Q+A: Judge Valorie Vega

Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2007 | 7:08 a.m.

Judge Valorie Vega's chambers is full of awards from more than two decades on the bench and as a prosecutor in Clark County.

But she's also got room for the green-and-gold jersey she wore with the L.A. T-Birds professional roller derby team. Before she wore a robe and pounded a gavel, Vega wore a jammer's helmet and pounded the Texas Outlaws down at the Olympic Auditorium on Saturday nights.

She recently took a short recess to discuss her previous life as a roller derby queen.

Q: How did you become a member of the T-Birds?

I was in my first year of law school and I used to watch the games with my grandmother on TV when they started advertising for skaters. One of the female skaters, Patsy Delgado, was pregnant and had taken a leave of absence and they wanted to find somebody to replace her.

How many years did you skate with the T-Birds?

Six years. 1980 to '86 or '87.

What did you enjoy most about roller derby?

The games were the best. The workout schedule was grueling and training was really tough - I was bruised from head to toe from being knocked down and thrown over the rails. But when you got a good rate of speed building and bodies were flying around and you put all the different skills and maneuvers you worked on over and over again together in a game - and you got it right watching on TV, you just don't get as good as impression as watching it live.

I was going to ask about the worst thing about roller derby , but I think you already alluded to it. I found a team photo of the 1986 T-Birds on the Internet and you are wearing a big blue brace on your arm.

I broke my pinkie on my right hand, broke my left arm, shattered my elbow, dislocated my shoulder. Last summer I was body surfing in San Diego and my shoulder came out again. I still have to be careful with it.

I won't name names, but let's just say a friend of mine had a post-adolescent crush on Randi Whitman, one of your T-Bird teammates. What was she like?

She was nice. She had been an ice skater.

She was nice, too. She was a good skater, very talented. I think she became the lead singer of a rock band.

You were a jammer, right?

I was only 5'3". I was the smallest of all the skaters. But Ralphie Valladares, who was little like me, took me under his wing. He spent a lot of time with me, more than he really had to, teaching me good technique. I was really sad to see him go. (Valladares died at age 62 in 1998).

I remember that Ralphie wore No. 8. What number were you?

Seven. My jersey is hanging on the wall in my chambers.

Can you still fit into your uniform?

(Laughing . ) No.