What's your name, team, and what position(s) do you play?

Terminal City Rollergirls All Stars.  Jammer.

What kind of boots/plates are you on?

Riedell 495s, Avenger plates

How does your current setup differ from your last? What improved?

I was previously in the 265s for years (and loved them!) I like the narrower fit of the 495s, although I have added an ankle strap as I missed the support that the 265s gave.  I was also on nylon DA45 Skins, so skating on a metal plate is pretty awesome.  I love the responsiveness of the magnesium plate - I definitely feel like I can skate faster - but they are not heavy like other metal plates (I am a pretty light/hoppy skater).  I also LOVE the 45 degree trucks, they give me a lot of lateral movement without feeling unstable (although I do have my trucks done up really tight, so that helps!)

What is your 'holy grail' perfect skate?

I don't know whether there is one yet!  I am a pretty versatile skater and I know lots of amazing skaters that skate on really crappy skates, so I don't feel like I have to spend a million bucks on skates to make me a better skater - I need to just SKATE better! Saying that, I would love to get some skates custom made to my feet as I have pretty narrow heels.

Have you tried different mount positions (forward, sport, standard, etc)? If so, what are your thoughts? If not, why not?

Currently I have my skates forward mounted (I think it is called the sport mount?) and short plate.  I got them changed up a few years ago and I love that mount.

What are your favourite wheels?

Atom Stingers because they are grippy and predictable on all surfaces (and because we are always travelling we skate on a lot of different surfaces)

What kind of safety gear are you using, and how do you feel about it?

I am very lucky to be sponsored by 187.  I use their pro-derby knee pads which are great - nice and low profile but with a good padding. Their elbow pads are by far the most COMFORTABLE elbow pads out there, I know people don't really worry about their elbow pads, but seriously these are amazing, and they never slip down. 

What advice would you give new or intermediate skaters about their impending gear upgrades?

Try on other peoples skates to get a feel for what suits you. Talk to as many people as possible about what they like/don't like, but remember that everyone is different in their preferences. A good rule of thumb is to find someone of the same body weight/skating style as you and then quiz them, as they will probably like the same things as you do. And then borrow their skates at the end of practice to try them out!

Great track awareness drill from Luludemon! It involves players counting off while staying alert to other factors on the track.

Luludemon totally stole my heart during the 2011 World Cup, and here she is talking about a hot derby topic, commenting on where she sits in the derby athlete spectrum and demonstrating how she brings a bit of the athlete into her life.

Hustle.

Great blog post by my friend and future captain, Luludemon, reflecting on her trip to WFTDA Western Regionals:

"While [the All-Stars] had been happily enjoying our greatness, the rest of the leagues had been skating against teams that pushed them and challenged them to be the best. This sport doesn’t sit still for too long and we were in danger of getting left behind."