This week’s guest is a former D-1 collegiate alpine skier turned Gotham Roller Derby All Star, not to mention she’s a physics, space, and paleontology reporter at the Wall Street Journal. Meet Aylin Woodward, affectionately known as Yeti Or Not.
Yeti cut her teeth on the ski slopes, but ultimately ended up a roller derby All-Star, she’ll tell you that switching from a team sport to a solo sport took some of the pressure off. But, don’t let Yeti fool you, she’s self-critical no matter what, and perhaps this is part of what keeps her nose to the grindstone whether she’s reporting on climate change or striving for the Hydra.
A competitive spirit is the lifeblood behind everything she does, but under a tough exterior beats an empathetic heart that understands that the greater good that only connection facilitates is of the utmost importance.
In this interview, Yeti speaks to the hard realizations she and her league mates faced during the shutdown. With her priorities rearranged, Yeti found herself slowing down enough to see that the very strengths that drove Gotham forward contributed to its shortcomings in relation to accessibility and openness to change.
During this conversation we see that Yeti does not shy away from the discomfort that inevitably accompanies growth. Over the past few years, she has exemplified this by proudly finding her place on Team Black Diaspora, and on the whole remaining teachable in her approach to derby in the post-pandemic world.
Ever the voracious learner, Yeti brings all of her hard earned knowledge to coaching junior roller derby skaters, finding that they are often her favorite skaters to coach!
On wheels Yeti can take a breather from her high pressure day job, and in this interview she gets a chance to take a load off. We’re right there with her along for this open and heartfelt ride. Join us!
For all things Gotham Roller Derby :
https://www.gothamrollerderby.com/For all things Santa Cruz Roller Derby : Check out Team Black Diaspora on IG :Follow Yeti on IG : Here's the article Aylin wrote that we chat about in the episode :
