One of the founding fathers of the St. Louis GateKeepers (along with Magnum p.i.m.p.), Bat Wing’s skating skills, intensity and knowledge of the game make him a force on and off the track. His dedication is second to none as he commutes from Rolla twice a week (a roughly 110 mile commute each way) for practice. He also recently joined the coaching staff of the CoMo Derby Dames in Columbia Missouri, is one of the main forces behind Missouri Co-Ed Roller Derby LLC (MOCORD) and the annual Beat Me Halfway event that brings some of the greatest derby talent in Missouri together for a weekend of clinics and scrimmages. As you can see, Bat Wing lives and breathes Derby!

Why did you get into Derby?

I first got involved with roller derby in 2007 when I became a referee for the newly incepted CoMo Derby Dames, a women’s derby club in Columbia, Missouri. My life at that point had fallen into a sort of limbo (and not the kind they play at the roller rink) where I had just finished one chapter, but wasn’t sure where the next page would lead. One fateful night, I walked into a downtown bar where a bunch of derby girls were throwing a fundraiser and recruitment fair. The next thing I knew, I was being recruited by a woman who introduced herself as Bitchie Valens. “We don’t have any referees yet. Can you skate?” I had been an avid roller skater in childhood and teen years and had actually been wanting to get back into it. The following week, I went to my first practice and was hooked.

Roller derby gave me this sense that I was a part of something bigger, something that was motivated by love rather than greed, by community rather than status. Hanging out with a bus load of cool girls twice a week wasn’t bad either. I immediately knew that I had found the place where I belong. And though I enjoyed refereeing, I yearned to actually play roller derby one day. Now, almost five years later, my wish has come true, truer than I ever could have imagined. Being a part of GateKeepers and MRDA is like living in one of my wildest dreams! I still cannot fully believe it.

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

At Fall Brawl 2007 in Fort Wayne, Jonathan R (NYSE) showed up with a couple of the other Shock Exchange guys. This was my first time actually playing derby with other men, and I was totally blown away by the intensity and speed of Jonathan’s play. I had never seen anyone leap around blockers like that! And of course developing the GateKeepers with Magnum, p.i.m.p. has had a tremendous influence on my style of play. He is always scrutinizing our skating and pushing forward, striving, optimizing, finding room for improvement… Magnum has been the stone to my blade.

What skates and wheels do you use?

I am currently on my second pair of Antik AR-1 boots (stock black), and I love them. I went down half a size from my first pair, so I am currently wearing a 91/2, which is pretty snug. They are sitting on a set of size 9 Revenge plates, which I recently moved forward about half an inch to help with my cuts and control. They feel amazing now.

As far as wheels go: I had been a zealot of Radar Zodiacs (a slim 62mm wheel) for a long time. But then I tried some of the 59mm Atom wheels and was blown away by the added maneuverability. I skated my last three games on Atom Trak Atak reds (95A). However, I recently got in touch with someone from Radar who custom cut me a couple of sets of 59mm orange (95A) and green (97A) Zodiac prototypes! (This is literally Bat Wing’s wheel wet dream come true!) The 59mm Zodiacs are the fastest, tightest wheels I have ever skated on. Also, I have always been impressed by the longevity and stability of the Zodiac urethane formula, so I am very optimistic about getting some serious miles out of these wheels through our next season. I really hope Radar adds the 59mm Zodiac to their consumer product line.

What was your favorite moment as a GateKeeper?

Probably beating the New York Shock Exchange at Spring Roll 2011. NYSE had been undefeated since their inception (something like 26 games?), so that was kind of our Buster Douglas moment. I totally cried! (But I also cried when Jim proposed to Pam on The Office, so maybe I’m just a big old sap.)

What is your pre-bout ritual?

I don’t have any “rituals” per se, but there are a few health and nutrition measures I take leading up to a competition.

The week of the bout: Lots of water. As much sleep as possible. I am not a fan of training hard during the week leading up to the bout because I like to keep my legs loose. I also take epsom salt baths and try to spend at least an hour stretching each night.

The day of the bout: I am usually real quiet and edgy on game day. I used to flip out on anyone who was stressing me out or talking too much, but I am getting a little better about keeping a cool head. From the time I wake up, I eat a very limited diet of whey protein (mixed in water), wheat bread, and a bit of fruit (usually apples) – basically nothing that could possibly upset my stomach. I usually load up all day on beta alanine and arginine to fight muscle fatigue. Before the bout, I will take some vitamin B12+caffeine for mental focus. And then during the bout, I keep some glucose wafers on the bench to keep my blood sugar jacked.

What advice do you have for other skaters?

Skate to win, but don’t get broken in two if you lose.

Be careful with dating, money, and personal stuff within the league; you do derby to escape your daily life, not to make it more complicated.

Practice skating clockwise on the track whenever possible. Asymmetrical muscular development can give you real problems down the line. (Words from my chiropractor.)

If you’re a man who plays derby, remember to always show respect and pay homage to your sisters in derby. We would not be here if it wasn’t for the women.

If you’re a woman who plays derby, try to help out your local men’s league and advocate for them in the derby community. It really bums me out when I hear about men’s clubs who get no support from the established women’s derby clubs in their cities. Double-header bouts are a great way to unify men’s and women’s derby for a common and growing fan base!

And of course, TRAIN HARD, eat well, make sleep a priority, and don’t put a bunch of crap in your body when you “party”.

What is your favorite food?

Anything extremely spicy that isn’t too greasy. I’m big into S.E. Asian and Indian curry dishes, and I love Buffalo Wild Wings’ Mango Habanero Wings (the real ones, not that boneless crap). I also make my own habanero infused marmalade, and sprinkle cayenne pepper on my ice cream and breakfast cereal. Oh, and I keep a bottle of Sriracha sauce in my car for emergencies. There pretty much isn’t any good food that can’t be made better with some hot spice!

What is your favorite thing to do outside of Derby?

I have these vague memories of deejaying and writing songs, or working on a “novel”… but that all seems so far away now. There really isn’t much left of my life that isn’t in some way connected to derby. There are just these things I have to do (i.e. go to work, etc.) so I can survive and have money to travel around and play roller derby… Yeah, I got nothing. Sorry.

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

Back blocks. Duh. (Of course a jammer would say this.)

Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Heath Ledger, but only as my stunt double.

So there you have it, November’s Skater of the Month!

Be sure to keep an eye out on the webpage for my upcoming coverage of our Awards ceremony coming up on November 13th and I’ll also be announcing our upcoming season schedule as soon as it is released.

See you at the bouts!

Star-Spangled Hammer

Star-Spangled Hammer is the announcer for the St. Louis GateKeepers.

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