As our 20th anniversary season has come to a close, our Alumni of the Month series continues! This month, we have the opportunity to chat with Shock-Her. If you’ve followed QCRD for a while, this name is surely familiar. If, however, your time with the league is still rather new, then you may have only heard lore about this alum. I can assure you, the stories are fantastic, so let’s crack into it!
Box: I really appreciate your help with this interview! We know that Mama Chops (February AotM) Lamb Chop (skater) and Señor Weiner (ref/coach) are all previously or currently involved with the league. What motivated you to join QCRD?
Shock-Her: Mama chops knew HerAssHer. She and her husband Jeremy were at our house in the summer for a yard party. The league was in the middle of its second season. Jeremy had refereed the first season, but not the second. We all pretty much learned about roller derby that night. It wasn’t really well known that there was roller derby in Buffalo at that point. At the end of the night, HerAssHer said to me “Would you come to the derby and be a referee and possibly help run the league’s referee/NSO group (aka The Herd) at some point?” I said “Absolutely, sounds like a blast,” and it was. So, my inspiration was from HerAssHer and Jeremy.
B: So, from the start, you jumped right into reffing? What had been your past experience with skating?
S: Recreational skating growing up. I used to skate at the Orchard Park roller rink, and played hockey all they way through high school.
B: What was it like learning the rules of this game that isn’t as well-known as say, hockey or football?
S: The concept of the sport is like any other team sport, offense/ defense, who scores the most points wins. In theory, roller derby is the same as the others, so it’s not difficult to understand the game. What differs is the speed at which it happens. Right from the start, there is constant motion and shifting. If you struggle with the dynamics and strategy of game play, you will struggle understanding and applying the rules. Rules apply after the jam is over, as well as when the next set of skaters are taking the track. There are rules prior to the start whistle and all the way to the end of that jam, and start all over again at that moment. It doesn’t stop till the game is over.
B: These days there is often a struggle to find officials because there are multiple leagues hosting bouts around the same time. There were so many folks involved with officiating in the early days. How did you find folks to join The Herd?
S: I didn’t really have to go looking for skating refs or NSOs. Most either knew a skater or were fans who came forward and asked. I also opened up spots to skaters who didn’t get drafted. By doing so, they got game time skating experience, learned the rules and the strategy of game play. The next season, they almost always got drafted in the first round. Teams knew they would be an asset because they became the go to for rules and teams got to know and see them in action. I opened up league practices/scrimmages to outside referees/NSOs who were in startup leagues or who wanted to learn to become a Head Ref or learn new position roles. We became very well known in the reffing world to come to you and help out when needed or for training. When the need came because we had QCRD teams traveling, or unavailable QCRD officials and I needed help for a home game, other officials answered the call without hesitation.
B: That’s brilliant! I know I say this in every article, but that truly speaks to the community nature of roller derby!
We often get people asking how would you describe roller derby, what is the best way you’ve been able to explain it to people when they are new to the sport?
S: Kind of a tough question for me to answer. Derby has changed so much from when I was involved with it. Back then, we were a niche sport trying to grow, then experiencing rapid expansion to adapt to a main stream sport. Back in the early days, I feel the derby community was more tight knit and had a family type feel. I was a part of the very first WFTDA convention. There were about 25 leagues in total that year. Everyone knew everyone on a personal level. When I became a coach, my main focus at the beginning of each season was to bring that team bond together as quickly as possible. There’s no better feeling than having that bond together as a team/ family working towards one goal.
B: I LOVE that! Derby really is a very special community that truly brings a random bunch of individuals together to create something special and unique. I know personally, that I’ve never been a part of something quite like roller derby.
You talked about when you became a coach, what lead you in that direction? Where did you get the inspiration for your team as far as skills and drills and continuing to grow together?
S: I coached t-ball, football and hockey for my two boys as they grew up. I played sports my whole life, so coaching and sports are a big part of me. I think the year was 2012 and there was talk in the league that the Kats may possibly be disbanded. The very last game that season, the Kats were playing and towards the end of the game they stopped playing. They were losing and it seemed they felt defeated as a team. I believed in everyone in the league, especially in that Kat team on the track, and I thought there is no way this is gonna happen if I have a choice. I decided before that game was over I was going to become their coach. The next season I told them nobody will feel sorry for you and hand you the championship. If you want it, we have to earn it and work hard for it. We have to be better than the Knockouts and beat them as a team. That became our inspiration. As a referee I got to see and learn from the bigger leagues at the time; Montreal, Cleveland, NY City, Philadelphia to name a few. I took what I learned strategy wise and skill wise and developed a plan based on the Kats skill level. I also learned a lot attending Roller Con. Our second season together, the Kats grew into a strong team and believed in themselves. That season I took them to play Cleveland’s travel team and a few other stronger teams. Our motto became ” anyone one, any time” and they believed they could play any team. That year we went to the championship as the underdog and I believe was the best ever championship game played by both teams. The third season together, we continued to play outside teams that were stronger, and we learned how to play hard and together as a team. I continued to use advanced skills and drills learned from the championship teams and clinics. We were unstoppable that year.
B: So, when you decided to take over coaching for the Kats, did you replace their existing Coach, work with that person or did they not have a coach?
S: They did not have a coach at the end of the season. I don’t remember why though.
B: Sometimes it bes like that. ¯\(ツ)/¯ Was that year (where you were unstoppable) when they went to Champs?
S: Yes and no. We went to Champs our second year together (2016 v Devil Dollies) and lost by a couple points. That unstoppable year, we won the Champs (2017 v Devil Dollies). We also beat the B team from a Canadian league.
B: Looking at the Home Season Histories, it looks like after that second season, the Kats were in every Champs until COVID got in the way of derby.
S: Yes, the core team was there and the culture had changed to believe in ourselves.
B: Very mind over matter and if you believe you can, you will.
Are there any specific moments that you recall or favorite memories from the time you spent coaching the Kats?
S: I know all the Kats that read this will recall our team gatherings like the birthday cake at Rainbow Skateland in Lockport, or karaoke night, PaulverizHer’s sponsored get together, the Vodka Twins, our dance off the last practice before each game, and Letchworth Park. I made sure we had “fun” to go along with our hard work and we had fun. I’m sure Kats will say “oh remember that night…” But the most memorable moment for me was in the locker room after we won the championship, the tears of joy and emotions we’ll never forget. We had a team chant and the last line was ” I love derby, but I love my f**king Kats.”
B: Wow, that’s so awesome! You were able to truly make that team a real family experience for everyone involved. If you could go back in time, what is something that present day you wishes he could tell Kats Coach Shock-Her?
S: We moved to Vegas for opportunities we couldn’t pass up. I would say “Man, I wish you could’ve stayed around longer, who knows what we would’ve accomplished next.”
B: It’s been 20 years of Queen City Roller Derby. You’ve shared some of the legends and lore from your time with the league. Is there anything that you would want to see or hope for QCRD in the future?
S: The world as a whole has dramatically changed in 20 years. When we and the WFTDA were young, we leaned on, learned from, and supported each other to grow as a whole. We took from the original Roller Derby, expanded the original ideology, and modernized the sport. We were first generation flat track. We started Jr derby with new youth and some of our own teens skating. Those skaters are now the stars of QCRD, the babies of OG skaters are now junior skaters, third generation. The continued roll over will only strengthen derby as a whole. I hope for continued growth within QCRD for future growth of the WFTDA.
B: I couldn’t agree more! It is an absolute pleasure to share this conversation with you and I want to thank you for sharing these wonderful stories!