It’s been a few weeks since that nail-biting final between Team England and Team USA at the 2014 Blood and Thunder Roller Derby World Cup, but it’ll be some time before that final jam fades from anybody’s memories!
As we take a little break for Christmas and New Year, we caught up with one of the two Rainy City skaters who skated on Team England in Dallas this year and asked her to tell us a bit more about her experience.
First of all, congratulations! How does it feel to be a silver medalist from the Roller Derby World Cup? And where do you keep it?
Fay Roberts: It feels amazing! I feel very proud of what we achieved. My medal is currently hanging on my bedpost but I am planning on getting it framed.
What was your favourite part of the whole experience?
Being part of the team. I love the girls on our squad. Everyone was so supportive of one another and we really gelled over the course of the tournament. I’m now sad it’s all over. From a performance perspective, I loved learning from each game I played – I felt a real progression from one game to the next, finishing off with my favourite of all – the final.
Was there anything that surprised you or that you didn’t expect?
Haha well I didn’t expect to get rostered after one of my games! I felt like I had an awful game. Ballistic gave me some feedback and advice and said that they were going to roster me again. It felt great knowing that they had faith in me, and gave me a boost of confidence, which I took onto the track during the last few stages of the tournament.
Which team did you enjoy playing the most and why?
I most enjoyed playing team USA in the final. I got to play against (and with) my favourite skaters in the world! It was amazing to experience Roller Derby at that level and has really inspired me. It felt surreal having the massive crowd there as well – such a fantastic atmosphere.
Which team did you enjoy watching the most?
I didn’t really get a chance to watch many games as we mainly played 2 games a day ourselves, so most of my free time was spent preparing for games. I’m really enjoying watching them all back on the archives now though! I like watching the Scandinavian teams the most I think.
How have you enjoyed the training sessions for Team England overall? Are they what you expected?
Every time I have returned from an England session I have come back absolutely buzzing and inspired! The most enjoyable thing for me is learning new things, bringing them back to my team, then working on them together. I love that. I loved working with our England coaches, they are really inspiring.
Will you try out for Team England again next time?
I hope to.
What are your goals for 2015?
I have a few personal goals for things I want to be able to do on the track- skating skills , strength etc. – I shan’t bore you with the details! For 2015 my goals extend to my home team- there is so much I want to achieve with them this year and I can’t wait to get started! I want us to rise up the rankings and show that we can once again be one of the top European teams on the scene!
