September - Malicia

An Interview with…Malicia!

What about derby caught your attention?

The camaraderie and the competitiveness

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

I was dealing with pain in my feet while skating, and when I reached out for advice, I received an overwhelming amount of support from my teammates as well as other derby players within the sport with ideas on what the issue may be and how to fix it. Some teammates offered to try their skates to see if it may be the issue. This has been unlike any team sport I’ve ever been on and I knew I found my place!

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

Balance and quicker reflexes/reactions. I used to drop things all the time and now I feel like I have a superpower.

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

I am still in my Fresh Meat era, once I make the team I’m excited to see where my strengths and weaknesses are

What do you do to get ready for a bout?

I have kept score for the last two bouts while I learn the ropes. So I mainly sleep in until about 2 hours before I need to be at the track.

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

Don’t let your lack of experience skating stop you. I didn’t know how to skate and found myself constantly on unstable footing when I started. VCDD has excellent coaches and amazing people who will help you along the way!

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

At the gym.

Do you have a derby mentor?

Not yet. My mentors have primarily been the coaches who offer their own unique flavor and experience when teaching us.

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

That each time I’ve gone onto the track I notice small improvements and even when things are tough, that I’m still pushing myself a little bit further each time.

What’s your favorite part of skating with VCDD?

Just how amazing everyone has been, there’s so much support.

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

Watch game footage, pay attention to how team sports play and most importantly, be open to collaboration and constructive criticism. One of the best ways to get better is to collectively work toward a single goal.