Pinky Balboa #52

Derby Theme Song:
 Gonna Fly Now from Rocky

1. Tell us about your roller derby name, how did you come up with it? I love to wear pink and one day one of the girls (Dani) said that all she could see in her vision when I was coming around the corner was pink. I did not want too girly of a name. I also needed a name that I could actually tell my students; therefore it could not be vulgar. Rocky is my favorite sports movie of all times. So, not wanting to be just known as Pinky, I added Balboa to it because I like to hit and knock people down. So I thought Pinky Balboa summed up my dress style and my derby playing style. I have always been a bull in a china shop, even when I played basketball. I just think the name fits and I like it.

2. Off the track, what kind of work do you do?  I teach Health Education to juniors and seniors at one of the greatest school districts in the country, State College Area High School (North Building).  I love my job and I can’t imagine earning a living any other way.

3. Do you have any other hobbies besides roller derby? I love to workout with the fantastic trainers at One on One Fitness on Aaron drive. I also love to travel and ride my scooter. On a cold day you can find me in my kitchen making soups and any other yummy food that I can put in my freezer for later. A derby girl has to keep up with her good nutrition and fitness level if you are going to play this very demanding sport.

4. What is your position while playing/participating, and how do *you* approach it? I love to be a blocker. I just approach it with the mentality that with the help of my team, I don’t want a jammer scoring points on us. I love to use my size and strength to push or knock them out of bounds to give my team more time to wall up and stop that jammer from going past us. I just really try to harass the jammer as much as I physically can.

5. What drew you to roller derby? I have always had a fascination with it and people used to randomly say to me that I look like a derby girl. I always thought derby girls were such emotionally and physically tough women. I have always enjoyed being on roller skates, but had not skated in over 30 years. I wanted to do it to push my personal limits and for the great sisterhood that it brings. I don’t have any sisters, but now I feel like I have many. I did not even realize that we had a team until I met AK40 Steffy and she was on the team and she gave me all the info. I was hooked. I went to a practice to observe and ordered my skates immediately after that. I had no doubt that this was something I wanted to pursue.

6. Tell us about the first time you participated in a bout. The Valentine’s Day Massacre will be my first official bout, but our coach took us to Williamsport to have a scrimmage and I was a bundle of nerves. I just hit every jammer as many times as I could. I wanted to wear them out and make it more difficult for them. Towards the end of the bout, my coach handed me the jammer panty and said to go jam. I thought he was joking or had bumped his head. I was so rattled when I realized he was serious. I put the panty on sideways and was ready to jump out of my own skin. This whistle blew and I just plowed through and knocked over the blockers in front of me. I somehow made it to the inside line and got lead jammer status. I was able to squeak out 2 points before having to call off the jam because the other jammer was behind me. I laughed so hard. I always thought it would be so cool to call off a jam, but never thought I would jam, much less be the lead jammer. Chris Brace is either crazy or a derby genius for putting me on that jammer line.

7. What’s one thing that you have learned from Derby that you are able to use in everyday life? Be more aware of what is going on around you. It may help you avoid getting clobbered and knocked down in life. I have also learned that I can push myself past my comfort zone. When I first started derby, every practice put me in a panic and I just calmed myself down and handled every challenge that was given to me. I learned that it is ok to be afraid, but never ok to give up. I have really learned to work through the fear and gain some success from that process.

8. What do you think about SCAR’s upcoming schedule?  I love that our schedule is shaping up to be a very competitive season. There is a lot of fun derby to look forward to this season.

9. What are your personal goals for the upcoming season? I just want to become the best blocker that I can be and really improve my skating. However, my major goal includes continuing working as a good team member and make sure my actions not only serve me well, but also serve my team’s best interests as well. Also, every derby girl wants to avoid any serious injury.

10. What’s the thing you love most about being a roller girl? I love that it represents that I am a strong woman.  I think it also represents that I can be a great role model for my students. I want them to know that you can have fitness at any age and it is ok to be afraid as long as you follow your goals. Being a tall, muscular woman, I love that my body size is so valued in this sport. I teach my students the importance of loving the body that you have. I teach them to be around people and activities that celebrate their size. I have never been more proud of my body and the ability to be a great role model for my students. I also really love hitting other girls. It makes me more calm and settled in my job.

11. What is your athletic background? I ran track on the boys’ team in junior high because there was no girls’ team. I was a hurdler back in the day when the hurdles were just wood. I was all legs back then. If you hit the hurdle, it brought you down. I also played volleyball in junior high, but in 9^th grade, I was recruited to play basketball and that has been my great love until I quit playing ten years ago. However, nothing has captured my interest like derby. I have also coached high school sports for seven years so I appreciate all of the effort and time my coaches and teammates have given to me to help me improve. 

12. What was your most embarrassing SCAR moment? I was scrimmaging with my team when my coach told me to change my jersey and go to the other team. Flying Tomato lined up as the jammer and when the whistle blew, I began to hit and harass her as I try to do to every jammer that I am skating against. She yelled at me and I thought she had just had enough, but I hit her again. She again yelled at me and I paused for a moment and she got away. As I was chasing her down to hit her, I realized that we were on the same team. I was trying to squash my own jammer. Poor, Mater…

13. What’s your personal slogan? Life begins outside your comfort zone. The things that are the hardest are the most rewarding. These events strung together make up a rich and beautiful life.

14. Who supports you in doing roller derby, and what would you say to them? My derby wife and teammate, Socio PattE does. She keeps me focused and pumped up and I would like to tell her that derby would never have been the same without sharing it with someone as amazing as her. Dani and some of the other veterans also give me tips on derby and try to get me to calm down. However, the entire team is so supportive of everyone else and it would not be possible to play this intense sport without amazing teammates like mine. They cheer you on when you succeed and console you when you just don’t quite get the job done.

15. Any injury stories? Right before the drafting season, I fell and really hurt my wrist. I could not bend it at all and it was swollen. Everyone kept saying to go to the doctor’s. I was so afraid it would need a cast and more afraid of not getting drafted to a team. I wore my wrist guard non-stop for three days. After the third day, I took the brace off and the swelling was gone, but I still had no movement and it hurt so badly. Out of total fear, I pulled my own wrist with my opposite hand and it made an incredibly loud popping sound. Once I popped it, I could move it freely. I believe it was just dislocated and I re-set it myself. I must really love derby to do that.