Pacifighter, #24 (she/her)
“During practices, I have played both as jammer and blocker, but I prefer playing as a jammer. I’m good at skating, I skate quite fast. I’ve now been playing roller derby for about 9 months. I had seen it in some movies/series and last spring, I went to the open skate event. I immediately fell in love. I always leave the practices full of energy, even on days when I feel tired and considered staying home. It’s so much fun and full of action! “
Category: player profiles
Player introduction: Bitter Pan
Bitter Pan, #18 (she/her/they)
“I’ve been playing as a jammer since 2019, but I actually started derby in August 2010 after seeing Whip it! One of my best derby memories is when got to play in Iceland. It was a very cool place to play roller derby in! 💙
Fun fact: I’m a micro-mechanic student in The Finnish School of Watchmaking.”
Player introduction: Nemesis
Nemesis, # 92 (she/her)
“I started roller derby in spring 2022. I first learned about roller derby in 2011, but it took me over ten years and moving to a different city to actually get into playing it. I like it because anyone can play roller derby and be good at it regardless of your bodytype or gender. I really enjoyed our first scrimmage with the league. I was so nervous to play derby for real for the first time, but it was really fun! “
Player introduction: No Mercier
No Mercier, # 79 (she/her)
“I’ve been playing roller derby for less than a year, but I’ve got many more ahead of me I’m sure. A friend of mine told me about the league when I expressed missing moshpits (bumping into people is a lot of fun and helps releasing energy). I always struggled getting excited about sports – let alone group sports – until I discovered this. The atmosphere is most welcoming and supportive. I not only found a genuinely enjoyable activity, but also a beautiful community of people.
Fun fact: my cats own land in Scotland and therefore are lords”
Player introduction: Warjo
Warjo, #101 (She/her)
I am a blocker, I guess. 😅 I started roller derby this April on a beginners’ course, so I havent played that long at all. I got into it because I saw a picture on Instagram, started googling roller derby, watched a bunch of games on Youtube and very soon I e-mailed our league to ask when can I join. 😄 It’s the most fun I’ve had doing any kind of sports. I don’t think there have been any practices when I haven’t laughed! Roller derby is very challenging and fast paced, but it’s the best feeling when you succeed in something. People are SO nice! And I feel 😎cool😎 when I tell people about roller derby (not so much on the track hehe).
Fun fact: Last spring my pupils awarded me with the title ‘Most Fashionable’. 🤠
Player introduction: Anna Phylactic Shock
Anna Phylactic Shock, #2 (any pronoun)
” I’ve mostly played as a blocker and occasionally as a pivot. I started the beginner’s course in 2018, but of course, there was covid, so active playing years are a bit questionable. I began playing because some of my friends were considering starting roller derby, and it being a very queer sport, in combination with the opportunity to slam into people on skates made me think it sounded cool. I went to an open skate in my hometown and one of the skaters there was very encouraging so I decided to stick with it.
Fun fact: I can ride a unicycle”
Player of the week: Kat Strator #112
1. Who?
Katariina Kyrölä known as Kat Strator 112 – it’s a very common occurrence that it takes people a while to really get my derby name. Here’s a tip: you gotta say it out loud pretty fast! The first name refers to my real name and the full name plays around with a certain stereotype that is sometimes connected to feminists… And I’m a feminist, of course!
2. Playing position? Jammer
3. History with roller derby:
I started Stockholm Roller Derby‘s beginners course in the fall 2011. A friend had started derby earlier that year and wouldn’t shut up about it. I went to see a bout and fell in love instantly: why hadn’t anyone told me about this sport before?!? 😂 I ordered skates the next week and started practicing on parking lots with the aid of YouTube. It was and is the first and only sport I’ve loved. I played in Stockholm a couple of years, half a year in Sydney, then I got a job in Turku and been with DRRD since fall 2013.
4. What is the best thing about our team?
The politics and the love: the values that DRRD stands for, and the feeling that no matter what, so many people got your back.
5. Fun fact:
At 40, I’m the oldest person in our league, and sometimes it’s funny and weird that I could be another player’s parent . But derby stands for embracing diversity and hey, I plan to keep doing this as long as my body holds up!
6. Game day song?
I like to have a moment of complete silence, breathe deep and visualize my first jam.
7. Any advices for people considering roller derby?
During beginner’s course, you’ll find out if this is the sport for you. I recommend trying it out – you’ll have fun and make friends for sure, even if you decide to drop it later! If you really want it, you will get it, but for different people it takes a different time for the mind and the body to adjust to the intensity. Listen to your body, be patient. Also, very few people have time for any other hobbies than derby, so be prepared. But also, a whole new world may open up to you!
Picture: Maija Kurki