Roller Games

Street Skating

My first skating experience was about age 6 on quad roller-skates with metal wheels. At age 10 I organized neighborhood roller derby matches that were held in our backyard in Woodland Hills. I was an avid T-Birds fan and watched Roller Games on KTLA with Dick Lane calling the action. My dream was to one day wear the Thunderbird red-white-and-blue. I forgot about roller derby for a while just after turning thirTEEN. Instead, I was street-skating and doing crazy stunts such as being towed on city streets holding onto the driver’s side door and mirror. Several times I was towed on the freeway at 55 to 70 MPH. Had my skates faltered I wouldn’t be writing this today.

Ready to ride - Roller Games — Ready to ride

Ventura Freeway Entrance - Roller Derby — Ventura Freeway Entrance

Los Angeles T-Birds — The driver was often ticketed

Ventura Freeway 78' - Roller Games — Ventura Freeway 78′

Entering Freeway 78 - Roller Derby — Entering Freeway 78′

Sherri Dolnick driving the Olds Wagon - Roller Games — Sherri Dolnick driving the Olds Wagon

Sherri get me outta here! - Roller Derby — Sherri get me outta here!

Leapfrogging - Los Angeles T-Birds — Leapfrogging

Roller Derby

I attended roller derby training school starting in 1976 and struggled to adapt my street skating skills to the banked track. By 1978 I was a pro-skater with Roller Games skating next to legends of the game. It was everything I could have imagined but even more surreal and intense. Highlights included skating before capacity crowds at the Los Angeles Forum; The L.A. Sports Arena, San Diego Sports Arena and more. In 1980 I became a member of the Los Angeles Thunderbirds.