Our 2014 season is about to start, and sadly we've had to say farewell one of our longest serving and much loved members, Annie Von Carnage. Always cool, calm and collected on and off the track, her creative contributions and booty blocking skills will be missed when she leaves to pursue her studies in Wellington this year.
What is your derby name?
Annie Von Carnage
Explain the inspiration and story behind your derby name.
I was so excited about playing derby that I simply chose a name from a derby name generator online. BAM! First one that it spat out I went with!
What is your number?
03
Quote & Why?
Short, sweet and light on my feet...because it describes me pretty well.
What is your derby name?
Annie Von Carnage
Explain the inspiration and story behind your derby name.
I was so excited about playing derby that I simply chose a name from a derby name generator online. BAM! First one that it spat out I went with!
What is your number?
03
Quote & Why?
Short, sweet and light on my feet...because it describes me pretty well.
What is your position of choice?
Pivot. I love blocking and tend to be pretty vocal on track even when I am not pivot. Talking on track seems to help slow the game down for me.
What is your skate gear of choice?
I love my vixens. I have had them for over 3 years now and never had a blister or a callous.
Do you have a pre-bout ritual?
I like to spend time with my team, making sure I feel connected to them all before we get on the track.
What do you think about when you're lacing up your skates?
I think about the messages I am giving myself. I give myself pep-talks and imagine myself being the strongest and quick-thinking as I could be on the track. Also i just get really excited!
What has been your best derby moment?
Our first home bout, battle of the bays. I was head coach and captain. We drew a crowd of close to 900 and won!
How did you get involved with roller derby?
My sister Bella Dominator and long-time pal Porterhouse Skate founded BCR and I jumped at the opportunity to be involved.
Pivot. I love blocking and tend to be pretty vocal on track even when I am not pivot. Talking on track seems to help slow the game down for me.
What is your skate gear of choice?
I love my vixens. I have had them for over 3 years now and never had a blister or a callous.
Do you have a pre-bout ritual?
I like to spend time with my team, making sure I feel connected to them all before we get on the track.
What do you think about when you're lacing up your skates?
I think about the messages I am giving myself. I give myself pep-talks and imagine myself being the strongest and quick-thinking as I could be on the track. Also i just get really excited!
What has been your best derby moment?
Our first home bout, battle of the bays. I was head coach and captain. We drew a crowd of close to 900 and won!
How did you get involved with roller derby?
My sister Bella Dominator and long-time pal Porterhouse Skate founded BCR and I jumped at the opportunity to be involved.
Can you talk a bit about your Freshmeat (first year) year and how you learned to play roller derby?
We were really winging it when I started. There was no one more qualified in the league than us and we knew bugger all about derby! With a lot of help from other leagues we slowly figured it out and became skills tested.
You made a swift journey from Fresh Meat to the All Stars! What training and/or other motivation helped you along your speedy path to the top level of play?
In some ways it was fast, but it was a year and a half before our league actually bouted, so in that sense it was quite long compared to what our skaters experience now. I got my skills up by wearing my skates as often as possible, around the house even-I made lemon meringue pie while wearing my skates once! When you are comfortable enough on your skates on every angle that you don’t have to think about the actual skating bit, it frees up your mind to focus on playing.
What advice do you have for girls who want to join roller derby?
Believe in yourself and don’t compare yourself to other skaters all of the time. We all learn differently and have different strengths.
We were really winging it when I started. There was no one more qualified in the league than us and we knew bugger all about derby! With a lot of help from other leagues we slowly figured it out and became skills tested.
You made a swift journey from Fresh Meat to the All Stars! What training and/or other motivation helped you along your speedy path to the top level of play?
In some ways it was fast, but it was a year and a half before our league actually bouted, so in that sense it was quite long compared to what our skaters experience now. I got my skills up by wearing my skates as often as possible, around the house even-I made lemon meringue pie while wearing my skates once! When you are comfortable enough on your skates on every angle that you don’t have to think about the actual skating bit, it frees up your mind to focus on playing.
What advice do you have for girls who want to join roller derby?
Believe in yourself and don’t compare yourself to other skaters all of the time. We all learn differently and have different strengths.
Who are your derby heroes?
Porterhouse Skate of course... hey! Someone already filled this bit out!! But actually, Skate is a bit of a hero to me, I have a lot of respect for her derby journey and BCR would not be the amazing league that it is without her input over the years.
My other hero is Bonnie D. Stroir. I love the importance she places on the mental aspect of derby.
How would you describe your derby playing style?
I am agile and confident on my skates. I prefer to hold people back and sit on them (good use of ample booty!) rather than hit them out...works better for my size!
What is your pre-derby sports/skating background?
I was a figure skater as a kid. Apart from that, I never really played sport.
What tips would you share with skaters looking to improve their jamming/blocking skills?
I would encourage all blockers to understand what it is to be a jammer. If you can think like a jammer you can better assist your own jammer and thwart the oppositions jammer. Also...agility!!! The more agile you are, the faster you can get to where you want to be on the track and the harder you are to knock over. I always tell my freshies: be a bouncy triangle. Triangles are harder to knock over than sticks!
Porterhouse Skate of course... hey! Someone already filled this bit out!! But actually, Skate is a bit of a hero to me, I have a lot of respect for her derby journey and BCR would not be the amazing league that it is without her input over the years.
My other hero is Bonnie D. Stroir. I love the importance she places on the mental aspect of derby.
How would you describe your derby playing style?
I am agile and confident on my skates. I prefer to hold people back and sit on them (good use of ample booty!) rather than hit them out...works better for my size!
What is your pre-derby sports/skating background?
I was a figure skater as a kid. Apart from that, I never really played sport.
What tips would you share with skaters looking to improve their jamming/blocking skills?
I would encourage all blockers to understand what it is to be a jammer. If you can think like a jammer you can better assist your own jammer and thwart the oppositions jammer. Also...agility!!! The more agile you are, the faster you can get to where you want to be on the track and the harder you are to knock over. I always tell my freshies: be a bouncy triangle. Triangles are harder to knock over than sticks!
What are some of your greatest roller derby accomplishments on the track?
Oh, so hard to pick out one thing. And when I think of great track moments, they involve the other women I am skating with. I guess that is what being in a team is all about though right?
Off the track?
Photographing our derby calendars. Especially the first one. It was a sellout and had to go for a second print run.
Do you have any upcoming bouts that you’re really excited for and why?
My bouting future is a little uncertain. I am moving to Wellington to start my MFA. One thing is sure, I will be cheering on my derby sisters in BCR for their next season.
How has your involvement in roller derby affected the way you live the rest of your life?
It has made me so much stronger and more resilient. I relate the physical falling/ getting hit and getting straight back up to something that transfers as a mental strength. Also, after working closely with so many women, in an environment where we are learning how to run a successful sports club, I don’t take criticism so personally and I am able to work through conflicts and problems with much less stress.
What is your day job? And how, if at all, has it contributed to your experience of roller derby?
Well, I am now an art student and was previously a photographer. I have contributed creatively to the league over the years.
Oh, so hard to pick out one thing. And when I think of great track moments, they involve the other women I am skating with. I guess that is what being in a team is all about though right?
Off the track?
Photographing our derby calendars. Especially the first one. It was a sellout and had to go for a second print run.
Do you have any upcoming bouts that you’re really excited for and why?
My bouting future is a little uncertain. I am moving to Wellington to start my MFA. One thing is sure, I will be cheering on my derby sisters in BCR for their next season.
How has your involvement in roller derby affected the way you live the rest of your life?
It has made me so much stronger and more resilient. I relate the physical falling/ getting hit and getting straight back up to something that transfers as a mental strength. Also, after working closely with so many women, in an environment where we are learning how to run a successful sports club, I don’t take criticism so personally and I am able to work through conflicts and problems with much less stress.
What is your day job? And how, if at all, has it contributed to your experience of roller derby?
Well, I am now an art student and was previously a photographer. I have contributed creatively to the league over the years.
How do you find a balance between your derby life and your “real” life?
It is hard, if not impossible. I have learned not to take on too much in derby and to have some rest from it occasionally. It can become all consuming.
What do you think about the rapid growth of roller derby in New Zealand? With so many new leagues, as well as established leagues, which teams do you think will get into the semis at the nationals?
We have an amazing derby family in New Zealand. It is incredibly hard to say who will be in the semis next nationals. I have been really impressed with how much Richter City have stepped up the tempo and grown over the last year and think they are definitely a league to watch out for in the next Nationals.
Is there anyone that you would like to send a special thank you to?
A big, collective thank you to every single person in BCR. You have become family to me and I am so grateful for everything I have learned from you all. I love you always and will miss you when I am in Wellington.
It is hard, if not impossible. I have learned not to take on too much in derby and to have some rest from it occasionally. It can become all consuming.
What do you think about the rapid growth of roller derby in New Zealand? With so many new leagues, as well as established leagues, which teams do you think will get into the semis at the nationals?
We have an amazing derby family in New Zealand. It is incredibly hard to say who will be in the semis next nationals. I have been really impressed with how much Richter City have stepped up the tempo and grown over the last year and think they are definitely a league to watch out for in the next Nationals.
Is there anyone that you would like to send a special thank you to?
A big, collective thank you to every single person in BCR. You have become family to me and I am so grateful for everything I have learned from you all. I love you always and will miss you when I am in Wellington.
