By Kelsey Gledhill
The lights dim, “Started from the Bottom” blasts over the speakers, and more than a dozen skaters hum by the crowd like a steady night train. One of the league’s most colorful emcees, Johnny Pepper, introduces the Brawler team one by one—“Number 17, AcuPunchHer…Number 312, 2xForce…” Nostalgia pours over me and I’m whisked back to age seven when effortlessly gliding around the shiny wood floor at Rainbow Roller Rink (oh, the irony) was my jam. Where I am now, however, is a bit different. Players and volunteers of Houston Roller Derby (HRD)—a 12-year-old volunteer-led and -run non-profit—have transformed Revention Music Center into a competitive battleground for some of Greater Houston’s most badass women of derby.
The sport originated in the early ‘20s as flat-track roller skating racing, and is notorious for its use of creative alter ego player names. And while roller derby has its fair share of skeptics, let me assure you—every hit, blow, tumble, and trip is very real. These women blow off steam in the form of hip checks, rib shots, can openers, and I’m-gonna-take-you-out-just-because-I-can hits—making it one of the most empowering (physically and mentally) female sports out there. I was lucky enough to sit down with Houston Roller Derby veteran and seasoned skater Terri Chen—aka AcuPunchHer, aka Punch—to get the skinny on life as a derby player both on and off the track.
“It’s unlike any community I’ve ever experienced—it’s family to me.” —AcuPunchHer
“I was recovering from foot surgery in 2010 and saw Whip It—the movie that I swear changes everybody’s life,” recalls Punch. “I Googled Houston Roller Derby and ended up going to watch my first bout…it was fantastic.” A week later, she bought a pair of skates and has been all in ever since—becoming one of the most-skilled blockers in the league and for her home team, the 2017 championship-bound Brawlers.
After four years as a student at the University of Texas at Austin and a seven-year stint in roller derby—a fringe sport known for its eccentricities, as well as being home to a myriad of quirky, one-of-a-kind personalities—Punch has developed a pretty open-minded worldview. Growing up, however, her roots were grounded in traditionalism and conservatism. “I grew up in the Memorial area of Houston in a Republican household. I remember when my parents donated to Bush,” she says with a slight eye roll.
And while she may not be so straight-laced anymore, conventionalism is still a part of her nine-to-five job as a petroleum engineer in the oil and gas industry—a completely different world from derby. I grin and ask, “How do the two get on?” She gives me a brief history of her career path thus far, mentioning that—at the beginning—the demands of the job allowed little time to dedicate to her newfound hobby. Over the years, however, she learned to balance her career with her unique pastime, turning off work at five o’clock and escaping to derby—escaping to her family. With practice four times a week—and more for players committed to both a home team and the league’s travel team—derby can easily become less of a hobby and more of a lifestyle. “We’re all definitely really close,” she says. “It’s unlike any community I’ve ever experienced—it’s family to me.”
“I’m not sure what I would’ve done without derby while I was going through my divorce,” Punch adds as she shares details on her brief marriage to a man before meeting her current and first-time girlfriend at derby’s annual awards ceremony and celebration. “She was deejaying Derby Prom and I just thought she was so cute and sweet,” she giddily recalls.
Brawler blockers AcuPunchHer (c, #17) and 2xForce (l, #312) put up a “Brawler wall” to block Psych Ward Siren jammer, EnJen (r). Photo by Hung L Truong.
Over the years, Punch’s role in Houston Roller Derby has evolved into more than just being a powerhouse blocker and skater. She admits to obsessively reviewing derby footage of past bouts to help her better unofficially coach the team. She also takes on admin duties like keeping track of attendance and serving on the Brawler’s Enforcement and Grievance Committee. Participation in HRD requires skaters to meet a minimum of nine volunteer points each month to be eligible for league membership, as well as to qualify to be on a home team’s roster—making it just as philanthropically demanding as is it physically.
We end our time together discussing the season’s much-anticipated upcoming championship matchup between her home team Brawlers and their rivals, the undefeated Psych Ward Sirens. “I’m definitely feeling the pressure of this game—we’ve never won a championship and haven’t been to the champs since 2012, when we lost to the Sirens by a marginal 20ish points,” Punch explains. Word on and off the track is that emotions have been running high all season long, making the friendly rivalry between the two teams even more intense as they skate into the championship. “No doubt it’ll be a great game—win or lose,” she smiles.
Don’t miss the 2017 Houston Roller Derby Championship on Saturday, August 26 at Revention Music Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. Bouts start at 7 p.m. Tickets and more information available at houstonrollerderby.com.
