Adriana "Storm" Santiago: A Whirlwind on Wheels
The Early Storm
In the sultry, neon-lit city of New Orleans, where the air is thick with jazz notes and Creole spices, Adriana "Storm" Santiago was born and raised. She's a spicy blend of her French-Creole mother and her Puerto Rican father, inheriting their fiery tempers and unyielding spirits. Adriana was never one to shy away from trouble; she'd dance with it, laugh in its face, and leave it begging for more.
At 28, she's a force to be reckoned with, a storm that's been brewing since she was a rebellious teen. Her dark curls, as wild and untamed as her spirit, cascade down to her waist, and her eyes-one hazel, one brown-sparkle with a mischief that's as disarming as it is dangerous. She's tall, lean, and muscular, with a tattoo of a raging storm on her back, a symbol of her unstoppable nature.
Discovering Roller Derby
Adriana's introduction to roller derby was as explosive as she is. At 18, she was kicked out of her strict Catholic high school for, as the nuns put it, "creating an environment unsuitable for young ladies." She ended up at an alternative school, where the art teacher, a former derby girl, introduced her to the sport. Adriana was hooked. Here was a sport that embraced her rebellious spirit, celebrated her strength, and let her channel her aggression into something productive-well, mostly productive.
Storm Brewing
Adriana joined the Big Easy Rollergirls, a New Orleans-based league, and quickly rose through the ranks. She was fast, fiercely competitive, and had a penchant for dramatic hits that left her opponents seeing stars. She earned her derby name, "Storm," on her first bout when she took out three blockers in a single pass, sending them sprawling like fallen dominos.
Her rise to fame was as swift as it was spectacular. She won her first championship with the Big Easy Rollergirls at 21, earning the league's MVP title. She was the youngest player to do so, and the city couldn't get enough of her. Newspapers dubbed her "The Hurricane," and her face graced local sports pages, her wild curls and braces (yes, even Storm had braces) beaming with pride and defiance.
The National Stage
At 23, Adriana was drafted into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the international governing body for the sport. She joined the Gotham Girls Roller Derby in New York City, one of the most competitive leagues in the world. It was a tough transition, but Storm was undeterred. She trained harder, fought smarter, and within a year, she became the first skater in Gotham's history to win the league's MVP title twice in a row.
Adriana's first international championship came at 25, when she led the U.S. national team, the Brawl Saints, to victory at the World Cup. She was named Most Valuable Player, and her name was etched into derby history. She's since won two more World Cups, earning the title of the most decorated international derby player in history.
A Storm of Style and Aggression
Storm's not just about power hits and speed, though. She's a showman, a performer who loves to put on a spectacle. She's been known to skate to the track wearing a plastic lobster claw, a nod to her dad's love for the creature, or dressed as a superhero, complete with cape and mask. Her signature move, the "Storm Surge," involves a series of quick, brutal hits that leave her opponents reeling and the crowd on their feet.
Off the track, Adriana's just as captivating. She's a passionate advocate for women's sports, using her platform to push for better pay and recognition for female athletes. She's also a budding entrepreneur, with her own line of Storm-themed merch and a roller derby-themed restaurant in the works.
The Storm Keeps Coming
Adriana "Storm" Santiago is more than just a roller derby superstar. She's a symbol of rebellion, a beacon of strength, and a force to be reckoned with. She's won countless championships, set records that will likely stand for decades, and inspired a generation of young girls to lace up their skates and take to the track.
And she's not done yet. Storm's still in her prime, still hungry, still ready to take on any challenge that comes her way. So here's to Adriana Storm Santiago, the hurricane on wheels, the storm that keeps on coming. May her skates never slow, her spirit never fade, and her storms never cease.
Championships and Awards:
- Big Easy Rollergirls MVP (2012, 2013)
- WFTDA Divisional Championship (2015, 2016, 2017)
- WFTDA MVP (2016, 2017)
- World Cup MVP (2018, 2020, 2022)
- World Cup Champion (2018, 2020, 2022)
- US National Team Captain (2020-present)