It’s affirming how people all throughout campus know who I am simply because I do what I love.” 

Agrila’s passion for rollerblading is rooted in his love for learning new things and challenging himself both mentally and physically. 

“Rollerblading is a sort of escape where I can process my thoughts while simultaneously expressing myself,” Agrila said. “In order to learn new things and grow, you have to take the risk by trying new tricks… a lot of times mental blocks can get in the way.”

Rollerblading has opened several doors for Agrila, particularly during his time at Liberty.

“When I returned to Liberty my sophomore year, I met two very unique individuals: Aspen Mannino and Sam Zhell,” Agrila said. “They were really curious and excited about what I do…little did I know that Sam would grow to be a close friend of mine and Aspen would become my girlfriend.”

Agrila shared his story with both Mannino and Zhell, igniting their interest in the unique activity. Eventually, they both purchased a set of rollerblades and Agrila taught them how to skate.

“One day, as we were skating around campus Aspen yelled out, ‘Hey, we should start a rollerblading club,’” Agrila said. “Aspen became not only my girlfriend but the catalyst that pushed me to start the rollerblading club on campus.”

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., students gather at the athletic center to skate around campus, listen to music and enjoy one another’s company.

“Next thing I know, I’m skating around campus recruiting people to come and join this club,” Agrila said. “Right now, we have approximately 15 reoccurring members each week.”

As each week passes, more students arrive to skate. Some of the students do not own rollerblades, so Agrila called his family and friends and asked them to send any old skates to hand out, allowing more students to join the group and learn to skate.

 “With this club, I am able to make great friends and connect with multiple people…and it’s all surrounding this one activity we share a passion for,” Agrila said.

Jessi Green is the Asst. Feature Editor. Follow her on Twitter at @jessigreen0.