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Jennifer ‘Boo Boo’ Murray sees growth through roller derby

Posted at 10:52 PM, Jun 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-18 16:48:58-04

HELENA — Skating in a circular motion, dodging and hitting opponents; all in the name of Roller Derby, is where ‘Boo’ finds herself at home.

Jennifer “Boo Boo” Murray, has been playing roller derby for nine years as part of the Hel’z Belles flat track roller derby team. When discussing her early derby career, Boo said she was the “baby” of the group, but her time in the oval is part of the reason she’s grown physically and mentally.

“You push through so many times where you get hit and and you get the wind knocked out of you and you have to suck it up and keep going,” Boo said.

Boo, though, isn’t the only person who noticed her growth over time. Co-creator of the Hel’z Belles and current coach Kristy ‘BambiBoozled’ Fortman said Boo has established herself as a vital role in the regime’s plan of attack as both a jammer, a player denoted with a star that earns points for the team, and a blocker, a player who blocks the opposing team in an effort to stop the opposing jammer while clearing a way for their own jammer.

“Over the years I’ve seen her become really strong, really knowledgeable and just gain a lot of self confidence and become a really amazing jammer and blocker,” BambiBoozled said.

To her teammates, Boo oozes effort and passion when she’s in the zone, so much so, Laura ‘Sherley Temper’ Sherley, joked that Boo likely was born with a pair of skates on.

“She has just a natural ability, those people that just …they into skate. I joke that she was probably born in them, but in a way she really was,” Temper said. “That’s how I‘ve gotten to know her and seen her grow as her own derby player. I mean, gosh, she’s just naturally good.”

Temper also said Boo’s ability to lace up the skates and put that passion to work, delegate’s her as the team’s “white rabbit,” or leader to follow.

“She’s a very, very important part of this team. I would say, at least in terms of training and just being almost kind of like the white rabbit, where everyone see’s what she can do and like, ‘I want to try that; I want to do it,” Temper said. “She’s that one level head for some people to jump to.”

For more information on the Hel’z Belles click here.