Moving On Up: Meet Our Former Fresh Meat
Part 2 of 2

Last week, we introduced you to four of Cape Cod Roller Derby’s recently-graduated Fresh Meat. This week: meet three more!
We are lucky to have so many skilled skaters moving on up and learning all the things. But, that means we’re in need of some new Fresh Meat! Aside from players, on-skates referees and off-skates officials and volunteers are also always needed and welcomed. The league couldn’t operate without a whole, big group of people working together to bring roller derby to Cape Cod. If you want to join us or just learn more, drop in at our Recruitment Night!

Kelly aka Barber
A lot of people seem to be really intimidated by roller derby and say, “I can’t do that!” We welcome women of all skill levels, and I came with no skating skills. You can do anything. Just come and try it out. Even if you’re a little curious, just come and try. We’ve all had plenty of failures along the way, and that’s how you learn and get better. You can’t say “I can’t” until you’ve tried. You’re welcome here.

How did you find out about CCRD and why did you join?
I went to the Love Local Holiday Fest in December 2017. I knew about the local roller derby team, but didn’t know anything about the sport. I had wanted to do some sort of regular sport, especially in the winter when there is less daytime to exercise outside. I knew Rachel (Wreck-It) previously, and I saw her at the table. She recommended trying it out, and I figured she and I liked the same kind of sports. It wasn’t a huge haul to get to practice and try it out while still having time to get to bed at a decent hour.
What kind of skating or athletic experience did you have before joining?
I had very little skating experience, none on quad skates. I maybe roller bladed for 30 minutes about every 3–5 summers. Not enough to have any sort of skill on roller anything. I have been athletic since I was a kid, playing a lot of soccer and running, biking, hiking.
What has been the most challenging thing for you to learn or overcome during Fresh Meat?
Definitely the initial skills, balancing, and muscle memory. Practice is two days a week, and if I missed a practice, it would feel like I was starting from square one again. I tried to make as many consecutive practices as possible and I practiced squats and balancing in my off time. I would also come a half-hour early to practice and get on the track to practice things I knew I was struggling with, whether it was transitions, backwards skating, one-footed skating, stopping, etc. All of those minimum skills were a challenge, but the more I practiced and worked at it outside of practice, the more it paid off and made a noticeable difference.
What have you enjoyed most about being part of CCRD?
Initially just having a regular sport to come to and have some scheduled physical activity. It can be challenging to fit time in to exercise with balancing work, and household needs, and other things. Having something scheduled is helpful for planning out my week. It’s also been great to meet other people who live around the Cape and some off-Cape that I would likely not have met without trying out derby.
What are your roller derby goals going forward?
I am still not entirely positive if this sport is for me, and I don’t think I will until I’m scrimmaging and feel confident playing. The more I am learning and the more we play at practice, the better I am getting to know the sport and determining if it is for me. At a minimum, I am happy to be a Non-Skating Official (NSO) and perhaps a skating official, so I know I will have that involvement in the present and future. I just don’t know at the present if I will be involved as a team member.
What does your derby name mean?
Simply “Barber” (#267). I like my last name and I would probably confuse myself if I picked anything different. If anyone wanted to extrapolate off of it in a derby fashion, feel free. My number is more symbolic than my name, as it is one of the area codes for the Philadelphia area where I grew up.

Erin aka Feisty Fleetian
The Salty Dolls are a very eclectic group of women joined together by a common love for skating.
How did you find out about CCRD and why did you join?
I heard about CCRD this past winter. A friend of mine saw a post on Facebook about a fitness skate hosted by the Derby girls aka “The Salty Dolls”. I was feeling the long Cape Cod winter, very out of shape, bored, and I hadn’t done anything for ME in a while. So I said, “What the hell, why not?” I hadn’t been on skates since the 80’s and as soon as I put them back on, I was hooked!
What kind of skating or athletic experience did you have before joining?
Besides walking my dog, swimming, or riding my bike, there was no regular exercising going on in my life.
What has been the most challenging thing for you to learn or overcome during Fresh Meat?
The most challenging thing for me to overcome during Fresh Meat was my lack of endurance and strength. As I said before, I hadn’t exercised regularly in a VERY long time. My body hurt so bad the first practice that I couldn’t even walk down the stairs! BUT, I loved it so much that I took some Tylenol, lathered up with Arnica cream, and went back to the next practice.
What have you enjoyed most about being part of CCRD?
I love all the new friendships I’ve made. The Salty Dolls are a very eclectic group of women joined together by a common love for skating. Everyone is there because they enjoy skating and have carved out a part of their busy lives to do something for themselves.
What are your roller derby goals going forward?
Gosh, I don’t know. I have been just taking each step as it comes. Of course I would love to actually play someday, but I have a long way to go and a lot to learn. I am just enjoying learning something new EACH and EVERY time I go to practice.
What does your derby name mean?
Feisty Fleetian….I’ve always had a feisty personality. I am small, but mighty and I never hold back. The Fleetian part comes from the beautiful place I call home…Wellfleet. It is an endearing nickname for someone who lives and loves Wellfleet.
Stacey aka Siren Song
CCRD has pushed me to grow stronger and more connected in ways I never expected. Salty Dolls are where it’s at!
How did you find out about CCRD and why did you join?
Last summer, my daughter read “Roller Girl” by Victoria Jamieson. She loved the book, and was curious about roller derby. I searched online, and found the Salty Dolls were having a bout that week. I remember thinking…I think I could do that! I decided to go to the Meet and Greet.
What kind of skating or athletic experience did you have before joining?
In high school I ran hurdles and played volleyball, but not to any competitive level. I never considered myself an athlete. In college, I had rollerblades instead of a car, so I bladed everywhere on and off campus. I got comfortable rollerblading long distances, but never learned advanced stopping skills nor jumping skills. Skating was just a fun form of transportation.
What has been the most challenging thing for you to learn or overcome during Fresh Meat?
To work on changing from meek to fierce. I am not there yet, but I can feel the shift. When I first started, I was ready to quit right away. I wanted to skate so badly, but didn’t think I would be welcome because I couldn’t attend more than one practice a week. I actually thanked the coaches at the Meet and Greet and told them I couldn’t join because I couldn’t make all the practices. They laughed and said to come anyway. My derby journey would be my own — and at my own speed — that was okay. Just keep coming and bring your best every time you do. That is all they ask.
I thought those were just words, but over the past year I have seen those words backed up by real encouragement, patience, and an occasional push in the right direction.
What have you enjoyed most about being part of CCRD?
I love being really present. When I get to practice, the entire world outside disappears. I am focused on only one thing: improving my skating and derby skills. There is no space for thinking about anything else. I love that I can forget everything else for a while and just focus on achieving a new skill and have fun playing while I am at it!
I love the strength I have gained — both in body and mind. When I first started, I couldn’t hold a plank for more than 10 seconds without my body shaking uncontrollably — I was seriously out of shape. Now, my core is much stronger and my body can hold positions and balance while skating around the track. That first week my mind refused to accept that I could ever learn to skate backwards. Now I can skate in reverse — and more importantly I realize that if I keep coming, keep practicing, and keep asking for help I will get better and more confident at that and other skills.
I am so grateful for the patience, support and encouragement (and teasing) from the Salty Dolls. I am so lucky to be surrounded each week by these amazing women! I am proud to skate with them, and learn from them.
What are your roller derby goals going forward?
I want to keep making progress, and see where this journey leads! My next goals are to participate at bouts by working as a Non-Skating Official, to improve skating backward and transition stops, and eventually get to skate in a scrimmage.
What does your derby name mean?
Siren Strong! My real last name is Strong. I wanted a salty nickname, and Sirens are dangerous mermaids :)

