Denver’s Stacie Wilhelm featured on ESPNW
When Stacie Wilhelm first tried out for roller derby in 2010 in Fort Collins, Colorado, she almost was turned away. But it wasn’t a lack of skill that made the Choice City Rebels nudge her toward the exits.
“When I came to try out at first, the league didn’t think I was old enough,” said Wilhelm, who was actually 26 at the time but rolled with players much younger. “I skated with the juniors because I hadn’t skated much on quad skates. But, I also had to assure them that I was well over the minimum age, which was 18.”
Since then, the baby-faced assassin has developed into a prolific scorer and become one of the most versatile players in the game.
Wilhelm, now a jammer for Denver Roller Derby, returns to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association championships this weekend in Portland, Oregon. Hosted by the league’s reigning world champion, the Rose City Rollers, the WFTDA’s international competition starts Friday and features teams from four countries. The league champion will be crowned Sunday (9 p.m. ET, ESPNU).