Skater of the Month: April 2013

Name and Number: Alberta AWOL #101
Team: Serial Thrillers
Position: Blocker

1. What is the story behind your name?
When I started derby all of my time was spent at work or on my blog. I work at Disney on the Jungle Cruise while I am finishing school. The radio announcer in the queue’s name is Albert AWOL, so a long time ago I titled my blog Alberta AWOL. Since that is a big part of my life right now, Alberta AWOL just seemed right.

2. What was one of the hardest/toughest skills you finally mastered?
I am still working on skating sideways, I always end up going in an angle. But the fact that I can do it at all is pretty awesome.

3. How do you separate yourself from all the “derby gossip”?
I’m not sure on that one, I usually find out about things weeks after they happen. It’s actually kind of aggravating, I’m always out of the loop!

4. What has been your most memorable experience so far? - Doesn’t have to be derby related, I know you’ve done some cool stuff outside of this.
I think the first derby game I played in was really awesome. It was the season opener, and even though the Thrillers only played for 20ish minutes, all of my work friends and family and best friends showed up. They chanted and yelled for me, and I had never felt so overwhelmed by affection ever.

5. Who can we expect to see cheering you on at a game?
I guess this goes with the last question, my friends and family have started calling themselves AWOL’s Army. They have serial colored shirts with things like “I’m going AWOL” and “Momma AWOL” written on them.

6. How do you manage to fit derby and all the requirements into your busy schedule?
Fitting derby into my life if excruciatingly difficult most of the time, and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it. I am trying to finish my degrees, working full time, raising a hellion of a puppy, and trying to spend time with my sick mother. Sometimes it doesn’t work. Sometimes I have to make choices, but derby is usually my favorite choice to make.

7. Who’s the one person you strive to play like?
When I first joined OPCDG we had a player named Guantanamo Slay. She was fantastic. She moved and plays banked track on the west coast now, but I always wanted to play like her.