Who was the first roller derby girl you met?
-I wish I could remember exactly who it was. Dagney asked me this not too long ago and I really wasn’t sure. I know that the first three I really remember coming in were Mommy’s Little Monster, Concrete Blondie and Vix Smackey. It was those three that really opened my eyes to what these ladies had going.
How has things changed for you since your first roller derby encounter?
-Hell, derby has changed my life. To hear some of the things that not only the BRRG went through when starting out but, every league I deal with made me adjust all I do. How some of these leagues were and still are treated by rinks, stores and websites was an eye opener to me. Hardly anybody took them seriously. The girls would just say, “thank you” and continue working for their league. And the work that goes into any league. It is like a second job for most girls in any given league to keep it running smoothly. Though I can’t fully appreciate how much they actually do, I do know more than most. This being the case, I do absolutely everything I can on my end for them. This leads to long hours and a hell of a lot of traveling. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think derby has been treated poorly. I decided long ago that not one derby girl I deal with was going to go without the service and attention to detail they rightfully deserve. If they are willing to put so much work in voluntarily then, I am willing to put as much work in as I possibly can. They raised the bar because, I do not want to let one of them down. Before derby, I had many customers in my store. With derby I have not gained customers but, friends. They have taught me more than they will ever know. They have made me a better person just by being themselves and that is really how my life has changed since my first derby encounter.
Are you a really good roller skater?
-I played hockey for about twenty years on some of the better open travel teams to come out of Cleveland. I had been on ice skates and inlines my whole life until I shattered my leg in my early twenties. When someone finally convinced me to try a pair of quads and come out to skate, I was hesitant. After two or three times to adjust, it was no different to me. Skating is skating. All of the basic principles are the same whether it is ice, inline or quad. Still, good is a relative term. I’m content to say I can handle myself on skates.
If you were forced to stay on a deserted island for one year, but you were allowed
to take one derby girl, who would you take and why?
-Ouch! There is no real right or safe answer here. I would have to say Eva though. Her scientific mind and understanding of plant life would be the only thing that would keep us alive I imagine.
How many leagues do you sponsor?
-BRRG, NEO, Grand Rapids, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Cincinnati I sponsor fully. I have small sponsorship arrangements with about thirteen other leagues as well.
Sponsorship to me was never about gaining business though. Sponsorship is about helping any league I can build, grow and have as little aggravation to deal with as possible. I can do that with skates.
How does it feel to be the equivalent of a medic, (for skates) during the bout?
-That is such the easy part for the BRRG. I’ve done skates every day of my life for almost twenty years and there really is not much I haven’t seen. I know the skates in the league pretty well and could probably list what every skater is wearing off the top of my head. It can be interesting though. When Pixie broke a truck during a bout this year, I indulged myself in a little bit of pride in the fact that she only had to miss one jam while I replaced it on the sideline for her. I’m happy to be able to be there for them.
I heard you were almost the bench manager for the Knockers as well, is that still
in the works?
-They asked last year and I would have loved to have done it. The ultimate decision on that had to come from the whole league though. I am responsible to the whole league on the sidelines as the “skate medic” if you will and that would have been a conflict. Had the whole league saw no conflict then, I would gladly have done it. It was an honor just to be asked. Though bench managing for the Knockers is not on the table right now, I’ll do anything the league thinks would be beneficial.
If you were to build a super derby girl, what attributes would you steal from which
skaters to create the ultimate skater?
-I’d start with Destroya’s track awareness and stride. I’d take Booty’s strength and stamina, Scarrie’s hitting ability, Eva’s lower body balance, Finnishher’s all around skating ability, Monster’s guts, Coco’s attitude, Halo’s Haloness (there’s really no way to explain it), Morbid’s ability in the pack, Killustrator’s elusiveness, Dagney’s heart, Erin’s speed, Stroker’s aloofness, Soul Eater’s effort and Take Out’s ability to see outside the box.
What are your thoughts for Season 5?
-I think it is as wide open as it was the first season. All four teams have a clear cut chance at winning the cup. If I was putting odds on it, I’d still take the Bombers as the favorite though. Even with the retirements of Stroker and Ego, they still seem to be the most experienced and tightest team to me. That is why they play the games though.
What are your thoughts about Season 3 reffing, to Season 4?
-No Primp, Damnasty or Cheddar are my immediate thoughts. Aside from that, I consider season 3 at the Sports Plant to be the equivalent of a minor league baseball game compared to the major league game that the Wolstein was with season 4. The skill level and play of the league also increased, just as it has every year. The game is a smoother, cleaner and much easier game to watch. The production and energy in the Wolstein surpassed my expectations.
How much has your business changed since roller derby?
-Without roller derby there would be no Skaters Edge on Lorain ave.. The majority of the business was and still is ice skating. The economic state in Cleveland and all over the country for that matter is not conducive to the high expense of competitive ice skating so, those numbers are down. Websites take their bit out of the apple as well. What I have done with derby is to try my best to give every girl I deal with the service they deserve with the price they can get on websites. I know they appreciate this. It isn’t really about money though. Derby helps keep the doors open and me working but, I do all I do for derby because I enjoy it and the people. I never imagined doing the traveling that I do now. Almost every weekend or during the week I’m driving to some league. I’ll go to Chicago, Grand Rapids, Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, Detroit and all spots in between. It can get tiring but, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t really have customers as far as derby is concerned, I have friends. That is probably why I am constantly approached about opening a store in this city, moving to that city or offered a territory from this or that company. If not for derby, I would have left the store a long time ago. As the saying goes, “Roller derby saved my soul.”
Who do you miss that is no longer in the league?
-I don’t think there is a skater that was in the league who I don’t miss. I miss Angel N Shadows the most I would think. She’s still around though. I miss Cheddar, Primp, Damnasty, Pain, Skellawhore, Killbasa, Full Throttle, The Validator, Doobie, Hannah Bull, Queen Cobra, She Rages, Starla and I’ll miss everyone who retires this year. It actually bothers me sometimes when I’m alone at the store thinking about the All Star team BRRG would have now if just Full Throttle, The Validator, Angel and Cheddar were still here and had been playing all this time. With the talent in this league and even just two of those four, I think we could play neck and neck with Windy City.
What do you do for fun, that is not derby related?
-There is really so little time. I used to be a dam good pool player but, I only get out to play maybe once a month anymore. My brother has about a 4 acre pond and I’m a member of a small sportsmen club that has about 120 acres of land and ponds about 2 hours from Cleveland so, I fish for largemouth bass a lot. One six pound 24 inch largemouth this year. I wish I had more time for that. I write a lot. I wrote a book years back called Man in Sheep’s Clothing that I’d like to redo a little and have it republished with some changes. I’d also like to write another book. I read quite a bit too. Mostly ancient history. The Greeks and Romans can keep you busy for a lifetime.
Do you have a favorite quote, or a motto that you live by?
-Not really. I hate to pin myself down to a certain mindset or way of living. I tend to believe that right and wrong are the same thing which, is probably how I tend to live. It is more or less a view that what is right for me is not necessarily right for someone else but, that does not make their way wrong. I think everyday and every minute is an opportunity to learn something. You don’t necessarily have to agree with or see something as “right” to learn from it. I used to be and still am “right” about so many things that I learn in time are “wrong.” Was I “wrong” when I believed them to be “right?” Absolutely not. Life is a journey and constant learning process. That is why I love derby so much. I have learned more from the ladies in derby than I have ever taught them.
What do you think will help propel derby to a more recognized level?
-I think when the day comes that individual leagues as well as a the WFTDA as a whole can afford to allow the association and each individual league to run by those who are not playing then, things will change. Derby has been treated so poorly that I think it is difficult for some to have a level of trust. If I were a member of a league, I’d be constantly worried about being exploited or ripped off.
It’s a fine line though. If derby is to move to a more recognized level then, you take away a certain amount of the grass roots effort and following which built the sport. That is a decision that can and only should be made by women who built the sport.
I think of something like the X games and say there are some strong athletes in those games. Still, derby played at it’s highest level makes the X games look like a Thursday night bowling league to me. If the women in each league only had to concentrate on skating then, you’d see a level everywhere that could sweep the country.
Right now, the sport is the skater’s. They do it for fun. They don’t get paid. They incur all expenses themselves. To jump to a more recognized level means they may not be able to keep the sport as theirs. To me, that would be a tragedy.
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