December 2016: Skater of the Month

Photography by SwitchBlade Studio

DECEMBER 2016: HAVOC IS HERE #21, WRECKING CREW

WHAT POSITION ARE YOU MOST COMFORTABLE PLAYING?

Jammer.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO GET INVOLVED IN ROLLER DERBY?

My best friend brought me to my first bout. I was just amazed. I saw them get hit and bounce right back up. It was my first derby game. They happened to be passing out tryout flyers that day. I was hooked ever since.

THE SPORT IS HIGHLY PHYSICAL. HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN INJURED?

Yes. I’ve torn multiple ligaments in both knees, knee/ankle sprains, busted lips, black eyes, and a fractured foot once. I can’t count how many times my chin has bounced off the floor. I fractured 2 fingers last year, and I’m pretty sure all my fingers have been jammed at some point.

WHAT’S THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF THE GAME?

Learning new things. This sport isn’t just physical. There’s a lot of strategy. You also need to make split second decisions during game play, so I feel like this sport helps your mental game and quick thinking skills. There’s always something new to learn–it’s never boring. My size made it hard in the beginning to be able to handle hits and trying to get through a pack, but now I’ve started to appreciate how small (and short) I am, and I use it to my advantage when I can.

NAME ONE THING YOU CAN’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT.

My phone. During the season if I’m not at work, I’m at practice or the gym. It’s the only way I can stay in contact with people sometimes.