This past weekend I had the opportunity to inteview L.A. Derby Doll Tabitha 'Paris Kilton' Esther of the Sirens. Very cool chick, might I add. We had a cool conversation and I learned that not only does she dislike Paris Hilton and likes Craigslist, I also discovered that we were born and graduated high school in the same years! Check out the interview and pics below. Photos courtesy of Tabitha Esther. Photography by Nathan Nowak.
How did the name Paris Kilton come about?
I didn't really like Paris Hilton a lot – I thought it was a funny play on [the name]. I began skating during the time that she became really popular. So it seemed appropriate for somebody to take that name at the time.
How long have you been skating?
I have been skating since spring of 2005. The LA Derby Dolls have been around for about 5 years – since 2003.
How did you get involved with the league?
I just saw an ad on Craigslist and it seemed like a lot of fun. You fall into a really cool group of women and you can exercise. It's just a fun thing.
Have you been involved in any other organized sports in the past?
No – not really. I wasn't very inclined to play sports until roller derby.
Is the camaraderie among the women something that draws you to the sport?
Sure. It's hard in general for women to make friends with other women without the contacts through college or work. So, coming into the organization it's very helpful. It's easy going. People are super smart. Everyone has the same mentality. It's a really great collection of women who are just really cool and get a long pretty well.
Are there any programs or leagues that are focused on younger girls and adolescence?
Actually, we started a program for younger girls called the Junior Derby. That started last year when a few of our skaters got together and decided they were going to put together a program for younger girl. I think the ages are from 8 to teenagers, or so. They've been working really hard and they are adorable! They all get together and skate. They all learn roller derby and they're all getting their exercise, having friends. It's nice because a lot of the moms in the league can bring their girls in. These girls can see their moms skate. It's very sweet.
The Junior League was able to play during our half-times – or what is called the "baby doll brawl" – that was in late October.
How long does a typical league game last? If I was coming into the game as a spectator for the first time what would I expect – is the game played in halves or quarters?
We have four quarters and each quarter is 12 minutes long. Then we have about a half an hour during half time break. Jams are 60 seconds of game play. The game lasts somewhere around 2 hours.
Where do you all play here in LA?
We have our track and it's housed in a warehouse a little bit west of downtown. The warehouse used to be an ice cream factory! We moved in there last year after living in Little Tokyo shopping malls.
How long do you see yourself skating?
[Laughing] Until I have to stop! Until my body physically says 'no thank you!' I've been fortunate enough (knock on wood) to not get seriously injured. I have been skating for a while and I want to keep doing it until I can't any longer.
Do you mind me asking how old you are?
I'm 27. Born in 1981 – graduated in 1999.
Where do you see the league and the sport itself in about 5 years?
The league goes through all sorts of changes. I think the league will continue to grow. We've gotten really popular within the last year and I think it has a lot to do with finally having a stable house to skate. Now that we have a permanent space to practice it's definitely more attractive to people who want to pick up the sport. And I think with things like Junior Derby it helps because the sport itself is fun! People are going to participate as long as it's fun.
On average, how much of your time do you devote to practices and games?
There are about 8 practices a month minimum. Each practice is about 2 hours long. The game days usually take a lot of time to set up and clean up. It is pretty time consuming but you look forward to it – it's kinda like going to class, but it's really fun and social.
Is there anything else you’d like the YouthNoise/PlayCity community to know about yourself and the Derby Dolls?
Yeah, if you've ever thought about playing- then try it out. Give it a shot. Go out and see what you want to do and see if it's for you. You might actually discover an enjoyable pastime and make friends. For myself, when I first moved to Los Angeles I didn't have my own friends. So it was one of those things where it was like 'I'm going to go out and do something!' And it worked out really well for me. I'm really happy about where I am in the league and all the friends I've meant along the way.
Someone once told me that when you play roller derby you walk about six inches taller – it's not only like you finally have something you can work on, it's also very gratifying mentally. One day you just let go and you've done it!
###
Many thanks to Tabitha and the L.A. Derby Dolls!
