You wouldn’t know it by looking at her, but Heidi Beck has a surprising secret identity.

In her working life, she is a mild-mannered zebrafish lab manager at the Stevenson Center. But outside the lab she’s known as Olive Turmoyl (back row, far right), one of several Vanderbilt staffers and grad students who skate for the Nashville Rollergirls roller derby league.

Along with teammates with such nicknames as Hildabeast, Audrey Trackburn, Smith N. Wesson and Abrasion Hussy, she dons skates, fishnet stockings – and some serious attitude – to shove, push and elbow her way to victory.

“Olive and Heidi together complete who I am,” said Beck, who graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in biology and marine science. “I guess you could look at it like an ego-and-id dynamic. Olive isn’t afraid to talk back or shoulder check someone out of her way, and Heidi tries to keep Olive under control.” 

Although fighting during a bout is technically prohibited, tempers do flare, said Beck, and occasionally blood is drawn. But she doesn’t mind the sport’s rough reputation.

“When people say negative things about roller derby, it gives me the opportunity to open someone’s eyes to something so wonderful and empowering. Learning to skate, cross-over, give and take a block are all teachable skills that any girl can do if she is dedicated enough. Through derby, I’ve become a much stronger person.”

The Rollergirls’ final home bouts of the season will be Oct. 20 and Nov. 10, 2007 at the Nashville Fairgrounds.

by Joan Brasher
photography by Steve Green

To see a slide show of the rollergirls, click here.

To comment on this feature, e-mail view-editor@vanderbilt.edu.

Posted 10/01/07