Skater of the Month - Ruby RaGe

NAME: Ruby RaGe

How did you get into roller derby?

I guess it’s the old cliche of watching ‘Whip It’. But to be honest I’d always wanted to roller skate (derby was secondary after I watched the movie) but never got round to it. I bought a pair of what I call ‘Torvill and Dean’ style roller skates (look like ice skates but on wheels!). I now had a pair of skates and nowhere to use them! Luckily for me, and not long after, I heard an interview on local radio about the Dundee Destroyers. My skates would see the light of day. I went along to training and was hooked.

What has been your favourite derby experience so far?

I absolutely love skating. I never thought I could ever get so into a past time. I really enjoy learning new skills, it’s important to keep things interesting.

But I have had my ‘moments’ in derby. I was seriously injured (yes it can happen!) 2 years ago. But all through being injured I never doubted for one second that I wouldn’t want to skate again. I’ll be first to admit that I’m not the fastest in the world, but I am dedicated. When your confidence is knocked it takes time and effort to get back in the saddle. But I think I’ve met that challenge head on.

At the moment my goal is to learn how to ref. We have a great wee team of prospective refs in the Dundee Roller Girls and I hope one day I can become a true zebra. I’ve also made some really good friends.

What do you do when you're not skating?

I’m an assemblage artist and love creating. I watch a lot of movies with my hubby. I love vintage cars and love nothing better than driving my very noisy 1966 VW Beetle.

What do you think is the most important thing for a new skater/referee to learn?

It’s fair to say that when you begin, every week feels like a Bambi moment. My advise is wear your skates as often in between training as poss. You get the feel of their weight and they start feeling less alien. Also, if you can skate anywhere at home (I use my kitchen and my hallway) it can help loads. I learned t-stops and transitions in my wee kitchen! Just remember to be safe and pad up. It’s worth even just practicing getting up from one knee without putting your hands down. Wee exercises will strengthen your legs in between sessions and stave off the jelly leg syndrome!

I think a lot of new skaters panic about getting through their minimum skills. But just remember that everyone gets there at their own pace. Perfecting your skills until you feel comfy is really important. At times it can be frustrating when you can’t nail that certain skill, but patience really does pay off. Just keep working hard, and if in doubt always ask, better to get it right than to get into a bad skating habit. Practice, practice, practice. And as I always say, do it coz you love it!

Who do you choose as next month’s Skater of the Month?

My skater of the month is Val. I think she has an amazing attitude to skating and life. She skates through adversity and has been a massive help to me in my quest to ref. She’s also someone who I hit it off with straight away and is always positive.