Seattlest Interview: VALTRON 3000, Rat City Rollergirl

VALTRON 3000 is co-captain of Throttle Rockets, one of the four teams in Rat City Rollergirls.

What's your first roller-skating memory?

Skating in Pueblo, Colorado at the Stardust for someone's birthday party. There was an arcade in the middle of the rink that you could either skate to or walk over the rink on a bridge. The walls of the arcade were carpeted so you wouldn't hurt yourself when someone inadvertently whipped you into it. During middle school, I spent most Fridays at another roller rink, Bossanova, run by a guy with no thumbs.

How do you feel about people who jog in the roller-skating lane at Green Lake?

As long as they get out of the way, or don’t mind me hip-checking them out of the way they’re fine. It’s the dog poop on the walkway that could really send you flying.

What's your most memorable roller derby moment?

Right now, the best memory is skating in the Dust Devil Tournament in Tucson this February. The Rat City Rollergirl travel team, composed of skaters from all four teams, took 5th out of 20 national teams. Seeing all the leagues from around the nation gave me goosebumps. It was the start of more interleague competition around the country, including a Bumbershoot Invitational tournament we are hosting with One Reel at the Bumbershoot festival this year. The Rat City Rollergirls will be competing against seven other teams from around the country.

What's your favorite music to skate to?

Heavy metal, it makes you want to kill and skate faster.

What's your favorite local roller rink?

It was Southgate in White Center until it closed down last year. Now, Bellevue Skate King is my favorite rink. They have a small roller skate car that I’m dying to drive in some sort of parade.

Can you divulge your civilian occupation?

I’m a graduate student at the University of Washington working on my Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology. I’m one of the many science nerds on the Rat City Rollergirls.

Why so many science nerds?
I have no idea... maybe scientists have the right type of personality for roller derby. There are four on my team alone, and I think three more on other teams. I think a lot of it also has to do with the women being "recruited" to roller derby through fellow science nerds.

The Rat City Rollergirls sold out their event last Saturday night. The next bout is Saturday, April 29 at Magnuson Park. Buy tickets.

Photo by Pam Opticon.