Alyx Liu, an 11th grader at Friends Select and captain of the Philly Roller Derby Juniors, has been roller skating since he was two. Over the past decade, he has grown into a national champion and a member of Team USA at the Roller Derby World Cup in 2025 and 2023.
“My mom skated with the adult league before I was born…I started being around the league when I was three, but I couldn’t play until I was six. But I’ve been skating since I was two”, Alyx says. He was inspired by his mother’s love for the sport and the mentors he had post-pandemic. “It really drove me to practice outside of my Sunday practices and get better and get stronger.”
As the captain for the past three years, Alyx has led Philly Roller Derby Juniors to three national championships. “I think the most important thing for me was really being a bridge between the coaches and the players,” he said. Alyx emphasizes creating a family-like team environment, even organizing a week where the team lived together to strengthen their bond. “Creating a space where everyone feels like a family is really important when you’re going at such a high level.”
At the World Cup, Alyx, with Team USA, competed against the top teams from around the world. Team USA played five pool games to determine their ranking, earned a bye in the first round because they won all their pool games, and then moved on to the semifinal and a championship games. “The full-length games are very high pressure because it’s if you lose, that’s it. You’re out,” Alyx said. They won their semifinal and final game.
Alyx reflects, “The most memorable moments are right after the game is called and the final score is up, and getting in a team together and all hugging and everything. And we’re all like, we won. And having that feeling of accomplishment with a team that you love so much is so amazing.”
The experience at the World Cup has also expanded Alyx’s perspective. “It’s really not something many kids get to experience where there are so many cultures and so many countries in one space who are making friends…it makes me excited for what the future of roller derby brings.” Alyx saw how sports unite people across cultures and nations. From sharing strategies with teammates to making friendships across the world.
For Alyx, an important part of roller derby is the inclusivity, identity, and leadership. “Roller Derby is a co-ed sport and queer-friendly. It is empowering because anyone can play with anyone. It doesn’t matter the gender, which is really awesome. And I think it really helped me come into my trans identity in a way that was really healthy…it taught me how to connect with a bunch of different people, even if they have diverse backgrounds that aren’t the same as my own, which I think is really important in all my leadership roles I take in my life.”
Beyond his playing and captaining, Alyx has also been coaching young skaters in the league and preparing the next generation of players. He believes coaching is a way that he can give back and help grow the sport: “One of the biggest gifts I can leave to the league…is a new set of juniors that are ready to play at that high level. Coaching has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”
Alyx hopes to keep skating, lead his team to more national championships, and compete in future World Cups. He also hopes to inspire the next generation: “Inspiring kids across the country to keep doing derby and then inspiring the kids I coach to keep doing derby is really important to me.”
