Derby Girls: Young, emerging talent helps Denali destroy

PALMER — The Denali Destroyer Dolls have upgraded their close-knit small town roller derby operation. New members of the team are rolling with the punches, literally. Denali destroyed Far North Derby out of Soldotna on Saturday night, 282-85, thanks in large part to a pair of jammers who just joined the team.

Ema Fiedler and Catrina Nugent, who go by the monikers of Superstar and Fireweed Fury, played jammer for the majority of the bout. Roller Derby is sanctioned by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association and doesn’t allow skaters to enter an adult bout until they are 18. Nugent joined the team last year, and Superstar was skating in just her second bout with Denali on Saturday. Jammers score points by lapping the rest of the pack during a jam.

Fury was able to use her quick feet to weave in and out of the pack of girls clad in helmets, pads, and skates moving around the track. Fury danced and dazzled her way through the mob of teammates and defenders determined to block her path by any means necessary. Fury excelled in the apex jump, timing it just right to where she leapt over a defender’s skate, but was able to stay in bounds and continue through the pack during the jam.

“She’s really good at like spinning around them. She goes backwards and does a lot of footwork,” Fiedler said of Fury.

Fury started skating in 2013 with Superstar, who skated with the Su Sirens, the junior roller derby team in the Valley. They competed with teams out of Anchorage and Fairbanks, and last year Fury was named a junior elite player, meaning she got to practice with the adults.

“When I went from being a junior to practicing with the adults, my skill exponentially went up,” Fury said.

Fury joined the team last year, but Superstar is the freshman on the team. Unlike other roller derby squads, Denali practices as a team, not separating the experienced skaters from those new to the sport. Fury and Superstar aren’t the only new skaters to Denali. Linda Lambert, who goes by the name ‘Swearadactyl,’ has only been on skates for two years. She suffered a broken ankle and returned to her first action since the injury on Saturday. Swearadactyl is not deterred by the constant threat of pain, but more excited by the aggressive outlet it gives.

“It’s kind of a way to let out aggression that’s socially acceptable,” Swearadactyl said. “We all really enjoy it. It’s a place where you can have an alternate ego. By day i’m a veterinary technician, but you come out here and none of that stuff matters, and everybody’s just kicking the crap out of each other but having a good time. I think it’s just, I don’t know it’s like an addiction.”

Roller girls are able to don a new identity when they lace up the skates. Giggles, who rolls as a clown, unleashes a very distinctive and chilling laugh.

“It never fails to scare the crap out of me,” Fury said.

Other skaters, like DebYouTaunt, who has been with Denali for seven years, is used to it by now. Denali allows roller girls to shake their identities and get rowdy, one bout at a time.

“Normally I’m really shy, but at derby people are like yelling for you they’re excited for you and I love that feeling. So for me it’s like I can be out here and be like me and confident and, Fireweed Fury,” Fury said.

Those on the team describe Denali as a family where everyone is welcome. Even when girls get hurt, teammates will bring meals to them to make sure they are still a part of the team.

“We’re a little family,” Fury said. “There’s no exclusion. I like the inclusivity.”

Part of the family is the head coach, Justin Crowther, who goes by Justinsane. Crowther has been working with the team for two years and is finally beginning to see elements of his coaching come through during the games.

“It’s a little bit learning, a lot of explaining. I was happy the whole game because they were doing stuff that we’ve been working on and I’ve been preaching the last two years, so it makes you happy that they’re doing the stuff,” Justinsane said.

The roller girls were happy to finally be breaking through and making progress.

“We’ve been working on a lot of drills the coach has been kind of force feeding us and we actually did them today. He was real proud of us, it’s surprising. I’ve never seen Justin that happy for an entire bout,” Swearadactyl said.

A method to Justinsane’s madness may have emerged. He specifically coached Denali to use their jerseys as slingshots around teammates, and it worked to the tune of a big win over Far North Derby.

“Justin just invests so much in like strategizing and who has what strengths, and Justin he really helps us. Once he started on the team it was like exponential growth,” Fury said.

Not only are the new members helping Denali improve, but Fury and Superstar help out with junior derby. Fury is a referee, and Superstar helps coach the Su Sirens. According to Superstar, more reinforcements are on the way.

“Our freshies, they are so close. I’m so excited for them to join us in a game. They’re going to be so good,” Superstar said.

The culmination of seven years of hard work between Superstar and Fury resulted in a big win on Saturday, and possibly many more to come.

“Using your people and paying attention to what they’re doing to help you, you’re not a one man show, you’re part of a team. This was like, the game where it finally came together. I’m like oh, they’re here to help me,” Fury said. “I wouldn’t be half the player I am without the rest of my team.”

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.