Article by Sylvia’s Wrath. Photo credit Jay Vollmar.
Have you ever seen the movie Lilo & Stitch? NO? Ok, well let me give you a quick summary:
Lilo is a little Hawaiian girl who adopts a “dog” that turns out to be an extraterrestrial. Stitch is said dog. But really, Stitch is a “genetic experiment who has escaped from an alien planet and crash-landed on Earth” (Thank you Google). June’s Member of the Month is none other than Lilo & Stitches, or “Stitches” for short.
Much like her mischievous namesake, Stitches appeared one day from outer space, crash landing at the doorstep of the Rollerdome. Ok, maybe she didn’t really come from outer space. She transferred from CoMo Roller Derby in Columbia, Missouri. And maybe she didn’t crash land; I’m pretty sure she safely arrived in a car. But other than that, their stories are completely interchangeable: Alien creature finds family, saves lives.
No really, if you’ve seen her skate, you would not doubt her alien lineage. She is one of the most fearless, dedicated jammers in our league, and can contort her body in ways that no human should be able to. She fits herself through non-existent holes in ways that can only be described as otherworldly, and has even been known to levitate on occasion. Give her an inch on the outside and she will shapeshift right past you with her “bean dip” maneuver. In the movie, Stitch was designed to destroy; in roller derby, Stitches destroys walls.
All of these attributes made her a welcome addition and popular draft choice when she joined Rocky last June (happy one-year anniversary!) Being the savvy team that they are, the Sugars quickly snatched her up. Her jamming skills, as well as her life-of-the-afterparty shenanigans, made her a great fit for this party team! She quickly stepped up to leadership and filled the open captain position for the Sugars, cementing her as one of their own. In addition to her spot on the most fun home team, Stitches was invited to join Rocky’s B-team, the Contenders, and skated with them briefly before moving up to the charter, 5280 Fight Club, at the end of last year. In addition to her role with Rocky, Stitches is also an active voice and member of Jewish Roller Derby, who provide a nation of Jewish skaters with a common national team. Additionally, she is a passionate and enthusiastic member of Team Crop-top, regularly eschewing as much clothing as she legally can. (I think she might be allergic to full-length pants, too.)
We all enjoy skating with and against Stitches, but she brings more than skating talent to our league. Recognizing some needs in the area of safety, Stitches became our safety officer and could often be found volunteering as a medic for games. In that role, she developed our current concussion protocol, keeping skaters and their brains safe. Stitches also joined the league’s training committee, and recently took over as head of that group, working to ensure that skaters at every level were being challenged and able to grow. Since we have been on hiatus, her hard work has not stopped. She continues to plan dynamic and engaging virtual practices, offering on and off skate training as we wait until we can return to normal play.
In the movie “Lilo & Stitch,” Stitch ends up on a strange planet. He has to navigate his way through this new world, all the while being chased down by other aliens. Stitches, on the other hand, found herself in the new world of Rocky Mountain, navigating her way around the track, all the while being chased down by other skaters. Stitch found a home and a family with Lilo, and we are proud that Stitches found a home and family with us here at Rocky.
Congratulations, Stitches, our June Member of the Month.