Nixon Broozes
Meet one of the Gapland Roller’s founding members: Kimberly Hilts. All of this Gapland wonderfulness is thanks to what started out as an idea for her and her sister, KnuckleBones. Kim started out playing flat track roller derby with the Pile O’ Bones Derby Club in Regina. After moving back home to Rocanville, she realized this sport was too good to let go. Kim left PBDC in 2010 and Gapland’s season one took off.
Kim’s derby name not only sounds neat, but pays homage to her mother. Nixon is actually her mother’s maiden name. She says she added Broozes to it because she seems to get a lot of them. The number 30 was not her original choice. Kim is the third of five children in her family, so her first choice for numbers was 3. Since that was already taken in PBDC, she just tacked a zero on and it seemed to stick ever since.
This 30 year-old is always busy. She teaches elementary school during the day, is the creative mind behind Doodlebugg Designs (web, logo, and print design), and is the chair of the Gapland art committee. Kim puts in countless hours towards bouts, special events, and day to day running of Gapland. League president hELLbilly Deluxe says, “her dedication to the sport and her league is nothing less than inspiring.”
Nixon Broozes’s favorite position is as a blocker. You will often see her taking leadership within the pack, directing our skaters. In 2012 she rightfully received the Derby Smarts award. Her sister and teammate, TINAshus T, shares, “she is a wealth of knowledge and is always so patient with everyone. Her leadership on the track is like no other. She always goes about it in such a calm manner.” Her goal for this season on the track is to continue to improve her communication and focus on Gapland’s teamwork.
Off the track, Kim wants to ensure that the art committee creates an effective, professional and easily recognizable image for our league as a whole. Know our wicked logo on our website, facebook page, jerseys, and merchandise? That’s thanks to Kim. She also wants to be a positive role model, leader and ambassador for our league. We know, she’s brilliant.
The highlights of her derby career so far, have been all of her interactions with her derby heroes from around North America. These include 8MeanWheeler, Onda Sligh, and Bonnie D. Stroir. By meeting, learning from, and corresponding with these ladies, they have continued to inspire Kim in all of her derby endeavors. She in turn, helps to inspire others without even knowing. “She is an unwavering advocate of our sport, with a passion evident to everyone she meets,” co-founding league member, KnuckleBones, reveals. “She is the most humble and inspirational player on the team. Without Nixon Broozes, there never would have been derby in Gapland.”
Check out Nixon Broozes this Saturday at our Merry Blockin’s event as she takes the track with the Gapland Rollers at 7:30. Hang around for the after-party and let her know if you’re happy she helped bring roller derby to Gapland!
Gapland Rollers 