What is the backstory on your Derby Name?

When did you start roller derby?

I think I started juniors around February of 2018, and I started fresh meat adults in April of 2019.

Why did you start derby?

To cut a long story short, I’d just moved, and I was not thrilled about it. I saw a flyer when I was checking out Pearwood for the first time, and that was it. I needed something to do that’d double as both an outlet and an easy way to make some friends in a new-ish place.

Has your why changed?

I think it’s changed slightly, but not drastically. I genuinely love the sport and the exercise now—both of which I was clueless about when I joined. I also love traveling to play in new places. I’d never even left the state before when I first joined. However, my original reasoning stands too. I still do love meeting new people and taking out my frustrations in a positive way after a long day. I don’t think I’d have nearly as many friends as I do now without derby. I’m a pretty awkward person in real life, but here, everyone just takes you exactly as you are, and I think that’s pretty cool.

Advice to new skaters!

I wish that I had known that it’s okay to mess up sometimes. If growth was easy, everyone would be good at everything. Your mindset is extremely important, and you’re only ever going to be as good as you believe you can potentially become with work and dedication. Laugh at yourself sometimes because we all started somewhere. In a few months, you’ll look back at what you struggled with only to find you’ve completely surpassed whatever it was that seemed insurmountable at the time. No one has ever expected a beginner to jump in and immediately play like a pro, so just enjoy the ride, and don’t stress. Essentially, there’s a fine line between pushing yourself and being too hard on yourself, and you have to be weary of that.

Fun Dekay Facts

Dekay is amazing at skating sideways and she makes music check it out!

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