Good things come in small packages, and Bona Petite is no exception to that rule. As a student at Ball State, a member of Pride of Mid-America Marching Band, and a regular show stopper in Rocky Horror Picture Show Bona is a force to be reckoned with- and that’s just off the track. Her name- a reference to her tiny frame and ability to “eat like a garbage disposal”- is no joke. When Bona laces up her skates she’s unpredictable with hits, jukes, and speed, eating up the track- bon appetit! Bona may be a newer skater, but she has passion for her team that started a long time ago. “My mom got me into roller derby back when I was in high school. We used to watch bouts together on weekends and I was always amazed by the sport.I fell in love with this sport in a heartbeat. I continued to watch it as I got older, then finally when I got to college, I had the opportunity to join a team that I had known for years, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Bona has worked hard since she started about 10 months ago, and her skill and determination as a skater has changed and improved since she started. “I have to tell myself that it is ok to fall. Sometimes it can be discouraging to get knocked down, which happens to me more than not, but it just means that you’re trying new things. When I am lacing up my skates, I have to convince myself that when I fall, I just have to get back up and try that jump, that hit, that transition just one more time, and eventually I will get it. Also I have to tell myself that you have to celebrate the little victories when they happen.”
Bona is known on the team not only for her crazy tights (her most famous pair is completely printed with ears of corn) but also for her fierce, sharp and acute hits. We’ve got the bruises to prove it, people. But the violence isn’t what keeps Bona coming back to the track. “The thing I love most about roller derby is the people. The people from our own team, people from other teams, the refs, NSO’s, and all of the fans, everyone who has involved themselves into this sport has made it a culture. When we are on the track, we may just be numbers and colors, but after practices and bouts, we all hang out! In the end, it really doesn’t matter what team you are on, we all care about each other because it is more than just a sport. I have made so many friends through roller derby and it has truly been an incredible experience.” That might sound like rainbows and sunshine kids, but watch out, Bona is like a sour patch rollergirl; first she’s sweet, then she’s sour.
See for yourself on Saturday January 30, when Bona will be lacing up her cupcake-adorned skates with the Dames to take on the Fort Wayne Derby Girls in a scrimmage at the Gibson’s Skating Arena at 10am. This event is free of charge, however there is a $5 suggested donation. Come grab a suicide seat and find out what Bona Petite is made of!