April’s chock-full of derby!  We’re back this Saturday, April 9 for the first of two bouts this month.  Tickets are available HERE. Don't forget...you can park at the Bottom Lounge and take our party bus over to the Pavilion for the bout, and then back over to the Bottom Lounge afterward for the after-party, all for FREE! You can buy your favorite derby girl a drink with the money you save on transit.

When it comes to transit, Double Crosser Karmageddon is always on the go.  Quick-witted and quick-footed, this lady is bound to make you think twice about your actions…

Besides being a problem for opponents on the track, you were the Tournament Director for the 2010 WFTDA Championships here in Chicago last December, and you're also our Space Mistress.  You've been a captain of the Double Crossers, Administration Chair, and currently you’re a 2 year WFTDA Representative on the WFTDA Tournaments Committee that oversees the production of the Big5 tournaments (am I missing anything?)  What are your plans for the future, on and off the track?

When I started playing derby, I thought that five years would be the entirety of my derby career, and now I just see all the things that I want to attempt and accomplish in the next five. It's a bit sobering, actually, in no small part due to the fact that we don't know what constitutes a "normal" derby career length. Playing for 10 years?!  I don't look at it too closely, but I do think about it! There are so many new skills and strategies that emerge and evolve every summer and fall. I delight in the phenomenal game play and skills on display, showing how much farther our sport is evolving every week, every month, every year. I love the never-ending challenge of this sport--there is always something new to learn or refine.  I'm looking forward to helping my home team develop and refine the skills we need to work seamlessly together. We're a young team and have had a lot of obstacles and setbacks in the past year, but we're on our way to greatness!

Off the track, I'll probably continue to skirt the edges of responsibility within WCR and WFTDA and just be on the committees but not chairing them, etc...but we'll see. I can’t bring myself to say 'no' to derby and I love to organize. You can see how this could be a problem.

What was your sports background prior to joining WCR?

It's pretty casual and mixed-bag. I went to a really small high school where we had just one sport per season, so I wasn't very sporty! I ran cross-country and track once it became an option, and was on the pom-pom squad. In college I did taekwondo and some belly dancing (and if anybody tells you that's not a sport, they are a liar, that is a intense workout!), and then a lot of softball and beach volleyball leagues in Chicago. I competitively sailed for two summers on Lake Michigan right before I came back to roller-skating 5 years ago and ran out of time for any other sport.
Aside from being inspired by well-muscled thighs (droooool, and who isn’t?!), what do you do outside of derby, for work & play?

Oh man. First off, you have to admit that as inspiration goes, it's not a bad choice! Second, how about I tell you the things I'm willing to publicly admit?!   Let's be honest, there's not a lot of free time left after working full-time at prop trading firm and playing derby. I love to bake (and eat) any form of cake, cupcake, and cookie. I read a lot of books. I watch a lot of really horrifically bad movies that star sharks, robots, the undead, explosions, and Vin Diesel...as well as MGM musicals from the 1950s.  I ride my scooter everywhere as soon at it hits 60 and I spend the rest of my summer puttering in my yard in an attempt to prove that I don't kill everything that I plant.

What's your favorite WCR moment thus far?

It's so hard to pick just one, so I'll cheat and list two.

A favorite WCR-specific moment is from WCR's inaugural bout at UIC Pavilion.  Standing on the track before the doors opened, looking around at the empty Pavilion and imagining it full of energy and excitement from our fans and friends--it was humbling and utterly amazing that it was our new home. I still love to do that on game day; I can't imagine bouting anywhere else.

One of the most vivid and satisfying derby moments is, not surprisingly, related to Uproar.  I was trackside during the WCR game on Saturday at Uproar, seeing the Pavilion full of fans, feeling that intense wall of energy, and realizing just how big our sport has become.  It's stunning to see how far roller derby, and WCR, has come in 7 years. We're a real sport, created by our dreams and ambitions (and hundreds of thousands of hours of hard work) and it literally fills me with awe that I am part of this--that I'm part of a league that helps create and define this sport, pushing it forward into something bigger and better and unimaginable because there's no set blueprint for what will happen next.  That uncertainty and excitement has me falling in love with derby over and over again.

Oh my god, I am such a sap.  Time to go hit something!

We're baaaaaaaaaaack! Be at our 3rd 2011 HOME BOUT this Saturday, March 12 at UIC Pavilion. Do something different to celebrate your Chi-Rish spirit after you've loaded up on corned beef & cabbage and watched the river get dyed green! Tickets are available HERE.

While we're talkin' favorites, here's one of my own personal faves, firecracker Ska Face of The Fury and Co-Captain of the Second Wind.

You were recently elected to co-captain the travel B team, Second Wind...what are your plans for the team this season as well as for your home team, The Fury?

Well (fist, ha) and foremost let’s talk Fury.  IKC.  I think that’s all I can say about that.  Our game play will take care of the explanation.

Now, Second Wind is an entirely different animal, both as a team and in terms of my role within it.  I think anyone’s “plans” would be total annihilation.  So I will follow suit in that.  But the biggest challenge is pulling the team together.  All of the skaters are very talented, but have grown within their home team.  Now we will be trying to instill the same loyalty to their teammates on Second Wind.  It can be challenging to put all of your trust in someone for a drill, knowing they will be targeting you with fire in their eyes at the next bout.  It will get easier as the home season closes, but we have two bouts together as the Second Wind before the IKC.  Leading by example has always made sense to me; I unwaveringly trust my fellow co-captains Mya Ssault & Ada Hatelace.  That trust and belief system will infect the entire team until we are all one solid unit of destruction!

What was your sports background prior to joining WCR?

Aw geez, a lot.  Grade school & high school I ran the regular gambit of little league, volleyball, softball, track, a little basketball (which I’m horrible at), yada yada yada.  Then my Aunt Colleen introduced me to Irish football.  Man that was the shizzle.  You run around this huge field like a maniac getting pummeled regularly, then have a case of beer in the shower.  How awesome is that?  Then stuff was hitting the fan on a global scale, so I joined the Army.  It’s not really a sport, but a badass frame of mind to be Airborne.  I jumped out of airplanes with guns for fun. Yay!  In the 82^ndABN DIV, we did PT (Physical Training) every morning, which usually consisted of a lot of running, push ups, and more running.  I also competed in combatives.  It’s like MMA without the punching.  I was the only female to compete for 2 years in a row, and then I took the female title when other chicks finally got the gumption to challenge me.  Then I found derby...or maybe derby found me.

You're like, a scientist and stuff outside of derby.  You're also on the league Gear Committee, and you're crazy creative.  At least when it comes to making things for your teammates (wink!). Tell me more.

I am a student of Civil Engineering and Physics.  Actually I’m really glad my hydro lab was canceled today because that gave me time to delve into these questions.  I think the Gear Committee is a logical place for me.  I love how stuff works and putting things together (hence the engineering degree).  I also have a slight case of OCD.  Things need to be clean and where they belong in order for me to be sane…or the closest to sanity I will get.  I think some of my greatest moments of satisfaction are when I find the perfect place for something.  For example, I have been going crazy trying to find an accessible, yet out of the way place for my Rock Band drums.  By rearranging some of the furniture, I created a perfect space right under the TV.  I sleep better at night now.

Creativity?  Honestly, I’ve never seen myself as creative.  I would totally fail on 'Whose Line is It Anyway.'   That big floaty noodle?  It’s a floaty noodle what else do you want? When I make things for people... I dunno, I think it’s the person that inspires me.  I look at them and think “you know what she needs? An alarm clock with a big rubber tongue.”

What's been your favorite WCR memory/ experience thus far?

There was an event where a tattoo parlor was donating all of its profits to an animal shelter.  We were there to help promote it.  It was completely awesome.  We hung out with some of the animals and talked to people about derby, tattoos and puppies.  Good things happening to good pets by good people.  It was good.

Don't miss our 2nd 2011 HOME BOUT this Sunday, February 13 at UIC Pavilion.  Note the early 3 p.m. game start.  Plenty of time to see some heart-stopping derby before your romantic dinner!  Get your tickets HERE.

Speaking of romance, let’s get in the mood and talk to a real tough sweetheart, Hell's Belle, All-Star, and Training Committee Co-Chair, Pominatrix.

You ended the 2010 travel season as one of the co-captains of the travel B team, Second Wind, and for this 2011 travel season you'll be on the All-Stars!  What's that feel like and what are you most looking forward to this year?

Wow! It was great to have the opportunity to be a leader on the Second Wind in my rookie season and I learned a lot about myself in the process.  My favorite part was mixing it up with the girls I usually had to play against on opposing home teams.  Now as an All-Star, I get to mix it up a little harder! It's kind of surreal to be amongst the girls that inspired me to play derby. It's hard not to be a little starstruck when your derby idol is playing offense for you, or blocking you into next week! It's pretty amazing, learning from the best, and I'm excited to see how much I can grow this season.

What was your sports background prior to joining WCR?

I was always a dabbler in my youth. I tried every sport available but never fell in love with any. As an adult, I found endurance sports to be my bag. I really fell in love with triathlons and raced competitively for 7 years before derby found me. The closest thing to contact sports I ever did was the swim portion of a tri!

They don't call you Pominatrix for nothin'.  You're a salon/spa owner and personal trainer in real life...how does this factor in to your play as a derby skater?

Being a business owner, I'm able to manage my own schedule to allow me to actually play in the bouts on the salon's busiest work day (Saturdays). Thanks boss!  I'm very passionate about training and the physiological needs of the body when training for an event.  Being able to share my knowledge to help further the development of our league's athletes is kind of my dream come true. I hope that I can continue to be involved with training even when my body won't let me play derby any longer.

What's your favorite WCR moment thus far?

There have been so many great moments in my short derby life! I think the best night for me was the Belles’ second game against The Fury last season. We were an underdog and The Fury were on their way to the Ivy King Cup, so everyone expected a blowout. Well, we did lose to The Fury but it certainly wasn't a blowout! Our team of rookies played a fantastic game and made them fight for every point.  In my mind, it was a huge WIN! The energy and determination in our locker room was brand new for us, and there was a huge mental shift for me personally on that night. I shook off my rookie nerves and found a lot more confidence that day, and it's changed the way I've played ever since.

Throughout the course of our 2011 Home Season, I’ll be interviewing our league skaters for the blog. Be sure to check out our HOME OPENER this Saturday, January 15 at UIC Pavilion. Get tickets HERE.  Let’s kick off what’s sure to be a heart-pounding road to the Ivy King Cup Championship with everyone’s favorite meteoric rise to roller derby badassery, Manic Attacker Bork Bork Bork.

This is your second year with the Windy City Rollers, can you compare and contrast the feelings of going into this season vs. your rookie season?

Last year was a whirlwind!  From trying out in November, being drafted in December, and bouting for the first time ever in January 2010, everything was brand new at this time last year.  We joke around that rookies always get one job--stay on the line, annoy a blocker from the other team, don't get a penalty, stay in the front of the run-away and so on.  This year, I get to have more than one job than just staying planted on the line, and I am really excited about it!  Feeling less clueless is really liberating, and I look forward to contributing more consistently to my team this year.  And instead of feeling clueless all the time like I did in 2010, I now only experience a few fleeting instances, here and there, of OMG WTF AM I SUPPOSED TO BE DOING RIGHT NOW GEEZ.  That being said, the nerves never go away; we're a few days out from the first bout of 2011 and the butterflies have already started!

What was your sports background prior to joining WCR?

Growing up with a sporty dad, two older brothers and a bunch of boy cousins, fitting in meant attempting to play football and basketball and baseball with them no matter what injury was at stake.  Contact sports ended up being a better fit for me than ballet or tumbling, though my mom, she sure did try to encourage ballet!  Love you, Mom!  Let's work from end to beginning.  Prior to derby, I was an avid dodgeballer, dodgeballing about 3 times per week all over the city for about 5 years straight--the habit started in college and continued for a year after.  I also played rugby during college at DePaul--that is the second roughest sport I've ever played!  Volleyball, basketball, and fast-pitch softball were my go-to sports from middle school through high school.  Derby is happily added to my list as the most challenging and certainly the roughest sport I've ever played, but this is largely attributed to the phenomenal training program, captains, coaches, and support staff we are lucky to have on the WCR.

Oh, the places you'll go!  You were recently elected to co-chair the Events committee and were voted Rookie of the Year by the league.  What are your plans for the 2011 season and beyond?

I would like to learn to take care of my skates.  I don't really understand how they work, I just put them on.  I still skate on what can be considered entry-level Riedells and my teammates harass me all the time to get new stuff.  I did upgrade my wheels, though, this November to Juke 2.0s and absolutely love them.  Maybe new plates in 2011?

Seriously, though...this league is expanding very quickly--our fan base is growing, our skating is becoming more refined, our competition is getting tougher inside and outside of the league.  Every aspect of derby in Chicago is on the up and up.  My plan is to stay involved with it, continue to get better as a skater and as a league member, and to not stop moving forward.  The minute you get complacent is the minute someone else passes you up!

What's been your favorite WCR memory/ experience thus far?

I've only been a league member for a year, and it's been chock-full of new experiences!  I spray painted a car for the first time ever, played leagues from other cities on the Second Wind this summer, and became involved with the Events committee.  Oh, and any time spent with the Manic Attackers, on and off-skates, is a great time!  These have all been important experiences for me for a variety of reasons.

But, let's limit my response to skating.  Hosting Uproar On the Lakeshore where I saw live, top tier derby changed my entire perspective on how I should be skating.  I saw hustle and skill that I've never seen before--hockey stops on a dime, 360s+ without falling, amazing blocking feats.  National derby blew my mind and I realized how much work there is to be done to get to that level.

The WCR practice schedule is…robust. As a cleared Rioter waiting patiently in the wings for a draft, I have a multitude of practices that are available to me and that I’m encouraged to attend. A typical week looks something like this:

Sunday: Practice 10am – Noon

Monday: League practice either 7pm – 9pm or 9pm – 11pm

Tuesday: Cardio/weight training OR practice with a home team

Wednesday: Cardio/weight training OR practice with a home team

Thursday: League practice either 7pm – 9pm or 9pm – 11pm

Friday: Yoga (…or rest?)

Saturday: League practice 9am – 11am or circuit training 10am – 11am

REPEAT!

It’s a full week to say the least. As a nurse who works varied days and hours, it can be challenging to align my work schedule and derby schedule. I’ve definitely had days where I’ve bustled into work or the practice space, scrubs and pads a-flying, getting my nurse and derby on back to back!

As discussed in my previous blog about the process to getting cleared, I am now eligible to attend all league practices and scrimmages. Going from Rioters practice to skating alongside some of the best people on the league is quite a jump. The pace is a lot quicker, the drills are more difficult, and the hits are a lot harder. I generally have mad anxiety before any of these practices, envisioning All-Stars whipping around me, pummeling me to the ground, and  me spending most of the practice time on my ass. While I’m definitely pushed to work better, faster, and smarter, skating with some of the best of the best has allowed me to grow leaps and bounds as a skater. I’ve found these practices to be incredibly helpful to my development in roller derby.

In addition, Rioters are able to observe or practice with one of the home teams if the captain allows it. I’ve found this to be a great experience. I get to know a home team’s practice style AND personality. While you don’t get to pick which home team you will eventually end up on, it affords you some insight into what you have to look forward to when the draft comes up. Which will hopefully be very soon…

How did you find out about roller derby in general, and WCR specifically?

I grew up in New York, and when I was about 17 I went to Coney Island and saw some of the Gotham Girls doing a skating demo on the boardwalk. I was just there to ride the Cyclone and eat a hot dog, but I was totally amazed and swept up in how fast those girls could skate and how perfectly they rocked that boardwalk. Coney Island is this great crazy relic, where things like freak shows and carnival hawkers remain and are revitalized as these wonderful things that had, elsewhere, been on the brink of extinction. The derby girls were representing this sport that I'd thought was, like Coney Island, extinct except in this liminal space! I was totally hooked from the start, and kept up with the local New York teams until I went to art school here in Chicago. But I didn't know my way around the city, and didn't make it out of a few miles radius from the Art Institute for a while. So it wasn't until I'd been here a few years that I caught on to the WCR and got all swept up in how wonderful it is. I realized that my high-school aged passion for derby as a sort of idealized esthetic had transformed into an actual understanding of the sport and passion for the skill and talent of the players. I think it's pretty easy to get that way about the WCRs.

What made you want to dedicate a comic to WCR?

Actually, I touch on my derby love in earlier comics. One in particular, in a comics endurance exercise known as an hourly comic (where two panels are drawn each hour of the day), I depicted myself wearing my Manic Attackers T-shirt throughout the day. I was completely bowled over and starstruck when a few of the players commented on the comic and encouraged me to say hi to them after the next bout. I'd always been too shy to do so, but with their kind invitation I felt like I had to muster the gumption, and thus my comic about meeting Ruth Enasia, and how cool that was for me. It also came at a time during my convention season, when I travel around selling my work at comic arts festivals, and meeting my readers. I'm always so flattered and surprised when people are excited and flustered meeting me, so I wanted to do a comic about that feeling, and how I completely relate – how anyone can relate to that giddy feeling of being a fan.

Your comic was such a great summing up of what it’s like to be a fan of anything. What’s it like when people come up to you with the same tongue-tied enthusiasm as when you approached Ruth Enasia?

I'm really touched when readers get all tongue-tied and goofy when they meet me, because I know how that feels! I think it's wonderful when that kind of connection of awe and inspiration can form between strangers – so much great positive energy for people you don't even know in person. I've had experiences where people were so nervous to meet me, having such a strong connection to my life as I depict it in my comics, that they have a lot of trouble overcoming their shyness. I wanted to make my derby-meeting comic to make sure that people are reminded that everyone is a nerdy fangirl or fanboy about something/someone or another!

What do you think is the best way to convert non-derby fans to fans?

Ha, ha, I wish I knew! I'm terrible at doing this. I think because when I bring uninitiated friends to bouts, I'm either paying too much attention to the rink, or lecturing them on the rules and how the game is played, or slobbering over how great certain players are. I think it's overwhelming for them. I think everyone has to come to it on their own, without being dragged or coerced.

Your site says you’re working on a second graphic novel. What’s the subject matter and do you have a publishing date yet?

It's a full-color book about food, and growing up under the wing of my mother, who is a professional chef. It's sort of a girl-power, mom-daughter collection of stories about the connection between memory and food, and a few of my favorite things I've learned from my mom about cooking and eating. It'll come out under First Second Publishing, probably sometime in 2012. I'd love to do a long derby comic someday, but I've gotta finish this book first!

photo by Thia Penta

Loco Chanel: This is your second year with the Windy City Rollers, can you compare and contrast the feelings of going into this season vs your rookie season?

Deb Autry: My first year I was drafted onto the Hell's Belles who were coming off an undefeated, championship season.  We had a solid roster of amazing and talented girls, so if I wanted a place on the team, I had to prove myself every time I stepped onto the track.  I was brand new to skating and roller derby, so I was a sponge trying to absorb every tip and all the words of wisdom from my more experienced teammates.  That season was really about learning the game and finding my stride as a skater.

In the off season we had a rash of retirements so this year I AM the experienced teammate.  With 10+ new skaters on the team, this season is more about developing everyone and learning to play together as a cohesive team.  This year I’m working on stepping into a leadership role and sharing my knowledge, while still refining my own game.

LC: What's your sports experience prior to joining the Windy City Rollers? How did you get involved in roller derby?

DA: I’ve played soccer as long as I can remember.  Starting in grade school up through playing Varsity level in High School.  In college at UW-Madison I played co-ed intramural soccer, but the season was only 6 weeks long.  When I started to get antsy between my soccer fixes a friend suggested I give rugby a try.  I instantly liked the physicality of it and after playing soccer for 15+ years it was fun to learn a new sport with new rules and strategy.

Right around the time of my graduation, the Madison roller derby league was starting up.  A lot of girls from rugby were joining, so roller derby was definitely on my radar.  I was intrigued, but I knew I’d be moving back to Chicago so I didn't want to start something I couldn't finish.  In Chicago I’d attend a couple bouts here and there.  I really enjoyed it and told all my friends “I could do that,” but I also knew it was a big time commitment that I wasn’t ready for.  After 2 years I finally started to feel settled and after talking the talk, I decided it was time to walk the walk.  I borrowed some skates, tried out, and the rest is history.

LC: You're one of the more versatile players on the Belles-- good at defensive blocking, offensive blocking, and a strong jammer. What's your favorite position to play?

DA: Haha, I think I’m expected to say jammer, but the truth is jamming still scares the crap out of me.  Sure you get all the glory, but you also get all the pressure.  They should really replace the star on your helmet with a target.  And as an offensive blocker sometime it’s hard for me to turn off my jammer instincts and too often I  find myself taking my jammer’s path.

I’d say I enjoy defensive blocking the most.  It’s fun to be the scary, intimidating one; the predator instead of the prey.  Nothing beats landing a good hit on the jammer.

LC: What's been your favorite WCR memory/ experience thus far?

DA: Being a nervous rookie in my first bout, but still going out there and performing was a big "I can do this" moment for me.  Getting lead jammer against girls who play as All Stars was terrifying in the most exhilarating way and made me a lot more confident in myself and my abilities.

Photo by Thia Penta

Eamon Daly (formerly known as Scorey Feldman) has been involved with the Windy City Rollers since the days at the Congress Theatre and has been instrumental in the league's growth. Learn what those stats overviews on your favorite team and players' pages mean!

Loco Chanel: You've been involved with the Windy City Rollers since the early days. How did you become involved with the league in the first place?

Eamon Daly: I attended the Rollers' very first bout in 2005 and was completely blown away by the speed, athleticism, and brute force of the whole thing. When Mob Hit Molly and The Chicago Ace put out a request for volunteers, I jumped at the opportunity to be part of the organization.

Through the course of our 6 seasons of play, you've been involved in a lot of projects in the league beyond tallying our points and penalties. What other projects have you worked on? What are you involved with now?

It's been a long, strange trip, that's for sure! In the early days, just the idea of formally recording stats was brand new, so for the first few bouts I just sat in a dark corner of the stage with a legal pad, recording things that I thought might be interesting. Slowly but surely I hammered on those notes and figures to create a reliable set of forms, eventually becoming our Head Statistician. It was a short hop from there to Head of Officiating (formerly "Rules & Regs"), where I helped referees and statspeople work together in perfect harmony; and this season, I was named to the Executive Board to help ensure the league stays true to its mission. From laying the track to shuffling papers to managing staff to balancing budgets, I've been incredibly fortunate to have seen it all.

Except for the bathroom in our practice space. I'm pretty sure I could've gone my whole life without seeing that bathroom.

Our newly revamped website has lots of statistics on the team and player pages. However, even as a skater who 1) keeps her fingers on the pulse of WFTDA Rules and 2) is pretty mathy, I don't understand most of the statistics that are presented (beyond how many minutes I spent in the box). Can you please explain what our statisticians are tracking, what the acronyms mean, and what the percentages show?

It's beautiful, isn't it? New this year is the WFTDA StatsBook, the first real attempt to standardize the way leagues record and display bout data. The stats on our website are just a small window into the many crazy bits of information we're teasing out of those numbers: we're basically recording every hard-earned point, every bone-jarring block, every nasty fall. It's a challenge, but we've got an amazing crew of volunteers who've been knocking it out of the park.

I won't go into every bit of data, but you can get a pretty good overview by keeping an eye on these key columns:

• J, P, and B (Jammer/Pivot/Blocker) tell you what position the skater played
• LJ and LJ% (Lead Jammer/Lead Jammer Percent) tell you how often the skater obtained Lead Jammer status
• Min and Maj (Minors/Majors) tell you how many penalties a skater picked up
• Off and Def tell you how many times the skater did something that helped her Jammer (Offense) or hurt the opposing Jammer (Defense)

Jammer enthusiasts might also geek out over the number of grand slams (GS) or total points (Pts), but I'm a strong believer that the only stat that really matters is the one in the "win" column. The irony of that is not lost on me.

Mya Ssault is in her second season with the Hell's Belles. Learn more about how she's handling the transition from rookie last year to leading her team's defense this year.

Mya Ssault: Being drafted onto the Hell's Belles last season was such an incredible honor. I'd been a fan for a few years and knowing their legacy as such a strong team was quite intimidating! Last season I didn't get a ton of playing time because we had so many strong, smart players on the Belles. After the retirement of basically the entire team, there was plenty of room for me in the lineups-- not to mention plenty of room for our newest Belles. We have been working hard  to make our team a cohesive unit and I really feel that we are ready to show the fans a good game and the rest of the league what we are made of!

LC: What was your sports background prior to joining WCR?

MS: Nothing! Absolutely nothing! I realize that I have to work that much harder then the girls that played sports their entire life-- this definitely does not come easy to me! I did grow up hitting the local roller rink, but I unlaced my skates the minute I turned sixteen and started to drive, ha!

LC: As a teammate, I've seen you develop tremendously in the past year, especially skating on the Second Wind this summer. What are your goals for the 2010 season?

MS: My biggest goal for this season is to be a good leader and teammate to all our newest Belles. We are going though such a transition as a new team, and without the voices of the amazing girls that trained me last season, I had to find my own voice on the track, both for myself and my teammates. And as always, hit harder! Skate lower! Fight harder! Play smarter! Stay positive!

LC: What's been your favorite WCR experience thus far?

MS: It's so hard to pick just one! But if I had to choose it would probably be during the Second Wind's game against [Indianapolis's] Naptown Roller Girls. I remember one of the NRG girls yelling to one of her teammates "Someone get on her!" and they were talking about me! At that moment I realized that I was a force to be reckoned with!

LC: So. Lady Gaga came into your our place of business and ate a delicious hamburger about a month ago. Tell me more!

MS: Being that Kuma's is a "metal bar," most of the staff either didn't know who she is or didn't care that she was there. But she was really nice, mingled among the other patrons while she waited for a seat, and tipped really well! The bigger deal for us metal fans was that Rob Halford, the lead singer of Judas Priest, said that Lady Gaga ate our Judas Priest burger at the Grammys!

Sassy Squash, currently in her third season as a Double Crosser, is emerging as a skater to watch out for thanks to her brutal blocking skills.

Loco Chanel: This is your third year with the Windy City Rollers, can you compare and contrast the feelings of going into this season vs. seasons prior?

Sassy Squash: This season has been a very different from the past seasons for me. When I was first drafted to the Double Crossers, the team was pretty established-- most of the players had been on it for a few seasons. I felt that second season was also a learning season for me; I really tried to focus on improving my game and knowledge of derby.  I also joined the Second Wind, which was a great experience to work with girls from other teams and try out interleague play. This season is very different on our team; with most of our star players gone or retired, we 3^rd season girls really had to step up for our team. It’s a very exciting and scary feeling.

LC: What's your sports experience prior to joining the Windy City Rollers?

SS: Before joining derby, I didn’t have much experience in playing team sports. I have always been an active person, mostly in the gym or organized classes like martial arts, boxing, spin. Derby brings all that up a notch. I am constantly looking for ways to challenge myself and bring my game to the next level.
 

LC: You were awarded Player of the Game in Bout 2 vs the Manic Attackers, and I believe you're the first dedicated blocker who's been given that honor for a home season game. What are your thoughts on that experience?

SS: I was honored and surprised.  I was not aware that I was the first dedicated blocker to be given the award. Very cool! I think my team went into that game with the decision to win it, and we all fought hard, it was very exciting win for us. I think that I really raised the bar for myself on a personal level with that game, and hope to continue to do so throughout the rest of my derby experience.

LC: What's been your favorite WCR memory/ experience thus far?

SS: There are so many memories and experiences in WCR for me so far. I think the one that stands out the most right now is when I got Player of the Game, it was really exciting and such an honor. This past game was also a great experience for me, my team really pulled together. I look forward to playing out the rest of the season.