refs, derby, and chaos!
Fellow derby luvers,
A few weeks ago Trash 'N Smash and I ventured over to Ontario to check out the Hammer City Rollergirls' "Tri-City Rumble" in Hamilton. The bout was off to a great start, I was full of booze and equipped with hilarious props from the dollar store. The first bout was between HCRG's Steeltown Tank Girls and a collaborative team made up of Queen City Rollergirls (Buffalo, NY). After the first two periods, the Tank Girls were in the lead with a hefty amount of points over their QC opponents. During the last intermission, QC did not want to play the final round. They did not agree with the reffing, and said it was unfair and unsafe.
The main complaints about the reffing were in regard to lead jammer calls. I noticed the odd call being missed for both teams, but nothing making it an unsafe environment. This however is coming from a spectator (who drank her fair share of beer), and not somebody that was playing the bout. Although my team recently played the Tanks, and no major problems arose throughout the bout.
Nonetheless, issues like this can happen when teams from different leagues play each other. Leagues are used to certain rules, pack speeds, blocking strategies, and refs. I found that when my league has played other leagues we've always had some differences between our game style.
We (all this goes for all of us!) have such high expectations of our refs for such a new (yet old) sport. I think we have to remember that the refs are volunteering their time and are in the learning process just like the rest of us. A lot of calls will be missed, we just have to hope that they will improve every game they are in, just like all the roller derby gals.
QCRG toughed it out and played the last period minus a few players. I was glad they decided to stay, but disappointed in the last period. That exciting derby energy was lacking from both teams in the end. It's not as fun when the players aren't having fun.
How can we prevent something like this from happening again? I suggest always having at least one ref represent your league when traveling. Also, maybe more communication between leagues about how your league tends to play, strengths and weaknesses when it comes to penalties, and knowing policies on fighting.
I cannot speak for either team, but all I can say is that we can't have events like this happen again! Overall, I had a great time, and I love the Hamilton gals and met some great gals from Buffalo.
Cheers to never ending beers!!!
Georgia W Tush
P.S.
All I have to say is props to Forest City Derby Girls from London, Ontario in their first bout EVER who got their butts whooped by the experienced Hamilton Harlots, but were all smiles at the end of the bout! You girls ROCK and played hard!!! By the way, I lost my FCDG pin and I want a new one!
P.P.S. I posted a link of a fight between Tori Nado (HCRG) and Sweets (QCRG). I do not think fights have to be a part of roller derby, but sometimes they just need to break out! Notice the intense moment right before the first push....gold!!!!
A few weeks ago Trash 'N Smash and I ventured over to Ontario to check out the Hammer City Rollergirls' "Tri-City Rumble" in Hamilton. The bout was off to a great start, I was full of booze and equipped with hilarious props from the dollar store. The first bout was between HCRG's Steeltown Tank Girls and a collaborative team made up of Queen City Rollergirls (Buffalo, NY). After the first two periods, the Tank Girls were in the lead with a hefty amount of points over their QC opponents. During the last intermission, QC did not want to play the final round. They did not agree with the reffing, and said it was unfair and unsafe.
The main complaints about the reffing were in regard to lead jammer calls. I noticed the odd call being missed for both teams, but nothing making it an unsafe environment. This however is coming from a spectator (who drank her fair share of beer), and not somebody that was playing the bout. Although my team recently played the Tanks, and no major problems arose throughout the bout.
Nonetheless, issues like this can happen when teams from different leagues play each other. Leagues are used to certain rules, pack speeds, blocking strategies, and refs. I found that when my league has played other leagues we've always had some differences between our game style.
We (all this goes for all of us!) have such high expectations of our refs for such a new (yet old) sport. I think we have to remember that the refs are volunteering their time and are in the learning process just like the rest of us. A lot of calls will be missed, we just have to hope that they will improve every game they are in, just like all the roller derby gals.
QCRG toughed it out and played the last period minus a few players. I was glad they decided to stay, but disappointed in the last period. That exciting derby energy was lacking from both teams in the end. It's not as fun when the players aren't having fun.
How can we prevent something like this from happening again? I suggest always having at least one ref represent your league when traveling. Also, maybe more communication between leagues about how your league tends to play, strengths and weaknesses when it comes to penalties, and knowing policies on fighting.
I cannot speak for either team, but all I can say is that we can't have events like this happen again! Overall, I had a great time, and I love the Hamilton gals and met some great gals from Buffalo.
Cheers to never ending beers!!!
Georgia W Tush
P.S.
All I have to say is props to Forest City Derby Girls from London, Ontario in their first bout EVER who got their butts whooped by the experienced Hamilton Harlots, but were all smiles at the end of the bout! You girls ROCK and played hard!!! By the way, I lost my FCDG pin and I want a new one!
P.P.S. I posted a link of a fight between Tori Nado (HCRG) and Sweets (QCRG). I do not think fights have to be a part of roller derby, but sometimes they just need to break out! Notice the intense moment right before the first push....gold!!!!
posted by Georgia W Tush at
1:59 AM
3 Comments:
Thanks for tha play by play, Georgia.. let me know if there are palns to go to another game sometime this summer!
Hey, I agree with your suggestions that teams should talk and have their refs chat before a game so that everyone can work out the style of the game play beforehand. It worked okay with us against other leagues.
It's like some are WFTDA teams tha play strictly by the book and others are a little more lenient.
And now there are leagues signing up for OSDA (old school derby) rules too... which I would love to try personally!
Yikes. That's quite the video clip.
Didn't one of the Steel Town Tank Girls tackle Georgia during the double header bout last month against MTLRD?
Something seriously wrong about the goon tactics of the chicks in Hamilton.
I can get you another FCDG pin just email me with an address that I can mail it to....skaterdater99@hotmail.com :)
oh BTW thanx for the kind words about our first bout ;) I will pass it along to the girls !!!
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