Name: The Count
Number: 1071
Travel Team: Chaos
Home Team: Bettys
Years skating: 10
If you’ve been around HKRD for a while, then you already know and love May’s Skater of the Month! If you’re new, then enjoy meeting The Count!
You were nominated by November Pain, who wants to know: what is your favorite part of what we do? We’ve got practice, bouts, fundraisers; what’s your favorite thing with the derby team?
I’d have to say the camaraderie, just around a group of people with common interests, common goals, the smiles, the vibes, like even when you hit somebody, it’s all good.
How did you discover roller derby?
Oh gosh, I was watching an episode of Bones, probably ten-ish years ago. There was an episode where a derby player was killed, and so they were kind of investigating the girl and everything. They see the bruises, they think spousal abuse. Come to find out she plays roller derby. And then they kind of get into that little world. I’m watching it and I’m like, “That’s a thing? Like that sport exists?” Of course my husband was like, “Yeah, you never heard of roller derby?” Like no, of course not!
So of course I started looking into it, and then I found out Hard Knox had a league and started going on their website and all of that, and I decided that I want to try this. I reached out to info@hardknox, and I believe it was Cut N Dye who was managing that email account at the time. We emailed back and forth a bunch, and slowly started buying all the equipment, the gear, still hadn’t committed. Went to about two bouts and then I finally just said I’m gonna do this. She reached out and said, “Hey, we’re gonna have an open house, why don’t you come on over.” This was back when we on Raccoon Valley, the Raccoon Valley Warehouse.
So The School?
Yeah, The School. So yeah, I showed up, and everyone was just so nice. Another girl showed up at the same time, and come to find out she lives on the next street as me, Tara. We showed up on the same [night], and it was nice, it was just great. I showed up for rec league practice and I was hooked!
Wow! I have heard so many different “this media got me into it.” I have never heard Bones! Like I didn’t realize they did an episode on that, that is so cool.
It is, yeah.
Well, what was your pre-derby background? Had you done sports before? Had you roller skated a lot as a kid?
I did inline skates in my youth, just kind of run the street and everything. Never really did quads, so that was different. I’d been off skates for years, so that was very scary. It was like learning to ride a bike all over again. I played soccer one year when I was a freshman in high school. Didn’t go well. Wanted to do track, but I lived in Florida, and the heat and everything. My parents wouldn’t let me; they were just so scared I’d get heat exhaustion or something. So yeah, not really sporty at all.
What brought you to Knoxville then, from Florida?
I spent a huge part of my childhood in Florida, central Florida, moving around a lot. My parents divorced, my mom moved up here because she would vacation in Gatlinburg (you know, a lot of people vacation in Gatlinburg and relocate here). So my mom was one of those. Just years with my stepmom, just falling out and it was time for a change. I moved up here to be with her and kind of just stayed. Had a family, now I’m stuck here.
Well we’re glad you’re stuck here! So you’ve literally been around since The School: for people who don’t know, that is a long time. That is Hard Knox lore to be a part of The School (I am not). So you’ve gone through fresh meat several times. Just what have been some of your experiences? What’s it been like going through fresh meat, continuing to come back from different adversities that you’ve gone through with it?
Well, I did rec league for awhile, and through that process, we didn’t have any boot camps or fresh meats or anything. It was just strictly rec league to kind of train you. And there really wasn’t a lot of involvement with the rec league. It was a completely separate practice. We had Cut and Chris who kind of managed it a little bit, and they kind of worked on some fundamentals, but nothing really intense or—they didn’t really push you. It was very casual. Some practices it felt like we were literally just skating around in circles. Lyda Kain and Kilty, they showed up to a lot of it, those were some good practices too.
It was probably, I would say maybe a year (I mean, Killer Queen and Kitty Twister, they started and they didn’t even go through a fresh meat, they were able to progress so rapidly that they were able to get into the league quick before we even had a boot camp). And then we finally had a boot camp, and on testing it was a tax deadline (I worked at a CPA firm at the time), so I couldn’t do it. Then it was probably another year before another boot camp, and something happened with that one, I can’t quite remember. I know we eventually had to relocate to Oliver Springs. We had a boot camp, and I think that’s when I found out I was pregnant with my youngest. I was gonna try to stick with it, and then the hormones kicked in and just couldn’t do it. After she was born, just a lot of postpartum depression. Couldn’t come back—I would even drive as far as into the parking lot, and sit there, and then turn around and go home. I would drive halfway there, and turn around and go home. I tried so much to come back, and it was just really hard for me. So yeah. And then years passed, finally I just decided: I gotta do this. I gotta do this. And here I am!
And here you are!
I think I might have done a boot camp with you.
We did, yeah! I was in 2018. We were together. I mean it was, I didn’t even realize how much it was going to be when I was going through it. But it was a good one.
It was—it was very intense. I would say, I feel like each boot camp that I’ve been to, they’re getting better and better. A lot more core fundamentals, but very intense. Really drill it down into you.
You’re reading my mind right now because I was going to ask what changes you’ve seen from the league. So is there anything else that you’ve seen, like the ways that the league has grown, or are there core things that you see like, no matter what, this is what Hard Knox always does? Just sort of a stepping back approach, what do you see from the league?
Well when I was rec league, it was really different because rec league was kept completely separate from the league. We were not involved with almost anything, hardly anything, but we were kind of expected to help with the fundraising. Any of that stuff we didn’t get MCH (Member Contribution Hours) credit for it, but we were still expected to participate in it. But when it came to any type of Hard Knox events (they had an anniversary one) we were expected to help with getting money together and supplies for it, but we weren’t allowed to attend it. We weren’t allowed to go to the end of the year party. We were expected to help with all the things, but we weren’t part of it.
But it’s completely different now. Where the rec league participates along with the league during practices, we’re all involved. If they want to help they can, there’s no pressure if they don’t, and they still get to be part of Hard Knox at the end of the year party and the after-parties and all of that stuff. I feel like it’s a lot more unified.
Yeah, and I think very intentionally making the culture a place where, no matter where you are, you can have a place here.
Yes, a lot more welcoming.
So when you’re out on the track, what is your favorite position to play?
Blocking!!
What do you like about blocking (she says with a very bold tone!)?
I feel like the times that (when we’re doing different practices where you have to play the jammer role) just trying to break through the pack, and I just don’t have the endurance for that. To have to skate around the track as fast as you can and then try to work through the pack again, I don’t think I have the endurance for that. And I think I would be a very strong blocker once I can figure out how to hold myself.
What’s an area that you can tell that you’ve grown in as a skater?
It’s really hard to say because I feel like in the past, I’ve done a lot of things, I’ve felt like I was a lot better at it, and then I’ve lost it, lost the skills from being off skates for so long and having to build everything back up and figure out what works, what doesn’t, especially with my body being older. It’s a lot harder. Having to relearn everything, it’s really hard to say. I will say, I’m a lot farther than I was last year. Just learning how to do all the things.
What have been some of your favorite derby moments, either on or off the track?
I think off the track is: the friends that I’ve made. I think I’ve made some really good friends, people that I know I can count on.
You are part of the Bettys. What would you say is either your most Betty trait, or what’s your favorite part of the Bettys?
Well I do love the color red! So I have to confess: I did want to be a (formerly) Machine Gun Kelly because it goes with the whole mob thing, but Kitty Twister always told me, years ago, that I’m a Betty. She would tell me all the time, “You’re a Betty!” And so I did have my heart set on being a Moonshine Moxie, because formerly Machine Gun Kellys, but I was actually very relieved and thrilled to be a Betty. I feel that is my family.
I agree with Kitty’s assessment!
Yeah, it suits me.
It really does! And y’all’s vibe is just really fun, like the little button ups that y’all are have, those are so cool!
They are absolutely adorable! Just the whole outfit in general.
How did you decide on your skater name and number?
The Count is short for The Accountant from the Ben Affleck movie The Accountant. Just a complete badass of an accountant; I mean, he’s a CPA and he uncooks the books for the mob, just very impressive, what he does and who he is and everything and what all he has overcome and just, it stuck with me: The Accountant. I’m The Accountant. So The Count for short, and I just love that.
And it’s a good—we can just say, “Count!” out there on the track. A one syllable word is really good.
Yes, that helps a lot! The number, 1071: so I couldn’t come up with a number for the longest time. I did some Googling, and it’s unconfirmed, but I did find some amateur radio websites where they said 1071 is the code for fraud and I think counterfeit, I think it’s fraud and counterfeit, the police code for that for Knox County. Unconfirmed though! I need to find a police officer to confirm it.
It was so specific, I was like, it’s gotta be something related with money or accounting in some way! And I just loved your photo that you did this year with all the fake money you had, that was so much fun!
Yes, I think that was Death Starr’s suggestion. I think she suggested that, so it just worked out perfect.
What is something that you’ve gained from roller derby that maybe you didn’t expect?
Well I did a lot of research before starting, so a lot of the stuff that was said did happen: the physical fitness and the camaraderie, the bonds and everything. I think just some of the friendships I’ve gotten. Wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it is. It’s nice that there’s people I can talk to for various different things. And long lasting friendships, like Kitty Twister, we’ve kept in contact, even every time I’ve disappeared. She’s always been there.
You just recently did the Chalk Walk with your daughter. Have you always been artistic like that?
Yes, natural born artist. I don’t really push myself or apply myself like I used to. It was always drilled into me that you’re only famous when you die, so I never pursued a career in it. Which I’m kind of glad because I love my career. But it’s really nice because my oldest loves art, she’s actually going for an art major (animation). And so I try to support her as much as I can with that. We did it two years ago, had a blast, and did it again this year, and we’re going to continue doing it. Just very fun!
So did she design the piece that y’all did?
She did. So half of it was a monarch, because it’s my favorite butterfly, and the other half—I can’t remember the name of it, but it’s a blue butterfly, it’s her favorite butterfly, I’m a horrible mom for not being able to remember what it’s called! But yeah, she did the design and I let her kind of draw it out. I did my side, she did her side, we colored the green.
That is so cool! I didn’t realize that that’s how it went together, that y’all each had half of it. That is really well done.
She did an absolutely amazing job with that.
She did, yes! The design was really intricate. Well, what does your family think of roller derby?
They’re supportive of it. My littlest wants to do it. She’s totally into roller skating. I feel bad because I can’t take her to the skating rink as much as I’d love to. So, she watches the games on the big tv, and she’ll get her skates out and roller skate in the living room, and then she asks me, “When are we going skating?” I can’t wait until she’s old enough and we get the Hooligans [junior derby] up and running. That would be really good for her.
If you were to sum up your roller derby experience in three to five words, what would you say?
That’s a hard one! Persistence. I’ll just go with one word: persistence.
Who do you want to nominate next month, and what do you want to ask them?
Death Starr. What got you started in roller derby? What made you show up?
Thank you for a great conversation, Count! Readers, it’s the month you’ve been waiting for: OUR FIRST HOME BOUT! Catch the All Stars and Brawlers on May 24 in downtown Knoxville, and cheer on all your favorite skaters. Until next time, be like The Count, and just be persistent.
-smalls-