Dii Mented & Vigilante Banshee

Left: Dii Mented Right: Vigilante Banshee

Dii Mented and Vigilante Banshee are two of the founding members of the Dieppe Roller Derby.  They both are pretty amazing people who work hard and live and breath Roller Derby....Without them and all the work they did setting up our league we would not have the Dieppe Roller Derby.  They are pretty much the first two people that Fresh Meat meet when they show up for their first kick at the can.  I should also point out that they are Derby Wives. I will get into more what Derby Wives & Derby Widows are in another post...for now I want to keep it focused on these two cool chicks!

My first night Dii Mented was my buddy...she is the Fresh Meat trainer and since my arrival a few other girls have been helping to share that role.  Dii Mented is a VERY patient woman (you have heard me say that before)....she just so happens to be coach Pixel Ninjas better half, this is a good thing because he will never have to know what it means to be a Derby Widow....LOL....Dii Mented is a great example to follow, she is patient, cheerful and loves Roller Derby....she just doesn't ditch ya either after you graduate into being able to skate with the "big kids" because she always has an eye on you (even when you think she doesn't..LOL) to make sure your remembering those basic things she taught you your first day and patiently walks me through things that I have struggled with.  She recognizes when you push yourself to learn new things and helps you get there.  I often follow her around a bit like a puppy dog because for me its easier to learn if I watch someone do it.  Dii Mented is smooth skater...when I say that I mean it looks effortless, and she can do a demonstration from beginning to end slow, smooth so you can see each step clearly...I love to watch her and I love to learn from her!  I am waiting for the day she tells me to stop following her around, although I doubt it will happen...I know she loves to help us skaters reach our potential :) I also have to say she is a lot of fun to have around on our team shenanigans but I"ll save that for another post.... :)

I have gotten to know Vigilante Banshee pretty good in the past couple of months as we sometimes car pool together.  I have seen her with her skates on for an entire weekend at the JAMboree when we thought they might have to be surgically removed ;) She loves what she does and you can see how hard she works and how much she pushes herself.  She is a lot of fun to do drills with too....during our blocking drills she hops like a bunny...during our push and pull drills she tells me to squat like I'm peeing in the woods...LOL...Vigilante Banshee is very passionate about a lot of things, the environment, the cello, animals (yes she TRIED to bring a grass snake home in my car one day...LOL), her work, her friends and she shares that same passion for Roller Derby and our League.  She even has convinced her boyfriend to learn to skate and become a ref so he too will never know what being a Derby Widow is all about. :)

Both of these amazing people are going to be a force to wreaken with when we start to bout! They have not only developed fantastic skills that set an example for all of us but they have also developed and formed our league to be what it is today and have strong leadership to keep each one of us members in check ;) They have also attended training to ref future bouts and at the JAMboree tested those skills by reffing all weekend!


Here they are in action at the JAMboree in the pretty stripes :)

I want to thank each of them cause they both keep me inspired to well every practice!