Bonus Interview: Wyoming Outlaws
HLP: What sparked the formation of the Wyoming Outlaws?
Mirduh: The spark comes from a few years of whispers about, “wouldn’t it be cool if we had a competitive state team?” and “could we maintain a state team?” There was an attempt at a state team years and years ago, and unfortunately, it just wasn’t the time for it. We’re confident that now is the time to shine.
HLP: Who approached whom, and when did it become real?
Mirduh: It was during the winter of 2024. It was just one of those things that happened the way it was meant to happen. I had bounced the idea off a few skaters around the state, mostly just daydreaming, and enough of them thought the idea sounded like a nice plan, so we started a list of skaters who we thought would help build our new community and went for it. It became real when we made the first public social media post, announcing who we were, there was no going back!
HLP: Why now? What made this the right time to build something like this?
Mirduh: Nick had just resigned from coaching the Bitter Sweet Bombshells, and I was questioning where I belonged in the derby community. After a ton of self-doubt, questioning if we could pull it off, and stressing over how this would affect the established derby communities, we just went for it. Nick has been my biggest support from the beginning, and is always the first to believe I can be successful, he’s the real reason we had the push to get things going.
HLP: What gap or need were you trying to fill in the scene or sport?
Mirduh: Wyoming is a hard state to develop things that require large numbers of people. I love the fact that there are more antelope in Wyoming than there are people. But as amazing as our wide open spaces and miles of land to explore without encountering another soul are, it makes it difficult to establish things like a group of 20-plus individuals who have strong skating skills and are well-versed in the rules of roller derby. Our members still have home leagues that we love and support, but we also have a craving for something more, something to push us past our limits and challenge us to be quicker, smarter, and stronger. We’re hoping to fill that desire and need with the creation of the Outlaws.
HLP: How did you choose the name?
Mirduh: We still debate this, but the way I remember it, we started talking about what we wanted to call ourselves, we knew it had to belong to Wyoming. We also knew we were taking a risk with starting a new team that would be pulling these strong players and team leaders away from their home leagues; it felt a little rebellious. With that in mind, and the fact that roller derby already attracts the misfits and tough guys, we started throwing names out there, and when the “Outlaws” came out, we knew that was it.
HLP: What are you looking for when you scout someone?
Mirduh: We really only scouted the first twenty skaters. I called on a few skaters whom I knew we could count on, and we started a list of people we thought would be willing to take a risk on us. Now that we’re hitting the track and we’ve got people hooked, we’re focusing on learning from each other and becoming a strong, well-oiled, derby machine.
HLP: How do you spot Outlaw potential, and what’s the defining trait?
Mirduh: There are a couple of things we base our foundation on for teammates. 1. Are they coachable? What I mean by this is, when one of our coaches sees something that needs to be adjusted, are they going to take that feedback and put it into action without hesitation? 2. Are they willing to take a back seat to the team if it isn’t their day to shine? We all have good days and bad days, but what we’re looking for are the teammates who will acknowledge their bad day, take a step back, and lift up their teammates who are having a good day. This is HARD. Especially because we all want to get out there and play, but we believe in each other, and we all want to be successful as a team.
HLP: Were there any hard choices when assembling the team?
Mirduh: Wyoming has some amazing roller derby players. When we made the initial recruitment list, we cut ourselves off at twenty. We could have kept going, but we wanted to start with not much more than a full roster, so we could get the first season started. If things went well, we knew the skaters would follow. So yes, it was hard, because we are well aware of the fact that there are great players and teammates out there that we didn’t recruit; we just wanted to start with a manageable number of teammates so we wouldn’t sink before swimming.
HLP: Is there anyone you’re still hoping to bring in?
Mirduh: Expanding the team is still intimidating! We love the fact that players are excited and want to join us, and the door will never close. When people ask how to get on the team, right now, we ask them for a “derby resume” and two references, preferably one coach and one teammate. And maybe one day, the team will host annual tryouts! Right now, we’re just taking it day by day and not actively recruiting.
HLP: What makes this team different from anything else in the state?
Mirduh: One of the things that I think makes us different from the other teams in Wyoming is the push for competition. We are all at a point in our derby journies that we’re ready to hit harder, skate faster, and play at the next level. A big part of competing at the next level means we have to take the team beyond our borders. Our first game is about 800 miles round trip for the closest and 1500 miles for the furthest. We’re going to pile a bunch of us in a large van, make a road trip out of it, and leave everything we’ve got out on the track. We might all be slightly crazy, but I can’t even begin to describe how exciting it is!
HLP: How would you describe the Outlaw vibe in three words?
Mirduh: Driven, united, warriors
HLP: What’s your reputation so far, and does it match who you really are?
Mirduh: I’m curious if we have a reputation. I’m well aware of the fact that I’m oblivious to a lot of things, so we could have one, and I just don’t know about it. But for now, we’re working on becoming a support system and role model for the roller derby community in Wyoming. There are several Outlaw members who are at all the derby events in Wyoming, whether they are coaching, playing, officiating, or being fans. One of our big goals is to keep the derby community strong in Wyoming.
HLP: How do you balance that edge with the need to be a cohesive team?
Mirduh: One of the challenges we face, being so spread out across the state, is figuring out how to skate like a team and not be scrambling to get it together. Luckily, we are all so involved in derby already that we pretty much know each other as skaters. In order to know each other better as teammates, we commit to getting together once a month to really focus on strategy and learning who we are as a team.
HLP: Any nicknames, rituals, or inside jokes already forming?
Mirduh: I don’t think we have any official rituals or anything yet, but I can definitely say, forming this team has built and strengthened friendships across the state and teams that I’ll forever treasure.
HLP: What’s been the biggest moment so far since you formed?
Mirduh: There are two moments that stand out in my mind, the first was at our first practice and after we warmed up and started doing a little scrimmaging so the coaches could see what they were working with, and they all just looked at each other and had a little panic thinking, “Dang, we’re gonna have to up our coaching for this team.” That was awesome to hear about my new teammates. The other was an aha moment at a later practice. We introduced a skill for trapping an opposing skater at the beginning of practice, and about an hour later, I realized that everyone was still implementing that strategy. Too often do we learn things, just to shove them aside and return to our defaults, but here my teammates were, implementing something well after we were done learning it. That was an awesome moment. These are just silly little moments, but they fill my heart with excitement and joy, and I know there will be more.
HLP: What challenges have you faced early on, and how did you handle them?
Mirduh: One of the biggest challenges we’ve faced is funding. Money is tight for everyone, and starting a team from scratch has been rough. But we have a great community and we’re working on it! The other is time. There are only so many weekends in the summer, and even though it might be a surprise to some players, people do things other than roller derby! We’ve had to really plan with the whole state’s derby calendar in mind. Thankfully, Miss Mel already had most of the events scheduled out, so we could utilize the most available weekends. It’s been tough, though; it takes a lot of time and commitment.
HLP: Who’s the sleeper threat on the team, someone folks underestimate?
Mirduh: Oh gosh, I think every single player on our team comes with a toughness disclaimer. Haha! I don’t think we’re pulling any sneaky tricks….yet!
HLP: Do you have a signature style or approach that sets you apart?
Mirduh: I think one of the goals we have is to catch Wyoming roller derby style up with the rest of the country’s style and strategy. We live in a kind of bubble, and tend to keep to ourselves, mostly because everyone else is so far away! Hopefully, we can start interacting more with other teams from other regions and help Wyoming roller derby stay fresh and up to date. We’ll see how that influences our own style.
HLP: What’s something about your gameplay or dynamic that outsiders might miss?
Mirduh: One of the things that I think we have special about our team is that we have so many skaters who are able to play in any position on the track. For a lot of small community derby teams, this isn’t a surprise, but we’re grateful and lucky that our players don’t have to play any position; they can choose to play them.
HLP: How do you prepare mentally and physically before a competition?
Mirduh: We’ve really been watching games that our opponents have been playing recently and working on plans to combat their strengths and weaknesses. We depend on and trust our leadership and coaches to guide us in the right direction for success.
HLP: Who’s calling the shots, or is it more democratic?
Mirduh: We encourage our team members to contribute ideas and ask questions, but another unique thing for our team is that we give full authority to the team manager/head coach to make final decisions.
HLP: How does being a Wyoming-born team shape your approach?
Mirduh: I think most people have a sense of pride for where they call home, but there is something special about being from Wyoming. We’re built for hard work, grit, and problem-solving. We’re not afraid to get a little dirty from working hard, and if you get some road rash, rub a little dirt on it, pick yourself up, and keep going.
HLP: What’s different about the way athletes or competitors come up here compared to bigger States?
Mirduh: I think it’s harder to grow and develop as an athlete in communities across Wyoming, compared to bigger states. In other regions around the country, athletes have access to resources and competition to grow and push themselves, which we just don’t have. Our athletes have to be willing to put in the extra effort to hunt for resources or find ways to continue to challenge themselves in order to reach new levels of achievement.
HLP: Do you feel a sense of pride or pressure representing the state at such a high level?
Mirduh: I love Wyoming, and I’m so excited to be representing our state at higher levels of competition. It’s also intimidating! But that’s why we’ve surrounded ourselves with great players who will help the Outlaws shine and show the derby world that Wyoming is ready to get out there and show them what we’re made of.
HLP: What’s next for the Outlaws?
Mirduh: We just joined the new WFTDA Open Division, and we’re excited to see where this goes. We want to prove ourselves on the track and in the rankings.
HLP: Where do you see this team going in the next year?
Mirduh: We’re looking forward to taking the team to play in new cities that we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to otherwise. We’re also excited to take on hosting the Square State Brawl in Rock Springs for 2026 and bring in some great higher-level games for the local derby community to come watch live.
HLP: Are you hoping to influence or change the culture in any way?
Mirduh: The great thing about roller derby is that there is a place for everyone. We’re not looking to make any changes to what we already have in the derby community in Wyoming; we just want to add to it.
HLP: Is there an ultimate goal, or is this about something bigger than wins?
Mirduh: The goal is to make a name for ourselves. We want the region to be excited to see the Outlaws on the game board and know they are going to see a great game. But we’re also determined to be a resource for the state of Wyoming. Our area doesn’t just struggle for players; it’s also difficult to find skating and non-skating officials, volunteers to help run events, and training opportunities for smaller leagues. We encourage our members to be there for the bigger community and help fill those gaps where needed.
HLP: If someone says Wyoming Outlaws a year from now, what do you hope comes to mind?
Mirduh: A year from now, when someone says “Wyoming Outlaws,” I hope they envision a group of skaters and coaches that they can depend on and learn from.
HLP: What’s something the public doesn’t see but should know about what you’re building?
Mirduh: I would want the public to know that we’re not just working hard to become stronger athletes and competitors, but here here for the greater community that is Wyoming. We love our community, and so many of us serve our individual communities in unique ways, we hope that our name becomes associated with with tough athletes that are dependable and kind individuals.
HLP: Any advice for the next person who wants to earn an Outlaw spot?
Mirduh: Be a role model for your sport. Work hard and put in the time to not just be strong, but learn strategy. Watching games and rewinding specific moments to break down what’s happening. Volunteer for teams outside of your own. These are all things that grow our community, and that’s what we want to see from the Outlaws.
HLP: What’s the hardest part of being part of a team that’s already expected to be the best?
Mirduh: The hardest part of being on the team is the stress and fear of not living up to expectations. This is booth as an individual and as a team. We’re all still here to have fun playing a sport that we love and to have fun, but we’ve just created a new layer with the expectation for us to be great.
HLP: You have two games this season! Go ahead and tell me all about that! (travel plans, how you found your opponents, etc) If we get pictures back from your August 16th game in time to publish, I can add them! Even if they are taken by you all!
Mirduh: We just secured our third game for this season in Colorado, and we’re excited to have this one closer to home! This was the first game that we were contacted by the opposing team. Our other games were secured after dozens of emails and messages being sent out to surrounding teams and adds on social media, searching for teams that had any spots left. We were a little late to the scheduling this year, which is what made it difficult for us to secure these games. We’re confident that next season will be even better and provide more opportunities for us to show what we’ve got.
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