My 51¹ÙÍø | A Student Blog Death by 51¹ÙÍø: Spotlight on Roller Derby
April 8, 2025
When Isabel Schmidt '25 joined the Skate Club at 51¹ÙÍø, it led her on an unexpected journey from beginner skater to competitive derby player.
About the Author
Isabel Schmidt '25 (she/her) is an Environmental Studies major on the natural science track from Asheville, North Carolina. After graduating from 51¹ÙÍø this spring, she hopes to find environmental work in Charlotte.
Derby Name: Cherry Bomb
In Fall of 2021, I was starting my first year at 51¹ÙÍø. I hadn't joined many extracurriculars yet, and I felt so nervous to stray away from the few friends I had started making on campus.
One day in the Alvarez College Union, I passed a poster advertising Skate Club, a club teaching people how to roller skate. I'd always wanted to learn, and it seemed like a fun club, so in a fairly impulsive move, I went back to my dorm that night and ordered the cheapest pair of roller skates I could find online and decided to go to the next event Skate Club held.
Maybe 10 people showed up to the event, including me and a friend from my music theory class, Gabby Valencia, who had agreed to come with me. Despite feeling nervous and exposed, being among only a few people there, and not knowing how to skate at all, we threw ourselves in. Gabby and I found ourselves going to every event they hosted, excitedly learning every new skill the skaters were willing to teach us. In spring, we decided to run for the Skate Club e-Board together, and, having grown closer over the year, agreed to be roommates in our sophomore year.
Savannah Vonesh started at 51¹ÙÍø when I was a sophomore. Having played roller derby for years at home, she decided to start the Death by 51¹ÙÍø roller derby team here. And I, knowing little to nothing about the sport except that it sounded extremely cool, agreed to help her. Within a few months, we were starting our first practices.
Through Skate Club and, subsequently, roller derby, I met two of my best friends, Gabby (Rinker Bell) and Savannah (Piranha), and grew so many more friendships with everyone who has come to our events and practices over the years. Gabby and I are still roommates this year! And Savannah introduced me to playing derby more competitively with the Charlotte Roller Derby team, which I'm currently loving.
My whole life, I'd never been a sporty person, and didn't feel very comfortable in athletic spaces. But roller derby is a sport that prides itself on being inclusive in every way possible. I'm so proud to have been a part of creating the roller derby team and working with the Skate Club during my years at 51¹ÙÍø. It's brought me life-long friends, and connections to building community in Charlotte and beyond. Looking back to that nervous first year looking at posters in Union, I never would have expected to be as passionate about derby as I am. If there's one thing I can tell any first year at 51¹ÙÍø, it's to go to that event that looks interesting, even if you're nervous. It could change your whole college experience!
