Dreadpool
# 95
Age: 29
Occupation: Trade Baker / Mum
Non-derby hobbies: I’m a single mother; I don’t have time for hobbies! But let me think about before-toddler Dread… Cross stitching, video games and Marvel. I love Marvel.
Tell us about your derby name. Well I have ALWAYS loved Deadpool (the Marvel mercenary) so when it came to choosing a derby name something around his name was top on my list! But I’m not very creative so luckily my very creative friend came up with about 50 for me to choose from and I loved Dreadpool best! I feel like it’s ‘me’ because Deadpool is a sarcastic, dark humour loving psycho and those are my top 3 qualities.
What’s the story behind your number? I have the number 95. It’s because “Speed. I am speed. I’m faster than fast, quicker than quick! I Am Lightening!” Hahaha, seriously though it’s because Lightening McQueen from the Disney movie ‘Cars’ is a solid lad and I thought it would be an honour to skate with his number.
How did you discover roller derby? I discovered roller derby at the tender age of 18 when I first saw the movie Whip It. I wanted to be a part of something like that, but fast forward 10 years and I still hadn’t given my dream a go. It wasn’t until my best girl got some balls and decided to join roller derby on her own that I thought, hey maybe with a friend I can have the courage to do this! And I did!
How long have you been with DPR? I’ve been with DPR since the start of May 2019.
What skating experience did you have when you joined? As a child I had played on inline skates with my brothers and sisters but nothing serious and I never learned how to turn or stop (resulting in some sweet as bruises and bumps). I have always loved ice skating too and try to go once a year as a family thing but otherwise didn’t know a toe stop from a pivot cup!
What do you love about DPR… what keeps you here? The family. I’m a pretty awkward person and I’ve had trouble ‘clicking’ with groups of people in the past, but DPR accepted me for me. They are all so patient and kind and uplifting. I love going to training – not just to put on my skates and learn new things, but to chat to and hang with my DPR family.
Favourite derby moment so far? Playing my very first game. I was so nervous and I felt so sick and my heart was beating so fast. Then as soon as the whistle went, all that was left was determination and passion. It’s been incredible seeing my body exceeding the limits that I thought were there my whole life.
Biggest obstacle you’ve overcome? Honestly, my biggest struggle has been balancing derby and mum life. I love derby so much that I want to be at every training session, every scrim, every meeting and every fundraiser. But I also love my son (obviously) and I’ve had to say no to some things because of his needs - but that’s mum life! I manage it by being extremely organised. I also found bringing my son along to training every now and then has been great too – he loves to watch Mummy skate!
What advice do you have for a new skater? Don’t feel embarrassed about taking a big fall. We all do it a lot in the beginning and still do as advanced skaters; it’s a part of derby!