Estevan roller derby star was a Fireball for Team Canada

ESTEVAN — The recent Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) World Cup, held from July 25-27 in Logan, Australia, proved to be a great experience for Estevan's Cecilia McCaskill.

Skating under the name Fireball, McCaskill was a blocker for Team Canada, and helped the national team to a fifth-place finish at the event.

"There was a lot of really, really good teams out there, so it was really impressive that we got to where we did," said McCaskill in an interview with SaskToday.  

McCaskill played in five of Team Canada's games, giving her lots of opportunities to showcase the skills she has pickup up in Estevan and Saskatchewan, while playing against the best in her age in the world.

She was selected to play for Team Canada last fall. After she was picked, Team Canada had a couple of practices and some bonding opportunities.

"Even as we were in Australia, we did a bunch of bonding stuff," she said. "After all of the games were done, we had a team lunch and got to say our farewells."

If not for Team Canada, she wouldn't have met so many of the people she skated alongside. McCaskill made a lot of friends through the JRDA World Cup.

"They were from B.C. or Ontario. Most of the Alberta people I knew in the first place, but the further [away] people I wouldn't have known," said McCaskill, who was the lone Saskatchewan representative.

The athletes from all the countries bonded over their common love for the sport, she said, and at the end of the tournament, a pen pal program was created so they can remain in touch.

People in Estevan have been very supportive, she said, offering verbal and financial commitment. Thanks to a 50-50 draw and a bottle drive, she raised a little more than $7,000, which covered the bulk of the trip's cost.

McCaskill arrived in Australia in mid-July and returned to Saskatchewan July 30. Three of the days were dedicated to the competition. Team Canada members also had some free time to experience the country, such as a visit to a koala sanctuary, a river tour and more.  

McCaskill believes the tournament showed her what she is capable of when facing a lot of pressure.

"I feel like I can play a lot more high-level tournaments because I haven't played that many before, so it gets me more into higher-experienced teams, and being able to play in the adult leagues, in the high level of the adult leagues, instead of just doing it in juniors," McCaskill said.

She is also grateful to the Estevan Roller Derby Association's Junior Coaler Rollers program for helping her find a love for the sport and develop as an athlete.

"It really meant a lot that, coming out of Estevan, I could do this big thing and represent Estevan for a second time, because my coach made it before, so we've had very good representation of the skills that are in Estevan," said McCaskill.

Her coach is Ella Gudmundson, who won a bronze medal at the World Cup while representing Canada two years ago.

McCaskill has one more year of junior eligibility remaining. She still enjoys the sport at the younger level, but she will also be playing in the senior age group in Regina while she attends the University of Regina, where she is enrolled in police studies.