Denver Roller Dolls

May 2010: Ariel "Crash Dance" Quigley

The featured skater for this month is Ariel "Crash Dance" Quigley, the co-captain of our all-star team, the Mile High Club. Crash was part of the leadership team that brought the Mile High Club into the national spotlight in 2009 by taking third place in the WFTDA Championships. The Mile High Club made a splash in the derby world at the beginning of 2009 by being the first team to use their real names, and they ended 2009 by introducing the world to their innovative team play. Read on to find out more about Crash's secrets for Mile High Club world domination, what it's like to be part of a derby couple, and her advice to new skaters!

You danced for 15 years and played softball competitively for the same length of time. Did you skate as well? How would you compare roller derby to other activities you've done?//

I skated a bit, but it was purely recreational. I tried to be a hockey player from about age 5-7, but it never panned out. I practiced with my Dad a lot (he played hockey) but I never learned how to stop on ice skates, so I didn't join a team. I also rollerbladed throughout my youth, but it was just for fun. My time on quad skates was pretty minimal and limited to birthday parties at Skate City.

Tell us the story of how you came to join the Denver Roller Dolls. What made you want to play roller derby, and was it anything like you expected? What were your first few weeks like?//

In 2006, I had heard various rumblings about roller derby in Denver. I was finishing up school in Boulder at the time, and caught a couple of episodes of Rollergirls, a reality series about roller derby in Austin. I was immediately interested in the sport and told myself that I would play when I finished school and was no longer able to play softball competitively. I moved back to Denver later that year and attended a DRD bout in December of 2006. At the bout, they were talking about recruitment; I tried out in January of 2007 and I began the Dollhouse in February. I didn't really have too many expectations about roller derby because I hadn't had all that much exposure to the sport. I knew how points were scored, but didn't really understand the rules beyond that. It just seemed like a good opportunity for me to be athletic, be part of a team and learn something new. It's definitely been that and so much more. My first few weeks were something of a blur--there was so much to learn and get acquainted with. I definitely didn't know what I was doing when I started, but I dove in head first and held on for the ride.

You've held a lot of leadership roles in the league. What's been your favorite?//

Being Co-Captain of the Mile High Club is definitely my favorite leadership role to date because it combines the behind the scenes work, with the sport itself. It's incredibly gratifying to see the team come together and the hard work pay off on track.

At the beginning of 2009, the majority of the Mile High Club started using their real names in action. They were the first group in modern-day roller derby to do this en masse. How did this decision come about? What are your thoughts on real names in roller derby? What would you say to the fans who prefer the wacky names or are just confused?//

The idea to switch to real names came up towards the end of the 2008 season. Tracy "Disco" Akers pitched the idea as a way to help legitimize the sport, and a handful of us on MHC were into it immediately. She presented it to the league during a league meeting and the majority of MHC debuted our real names at the Four Corners Feud. I think that the fact almost our entire team made the switch helped solidify us as a group. Personally, I prefer skating under my real name because roller derby isn't just a hobby to me. It's something that I've devoted my life to and I don't need to create an on-track alter ego. Roller derby is something that I do and I want everyone to know who I am when I skate. Plus, it's really amazing to hear my real name announced at bouts and mentioned in derby-related articles! To fans who aren't sure about us using real names, I'd say that no matter what names we skate under, the sport they love is still there. If they like me as Crash Dance, they'll love me as Quigley! It's also important to note that we haven't abandoned our derby names completely. On the website and when we get announced, we combine our two names, so everyone knows who we are.

As the 2010 co-captain of the Mile High Club, what do you expect to see this year, and what are you looking forward to?//

I am looking forward to everything! I expect to see more of the same from MHC in terms of teamwork, which is really our greatest asset. We've got some challenging bouts coming up and I can't wait to skate together and drop our particular brand of derby on our opponents. We had a strong showing at Nationals in 2009 and I want to come out strong in 2010 to prove that we're truly a force to be reckoned with.

What's your secret goal for MHC in the next three years? A private jet? International travel?//

More than anything though, I would love to see us continue to grow as a team and be a top competitor within WFTDA. We've worked so hard and come so far in the last two seasons that I'd love to see MHC keep up that momentum and place in the WFTDA Regional and Championship tournaments in the coming years. I'd also like to see us continue to push the envelope when it comes to strategy and game play; this sport is advancing so quickly that you've got to stay ahead of the curve if you want to be on top.

You're part of a DRD couple (dating referee and Bruising Altitude coach Scott Free). How much derby talk comes home after practice?//

We definitely bring the derby talk home with us. We're both passionate about the sport and have a lot to say about it. We don't necessarily talk directly about one another--as in, I don't tell him how to ref and he doesn't tell me how to skate--but we talk about the league, our bouts and the sport as a whole. Roller derby is an all-consuming activity, so it would be impossible to leave it all on the track.

You won the 2008 DRD Most Improved award. What do you think helped improve your skills that year? What advice would you give newer skaters hoping to improve as much as you did?//

2008 was my first full season as a bouting skater with DRD. I had gotten through my initial season, which included everything from learning skating skills, building endurance, learning derby skills and beginning to understand the game as a whole. In 2008, I was really able to focus on growing as a player. I didn't want to just play roller derby, I wanted to be great at roller derby. I also joined the Mile High Club that year and saw what roller derby was like at the National level. MHC was a young team at the time and it quickly became apparent that we had a lot to learn. I became very dedicated and pushed myself to improve. It was a process and I got there by attending a lot of practices, asking questions, applying feedback I'd received, and learning the rules. Additionally, I was the Events Committee Head and member of the Board of Directors that season, so I was very invested in the league. My advice to skaters looking to improve would be to attend as many practices as possible and identify what you need to work on. Be open to feedback from more experienced skaters and coaches. Devote yourself to improving each aspect of your game and you will see results. Also, I cannot stress enough the importance of understanding the rules. There is a huge mental component to playing derby and you will need to know the rules to understand what is going on in a variety of situations and how to react accordingly. And finally, never stop pushing yourself. Roller derby is a continually evolving sport and skaters need to evolve if they want to stay in the game.

Read the rest of Ariel "Crash Dance" Quigley's bio here: http://www.denverrollerdolls.org/skaters/bio/ariel-crash-dance-quigley