June - Wednesday At ‘Em

An Interview with…Wednesday At ‘Em

What about derby caught your attention? When did you first start playing?

Last summer, my friend Andrea Chow gave me a pair of her little sister’s retired rollerblades. I had so much fun skating around outside feeling like a kid again. I wanted to find a community of people into this slightly niche hobby, and I’ve always thought derby was just the coolest thing ever. So, I just googled a team near me and here I am!

What was that “one moment” when you knew playing derby was the right thing for you?

I knew roller derby was the thing for me the first time I face planted into the floor. I’ve always loved intense experiences— roller coasters, mosh pits, horror movies, etc. Roller derby is kind of like all those things in one…take that as you will. But I love that the core of the sport is literally falling and getting back up again! That’s just poetic! Life is something that throws all these horrible hurdles at you, and it’s kind of therapeutic to deal with them on a small, tangible scale.

What’s something you’ve learned playing derby that has translated into another part of your life?

Get back up.

How did you pick your derby name?

I always wear my hair in two braids, so my teammates said I should do something with that. Wednesday Addams was the obvious choice, and I love puns so I tried to incorporate that. If someone has a better one please let me know.

How did you pick your derby number?

The Charli XCX song!

Do you have a favorite & a least favorite position?

I love jamming! I like that you get to be impulsive, which is a trait I try to reduce off the track. Jamming is the perfect opportunity to get your energy out, if you’ve got a lot of it. I also love to see how others jam, there’s so many different styles amongst my teammates and it’s genuinely mesmerizing to watch. Blocking is not my favorite, I am not great with rules, so I often feel confused and in the way.

What do you do to get ready for a bout?

Pee three thousand times. Is that tmi? Maybe don’t include this. (Editor’s note: LOL)

What advice would you give to someone thinking about playing derby?

Obviously my advice is to go for it! However if you’re like me (picked last in middle school P.E.), I would just say to just be mindful that roller derby is a sport and you need to take care of your body accordingly!

Finish this sentence: When I’m not playing derby, I am _____.

studying linguistics, reading anything & everything, or watching true crime shows with my mom

Do you have a derby mentor?

I think of my fellow freshmeat class as my “mentors” in a way, because we all grew so much together and learned from one another! That being said, I honestly think I’ve received at least one useful tidbit from every single person on the team. Everyone is super willing to help, so it feels impossible to pick just one person.

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What keeps you motivated to keep playing when things get tough?

It’s kind of a joke within my friends and family that I have AWFUL luck. I’m always having some kind of bizarre calamity. But derby reminds me how lucky I am. Just a few years ago I had some insane health issues that culminated in lung surgery and a whole lot of medication. To think I can now play a sport like derby feels so absurdly lucky to me! So whenever I’m having a bad practice, or feeling like a total loser, I really just feel so lucky to be able to push my body and mind and knock my friends around!

What’s your favorite part of skating with VCDD?

I love the diversity. Everyone is so unique and talented and that goes way beyond derby and skating! I really don’t think there’s many  other sports where you will find so many different skillsets and life experiences in one place. I feel very lucky to have met everyone on this team, and I’ll definitely be taking all the things they’ve taught me when I move to the east coast (and all the trinkets too!).