Skater Spotlight: Vanna Fight

Skater Spotlight Vanna Fight, photo courtesy of Grant Palmer Photography

LADD: What is the name of the Baby Doll Brawl Team you are coaching?

VF: Greece'd Lightning, it's a play on the Goddesses theme. The Pink team are Gladiator-themed.

LADD: Do you have many veterans on the team to mentor the younger skaters?

VF: We have 2 Subpool skaters and a few seasoned meat who have been instrumental in helping bring the team together by sharing their skills and experiences.Draft Punk is captain. She has skated in a few BDBs. Octopushy is co-captain, this will be her first BDB. Both girls are great team leaders, hard workers, and talented skaters. I think they provide great inspiration to Greece'd Lightning.

LADD: Has Greece’d Lightning had many opportunities to bond together as a team both on the track and off?

VF: Our team has been focused on spending time on both banked and flat tracks. They are skating at least two nights a week for up to three hours per night. Some girls attend wRECk league (recreational flat track scrimmage) for an additional two hours; skating eight hours a week. We will be having a team dinner before the bout, which is a roller derby tradition. I'm confident they will bond on a new level then.

LADD: What made you decide to take the leap into coaching?

VF: I decided to coach because I spent two years in Fresh Meat, and skated in quite a few Baby Doll Brawls. Each one was a great experience, and I learned so much from the coaches. I also think it's important to build relationships with my league mates, across all levels. Fresh Meat are our new recruits and will go on to leadership positions, Subpool, and teams. As that happens, the relationships we build now will lead to knowledge transfer and stronger partnerships.

LADD: How many Baby Doll Brawls have you been a part of?  Have you spoken to former BDB coaches for guidance?

VF: I've skated in 5 or 6 BDB’s. This is my first time coaching. It's also GOzer the Destructor's first time coaching. We have reached out to our teammates, the Tough Cookies, for advice and have brought in some guest coaches to help train the girls of Greece'd Lightning.

LADD: Who are some of your derby mentors and what did they teach you?

VF: I learned a lot from so many people. Part of going through all stages of the training programs offered by LADD is getting to work with an array of trainers. At this point, I'm hard-pressed to think of a skater I haven't worked with and learned from. But Amber Alert, Jackie Nimble, STEFCON, Tara Armov and Suzy Snakeyes will always have a special place in my heart. I trained with Amber Alert in DPV and Fesh Meat and always admired her skating style and ability to contain an opponent. I mastered my snow plow stops with her. Tara Armov is legendary, and her coaching voice continues to echo in my mind when I'm struggling with a particular skill. And I continue to learn from Jackie Nimble,  STEFCON, Suzy Snakeyes and all of the Tough Cookies.

LADD: Could you see yourself becoming a full-time coach later on?

VF: I have enjoyed coaching, and it's unbelievably rewarding to see my team execute a lesson plan or skill, but I don’t think I can manage coaching in a long-term capacity. I serve as a Fresh Meat Momma; a mentor of sorts to new skaters and am heavily involved with other committees.

LADD: What do you like most about this experience (the Baby Doll Brawl)?

VF: Seeing the day-to-day improvements our skaters are making. I see improvements with the girls of Greece'd Lightning as well as with the opposing team. I think this BDB is going to be very close, and  I'm excited for the outcome.

LADD: What is the story behind your derby number?

VF: My skater number is 9:23. It's a reference to the 1986 fantasy gem Labyrinth, starring David Bowie as Jareth the Goblin King and Jennifer Connelly as Sarah. Sarah wishes the Goblin King take her toddler brother, Toby away to the Goblin underworld. But she regrets her decision and wants to get him back. She needs to find her way through the Labyrinth. After attempting to cheat, Jareth reduces her time to 9 hours and 23 minutes before Toby becomes one of his goblin minions.

LADD: Tell us a secret about yourself that few people know.

VF: A secret about me...I whispered it. Did you hear me?

LADD: Share with us a story of this BDB team, something that speaks to the unique chemistry between everyone.

VF: When we scrimmage, I don't make line ups. I let the girls determine what they want to do: jam, block, or pivot. They do their best at the job they choose because they want to make their teammates proud. It really works for them, and they have fun doing it.

LADD: What advice would you give to someone considering trying out for Fresh Meat?

VF: If anyone is thinking about it, I think they should make the leap. Roller Derby is a lot of fun, it's a great challenge and you get to meet a bunch of great people who can become some of your best friends. If you aren't sure you are ready for Fresh Meat, our Derby Por Vida (DPV) program is a great place to start. I started in DPV and still meet up for brunch with the girls I used to skate with.

LADD: How are things going with your home team, the Tough Cookies?

VF: The Tough Cookies are working hard to bring our team together. We have seven new recruits,  myself included. We are learning each others strengths, bonding and always looking forward. Our coaches, Suzy Snakeyes and Sniperella have been phenomenal and I've taken a few pages from their book when coaching Greece'd Lightning.

LADD: What other groups or committees are you a part of within the league?

VF: I'm a Fresh Meat Momma, Co-Head of Public Relations, and Head of Newsletter.

Skater Spotlight: Rebel Killson

Skater Spotlight on Rebel Killson, Captain of the Fight Crew!

LADD: When did you start skating with LADD and did you have any skating experience prior?

 RK: I started skating with LADD about 3 1/2 years ago. I had just moved to LA from New York City. A friend took me to the Ri-ettes vs Gotham and from the moment I walked up the ramp at the Doll Factory I knew it was something I needed to be a part of. Previously I was a competitive figure skater. I started when I was 3 and stopped when I was 21. I was lucky enough to be a part of the U.S. National and world team for two seasons. 

LADD: Please tell us more about your experience on the US national and world figure skating teams.

RK: I attended Miami University for college. They have a synchronized skating team there which is a varsity sport for the school. In addition, it's a national and world ranked team. I skated with them for two seasons. We traveled worldwide for competitions to places like Italy and Sweden. It was a great experience. We competed at a very high level, made some amazing friends, and overall was a very unique experience I'm so thankful I was a part of. 

LADD: Is there a lot of overlap between the skills used in figure skating and roller derby? Did figure skating teach you any bad habits that you had to break to be better at roller derby?

RK: There are a lot of skills that overlap between figure skating and roller derby. I had skated my entire life so putting on roller skates took a little adjustment but at this point I think my roller skating skills have surpassed my ice skating skills!! Coming from ice skating I think the best asset I carried with me was my edging. In derby it allows me to change direction quickly, juke, or do strange flamingo call offs when jamming. Bad habits... I think my most noticeable bad habit is my hand that flares out when I jam. See any picture ever taken of me. It's there haha. 

LADD: What committees/groups are you a part of within the league?

RK: I was previously involved in Juniors for a couple of years, which was awesome. I've taught Derby Por Vida. I've been a part of training team. And I'm now captain of Fight Crew. I do love being involved in different aspects of the league because it's provided me with so many things. 

LADD: You have stepped up your game as a jammer in the past year. Was this something you focused on in particular?

RK: Honestly. I'm so superstitious. I do the exact same thing before every game. I wear the same outfit to the track. I eat the same lunch. I drink the same flavor of Gatorade. But what I focused on? I seriously think what I focused on was my team… and how much they mean to me. They drive me every week. Many of them are my best friends that I talk to each and every day. Fight Crew has an amazing camaraderie. Win or lose I just feel so lucky to take the track with them… call them my teammates and call them my friends.    

LADD:The Fight Crew roster has seen a lot of new additions in the past year. How would you say the newcomers are doing?  

RK: Fight Crew has seen crazy roaster changes since I joined the team. Chargin Tina. Haught Wheels. Armed Kandy. Bombshell Betty. Skeev Jobs. Snark. The list goes on. We lost so many of our all stars in the past few seasons to retirement or moving on with their life and doing amazing things. But the team has changed a lot. But with that change we have also expanded. We have gained some amazing players. Like Remix, Bootz, Rita, Yolo and countless others. We also still have some amazing vets like Broady. Darla. Lusty. Rage. And amazing talents like Belle and Sly. We have a strong team and we have really rebuilt ourselves. 

LADD: Has the team identity changed over the past year?

RK: Kind of going off the previous question. We have had a mass change in our lineup. But with that we have had fresh blood and allowed ourselves to rebuild and come back stronger. 

LADD: Share with us a secret/odd bit of trivia that few people know about you.

RK: I'm a Disney obsessed person. I go to Disneyland a few times a month. Growing up, my family vacation was always to Disney World. Every year that's where we went. When I first moved to LA I didn't know anyone, so I went to Disneyland frequently. After joining derby I met a lot of the people who also go to Disneyland so it's a win win!

LADD: Who is your favorite Disney princess?  Villain?

RK: Favorite princess is Snow White. My mom credits her for getting me to wear underwear… which she actually told to the character when we were at the park once when I was like 27. Felt great. Favorite villain that's a tough one… I'm going with Queen Grimhilde. 

LADD: How do you feel about flat track roller derby?

RK: Flat track isn't my thing. I love the banked. I love the speed… I love the agility. I admire the athleticism of flat track. But I'm live or die banked track. 

LADD: Recently you worked with nomore.org.  What was that like?

RK: No more excuses!! I love no more. Because to me it's empowerment to women. My empowerment was roller derby and LADD. Before roller derby and LADD I was very shy. Very closeted. Roller derby and this league allowed me to be much more confident and proud of who I am. Nomore.org is a great representation of women and their rights and empowerment. Stand up. Speak up. Be proud. 

LADD: If someone is reading this right now who is shy and not feeling empowered, how can roller derby help them build that confidence and empowerment?

RK: Roller derby is just a great community. It brings people together from all walks of life. We all volunteer to help run the league so at the end of the day we are all incredibly passionate about this sport. I really think that's what helped me be more confident and more outgoing. It was the people that were here and the lifelong friends that I've made here. 

LADD: Could you see yourself becoming a trainer or coach later on?

RK: I have coached juniors… which was amazing and rewarding. I have been a part of training team. Both were extremely rewarding. In real life I've been a personal trainer for almost 9 years. So safe to say I love training!

LADD: Are you a fan of sports other than roller derby?

RK: I mean I cheer on any Cleveland sports team cause that's where I'm from. Mistake by the lake. 

LADD:  What was the last thing you watched on Netflix?

RK: Phineous and Ferb. Don't judge me. 

Skater Spotlight: Melistopheles

LADD: Last year the Sirens beat the Tough Cookies to win the league championship.  How did winning that trophy compare to previous championships?  Was there anything that made that one special?  

Mel: 2014 was my second time to Champs with the Sirens. We'd had a rebuilding year after some of our veteran skaters went on to new chapters in their lives, and things were starting to come together again for us. We were working really hard physically and mentally, and there was this great sense of anticipation all throughout the year. As Captain, Jeneral was steering our training very thoughtfully and precisely, and everyone was really engaged in the process and showing up for work every week because we all felt the build happening and it was really exciting. There's almost no describing the feeling of such a narrow, hard fought win against a team that had gone unbeaten all year. Tiredness, disbelief, delirium, pride, gratitude.

LADD: After winning the championship, did it motivate the team to work harder this year?  Do you feel the other teams are gunning for you?

Mel: I have been super proud of Sirens this last few months. With all the uncertainty over our home at the start of the year, the loss of so many skaters to retirement and transfers, and that lull period before the season begins proper, people could be forgiven for taking a little easy time. On the contrary, I feel like the team is riding high from Champs still and nobody wants to give an inch. 

LADD: When did you start skating with LADD and did you have any skating experience prior?

Mel: I had a pair of roller boots for a brief period as a teenager, but outgrew them and then never picked it up again. When I heard about derby, I remembered skating the best fun and was looking for a team sport to get into. I went to my first DPV class in September of 2010. I remember doing falling and stopping on the flat track with Lace N' Arsenic. I was so sore I hobbled for a full week, but I was hooked. I came to 2-3 practices a week until I made Fresh Meat in the August the following year.

LADD: What committees/groups are you a part of within the league?

Mel: I used to head up Stats for the league but recently relinquished that as I was getting a bit over-scheduled. My other big responsibility outside of Sirens is as Co-Head of our Subpool. Our subs are the skaters who have graduated up out of Fresh Meat and are pooled between the teams each week to gain experience at the higher level skills and scrimmage. It's fun to handle skaters at this part of their journey, where they are peaking in skills and confidence, and really discovering what they are capable of. Skatum O'Neal (Head of Subpool) and I do our best to guide them not only skill-wise but also navigating the political and emotional landscape of Subpool, which can be very competitive. 

LADD: Explain some of the unique challenges a skater faces as part of Subpool. 

Mel: Subbies are constantly being "tried out" by the teams to check on their skill level and how good of a fit they are within each team's internal culture. The teams are very careful about who they draft personality wise too, as you'll all be spending lots of time together. Subs are basically being judged constantly, which is wearing and you need to summon some mental fortitude to deal with it. They will also have a more gruelling physical schedule on average, as they'll have the chance to skate two scrimmage nights per week sometimes, on top of everything else. instead of just one like a team skater. Then there is having to mesh with different team styles in quick rotation, day to day and week to week. Finally, the goal you've been aiming for for so long, often a couple of years, is so close and truly tangible now, that it can feel quite tense. Subpool is a gnarly place.

LADD: What is the process for a skater to graduate from Subpool to being a full-time skater on a team like the Sirens?

Mel: After a two month "probationary" period a subbie is eligible to be drafted to a team, if they are in general good standing having made hours, paid dues and fulfilled their other league obligations satisfactorily. The draftable sub will have great attendance, be present and willing to learn, asks questions, and be demonstrating the skills and attitude a team is looking for. Captains decide together when drafts will be based on their own need, the state of subpool and who is available, and the way the season is shaping up will play a factor in what kind of skater you want to draft. Do you need someone ready to go? Do you see potential in a greener sub, someone you can take time with and bring along for later? Each draft is meant to fill out rosters but is also carefully negotiated to keep a good competitive balance across all four teams.

LADD: How long have you been training skaters and what advice would you give to an aspiring trainer who is just starting out?

Mel: A couple of years back I did a stint as a Training Team "intern" which meant I was able to assist our regular trainers in Fresh Meat practices. I loved being able to help people with my own experience of coming up through the ranks of LADD, but it also developed my own interpersonal skills in an amazing way.  When I took on Subpool I didn't have time to continue to pursue a spot on Training Team as well. If a skater is at all interested in training, they should reach out with both hands and grab the opportunity when it comes up. The league needs you, but you'll also be doing yourself a favour. It's very rewarding.

LADD: What made you decide to be a Team Captain this year and what has that experience been like?

Mel: Running for Captain just seemed like a natural movement in the cycle of our team. You can sort of tell who is ready and appropriate for leadership, and who the team is ok with, and then all you have to do is convince the person to do it. I had to get Wreckonomic Stimulus drunk in a hot tub to get her to agree to Co-Captain with me, as she already does so much for LADD, and I'm so glad because she is the best support. I can't imagine doing it without her. Sirens are an awesome team - they show up, they work hard, they ask questions, they offer advice and support to one another, they answer emails, they do their shifts, they pay their dues. They have made it easy for me.

LADD: How would you describe the identity of this year's Sirens team?

Mel: I think we've gone from being a quite serious, perhaps prickly team, to being a really fun team over the past few years. Our skateout video for this upcoming bout will give you some good insight into our personality and how much we enjoy each other.

LADD: Share with us a secret/odd bit of trivia that few people know about you.

Mel: I was in the Air Training Corps briefly as a teen, back in the UK. It's a youth program that prepares you for a potential life in the RAF or similar. I amassed a few hours flying small planes and even gliders, and sat a couple of exams in basic flight theory. I often wonder about how different a life that would have been. 

LADD: You're from the UK?  How often do you go back?  Have you seen the London Rollergirls skate live?

Mel: I am! I moved to California in 2001. My accent is a mess. I don't go back as much as I'd like - between owning a business with my husband and derby, I almost never have large stretches of time where it is convenient. My parents are here from home right now, though, and 6/13 they will see my first bout ever. The last time they saw me skate I dragged them along to my Fresh Meat practice which turned out to be endurance led by Tara Armov. I'm not sure I was very impressive. I hope to show them something better on the 13th! I have never seen London Rollergirls - next time I go home I will for sure make a trip to London and check them out.

LADD: If you could have one hour of one-on-one training with any roller derby skater in any league, who would it be and why?

 

Mel: Wow, that is a hard one. LADD's roster of skaters is so full in experience and skill I don't think I would have to look far outside. For where I am at as a skater, personally, I think it would rock if we could bring back Fight Crew's fabulous Cherrylicious to train. Cherry went east for work a while back and now skates out there. She was amazing. If I could learn to block like her, man, that would be something.

 

LADD: How do you feel about flat track roller derby?

Mel: It's so different! I feel like a fish out of water when I scrimmage flat. Like anything you jump into that you are not practiced at, not being good at it doesn't endear it to you very much. That said, I recently played my first team level flat track bout with Sirens against ACDG's Rocket Queens, and we prepped best we could and it ended up being a ton of fun. I think we gave them a run for their money. I'll play flat track again, but it has to be with my Sirens.

LADD: What is the story behind your derby name and number?

Mel: In legend and literature, Mephistopheles was the devil to whom Faust sold his soul in return for long life and massive earthly riches.. Human constructs of evil fascinate me - the idea of hell and the devil as a thing we sort of wish upon ourselves, along with the clearly low opinion we hold much of mankind in, lots of fodder for thought there. My number is plain old Halloween, the best time of the year.

LADD: Did you recently start raising chickens?  What has been the biggest challenge involved with that?

Mel: I did! I inherited a flock of grown hens and recently got myself some brand new fluffy babies. They are sweet animals and I love learning their personalities and behaviours. The biggest challenge for me has been to not turn into a crazy chicken lady who lurks in the paddock with a bb gun to deter the critters who keep stealing my eggs. I found myself not long ago on a lawn chair behind a tree waiting to catch a squirrel in the act. I decided it was probably time to chill out.