“I cried… And then I shotgunned a PBR.”
Roller derby name and number: Ms. Rebel #425
Roller derby position – on the track: Head non-skating official, part-time scrimmage ref. Everyone on the league knows I’m a control freak — being in charge of stuff is what does it for me — so this new job is working out nicely!
Roller derby position – off the track: Over the years I’ve done almost everything — including reffing! — save training duties. I am currently GRR’s advertising/marketing/media manager and charity organizer.
How long have you been playing roller derby for GRR? After meeting and falling in derby love with Frieda Killigan of the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins, I founded this lovable madness in November 2007. It’s been one wild ride!
How did you come up with your name and number? Road trip! Three friends + little sleep = pages of names. This one appeared and stuck for obvious reasons. My number is actually my house number, which sounds lame but means a lot to me personally.
Do you have any pre- or post-bout rituals? Pre-bout: Drinking heavily (water). Post-bout: Drinking heavily (beer).
What is your favorite thing about playing roller derby for GRR? I don’t play anymore due to injury, and concurrent injuries — some derby related, some not — have kept me from bouting for the majority of my time in derby. But I can say that those random pats on the back for keeping up with all the background stuff that helps with positive league growth make me really happy, and I am ridiculously proud of how far GRR has come business-, athletic- and community-wise in its three short years of existence. WFTDA, here we come!
What is your most memorable GRR roller derby experience? Putting on our first public bout, “Saints vs. Sinners,” in July 2008. I was injured, of course, but skated as the Sinners mascot and spat out feathers at the Saints when I passed their bench. After everything was over I cried… And then I shotgunned a PBR.
If your roller derby alter-ego had a theme song, what would it be? “Chick Habit” by April March
Aside from roller derby, what are you passionate about? Volunteering, graphic design — I’m the designer behind the rad 2011 GRR calendar — and really bad-but-awesome karaoke!
What would GRR fans be surprised to know about you? I’m really into giving back to the community, and I enjoy helping out organizations like Girls Place and Peaceful Paths. I grew up in the town that spawned baseball star Chipper Jones (Pierson, Fla.), though I got my schooling elsewhere. And I’m probably the only person with Britney Spears, Turbonegro, Onyx and Hair Beard Combo in their “most played” list of artists.
What makes you a Rebel? My dedication to making Gainesville Roller Rebels a force to be reckoned with on and off the track. And those angst-ridden zines I wrote in high school and college.
Likes: High-fives, pop music, J.R.R. Tolkien, Mr. Rebel’s chow
Dislikes: People who can’t see the big picture, INJURIES!, zero beer in the fridge
Guilty pleasures: Nerdy movie marathons, fancy dinners in fancy places, anything having to do with NPH (Neil Patrick Harris)