Skater Spotlight: May Q Holla

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

MQH: After a long, hard search for a derby name -- so many of my first ideas were already taken, like Rory Killmore or Canna Whoopass-- I came up with my name when the song "Wild Thing" was inexplicably stuck in my head while I was in the shower.  I heard it in my head as-- "I need fifty dollars to May Q. Holla."  And there it was. Actually, at first my number was 140dB, the threshold of pain, but Armed Kandy said, "You're so brave to put your weight on your back," and then I was like NUMBER CHANGE IMMEDIATE.

LADD: How long have you been with the league and did you have any skating experience prior to coming to LADD?

MQH: I started May of 2008. Before that, my roller skating experience was back when I was of a single digit age, training at such prestigious institutions as occasional roller rink birthday parties and my back patio while listening to Michael Jackson's Thriller. 

LADD: Can you do the full “Thriller” dance?

MQH: I can no longer do the full “Thriller” dance, but I recognize it in less than two moves. 

LADD: How many Baby Doll Brawls have you been a part of?

MQH: This will be my seventh. Good lord. I've been through the Fresh Meat program so many times, I'm a pro-freshional. I've also been drafted to Sub-pool, out on injury, retired, wrote a piece for Oprah (http://www.oprah.com/oprahsbookclub/How-Roller-Derby-Can-Save-Your-Life-Pamela-Ribon_1) and then went ahead and wrote a whole novel about it (http://pamie.com/books/going-in-circles/). I've got a whole lot of words for you, roller derby.

LADD: Tell us more about the book for Oprah.  How did that happen and how was it received?

MQH: I wrote an essay for Oprah.com, not a book. The novel came first and I wrote this essay during the book's promotion. The novel was selected for Wal-Mart's book club, though. (Oprah was out of the book club game at that time.) The reception was huge. I still get emails from both the essay and the book. There's at least one new derby girl born every day, after all. 

LADD: What characteristics makes the Jedi Knight Terrors unique compared to other Baby Doll Brawl teams you have been a part of?

MQH: This is the nicest team I've ever been a part of. I say this not as a slight to my past teams, where I have made life-long friends (Super shout-out to my Meteorfights!). But you know, usually there's someone on your team that tests everybody else's something or other. Or they just aren't putting in all the effort, whatever. Teams are complicated and when everybody's just starting to work together, tensions can rise. From the bottom of my heart, this is a wonderful collection of oddballs and weirdos. I love them all so much. This is our secret weapon -- we're all a little crazy in the very best way. I can't tell if we're the underdogs. I hope so, because in my experience, the underdogs are the ones who take it all the way in these bouts. They're also the ones having the most fun. A whole lot of this attitude comes from our captain and co-captain Slam Cooke and Sheezus. They make us better skaters and better people. 

LADD: What is it like working with Lil Red Fight ‘Em Good and Star D’Ruckus as your coaches?

MQH: I want them to take us on a road trip or like, a weekend at Joshua Tree. They're that kind of fun. They have clearly spent an extraordinary amount of time crafting their practices, thinking of us individually and as a team. They're supportive, engaged and spirited. I am very much looking forward to seeing their game day faces.

LADD: How big of a Star Wars fan are you?  What did you think of The Force Awakens?  (No spoilers)

MQH: I have seen less than 13% of all Star Wars films. 

 

LADD: Is Jar Jar Binks good or bad for the Star Wars universe?

MQH: That's the one who sounds like Dobby the House Elf?

LADD: Share with us a secret that few people know about you.

MQH: I usually don't tell people that thing about Star Wars. 

LADD: What would you tell someone reading this now who is thinking about trying out for Fresh Meat?

MQH: Stop thinking start skating.

LADD: If present-day Holla could travel back in time to give advice to yourself six years ago, what would it be?

MQH: "I know this is hard to believe, but it's all going to turn out so much better than you ever could have expected."