August 2011 Featured Skater: Downtown Dallis

This season, the Arch Rival Roller Girls have earned an invitation to the North Central Region Playoffs, returned to the DNN Power Rankings’ top 25, and managed a 7-game winning streak. In her new role as jammer, this skater is just one of the reasons the All-Stars are having a great season. With over 442 points scored in 2011 sanctioned games, Downtown Dallis is a jammer to be reckoned with. Read on to learn more about Downtown Dallis’ meteoric rise to roller derby success, and the challenges she has faced along the way…

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Name: Downtown Dallis
Number: 101
Home league: Arch Rival Roller Girls January 2010 – current, Assassination City Roller Derby February 2009 – November 2009

Home team you play for: Smashinistas (co-captain)

What is your roller derby playing position of choice?
Jammer

What is your skate gear of choice?
Atom Wheels! I am crazy about Jukes and Lanzinis. I can’t wait until Atom Armor protective gear is available. I currently skate on Reidell 1065’s, Reactor Plates, and am obsessed with Protech Dent mouth guards.

Do you have a pre-bout ritual?
I eat a big breakfast, drink lots of water, and am a B12 fanatic. I listen to hard music, and call my mom for good luck before every game.

Do you have a theme song?
“I Whip My Hair Back and Forth!” Everyone asks, and no, I don’t have a weave. It’s all mine!

Who are your roller derby heroes?

• Magnum, p.i.m.p.: He is an unstoppable jammer, formidable blocker, and has been a revolutionary force in men’s derby. His discipline, impact on game play, and how he sees the track inspires me. I have a huge crush on him.
• Anita Riot: She was the first skater I ever watched and thought, “I want to skate like that.” I admire her attitude and how she is always in control, multi-dimensional, and tenacious.
• Gnat King Kill: He is an innovative, evasive, and fearless jammer. He has a gift for making blockers look stupid.
• Beth Amphetamine: She inspired me to play without hesitancy by her controlled chaos, unpredictable, and high-octane play.
• The Educator: She has taken on a mentor role as she is currently a captain of the All-Stars and is embarking on her seventh season. She has shared insight with me from being teammates on our home and travel team, training off-skates, and bench coaching a local men’s team together. I am grateful for her derby wisdom, positive attitude, and she has played a pivotal role in Arch Rival’s return to the DNN Power Rankings’ top 25.

Do you have a motivational quote?
“Yeah!” and “If your opponent is tough as nails, be the hammer.” - Courage Wolf

What goes through your brain as you lace up your skates?
I use this time to get in tune with my teammates. It reminds me that I don’t have the weight of the world on my shoulders but I have a lot of responsibility. I think about all the time I’ve put in to play and that I’m prepared to battle.

How did you come up with your derby name?
My real name is Dallis. I started skating for the Deadly Kennedys home team for Assassination City in Dallas, TX and was decided as ‘Downtown Dallis Sniper’; Lee Harvey Oswald’s nickname. My number is 101 for the sniper’s mantra “1 Shot, 1 Kill”. Hence, the zeroes as cross hairs. After a few months, I decided to drop the ‘Sniper’ and just evolved into taking on more of a downtown, gun-slinging, and scrappy persona.

Do you have a signature move?
People say I fight through the pack and escape like a blonde version of “Predator.” But I would say I use quick feet after lulling blockers to a slow speed to burst out of the pack.

Any advice for girls who want to join roller derby?
DO IT!! It is empowering. This is a self-made sport. None of us grew up playing this so it’s all about what YOU put into it. Show up to practice, push yourself, and be realistic about your skill level. Learn one thing (good or bad) from every skater you meet and apply it to your game somehow. Derby requires mental toughness, is physically demanding, and is very time consuming.

How would you describe your derby playing style?
Aggressive and scrappy with a sense of urgency.

How did you get involved with roller derby?
One of my best friends called me after going to a bout and raved about how awesome it was and that I should do it. I showed up to watch a practice and signed up that night! I have been devoted (obsessed) ever since.

How long have you been playing roller derby? And how long do you plan to continue playing roller derby?
I have only been playing for 2 ½ years. I hope they will have a geriatric league one day.

What is your pre-derby sports/skating background?
I am so passionate about sports. I grew up going to dance class and changing in the car to make it in time to boys’ baseball practice, which evolved into playing football with them in school. I spent a lot of time in-line aggressive skating and playing street hockey. Playing numerous girls’ team sports in school was pivotal in developing a team player attitude and dealing with different personalities, also faced in derby. After that, I had to look for sports. I also surfed, mountain/dirt boarded (pulled by a truck with a ski rope and mag wheels), and joined co-ed softball and volleyball teams. So when I found derby I went gaga over it.

What are some of your greatest roller derby accomplishments on the track?
The first thing that comes to mind is the team effort of a 7-game winning streak that I was fortunate enough to contribute to this season. Last year was a rebuilding year for our team, so it’s been an exhilarating season for us.

Off the track?
I would say being sponsored by Atom Wheels and now being nominated as a WFTDA Featured Skater!
Also, being recognized with various awards by my leagues:
2009 Assassination City: League MVP, Fan Favorite, Hottest of the Hot
2010 Arch Rival: Sweetest Roller Girl (my favorite!), Best All-Star Pivot

Can you talk a bit about your rookie year and how you learned to play roller derby?
My rookie year with Assassination City was so much fun as I played local, mash-ups, travel, and tournaments totaling over twenty bouts. My game was fast, unruly, undisciplined, and I could not stay out of the box. My travel team captains saw potential as a jammer when I transferred here but thought it would be best to ‘tame the mustang’ on a competitive level and utilize me as a blocker/pivot for the All-Stars. I LOVED it. After the 2010 North Central Region Playoffs, I jammed locally and became one of the highest point scorers in the league. In February of this year, Mighty Mighty Boston and I made our debut as a new one-two punch for the All-Stars.

It sounds like you have been very involved in men's roller derby since you started playing. Can you please talk about how this has affected your experience of roller derby?
As a rookie, I began training with the Dallas Deception. They were a blast and were crucial in helping me utilize controlled, risky, and aggressive play. Currently, I am so grateful to bench coach and practice with the Saint Louis GateKeepers. Some of the most talented skaters in the country are on this team. They create an unrestricted, disciplined, strategic environment that inspires me to experiment with bigger blockers and be fearless. Men’s derby is innovative, intense and FUN.

When derby girls move to a new city, joining a new league can be intimidating and challenging. What advice do you have for skaters facing this change?
Be yourself. Be teachable. Don’t worry about living up to anyone’s expectations or hype. The place to prove yourself is on the track.

You’ve been seen donning the jammer star a lot lately for the Arch Rival Roller Girls, and have accumulated 330 points in home team action and 442 points in travel/sanctioned games so far this season. Wow! What are your personal records for points scored in a jam? What jamming-related goals do you have for the remainder of the season?
The most I’ve scored in one jam was 26 points. My goals are to be penalty-free, self-sufficient, and resilient for the North Central Region Playoff tournament.

What challenges have you faced relating to derby?
We discovered this year that I have autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis that has required some treatment. I have been dealing with some pretty severe flare-ups before and during some crucial bouts. My team and inner circle have been amazingly supportive.

You are currently one of the Atom All-Stars Team. Can you talk a little bit about what that is and what it means to you to have been selected?
This team has some of the most innovative, hard-working, game-changing athletes in derby. Atomatrix is a visionary and a machine. Honestly, being able to geek out and experiment with the best wheels and gear out there has improved my game. I was deeply humbled when asked to be a part of it and it feels really good.

How has your involvement in roller derby affected the way you live the rest of your life? What rest of my life? Ha! I am fortunate to have a very supportive family, fiancé, friends, and co-workers. My teammates are my best friends in town. Time management is tricky. So being a nurse, going back to school, taking care of my dad, and planning a wedding is methodical. I’m totally enjoying every bit of it all and feel like the luckiest girl alive.

As of July, Arch Rival is back in the DNN Power Rankings top 25 (at number 24), and are currently ranked 8th in the WFTDA North Central Region. With 6 North Central wins under your belt, do you have any predictions for the North Central Region Playoff Tournament, Monumental Mayhem?
Our team is working so hard right now. We are fierce, cohesive, and hungry. We want to be the Minnesota 2010 of this year. We make great underdogs!

Any thank yous?
* My big bad Magnum and family for letting me have fun and go nuts over this awesome sport.
* My Arch Rival family and All-Stars for giving me a shot. I love you guys! Yeah!
* I’d like to thank Atom Wheels, Bob Dunnell, and the WFTDA for considering and nominating me to be a Featured Skater this month!

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Would you like to be the WFTDA Featured Skater of the month (or nominate one of your fantastic teammates)? If you are an active skater on a WFTDA full member league that has a dazzling derby career, please contact webmaster@wftda.com and let us know what makes you shine.