Paradise resident, former roller derby player chronicles her experiences

While many teenagers were studying for high school exams and wondering whom they might take to prom, 15-year-old Cindy McCoy was skating in the roller games for Australia.

"I had to plead with my mom to quit school and go down under," McCoy said. "She let me go, and that's where everything began."

McCoy, who now resides in Paradise, took roller skating lessons with her mother as a little girl in Colorado and fell in love with the activity from the beginning. In the 1960s, she started training with the Los Angeles T-Birds roller team at 14, when she met team manager John Hall.

"I had to run the training school, and that's where I found this young, petite kid," Hall said. "As I explained the (training) process, Cindy's eyes got wider and wider. She told me, 'This would be better than what I have at home.' "

McCoy's home life was not ideal. With divorced parents and a sour relationship with her mother's boyfriend, she turned to roller games as an outlet. McCoy's teammates became her family, she said.

"Each skater had their own special quirks, strengths and weaknesses," McCoy said. "We grew together. We never questioned race or background. We were just skaters."

The spectators in Brisbane, Australia, became part of her family, as well. Fans voted McCoy "Roller Game Rookie Queen," an honor she still cherishes. Hall said it was a turning point in the 16-year-old skater's career.

"I didn't see a young rookie anymore. I saw a young lady who became a star for the fans," Hall said. "It was like I was a father because I had so much pride and admiration for what she's done."

Hall became McCoy's mentor during her roller game days and paired her with professional Ann Calvello, a skater she admired. What she learned from Hall and Calvello proved invaluable.

"I was trying to imitate my idols like Ann because I thought that's what you were supposed to do," McCoy said. "John taught me that I needed to be myself, which is the best lesson I've learned."

McCoy skated on the Australian team for almost two years before going back to Colorado and finishing school at Metropolitan State College.

She left her roller games days behind and worked at First National Bank and in management at various retail stores for several years before retiring. This year, McCoy published a book, "Hell on Wheels," and is in the process of possibly turning it into a movie.

McCoy said though the roller games have evolved and lost popularity throughout the years, she is thankful to have been involved with a group of women who paved the way for future female athletes.

"It makes you feel good to inspire young people to never give up on your dreams," McCoy said. "I tried to be a pioneer and give hope to those women who wanted to be athletes."

As much as she enjoyed giving back to the game, McCoy said nothing matches what skating has provided for her.

"Roller games helped me find myself, my identity, who I was," McCoy said. "It taught me discipline and to be responsible for your own decisions. I went out and skated hard, and the fans gave back to me. Every day was an adventure."

For more information on McCoy, visit rollerderbylegend.com.

Contact Paradise/Downtown View reporter Lisa Carter at lcarter@viewnews.com or 383-4686.