Roller Derby: Daring to do sports differently

Since learning to roller skate at the age of 34 with the inception of Auld Reekie Roller Derby, Lianne ‘Crazylegs’ Parry transformed into an unlikely amateur athlete over the following 12 years and is still skating today. Competing with Auld Reekie’s All Star team in tournaments across Europe, the US and Canada, Lianne also played for Team Scotland Roller Derby at three World Cups - Toronto 2011, Dallas 2014 and Manchester UK 2018.

After taking on many roles for her Edinburgh based club, including Director, Captain and Coach, Lianne became interested in exploring the global growth of the sport, and helped with the formation of the UK Roller Derby Association before becoming a European Representative for the Roller Derby Nations Committee.

In 2019, Lianne joined the Board of Directors for the International Governing Body of Roller Derby - the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and is currently working to help steer this DIY, global competitive sport through a worldwide pandemic and to be truly revolutionary as it grows and changes.

Professionally, Lianne is ‘Head of Heritage’ at Heart of Midlothian Football Club, where she works to preserve and make accessible the rich history of the Club, through tours, education and exhibitions.

Lianne’s talk explores the value in daring to be different - sharing how Roller Derby’s core values that build strength, resilience and confidence through community can be applied well beyond the track and help us break down our own insecurities and dare to be ourselves

Headshot by Anje Wettergren