January’s Member of the Month: AldanaMite!
January’s Member of the Month is our tiny but mighty Argentinian powerhouse: AldanaMite! Mite is a key member of Suburban Brawl, blocking people twice her size and occasionally jamming. She’s also Brawl’s co-MVP for 2018 and was the MVP for 2017. Is a three-peat in the cards for 2019? Learn more about her below!
Who are you?
I’m AldanaMite, #5.
How long have you been involved with roller derby?
I’ve been involved with derby since 2011. So this would be my 8th year.
When did you join SRD?
I joined SRD in 2013.
Why did you start playing roller derby?
I went to see a game and when it ended, I thought to myself, “That seems fun! I think I could do it!” I immediately found a league near me, signed up for their Rec League and ordered skates online. The rest is history.
Why do you continue to play roller derby?
I continue to play roller derby because it brings me happiness. I love the physical aspect of it, how challenging it is (especially for someone my size), and because it forces me to push my body to the limit. Plus, I get to see and hang out with so many friends. Also, it’s fun!
What’s your proudest derby moment?
I don’t know if I can name one particular moment; for me, it’s about the little victories. There were a few times when opponents have told me after a game how hard it was to get past me. Or the time I successfully landed an apex jump during a game, which is not something I normally attempt. Or getting MVP after a particularly tough game where I really thought nothing I was doing was working. But I think any time I tell someone I play roller derby, they always look at me like, “You?? No way!!” That makes me feel the proudest!
What do you do outside of derby?
Outside of derby I am a translator and I’m the momma of two furry babies.
Anything else we should know about you?
Once, after a game, someone about my size (read: petite) came up to me and told me how I had inspired them to push themselves harder and keep working on it when they wanted to quit, because they saw what I could do on the track and, if I could do it, they could too. Totally made my day. Tiny but mighty!
Top photo by Sean Hale