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At Play Like a Girl, we're passionate about celebrating the journeys of our incredible members. Today, we're thrilled to shine the spotlight on Miranda, better known as "Harmin’ Miranda" at the rink. With a deep love for roller derby and an unwavering commitment to her league, Miranda's story is one of passion, perseverance, and leadership.
Meet Miranda: The Roller Derby Enthusiast
Miranda's journey into sports was anything but traditional. Growing up, she didn’t participate in team sports and came from a non-sporty family. However, her love for roller skating eventually led her to discover roller derby—a sport that would change her life. Since 2009, Miranda has been a key player at South Sea Roller Derby, where she’s not only a coach and co-captain but also serves as the league president. Her dedication to the sport is evident as she says, "I’m addicted to roller derby," and she’s hoping to keep skating for at least another 15 years.
The Magic of Teamwork and Coaching Success
For Miranda, the magic of roller derby lies in the moments when everything clicks as a team. “It’s the magic of achieving things as a team,” she shares. “When you play in the moment and things just come together.” Beyond her own achievements, Miranda finds immense joy in coaching others and watching them succeed. The thrill of seeing someone she’s coached shine is one of her fondest memories in sports.
Overcoming Challenges: The Roller Derby Resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for Miranda and her league. Maintaining a sense of community and keeping skating skills sharp during lockdowns was tough. But Miranda and her team didn’t back down. They embraced creativity with Zoom scavenger hunts, cook-alongs, and even 5-minute presentations on obscure topics. They also ran small-space skate sessions, adapting to the limited space available in garages. “Just showing up was the starting point to work through [the challenges],” Miranda recalls. This resilience helped them not only survive the pandemic but also come back stronger.
Empowered to Lead: A Course That Made a Difference
Miranda’s decision to join the Empowered to Lead course was driven by her desire to bring new skills and mindsets to her league—beyond the typical sports drills. “The course material looked super useful and things that are not traditionally covered in community sport,” she says. What she didn’t expect was how profoundly it would impact her personal and professional growth.
Mindsets for Life: Beyond the Rink
The course introduced Miranda to mindsets that she found applicable far beyond the rink. From goal setting to communication skills, these lessons have found their way into her workplace as well. “We’re diving into DISC at work at the moment, so I have a leg up!” she shares. Concepts like "above the line and below the line" thinking and the "third space" left a lasting impact on her, influencing how she approaches team dynamics and communication within her league.
Empowered Leadership: Tools for Success
Completing the Empowered to Lead course gave Miranda valuable tools for both personal and professional leadership. She’s now focused on empowering her teammates to lead themselves and fostering a common language within the team. Learning her "why" has been particularly helpful during challenging times, and normalizing the stages a team goes through has been a game-changer. “I’m looking forward to sharing the perspective and feedback info as well,” she adds.
Aspirations and Values: Leading with Integrity
Looking ahead, Miranda aims to incorporate more soft skills into her league’s training program and aspires to become an even better leader. Her approach to leadership is guided by role modeling, transparency, integrity, and a strong commitment to listening and problem-solving.
Success and Advice: Finding Joy in the Moment
For Miranda, success is about finding joy in the moment and being fully present. Her advice to other girls and women aspiring to excel in sports and leadership roles is simple yet powerful: “Take up space. Don’t stay small.”
The Importance of Play Like A Girl Initiatives
Miranda believes in the importance of initiatives like Play Like A Girl to combat existing gender biases. She firmly believes that women and non-binary people make great leaders, and initiatives like ours provide the platform and support needed to foster this leadership.
Once again, we want to thank Miranda for being an integral part of our community and for her participation in the Empowered to Lead course. Her story is a testament to the power of resilience, leadership, and the joy of being part of a team. We're excited to share her journey with others who may be inspired by her experience.
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