Vanessa's wildest dream has been to play roller derby for Australia. From skating in rained out sheds, to numerous car trips, flights, special buses, fundraising barbeques and street hockey in the pandemic, Vanessa has inched towards this goal since the 2000s, now skating at the incredible Victorian Roller Derby League.

After training and coaching at Convict City Rollers, and moving to Sydney Roller Derby in 2018, Vanessa currently trains with the Victorian Roller Derby All-Stars, with whom she travelled to Portland in November of 2023 to play at the Hometown Throwdown tournament.

It wasn’t until early 2022 that Vanessa was selected to play for Australia at the World Skate Games, later that year in Argentina. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled, with no rescheduled date in sight – despite travelling to several training sessions in Queensland in preparation.

Fast forward to today, and the Australian team is confirmed to be skating at the World Skate Games, held this September, 2024, in Abruzzo, Italy. This year’s games is special as it’s the 100^th anniversary of the games, and a great opportunity to again showcase the athleticism and strategy of the sport. The international rule set of roller derby will be on played at this Games event. Australia is going for Gold!

Roller derby is predominantly a women's sport, and is emerging from the pandemic relying on member dues and volunteer hours to operate clubs. Global exposure of roller derby will contribute to the sport’s worldwide recognition and growth, and Vanessa hopes that the attention will illustrate avenues into the sport - from a grassroots club to international gameplay, just like Vanessa’s derby career.

As a valued donator, you have the power to make a significant impact and support Vanessa represent Australia on the global stage. Your contribution will primarily help cover the expenses of domestic and international travel, accommodation, competition, and physio costs. You will also be pledging your commitment to fostering local talent and promoting sports excellence in our community. 

For partnership enquiries please contact vanessaa@y7mail.com

Thank you for your support!