When junior Katelyn Strader lined up on the track during her first ever roller derby competition in February of 2024, her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

She stood there in her skates, nervous for what was to come. 

The referee then blew the whistle, and the battle was on.

Blows hit her from left and right as she tried to stop the other team’s jammer from weaving up to the front of the pack, but her main goal was simply to survive.

With just two weeks under her helmet and her nickname ‘Rapunchel’ freshly pressed on her jersey the night before, pressure filled her body. 

The adrenaline was cranked on high, but Strader harnessed her fear, turned it into fuel and began to feel alive. 

“I had never clicked to something that quick or understood something so easily,” Strader said. “(It’s) almost like it was a ‘born gift,’ and who knows, maybe I was born to skate.”

That day, Strader not only found her sport but a ‘second’ family that helped her break out of her shell. After two years on the track, she’s fallen in love with roller derby and cultivated her voice through it.

Before her days of blocking for jammers, Strader enjoyed many trips to the Fun Factory as a little girl and found the rink to be a place full of laughter and fun.

Then, in 2018, her mother, Jessica Strader, began her roller derby career. Shortly thereafter, Strader’s younger sisters, Kelsey and Shelby, hit the track. 

Once they started competing for the Indianapolis Junior Roller Derby team and fell in love with the sport, Strader tagged along, and this opened her eyes to the world of derby. 

The intensity of the sport drew her in, but the team’s chemistry got her hooked.

“Even to this day, just watching them play, they have this connection with their own teammates, (and they have) higher energy as well,” Strader said.

Though there was gray area, she was ready to go.

In her first few weeks, she had to rapidly learn the basic techniques for skating on the floor.

She figured out how to branch, which is normally when the first blocker tries to hit the opposing team’s jammer, but she couldn’t figure out how to stop.

Though she had trouble with it at first, her coaches taught her how to do it safely. This opened the door for her to ask more questions.

After countless demanding practices, Strader managed to climb all the way up to the varsity squad in just a short amount of time.

The newfound skills that she picked up on the track also developed key leadership qualities, and many have taken notice of what is being constructed.

Shelby, also known as Smooth Criminal, has seen her older sister grow in many facets of becoming a better teammate.

“I(‘ve) seen her (grow) as a leader from when she started socializing with friends and understanding behavior, expectations and sportsmanship,” Shelby said.

Team captain Clive Gillam, also known as EvilC, notices Strader’s strong initiative as a blocker. He believes she’s improved tremendously.

“She’s grown a lot (through) her awareness on the track, her leadership (and) being able to control the pack…,” Gillam said.

Whether it’s during practices or games, Strader embodies the skills of a key blocker and leader, which wouldn’t be possible without the “second” family she has created through roller derby.

As Strader has spent more time with her teammates, her voice began to shine brighter than most.

When it comes to communication, head coach Eric Hillman believes Strader thrives in this field. 

“You have to be able to communicate with each other to know what you are doing,” Hillman said. “… Her communication is pretty excellent. It’s probably one of the top three on my team.”

Though she has grown into a great leader on the rink, she lives a quieter life at school.

As she walks through the halls, Strader keeps to herself and feels the stress to succeed. 

“You go to school and it’s stressful,” Strader said. “Nobody really likes school and then you come here, you get to hangout with (who you) love, that second family,” Strader said.

Strader is able to let loose with a unique group that shares the same heart for derby, even after a rough day in the classroom. 

No matter the situation, Strader’s squad stands behind her. 

“They’re like that phone call or message away…,” Strader said. “They’re just there for you whether you’re struggling or it’s just maybe you need somebody there. (They’re) like that hug you need.”

Even in spite of her passion, Strader quit the sport she loves several times to fight her own mental struggles and prioritize other commitments. 

But the sport kept grabbing her and pulling her back in. 

She itched to get back on the concrete floor, and every time she returned, her team awaited with open arms.

Her circle kept her coming back each and every day, adding more of that spark.

“I feel like if we didn’t have the support and us giving the positivity to each other, I probably wouldn’t be here…,” Strader said. “These people are like ‘This is my other family. This is someone I can come to when I’m struggling.’”

She’s found a place where she could break out of her shell.

“I didn’t have the confidence to be able to talk and navigate people through, so it built a lot of my leadership and confidence,” Strader said.

These traits carry over into game time, and it showed in their most recent tournament this past February.

When the squad arrived and time wound down, Strader and her teammates listened to the infamous song “Unwritten” by Natasha Beddingfield, a unique team anthem that gets them hype.

When the whistle blew, Strader and her teammates lined up. And just like her first match, the nerves hit her. 

But those feelings quickly fizzled away with the presence

of her teammates, skyrocketing her confidence. 

Strader and her squad, shoulder to shoulder, climbed their way to the podium, achieving second place.

Regardless of the outcome, Strader is thrilled to call derby and her team a “second” family.

“I’m always proud to be a part of it,” Strader said. “Whether we lose or win, I’m always proud to be a part of that community.”