Kitty St. Maims
#16W
How many seasons have you been skating with the DC Rollergirls, and for which teams?
I’ve just finished my 4th season with DCRG. I’ve skated with the Whips for 4 and the National Maulers for 2.
How and why did you first get involved in roller derby?
I saw a Garden State vs Long Island Roller Rebels game back in 2010 and fell in love. When I moved to DC after grad school, the first thing I did was look up whether DC had a team and how to get involved. I’d missed tryouts by a few weeks, so I started volunteering with our regular Pit Crew volunteers and got involved with Bout Production. From there I went to boot camp and started skating every chance I got.
What was your athletic background before learning how to play derby?
Mostly non-existent. I did track and field in high school to stay active and didn’t really consider myself competitive or athletic. Until I put skates on I was actually a total klutz. I would never have described myself as an athlete before derby but I learned you can always become one. My definition of athlete got a lot more inclusive too.
What’s the story behind your derby name?
My background is in theatre production so I wanted to take a derby name that sounded very much like a classic vaudeville or burlesque stage name. But since it’s derby, it needed to be a little fierce. (Also, I’m just terrible at creating puns.)
What traditions or rituals do you have before skating in a bout?
I always wear my “Hit Like A Girl” and skate bearing necklaces. I usually re-watch my favorite episode of The West Wing (“Game On”) before every game – or just my favorite clip if I’m short on time.
What’s your favorite DCRG memory?
So hard to pick just one. The first time someone emailed me a compliment after practice. The first time I knocked down an opposing jammer in a bout. Sleeping seven people to a hotel room with the ladies from my freshmeat class, with all our sweaty gear jammed in the bathroom, just so we could go to a clinic as soon as we were cleared for contact. The best is probably this one: The night I got drafted I was so wound up that when I got my call during dinner and I screamed and and threw my phone across the table. I had to wipe ketchup off the thing to answer it. All I remember from that call is my captains laughing at how excited I was.
