Poppa Choppa burst onto the scene a couple years ago. What he lacked initially in skating skill he more than made up for with determination and dedication. He soon became a physical presence on the track that you always had to account for. As a member of the Rockets, he solidified an excellent blocking corps that won the 2012 Turf War Championship. He is also probably the only men’s derby player with TRIPLETS! He is the August Skater of the Month, he is…POPPA CHOPPA!

Why did you get into Derby?

I first came to Derby to watch Tallahassee Toad in the Gatekeeper’s debut bout. After seeing how much fun the jammers (specifically Magnum and Artemischief) seemed to be having weaving through the packs, I couldn’t stop thinking about the sport. A few weeks later I had my starter skates and was ready to go my first practice.

Who do you think has had the most influence on your style of play?

As far as Gatekeepers go, Specs has been a great teammate and B-keeper leader, and always has some advice for improving game strategy. Talking with my fellow blockers on the Rockets has taught me a lot as well. A shout out to Burns, Throttle, Adam and Monster Jam! As far as an example of awesome blocking, I would have to say Davey Blockit. You can tell how devastating that wide blocker stance is for incoming Jammers, and her awareness of the jammers’ positions helps to ensure she can effect the outcome of every single pass. It was a great treat to have her come back from New York to run a GK practice. The Dangle strategy, grabbing a blocker in front of you for stability and increased lateral movement, gives blockers incredible power on the track.

What skates and wheels do you use?

I eventually had to go for the custom Riedell boots and Reactor plates. I’ve stuck to Stroker slims throughout. After Atom replaced the Strokers that had the problem with the hubs falling out (at no cost) I’ve had no problems.

What was your favorite moment as a GateKeeper?

Just one favorite moment in all of derby? I have tons! One of my favorite bouts was the B-keeper mash-up in Jeff City. Our team, Team White, was short on jammers, so I got to Jam quite a bit in that game. It was a close one. Jamming against Shanego was super fun. Even though Team Black ended up with the win, that game was a blast from start to finish!

I also have to mention the Geeks vs. Jocks game with the St. Chux Derby Chix. I still have my Geeks T-shirt from that game, and it reminds me of having a great time with a ton of cool friends.

What is your pre-bout ritual?

Find the room with the free pizza and eat some.

What advice do you have for other skaters?

The more you come to practice, the easier it is to instinctively react during a bout. Also, the conditioning to your leg muscles is great to have on your side when you really need it. Too much time off between practices and all that work seems to fly out the window. It’s no surprise that the best players each season are also the ones that come to practice the most. Basically, if you want to be awesome at Derby, try not to have triplets anytime soon.

What is your favorite food?

Like I said, free pizza. Regular pizza is good too, but the free really makes it taste great. My favorite pizza is Bacon, Jalapeno, Anchovy. Mmm, Anchovies.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of Derby?

Family adventuring! We load up the van, pick a destination and off we go, usually in that order. I have an official Adventure Hat (so the kids can find me in a crowd) and it has been to a ton of cool places. Taking the kids to the Kansas City Renaissance Faire on the way to Rolling Along the River was one of the highlights of our derby-related traveling.

If you could remove one penalty from the game what would it be?

If I could remove one question from this survey, this would be it.

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

MacGuyver! He would make a pair rocket skates out of a snorkel and some chili pepper and then become the first derby player to skate to the moon. There would also be zombies.

There you have it folks! The August Skater of the Month: Poppa Choppa!

See you at the bouts!

Star-Spangled Hammer

Star-Spangled Hammer and Magilla Guerilla are the announcers for the St. Louis GateKeepers!

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