Student Speak

Fall 2007

Name: Whitney Wurzel
Class: Second year master's candidate, Masters in Earth and Environmental Resource Management (MEERM) program
Hometown: Native of Shepherdsville, Ky.
Background: Degree in English with concentration in environmental writing, Queens College, Charlotte, N.C.; former park ranger with Wind Cave National Park, Black Hills, South Dakota, and interpretive/education consultant with Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Clermont, Ky.; current fulltime public information coordinator, S.C. Energy Office, Columbia

Tell us about the MEERM program and your career aspirations. In the MEERM program, half of the coursework focuses on strengthening one's scientific background, while the other half builds business and management skills. I plan to either pursue a career in academia teaching nature and scientific writing, natural history, or environmental studies, or go into environmental management, perhaps park management.

You're a member of the roller derby team known as the Columbia Quad Squad, performing under the name of Steel Magnolia. How did you get involved in that? I have loved roller-skating since I was growing up in Kentucky. Early this spring I found the team by searching on Google and was at the rink the following week, ready to practice. Thankfully, the roller girls saw something they liked and invited me to join the team.

How does roller derby work? Basically, there are five members per team on the rink with each team consisting of three blockers, one pivot, and an offensive player called a jammer who scores the points. The jammer goes around the rink with the goal of scoring as many points as possible by getting past the other team's skaters in a two-minute session called a jam. The jammer must break through the 'pack' each time she goes around the track. The pack is where you see people getting blocked, but contrary to popular belief, players are not allowed to throw elbows in roller derby.

What position do you play and how often do you perform? I play blocker, but am working toward becoming a jammer. Eventually we want to compete every month or so. We hope to have our first home bout at the end of October or the early part of November at Skate Station USA in Lexington. We're a philanthropic organization, so we also sponsor and volunteer at other events like fund-raisers and festivals to support local organizations. We hope to begin focusing more on supporting women's issues.

Isn't roller derby a pretty rough activity? It can be. That's why we have to wear knee and elbow pads, wrist guards, helmets, and mouth guards. It's a sport where we roller girls know we're going to get bruised and have 'rink rash' from sliding on the floor, but you learn there are proper ways to fall, give hits, and take hits. You just protect yourself as much as you can by learning the right way to do these things.

What do you get out of roller derby? The level of athleticism involved is very demanding, which provides a great workout. Besides that, the Quad Squad women are a very spirited and supportive group. It's the sense of sisterhood that comes along with it that I really enjoy.

We also understand you're a crack bowshot and at one time kept a pet tarantula named Dolly. That's right. Dolly was my pet, but I also used her in my hands-on programs about spiders when I worked with the parks. Unfortunately she passed away this past spring. My father is an avid outdoorsman who had three girls, so I've been practicing archery since I was 7. I don't hunt, but I can take out any non-living target you put in front of me.

9/07