Name: Panic Attack
Number: 143
Travel Teams: All Stars and Brawlers
Home Team: Moonshine Moxies
Years skating: 4.5 years
She’s known for flying fast around the track and racking up huge amounts of points in a single jam! Get to know March’s Skater of the Month: Panic Attack!
You were nominated by Death Starr, who wants to know: how many more years of derby do you think you have in you?
I would like to say at least ten more years? You know, life changes though, and I don’t know, things happen, but I want to keep going with derby. So I’m going to give myself at least ten more years, if I have it in me.
I like that as a goal! You got your start with roller derby in junior derby. How did you learn about it?
My stepmom, Jenny, decided for both of us to go help with Habitat for Humanity, and the derby team at the time, the adult league, just happened to also be volunteering. I was at that prime age when they’re trying to recruit everybody, so they were like, “You should try out junior roller derby! You would love it!” And I did, I went and I ended up falling in love with it, and I was like, “Yes, this is for me.” And so it was really just the volunteer work that got me into it.
Nice! Unexpected bonus from volunteer work. Were you playing any other sports as a kid?
When I was really young, I played softball, baseball, basketball, I was a cheerleader (when I was really young). But nothing really fit, and I was never really that good at anything, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like running, so I was like, “Running: not for me.” So derby was really what stuck from my childhood.
What was it for you as a kid that just clicked with you and roller derby? Was there anything in particular?
I guess what I liked about it was that I wasn’t bad at skating. I was able to stay on my feet. The instant friends that came with it too, and there are still people that I sometimes talk to today where I’m like, “That’s a good friend that I made from derby,” and that’s what I think I really love about it.
Now you jam with the adult league. Were you a jammer back then?
I was, but I wasn’t a very good one. I would put my arms up over my head, trying to squeeze through, thinking that that was the best way, but I was so tall that when my arms would come down, I would bop people on the helmet, and they’re like, “You can’t do that! Try not to put your arms in the air.” But I did jam from what I remember, but like I said, I wasn’t a very good one.
Well you’re definitely a good one now—you skate for both the All Stars and the Brawlers. How do those different team experiences compare for you?
Ooh, that’s a good question. Working with the Brawlers I enjoy because there are people who are newer than me, which means I can help show them newer skills that they might not know. I love being able to share my ideas and my thoughts, so I love that aspect of playing with Brawlers. Someone can always learn from you, you know? And I guess it’s kind of different switching to the All Stars—I can always learn from an All Star as well, since some have been playing for fifteen, twenty years. But both (ignoring the level between A and B) is that everyone is very, I guess, accommodating and…what word am I thinking of…like mending? You know, we mix well, people work well together.
No definitely, we have a lot of different types on each of the two teams. How would you describe your playing style nowadays?
I like going fast and I like hitting hard. I want to hit a blocker so hard that they go like, “Oww!” or they’re like, “Dang!” you know? You kind of catch them off guard cause sometimes they don’t really expect it out of jammers. But I like going fast.
Related to that, what is your most common penalty, and do you think that says anything about your playing style?
It used to be cut track, all the time, I was constantly cutting track. I don’t think I was paying attention enough. Now I would say it has probably leaned more towards back blocking because I am skating around so fast, I’m like, “You better get outta my way, I’m going for you, if you step in my way…” and yeah, I usually get a back block.
Sometimes they can be worth it!
Yes, sometimes they definitely are.
You’ve gotten quite a number of MVP Jammer awards. Is there one in particular that stands out to you?
[Looks around] They’re hanging around in my apartment right now, I’m trying to look. I’m trying to match them to what game as well.
They do start to blend at a certain point.
They do, they do. One year, I did randomly decide to go play for Naughty or Nice. It was a last minute (day of) they had an opening, and I was like, “Ok, fine I’ll go, I’ll go.” And then I ended up coming out of it with MVP Jammer, and I was like, “That’s really cool. It was worth the trip.” Another one that I do think of was my first game with our home team. I did get MVP for that, which was really nice. It was like the first instance of getting to know that Hard Knox league is very inclusive and it made me feel welcomed.
Well speaking of: your home team is the Moonshine Moxies. What would you say is your most Moxie trait?
I don’t know! Looking at all the other Moxies, we’re all very—I don’t know how you would describe it, nonchalant I guess? Especially when it comes to like Sin, very nonchalant, Mad Dawg, but when we need to be loud, we are loud, and we are proud.
I feel like the Moxies are always up for whatever, and I think you fit that pretty well.
That’s true, thank you. I feel like we haven’t had enough bonding time as maybe the other home teams have, which partly is my fault. There are times where I’m like, “I don’t want to go out and do the bonding trip,” but I would like to get to know more about a Moxie trait and how we should be.
What is the story behind your skater name and number?
My skater name honestly took me forever to figure out. When I did junior league, I did just go by Cagney for a long time because I didn’t know what. I wanted it to be cool, but I wanted it to be different, and I guess I just kind of landed on Panic Attack because as a kid, I had this weird breathing problem that the doctors were like, “It’s not asthma, it’s not this, it’s not that,” and they were like, “It’s probably panic attacks,” and I was like, “Oh, ok. Hey, that’s kind of cool.” And so I ended up just taking it as my derby name.
And then my number (143) does stand for “I love you,” and so I just thought, you know, let’s spread the love, why not, so that’s kind of where 143 came from.
Do you prefer home bouts or traveling for away bouts?
It definitely depends. I do love traveling, but I’m always the one to drive, so if it gets longer than five or six hours, I’m like, “Ooh, this isn’t very fun.” But I do very much love to travel, so I think I would probably prefer away bouts. I loved Jacksonville last year, that’s what I always think of, and Memphis was amazing. Indiana was a hard drive but it was very fun, getting up there and doing the Cornament.
What are some of your favorite places you’ve traveled not for derby?
We went on a cruise one time when I was younger, and that was really fun, mainly because the all you can eat food, twenty four seven. Yes, because I love to eat, so that was probably one of my favorite trips. The food, the weather, we went to the Bahamas, it was gorgeous. And yeah, it was amazing.
Do you have any goals for yourself for this upcoming season?
A main goal I’d say for this season is to stick with it. I’m having a hard time getting into it right now, so my main goal is to stick with it, keep going to practice, and just motivate myself to want to derby right now. And just continue to get better at jamming and blocking because we always need practice.
What advice would you have for people who want to play roller derby?
Don’t be afraid to fall down. You’re going to get hurt and it will hurt but don’t let that discourage you. Just try before you say no, just try. I think there’s a place for everybody in derby.
Who do you want to nominate for next month, and what do you want to ask them?
Dazey Doom. What is a goal that you would like to accomplish for yourself this season? Is there anything that could get in the way of that goal?
Thank you for a great conversation Panic! Readers, your All Stars and Brawlers are on the road this month to Las Vegas for the first bout of the year, so send the good vibes their way on March 7! Until then, be like Panic and just try before you say no.
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