I choo-choo-choose you
Choosing a derby name is harder than you think. Well for me it was anyways. I have never been creative at coming up with names. Even my XBL gamertag (AirMe) is a semi-random name that was generated for me when I first started online gaming. Derby names are amazing in general. Especially the really good ones. I really admired some of the ref names I had seen and wanted something clever. The Umpire Strikes Back, Harry Spot’er, Collin D’shotz, Loren Order were all amazing derby ref names, I didn’t know what my name was going to be but I knew I wanted to have the word “Ref” stick out in my name so that limited my options.
I consulted with people. I consulted with the one who got me hooked on this crack known as roller derby. I consulted with coworkers. I consulted with family. I reached out to my gaming circle at www.lemediocrity.com. I even asked my 15 year old nephew for suggestions. He generally is clutch in this regard...coming up with cool names for just about anything. He failed me on this one. His only input was that he hated every name I came up with but couldn’t come up with anything better himself.
The first name that I came up with that kind of stuck was Reforrelli. This is a combination of the word ref and part of my last name. It also sounded like it could be something out of the sitcom “Happy Days.” Most liked it. My nephew did not. As I started to fill out my paperwork, I was in my office that I had at school for being a graduate student and I had an epiphany as to what my name would be! I have an undergraduate degree in Geography. My research is based upon geography. I work in the geography field. The answer had been staring me in the face the whole time! There were literally angels singing “Ode to Joy” in the background as the clouds parted and divine sunlight shone down up me sitting at this in a room that had no windows and no view of the outside world.
GeogREFer was born.
