October - Smashsquatch

An Interview with…Smashsquatch

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

I just like sports, especially contact sports, so I was always interested in roller derby but I didn't really know where to start until 2019 when a friend of mine told me VCDD was doing recruitment. I grabbed some friends and went and have been in love since.

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

Basically as soon as I stepped into the Made West for recruitment night and saw the vcdd crowd. I love playing sports so as long as my little legs are going I'm happy but meeting the team was like finally finding my people.

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

Derby has definitely helped me be more patient with myself. I don't like to fail but it's just part of life and part of learning. The important thing is getting back up and trying again. Derby has shown me that sometimes growth takes time but if you stick with it after 4 years you too can finally figure out how to plow stop kinda.

Do you have a favorite & a least favorite position? Can you elaborate?

I like blocking. It's fun to get hit when you're blocking. When you're jamming, getting hit sucks.

What do you do to get ready for a bout?

Tell everyone on the team about my bad guts and beg them to protect me.

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

Go for it, dog. It's a lot of fun.

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

Being a nerd, somewhere.

Do you have a derby mentor?

Everyone, kinda. I'm bad at asking questions but I try to make up for it by listening and watching. I feel like I've learned a bit from everybody.

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

Derby is just fun, man. Even if you're getting obliterated, you're still out there, skating around and playing derby with your friends. Worst case scenario you had a great day and learned some stuff you can work on.

What’s your favorite part of skating with VCDD?

The team for sure. Teamwork is beautiful and we have a really great group.

Any last bit of advice you'd like to give people??

Life is short, and sometimes it sucks. Let yourself love things; even if you're bad at it, you won't always be.