Queen City Roller Derby Interview

Buffalo, New York’s very own roller derby team is back on track. Queen City Roller Derby has been a team since 2006 and we had the opportunity to interview three of their players.

Subject: Please state your name, derby name and number! Is there any significance to your derby name and number?

Hannah: My name is Hannah Laski, my derby name is HannaQLeez. My name is pronounced like Hercules but replacing the ‘Her’ with ‘Hanna’. I made this name for myself when I first started in 2008 when I started roller derby. We usually refer to teammates by their derby names, so having everyone call me Hanna was easiest for me. My number is 1999, which is the year I was born.

Katie: My name is Katie Anderson. I’ve always had many nicknames. I decided to go with DisloKate as my derby name because most people shorten it to Kate, and that’s easier for me. But I also go by Skatie Katie, SmoothSkatie, DiscoKate. Honestly, I’ve been on skates 26 years, and I love to dance on skates. When I lived in Pittsburgh, prior to the pandemic, I skated with Steel City Roller Derby. My number was 13, but that number was already in use in Queen City. I changed it to 48.

Jaymi: My name is Jaymi, my derby name is Lollipop Demon. My number is 63. The significance of my derby name is I’m sweet until I am angered then I’m hell on wheels and 63 is significant to me because it was my jersey number in every high school sport and it holds a lot of sentiment for me.

Subject: How did you get into roller derby? What are the qualifications for joining the league for those who may be interested?

Hannah: I got into roller derby the first year that QCRD offered a junior roller derby league. I had been going to roller derby bouts with my parents for at least a year when they had flyers out, advertising for the junior league. I’ve been playing ever since. To join the league, we first send you through ‘boot camp.’ This is where you would learn to skate, if you don’t know already, as well as proper derby stance, and how to safely stop in multiple ways. Once you graduate from boot camp you then move to Queen’s Court. This is our version of the minor league, where you learn rules of game play and learn basic strategies for playing. League teams are able to pull from Queen’s court to bolster roster numbers if they’re short for a game. Otherwise, we have a draft to officially add queen’s court players into the league teams’ rosters.

Katie: I’ve been skating for a long time, and I wanted to join a full-contact sport that offered me a community of caring, competitive humans. The derby’s easier for folks that have skating experience, but for anyone interested in giving it a try, we’ll teach you to skate and all the rules.

Jaymi: I have always been fascinated with roller derby since I was a kid seeing it in TV shows. I was like that is awesome but never thought I’d get the chance to do it. Then recently I figured why not look and see. So I looked up roller derby online and found Queen City. I saw I was allowed and signed up as soon as I could. I don’t really remember what the qualifications are but I do know it doesn’t matter if you’ve been skating your whole life or you’ve never worn a pair of skates, they are very welcoming.

Subject: If you could describe roller derby using one word, what would it be?

Hannah: Fun.

Katie: Challenging, but in the best ways.

Jaymi: Community, because everyone is nice and amazing. I’ve never been more accepted than I have by the women in this sport.

Subject: What’s something you wish people knew about roller derby?

Hannah: It’s not like the movies on an inclined track, it’s on a flat track, and we don’t fight like in the movies.

Katie: Roller derby is more than a sport. It has a history of inclusivity. It’s a culture that allows humans of various skill and ability to fall in love with skating and a team culture that embraces all humans.

Jaymi: I want people to know roller derby is fun and will give you great memories with even greater people.

Subject: Have you faced any challenges balancing your personal life and roller derby?

Hannah: When I was in juniors, I was also playing travel hockey and travel lacrosse as well as being on the travel roller derby team. It was a bit much on my plate at the time, but I managed to make it work.

Katie: Oh yes, the derby is time-consuming. But you get out what you put into it. If you’re looking for a very competitive sport, we have travel teams that require lots of practice time and a higher level of play. If you’re like me, you’re looking for something more recreational, it may be less demanding of your time. Also, in derby, most of your friends are your teammates anyway.

Jaymi: Nope they have been very understanding and helpful when it comes to schedules.

Subject: What does roller derby mean to you?

Hannah: To me, my teammates are like another family. Roller derby is very important to me, it’s been a part of my life for over two-thirds of it. I would want nothing more for it to be a part of my life for the rest of it.

Katie: It means more time to have wheels under my feet, while meeting amazing humans and developing friendships that last a long time.

Jaymi: It means a lot to me. I am on disability and Derby is the only thing I get to do that is fun and within a price range everyone can afford even those on fixed incomes like me.

Subject: What’s your best memory with your team?

Hannah: It would be the time that they supported me during my Master’s thesis defense. A few were even able to come to the defense and I will be forever grateful for their kind words of encouragement and proud look on their faces.

Katie: Well, I’m still pretty new to Queen City, but one of my favorite things about roller derby is how at the end of a bout, all of the spectators circle the track and high-five the skaters. What a positive message of support and sportsmanship.

Jaymi: I just started doing roller derby 5 months ago but my favorite memory so far is passing my assessment to move from boot camp to Queen’s Court. It was an amazing feeling I just can’t explain.

Subject: Is it more important to win or to know you gave it your all?

Hannah: I think it’s more important to give it your all, at the level I’m currently at, which is house league. When I was on the junior travel team, we were a very competitive team that would do anything to win, and we were nationally ranked for our effort. I’m grateful that I can continue to play at a level not as competitive as when I was younger and be happy with the thought that I gave it my all.

Katie: Derby is a very competitive sport, so winning always feels good. But I think the people we compete with the most are ourselves. Always trying to do a little better than we did in the last bout or the last practice. Knowing that you showed up for your team and gave it your best and made them proud-that’s a really good feeling.

Jaymi: As long as I know I gave everything I have and left it all on the track it doesn’t matter if I win or lose as long as I had fun with my friends.

Subject: What is your favorite pre-game song to hype up to?

Hannah: “Hakkerskaldyr” by Heilung

Katie: I don’t know if I can pick just one, but my skating music preferences are 90s and 2000s hip-hop and R&B.

Jaymi: “Valhalla Calling” by Miracle of Sound

Subject: Who has been your greatest inspiration to push yourself and train?

Hannah: I don’t think I have a specific person, but I’ve always wanted to be the cool person who plays an interesting sport that people want to hear more about.

Katie: My big sister, Lisa. She plays D4 hockey in Brooklyn. At 41 and with seven children, she’s one of a few women in the league and plays against mostly men in their 20s. For my sixth birthday, she gave me a pair of Barbie rollerblades she pulled out of a trash can. She taught me how to skate, and 26 years later, it’s the greatest passion of my life.

Jaymi: My greatest inspiration for pushing myself to train is my fiance Alison Hart. They suggested I look into derby and helped me with everything from getting my skates to giving me a good pick me up speech when I didn’t pass my first assessment. They are always there inspiring me to give my best in everything I do and to follow my dreams.