February Featured Skater: Pistol Whips

Name: Pistol Whips

Number: 365

Travel Team: Brawlers

Home Team: Lolitas

Years skating: 1

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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!

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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?

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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.

-smalls-

January Featured Skater: Miss I'll Strike

Name: Miss I'll Strike

Number: 321

Travel Team: Brawlers

Home Team: Bombshell Bettys

Years skating: 1

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If you’re ever in her target zone, brace yourself for a massive hit! Get to know one of our newest Brawlers, Miss I’ll Strike!

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You were nominated by Killer Kanary, who wants to know why you wanted to do derby, and do you feel like you’re in a cult now?

Oh yeah [laughs] yeah, in a good way, you know? It’s like a bonus family.

So how did you find out about derby?

Honestly, social media. I knew about Hard Knox because of Facebook, and social media, and it’s something that always I wanted to do. I just kind of took the leap of faith and did fresh meat last year.

Had you skated as a kid?

Yeah, yeah, no I loved skating. That was one reason I wanted to do it. I always liked going to the skating rink and I loved skating. I kind of just wanted to be involved, and I also wanted to be involved in the sport, but I did like skating when I was a kid.

What was your fresh meat experience like?

My fresh meat experience: I loved fresh meat. It was honestly more than I thought it was going to be, in a good way. I learned a lot, and I felt prepared for the season, even though I didn’t know it at the time, right? You’re always scared going into the season, and you’re like, “Oh, I’m going to have practice with people who know what they’re doing!” [laughs] And then it started, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought because fresh meat was really thorough. It was good.

How did you pick your skater name and number?

Ooh, okay that’s a good one. So I wanted it to be a pun, and I wanted it to be funny, but I wanted it to be…not aggressive. [laughs] But I wanted it to be a pun, and I wanted it to be a kind of an in-your-face name. There’s this rock artist that I really like—her name is Dorothy (I feel like nobody has ever heard of her, there’s a couple people that might listen to it). She has a song, “Missile,” and I was listening to it, and I was like, “Ooh, Miss, Miss I’ll, that’s a really good pun.” And then it took me a couple of days; I finally came up with Miss I’ll Strike.

And then 321 is like “3-2-1 blastoff,” right? It’s like you’re a missile, so I just kind of thought it was funny.

Yeah, they definitely go together!

[laughs] I wanted to have a theme!

What is your favorite position to play?

I block most of the time. I don’t really ever jam in the games, but I like jamming at practice. I like blocking on the inside of the track (so [lane] 1 as we say). I just think that’s my stronger side. I turn more into my right, so when you play 1, it’s natural to kind of look over your right shoulder, so I think I’m stronger on that side.

I’ve really been trying to get more comfortable doing the other positions. I braced a lot in the last game of the season that we played in Greenville, which is the first time I did that, bracing a lot in the game, so that was—I was kind of proud of myself because I hadn’t been doing that.

Doing that and pivoting, pivoting is what I want to work on too. I think you have to be a good blocker and a good jammer to pivot, so I think it’s important to have good pivots on the team.

How would you describe your derby playing style?

My playing style, oh that’s hard because this is only my first season. I just wanna be like the person that’s aware of everything on the track. I don’t ever want to be caught off guard. I wanna always be the person that goes where the jammer is and knows where our jammer is so that I’m aware if I need to brace or need to go give O [offense]. But I think I’m aggressive in the fact that I always try to go after the jammer. I don’t ever want to give up when the jammer gets through. I want to chase them down if I can. I just need to work on being faster and the footwork, but I know I guess that comes with time.

I think I’ve seen you grow a lot this season with your recycling and trying to go after the jammer even after they’ve gotten through.

[laughs] I know, it’s really hard! It’s really hard to catch people, especially when we’re playing against our A team jammers, and they’re so fast that, I guess if you don’t try, you’re never gonna get there.

If you could teleport to anywhere in the world right now, where would you want to go?

Oh that’s…hmmm…somewhere on vacation, I guess! Somewhere totally different. I have a long list. I’ve really been wanting to go to Greece lately, that’s been on my bucket list for vacation, so I’m gonna say Greece.

What would you most want to do in Greece?

I want to go to the beach. Oh the food! The food, the architecture, the beach, just seeing, you know, the culture, all of it!

Well, what is your favorite part of bout day?

Bout day is really, it’s a long day. Honestly, playing. I feel like because I play in the B games, it’s the last thing of the day, so it’s all this anticipation, right? I help with merch, you know, I help Heather set up merch. So we set up merch, we work the merch table, we’re working the merch table during the A game, and then we finally get our skates on and get to skate, and it’s like a sigh of relief, like “Oh I didn’t forget that I know how to skate! [laughs] I didn’t forget how to play derby!” All the anticipation of the day and then you finally get to play and we do warmups and then I feel comfortable in my element, and I can play, so that first jam that I go out, honestly is probably my favorite.

What were some of your favorite achievements on the track from this past season?

Oh, there’s so many because I couldn’t play at all! [laughs] Honestly, just being comfortable playing the game, right? Because it’s so fast paced, and being comfortable, like knowing that it happens really fast and having that awareness of where everything is, and feeling like things slow down, and so that makes me feel like, okay, I’m learning how to play because I don’t feel so overwhelmed that everything is fast. It’s so weird how that happens.

What are some goals that you have for yourself for next season?

There’s a lot! I definitely want to get better at playing the positions that I’m not comfortable playing, like 4 because 1, you know, is my favorite, so playing in 4 because it happens, right? You can’t always be in the same position. I mean in the middle of a jam, we all get scrambled up and you end up being somewhere that you didn’t want to be on the line, so you have to be comfortable doing everything.

So definitely that, and then just skills. Like backwards crossovers, crabbing, that kind of stuff, the skills that help you be a better player. So stuff like that.

How do you find a balance between roller derby and real life?

It’s just scheduling, honestly. It has to fit in with your—I mean, I’m fortunate I guess that it does work with my work schedule and my real life schedule, but practice just kind of fits in naturally into my week. So it’s not too crazy, but it is a lot. I mean, it can be a lot, I guess, if you’re already a busy person. We do practice a lot and then game days are a lot. But yeah, I guess if you’re passionate about it, then you find the time. Which I love, I went into fresh meat honestly not knowing if I was actually going to stay and play. I kind of went to fresh meat to just see what it was about and honestly just be a better skater, and I didn’t know if I was gonna play, and then I loved it, and so I guess if you are passionate about it, you find time for it.

What’s something that would surprise people about you?

Surprise people…I don’t know, that’s hard because I feel like I’m kind of an open book person. Maybe that I’m not from here, because I’ve lived here so long. I don’t really talk about the fact that I’m from Mississippi. Unless you know me I guess, especially during derby, because we don’t—I feel like when I’m at practice, I just focus on practice. But yeah, I’ve lived here for about ten years, and I grew up in Mississippi, and I moved here to go to Maryville College. That’s a fun fact I guess.

Yeah! What kept you in Tennessee?

I just liked it, and I didn’t want to go back, honestly. [laughs] No, I went to Maryville College and I knew that I wanted to probably live in this area or at least in this area of the country, and I just liked it, and I got a job here.

What’s something that you like about East Tennessee?

The mountains, honestly. I love that there’s—Knoxville’s a big enough city to where you don’t feel like it’s a huge city, right, because where I grew up, this is like a huge city compared to where I’m from. But then there’s still the outdoorsy stuff to do.

What is something that roller derby has taught you about yourself?

I think it’s good at teaching you teamwork and trusting others, because you really do have to trust your teammates. I know that’s one of our affirmations, but you can not do it on your own. You really do have to trust your teammates! Definitely life lessons.

What advice do you have for people who want to play roller derby?

Don’t be afraid of criticism, I guess, and don’t take stuff personally because everybody is there to help you. I don’t think that I take stuff personally, but I think some people do, so everybody wants to see you be successful. And invest in good equipment—you want to have good knee pads and stuff.

Who would you like to nominate for next month? 

Let’s go with Heather [Pistol Whips].

And what do you want to ask her?

Oh I get to ask a specific question? Maybe what her favorite thing about her first season would be? Like if she has a specific moment, from either a game or a practice, because now we’ve had a full season.

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Thank you for a great conversation Miss I’ll Strike! Readers, our new class of fresh meat just graduated, and as she said, it prepares skaters for everything they need to be a part of our league. We’re all excited to watch them grow and for our season to begin again. Until then, be like Miss I’ll Strike, and trust the teammates in your life.

-smalls-

October Featured Skater: Killer Kanary

Name: Killer Kanary

Number: 240

Travel Team: Brawlers

Home Team: Lolitas

Years skating: 2

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Don’t let her short stature fool you—she causes big problems for any opponent that goes up against the Brawlers! Get to know October’s skater of the month: Killer Kanary!

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You were nominated by Bumble Beast, who wants to know why you joined derby, and is that the reason that you’re still in it?

I joined derby in the first place because I moved back to Knoxville after going to school in middle Tennessee, and I was like, I miss doing sports, I miss the environment I had when I did volleyball, band, that kind of stuff. I needed a way to exercise, I needed a way to make friends in Knoxville again, and so I joined, and my reasoning was: I can take a hit, so I think that this is something that I can do. I went to Skatetown a week before fresh meat and was like, let’s see if I can skate a lap. If I can skate a lap and not bust my ass, we’ll do it. And so I was able to do that, so I signed up, and I joined, and now I’m here!

I think that’s probably still the same reason I’m in it. I obviously like the competitiveness of it now and doing all of those types of things, but really, I do like finding you have this good group of people that, you know, if you need anything, you can go to them. But then also it does get me out of the house. It forces me to exercise (because I can’t force myself) and it’s a fun way to exercise rather than doing cardio that I hate. I still hate cardio at practice, but at least it’s on skates rather than running.

Well that’s really cool that you had done athletic things before! How does [roller derby] compare to things you had done in the past?

I wouldn’t say it’s not similar, it’s pretty similar. I mean, it’s a team sport, so I think a lot of the same things kind of apply. Like obviously I really only did sports when I was in school, but it has the same team aspects of it that you would expect. You find a good group of people—again, I think that's why people do sports in school as well, just so they have someone that they go to, that kind of thing. So I really think you develop the same types of relationships. I think we saw on the Brawlers this year—you kind of build, I can't think of the word right now, but like camaraderie almost? Like you can work really well together. And I think I really noticed that this season, and that's stuff I've noticed in the past. Even doing band, I think you have that, you know, you play really well together and you knew what one person would do and this other person would do. I think that's probably the most similar aspect of it.

What's your favorite position to play, and what do you love about it?

I really like blocking. I mean, we only have so many positions. But I think I've really gotten better at that this season. Just being able to, you know, hold someone is a very fun feeling. Whether that be with someone or on your own, like we worked on one-on-one blocking so much, and I think it just came a long way. I think I'd like to pivot in the future, but honestly I need to build some endurance before I can do such a thing! [laughs]

Which is not easy to do!

No, not at all. That’s probably my least favorite part, but it’s an important part.

How would you describe your derby playing style?

I don't even know! I think I'm a lot more vocal out there than I would say I am at practice? It's like we get out there, and I'm just talking I feel like the entire time, which is helpful for myself at least. So I think I'm just really vocal. Yeah, I think that's probably how I would describe it. I don't think I'm too aggressive yet. I think Bush wants me to be more aggressive.

Do you want to be more aggressive?

Yes? I think I get scared I'm gonna hit someone the wrong way, or do something wrong and end up hurting someone. And then sometimes I forget that I can just hit someone, and sometimes I feel like, you know, it comes off as you're kind of being a jerk. I think it'd be good if I was more aggressive because I feel like I do play a lot of offense, that kind of thing, but we'll see what next year brings.

What's your favorite kind of offense to do?

So what has happened is that I get the jammer and they grab onto me, and then I'm like a little cannonball. I can't say a big cannonball, but I still go through, I feel like. So I think that's fun. I really liked the person we had the clinic with last year (I can't remember her name right now, I'm blanking) but whoever we did the clinic with last year, and she would take out the brace and the two people, like both people on the line. I like doing two-in-one rather than just one. Not saying I do that all the time, but it is fun when you can.

What are some of your favorite achievements on the track?

There was one girl we played against, I can't remember what team she was on, I think it was not this last bout but the bout before. I think she was probably like six foot something; she was very tall, very sturdy, and I think I moved her once or twice. So that's a pretty good one. I jammed this year, got some points. I knocked some people down, I think, you know. The first bout of the season I got MVP Blocker, so that's always fun as well.

Did you have any goals for yourself for this season?

I don't know if I'm necessarily like a goal-oriented person, which sounds very strange. So I don't think that I really set any goals for myself, which maybe I need to. But you remember at the beginning of the season—I couldn't even do five minutes of laps without having to stop, and now that's something that I can do. So probably improving my endurance, and I feel like I have done that. It's been forced, but it's happened. Failing is what I’m focusing on! [laughs] I like derby, but...but yeah, improving that, but I don't think I really had any set goals necessarily. But I think I've achieved things that I'm proud of.

Yeah! I feel kind of similar in that sometimes I don't always have a set goal because the things I want might not be within my reach necessarily, so it's just like, whatever happens, I'm going to celebrate it.

Yeah, I think that's probably the way I'm kind of more so in just doing my best and you know, if I do something good, then fantastic. But yeah, so maybe next year I'll come with something that I want to make sure happens.

What is a hobby that you would like to get into or maybe one that you would want to return to?

Okay—let's see. I've been doing hobbies. I started basket weaving, which some people have heard about. I've been discussing my basket weaving. Let's see, outside of derby, I do naturalist things and so everyone knows my love of birds, so probably actually get more into birding. I don't go birding a lot, but I like learning about it. I like doing different things with it, learning all the stupid little bird names. So yeah, probably more actively birding.

Do you have a favorite bird that you could tell us one fact about?

I'm on the spot! But I have learned that I really like owls. Owls are chill, they’re cool, they're little crazy things. Their ears are actually lopsided so one is lower than the other, but it's so they can have more of a 360 hearing. And as you know, they can't turn their heads all the way around (I feel like everyone knows that). That's my fun fact!

How did you choose your skater name and number?

Obviously my skater name is Killer Kanary, and my number is 240.

So I have a disorder like Tourette's where I have tics, and so I make bird noises, little chirps and things. I forget who helped me come up with the name, but I was trying to come up with something fun, cute, and someone suggested, "Well why don't you do something bird related? Because you're making these little purrs and clicks and noises and things." I was like, well that's cute. So someone said Killer Kanary, and I didn't even come up with it. I can't remember who helped me, I think it was Kenzie who was there last year, did fresh meat with me. But yeah, so having tics, it's great.

And then 240: it comes from my area code when I lived up in Maryland, for the phone. I had no creativity, I didn't know what to do, so that's what I got.

How do you like to spend your time outside of derby?

I mostly hang out with my boyfriend and my pup. My dog wants to play all the time. He's an Australian Shepherd. He has a massive amount of energy, so I hang out with him a lot. I do a lot of reading. I take my naturalist classes where I do nature things. So yeah, and then I just work. That’s my main things.

What is something that roller derby has taught you about yourself?

You can do hard things! I think I've said this to everyone, but I really wanted to quit because at the beginning, when it—usually things click for me. Derby did not click for me, for a very long time, and it still hasn't fully clicked. But after doing fresh meat, I was like, I still suck, this is awful. I got held back in my fresh meat class, which was fine. [laugh] But I was like, I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to do this, so I was like I might as well just suck.

I guess it basically just taught me: you can do hard things, you can keep doing it, you don't have to be good immediately at everything because literally I think I stayed a couple more months and things just started clicking. It worked out for me, and I really like it now, and I can't imagine leaving. It's like a little cult. And now I'm in it. Can I leave? Who knows. [laughs]

Well this is a perfect segue—we are about to start a new fresh meat class, so any other advice you could give the fresh meat, besides don't give up because you can do it?

Don't give up, never surrender. You know, just be patient with yourself. It's really hard. I feel like we lose a lot of people because they kind of have that same thing where they're like, "Ooh this is not clicking." But literally everyone will tell you that, honestly you don't start really being able to grasp everything until two years in. Be patient, it takes some time, but if you stick with it, you're gonna love it, and everyone wants you to do well. They don't want you to fail, they want you to be there, they want you to do well.

Or do rec league! You don't have to be fully in it, because attendance, making attendance is hard as well. So just find a way to make it work for you, even if it's not necessarily like gonna fit everything in your life right now.

What is your favorite thing about Hard Knox as a team?

I think I've covered this a little bit, but just how supportive everyone is. You know, everyone was really sweet, everyone really wants you to feel welcomed. I think it took me a little bit to get into it, but people still keep inviting you to things and still want you to show up, even if you're not the most outgoing person. But yeah, I just like how nice everyone is and, you know, just the community that it is, which seems like a really basic answer, but that's the great part of it. You just have a community!

Who would you like to nominate next month, and what do you want to ask them?

Strike, my lovely blocking partner. What do I want to ask her...I feel like the easiest one is like why did you join? Why are you here? Who put you here? So yeah, I guess I'll ask her why did you want to do derby, and do you feel like you’re in a cult now? [laughs]

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Kanary, thank you for a great conversation that kept me laughing the entire time! Readers, our regular season may be over, but you can still catch Hard Knox in the Pride Parade on Friday, October 6, and of course, some of you may be joining us as fresh meat very soon! Until next time, be like Kanary and know that you can do hard things.

-smalls-

September Featured Skater: Bumble Beast

Name: Bumble Beast

Number: 916

Travel Team: Brawlers

Home Team: Bettys

Years skating: 8

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She’s a new addition to our league this year, and we are so lucky to have her fierce blocking with the Brawlers. Get to know September’s skater of the month: Bumble Beast!

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You were nominated by Trauma Queen; she knows that you moved here from Arizona and took a big leap to move away from everything you had known. So her question is: have you found the home with Hard Knox that you were looking for?

I did! Life’s gotten a lot better since coming and joining you guys. When we first moved here, we obviously didn’t know anyone. Justin had the benefit of going into work, so he got to meet people there. I work from home, so for about six months (because I moved in July of 2022) I only saw my husband and my child’s face for the most part. I got a little isolated, and so that’s when I was like—I need to get out, I need to meet people, and a lot of my circle back home is from derby, a lot of my close friends, which is funny because I hadn’t played for years since before we moved, and those people stuck around. So yeah, we decided to do that, and it has been exactly what I needed. It’s been really nice. It’s exhausting at times, which is expected, but it was exactly what I needed.

How did you first discover derby?

I had an old coworker that was starting. I don’t remember how she found it, but so with my old league, we did cycles of fresh meat. There were three cycles you had to go through. I want to say like six weeks long for each one, and you would have to pass to move on. This was back in qualifications days with WFTDA. So she started a cycle before me, and then I started in May of 2015 (it might have been the start of June). Either way, I had my orientation in May in 2015, which was a really pivotal time in my life for a lot of reasons. So yeah, I joined with her, and I found my community, way more than I thought I—when I signed up for derby, I did not know what was coming in life, and then that’s what saved me. It was a big part of what saved me, not completely.

Had you done athletic things as a kid?

Not really? I was on the soccer team, and outside of that, no. I had never found an activity I really enjoyed doing, in the sense of dedicating time to it. I dabbled in a lot of things. I dabbled in tennis. I learned as an adult that I really like to run when I’m stressed; I don’t like to run any other time. Yeah, so not really any, I did cheerleading when I was five and I promptly quit that.

So what was people’s reaction when you told them then that you were doing derby, and is it the same as when you tell people now?

Then, it was concern to make sure I was okay. I was going through a lot of life changes at the time, so I think it was more—it was a lot of support, but also, you see the bruises and the marks and all of that, and you get worried. Most people were really impressed by it. If you met someone who’s like, “Oh, I play roller derby!” People are like, “Oh, that’s so cool!” I would say most people are impressed.

How do they react now…I think it’s the same thing. They’re always really excited by it, and they want to ask you questions. They ask if it’s like what they’ve seen on TV or in Whip It, and you have to explain the differences to them, but I’ve never met anybody who’s like, “Ew, roller derby.” It’s always a good icebreaker.

How did you decide on your skater name and number?

Oh gosh. So my name comes from my maiden name, which is McBee. And so my brothers growing up were really into sports, and they called themselves “The Killer Bees.” It was actually my gamertag before it was my roller derby name. So when I joined, I joined as Bumble Beest (and I spelled it with two Es back then) because I was just like, I’ll be the bumble bee, but we’ll make it tough. And now I spell it as “Beast” because I like that spelling a little better, but I was not gonna order new jerseys back in Arizona.

My number is actually—so it is actually the anniversary of my late boyfriend and me. It’s September 16, so 916. I did it as an homage to him because he died two weeks before I started derby. We were in a car accident, we were actually going to get derby things and got hit, so I did it as a, I dedicated it to him. I’d signed up beforehand, and I started about two weeks after that. I dedicated derby to him for that, so that’s why I kept the number. I thought about changing it when I moved, because I’m in a very different time of my life now, but it didn’t feel right.

I mean, it’s a part of you.

It is! When I say derby saved me, I’m not exaggerating.

What are some of your favorite achievements on the track?

Oh gosh. One, I’m just really proud of myself for getting back to it, and it’s about celebrating the small moments. So in the last practice when we were doing the four corners [drill], I got hit, dropped on the knee, and I immediately popped back up. I thought back to, I think it was the first month we were in practice this year, when we did the Get Knocked Down [drill with a lot of knee taps] — that kicked my ass. I had not been active in awhile, I had a child in COVID, I worked a desk job, I was a little lazy. And so when we did that, it kicked my ass. So when I just barely knee tapped, and got up and kept skating, it was like a little light bulb over my head, like, “Oh sh*t! I am remembering how to do this! My body is changing!”

So it’s about those little things. Like the last game, I was telling my husband (and I think a couple other friends too) that I wasn’t even gonna last, since right around break, it’s like a switch flipped, and it’s feeling more natural now. So thinking about recycling the jammer and you know, the moves that you need to do and that muscle memory, it’s finally all clicking, and it’s all falling into place, and that in general, I felt different in that last game we played. And I had way too much energy, I have no idea why.

I mean, it’s a good thing to have energy!

I was hurting so bad the next day! [laughs] I think I told Annie [bench coach] you can put me out in every line, I had so much energy, please just send me out there. And Justin was so salty he missed that game. He was like, “You got the game ball and I wasn’t even there to see the game, this is BS.”

It was a great game. It was so fun to watch. I was so glad that I got to actually cheer for y’all the whole time.

Oh my gosh, we loved having you on the bench.

Well, what is your favorite position to play?

You know, I played jammer before, a lot. I really enjoy playing blocker. And it’s not saying that I won’t go back to jamming one day, just that right now I’m really really enjoying blocking, and I don’t have much interest to jam. But I know that anything I put here, if I decide to go back to jamming one day, it’s only going to make me stronger. I’m a firm believer: you should practice both, which is why I don’t mind being a pivot because you know what I mean? It’s great to have both of those skills.

What do you love about blocking?

It feels more like a team sport, in blocking, than it did as a jammer, you know? As a jammer, you are kind of playing your own game with occasional help, and your goal is to get through that wall and it’s, you know, four against one (if the whole wall is there). But as a blocker, it’s four against one in the other way, you know what I mean? So you get to kind of create those relationships and learn how your teammates move and how they react and what they’re good at, and what you know they’ll need help with and what you need help with, and I really like that. I didn’t get to experience much of that before, and I think it’s what I needed, this time around anyways.

And what do you love about jamming?

Honestly, it’s exhausting! Right now, not a lot. It’s, I think as my endurance gets up, I’ll enjoy it more, but I feel like you get really proud of yourself. I think getting through a wall as a jammer—again, it’s four against one, like that is really badass to do, and to laugh and do it again. Those blockers are not running full laps at full speed! No! They’re getting to take a breath when you get out and figure it out, and that’s not saying blocking isn’t hard, clearly it is, but you just gotta keep going. That sh*t’s exhausting. So any jammer who is going out there and giving it their all should be very proud of themselves, because holy sh*t. We are very glad you’re doing it, because we don’t want to!

I think the successes feel so much higher when you’re a jammer, you know, because you share in the victory as a blocker—

—It’s the lack of oxygen! [laughs]

[laughs] The difficulty and the lack of oxygen make that an unhealthy combination!

It’s kind of like being the quarterback. You get to be the star, you’re the face. And that’s what the crowd learns if they don’t have anyone else there. They’re paying attention to that jammer, and that’s not saying there’s not something to be impressive about blockers. Most of my fangirl crushes are all blockers, like holy sh*t look at her go, but that might just be because that’s where my head’s at right now too.

This could be derby related, but it doesn’t have to be: is there anything on your bucket list that might surprise people?

I’d really like to go swimming with sharks.

Yeah? Where would you do that?

I have no idea. My husband won’t do it with me.

I cannot blame him!

He’s terrified of the ocean in general. Not saying that he won’t go to a beach and enjoy himself, but open water movies, he’s terrified through [them], and I’m so mean, I think it’s hilarious, I make him watch them with me. I think he would do it if I really truly asked, but I know he would prefer not to. So it’s hard to plan that around a vacation because you usually go out with your spouse, right? But I don’t know, I think it’d be really cool, terrifying as hell, but that’s one I feel like I could face, versus jumping out of a plane, which could not pay me enough money to do. Which he would probably do! But I think I feel like that changes too, right? Depending on the season of life you’re in.

What is your most common penalty, and what does it say about you and your playing style?

That’s changed! It was directionals at the start of the season, I got them all the time, but I don’t feel like I’ve gotten a directional in a while. I don’t know that I’m seeing a lot of trend lately. I mean, I definitely get called on penalties, but they change. It’s not enough that I’m like, zooming in on it like I did the directionals, because that was almost every time, and I was like, “I know, I’m sorry.” I would say maybe probably cut tracks, right, because I like to play in [lane] 4, so I’m right there.

How do you find a balance between derby and real life?

It exists?

Supposedly!

Yeah, no, clearly not well. Honestly, I lean on Justin a lot. He supports me in derby because that’s a lot, especially on bout days. You know I’m on track crew, so I’m getting there at what, 1:30? So he’s taking on child care for the whole afternoon, and then you know everything there, and he takes on child care for practices and everything, and we are a very 50/50 partnership with all things, and that’s definitely somewhere where he’s pulling a lot more of that weight. I couldn’t do it if he didn’t, which is, you know, and it’s about balance and you have to. But I feel like it’s a little easier for me right now because derby is really my outside of real life thing; I don’t have much else outside of my family and derby, because y’all are really all I know out here.

And we’re glad to be the ones you know out here!

I’m very glad too!

What is your favorite part of bout day?

Of bout day? Playing the game. It’s an adrenaline that takes over, and it is so much fun. Like you can have all of the nerves, you can be exhausted, you can be sore, but it feels like the moment you go out—the first jam, it’s always, it’s like the first pancake, just get it out of the way and be done with it, but once you’ve done that, I feel like it just clicks into place. You’re like, “Oh sh*t, I do know how to do this, I have been practicing this extensively.” It’s actually playing the game. It’s a lot of fun.

So we are near the end of the season (doesn’t feel like it but we are). Do you have any goals for yourself for next year?

I would love to, and I don’t know that I can do it next year, we have a really strong, but I would love to get a chance to play on the A team. I’m not there yet and I know that, but I would love to be able to get there before the end of the season for a game or two. I try to push myself to do a lot more drills with the A team when we’re at practice for that reason because I know it’s going to push me to be better because I hold myself to a different standard.

What is the feeling that roller derby leaves you with?

Changes day by day. But in general, I feel fulfilled in life right now and all things. I feel, what is the word I’m looking for…I feel validated in our choice to move because we have found everything that we were looking for, especially for moving someplace neither of us had ever been. We didn’t visit Knoxville, we didn’t visit Tennessee. We just threw a dart on a map, bought a house and moved. So Justin has found a great job and he’s been able to really get into hobbies that he’s really enjoyed. Like he loves to fish (he’s taking a break from fishing, I think they’re going through something) and garden, and I get to play derby and be outside more and you know I’ve always loved like nature and all of that, and it’s just, obviously there’s nature in Phoenix, but it’s a very different beast.

Yeah, derby helps validate that. I was definitely questioning our move right before joining because I was like, “What did I do? You moved 1800 miles away from all your friends and family, what were you doing?”

Who would you like to nominate next month, and what do you want to ask?

Killer Kanary. I want to know: why did she join derby, and is that the reason she’s still in it. She surprises me all the time, and she’s always the one that gets me in trouble for laughing in practices, so I have the feeling that an interview with her is going to be the same.

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Thank you for a great conversation Beast! Readers, September is our final month of home bouts, so come on out and cheer on your hometown heroes! Until next time, be like Bumble Beast, and find the people in your life who you can lean on as we all try to find balance in our lives.

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