Chuck Gay Photography
SMUTELLA
#850
My name came from my love for Nutella (because I have the biggest sweet-tooth ever), but then I wanted to show my dirty side -- hence "Smutella"!
I usually play as a jammer and I love it so much! It's weird but I kinda enjoy feeling totally scared and intimidated before jamming, and then just throwing myself out there because I know I'm going to survive it one way or another.
My main goal in derby for 2016 is to improve on my mental game. So much of jamming is all mental and if you don't center yourself, you can't perform well.
Honestly, Twiggy has inspired me so much on the track. I was always under the impression that I needed to be bigger to be good at roller derby, but then I saw Twiggy kicking ass, quickly juking all around, and squeezing into small holes. I wanted to be just like her!
That actually ties in to one of my favorite derby memories. When I was still a freshie, I stayed to watch as the advanced skaters started warming up on the track and I was completely entranced. They all looked like giants to me, skating so fast and confidently, and I thought I would never get to that level. It wasn't until I looked closer at each skater that I noticed they were all so different -- tall, short, wide, narrow, and everything in between. I realized I had a place here, in this sport, and so many others do too, but they just don't know it yet.