By: Bryan Mcwilliam aka Killman
During the weekend of Aug 4-5 the North American Qualifier of the Men’s Roller Derby Association (MRDA) will take place in Fitchburg, MA to help determine the competitors in the organization’s championship playoff finals in Portland, OR from Oct 12-14.
The event, which is set to take place at the Wallace Civic Center on the grounds of Fitchburg State University, will be hosted by MRDA member and playoff contender, the Mass Maelstrom.
Eight teams will vie for a championship bid.
Leading into the event the MRDA will take an inside look at some of the attending teams to learn more about members from its squad.
Today, we speak with skaters Chris Mayes and Trueblocka of the San Diego Aftershocks, the No. 3 seed at the NAQ qualifier.
Mayes, a jammer with the Aftershocks skates under No. 33. He’s been playing derby for 1.5 years, all with San Diego.
Trueblocka, a blocker, has been with San Diego since 2016 and has also spent his entire derby career with the Aftershocks.
Killman: Are you excited about playoffs? Tell me what being at playoffs means to you?
Trueblocka: It’s exciting and fun to get to play with all the teams and skaters at such a high level that we don’t get to play with regularly. I have also never been to Massachusetts either so that will be a new experience.
K: What would it mean for you to come out of this event as a qualifying team for champs?
Chris Mayes: It would be amazing as we have been in a rebuilding phase this year. It would solidify all of our hard work and show most people in the MRDA that we earned our spot.
T: It would mean we proved ourselves and earned our spot to at champs. I have never skated at champs where I had to earn a spot via playoffs before.
K: Is there anyone you look up to on your team or in the sport of roller derby?
CM: Our retired jammer B. Stang.
T: Optimus Grime, my mate from Scotland and teammate from champs a couple years back, is a great guy and one heck of a skater.
K: If you could be one Marvel superhero, who would it be and why?
CM: I think I’d want to be Thor. The guy is a beast and one of the strongest Marvel characters.
T: The older I get the more I would like to have quick regeneration powers. At 38, it’s kind of hard to get out of bed sometimes.
K: Do you have a favorite dad joke?
CM: What’s the best time to go to the dentist? Tooth hurty.
T: Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? Because the P is silent.
K: Provide me an inspirational quote that you live by.
CM: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
T: “Do or do not, there is no try.” – Master Yoda