Meet the GRD team: Puma Thurman

What's your skate name and number?

Puma Thurman 24

How long have you been playing roller derby?

9 years - started in 2014 when I was working away in Dundee, transferred back to GRR

What's your favourite thing about roller derby?

It’s the first sport I’ve ever stuck at for a reason - I love the attitude, the inclusivity, the level playing field from the start, and the teammates! It’s made me better at a lot of non-derby things too.

Who is your derby hero, or favourite team?

I’m terrible at these questions - I rarely have proper idols, and I mostly just love my own team, but Dundee and Newcastle will always have a spot in my heart as where I started, and my hometown team.

What’s your best derby moment?

Playing my first game for the Maidens - hadn’t a clue what I was doing, but had fun doing it!

What do you like to do when you aren't playing derby?

Reading LOTS, knitting, sewing, fixing things, podcasting (The Medical Take if you’re looking for some med ed), doctoring.

Tell us an interesting fact about you.

I’m awful at maths because I have to visualise the wee numbers moving around in space

Meet the GRD team: Fearless Fox

What's your skate name and number?

Fearless Fox 13 🦊

How long have you been playing roller derby?

I joined in 2019 sooo 2 and a half years if you take out pandemic time?

What's your favourite thing about roller derby?

Training bruises! So much I'm making an exhibition about them.

Who is your derby hero, or favourite team?

Us!...and Gotham City, absolutely fulfilled a bucket list item when I trained with them in 2021 for a semester.

What’s your best derby moment?

I think the best is yet to come! I'm so excited for the year ahead, finally getting a whole year playing actual games!

What do you like to do when you aren’t playing derby?

...fight in armour.

Tell us an interesting fact about you.

I am a found member of Scotlands first women's armour combat team The Infernal Unicorns 🦄

The Duncan & Judy Murray Show, King's Theatre : 19 March

Since you last heard from us, we've branched out a little from the whole skating thing to take up a career treading the boards! So this is it, goodbye from us and next time you see us it'll be fewer skates and more greasepaint and monologues.

JUST KIDDING but Snax is really going to be taking part as a special guest being interviewed in the Duncan & Judy Murray Show while the lesser-known Murray brother tries to gain his mum's approval. We're very excited - see you there?!

Meet the GRD team: X-MENTAL

What's your skate name and number?

X-MENTAL #0

How long have you been playing roller derby?

13 ish years…. Oooft my back hurt’s thinking about that 😬

What's your favourite thing about roller derby?

Hitting people, Strategy, learning, coaching, pals… so many things! My favourite thing is that I met my wife at derby … Swoooon

Who is your derby hero, or favourite team?

My fave team ( apart from GRD) is my old team In Kansas. ICT Roller Derby has my heart forever. I’m also quite obsessed with VRDL… those AMAZING Australians are something else! Pure fire!

What’s your best derby moment?

I can’t pick one…. Going on road trips to tournaments, when Gotham finally didn’t win the hydra, VRDL beating Rose and winning champs, 2011 World Cup…Too many!

What do you like to do when you aren’t playing derby?

I watch it? Lol Ehhh… I hang out with my wife and we go on magical adventures.

Tell us an interesting fact about you.

I had a film crew follow me around for 3 days. It was a documentary for Google! Can I also say that I did a belly dance on a table one time, fell off and woke up in hospital 24 hrs later!? I’m also pretty decent in a street fight. None of that is interesting, but I wrote it and that’s that.

Meet the GRD team: Snax

What's your skate name and number?

Snax 222

How long have you been playing roller derby?

Since 2018.

What's your favourite thing about roller derby?

How inclusive it is! every body shape, age, and person are celebrated for their differences and how that makes a great team.

Who is your derby hero, or favourite team?

Mutch Mayhem (loren Mutch) Jammer from Rose City Rollers.

What’s your best derby moment?

When we played a tournament in Hamberg, it was such an amazing experience! Everyone was amazing and I had some personal bests! The team atmosphere was something I never experienced before and I had so much fun.

What do you like to do when you aren't playing derby?

Still roller skate 😂 I also like to eat snacks, dance and go on adventures with my partner and dog.

Tell us an interesting fact about you.

I danced in the Edinburgh Tattoo when I was 18.