Today’s skater is nothing short of a calamity on the track and one of our on-skate coaches, Criss Catastrophe!
“I started in 2007 as a bit of joke. I didn’t have any intentions to actually play roller derby, mostly because I was a big crybaby. I was just excited that open recruitment at my local roller rink meant I could skate for free… and I could tell my dad I tried out for roller derby and give him a heart attack. Ha! Joke was definitely on me, though! After I skated about 20 feet onto the rink I
fell down, ripped my pants, slid my face across the floor, and somehow found it to be the most liberating and exciting thing I’ve ever done.
Derby means absolutely everything to me. From a young age I found solace with wheels strapped to my feet, so when I learned that I could skate and share this experience with a bunch of like-minded folks who enjoyed pushing physical boundaries, I never looked back! Fire Storm Roller Derby is the one group in my near-decade of roller derby experience that has earned the title of family in my heart. They work tirelessly for their teammates and watching each individual work so hard to achieve a common goal makes my fire burn too! I would do anything to get us up and rolling again, to find a place we can call home and not only build a team, but to grow our family. They motivate me to be a better person, for the sake of the team!
On a very personal note, derby is the reason I am who I am today. I was very young when I found this sport, and the people I interacted with so closely on a daily basis helped shape me as a person. I’ve loved, lost, cried, screamed, felt pure joy, felt deep pain, and pushed myself to physical limits even my doctors said I couldn’t achieve due to a health condition I’ve had since childhood. Derby even helped my career skyrocket thanks to all of the businesses, charities, and groups we work with! The support from this team is unmatched in any aspect of my life, and thanks to them I have a reason to keep trying even when my body and mind tell me to quit.”
Stay tuned! Our next skater is too gigantic to miss! Also, don’t miss out on our calendars!