Name: The Business
Number: 007
Travel Team: Brawlstars
Home Team: Moonshine Moxies
Years skating: 6
Let’s get down to business to defeat the—wait, wrong business—we’re here to get to know the 007 who’s fiercer than any secret agent: The Business!
Photo credit: Asia Ardoin
You were nominated by Raison D’Êtremental, who wants to know what brought you back to roller derby.
I think what brought me back to roller derby is: I missed the community and the close knit-ness of the teams. Since we’ve had COVID, there hasn’t been much roller derby going on, so that gap in time was just very hard to be by myself. And plus, you know, skating is really fun as well!
It is! How did you first learn how to skate?
I first learned how to skate whenever we got our family dog. She was a Blue Heeler named Raisin. We had such a long road, and it was always terrible to go walk that length, so my mom bought some skates, and every time I would take her to go out walk, I would put my roller skates on. It was more of a dragging me than actually learning how to skate, but I think that’s where it started.
How would you describe your derby playing style?
I don’t know if I have a style, but I can say that I definitely enjoy being a blocker. I think with this team, I’m kind of more getting into different positions than I’m used to, like a pivot, and some jamming (not quite with the jamming) but I really like to be a blocker.
What are some things that you enjoy about blocking?
Being able to just be like a brick when people try to get past you, and just the sensation of someone coming full-force, hitting you, and you don’t move and they fall, is just a feeling that I can’t describe.
And you cause it a lot!
Yes!
So have you played with teams other than Hard Knox?
Yes, I started skating in 2016 in Louisiana with Gulf Coast Roller Girls.
What was that experience like, skating with them?
It was good—I met a lot of really good people, like my derby wife and some other really good friends. I’ve also gained a lot of experience skating with others. We would skate a lot with Texas, with teams from there, that I think definitely have morphed my experience and style.
So what brought you to Tennessee then?
School. I graduated with my associate’s from SOWELA and I wanted to continue my education, so I decided to go to UT. My parents, my mom’s, they had moved to Georgia, which is like two hours away, which is really close, and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity. UT is the #1 school for my program.
Oh wow, I didn’t realize that! What is your program?
Forensic anthropology.
So you said that you are finishing up that program soon. What has that experience been like for you, being at UT?
It’s been hard. Being away from my family, it’s eleven hours home, not having—I wouldn’t say anyone I know here—but just like that family has been very hard. But I think what drives me the most is being able to say I did it, I got this degree.
So what have been some of your favorite achievements on the track, as a roller derby skater?
That’s a good question. I think one of the biggest achievements here has been Rob calling me “The Immovable Force.” And just being able to stop really strong skaters like Bush and Maniac—okay, maybe not Maniac, I may have just wished for that one—but Bush! I think that’s pretty awesome.
I mean, to be able to stop a coach, and someone who’s so strong!
Yeah.
Tell me about your skater name and number. How did you arrive at either of those?
My number is 007. It actually comes from the game GoldenEye. I played it a lot with my cousin growing up, so that’s where that came from.
And my name kind of started as an inside joke. My original derby name was Cyanide, because I just had to pick something. I would always, it’s like the same version of this purse [holds up purse she’s currently wearing] but it’s red, and I would wear it everywhere, like I wore it to derby events, I even wore it bowling one time because it just had to be on my side. And I don’t remember who it was on my team, but they just commented, “Oh, there’s your business satchel!” And it’s like, well, maybe it is! And that’s where The Business came from, was my purse!
I like the “The” in front of it, because I just think of you as “Business,” but the “The” is so official!
Yes—I think the funniest part of my old league is, we played this team in Texas and their captain was “No Business” and I got a picture of us next to each other, and I think that’s the best derby photo I’ve ever taken.
What is something you’ve gained from your roller derby experience that you maybe didn’t expect to?
I would say, maybe this is cliché, but confidence. I think roller derby has helped me become more confident in approaching people, and that’s something I didn’t have before.
What do you do in your free time when you’re not at school or roller derby?
In my free time, I’m a huge homebody. I am always playing video games, watching TV or movies. I just really enjoy being home and very comfortable.
What advice do you have for people who want to play roller derby?
I think the biggest thing for someone who wants to play roller derby is get out of your comfort zone. I knew that roller derby existed, back at my old league, and I didn’t reach out to them for a whole year because I was just afraid, and I think that’s one of the biggest, maybe not the biggest, but something I regret very much. And always stay in derby stance when you are learning is very important.
Photo credit: Chad Whited
So who would you like to nominate for next month, and what do you want to ask them?
I want to nominate Deaf Rattle. I think it’s very interesting that she, as a Deaf person, has been playing roller derby for so long, and I really would like to get more insight on what drives her to be in a hearing dominated setting as a Deaf person.
Thank you for a great conversation, Business! We’re all lucky to have you skating for HKRD. Until next time, be like The Business and get out of your comfort zone (except for all of our newest skaters—your mission is to always stay in derby stance!)
-smalls-