I met Titty the first time really briefly at the German Championships and I got to see her skate, Loony had seen her skate before and talked very warmly about how great she was, and she for sure was.
I did not get to know to her until I went to Stuttgart to coach at Ralley in the Valley this summer. We coached together and I really got to know her. Oh, and for you who have never met her before - she skates for Stuttgat Valley Roller Girlz and is the Headcoach of Team Germany.
Titty is quite a personality - and I must admit that her German accent and very matter-of-fact personality might have scared me a little at first... but when you get past that she is really sweet and funny. (I am still scared of pissing her off). So when I started this project of writing about derby people I heart, I decided that I can do it however I want to, and for Titty I prepared a few questions that I really wanted to know, and also that I thought be to interest in general and sent off to her, and here are her answers:
Swede: Why is your name Titty Twista?
TT: Basically I love the
Tarantino movie "From Dusk Till Dawn" and there is this club called
Titty Twister. So this was the first thought like that this could be my
name... Seeing it from the club perspective, I am well known for hitting
clubs and loving the girls. Seeing it from the meaning of the words -
well, I am a girl of many sides and you never know what will hit you on
or off track. I am fast and I move quickly through the pack and hit and
attack fast and effective and I can be a pain in the ass for the jammers
- that is what people say. Also I love to touch boobs I am attracted to
boobs and if you don't behave, I will twist your nipples.
So I think that Titty-Twista seems to fit perfect!
Swede: How did you start derby?
TT: I heard rumor about derby even when I was in Uni still but just
rumor and I didn't know any facts. I lived in Stuttgart before so I
kinda knew what was going on there. Moving back I ended up rooming with
some crazy people in this huge apartment and in 2007, my room mate
basically told me more and more about derby and skating because she was
friends with one of the founders of SVRG. As I was looking for something
new anyways I was like "Yeah, lets get some skates and then skate in
the park." But the I found out I had to get to know the one girl of SVRG
which owened an online skate shop at that time and the only source for
me to buy skates. After a while my rommate said that there is something
called a "bout" taking place and so I grabbed the girl I wanted to go
out on a date with and my roommate and went to this so called "bout".
It was taking place at a club - kind of like this illegal fight club
style. It was the first european bout ever - London Rockin Rollers vs.
SVRG. And derby girls were smoking and drinking beer during the
halftime... I was like OKAY, this is NOT the sport I am looking for..
way to brutal! BUT I needed the skates cause I loved skating ever since I
can remember ... but it took another year to make the first move
torwards one of the SVRG practices - and by August 2008 my roommate and
me went to one of the practices all eager to order skates.. . but hey,
why not learn how to REALLY skate on quads? Just ONE practice I thought -
So I ended up practicing with them and never stopped... November 2008
first bout... and ever since I never left SVRG and the roller derby
world!
Swede: How did you like being HeadCoach of Germany?
TT: Like? Love would be the word! I feel honored
that I got voted on this important position. I totally knew that this
is a huge responsibility and a long way to go. Many people put their
trust in me, things went wrong and things went right and at the end I
think I did a good job and we all had a blast in Canada. It was
energy-sucking and thrilling at the same time. BUT this is something I
won't never forget - the first time ever derby head coach for Team
GErmany! Isn't THAT amazing? I can say yes, yes, yes! Regrets? Nope. And
for this year I'll keep on doing it until we will have a board and a
federation built up. There is more to come 2012 and mistakes to learn
from and my mission is to grow closer together as team and as a training
and managing board. We will have some more fun and even better derby!
:-)
Swede: Who are the skaters you look up to?
TT: This is a hard one.... in particular, there
are so so many excellent derby players all over the place. And World Cup
showed how impressive it is to watch the Stars and Stripes and all this
amazing players on these teams. In particular I loved to watch Bonnie
Thunders, Psycho Babble and Joy Collision skate. Impressive! These are
just a few names. Honestly, looking up to somebody is hard for me
because if I look up to somebody I could be a bit frightened if I would
meet them on track one day... and this shouldn't be the fact if I should
give the best for my team, right? :-) And with this fast development of
derby these days, tomorrow anybody could be better than the stars of
today. So I prefer not to name somebody but to give my admiration to
every derby skater who works hard, is focused, wants to spread the word
of derby, is a real teamplayer and likes to understand the game - no
matter if they are brilliant skaters or just about to start derby.
Swede:Where do you see derby in 5 years?
TT: Hopefully on a more improved level - but
STILL from athletes for athletes. I can see that derby is getting more
and more professional and I like it - but in my perfect derby future
there should still be the derby I knew from the very start. A derby that
has room for every girl who wants to do it. I hope in 5 years we have
WFTDA become the main federation for derby and that all over the world
each country got its own. That there are nationals in each country and
region, championships and I wish that derby is an all accepetd sport and
no longer searching for venues is the limiting factor. Instead of that,
venues should be built for derby and other skating sports. Also I hope
that the most important fact - the fun times and the afterparties -
won't vanish. That we all remember where we came from and that we still
see derby as the most fun team sport ever - no matter if the money
factor and the professionalism grows. I want derby to be spread all over
the world and maybe we have a chance to become olympic! YAY! :-D
Swede: Beer or Weinschorle?
TT: I would say BOTH... but with my sweet Swede, weinschorle... or Wine, Charlotte! :-D
Swede: What is your athletic background?
TT: Track and field is my athletic background.
Started when I was 3 years old. First competition when I was at the age
of 5. Never stopped doing it until early 20s. I used to be a track and
field pro until a bad back injury made me quit during the first
qualification round for the Junior European Championships in heptathlon.
I was working out twice a day - everything was built around my athletic
life (school, friends and relationships) - and I never regret it! It
was a great and awesome experience and I met some of my dearest friends
though that sport. There was a huge hole after quitting and I was
searching for something new for years - a couple of years later, derby
filled the hole just perfectly! :-D
Swede:What is the most important for you with derby?
TT: We play together, we win
together, we lose together - we ARE team! It is one of the most intense
team sports I know - physically and mentally! Here you can feel the real
power of team - there can be outstanding players on the track, but if
they don't work together - they will lose! And also getting to know ppl I
actually would never get to know in real life. And this in combination
with the fun and pleasure I feel - that IS the best I can get. I burn
for derby - and sometimes I GET burnt.
