Happy Officials Appreciation Week: Tweety Bird!

Tweety serving up sass for Season 10! Photo by Matt Ruddick

As more businesses shut their doors for the next few weeks and bouts everywhere are being rescheduled- I think it is safe to say we could all use some positivity. While events are being cancelled left and right, there’s one thing that can’t be cancelled: Officials Appreciation Month! This week’s featured official is an actual ray of sunshine and someone who can always make a gloomy day (or global pandemic) brighter.

Tweety Bird has been a non-skating official for about 4 years. In that time she has become somewhat of a fixture on the track, and in our hearts. Tweety is bubbly, kind, friendly and her lipgloss is always poppin’.

From our roaring 20s Dancing with a Dame event to every parade, Tweety shows up to support local roller derby! If she isn’t NSOing, you can find her in the crowd or at an event to cheer everyone on.

Whether she is manning the stopwatch, calling five seconds, blowing a whistle or helping tape down the track, Tweety gives 100%. She is a dedicated and knowledgeable official and Cornfed is so very grateful to have her around!

Tweety Bird blows the whistle on Tazmanian Ethel. Ah, what are best friends for? Photo by Matt Ruddick

Tweety got involved with derby through a new skater clinic with her best friend, and our very own Tazmanian Ethel. Wanna be besties with Tweety too? Get to know her better with this fun Q&A:

What got you started officiating? 

My best friend Ethel plays derby! So I tried the skater clinic, but was so sore afterwards and we didn’t even hit each other! So I decided officiating was for me! 🙂

Do you prefer to officiate on or off skates? Why? 

Off skates at this time. Because while I own skates and can skate, I do not own the pads, and like with the skater clinic, my body was so sore because of all the pads, cause I’m a weakling apparently lol off skates is just as fun! Plus, my derby wife is an NSO at this time, and I like officiating with her!

What is the hardest part of officiating?

When skaters get hurt, especially the ones I’m closest to. It is also hard to handle when skaters become disrespectful to officials. Thankfully this does not happen often. Many things in officiating are time based, and when multiple time based things are happening at once, that can be hard to manage as well.

What is the best part? 

The people I get to work with! Also, I love watching all the strong athletes out on the track!

What would you tell someone who is considering becoming an official?

Do it! It’s a wonderful experience and you will get to meet so many amazing people!

What do you do when you’re not officiating?

I work as a speech therapist at a long term care facility. I love to hang out with my two rabbits, Basket and Casey. My boyfriend Brandon is pretty great, and he officiates with me sometimes! We love to spend some time with both our families, and friends. I love to skate, craft, sleep, workout, and travel!

Cornfed Derby Dames St. Patrick's Day Parade
Tweety Bird and Dames show off their St. Patrick’s Day Spirit! Photo courtesy Debra Roberts

There you have it, folks! Tweety is an instrumental part of Midwestern roller derby and a huge asset to CFDD. We hope you all had a fun and safe St. Patty’s yesterday and continue to find joy in the little things until COVID-19 blows over.

Stay safe and healthy and in the meantime, make sure you show a little love to the people who keep our sport safe 24/7.

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