Sophomore Maddie Cuff is not a normal athlete. 

Since the age of 9, she has been playing roller derby.

“I got into roller derby by reading “Roller Girl” and I thought the sport was really cool,” Cuff said, “so I begged my mom to let me join a roller derby team in San Antonio.” 

Cuff has played for both the South Texas Knockouts in San Antonio and the Conroe Scallywags in Houston.

However, Cuff doesn’t just play roller derby. She also plays basketball as a power forward for both the school and her club team Shooting for Success.

“Roller derby is different from basketball because it is a lot more physical and takes a lot more stamina,” Cuff said. “Basketball helps me stay in shape for roller derby and it continues to build my muscles.”

Because of her huge passion for roller derby, Cuff plans on trying out for the junior U.S.A. team.

While playing both roller derby and basketball, Cuff  maintains an A+ GPA plays the saxophone as a part of the wind ensemble band for school.

“Band does interfere a lot with basketball because they’re both first period electives,” Cuff said. “Usually what I do is switch days throughout the week. During marching season I can’t make it to derby practice because we have long rehearsals on Mondays so I have to choose band over derby during marching season.”

This past Saturday Cuff and her fellow bandmates scored first overall for a UIL band competition. 

Despite her complicated schedule, Cuff is able to pursue what she loves to do the most.

“I try to remember that I can do it and that I can win,” she said.