Name: Amelia HitsHart
Number: 724
Team/League History: KRD → DC → KRD
Year you became involved in roller derby: 2017
How did you get involved with roller derby? I learned about roller derby while I was living in Traverse City, but the season conflicted with my work so I never joined. When I moved to Houghton, I learned about the league and joined 5 months later!
Where are you from originally? I grew up in Central Indiana
Name a fun little known fact about you: I collect used postage stamps, but I have some irresistible new ones, too.
How did you pick your name? I loved Amelia Earhart as a kid. She, along with Bessie Coleman, was a barrier-breaking lady and I just thought she was the coolest.
What is your pre-derby sports/skating background? I rollerbladed for most of my childhood. Never trick skating, but in 6th grade we got a dog and I would have him pull me around the neighborhood every day. We usually got going pretty fast and I’m certain that going 15 mph on rollerblades helped me build balance and confidence on wheels. I also played soccer and softball and was on the swim team.
Please tell us about your rookie year and how you learned to play or officiate roller derby? Lucky for me KRD did rolling recruitment for 2 seasons and I joined without having to officially go through freshie training. (I think it helped that I had lots of skating experience.) I didn’t have a car at the time so Black Ice would pick me up and bring me to every practice!! Some of the veterans would patiently explain the rules to me in between drills and scrimmage jams. On the track, whenever I was feeling unstable I would latch on to Skatin’, a retired skater whose stability helped me immensely. Whenever I provide stability to freshies I feel like I’m paying it forward.
Do you have a pre-game ritual? Stew silently with some serious RBF; I’m focused on the bout and nervous about doing my best. All that nervousness melts away after my first jam, so I’m grateful when I’m in the first one.
Do you have a favorite motivational quote? Let’s fuck shit up which is often accompanied by some weird faces and wild hip thrusts.
What is your position of choice? Blocker but I’m learning to enjoy jamming.
How would you describe your derby playing style? I am going through a bit of a transition – while skating in DC I had a different role on the team and therefore played differently. Now I am bringing that skating style home to KRD and figuring out how to blend the two together. Sometimes I’ll flounder, but I’m still able to provide stability and clear communication to my teammates while I’m on the track. That’s what is important to me!
Have you held any leadership positions in leagues? How have those positively impacted your personal roller derby career? I served on the board for a few years as both the treasurer and derby operations. I enjoyed both and came to appreciate how much behind the scenes work goes into running a successful team. Now I’m no longer on the board but I LOVE being the practice lead and believe it is an important way to contribute to my league.
What is your job outside of roller derby? And how, if at all, has it contributed to your experience of roller derby? I am the Great Lakes Resource Specialist for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community’s Natural Resources Department. I monitor proposed and on-going resource extraction and consider the implications to Tribal treaty rights. I’m not sure that it’s contributed to my roller derby experience, but I’m awfully excited to be able to live and work in such a wonderful place!
What advice do you have for people who want to get involved roller derby? Do it!
And lastly, favorite places in the Keweenaw? The shores of Lake Superior, preferably with a book and lots of snacks.