I had the good fortune of finding out about Grace’s achievements in Roller Derby through a staff member who I walk to school with the odd morning.

I was really grateful, as one of the things I have found here is that we have some super talented ākonga that are doing some fully random (in a good way) things. Grace is one of them! She has recently been selected to represent New Zealand in Roller Derby in France later this year! How cool is that! I caught up with Grace for an education on Roller Derby. I was interested how someone gets started in roller derby and, like lots of things, Grace was asked along by a friend to ‘take a friend’ day. She was hooked and has been into it ever since!

Now, roller derby is not for the faint hearted. It is Level 3 contact and you require the full on protective equipment so you don’t get very hurt! Check out the pics with this – it reminds me of a rolling maul, without rules and on skates! Medics are on stand by! And we hold the All Blacks high up on the ‘tough’ list?!

So I learnt a thing or two about roller derby! A game is called a jam and it can go up to 2 minutes in duration with 10 people starting. There are 2 jammers and the rest are blockers. Different skills are needed for the different positions. Grace, if you were wondering like I was, is an outside or inside butt who have the role to stop the jammer. Kind of a defender I guess. You try and gain points – a jammer gets a point by getting past a blocker, for example, and a butt can get points by stopping or slowing down the opponent's jammer! Anyway, that is a short education on roller derby. I assumed like me your knowledge of roller derby came from watching Whip it or Derby the two films from the top of my head!

Anyway – Grace is good at it! She told me she likes hitting people the most – it is a great outlet for aggression and within the rules. She also likes that Team NZ is getting a lot of media attention now they are going to France to compete. They haven’t been able to compete due to the pandemic! This will be the first New Zealand representative team to compete internationally.

Grace is travelling to France in July for the World Champs. They have selected 20 players through rigorous trials. Grace was stoked when she received the email to say she had been selected. The training is full on and the team is getting together as much as they can in advance of heading away. Like all minority sports it is self-funded which is a huge commitment. Grace has a give a little page to support her fundraising if you are in a position to make a donation, she would be very appreciative- https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/aotearoa-nz-junior-roller-derby-is-heading

I asked Grace how she thought Hagley had prepared her for this type of thing and she said it really had. She identified that she is headstrong, has been given leadership opportunities and good ways to cope with anxiety and stress.

For the budding roller derby participants out there having sharp pointy bones was identified by Grace as an attribute that makes a good roller derby player. Also needed are strong legs. You don’t have to be the best on skates! That will improve quite quickly. If you are keen, head along to a fresh meat course at Dead End 4:30-6pm at the Celebration Centre. Bring your own helmet! There you go – no excuses!

All the best Grace! We wish you well!