Name: Jersey Cyclone
Number: 925
Travel Team: Brawlers
Home Team: Lolitas
Years skating: 2
You know her as one of the most fearless jammers for the Brawlers, but on the team, she’s affectionately known as the Toe Stop Queen. Get to know July’s Skater of the Month: Jersey Cyclone!
You were nominated by Madam Bomb, who has two questions, so we’ll start with the first one here. She wants to know: what are you most proud of, as far as something you have overcome in derby?
Just the fact that I even did fresh meat. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for years—ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to do derby, like I saw on TV (because that’s how old I am!). And then I forgot about it until I saw Whip It, and that brought it back to my memory. When the team started here, that was ‘06, I was like oh my gosh, yeah. So just the fact that I actually went to fresh meat, that was like the first hurdle, that was a miracle because I was out of my comfort zone. I like my life as it is.
Otherwise: the fact that I can actually do a partial of a plow, or a one-footed plow, or any time I get lead jammer, since I haven’t done it that long, because that’s always a goal. And I was not successful the last bout, at all. I was successful wiping the floor and that was about it.
But you kept pushing through that last bout!
Yeah, but I don’t know, I’m just super hard on myself, so I know people mean it as a good thing, you didn’t give up, and I feel that’s like my signature line, “You don’t give up!” But there’s so much more I want to do. Let’s see…really just surviving every practice currently, because my body’s so tired and worn out, but just every little thing. I don’t take anything for granted. Any little thing that I can accomplish, I try to realize that, okay, you know, I did it.
So what gave you the final push to want to actually do fresh meat?
Well, I guess it was just life in general. Because when the league came here, I was on second shift, so I couldn’t do it because I had to work weekends, and second shift is purely during bouts and practices. Then when I was on day shift, and since I’m in management, I’m not supposed to work weekends (although we’re short staffed, so that kind of messed everything up, so that’s been an added stress factor because I have to divide the two and it’s very hard) so just the fact that I had time, and this past year just personally and privately have been like, “Okay, I’m going to stop saying no to things that I want to do.” Because, you know, I’m a giver, I’m that person for everyone that does for them and not for myself, so I was like, okay, I’m going to do this one thing. So derby has maintained my sanity for this past year, literally.
So it was just the year to do it. Even though work is super stressful and we have crazy short staffing, I’m not gonna say no anymore, so I asked a question (I think it was on IG, on Instagram I saw the post) and then Kilty called me. That was at work, and I was like, I can’t talk, because obviously at work, I try to leave work and life separate, but I just went for it. Even when I bought all my stuff, right before fresh meat, I was like, “Okay, do I really…” and I was like yes, I’m going to do this.
And also the teamwork, that was also a driving force for joining. I mean, it’s just a great group of people. It’s insane how we’re all different, but we all get along. Like that’s just one thing that kind of worried me, because that’s not always the case, and there’s no judgment (or if there is, people are really quiet about it!) but I just feel like everyone has that camaraderie and want people to do better and to see people successful and be the team. I mean yes, there are people that get along better than other people, that’s life in general, but I really appreciated that portion of it. You can be having just the worst day ever, and you go to derby, and by the end of the night, you’re tired, worn out, but everything is just gone.
This kind of goes along with Madam’s second question. Do you tell people in real life that you do derby?
So I did not until I started posting on Facebook and Instagram after I guess the first home bout, or with the first home bout. Otherwise no. The people that knew: Tessa, who was in fresh meat with me, she told somebody, and she told me the first night of fresh meat, “Oh I texted [whoever]!” and I was like, “Tessa…no no…this is me we’re talking about.” So I had to go to that person (because we work together) and I was like, “Please don’t say anything.” Well then Randy and Heidi know somebody, so they said something, and I had to go to that person. I was like, “I haven’t told anyone, I’m not telling anyone, please just *zip*.” And then [Mobile] Crisis, her mom works for me, so she knew, so I had to go to her and be like, “Okay, let’s not say anything.” So if anything ever came up, I would be like *quiet*.
I told my mom and my step-father, I had to tell them just because of life situations. I didn’t tell my dad until the day of my first bout in April, and that was only because he asked me directly on the phone, so I couldn’t skirt my way around it. When I told him about the Skate-A-Thon in March, I was like, “Yeah, I’ve kind of been doing this skating, why not.” And he was like okay, but then in April…so now he’s like a fanatic, he’s super excited. But no, until the season actually started and I started playing, I did not tell anyone. But this week, or last week, I guess after the last bout, I guess people actually started paying attention to my pictures, so I’ve had questions here and there. I mean, but granted, if you look at me and all the bruises I come to work with and people are like, “My gosh!” *laughs* It’s okay, I just bruise really easy, you know, run into things, it’s all good. Now they’re like, “Ohhhhhh!” These are my badges of honor, so just leave it alone!
Was it a shyness or a you didn't want to jinx it?
No, I’m just a super private person in life in general. I talk about things very rarely and to very few select people, so that’s just how I am.
Had you skated or done any sort of athletic things as a kid?
Growing up I did dancing, like ballet, hence the toe stop queen things that I do; otherwise sport sports, no, it was all dance. Until we moved down here, and then I stopped, so it had been years. But otherwise roller skating was just something you did for fun. I hadn’t skated since I was a teenager, and even then, it might have been since I was a kid. When we lived up North in Jersey, our front yard was a big front yard. During the winter it froze over, a little section of it, so I used to ice skate back in the day, but yeah, not roller skating.
But I do feel like I’ve gotten a lot better—oh another proud thing! So the fact that I don’t fall every time Kilty looks at me, because that’s pretty much what I did, the first month of fresh meat. Any time he looked at me, it was immediately *smack* Like Kilty, really? I’m gonna need a new helmet because of you! So yeah, hadn’t skated in years.
So I assume Jersey is where your name comes from, is that right?
Yeah, so I intentionally—my initials are J and C, so I had to go with that. Jersey is a part of me, so I was like, I’ve got to make my name a part of me.
And the Cyclone is my goal for myself. I just want to swoop in, be fast, wreck havoc, and then, you know, do my thing. So yes, there’s much thought that was behind [it].
Oh I love that! And what about your number? Where does that come from?
It’s my birthday. So everything has to tie together.
Well we are halfway through our season right now. How has it been for you? Have there been any surprises, successes, things you still want to accomplish?
I mean, there’s always things to accomplish, you always have to have goals because if you don’t have goals, you’re not gonna drive, you’re not gonna push yourself. So just to do better at getting through the walls and be a better jammer, score points, and just be able to [have] track awareness because I literally don’t remember any of my bouts, like at all. Like the first bout that was away, I wasn’t nervous, I guess it was just pure adrenaline. I did fairly well, I got lead, I was happy with that. That was a goal, but just working and growing with the team and the Brawlers, because I think the Brawlers’ season compared to last season are phenomenally doing well, above and beyond. Not that they were bad last season, but I just think there’s just a cohesion this year that wasn’t there last year. And then I guess the first home bout, I feel like it was my best one, and I feel like I’ve kind of gone backwards in my brain, and it may not be the reality, but in my brain, I feel like I’ve hit a plateau.
I just want us to communicate better, because that’s one thing that I need, that communication. That’s why when I’m with you in a wall, because you are really good, and Siren is really good at communicating, or even Rattle yesterday, like she was just pulling my shirt, and I literally appreciated it because I knew what she wanted me to do. Because otherwise no one was talking, and when there’s complete silence, I feel like there’s just chaos. Which it is chaos, but that just adds to it, to a whole nth degree, so as a team, I just want that communication a little bit better. But I think even the new new fresh meat, they have worked their way into the Brawlers really really well, so I think for half of the Brawlers to be less than a year in, I mean I really feel like we’ve all done really well.
I agree! What is your favorite part of bout day, like a home bout day?
It’s just the energy, like everyone is excited, some are nervous, so I just feed off people and I feel their emotions. It’s just fun and different, and until you go into a bout you don’t really understand it. Because even when we were just watching last year and not bouting, it was still a good time.
Granted, getting ready, doing my makeup stresses me out because I’m not a makeup kind of person, but then two, it’s fun, because it’s outside of regular roles, so I’m making myself step out of my normal, which was a whole reason of doing derby as well.
And just being around everyone, because again, the team really is just a great group of people. I’m a watcher, so just watching everyone is my happy place, you know the after party—I can just sit there and watch everyone chit chat and listen, learn, you know, and I’m happy. Just the whole experience. Ultimately, derby is meant to be fun, especially bout days.
So if you’re just watching at an afterparty, and then the band starts, or the DJ starts, and there’s a song that’s gonna get you on the dance floor—what is that song?
Oh gosh, there’s so many. Like music is just—I love music. And it drives me crazy that I can’t hear the music when I’m in a jam because I hear nothing, because I feel like it would actually help calm me down. So they played the Backstreet Boys at the bout last time, and I was like oh my gosh. There’s a lot because I listen to all kinds of genres. I guess it would just depend on me, if I was that excited to get in front of people, like when we had the practice the other day and we had to do the different stations, and one of them was the dancing thing, and I was like, “I won’t dance.” Y’all can do your thing. But I do like to dance, just in a different mindset. You’ll see me bobbing my head, but I don’t know that I’d walk out of my comfort zone, unless I was a little tipsy, but even then.
What is your most common penalty, and does it say anything about you or your playing style?
Cut track, all the time, especially in scrimmage, and I swear I’m not cutting the track, but I’m like really, again? I did get back block, earlier in my first bout, and I think I broke that habit because I’m very conscientious of it because I don’t want to hurt somebody, and so it’s part of the reason why I don’t go super fast, which I know hinders me because I can’t get through the wall if I’m not going fast, but I just have it stuck in my brain, I don’t want to hurt somebody and get a back block. And not that I care about the penalty—I just don’t want to hurt somebody. But yeah, cut track, that’s my [penalty] all the time. I got one last night. I was like Mag, like really? She was like, because I knew I stepped out, but then Shine ran back, so I stepped out then I realized I stepped in, and she started going. It was an instantaneous thing, and Mag was like, “Cut track!” And I was like, “No!”
I was trying to do it right!
Yeah you know, it was a moment! And even on bouts with the rope, I got cut track last bout, and I totally did not feel the rope at all, because Override called it, and I was like what? No, I did not feel the rope underneath my skate. So that’s one I need to work on. But I can’t help it; lane one and four, those are just my go-tos, because going through people is not—that’s a goal, that’s not my strong suit. I can push people, but to get through people, like I know Kilty keeps telling me to wiggle myself, but that’s not, it doesn’t comprehend.
Do you ever find yourself leaning back on any of your ballet or dance training in derby?
I mean, just with the toe stop thing, that helps, just having balance. I wish I was more fluid about it. Because when Inga did the practice with the different elements, she was the water, and I was like, “Oh, that’s just so calm and peaceful.” But I just don’t do that, and I default to my toe stops. And everyone loves that, but I’m like, “No, if I did laterals I’d be so much faster.” I feel like it’d be more efficient, but I just default to toe stops.
And like Kilty, how well he can jump the apex and all of that, I wish I could do that. And Kitty, with her fire, there are pieces of everyone that I want to absorb somehow, magically. That’s the good thing too, because I usually do timer for the penalty box, so I appreciate it because I can watch the bout, but then I’m so focused on timing that I don’t—I mean I’m watching, but it doesn’t sink in.
Because I want to learn from everyone. Everyone has good and bad, and you can learn from the bad too. Just like reffing, I would really like to learn how to ref so that I have that awareness too so I can hopefully prevent myself from getting penalties. But insofar I think usually one or two, I don’t think I’ve, maybe the first one I got three, so I feel like I’ve done well not to get too many penalties, but then that might mean I’m not trying hard enough, I don’t know. But I’ll take it as a positive.
It is a balance of learning where can you push things and where do you need to stay cautious as you are. Well what advice do you have for people who might want to play roller derby?
First, make sure you have the time, because if you cannot dedicate the time, it’s not gonna work. Like I knew we needed the time, but I didn’t realize how much time it was. Be open to learning, constructive criticism. I appreciate when people give me feedback; actually, when people don’t and they’re like, “You did great!” but I’m like no, I didn’t, I need you to tell me something because that’s how you’re going to get better and how you’re going to improve. And just take that leap of faith because when we did fresh meat and you all kept saying, “Just come back! Don’t give up!” That’s truly just, do not give up. Which I don’t. I’m purely a stubborn person. Unless I’m truly broken on the floor, I will get up.
So determination, have goals, and just want to learn, and be part of an awesome group of people. Again, the team is just a really great group of people. And two, even the volunteer stuff we’ve done. I mean, I haven’t done all of them, because I have to take off work, but giving back to the community like that is important too.
Who would you like to nominate for next month, and what do you want to ask?
Trauma Queen. Why did you want to do derby in the first place, and what have you learned about yourself because of derby?
Thank you for a great conversation Jersey! Readers, you can catch her and the rest of the team in action next Saturday, July 8. Until then, be like Jersey and don’t give up on yourself, no matter how tough the challenge is.
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