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Roller Derby is no match for raising kids
Published June 4, 2009 in the Commercial Appeal
I joined Memphis Roller Derby when my kids were just shy of 2 and 4. (They are 5 and 7 now.) Roller Derby proved to be an excellent way to get some much-needed "me" time, get some exercise, and have fun.
In the early days, I was one of the oldest and most experienced skaters. Before I knew it, I was captain of the Legion of Zoom. Being the mother of two small boys, the role of captain came naturally to me. The team needed a leader, a good listener, a facilitator and an organizer. I was all of those things and more -- I was a booty blocker extraordinaire, which made me a great pivot (the foremost blocker)...(Read more)
Family's togetherness is on track in rough-and-tumble roller derby
Published February 24, 2009 in the Commercial Appeal.When Cheri Long, 45, was in high school, she went to the Gold Coast Skating Rink in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., every weekend. One night she ran into a boy named Kenny, who was unlike any boy she'd ever seen.
"He was just different," she says, wistfully remembering his long hair. "We dated on and off for a year, and then we were together every day."
Thirty years later, Kenny and Cheri live in Bartlett and have four children (Kristin, 24, Lauren, 22, Aren, 15, and Ryan, 13). Cheri is a certified nurse assistant who does restorative work at King's Daughters and Sons Home in Bartlett, and Kenny does prepress work at Hot Graphics. For fun, they skate in the roller derby...(Read more)
Hell on 8 Wheels
Published May 2006 on Imperfect Parent
I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. And surprisingly my two and four-year-old aren’t to blame.
I’ve been lying in bed thinking of taglines for the Memphis Roller Derby logo, rink names for some of my new skater friends, and drills to try out at our next practice. Sometimes I just lie there and imagine myself jamming through a row of blockers while the announcer screams, “Smashimi scores again!”...(Read more)
