Interview: Nashville's Rock Nasty
October 6, 2011
Nashville Rollergirls' Rock Nasty Chats About Being MVP and Going to Championships
Interview by Shelly Shankya
Photo by Jules Doyle
Do you have a background in skating (artistic? speed?)?
Until I showed up for my first practice back in August of 2007 with the Little City Roller Girls (of Johnson City, Ten.), I had only worn quads a handful of times during elementary school skate parties. Needless to say, the first time I strapped on rentals was a pretty terrifying experience.
How did you get involved with Nashville Rollergirls?
When Johnson City first began forming our league, Little City Roller Girls, I was handed a flyer at a bar and asked to come to a practice the next morning. I had never seen roller derby in my life, but when they told me it was full contact I was ready to sign up! I played team sports since I was little, including basketball, volleyball, and softball and really missed being a part of a team, so I was eager to get involved with the new league no matter what it was. As time went by, I had a growing desire to compete at the national level and began looking at ranked teams to possibly transfer. I had been watching Nashville’s progress for a few years, and after the Honky Tonk Stomp of 2010, I was really impressed by Nashville’s teamwork, professionalism, and drive to continually improve. After some creative recruiting efforts from NRG, I decided to go for it and made the move to Nashville in October 2010.
The Nashville fans are notoriously supportive of the team. How do you feel the fan base has helped motivate you this season? What's that chant they always scream? It sounds something like "boom by-ay!"
The Nashville fans are amazingly loud, ridiculous, and supportive. It means a lot to have so many teammates and fans make the long trips to cheer us on. It’s comforting to know that you have a force that’s pulling for you on the track! The chant is "bumaye." It's from Rumble in the Jungle, Ali versus Foreman. It means kill them.
What does your practice/workout regimen look like?
In addition to four practices a week, I like to fit in as much strength training as possible. I do a lot of high-intensity functional body weight strength and conditioning to stay safe out on the track. I also focus on off-skate agility training and speed training.
At 2011 South Central Playoffs, you played nearly every position. How do you train for something like that?
In my mind there are really only two positions, blockers and jammers. I knew immediately that I was built to be a blocker, but in order to match the jammer’s speed and agility I have always felt that it was important to train as a jammer as well. I love to block because of the team dynamics and interaction. You have to be connected with your teammates to be able to dominate a jam, and the feeling you get as a pack when things fall into place is addicting. Jamming is a completely different mentality of forecasting moves, but it gives you a perspective on the game that can help you hone your blocking skills.
Photo by Jules Doyle
The game against #9 Tampa Derby Darlins was closer than most people thought. How did you maintain the mental focus to make sure Nashville came out on top?
We knew that we had a target on our back with Tampa--they wanted it just as badly as we did! We had prepared for Tampa for a long time and knew that it would be a tough bout, which it was. Our focus for Tampa was to stay calm, calculated, and clean, and I think we were able to pull that off as planned.
What about the game against #4 Atlanta Rollergirls? Nashville held the team to only one point in the second half. What was going through your mind in that situation?
I think at that point we weren’t really focused on the score so much as we were focused on playing tight and as a team. We finally hit our stride in the Atlanta game and were able to play the game we had been practicing and training to play all season. It felt really good to feel things fall in place and for the team to be in sync!
How do you see Nashville using the momentum from the strong showing at Playoffs to prepare for Championships in Denver?
I think that now that we know what we are capable of, it will help build a lot of confidence within the league. We know that we are heading down the right path with our strategies and training efforts and now we are going to focus on polishing everything up for Championships.
What was the most memorable moment for you at South Central Playoffs?
The most memorable moment for me at South Centrals was playing against #1Texas Rollergirls. That was the first time I have played in a bout against a Texas team, and I was able to learn a lot from the way that they moved together and functioned as a pack. We tried to channel some of that strategy going into the Atlanta bout, and it proved very successful.
How does it feel to named tournament MVP?
Being named MVP was a big surprise and a real honor! I have been dying to play at the Playoffs for almost four years now, and it was touching to be recognized amongst fellow skaters.
2011 Big 5 Links
Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.