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Windy City Rollers Mon Oct 22 2012
WCR All-Stars Always Aiming For The Hydra
These days, there's only one thing on Jennifer Cozad's mind.
That thing is the Hydra Trophy. Known in the roller derby world simply as the Hydra, it is what Cozad, known to her Windy City Rollers All-Stars teammates as Phoebe Fi Fo Fum, and skaters all over the world aim for every fall. It's awarded each year to the winner of the WFTDA championship tournament.
Cozad, in her first season with the All-Stars (and her second with Windy City), will be playing on the national stage for the first time in a couple weeks and said that while she's definitely nervous, she's ready.
"I have complete confidence in my team," she said. "We train for the Hydra all season."
The All-Stars got a look at one of the teams they might face at WFTDA championships Saturday when they faced off against the Tornado Sirens of the Naptown Roller Girls. Cozad, who didn't skate Saturday, said Naptown is always a tough opponent.
"They're very stable on their skates," she said. "They are willing and ready to play a really fast game. We always have to play our best game."
Cozad got her first taste of tournament-level play at the WFTDA North-Central region playoffs last month. The All-Stars are 28-0 with one tie in their last 29 regional bouts, which Cozad said created very high expectations.
"There's so much pressure because we were undefeated in our region," she said.
Though WFTDA championships are still a couple weeks off, Cozad is already thinking about possible matchups.
"All of our games are going to be tough," she said.
The All-Stars, because they won the North-Central region, get to skip the first round of the tournament and will face either the Denver Roller Dolls or Baltimore's Charm City Roller Girls in round 2. Cozad thinks there's a good chance the All-Stars could also face Gotham in the semifinals.
"They're a tough team, but they're beatable," Cozad said.
Cozad said that she didn't think that after only two seasons with Windy City she'd be playing in an international tournament, But she was quick to add that she's ready.
"We train for this the whole season," she said. "It's such an honor to skate with them."
Jeremy / November 6, 2012 12:08 PM
The last name is "Cozad", not "Cozard". Thanks.