I'm Frida Kill-o. By day I'm Katie. I  run a home based toy making business & corral my crazy kids. By night I am a wheeled vigilante, smashing unhappiness & injustice under my toe stops as a member of the Dire Skates!

Me & the inimitable RollHer Zombie.

Photo credit Jim Johnson, Richmond. 

I've only been on the team a short time, but was interested in roller derby for a while before RollHer Zombie talked me into coming to try outs. I mean, for me derby was The Thing. You know what I mean...everybody has one(...right?). Roller derby was The Thing I always thought seemed so amazing but found myself coming up with a hundred different excuses as to why I could never actually do it. I told myself I was an artist, not an athlete. I told myself I didn't have any free time, I was too shy, that I was a loner Dottie, a rebel. So for years roller derby stayed filed under "The Thing."

 
Like I said,  I've never been athletic, I've always gravitated more towards the artist/maker end of the spectrum (my derby name is actually in honor of my favorite painter, Frida Kahlo),  & although I loved to cruise around on my Care Bears roller skates as a kid I literally hadn't been on wheels in 20 years. To say I was nervous about getting out there in front of a group of strangers and trying something I only knew about in theory is a huge understatement. 

I used to roll around on these exact skates, guys! 

But to my surprise, the team invited me to continue coming to practice with them as Fresh Meat (aka a new recruit/team hopeful). Before long I couldn't wait for our practices. I love my family, I love my business, but for the first time in years I was doing something purely for myself. And guys, I was doing The Thing! Actually doing it!
And in facing my anxieties and actually doing The Thing not only did I prove that annoying little "I could never" voice inside my head wrong, I also gave myself an opportunity to start getting involved in our community and to meet an amazing group of people I probably would've spent my whole life missing out on otherwise!

Me and a few of my awesome derby sisters at our 2016 season opener 

against the Bone City Rollers. Photo credit: Jim Johnson, Richmond. 

Yeah, I still fall down a lot. Like, nearly every practice. But every time I get up  little faster. I think the 2016 season is going to be a good one for Dire & I can't wait to take you along on it!!

~Frida Kill-O~

Let Me Introduce Myself

 

      My name is Veronica, or as I'm known lately, IVy Bruzinya. I have been a member of The Dire Skates Roller Derby since July of 2015. The day I tried out for the team, I raised a lot of eye brows with friends and family because...

I didn't know how to skate...

     Now I know you are probably saying to yourself, "WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU JOIN A ROLLER DERBY TEAM WITHOUT HAVING ANY SKATING ABILITY!?" Well, in short, I've never been one to back down from a challenge.

     It all stems back to when I was in serving in the United States Air Force. You see, I  met so many amazing, phenomenal woman who had faced the odds and conquered them. One thing they all had in common was, someone at some point in their life, had told them they were not capable of accomplishing their goals. They proved them wrong time and time again. These women taught me that with drive, dedication, and perseverance any feat is possible, no matter how big of an obstacle it may seem at first. There was a beautiful feeling of camaraderie among my military sisters because we had all been held to the same standard and we all held each other accountable. One sister in particular really impacted my life on so many levels, and one way she did so, was to introduce me to roller derby.

     When I watched that first roller derby bout I fell in love. These women were so fascinating. They were so fiercely unique with their own style and Derby name. They had created a new persona for themselves, all while being supported by a team. It felt like the thing I had been missing was right in front of me. The military had taught me to blend in, and here were these women standing out in all their glory. I knew right then I had to be a part of this, but due to the increased risk of injury from playing a contact sport, I was not permitted to join while on active duty.

     Fast forward back to July of 2015, I was now back in my home state of Indiana. While scrolling through my Facebook feed I discovered a very familiar sight...it was a derby girl! She was posting about upcoming try-outs for her team The Dire Skates. I knew Grizzly Barrett from High School, so I decided to private message her about being interested. She was very encouraging, even after I admitted I could not skate.

     I came to try-outs and I fell...frequently. But I kept getting back up. The girls were so kind and encouraging, and some of them literally held my hands while I learned to skate. I never missed a chance to be on my skates. I listened to every bit of advice these incredible women could give me and I did my best to apply it. I walked around my house in my skates, invested in buying outdoor wheels so I could practice in my driveway, I did off skates workouts in my living room, and I watched countless YouTube videos on how to improve my skills. Slowly but surely I improved. After months of hard work, I passed my minimum skills and I was voted on the team! This is my first season playing with The Dire skates and I couldn't be happier.

     The Dire Skates pushed me outside of my comfort zone and forced me to face my fears. They still do. They challenge me to be the very best version of myself possible. Just like those amazing women I met in the military, they inspire me every day to never stop trying. Now that I am officially a part of this incredible team, I am excited to tell you all about them. You can expect to see more updates as the season progresses so stay tuned!

~IVy Bruzinya~