The Hit List: Skater Spotlight for 4/24/2015: Chapin #43

Photo by Juan Paden

What is your derby name?
Derby name for a few years was Red BAaron but now I just go by Chapin.

What is the story behind your name?
Wal-Mart caries this delicious brand of microwave and oven pizza. Someone brought it up and it just fit perfectly, couldn't get away from it until I realized that derby was heading into a more professional direction. I like the idea of skaters playing under their real names instead of the weird, awkward, and sometimes, innuendo ridden skater names.

What number do you wear?
43

Why did you choose it?
I had the same number in little league soccer from the 6 until 11 so it just made sense to keep the trend going. Its also my lucky number for the same reason.

What is your role in the league?
Jammer.

What is your preferred position on the track?
JAMMER!!! I cant block to save my life.

What’s your pre-derby athletic background?
Pre-Derby, I have skated session, at minimum 2 times a week, since 1998. I am the epitome of a rink rat and love it. Pre-skating I played little league soccer from age 6 until I moved to new york, focused mainly on that and splashed in some basketball and baseball.

What would you say are your greatest strengths as a skater?
Being able to stand up on skates... That's pretty important.

What is your proudest accomplishment in roller derby and why?
Every year I set goals for myself. This year I set 3 goals and already have achieved two. Highest scoring jammer on our team, and getting a MVP Jammer, next up on the list is 80% lead jammer for a game. Every time I get to mark one of those off my list, its an accomplishment.

Which one of your teammates do you look up to most, and why?
Every single one of the blockers, there is no single person. Anyone who is willing to get out there and give up their body to help their jammer through, I look up to them. I don't have the ability to help someone out that much on the track.

What is your best memory of the 2014 MRDA season?
That's the easiest question on this thing and I am sure most of the team agrees, our game against Twin City Terrors at the end of MVCup. We were expected to get crushed and held our own and played the best game of the year. We may have lost but that game was the most amazing game I have ever played with these boys.

How did you get involved with roller derby?
I helped found the (now named) Hill City Rollers in Oneonta and we started our own mens team named the Roundhouse Rebels, we managed to recruit 5 guys before things fell apart. Graham approached the remaining three of us to join ranks with the Quads. Oxen and Thug both joined months before me but I finally broke down, joined and haven't looked back. I still work on the training committee for the Oneonta girls league and bench coach the All Stars team.

Finally, is there anything I didn’t ask you about that you want to talk about?
4 and a half years into derby, I have seen many players and volunteers come and go but not a single person has had a greater impact on me then Baird. The dedication and love that man showed, not only for the sport, but for every single person he meets, is beyond amazing. Thank you Baird for being an amazing human being! Now get back here and let me hit you!

The Hit List: Skater Spotlight for 4/17/2015: Bobby Brady #8

Photo by (not Hispanic Attack- anyone know so we can credit?)

What is your derby name?
Bobby Brady

What is the story behind your name?
At newbie class some of my fellow skaters thought that I looked like Bobby Brady from The Brady Bunch.  So everyone started calling me Bobby Brady.  It ended up that I look more like Peter Brady but Bobby Brady already stuck.

What number do you wear?
8

Why did you choose it?
I won the pine wood derby and broke my first bone when I was eight.  For some reason that year stuck with me when I was a kid and 8 has always been my lucky number.

What is your role in the league?
Skater.

What is your preferred position on the track?
Blocker

What’s your pre-derby athletic background?
I played soccer, basketball, and baseball in my elementary school years.  In high school I played
Volleyball.  In college I played a season of Club Hockey and a season of Club Rugby.

What would you say are your greatest strengths as a skater?
I feel my biggest strength is the ability to read a Jammer and anticipate what they are going to do.

What is your proudest accomplishment in roller derby and why?
My proudest accomplishment was when we won a bout for the first time.  It showed that we were doing something right and helped set the path of where we are today.

Which one of your teammates do you look up to most, and why?
One of the skaters that I look up to is Baird. Although he is not currently skating with us he has definitely left a lasting impact on the team that has carried over to this season. He is one of the most committed, dedicated, positive, and hard working skaters that I have known. His example is something that we can all learn from to become better skaters and a better team. We miss you man get back here soon!

What is your best memory of the 2014 MRDA season?
The final whistle of our last bout at the cup.  It was a great feeling ending our best season yet.

What is your motivational quote?
“Play it like you know it” – Thomas Burt

How did you get involved with roller derby?
I heard about The Quadfathers after watching a women’s bout.  I looked them up and they invited me to a practice.  The rest is history.

Finally, is there anything I didn’t ask you about that you want to talk about?
I would like to say thank you to my family and friends who have supported me over the 5+ seasons.  It always means the world to me when I see you all cheering me on.  I also would like to thank my team.  Through the ups and downs both on and off the track you have always been there.   We truly have a special group and I am proud to call you all my brothers.

The Hit List: Skater Spotlight for 4/10/2015: Joe Stever #96

What is your derby name?
I skate under my real name now but everyone knows me as Woo.

What is the story behind your name?
When I first started skating my name was Wizard of Odd, the girls at CNYRD practice started calling me Woo for short and it kinda stuck. I switched to my real name just before MVC 2.

What number do you wear?
96

Why did you choose it?
It was my older brother's number when we raced motocross. He retired and I started using it. Plus it is the year I graduated high school.

What is your role in the league?League President and I organize MVC.

What is your preferred position on the track?
Anything that doesn't involve a star.

What’s your pre-derby athletic background?
Wrestling, football, soccer, indoor soccer and motocross.

What would you say are your greatest strengths as a skater?
Awareness and I think I read the game fairly well, that doesn't have anything to do with skating though does it.

What is your proudest accomplishment in roller derby and why?
Seeing how far the Quadfathers have come since the beginning when it was just me, Grambo and Die-Lon and thinking someday we might have enough guys to field a full team.

Which one of your teammates do you look up to most, and why?
All my teammates bring something to the team but if I had to pick one I guess it would be Thuggy Bear, I mean Ruffo. He reads the game so well and always seems to be in a position to back you up when needed.

What is your best memory of the 2014 MRDA season?
It is hard to just pick one. My first time playing was on a compilation team consisting of Harm City and the Quadfatthers vs Ct, so getting to play Harm city for the first time in like 4-5 years was pretty cool. Making the semi-finals at the Cup is a big one. Though it wasn't part of the regular season, getting to play with Team New York at State Wars was a lot of fun as well.

What is your motivational quote?

"This I say to be the best, to be yourself, and not like the rest. Work real hard to be real tough. But, 100% is not good enough. Set the impossible as being your goal. Then reach deep inside from within your soul. All you've got is all you could ask. To help you achieve your impossible task!"
- Mean gene Mills

How did you get involved with roller derby?
Slay West introduced me to derby. I watched one of her games and went to a CNYRD practice with her soon after to maybe become a ref. I was watching and this really weird guy with dreadlocks comes up to me and starts talking about how he wanted to start a men's team. We had our first team meeting soon after at Uncle's Bar & Grill, picked team colors and tried to figure out how we were going to talk other guys into doing this crazy thing. Can anyone guess who the weird guy with dreadlocks was?

Finally, is there anything I didn’t ask you about that you want to talk about?
I wanna thank Slay West for getting me started in derby, supporting my derby habit and always pushing me to be a better player and teammate.