This months featured skater is the amazing Pukeahontas! Puke works hard for ARRG, both as a skater and as our A team bench coach. She’s helped bring the Thistles to victory on many occasions, not least in the Big O tournament in America earlier this year.
She’s now back on skates and using her insane gameplay knowledge to become a real fighting force on track.
Home Team Affiliation: Bench coach for the Cherry Bombers
Joined ARRG in: Late 2010.
Favourite position to play: Looking super serious as the bench coach.
Your Derby story: Is a bit of a novel…. I started skating in 2010, and it took me a long time to pass minimums. Not long after I moved up to Rec Team I broke my ankle at training. I got back on skates 4 months later with a lot of amazing support from the Rec Team. Soon after I found it was all a bit much, whilst I was physically fine, I was struggling with the mental side of coming back from injury. I made the decision that I would be off-skates, and then the opportunity came up to bench coach for the Skatefast Club for Home Season 2013. I kept involved in the league with committee work and bench coaching, and was amazed to be voted in to bench coach for all of the Belles bouts in 2013. I was then voted in as perma-bench coach for the Thistles and moved to the Cherry Bombers in the Home Season shuffle. In the meantime I decided I wanted to give being on skates another try, and started from the beginning in our amazing Fresh Meat programme in January 2014. I’m now skating with the inters alongside my bench coaching.
Worst Derby injury: Breaking three bones in my right ankle. I have some metalwork and awesome scars, and will always have wonky calves.
Best Derby advice: Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Roller derby is a rollercoaster so prepare for the dips and embrace the highs. Exercise outside of derby.
Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? What happened at The Big O after party, stays at The Big O after party.
Derby Hero: Anyone that puts the time and dedication into improving their skills and helping to run a league.
What do you do outside of derby: Sell welding supplies, take photos of my dogs with stuff on their heads, drink gin (then regret that at the gym the next day).
Fun fact about you: I have a fear of backwards rolls.
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