Immune to bruises, sophomore Logan Goff raced in the tracks of a rink for the Indianapolis Junior Roller Derby soon to be announced as Most Valuable Blocker.
Playing roller derby, a full contact sport, may seem lighthearted and fun, but the price that comes with it made Goff feel like he should quit.
“I remember when I first got my first MVB. I was so excited,” Goff said. “It was a very difficult game and pretty much every single game I come in feeling sick to my stomach because it’s terrifying and it’s a lot of pressure and slightly dangerous, but that’s definitely worn off.”
Going from a struggling beginner to winning MVB three times, Goff has evolved as a person and skater after years of training and days of bruises.
At the beginning of his journey, Goff was bullied because of his height and weight. He wanted something to help with his self-esteem and his ability to defend himself.
Starting off as a Rookie, a member of the lowest type of team, in 2018, Goff started learning the basics of roller derby such as how to skate and how to do cross overs.
From the start, Goff loved derby even though he didn’t know how to do it yet.
“When I first started, it was pretty overwhelming because I could barely skate,” Goff said. “But they are really good at making it feel welcoming. We’re very welcoming to pretty much everyone.”
In 2019, he advanced to the second to last team, junior varsity. Goff stayed there for two years and then progressed to varsity, and has played the position of pivot ever since.
The pivots position is a mix of blocking and jamming. The jammer is the player who scores points in a game by passing the other team’s four blockers. Goff has tried the position of jammer before, but the pressure was too overwhelming.
“Jamming takes a toll on mental stuff,” Goff said. “You have your entire team relying on you and that’s a lot of pressure, and I don’t do well with pressure so I don’t jam unless I have to.”
Four months after the season started, Goff started dating his supportive girlfriend, Charlotte Stonebraker. Stonebraker is also a derby racer and plays for the same team as Goff.
“I always feel proud, and it’s very impressive,” Stonebraker said. “It’s a really hard sport physically, so it’s definitely taken a negative physical toll.”
Seeing Goff out there has made her proud considering the amount of pressure there is. She enjoys being able to be there for him and having the opportunity to watch him play the sport.
“I try to motivate him by just being there but also just reminding him how talented he is,” Stonebraker said. “I play too, and it’s really fun to play together so that’s motivating too.”
Roller derby may have its negative effects, but for Goff, it was a place where he could develop his strengths instead of focusing on the weaknesses.
“I don’t necessarily play derby for the sport, I play it for the community … ,” Goff said. “I would not be the person I am today if I didn’t have derby because it has heavily influenced me. It has turned me into the person I’ve become.”
