 DERRINGER .44 
BLOCKER, SHOOTER, SWORDFIGHTER Derringer ("The Ringer") was born and raised in the great Republic of Texas, and attended St. Mark's Episcopal School in Houston where she wore the equivalent of Hell Marys plaid for a full six years. Her father played basketball for the University of Houston Cougars under coach Guy Lewis, just prior to the years of the Phi-Slamma-Jamma. When she was 12 her family moved to the mountains of New Mexico, and Derringer completed high school in a district where it was permitted to cut class on Mondays during ski season if the snow was good. In addition to downhill skiing, Derringer developed strength and skills in foil and epee fencing, backpacking, sailing, and the martial arts, before heeding the call of roller derby which came one March while on vacation in Mexico. She skated first for an Austin, TX "Red Team" before becoming a founding member of Texas Rollergirls in 2003. Her league awards include Best Heartbreakers Blocker (2004 and 2005) and Best League Blocker (2005), and she has been a defense player for the Texas Rollergirls Texecutioners for two seasons. She was an active coordinator and voice of reason in the early days of WFTDA organization, but still could not convince anyone else that Flat Track Derby would be a whole lot more interesting if each skater was allowed to wear (and use) a single, regulation boxing glove on her left hand. Derringer joined the Hell Marys in 2007 and intends to continue playing derby well into her 50's. Photo by Felicia Graham |