Name: Dee Lorean
Number: 121
Age: 32
What is your skating position?
Jammer/Blocker
Where did you grow up?
Phoenix, AZ
What do you do for a living?
I'm a lawyer, allegedly.
What are your favorite hobbies (besides derby)?
I write fiction and draw things.
What are your pre-derby sports, if any?
I was a swimmer for many years and played ice hockey briefly in high school.
Did you have any skating experience before joining derby?
Some, but I was very rusty when I started.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I used to draw a superhero web comic. And no, I'm not going to provide links, it's best lost to the sands of time.
How and why did you get involved in roller derby?
I was looking for a team sport to play because I was out of shape and found going to the gym boring. I figured I'd be better motivated to stick with something if I had teammates depending on me and as an added bonus, I'd make friends in the process. Ran across a flyer for derby and thought it sounded like fun. 'Whip It' was in theaters at the time, so I went to see it, thinking if I liked what I saw then I'd email the local league. The rest is history.
How long have you been involved with derby?
Since late 2009, so I've been around for a while!
What’s the story behind your derby name? How did you pick yours?
It's a reference to the time machine in Back to the Future. I wanted something geeky with a simple shortened version because I knew people would be yelling it at me all the time. I've always been a fan of time travel stories, so it seemed like a good fit.
Do you have a signature move?
Not really, but I am kind of a giant ham when I jam. I love getting the crowd excited and cheering; I'm always smiling when that happens.
What was the easiest move for you to learn? What was the hardest?
Not sure about easiest, maybe crossovers? They're one of the few skills I brought from my pre-derby days. Hardest would be hockey stops. It took me a year and a half to get those down, even though I used to be able to do them on ice.
What is your favorite derby event during the year?
Anytime I get to bout really, though I enjoy watching WFTDA Champs.
What is your favorite derby story so far?
All of my really good stories are best told at afterparties, but I once tripped over my own skates while warming up and belly flopped so hard on the concrete track that afterwards I had dark purple bruises on all of my fingers, but nowhere else.
What do you wish you’d known about derby before you joined?
How much it takes over your life. I'd do it again, but man, derby ends up stealing ALL your time.
In what ways has roller derby changed your life?
I'm more confident than I was before derby, healthier, and have hundreds more friends. Joining derby had been one of the best decisions I've ever made.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about joining derby?
Go to a bout. We don't get paid to do this, and it's a lot of work and commitment to play, so you've got to love the game to stick it out. Don't worry about what you can or can't do physically, you'll end up surprising yourself. If if looks like fun and you've got the time and money to do it, give it a try!