Editor’s Note: This is the final installment of Spectrum South’s eight-part original Talk Derby to Me series. Roll by each month to meet a new queer Houston Roller Derby skater, coach, or super fan!
By MLe McWilliams
Ask Jason Davila if he’s a Houston Roller Derby (HRD) super fan, and he’ll respond “no.” “I don’t consider myself a super fan because all I think of when you say ‘fan’ is someone who just goes to games and cheers on their favorite team,” he says. “I would say I am more of a super friend of Houston Roller Derby. I think that is what differentiates me from everyone else. Not only do I attend every game ([with the exception of] the one that happens during San Diego Comic–Con), but I am friends with many of the players,” he says. “We hang out, I know about their personal lives, and am genuinely invested in who they are as people.”
“I would say my current mission is to get more people to come out to the games,” Davila says. He attended a bout in 2012 after his friend Lizzy Fernandez, aka Bustin Beaver of the Brawlers, invited him to come see her play, and he hasn’t stopped cheering since. “Watching Lizzy, along with all the other players, I saw how passionate they were about the sport, and how much fun they had,” he explains. “I decided that this was a sport I could get behind and support, as well as try to bring new people to.” As Davila and I slip deeper into conversation, it becomes clear that his love for roller derby is undeniable.
Where are you from and how do you identify?
I am a born–and–bred Houston boy. I have traveled around for school and work, but I always find myself most at–home in the city. My heart is in Houston, and it’s not just because of our cutting–edge arts and culture or our progressive atmosphere—it’s the relationships I have formed and the community that supports me that have made Houston my home.
Also, I just can’t get enough of the people! I see the beauty in everyone’s soul. I like to meet and be with people who have great energy and who I vibe with. As I have grown and changed and met and been with people, I have learned so much about who I am. I identify as ever–evolving.
“[My favorite thing about derby is] seeing and feeling the passion from the players, as well as the energy from the sport itself. Their passion not only comes from the training and athleticism, but from how they present themselves and entertain the crowds.” -Jason Davila (l)
Do you remember your first Houston Roller Derby event?
The first time I went to a game was in 2007, and I went because someone asked me to go. However, it wasn’t until 2012—when Lizzy invited me to see her play during her first season—that I became invested. Watching the athletes zoom around the track, crashing into each other trying to win, was really exciting. The only other type of event with this much pageantry, story, and atmosphere is wrestling.
After my first couple of games, I began going to the after parties, which is where I became friends with the players. During the after parties, you get to see the comradery and sisterhood of the skaters. Even though they are on different teams, vying to win the championship, they are all friends.
What is your favorite thing about roller derby?
I would have to say seeing and feeling the passion from the players, as well as the energy from the sport itself. Their passion not only comes from the training and athleticism, but from how they present themselves and entertain the crowds. Each player has a specific brand associated with them and [that brand] is demonstrated through their unique names, their embellishments to their uniforms, and the story they tell on the track.
Describe what a bout is like for someone who has never been.
There are women going around a track to get points, but the athletics is just the start. As mentioned before, there are awesome costumes and fun names, many of which you will laugh at. All in all, it is a fun and safe place for all types of people to come out, see a great sport, and have a good time.
Do you have a favorite HRD team?
Currently, I do not have a favorite team because [the teams recently went through a redraft]. However, I do have a favorite player, Lizzy Fernandez, aka Bustin Beaver, of the Brawlers. She is the friend who invited me to come see her play at her first derby game. She has this energy about her and knows how to rile up the crowds and put on a good show. Even the little kids love her. She comes and signs autographs for them after games and takes photos with them. Not only does she play for the Brawlers, but she is one of the coaches for the Men’s Roller Derby team. She is so passionate and motivated about promoting the sport to all types of people. And she does it because she loves it.
Davila (r) with Lizzy Fernandez, aka Bustin Beaver of the Brawlers.
Besides HRD, what other interests do you have?
I am a huge pop culture nerd. My favorite event of the year is San Diego Comic–Con and I have attended every year. My love of movies, TV shows, music, and comics came from the fact that I saw myself as an outsider when I was younger. Watching and listening to these artistic creations was an outlet for me to not feel alone. I was able to join a community of people who felt the same way I did and love the same things I do—and that helped me to not feel alone any more.
What would you say to people who are interested in coming out to an HRD event?
If you haven’t had a chance, come to a game and bring your friends. If they are hesitant, tell them you will buy the first round of beers! That is what usually works for me. And if you go by yourself, come say hi to the Beaver Nuggets, the fan club I started for Bustin Beaver. We will buy you a beer!
Houston Roller Derby’s 2018 championship bout is Saturday, August 25, at Revention Music Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. Bouts start at 7 p.m. Tickets and more information available at houstonrollerderby.com.
