Shelley (sHellCat) McPeek, NSO, RCR Board member, and all around bad ass derby enthusiast is this month’s Gold Star volunteer award winner. Her dedication and excitement for this sport has followed her through participation in two other leagues and found a home here in Portland with the Rose City Rollers. Her first encounter with RCR was an impromptu invitation to come and NSO at an exhibition being held in Pioneer Square, something she thought was crazy and fun. She doesn’t foresee not being a part of derby world anytime soon, with the ever-changing sport and it makes her passion of being a lifelong learner continue.

Do you have any favorite officials?

Favorite official – Danger Muffin (from Bay Area Derby). He was one of my first derby mentors when I started officiating and I credit him with helping me be as successful as I have been in the community at large. Derby officiating is still at least partly politics, and he made sure I had the right skills AND met the right people. Plus he’s an absolutely delightful human.

How does it feel to be a Gold Star Award for Excellence in Volunteering winner?

It’s absolutely awesome to be awarded the Gold Star Volunteer award! I put a lot into derby and into Rose City and it’s a huge honor to be recognized for that. All of our officials work very hard and sometimes it’s thankless…this goes a long way (I hope for all of us).

Any suggestions for new volunteers or those considering volunteering with RCR?

For folks considering joining RCR – don’t overcommit, but DO come join us! Derby is an amazing community and we all want to share it with everyone. We love new friends, but I would caution that if you aren’t careful with your time you’ll realize you’re doing five different things in the league and your dog has forgotten what you look like. Take it slow and get to know the league, find your tribe within the tribe, then dive in!

Interview by: Natalie Williams

Photo credit: Dave Wood

What a busy summer! Wheels of Justice is just back from their stint in The Big Easy at Sweatfest and are ready to coach Derby Daze on August 11-13th and take on Rat City on August 19th. In between practice, scrimmage, and crossfit, we were able to catch up with jammer Frisky Biscuits and chat a bit!

Photo credit: Keary Ortiz

How did you come to discover derby? Did you play sports before derby?

I was skating around the local rink in Santa Cruz with some kids I was taking care of and a local derby girl approached me and basically said I should come check out a practice, I showed up with nothing but my skates and an old bike helmet and the women there threw all the spare gear they had at me and I haven’t looked back since. I never played sports before but I’ve always been very competitive and always loved skating.

What is the origin of your derby name?

I wanted to be Whisk-her Biscuits because I thought it was fun and silly but my old league didn’t feel like that was “family friendly”, so Frisky it is.

How long have you been skating?

5 years

What other teams have you played for, and when did you transfer to RCR?

Originally I skated with a rec league in the Santa Cruz mountains, then I did brief stints with a team called the Mizfitz and also in Monterey before playing for Santa Cruz Derby Girls. I transferred to RCR a year and a half ago.

What made you want to move to Portland and join WOJ?

Love 😉

How long have you been on TT?

This is my 2nd season.

After you transferred, you really quickly moved up into the rostered jammer rotation. What did you have to do to start making rosters?

I just try to work as hard as I can and do my best.

Coming to Rose from another league can be a bit of a shock for some. What is your advice for transfers who move from “big fish, small pond” leagues to a team like WOJ?

Photo credit: Regularman Photography

I don’t think it matters where you come from, coming to a new team gives you a bit of culture shock. It can be really hard but you also get to learn so much from skating at such a high level.

What are your goals right now?

Right now I’m really trying to develop a style of jamming that feels right for me and has the right mix of speed, strength and agility with but also with some cool shit thrown in. I want to feel confident every time I go on the track that I have the ability to adjust my play to destroy any wall I come across.

What makes being on WOJ worth it?

Knowing that I’m on the best team in the world is pretty cool. I don’t mind those gold medals we got last year either.

Other than skating, what has derby taught you over the years?

Derby has taught me to not give up just because something is hard or frustrating.

What is the best derby advice you have received over the years? And what advice do you have for skaters looking to join their league’s travel team?

“You have to be undeniably good”. Derby is hard and sometimes I end up telling myself oh you just have to be good enough, but I know in my heart that shouldn’t be my goal. You should always try to be better than the very best.

Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not good enough. I was sat down by a coach in my old league and told that I would never make it as a high level jammer because I was too fat, but I didn’t let that stop me from working hard for what I wanted.

Catch Frisky Biscuits as a coach at Derby Daze on August 11-13th and on the track jamming against Rat City Roller Girls on August 19th!

One of the newest superstars to the team is #23 Gal of Fray! She is really excited to be a part of Rose City and to skate for Team Purple!

How did you come to discover derby? Did you play sports before derby?

Photo credit: Keary Ortiz

My childhood friend’s mother played roller derby with a local league and her bad-assery inspired me to give it a try. Besides doing ballet for 7 years, I wasn’t able to stay dedicated to a single sport. I quickly realized that soccer and basketball were too cliquey, that cross-country was literally just running, that swimming was boring, that biking was not the most fun in the rain, etc. I was always eager to try out new things, but nothing stuck. I became sold on roller derby because of how empowering and inclusive it was.

What is the origin of your derby name?

In the 8th grade, I was at the height of my Doctor Who obsession. The Doctor’s home planet is called Gallifrey. Presto! Gal of Fray is born!

How long have you been skating?

Just made it to 5 years this past February. Being selected for WOJ was a nice 5th anniversary present.

What other teams have you played for, and when did you transfer to RCR?

Oh boy, I’ve played for around 10 teams now, 6 of which were junior teams. I transferred from Emerald City’s Reservoir Dolls to RCR’s Fresh Meat in September of 2016. Then I made it onto the Break Neck Betties in October 2016 and WOJ in March 2017.

When you tried out for TT, you said you had to choose between trying out as a blocker or jammer. There aren’t many double threats in the game these days – how have you been able to keep up with both blocking and jamming skills over the years?

Ever since I started playing roller derby, I pretty much filled whichever position was most needed. I started out as a jammer, and didn’t really block much until 2 or so years into derby. Luckily, I’ve found that applying jammer skills to blocking is much more natural than the other way around. I am happy that I’ve kept both things up! Nowadays, I’m a pivot for WOJ but a jammer for my home team, the Break Neck Betties. I think I’ve found a great balance, for sure. I have really settled into being a pivot—it is a very specific position and I am very proud that I can be relied upon to perform both as a blocker and as a jammer

. I hope to take the world by surprise and inspire people to strive for versatility in roller derby.

You only just recently made the team, and jumped straight up to the main blocking rotation. How does blocking with WOJ differ from playing with your former teams?

It’s beautiful; it’s much cleaner derby. The players on this team have skills that are so crisp and strategic awareness that is truly astounding. I appreciate that everyone is committed to hard work while still seeing the human in everyone.

What’s next? What are your goals right now?

Hydra? USA Roller Derby? All-star pivot life?

What makes being on TT worth it?

That every practice, I am faced with challenges and that every game, I see pay-off from overcoming those challenges.

You’re also on USARS Team USA. What’s it like to play two different rulesets? And when can we watch you play for Team USA?

Playing two rulesets it like speaking two languages—it takes some adjusting when you switch between the two but you lock it down pretty quickly once you get going. I started playing USARS at 2015 USARS Nationals so I’ve had some time to adjust. You do have to deal with some negative attitudes that some people have towards a type of roller derby that they aren’t familiar with, but like many say: “don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it!” I am always incredibly eager to talk about how USARS and WFTDA compare. USARS Team USA will be traveling to Nanjing, China in September 2017 for the World Roller Games. Depending on which WFTDA playoff WOJ ends up attending, I might be able to represent this year in China!

Photo credit: Regularman Photography

Other than skating, what has derby taught you over the years?

Derby continues to teach me the value of teamwork, patience, and respect for my peers as well as myself.

What is the best derby advice you have received over the years? And what advice do you have for skaters looking to join their league’s travel team

Best advice received: get low. Whether it is getting a booty on a jammer, avoiding O, or being a fierce brace, I always use my ability to get low to my advantage. If you’re looking to join your league’s travel team, don’t focus on the little things. If you can show that you are eager to learn, willing to work hard, and dedicated to the sport, you will go much farther than with any fancy footwork.

Rose City Rollers is such an awesome league that we have skaters transferring here from all over the country at all different levels of game play. One of those transfers is Vanna Curtis #93. We caught up with Vanna to chat and about life and roller derby!

Photo credit: Keary Ortiz

Fun fact: Vanna was a Cliff Diver at bizarro Mexican Restaurant in Denver, Casa Bonita!

When did you start skating and where did you transfer from?

I started skating in 2011 with the Big Easy Rollergirls in New Orleans. I put on quad skates for the first time in my life at tryouts and I SUCKED! I transferred here from Denver Roller Derby.

Why did you move here from Denver?

Last season I came to Eugene to play with Denver. I wanted to spend some time in Portland after the tournament and check out some skateparks. My friend who I had planned to stay with in Portland bailed on me, so I hit up an old friend to crash on his couch. We had an amazing time and I totally fell in love with the guy. After champs  last season, I moved in with him.

What kind of sports did you play before roller derby?

I was a gymnast and a diver. I also competed in trampoline and tumbling meets and won a national championship for power tumbling when I was a teenager.

Why roller derby?

It’s my first team sport, and I’ve learned to work with and trust my teammates in order to be successful on the track. I love the bond my teammates and I share, it’s really special.

Photo credit: Regularman

With all your spare time (cute, right?) what do you love to do?

I’m on the Moxi skate team and I like rollerskating at skateparks a lot. I also enjoy tequila and hanging out with my dogs, fish, and lizard.

 Any advice for new skaters

You should only compare yourself to your old self, and never to another skater.

Photo Credit: Keary Ortiz

Recently called “a revelation” by The Apex, Brute is no newcomer to the jam line. We caught up with Brute to learn a bit more about this amazing jammer! We are so excited to see her skate against Rat City in August and also learn a ton of cool jammer tricks from her at Derby Daze!

Tell us a little about your derby history. When did you start? With who? What teams have you been on?

I started skating when I was 17 with the Rose City Rosebuds. I spent a year with them learning the basics before I aged out and transferred to RCR’s training pool, the Rockets, which we used to call Fresh Meat. I spent a few months on the Rockets, during which time I made AOA. A few weeks after that I made the High Rollers. All in all I have been skating for 6 1/2 years.

You’ve recently had a change to your derby name. What prompted the change to just “Brute”?  

My old derby name was “Feliz Brutality”, which is a play on the phrase “Police Brutality”. Police brutality isn’t a very funny subject and I decided after a few seasons that it wasn’t something I wanted to make light of.

I’ve also never had strong feelings about the choose-your-own-name aspect of roller derby naming culture. The weird multilayered nicknames that teammates come up with are way more interesting to me! Licker N Split has recently taken to calling me Brute A Toot Toot. That’s hilarious.

You’ve also returned to WOJ after a brief hiatus. What brought you back, and how have things changed since the last time you were on the team?

I took time off WOJ to finish up my undergraduate degree and to give my life a little more time to settle down. Now that I’m out of school and skating my 4th season with team I feel better prepared for how hard and hectic the training schedule can get. I’m taking better care of myself physically and emotionally this season.

On the other side, WOJ gets better and better each year. We have a great team and are always striving to create a stronger, healthier team culture.

WOJ has a team of jammers and specific “jammer time”. What do you learn at jammer time, and what do you like most about it?

Jammer time is a great opportunity to break down jammer specific skills and get deliberate about our training. Even when I wasn’t on the team I would study our jammers (and our future jammers) to try and figure out what makes them so successful. Getting to listen to what they think about their jamming and how they hit the pack is even better.

Photo credit: Regularman Photography

You’ve come back strong and are making rosters consistently. What are your goals for the rest of the 2017 season?

Right now my goals are to stay afloat of WOJ’s constantly innovating strategy, gain 20 pounds, and get so good that I can talk the team into bringing back cap sleeve jerseys next season.  

What makes being on WOJ worth it?

The combination of highly competitive teammates with an intense training program means every practice you get to watch someone get better. It never really gets easier, but it makes the challenge worth it.

You’re also the Co-President of RCR. How do you balance being on TT, being President of the league, and having one of those “real life” things?

As far as my league work goes, I can be a bit bossy, so I try my hardest to never do anyone’s job for them. In the long run, this is usually best for everyone.

At home I do what every other busy person does and plan ahead. I love cooking and meal planning, and I take a lot of naps. I’m also lucky enough to live with WOJ Team Manager and close friend, Effy Stone’Em, who occasionally has to become my own personal manager. A few weeks ago before Home Team Championships I somehow got her to fold my laundry!

Other than skating, what has derby taught you over the years?

I came to roller derby at a huge transitional point in my life, so I can’t really separate growing up and maturing, from my roller derby career.  I started college the same year I captained my home team. I moved out of my parent’s home the first season I made a WOJ Charter roster as a jammer.

Roller derby has given me an amazing community of strong, assertive women, and I’m grateful for the constant inspiration they provide.

What is the best derby advice you have received over the years? And what advice do you have for skaters looking to join their league’s travel team?

No one is lying to you about how good you are. Take feedback, work to be your best, but don’t ever look for excuses for your success.

If you want to try out for travel team, give it everything you have. High level roller derby asks a lot of us, and that’s not for everyone. If you want the rewards, don’t shortchange yourself, or your team.

Catch Brute skating with her team, Wheels of Justice, on August 19th at the Hangar! And don’t forget to sign up for Derby Daze on August 11-13th if you want to learn her jammer tips and tricks!

Wheels of Justice just finished regular WFTDA season play and seriously rocked the competition. They are now heading into post-season and prep for Derby Daze, our very own Wheels of Justice bootcamp. We wanted to bring back our skater spotlights so that you can get to know your skaters and coaches! First up, Bella Constrictor #155!

Photo Credit: Keary Ortiz

How did you come to discover derby? Did you play sports before derby?

In 2006, my friend Slaybia Majora asked me to come watch her play with her team, The Heartless Heathers, in their championship bout against The Guns N Rollers at the Expo Center. I had no idea what was happening, but I loved every second of it! For someone was wasn’t in to sports ever, this seemed totally fun and totally accessible.

What is the origin of your derby name?

If Indiana Jones is afraid of snakes, snakes must be pretty scary.

How long have you been skating?

I’ve been skating since I was a tiny child (I had those Fisher Price plastic skates that go over your shoes), but I’ve been playing derby since 2009.

What other teams have you played for, and when did you transfer to RCR?

I started skating in for Providence Roller Derby in Providence, Rhode Island in 2009. I skated on a home team (Sakonnet River Roller Rats) and the All Stars (Killah Bees b team and Riveters a team). I moved back home to Portland in 2011 and was drafted to the Heartless Heathers for the 2012 home season. I just finished my 6th season with the Heathers and am proud to say that we are the 2017 Champs!

How long have you been on Wheels of Justice?

This is my third season with RCR’s All Stars

How has the team changed over the years?

There are no more boot covers or pace lines. I’m not mad, I’m just sayin’.

Photo credit: Tristan King

You’ve come up through the ranks and started making rosters in late 2016. What do you think contributed to you crossing the threshold to start making rosters? What did you have to do to get there?

Cross-training played a huge part in my improvement as a skater. Lifting weights and doing footwork drills like agility ladders helps me to stay strong, agile and reactive enough to keep up at such a high level of derby. Another factor is just getting to know myself as a skater. I’m not a flashy skater and I know my strength lies in staying with my wall and keeping it strong.  To prep for game day, it really helps for me to visualize using other skills besides just my skating skills to help my team win (I.e. How can I meet my teammates needs and help them do their best whether or not I’ll be skating too?). Watching footage and “talking Derby” has helped me hone my communication skills and to train my brain to always be thinking “next, next, next.” These skills are just as vital as skating and strength and agility. Lastly, skating with and being challenged by my teammates has helped me improve drastically. It’s true that skating with the best makes you the best.

What’s next? What are your goals right now?

My current goals are to continue to build on my aggression and intensity on the track. To continue to prove my reliability in game-play.  I’m ready to add more weight to my back squats, increase my speed on the agility ladder and skate in more jams than I did last season (even if it’s just one more jam! I count that as progress!).

How do you balance your physical job of working on a farm and being on Wheels? (Particularly now that we have practice four nights in a row…)

I nap a lot. Getting up so early for work and having late-night practices means I have to be very careful to sleep as much as I can, to eat as well as I can and to take the best care of my body as possible. I practice as an LMT as well, and try get bodywork whenever I need it. Derby athletes are notorious for powering through and I have to try to fight that urge and really listen to my body so I can make it through our long season. Additionally, my partner has been so supportive in helping me to meet these goals – encouraging me to sleep, feeding me and cheering me on. I am extremely lucky #HumbleBrag.

What makes being on Wheels worth it?

When you find that “flow “ state with your teammates on the track and you’re really killing it as a team. The best feeling is leaving the track with no regrets, knowing that our training paid off and we played OUR game. It’s pure magic.

Other than skating, what has derby taught you over the years?

1)Crop tops are for EVERYONE.

2) I’ve grown in my feminism. I’ll admit, I didn’t even know what intersectionality was before derby. Thank you!

3) I CAN AND SO CAN YOU

4) it’s not impossible if we do it together

What is the best derby advice you have received over the years? And what advice do you have for skaters looking to join their league’s travel team?

A huge lightbulb moment for me was in 2013, when my teammate Mel Mangles said, “play into the future… don’t go where the jammer was, go where they are going.” it blew my mind! Obviously there’s so many ways to interpret and apply this concept and it changes as derby changes, but it’s the advice that kick -started my mentality of “next, next, next.”

If you are thinking of joining your league’s travel team check in with yourself and ask yourself how hungry you are. Are you willing to do the extra work to grow and learn and improve? Are you ready to train harder than you thought was possible? Ask yourself why you are doing it? Do you want personal glory or are you stoked to be part of a well-oiled machine? Are you willing to the put the team first and give yourself fully to the roll they need you to play rather than the roll you may want to play? Are you open to critique and feedback? Because oh baby you’re going to receive it! Stay open, stay honest, be willing, be proud but stay humble. You’ve got this.

Catch Bella Constrictor at Derby Daze on August 11-13th and skating with her team on August 19th at the Hangar at Oaks Park!