Meet Team England: Metallikat

Name: Metallikat

League Affiliation: London Rollergirls

Years skating: 3½

DL: What was your previous athletic background, if any?

M: Like most kids growing up in the early 80s, I had rollerskates and used to wear them for hours every day after school. I did a fair bit of sports in my teens (hockey, cross-country, rounders, hurdles and long jump) but was mostly good at throwing the discus - I came second at the English schools once and have a personal best of 42m 20cm! I then spent a long time as a couch potato until the suicide bombers on the London Underground in 2005 scared me into buying a bike and commuting on 2 wheels. I now cycle 20 miles a day when I can fit it in (and if the weather isn't too rubbish!).

DL: Why did you want to be on Team England?

M: It's a brilliant opportunity to represent my country doing something I love. Well that, and the fact it would make my mum and boyfriend very proud!

DL: How did you feel when you found out you had made it as one of the top 20 skaters?

M: I was honestly very surprised, especially since the e-mail started off like a rejection letter, saying something like "Firstly, we'd like to thank you for trying out…" The final tryout session was a lot of fun and any of the 40 skaters who were there could have made a great team, so I was incredibly pleased to have made the cut!

DL: Which skater inspires you the most, and why?

M: Joy Collision. She seems to know exactly where to be and what to do, she's graceful and agile but also incredibly hard-hitting.
Do you have any advice for skaters just starting out? Don't lose sight of why you're doing this. Roller derby can be frustrating at times and it's easy to forget that it's meant to be something you do for fun. The more you put in, the more you get out and if you plaster a big smile on your face and have a positive attitude, it'll spread to everyone who's skating with you.

You can follow Team England on Twitter (@TeamEnglandRD), facebook, or visit their website if you're interested in helping contribute funds to individual skaters or all of Team England to help them get to the 2011 World Cup.