Featured Skater for May, Whamsday Addams!

In a slight departure from those who have been featured thus far, this month I am featuring a skater who is not graduating, but who exemplifies Junior Derby to the core.  Whamsday Addams, skating for the Kitsap Derby Brats, has amazed with her abilities both on and off the track.  She is a leader and an inspiration to her team and to the sport at large.

And when not skating, she's rocking out on the guitar as she is active in the Girls Rock music scene and is even part of the youth advisory committee for EMP.

I had a chance to send Whamsday a few questions recently, and here are her answers!

Name: Blaine Ewig

At what age did you start skating?
When I was in first grade (about seven years old), I begged my parents for a pair of inline skates. I think they got tired of listening to me whine pretty quickly, and they bought me a pair. I wore them around my neighborhood only a handful of times, got bored, and decided that skating just wasn't for me because I could go faster on my bike. I didn't put on a pair of skates again until the rink opened up in Port Orchard when I was thirteen, and I didn't put on quads until the night before my very first derby practice.

When did you first find roller derby?
My mom started playing before I did, and that's how I learned about derby. At first, I thought it was kinda lame, because, well... uh... my mom played it. So uncool, right? Wrong! After my parents took me to my first Rat City game, I was hooked, and my love affair with derby began. I started going to practice with my mom because I wanted to watch all of the super badass rollergirls. They were kind of my idols. Then, something magical happened! A junior team started in Port Orchard. I went to my first practice, and it was AWESOME because I learned how to go fast and hit stuff. It felt great.

What was the best thing about skating with your league?
The best thing about skating with my league is exactly that; Skating with my league. I love skating, and I love my league. I couldn't ask for a better group of teammates or coaches. They put their hearts into everything they do, and always try their best. We might not be a team that wins every game, but we are constantly learning, improving, and having fun while we do it. Oh, and they put up with me, and I'm sure that can be really hard sometimes! I love my team times a million.

Is there a skater or team you see as an inspiration to you in roller derby?
Just one skater? One team? BUT THERE ARE SO MANY. I think that derby girls are just inspiring in general. I mean, in what other sport can you find such strong, athletic, determined, and intelligent women? Not to mention that they're all working full time jobs and caring for families at the same time! Rollergirls don't get paid for this stuff, but they sure as hell work for it like they do. It amazes me that there is such a large community of amazing and supportive people who dedicate so much energy into to something just because they love it.

I hear that you are actually looking at colleges based on where you can skate when you are 18... So where are you looking?
Well. That is a loaded question, my friend. I plan on staying in the Northwest, and will probably end up in either Seattle or Olympia. There are a ton of leagues near and between the two cites, so I figure I'll get to choose whichever league fits best with my schedule and challenges me the most.

Which is your favorite team to play against and why?
Hmmmmm, I guess if I HAD to choose just ONE team, I would pick I-5. I feel like whenever we play them, I come back with some new idea or strategy, and a deeper understanding of how roller derby works. I love that I-5 plays smart derby. They really know how to use the rules to their advantage. And while they may be scary on the track, they are some of the nicest girls you will ever meet.

What advice would you give skaters just starting out in Jr Derby?
Get low. Lower. As low as you can. Learn how to take criticism constructively, and not personally. Listen to what you teammates and coaches have to say to you, and take in every ounce of it. Study the rules, and ask questions. Go to games, watch more derby, and pay attention. Maybe you're not the fastest. Maybe you're not the biggest hitter. Remember that everyone has a place in derby. That big, fast, intimidating girl? She was once where you are right now. Once upon a time, she could not rollerskate, and she fell, and she was afraid. But she kept going, and she kept learning. Stick with it, don't give up, and don't be too hard on yourself.