Featured Skater: Bunsen Burnher #

We are super excited to announce that this month is the beginning of our intra-league HOME SEASON! This is an amazing time for us, as not only do we get three amazing home game days, but every single one features all ARRG skaters!

So, in excitement for this, we would love to showcase one of our brand new home season Skaters - Bunsen Burnher! This season will see Bunsen play her first ever home season, and first ever game for ARRG. Seeing new skaters come up the ranks and improve so quickly is one of the most exciting things about home season, and as a new skaters, being on a team with (and playing against!) advanced level skaters is such an amazing development opportunity, not to mention just so much fun! In ARRG, we are all pals but we don’t always skate together, so this is why we love home season so much.

Over to Bunsen, to tell us about her roller derby journey:

Joined ARRG in:

I started Fresh Meat in September 2013, graduated to Inters 2.5 Fresh Meats later in May 2014.

Role in ARRG:

On skates, I train with the Intermediates and am working towards my first Home Season this year, for which I’ve just been assigned to The Skatefast Club. I’m super excited! It felt like such a far off dream when I first started.

Favourite Position to Play:

I love to jam when I can but I’m becoming more confident blocking now that my feet listen to those instructions a little bit more, so anywhere really!

Your Derby Story - Why Are you Here?:

I moved to Edinburgh for a new job in July 2013 and knew no one so was looking to make new friends, and to entertain myself out of hours. I’d heard a few friends back home talking about derby so I went along to a Fringe bout to see what it was all about and was hooked. They were handing out flyers for a Fresh Meat session starting the following week so I signed up and haven’t looked back. Between work and training, it quickly helped make the city more homely.

Best Derby-Related Advice:

Don’t compare your middle to someone else’s end, or your journey there. Everyone progresses differently and it doesn’t make you or them better or worse. I’ve found that so helpful outside of derby too. Also, listen to your injuries and give yourself time to heal or you’ll miss more in the long run.

What you Do for the League Aside from Skating:

Off skates, I’m on the merch committee. I also NSO when I can, which is a lot of fun.

Any Funny/Embarrassing Derby Stories?:

With 8 wheels strapped to my clumsy feet, the embarrassing ones are numerous!

Derby Hero:

Too many to list! So many people give so much of their time and energy, are passionate in their training, and help others along the way. They’re all just amazing.

What Do you Do Outside of Derby:

Ponies! And eggs. By day, I’m a chemistry postdoc in the University of Edinburgh, which involves more eggs than I thought I’d ever want to see. I also have a horse back in Dublin whom I regularly travel home to see (the rest of my family can always get on plane to come visit, the 4 legged members can’t!), and, until derby took over everything, I was a field hockey goal keeper for about 20 years. Travelling, reading and whisky get a fair look in too.

Fun Fact About you:

I lived in Paris for 2.5 years prior to Edinburgh, where I lived almost entirely on baguette in a 20m^2 studio and camped in a blanket fort in it for a week when I couldn’t get my sofa bed to return to bed shaped. I adult good.

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