LADD: What is your team name and who are the captains and coaches?
SS: In keeping with the Sith vs. Jedi theme, we are the "Death Starlets.” Jägerbomb and Kitcat Go Boom are our coaches. The Slayer and Patty Juke AKA The RawKing Dead are our amazing and dedicated captains.
LADD: What is the story behind your derby name and number?
SS: So this really plays me out to be a huge nerd but I largely credit my Star Wars geek of a husband for my derby name. Shank Solo is essentially Han Solo’s grittier and more Sith-esque doppelgänger. My derby number, 1300, is an abridged version of YT-1300, the model number of the Millennium Falcon. (Waiving my nerd flag)
LADD: How long have you been with the league and did you have any skating experience prior to coming to LADD?
SS: I’ve been in Fresh Meat since February of 2015, but I started in the Derby Por Vida program in November 2014. I honestly had not worn a pair of skates in over 15 years before taking my first DPV class and was initially very impressed by my body’s muscle memory. While I was able to skate on a flat surface with ease, there were plenty of skills that I lacked when first joining DPV. The DPV trainers are amazing at developing the basic skills of novice skaters before moving into Fresh Meat.
LADD: What made you decide to join Fresh Meat? How did you hear about us?
SS: A friend (Madam Blood’ll Fly) asked me to join in on the DPV classes she was taking. I had a very limited understanding of roller derby at the time and it took me a while to figure out what the heck was really happening during jams. Because of my initial ignorance, I committed myself to learning the game and attended the program from November through early February, when Fresh Meat tryouts were scheduled. While I was hesitant to tryout due to my lifelong fear of failure, I figured I’d give it a shot and made it.
LADD: Are you a part of any committees within the league?
SS: I am part of the Door Committee, which functions under Events. We’re a small committee of three and handle all sales and check-ins at the door during every bout. While it tends to be a little hectic at the start of each bout, it’s a great way to meet and welcome all of our derby supporters.
LADD: Who are the seasoned meat on your team?
SS: We are very lucky to have some bad-ass Sub-poolers and seasoned meat on our team. Our amazing ladies from Sub-pool are: Breaker Thighs, Carmen Monoxide, Draft Punk, and Brooklyn Deck-her. Their advice has been invaluable during our training. My appreciation for their experience is beyond words. I am also incredibly grateful to our seasoned meat who have at least one other BDB under their belts: MJ Thrasher, Patty Juke AKA The RawKing Dead, Black Acid Vaseline, The Slayer and Mary Pop-ems.
LADD: What is it like working with Jägerbomb and Kitcat?
SS: Jäger and Kitcat are amazing and balance each other out so well. Jäger is a firecracker and does anything and everything to light a fire under our butts. Plus, she’s all about positive reinforcement and grants us stickers for our good work. Kitcat is very calm and methodical in her approach to coaching. She breaks down skills and drills to ensure that we are able to execute them during game play. Both coaches are kick-ass and receptive to our questions and needs.
LADD: How big of a Star Wars fan are you? What did you think of The Force Awakens? (No spoilers)
SS: My husband is a huge Star Wars nerd and got me into the whole franchise. We secretly own more Star Wars paraphernalia than any normal person should ever possess. Regarding The Force Awakens, it was entertaining and honored the original films (pre-JarJar disaster). I am also excited to see a strong female lead, but wished the movie was not so influenced by Disney’s “wholesome" undertone. (I hope I didn’t make some enemies with that last comment)
LADD: Share with us a secret that few people know about you.
SS: Here’s a weird one for y’all. During my brief run as an only child, I had 10 imaginary siblings. I creeped out one of my cousins when I disclosed this information to her.
LADD: What would you tell someone reading this now who is thinking about trying out for Fresh Meat?
SS: If your heart is in it, DO IT!
LADD: What particular skating skills have been the most challenging to perfect?
SS: I’m pushing myself towards improving as a jammer. There is so much going on during a jam and it’s very easy to have tunnel vision. It’s an intimidating position for me, but I intend to be a ruthless yet graceful jammer one day.
LADD: What is your favorite part about being a part of this league?
SS: Joining this league has been one of the most transformative things that I have ever done for myself. Before LADD, I never participated in team sports or considered myself to be an athlete, or even athletic for that matter. This league has afforded me a space to transform the relationship that I have with myself and others. Without the Derby Dolls, I would have never identified myself as an athlete or as physically strong. I am infinitely thankful to all of the LADD community that has worked tirelessly to make the league what it is today so that it can continue to instill growth and positivity in women.
LADD: Do you have a derby mentor? What did they help you with?
SS: Jäger has been incredibly supportive since I returned to Fresh Meat from an injury. She very patiently worked with me to transition back into skating and gave me honest and invaluable advice. The woman is a saint because I was terrified when I put my gear on for the first time. I’m super thankful to have her as a coach for the Baby Doll Brawl.
LADD: You mentioned owning a lot of Star Wars paraphernalia... what particular piece are you most proud of owning?
SS: We own some pretty cool Star Wars artwork that we’re pretty proud of.
LADD: For someone who has never seen a Star Wars movie and plans to see The Force Awakens, what order would you recommend they see the movies in (prequels are optional)?
SS: Definitely start with A New Hope and work your way through Return of the Jedi. It’ll give you all the context you need for The Force Awakens. There’s no need to subject yourself through countless hours of superfluous CGI with the prequels. That’s why we have Wikipedia plot synopses.
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