Skater of the Month – Dannie Stormborn

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1. Derby name & number: Dannie Stormborn #47
2. Real name: Alison Hardy (Allie)
3. Significance of derby name/#: I’m a big fan of Game of Thrones, books and show. There is a character on the show whose nick-name is Dani Stormborn, I just changed the spelling. #47 is the atomic number of silver in chemistry, and the character Dani has silver hair and her horses name was silver.
4. Age: 25
5. Position you play: Blocker
6. How long have you been skating? I started taking skating lessons back in January 2013, and I joined SIDR May of 2013.
7. How did you join derby? It looked like so much fun and at the time I was taking skating lessons with Gotham Girls, but I really wanted to find a local team to join. A customer of mine told me her sister plays for Strong Island, so at the next recruitment night I was there!
8. What do you like most about derby? How big of a community it is, first of all. When you get involved in derby, derby consumes your life in a very positive way. You make so many new friends and push your body to the point of where you never thought it can go. All the bumps and bruises are worth it!
9. Greatest strength on or off the track: I’m a good communicator. Even if I can physically get to the spot where I need to go, I at least know I can scream it to my team mate.
10. Derby injuries: A sprained thumb that never healed right and a sprained PCL.
11. Favorite derby memory: My first MVP!
12. Favorite foods/drinks: Anything smothered in cheese and waffles.
13. Anyone you look up to in the derby world? Not in particular.
14. Who inspires you the most from your league? That’s easy, all my team mates! Every one of my team mates possesses such great skills and knowledge on the track and off the track that’s its hard not to be inspired.
15. Who is the most challenging player you experienced? The girls from H.A.R.D. were so tall it was hard to knock them around!
16. Do you play any other sports besides Roller derby? No, derby #1
17. What personal advice would you give young derby beginners? Just stick with it! Come to every practice, try your hardest, and in 3-6 months you will be amazed at what you can do, I promise.
18. When and what occasion was a specific moment you felt like you really had to push yourself even harder? 2015 Double Header, our A team and B team played back to back. My knee was hurting, but I didn’t want to let me team down, especially the Slaughters because I was their captain. I played both games, back to back, adrenaline rushing, tired and hungry, but I did it and both our teams came out victorious!
19. Hobbies outside of derby: I play guitar (8 years of lessons), take sign language classes, get tattoos, and play Dungeons and Dragons.
20. Quote: Don’t ever give up on something you think about every day.