Last Saturday night, a relatively tame, family-oriented Muncie area skating rink was transformed into a high energy sport rink. Muncie’s local roller derby team, The Cornfed Derby Dames, was in action against the South Bend Bonnie Dooms. The Dames lost 141-214.
Senior nursing major Jessica Huffman, or “B-FLATtened,” is one of several women who competed that night.
Q: How did you get involved in roller derby?
A: My English professor my freshman year was on Cornfed and she decided to bring us. I came with another girl on the team; we thought it looked like fun so we started.
Q: Are there any benefits to it?
A: These ladies are my family. It’s been great. I don’t go home nearly as much as I used to. It’s team building.
Q: What is the thing you like best about it?
A: The team, definitely.
Q: Is there anything that is not so fabulous, that maybe you don’t like as much?
A: With it being a lot of ladies, we do get at each other’s nerves sometimes. But we love one another and we have to keep reminding ourselves of that.
Q: I noticed that there were two breaks in game play tonight because of injury, on both the Derby Dames and the Bonny Dooms side. Have you yourself had any injuries?
A: We’ve all hit our head at least once or twice, and then I screwed up my knee a couple of years ago.
Q: One of the things that a lot of people are curious about when it comes to roller derby is your names. First off, how do you get your names?
A: There is a big database of names that have already been taken. You can’t have anything that is too close, or too similar to somebody else’s. So you submit your name and they will either accept it deny it.
Q: So there is a master roller derby name database?
A: There is a master roller derby name database. It’s very handy. You submit it and most of the time it says ‘No.’
Q: Now is there an alter ego side to you? Like there is the portion that is you, then there is the B-FLATtened side. Are they different people, or more or less the same?
A: I would say so, yes. I’m trying to be more aggressive being B-FLATtened than Jessica. It’s hard. You gotta get out there and if somebody hits you, and you have to hit her back. In real life I would be like ‘Oh, it’s OK.’
Q: Do you ever see the B-FLATtened side come out, like when you’re in traffic and you feel the need to jam someone against the wall?
A: Yeah. It’s always a bad thing if it’s the entire team if we are driving right after practice.
Q: Because you’re really aggressive?
A: Yeah. We all become screaming metal deathtraps. Best not do that.
Q: Now this game was actually a benefit for the Animal Rescue Fund. Were you guys the ones who set that up, or was it a mutual thing?
A: We contacted them [The Bonnie Dooms] and made sure it was all OK.
Q: Why ARF? Any particular reason?
A: We are going though a bunch of different organizations. We like to help the community and be involved.
Q: What would you like for people to know about roller derby?
A: It’s not roller derby as it used to be. Come watch it, it’s a lot different. We’re athletes. We’re not just picking fights.
“B-FLATtened” and the rest of the team will next be in action against the NapTown Roller Girls on June 16 at Gibson’s in Muncie.
