Autumn and cooler weather are right around the corner, so it’s no coincidence our September Skater of the Month, Animal, is so very chill. Despite having trepidation about derby because she hadn’t skated since middle school, Animal became an RMRG member after passing tryouts in August of 2017, joining a summer Freshmeat class.

Animal is an easy figure to spot during the first hour reserved for the newer skaters, her solid figure usually clad in a burgundy tank top, working through the pack. Her laid back demeanor is a hallmark on the bench, track, or in her committees of HR and Event Planning. Animal was an important part of coordinating Rocky’s 2018 bout at Denver County Fair (one of our favorite but forever uniquely odd venues, that always presents its own set of idiosyncratic challenges).

Animal is not only a great contribution to the derby community, she also represents another important demographic; those who have struggled with substances and are overcoming. September is National Recovery month, and Animal, an individual that has fought with substance abuse, has offered to share her story:
“I left my parents’ house for the first time when I was 16. I began drinking heavily and smoking pot and doing pills in middle school and it quickly progressed. I struggled with homelessness since the age of 16 between here and California. I got sober at age 24.”

An integral part of Animal’s sobriety was sports, something that she was always passionate about, but lost in active addiction. She joined a sober sports league and when a friend encouraged her to try derby last year she figured she’d give it a shot. While Roller Derby is by no means a dry sport, Animal found the community and the sport itself a mainstay in helping her stay active and happy:
“Since being with RMRG I have been able to challenge myself both physically and mentally. This sport is AMAZING. While skating with Rocky I have met an amazing group of strong, passionate, compassionate, and supportive people.”

We thank Animal for her story. Such narratives are not always easy things for people to share, and stories like Animal’s are vital to normalizing and bringing to light an issue that affects more than 29.5 million people worldwide.

Animal says, “over the years I have become very honest and open about my recovery. It is something I am very proud of myself for. I have been shown nothing but love and support from everyone in the League. I am so grateful that I was introduced to this sport and the comradery that it brings.”

We are thankful to have Animal as a part of Rocky Mountain Rollergirls and would like to take this time to celebrate her and also to ask that you reflect on her parting words: “There is hope. Recovery is possible, and there is a beautiful life waiting after addiction. We are all fighting battles that no one knows anything about, and there is no shame in being a warrior.”

Please read Experience, Strength and Roller Skates: Sobriety in Roller Derby and visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Website.

Fireworks are not only beautiful because of their magnitude and brilliance, but because we usually only get to see them a few times a year. So it shall now be with Violet A. Saultz, RMRG’s July skater of the month who is leaving the slopes of her beloved Colorado to move to Arizona. We have no doubt we’ll see her at annual tournaments, but before she departs for the land of cactus and heatstroke we would like to take this time to honor Saultz. Mighty on the track, busy as a bee behind the scenes of derby, and altruist to the bone in her personal and professional life.

Saultz is a remarkable human, you need only look at her chosen profession to see that. She works closely with refuges and those seeking asylum in the United States to help find them jobs and ease into their new and often confusing life. She spends much of her time volunteering in her community as well.

Saultz’s kind and calm demeanor can be seen at Rocky too, as she helps run practices and train the fresh meat without ever raising her voice (although sometimes we wish she would since she’s got the New Jersey native speech pattern thing going on).

Despite a broken leg and other injuries, along with a packed traveling schedule, Saultz has been a vital part of the Board of Directors and kept track of our complicated accounts as Head of Finance. She has played with all levels of Rocky and calls the Sugar Kill Gang her home team. We know that Saultz will be a valued asset to whichever team she decides to join in the future. Rocky Mountain Rollergirls wish her the best, will miss her deeply, and if we look menacing when we say, “Hey future league, take care of our girl,” that’s just a trick of the light.

We love you Violet A. Saultz!

Summer is a time for sweet treats and Rocky Mountain’s June Skater of the Month, Easy as Pi, is just that.
Pi can often be seen coming into scrimmage hauling a huge box of fliers for skaters to distribute, with her skate bag on her back and a smile on her face. She works tirelessly on her committees and has been extra busy recently revamping RMRG’s website.
Pi’s amiable nature extends to the track, where her growing skill as a skater is remarked upon by everyone. She skated for a short while with Free State Roller Derby in Maryland before moving to Colorado, and says that they had to hold her hand the first time she was on skates! She doesn’t need hand holding anymore though, employing her extensive limbs to great advantage while blocking or jamming.
Pi’s derby wife says, “Pi is the first person that I look for when I get to practice because I love working with her. She helps keep the league running, organizing fundraisers and making sure we promote the bouts. Not to mention she’s a smarty face!”
Pi is a brilliant mathematician, her hero is Emmy Noether, German born abstract mathematical theorist. This penchant for geekiness made her an ideal pick for USPS, where she was drafted last year, and was welcomed with open wings by the Eagles who were delighted to add to their cadre of wheeled nerds.
Pi and her affianced, have two dogs, Blueberry and Princess Leia.