by Jim Almy
K. Beezy saw an ad in 2009 for the Bellingham Roller Betties, walked into their open practice and hasn’t stopped skating since.
A couple years later she was drafted by Grave Danger of the Rat City Rollergirls, playing well enough to become an all-star and well enough to be selected Most Valuable Player in the Feb. 15 bout by her team’s opponent, the Sockit Wenches.
More room may be needed in Beezy’s trophy case as the Wenches also voted her MVP after last season’s championship game. Add to that the Rose City Rollers Wheels of Justice selecting her as the MVP after they played the RCRG All-Stars last fall.
Against the Wenches, Beezy did a little bit of everything. She was the jammer a dozen times, scoring 92 points. She also worked as pivot six times and was blocker in another jam.
“I’ve always jammed and I’ve always blocked,” she said, “though I wouldn’t say my blocking was actually ‘blocking’ until about last year. Training to be a good blocker takes a lot of patience, timing, control and teamwork.”
She says that she loves the thrill of jamming, but her favorite action is to block. “Blocking is like chess on wheels. I’m constantly scanning the pack movement, pack definition, where the jammers are, where my fellow blockers are, what opportunities are available, what seams I can open for my jammer or close for the opposing team. Basically, my brain is on overdrive when blocking. When jamming there is only elevator music and looking to Vito.”
Vito Ramon is the coach of Danger. The elevator music playing in Beezy’s head when jamming is because all she says she has to do is move forward while Coach Ramon tells her when to call/pass/point protect. “No thinking necessary,” adds Beezy.
Kate, as she likes to be called, has played sports her entire life. Growing up in Flint, Michigan, she played basketball, volleyball, softball and ran cross country and track. She was on the track team at Michigan Technological University until she realized that track wasn’t what she wanted most out of the higher education experience and left the team to just ‘enjoy college’. “My varsity jacket is somewhat of a novelty when I show people, it’s covered in medals.”
Her family is still in Michigan but when the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) Championships were held in Milwaukee this past year her parents and other family made the trip over to finally see her skate in a national competition. “It was awesome,” she said, “after working so hard to skate nationally, they got to witness high-level derby and championships in person. It was cute because they all wore shirts made by the lovely Bashionista of Rose City Rollers & Left Turn Clothing that had my face on it with the saying, “it ain’t eazy being beezy”. The design was made by the lovely Keary Ortiz (Agent Meow).”
Moms are always big fans and Beezy said that, when her former skate name was Kutta Betch her mother took to calling herself “Momma Betch” and she still does as she supports her daughter from afar.
Kate works for Fisheries Harvest Management for the State of Washington. She said that her co-workers are making a group trip next month to see her skate for the first time. “They’ve always been supportive of my career and have been intrigued by my dedication to this crazy sport,” she added.
Kate coached the men’s team Puget Sound Outcast Derby last year and she presently coaches a junior team, the I-5 Rollergirls.
She said that she has loved every single minute of being a member of Grave Danger. “Grave Danger has always felt like home and we refer to each other as ‘ohana’, which is Hawaiian for family — blood, extended and adopted,” she added.
After the MVP performances that have marked her career that ‘family’ is, no doubt, happy to have her as a member.
For tickets to see K. Beezy at the March 15th bout at KeyArena, go HERE