Name: Pistol Whips
Number: 365
Travel Team: Brawlers
Home Team: Lolitas
Years skating: 1
You might know her for her blocking on the track, but she’s also behind the merchandise you know and love. Get to know February’s skater of the month: Pistol Whips!
You were nominated by Miss I’ll Strike, who wants to know what your favorite thing about your first season was, whether it was a specific moment from a game or a practice, or just anything in general since you’ve now had a full season under your belt.
I would say surviving the first season is one! And then, I guess about June, everything slowed down, and I knew what was happening instead of just being in a tornado and not knowing what to do, not knowing what I could do, couldn’t do. Towards the end of the season, I was able to catch a jammer (still didn’t know what to do with them once I got them). But, you know, a lot of improvement, just the improvement over the year.
What brought you to roller derby in the first place?
Oh I have wanted to join since Hard Knox first started! I had a business at the time and never could get the schedule worked out to where I could commit to the practices. But every year, I would go on the website and look. Then after COVID (I had sold my business during shutdown) sitting around last year I was like, “You know? I think I’m going to try this,” and so that’s what I did.
Had you ever skated before?
I’ve skated most of my life. When I was younger I did figure skating on roller skates, but I had not been on skates for probably ten years when I decided to do Hard Knox. But yeah, I skated a lot early.
Are there any skills that cross over for you from figure skating to this?
Crossovers and toe stop work. Of course, it’s all different now because I was young and little, so the backwards stuff is different. So there’s just things that I used to could do that now I’m like, terrified to try, if that makes sense. But yeah, it does cross over.
How did you decide on your skater name and number?
My husband and I like to shoot. I struggled trying to find a name. I had a lot of different ones, but I was trying to find something that no one else really had. So I went with “Pistol,” and I wanted it to be like a play on words, and “whips” is a word from derby, so it kind of had two meanings, so I went with that.
The number is 365, and that is the number of the pistol that I shoot with.
What is something on your bucket list that you would like to accomplish?
Oh gosh, left on my bucket list I’d like to go to Egypt, Rome, skydive. Most of those things are probably not going to happen [laughs]
But it’s fun to have things to dream about!
Yeah, my bucket list nowadays is just to enjoy life in the moment. Because when you’re younger, you tend to focus on things that are not important, and the older you get, the more focused you become.
What is your favorite roller derby position to play?
Blocker and brace. I like to be able to see behind me, so I like to brace, and it’s just kind of fun to try to keep up with the jammer. Blocking: it’s just a fun position, you know, you’re trying to work with everybody and try to keep that jammer from getting through, so it’s a good test for balance and learning new skills.
How would you describe your derby playing style?
I’m not sure I even have one yet! [laughs] Not really aggressive, trying to get better at that. That first whole season was just mostly trying to keep up with what was happening, but I don’t think I’ve developed a style yet. But hopefully that’ll happen.
So one of your off-the-track responsibilities is our merchandise. What has that experience been like for you?
Oh super fun! I’m in my element with that. And it’s always fun spending other people’s money! But just trying to really, you know, take it to the next level and do more for the league to have more funds, which I think can really help with that.
Is there anything that you want to tease that we’re going to have at the merch table this season? Anything that you can reveal?
We’re going to do some more stickers and probably some more different shirts and hoodies and options that’s not just our logo, here’s our logo, you know. Spread to a broader crowd. And maybe some different items that people can use out in their daily life that will advertise us.
On the track, what is your most common penalty, and do you think that says anything about your personality or your derby playing style?
It’s usually a forearm, and so I guess that’s just a natural reaction, trying to learn not to use your arms. I don’t know how that would make my style be, but it would be a forearm or a directional. Those are the two that I get all the time.
Do you have any goals for yourself for this new 2024 season?
I wanna improve my endurance, and try to play other positions, and just improve my skills. I haven’t been able to do a lot because I do have an injury now, so that may affect my season this year, but it gives me goals to work towards.
What is something that you’ve gained from your roller derby experience that you maybe didn’t expect?
The support and camaraderie of the team. It’s a good experience, for sure, because during COVID I was alone at home a lot, and I hadn’t played a team sport since high school, so it’s a good experience.
What sports did you play in high school?
I played field hockey, which I grew up in Maine so that’s a Northern thing, we don’t have that down here, and then I played tennis.
Does any of that help you out in derby?
The field hockey probably just being more assertive does help a little bit, but again, that’s been like thirty years ago since. [laughs]
It builds a foundation!
Yeah, exactly!
So if you’re originally from Maine, what brought you down here to Tennessee?
My parents had moved out down here. I’m originally from California. We lived in Maine for awhile, and then my step-father’s family was here, so they moved back down here, and I ended up eventually moving down here to be closer to my mom, and I’ve stayed.
What’s something you like about Tennessee?
Oh the mountains, lots of nature stuff, the weather is better.
When we’re not totally snowed in!
Yeah, less snow than what we’ve had this week.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend time with my dog. I live on a farm, and that’s what I do for work now, is grow vegetables, and just spend time with my animals. Trying to do more stuff outdoors, live in the moment.
What’s been something that’s been really satisfying about having a farm?
Just being outside and being in touch with nature. Not being stuck inside working all day long, just the freedom to kind of space my day out how I want.
What advice do you have for people who would want to play roller derby?
Just do it! [laughs] Have patience with yourself because it’s hard, it’s very hard. You have to do it, and you know, it does get—you get disappointed, but you will improve.
Who would you like to nominate for next month, and what do you want to ask?
Psych Wazowski. What made you decide to do roller derby, and how do you feel like your first official season went?
Thanks for an awesome conversation Pistol Whips! It’s shaping up to be a big year with a lot of home bouts and other community events. You’ll be able to catch us earlier than usual with the Honky Tonk Stomp happening on March 23-34! So until then, be like Pistol Whips and live in the moment.
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