Jac has been with Tweed Valley Rollers for two years, in that time rising quickly through the skill levels, going on to prove herself as one of the travel teams strongest players, as well as captaining the Valley Vixens for the good part of the year.
Those who missed seeing her play this year will have to wait until the 2014 season to see her back in action, due to being benched with that pesky, common affliction known as pregnancy.... So while she's busy growing a human, let's learn about her derby journey thus far....
Above: A pensive moment during the Vixen's game against Gladstone this year.
What (or who) first inspired you to get into Roller Derby?
I have two moments that really inspired me to get into it… The first was my introduction to derby in August 2010. One of my mates (after a few too many solo beverages) randomly stumbled across a BCR double header on TickeTek and bought us all tickets as a surprise. Having no idea what it was about, we all rocked up, and from the moment I walked in the door I was completely in awe, saying to my now husband, ‘Jimmy! Jimmy! I’ve found my new calling in life! I’m going to be a derby superstar. Yep. I’m doing it!’ (in my defense, those bold statements were made after having heavily invested in the bar).
My second moment was the minute I walked into Epic Skate rink… This incredibly cool, tiny, tattooed girl grinned this massive grin at me, yelled ‘HI!’ as she whizzed, then did this impressive, yet oh-so-casual screeching tommohawk stop at the food bar… Cue my immediate derby crush on the one and only Monie Bones. In a second she 100% cemented how badly I wanted to be a part of the sport, in my head thinking ‘Ohhhhh my gooooooood. I want to be just like her!!!!’ I don’t know if I’ve gotten there yet, but from that moment, derby just invaded every aspect of my life (in the best possible way).
What kind of skill level did you have
when you first started out and how long did it take you to progress to
bouting level?
I’m don’t know if hopeless encompasses the skill level I possessed… I
was verging on ‘wall-hugger’ level. I fell ass-over three times simply
making it the 20m from putting my skates on to the rink itself. My Dad
used to take my older sister and I for skating lessons when I was 4, and,
after a disastrously funny first lesson it came back to me fairly quickly.
I graduated from Freshmeat to Whites in 4 or so weeks, and then into Reds
after maybe 6 months. 14 months from starting I had my first intra-league bout,
and then another 4 months after that (March this year) was my first
inter-league bout - against Bay Rollers.
Above: Jac puts on a courageous hit during the Vixen's game against BCR's (Brisbane City Rollers) Punk Blockers earlier in the year.
Tell us what your first bout was like
for you.
I think ‘shitting bricks’ is the closest description to how I felt prior
to the game. It was an intra-league game - Tweed Valley Rollers' (TVR) Voodoo Dolls vs. Sugar Skulls. I wasn’t
so much nervous about the game itself, more so of making a complete doodle
of myself in front of a heap of people, including friends and family who
came down to watch. I’ve always been super critical on myself, always
pushing myself to do better, so to calm my nerves I had to break down what
I could consider to be successful bout for myself.
I came up with two
objectives – 1. Don’t break anything; 2. Don’t pee my pants (from nerves)
on track. I somehow managed to finish the game not only achieving both
goals, but having the best time, and was even proud with how I played.
I think setting those simple objectives was the best habit I formed early,
as for every bout after that, I had my two simple objectives, and as I got
more confident, I could add a couple one to my list (NOTE: objectives 1 and
2 are still and will always be on the list).
Above: Lining up on the Jammer Line, during her first inter-league bout against
the Bay Rollers in 2011
You had a nasty injury earlier in the
year – can you tell us about it and how it’s affected you as a player?
I was jamming in our bout against Bay Rollers and copped a massive hit
from one of their players Thomas the Skank Engine which, being little,
literally sent me flying! I landed with all my weight onto my left hip,
skidded straight over the roped/taped line and into the wall.
Along with
the most boast-worthy bruise I’d ever had, I scored a bright purple
jiggling, C-cup of a heamatoma – henceforth known as 'Brucey the leg boob’ ('Brucey' for short). It took a couple
weeks to get back into training, and probably 4 or so weeks before I was
comfortable with hitting and being hit.
Looking back, I think it’s the most pivotal moment I’ve had as a skater,
whether I realised it at the time or not. Since that game I’ve really
worked hard to become more stable as a skater, and focused on absorbing
hits more effectively and improving my agility to be able to run and step
out of hits. I can really credit Brucey for giving me the push I needed to
continually improve on my skills, and I’ve become a better Jammer and all
round skater because of it.
Above: 'Brucey' the leg bruise as he was affectionately known
What’s your favourite position to play
and/or what position do you think you’re strongest in?
Jamming, by far is my favourite! Don’t get me wrong, I love being on track
no matter what the position, and appreciate and admire the teamwork
required to create a really intimidating, effective pack situation, but my
god I love jamming, I think it almost verges on an unhealthy level of love
just quietly…I think I’m strongest as a Jammer, however the better I’ve get at Jamming,
the more it teaches me on becoming a better blocker (and vice-versa).
Above: Jamming for the Vixens, mid 2012
You recently were voted in as captain of Tweed Valley Rollers’ travel team the Valley Vixens*. What kind of new responsibilities have you had to take on and what challenges does the captain face?
Yes! I felt so completely honoured (and shocked) to be voted in as Vixens captain. I’ve really enjoyed my new role. I think it’s actually improved the way I work with and appreciate my team, and given me much more confidence as a skater. On a responsibilities front, I work closely with our coach, especially in the lead up to bouts – really taking notice of team dynamics – who everyone works best with and who they don’t work as successfully with, so that when we’re creating lineups we’re doing so in the view to having the most fun and successful bout possible.
On the whole, being captain has been such a positive experience for me, the main challenge I’ve faced is a bit of ‘derby burn-out’. With putting so much more energy from a thought-based and planning process into each bout, by the time it’s over I’m utterly exhausted, and do need to really push myself to get back into training again the following week. That said, as soon as I get my skates back on, it’s like ‘Exhaustion? What exhaustion? I f*&king love this!’
Tell us about a) you’re most uplifting ‘derby moment’ so far and b) you’re most discouraging moment.
I don’t know that I have a standout ‘derby moment’; it’s more a
culmination of all these wonderful little happy moments that you share
with your teammates… For instance, at the end of every bout, regardless of
the score, you’ll see every Vixen skating off, grinning madly, hugging and
congratulating each other. It seriously brings on a case of happy tears
every time. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such an amazing,
hilariously eclectic mix of people, who I’d have never met had it not been
for derby. And that support and love you get off every single girl, on and
off track is what uplifts and inspires me above everything.
As for discouraging moments, because we’re all so close, if a player
leaves the team for whatever the reason be, it’s really quite gutting;
it’s like losing a part of your little family and you really feel the hole
left behind. Derby’s such a physically and emotionally intense sports that
it’s just one of those things that will happen, wherever you go, so you’ve
just got to learn to grow from it, and embrace a new team dynamic.
How do you handle pre-game nerves?
Above: Jac - not adverse to war-paint
How do you handle pre-game nerves?
I always try to plan a really relaxing day at home, with nothing on. Then
I wake up. With crazy butterflies. And start madly cleaning anything – the
floors, the kitchen, the bathroom, the windows, my bearings, my wheels,
unpack and repack my skate bag 4 or 5 times… ANYTHING to take my mind away
from the fact I’ll be bouting that night. Once I arrive at the rink or
wherever we’re playing the butterflies kick in again, the relentless
nervous wees begin and I fidget non-stop, pretty much right until the
first whistle blows… but the second it does, nerves fly out the window and
it’s all just great fun!
You’re an AMAZING Jammer – your stamina is what astounds me most about the way you jam. Tell us about your fitness regime and how you achieve the kind of endurance it takes to jam back to back without vomiting!
You’re an AMAZING Jammer – your stamina is what astounds me most about the way you jam. Tell us about your fitness regime and how you achieve the kind of endurance it takes to jam back to back without vomiting!
It’s something that I continually work on to get better at. Training,
which is around 6 hours a week, and the occasional outdoor skate whenever
I get time pretty much covers any
cardio-related training. I’ve done studio/apparatus-based Pilates twice a
week for years, and recommend it enough. Both my instructors are brilliant
(and just quietly a little sadistic with their training plans). When I
told them about derby they were super excited, and since beginning derby
have focused on particular areas of my body that will help with endurance
– core strength, hamstrings (as your quads will develop so much already
from skating); balance – working the smaller, stabilising muscles in my
knees and ankles to help; and explosive speed –weighted ply-metric squats
and lunges (I’m not going to lie, they bring me to the brink of
tears/vomiting every time, but they work).
Above: Jac's war-cry "Go Hard Nipples" can be heard at almost every Vixen's game
whenever she steps up to the Jammer line; particularly from husband Jimmy
whenever she steps up to the Jammer line; particularly from husband Jimmy
Finally, what advice do you have for
up and coming players and those Freshies just starting out?
I found myself (and still do) going through really intense periods of
growth as a player, followed by periods of plateaus, when feel like you’re
getting nowhere, then growth, then plateau etc. My advice is to always push through those plateaus… Undoubtedly at some point you’ll have a moment of not being able to nail a
certain skill (mine for example, was plough stops – it took me until I was
already in red stars for me to actually get it).
When this happens ask as many questions as you can. Watch as many players
as you can. Go to as many bouts as you can. Find someone who can do what
you want to do well and watch how they do it … Don’t be jealous if someone
can do something you can’t, embrace the fact they can, because it’s an
awesome opportunity to ask them to explain it. You not ‘getting’ something
may just be a matter of needing to hear it explained/demonstrated in a
different manner for it to click with you. And then BAM – you can do it
(and then cue exciting, happy-la-la period of growth again).
*N.B. - This interview was conducted before Jac was aware she was pregnant and therefore, was still Captain of the Valley Vixens.
