Rolaboi, Renegade Skater
GENRE
BIOGRAPHICAL
Core Theme
INTERNAL JOURNEY, COMPETITION, SPORTS
TIME PERIOD
1980s & '90s
COMPARABLE TITLES
MIGHTY DUCKS, I TONYA, WHIP IT
CHARACTER LIST
JAYSON SUTCLIFFE: 15 TO 35. LEAD. AUSTRALIAN. ROLLER SKATING CHAMPION. ADVENTUROUS. OUTSPOKEN.
MARK LIND: 40. COACH. VILLAINOUS. MANIPULATIVE.
CHARMAINE: 35. BEST FRIEND. FUNNY. SUPPORTIVE.
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Logline
From finding a pair of rusty roller skates in a garage, Jayson Sutcliffe went on to become a world champion in his sport. Traveling the world as a teen, Jayson struggles with hiding the sexual abuse by his coach, being bullied and identifying as gay while growing up with three macho brothers.
Target Audiences
Age: 18-34,35-54,13-17
Target Gender: Universal,LGBT Leaning
Setting
Australia, Europe, USA
Based on a True Story
Yes
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: with a Publisher
Publisher: Zeus Publications
Year Published: 2004
Starting Description
Eleven-year-old Jayson Sutcliffe is fascinated with ballet but takes up roller skating as a hobby and gets hooked. By the age of fifteen, he joins the international competition circuit while hiding a dark secret. His coach, Mark, had sexually abused him.
Ending Description
Tragedy strikes at home as his brother commits suicide the week prior to the next world championship. Devastated, Jayson decides to use his grief as strength to endure and becomes the only male Australian to win a world title for figure skating, against all the odds.
Group Specific
Information not completed
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
9781921005015
Mature Audience Themes
Sexual Abuse,Sexual Abuse
Plot - Other Elements
Coming of Age,,Meaningful Message,Happy Ending
Plot - Premise
Quest,,Tragedy,Overcoming Monster/Villain,Internal Journey/Rebirth
Main Character Details
Name: Jayson Sutcliffe
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Skillful, Underdog, Adventurous, Aspiring, Badass, Outspoken,Aspiring,Confident,Engaging,Gracious,Insecure,Underdog,Sarcastic,Visionary,Selfless,Modest,Masculine,Lone Wolf
Additional Character Details
Name: Mark, a manipulative master who entered Jayson's life at a young age and groomed him not only to be a champion, but also stole his innocence.
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Educated, Manipulative, Outspoken, Selfless, Villainous, Aggressive, Blunt, Crazy,Aggressive,Criminal,Manipulative,Unapologetic,Seductive,Outspoken,Power Hungry,Narcisstic,Funny,Confident,Sarcastic
Additional Character Details
Name: Beverley is Jayson's mother. She devoted her life to her children, but more so to Jayson. When her health was at its worst, it was his sport that gave her a new lease on life and she become a driving force to his success. Having lived a hard and sad life, losing two children and her first husband, she has suffered enormously.
Age: 50
Gender: Female
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Beautiful, Empathetic, Faithful, Honorable,Charming,Empathetic,Insecure,Selfless
Additional Character Details
Name: Damon, Jayson's childhood, long distance, secret love.. and competitor.
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Educated, Funny, Strong Moral Code, Visionary, Badass, Beautiful, Confident, Engaging, Leader,Confident,Engaging,Educated,Leader,Seductive,Sexy,Heartthrob,Masculine
Brief
After finding a pair of rusty roller skates in his grandmother’s garage, Jayson Sutcliffe went on to become Australia’s first and only male world champion in the sport.
What We Liked
● Based on a true story.
● Charismatic lead character.
● Roller skating is a relatively unexplored sport.
● Set in the 1980s Australia, with a glorious retro vibe.
● Spans over more than two decades, allowing for both short and long term
storytelling.
● Sexual coming-of-age, as Jayson eventually embraces his relationships with
men.
● Grief and loss in Jayson’s family punctuated by the thrill of competition.
Synopsis
Melbourne, Australia, early 80’s. Eleven-year-old Jayson Sutcliffe is fascinated with ballet but takes up roller skating as a hobby and gets hooked. A natural talent, he starts to train with the best teams in the country and by the age of fifteen, he joins the international competition circuit while hiding a dark secret. A secret he kept for twenty years in fear of not being able to skate. His coach, Mark, had sexually abused him.
His first world silver medal comes in 1990 under the guidance of a new coach, Charmaine, and it looks like the sky's the limit for Jayson. Tragedy, however, strikes at home as his brother commits suicide the week prior to the next world championship. Devastated, Jayson decides to use his grief as strength to endure but fails to make the top ten. The following year, he returns as the underdog and earns a second silver medal, which he dedicates to his brother.
His victory opens the door to the media in the relatively unknown sport and Jayson appears on national television to promote roller skating. He gives performances inspired by “Swan Lake”, “Phantom of The Opera” and “Dracula”. Determined to achieve his childhood dream in 1995, Colombia grants him not just one, but two gold medals. He is now the first male world champion from Australia, alongside teammate, Tammy Bryant, both making history.
But Jayson has yet to make peace with his sexuality and struggles with the effects of childhood abuse. At the height of his career, he finds love, and attempts to settle down. It is not enough, and Jayson gives it all up to start competing again, this time learning inline skating. With heavy training against all odds and political backlash, Jayson receives a gold medal at the world championships in Germany, nearing the end of a twenty-year career on the world stage.