When Rowdy Roughrider joined our league late last year I knew she was one to watch out for. She is the epitome of a pack-blocker. Great form, a solid hit and the ability to take a hit like it's water rolling off her back. A passionate athlete, Rowdy always brings her game, she takes the game seriously and can be seriously hard on herself if a jam doesn't go as planned. She has proven herself as a force on the track and it's with great honor that I present her as the SC rollergirl of the week. Derby Name: Rowdy Roughrider Number: 00 Team(s): Beach Flat Betties, New All star Position(s) : Blocker Hometown: SC
How did you learn about roller derby and how did you get started? I had a derby intervention. I walked into my house to find Yo on my couch with a try out application in hand. She knew I would love derby and she was RIGHT.
Why do you play roller derby? Derby is my outlet. A way for me to be a part of something that is bigger than me. Derby is mine and mine alone.
What are your favorite two things about playing roller derby? Being able to be Rowdy and express myself ( the crazy hit a bitch side of me). Having a group of women (sisters) as a support group. Experiencing life through the eyes of women of all walks of life. It is amazing. How did you get your derby name? I played softball for 12 years and my nickname was Rowdy Routley. I knew I wanted to incorporate Rowdy into derby someway. I figured Roughrider said it all and duhh Derby is Rowdy. What roller derby skates and gear do you use? What skates make you drool? I have Vandals with Omega wheels ( yummy) I really want to get PowerDyne ReactorAluminum Plates. What makes makes me drool.......................2008 Riedell Black Widow Derby Skates
What else, besides play, do you do for your league? I am a member of the fabulous Merchandise committee. What was your worst injury from roller derby so far? I had a slight tear and bruising of my left ACL. Not to mention all my lovely bruises. :)
How hard is it for you to balance your derby and real life responsibilities? Well I am a mother of three. It is tough balancing family life and derby. What does not kill me for dam sure makes me stronger. My Girls love to come out and watch mommy. Plus I am raising three future derby girls. Where do you see the sport of roller derby in 5 years? I see X Games, I see myself coaching my girls and watching them kick ass all around the track :P
What is your theme song? Journey "Don't stop believing" What's your dream roller derby vacation/travel/trip? ummm Northwestern Knockdown Nationals baby!!! I will be there
What has been your best roller derby moment this season/ever? Making the All Star team my first year. Pulling off a solid hit on the opposing jammer causing her to go down in the last game of the season.
Ever wanted to get a zombie-on-wheels' perspective of a European city? You are in luck! There is a 3-hour group skate scheduled on Halloween night at 10pm through the streets of the Paris.
In general, the city's Friday night skate, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has become a staple of Paris nightlife. Roller-skaters began meeting for night rides in the early 1990s without legal permission. Nowadays, "Friday Night Fever" is billed as the largest group skate in the world. Depending on the season, it attracts up to 25,000 skaters, supervised by 150 staffers, policeman and "Protection Civile" vehicles. These ensure that the route, lined with cheering pedestrians and camera flashes, is clear for the 1.5 km-long procession.
Where: Place Raoul Dautry in the 14th arrondissement, between the Montparnasse office tower and the Paris-Montparnasse train station.
When: Every Friday, all year round, except in case of rain (although a drizzle will usually be ignored). Departure from Montparnasse at 10 p.m.; return at 1 a.m.
In other unrelated semi-quasi-sorta-although-not-roller-derby Halloween news, I'm happy to report that Voices in my Hand has returned from the dead with all new comics.
Ann Calvello was a derby queen and was punk rock before it was trendy and cool to be punk rock... and Joan Weston was like scary mean... kickin ass! Yeah, okay, so they trained to know what to do and how to hit and how to fall and maybe how to be showy -come'on, they were on TV and look at the crowds! They played to their characterizations and personalities...
How do we get people back into roller derby like that? Where all the leagues will sell out all the venues for every game and suddenly we'll all have lots of sponsors and plenty of practice space and time....don't we all want to be full time rollergirls? Okay, as I said on facebook today when I proposed a SW Ontario convoy to GMDD Skills Clinic in November, with skating at every pit stop and a mass border crossing of rollergirls... I dream big sometimes.
Ok, about Ann, I know it's been a long time since we lost her, but you know sometimes I troll around youtube and old news posts and I couldn't resist sharing one I am sure you've all seen before....
Note, although I am a rollergirl, I could go for a fru fru roller dance gig anytime too LMAO
Tri-City Thunder vs Montreal Sexpos - Oct 25 - Little Bout of Horrors
If you are a newer rollergirl, and you haven't yet hopped in a car full of rollergirls to go see a bout of other teams, you need to plan something like that with your friends. You'll learn things like what they do in their day jobs, about their derby widows, pets, and of course, you can all talk roller derby, derby gossip, derby, derby, derby.... and then go see a bout of roller derby!
Last night, it was off to New Hamburg, just 24km outside of the Kitchener-Waterloo area, about 35-40 minutes west of Hamilton. When we got to the arena, just before team intros, I found out Tri-City found an arena that is no longer used, and so it has no ice being put down and rents out cheap, so they have a perfect place to put on a bout.
I waved hello to Tri-City, and hugged a few of my ex-teammates from Montreal as we walked past the lined up skaters to get into the suicide seats. The bout was 2 periods of 30 minutes, and the first half hour showed that Tri-City has been working their asses off. They were fast, had great teamwork but their blockers, and were often able to form a wall at the front of the pack, leaving Montreal blockers behind. Both teams suffered multiple penalties, often for blocking out of play. At the end of the first period, the score was 23-65 for the Sexpos. The Sexpos jammers weren't always lead jammer, but they racked up points and proved to be fast, agile skaters that could block their way through Tri-City when necessary.
Notable shows: Tri-City's Bareleigh Legal took a hit so hard, she flew out of bounds and almost into her team. She tried to make it back to the track so she wouldn't have to sit out for two jams, and she was suspected to have a broken rib... Tri-City has some tough derby girls for sure.
L'il Homewrecker, of Montreal, who was injured for the Montreal regular season, was in fine form last night, and No Holds Bard #2X4 and Heartless Bitch #33 1/3 are great jammer additions for the Montreal league.
For the second half, Montreal continued to dominate in scoring, and the hits got harder, the crowd cheered louder for the Tri-City Thunder jammers as they got lead jammer status and kept fighting throughout the period. The final score was 112-50 for the Montreal Sexpos.
Wanna see a video of one of the jams?
Notable Trivia: ** Tri-City Roller girls have been assisted with training by Anita Martini, who played her last game as a Thames Fatales in London's Skate of the Dead last week. She is a Kitchener, and I hear she's joining Tri-City for her next season.
** 5 players for the Sexpos are fresh meat for Montreal, that aren't drafted to final teams yet, and had never played in a public bout.
** Stone Mason, was the announcer, a great one, by the way, and HCRG refs and players volunteered to help out in the penalty box as well as reffing.
** HCRG is playing against Coal City Rollers today, so the folks that were in Tri-City last night and at that after party, were all travelling today to Pennsylvania.
Oh, and the after party? Wow, for a place that's a good 25-30km from the arena, the turnout at the after party was awesome. I hear KW is a "University" town, but here's a thought... aren't they all? Roller derby just rocks, and of course people turn out when they are turned on to it, right?
Ok, and final thought for today: While talking with Autumn Von Rotten of the London Thrashers last night, I told her this:
Roller derby is the best sport ever, and everyone should play it. If they can't play it, they should ref it or volunteer for it. If they can't do that, they should be fans of it, and everyone should buy merch to support it. And I believe two things: It's better to lose than not play, and better to fall down than not skate.
So tomorrow, I'm doing two things. I'm shopping and creating Halloween craft madness for a decorating contest at my office, and then I'm changing from Martha Stewart on punk rock into Nia Capps, of Derbyluv.com to head out to the TCRG (That's Tri-City Roller Girls in Ontario, not to be confused with Terminal City Roller Girls in Vancouver) Thunder vs Montreal Sexpos bout in Kitchener, ON. Ok, actually, it's Hamburg. And Kitchener and Waterloo are tight. ;)
New Hamburg Arena 251 Jacob St. New Hamburg ON Doors at 6pm, first whistle at 7pm
Tickets:Adv. $10 Door $12
Advanced Tickets available at the following locations: Delerium Clothing - WaterlooOrange Monkey - WaterlooDNA Screening - KichenerWordsworth Books - WaterlooUppercase Books - New Hamburg and from any derby girl.
After party at the Kent room at the Huether Hotel in Waterloo.
Ok, besides that, here's the scoop.
This is the debut bout of the TCRG newly-formed travel team, the TCRG Thunder. TCRG is a somewhat new league (The Tri City Roller Girls held their first official public intra-league bout on August 30) and I admire these girls because I heard about them starting up and within 7 months girls went from holding on to contact play, and now they are ready to start playing away and have their travel team formed. That's fantastic! And of course, as a former MTLRD rollergirl from Les Contrabanditas, I was all crazy to find out who was coming out for the Montreal Sexpos, MTLRD's new B-Team Travel team.
Lo and behold, someone I've mentioned on here before from a fond memory - El Kaboom, MTLRD, Contrabanditas, is the team captain, and L'il Homewrecker, formerly of NSOTB and also a Contrabandita, who I called to on the Krpytonic wheels post when I hooked up with Rollergirl for the no smoking challenge, is on that roster too. Along with Charlotte Bruise-a-lot, and a host of other MTLRD players - some of which I know and love, and some of which I never got the chance to play with. They are all headed west to go up against the Thunder!
I met some of the TCRG ladies at the London game last weekend, and although they are a tiny bit nervous for their debut as the TCRG travel team, they are ready to roll! I think this is going to be fun! Oh and my friend Trash N Smash, NSOTB and a Contrabandita, is workin' the merch table, so you'll find me there at least once or twice. Hello after party!
And then sleep and more Halloween work and normal errands for the weekend.
I may have to skip practice with HCRG on Sunday this week, due to a groin muscle I pulled at the gym today when I increased my weight amounts I was lifting and over stepped a little too far on a lunge.... OW! But I'll see!
I hear Raven is headed to Redding, CA and will be a guest announcer at a bout out there. Good Luck to her. Georgia W Tush is still a travellin' lady. I think the last I saw of her, she was in Nashville TN, and was finding it weird down South. I wish I coulda talked to her, I think I coulda helped her out. Anyway, she's still roaming, so if you see her, show her some luv!
Blackberry Wallpaper and new Desktop Wallpaper from Derbyluv.com! Name that Rollergirl!
In honor of me becoming a victim of Blackberry addiction - Ahhh, I'm addicted to the CrackBerry! - my hubby took a little rollergirl he had drawn for me that I love, and made her into a wallpaper for my Blackberry.
So, I'm sharing with my Derby Luvvers. If you don't have a Blackberry (Congrats, by the way), he also provided some PC Desktop Wallpaper so you won't be left out!
Now, in addition to that, I need to name this little derby minx. I need a derby name that isn't taken, that suits her cute and violent tendencies, and is age appropriate. I think she's about 6. I am considering her as my next tattoo - that I may never be able to get without a sponsor...
So if you can comment or contact me with your suggestion, I'll pick in 30 days and the winner will receive a sample set of Elizabeth Ocean Paper Dolls, for the little rollergirl in you.
Ahhh, some derby stuff for the Canadian off-season.... for those that aren't in fresh meat training.
This week I am very proud to present Heather Headlockleer as the SC rollergirl of the week. Heather is not only my derby wife but one of my best friends. She was one of the first girls I met and skated with when I was waiting to tryout for SCRG two summers ago. It was sorta destiny from the start. My Dad came with me to open skate and took one look at Heather ripping it up on the floor and said, "make friends with her, she'll show you what you need to learn. She's got it." and he could not have been more right.
Not only did Heather show me fundamentals like falls and slides, she was a huge support system for me in the early days (and still now). I have had the opportunity to watch her blossom into one of our star jammers and I continue to stand in awe of her skating abilities and phenomenal speed.
Number: 9 Team(s): Lost Girls, All-Stars Position(s) : Jammer, Blocker Hometown: Santa Cruz - born and raised.
How did you learn about roller derby and how did you get started?
I can't remember how I actually first learned about Roller Derby.... I remember always "knowing" about the old-school type since I was a young girl. I got started like a lot of us in Santa Cruz - I saw a flier, heard about a team forming through friends, went to check it out and fell in love! Love at first sight!
Why do you play roller derby?
Roller Derby has changed my life...
I play for my team-mates, I play for the exercise, I play for the rush I get when I step onto the track, I play for the love of the sport in general, I play for selfish reasons like hearing the crowd cheer your name or making your family proud, and I play for selfless reasons like being a healthy role model for girls and giving back to the community. The intensity of the sport and the reasons why I play are to hard to encompass in a single paragraph.
What are your favorite two things about playing roller derby?
The gals I play with- The gals I play against.
How did you get your derby name?
I made a list of names, brainstormed, and posted some on the msg. boards for others to choose which one fit me best- I think Robin actually ended up suggesting it.
I was looking for a name that fit the "you don't have to be ugly to be tough" motto. ;)ha ha!
What roller derby skates and gear do you use? What skates make you drool?
I use Wicked skates and Omega wheels, bullet pads, SC helmet... but I have to admit I am drooling over Lulu's custom skates!! She turned it up a notch with those.
What else, besides play, do you do for your league? I am a Derby ambassador (DAM) and work on the PR committee.
What was your worst injury from roller derby so far?
hmmmm- My first broken nose and the pain of a severely fucked up tailbone are a tie.
How hard is it for you to balance your derby and real life responsibilities?
Freaking impossible- but somehow I do it.
Where do you see the sport of roller derby in 5 years?
Hopefully at the X games, on ESPN, more television broadcast with a more legitimized public opinion of the sport.
What is your theme song?
tbd. :(
What's your dream roller derby vacation/travel/trip?
Travel across the united states with a couple SCRGs- visit every team- practice with them- drink their beer.
What has been your best roller derby moment this season/ever?
The last period of the Inland Empire bout. Scoring enough points to tie the game and then enough points to win the game. AND how could I forget the dog pile that came after- I almost suffocated, but it was beautiful. One big SCRG embrace with my little legs sticking out from the very bottom:)
This is our wedding picture from RollerCon last summer...
The Rollergirl.ca Derby Luv Stop Smoking Challenge
Remember back on September 24, I told you I stopped smoking? Well at the end of that post, I said I was in desire for a set of Kryptonic Route 65 wheels, but needed a split tender deal to do the purchase. Well, a lady who is fast becoming someone I call my friend, Lisa or, Rollergirl of Rollergirl.ca contacted me and asked how the not smoking was going.
Well I told her true, it's hard. Some times, I have to let out a "I want to smoke!", out loud, even in crowded areas. It's quite entertaining! LOL So, I was challenged. Nia, she said, I'll challenge you to quit smoking. It's a nasty habit, and it makes you skate slow. So, here's the deal. "I'll send you a set of those Kyrptonic wheels for the value of the gift card you have, at a discount, including tax and shipping. However, if you smoke within 90 days, you have to send me the balance of the full price plus tax and shipping. "
So I have accepted the challenge! I have a beautiful new set of Kryptonic Route 65's waiting for me to find my skate tool (I think I lost it when I moved, I can't find it - anyone have a spre ) so I can change my wheels and give them a try. I have a path picked out thanks to Chainsaw Mary of HCRG, (who is waiting impatiently to become MamaSaw Mary this week), and even plans to take my skates to work for a fall skate around the neighborhood.
In the meantime, during the after party after a beer or two last night, I went outside with some game attendees and of course, they were smoking. ButI withstood the temptation by saying, "If I smoke, I will owe money to Rollergirl, and I really want to keep those wheels and have them at a good price. I can't smoke!" So I made it. Thank you, Rollergirl!
My 90th day interesting enough will be Christmas Day. If I can make it through the next two months of a ceritifcation course at work, US thanksgiving, a Christmas - with family members that will be smoking, and all the stress that comes with those holidays, well, I will be an ex-smoker. I pledge that I will take my outdoor wheels and my skates with me to all events like that, and I will pray to Rolllergirl and go skate instead of smoking.
I celebrate day 26 tomorrow at 5:55 AM EST. Will I make it? Stay tuned for Day 90 to find out and to see how I will pay this forward.
Derby Luv to ya, and have a great derby week ahead!
Welcome to London, Ontario, also know as The Forest City, home of the Forest City Derby Girls.
Back in the days, we first saw the London Thrashers, and then les Thames Fatales were born as the second team for FCDG. I first saw FCDG at The Beast of the East in Montreal back in April, and I was excited to see how they had progressed since the first of the season, because I hadn't been fortunate enough to be in contact with SufferJet (the league president) or any of the London derby girls, since the Beast, so I wasn't sure what their season had been like.
So with complete joy, I popped into the Fairgrounds events parking lot, and was quite pleased with the location. Large parking areas, foot traffic, crowded area... very nice.
Then, I walked in, grabbed a program and the first thing I noticed was that there was a large beer "garden" to my right, a stage setup behind that, a court with team locations on the far wall, and bleacher stands to the right of me, and suicides at the far end of the track. Not bad. A slippery concrete floor concerned me, and pillars that were a foot outside the 10 foot safety mark concerned me more. Seemed scary and a little dangerous.
But, the smart hockey town, has a mini-zamboni on hand, and had coated the track in sugar water to make it more sticky, so it turned out not bad...
Ok, so to the important stuff, the bout. First off, London is not a very large league, and they have had to play with short teams (less than 10 players) and due to that hindrance, they have had to shorten their bouts to 3 X 15 minute periods. It made for a noticably shorter period, and added a bit of a challenge, as the teams had much less time to catch up with time for 2-3 less jams in each period.
The crowd had filled in nicely, and Stone Mason, the main announcer, introduced the refs that were made up of refs from FCDG and included visiting volunteer refs from ToRD, HCRG, and I think the other was Kitchener. (Tri-City). I had met some Tri-City girls in the parking lot before the game, and they are gearing up and preparing for their game against the Montreal B-Team (The Montreal Sexpos) next week. Nervous but looking like they can handle it.... I look forward to seeing what they got next week.
Anyway, the bout started out and from what I could see at first, The London Thrashers and Thames Fatales are pretty equally matched. Both list quite a few girls as jammers, pivots, and blockers so they all have a lot of well-rounded skaters. The first period seemed to be a bit of a challenge, with the slippery floor causing some slowness to the pack, and falls that left a couple of players catching their breath. But what became evident is that it took that first period for the teams to kick in strategic thinking. It was 21-19 score in favor of the Thrashers at the end of the first period.
For period two, the speeds improved, I saw better blocking in the pack, and jammer strategies began to emerge, with jams called off strategically and some walls forming in the packs by the blockers. By the third period, Thames Fatales had pulled into the lead and were headed for the win.
The turning point was a jam in the late second period (I think it was late 2nd anyway), when 3 of the Thrashers blockers were piled into the penalty box all at once, leaving the Thames' jammer to skate through an almost empty pack and pile on 8 -12 points. During the third period, the Thrashers kicked it up a notch, and I saw one massive wall formed at the head of the pack that was only broken up by Thames' Anita Martini (I earlier wrote this as Anita Margarita, but I think Anita forgave me) , too late, as the jam ended just after. There was some hard blocking by the Thames' Annie Takers #5678 in period 1 (Thanks for getting me Annie's name, Anita!) The Thames Fatales' MVP had to be SufferJet with some very impressive jams under her belt.
The Thames Fatales took the championship in front of the large hometown crowd in London, and that will end the season for FCDG until next year. Next week, its Tri-City vs Montreal Sexpos.... another derby weekend on the way!
Not too long ago, I mentioned Albany NY's Albany All-Stars splitting into two over the show versus sport competition conundrum.
In Reno, NV, there are already two leagues, one that's fun, inclusive of all skater types, and still derby, with lots of the fun and style of roller derby past, and there's another, that's WFTDA, all g0, kick ass, we want to compete and win athletics; where only the best skaters play on the travel team circuit, at home and away, and their less superstar skaters run the events. Most of the leagues I know have a blend of this. They have the A-Team, Travel team All stars that go compete and represent the league for WFTDA purposes (Canadian teams are all waiting to get in!) and at home, though there is less show at the bouts than ever, there is still a bit of character-building and clothing theatrics.
Well, I tell ya, I'm on my way to the Skate of the Dead game this weekend in London, Ontario to see a bout between the Forest City Derby Girls teams - the London Thrashers and the Thames Fatales, and I bet I'll see some kick ass roller derby, and I bet I'll have a great time - and with this on my mind, I'll be looking for signs of ALL SHOW or ALL GO, but let me know what you think. Are we ready to play under our real names, lose the fishnets and pantie-wearing, and be hardcore athletes? Can both kinds of roller derby survive and grow? What do you think?
Eastern Regional Finals - Derby in Dairyland results
Of course, I was off skating and doing the Thanksgiving thing, and my Twitter feed didn't work to my mobile so I was terribly out of the loop, but thanks to the great people over at the Derby News Network - we have archived bout casts, and full tournament results write ups to read today.
Derby Luv OctoberSkate 2008 and Turkey in Montreal
Derby Luv's first annual OctoberSkate was an impromptu event I dreamt up, because this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend my have been my last opportunity to skate on the beautiful, long, hilly, fun, smooth Formula One Track on Parc des Illes in Montreal. It may get complaints from F1 drivers, but for skating, it's fan-tastic endurance skating. And fun too!
It was a little chilly, but by the first lap end, the jackets were off, the shins were warmed up and rolling was fast.
During the hour and a half event, there was dancing....
There was wheelchair derby....
There was some time with a cross-country ski team that trains on these wicked skate contrapations that were out training on the track. I might be more apt to take up cross-country skiing if it means I can train on skates!
But I must admit, underneath all the skating, and acting up on that track Sunday morning, I was quite sad on the last straight stretch on the last lap. If that is my last skate on that track, then it's the last time I will get that memory of asking Special K how to slow down after I did the crouch and fly on the downhill for the first time and realized I had no idea how to slow my descent....
Or how I bent over to spit out the cloud of gnats on the back straight along the water while skating with Georgia W Tush and fell and scarred up my left leg, to match my right one I had injured at my first practice ever.
And that time I skated with El KaBoom and we tried to keep up with a rollerblader racing around the track as fast as we could, until we gave up on the downhill, and learned we should have kept after her, as gravity on my larger body would have helped me gain the speed on the downhill to catch her....
Thanksgiving is for being thankful for what you have, and I am. For my family, for my friends, for my skates and my life.
What can I say about Pippi? She has a big heart and some big derby love. She is also one of the most genuinely fun people I have ever met in my life. Pippi loves to take us on skate park adventures and encourage girls to step out of their scaredy-cat zone. Whenever you ask her for advice on life, skating or the other, she will always give you the same answer that seems to speak to all your queries - "Follow your heart."
Number: 45 Team(s): Fist Full of Dollies Position(s) : Peanut Butter and Jelly Hometown: I was found under a rock in a town called Valencia, CA
How did you learn about roller derby and how did you get started?
I was in the army at the time the A&E show was out on the Texas Roller girls. I knew that was what I wanted to do! Kick Butt and take names and look sassy while doing it. I was always wondering how to start a league, I talked with my at-the-time SKATEBOARDING Ladies about derby . . . Then one day, OH hell yeah it was in our home. I peed a little, I was EXCITED!!!
Why do you play roller derby?
Really it's just HOT being a women that empowered by other women and skates, and I don't have to wait until I'm 60 to have my stitch-n-bitch circle.
What are your favorite two things about playing roller derby?
The sisterhood amongst all derby playing women and the fact it has opened my heart to connect with women.
How did you get your derby name?
I love Pippi Longstocking. She was the first independent women of her time in the 1940's, though nonfictional, and she was an inspiration for many girls. I acquired my name by my best friend Adrian - I was watching one of Adventures of Pippi Longstocking movies, because I wanted to reconnect with my inner child. I got more then connecting to my inner child. Pippi Hard Socking really came out!
What roller derby skates and gear do you use? What skates make you drool?
The gear that fits on my feet and bearings that let me roll. My new white Ridell skates . . . I heart them, no more cramps!!
What else, besides play, do you do for your league? Hhhhmmm . . . Cheer my ladies on, provide my inner motivational army training, help the new ladies to find there inner fire to play roller derby.
What was your worst injury from roller derby so far?
I was the first on my team to get a concussion during our FIRST home game ever. I played not even three jams - I was all discombobulated. I ended up going to the after party and got wasted and wound up with some Ref. That didn’t go over so well . . . I guess the girls didn't like him for something, in my defense I was concussed. LOL.
How hard is it for you to balance your derby and real life responsibilities?
Thank god I don’t have a relationship. I give much kudos to my fellow women that are in one. I’m already married to 40 women and 8 wheels.
Where do you see the sport of roller derby in 5 years?
Hell, one year X Games baby!
What is your theme song?
I have many.
What’s your dream roller derby vacation/travel/trip?
Um to have money to go to RollerCon.
What has been your best roller derby moment this season/ever?
Helping the ladies DROP-in and skate BIG skate parks!!!
I'm starting a new tradition. the first annual Derby Luv OctoberSkate 20o8!
It may be the only OctoberSkate held in Montreal, so if you're anywhere near it or can get there for Sunday morning, pre-Thanksgiving celebrations, post Saturday drunken expeditions, we'll skate and have some fun!
Come on out for 9:30 ish - 10 AM Est to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve - Info is on the Facebook event.
But you can also email me updates from Derby in Dairyland starting tomorrow night, the AARG Championship Bout (also on Facebook) in MO on Saturday, the HCRG vs Chicago Outfit game in Chicago, or you know what, just go skating if all else fails! I hope you can make it! Bring snacks, your laughter, and your skates (or other wheels) !
First off, there's Derby in Dairyland, which is the place to be for WFTDA Eastern Regionals action. DNN is still preparing for the weekend event, but you can sign up to follow the scores if you aren't available to watch all the boutcasts, and can receive updates on your mobile. Check out DNN for more info, or twitter.com and search for WFTDA and Derbynewsnetwork.
But, if you aren't going to make it to Dairyland, and you're on the twitter updates on your cell and are free to roam around, and you're not travelling somewhere for Canadian turkey day, you can enjoy other derby activities this weekend. Did you know that not only is it Columbus Day in the US next Monday, it's Canadian Thanksgiving, so it's a long weekend. So, check out Hammer City (2nd place non-WFTDA class at Fall Brawl 2008) as they drive down to play The Chicago Outfit (5-2 season, winner of Fall Brawl non-WFTDA class 2008) this weekend. HCRG! HCRG! HCRG! I'll see if I can convince one of the girls to text me updates. - A rematch after Fall brawl - this is goona be a great game.
I'll be driving to Montreal on Saturday, and plan a Derby Luv, Canadian Thanksgiving Sunday Morning Skate. (1st annual), that I am hooking up the event on facebook tonight. 9:30 Am - 10 AMish start time, Gilles-Villeneuve Formula One Track in Montreal, bring your own quads, coffee and water, and let's skate!
If you're in the northeast US, you can see some Maine Roller Derby action this weekend. After the Pennsylvania opponents had to cancel last minute, (the danger of roller derby), the Calamity Janes and the Port Authorities, split into two teams, Team Wicked and Team Good for a mixed up roster bout on Saturday.
Just because it's fall, and hockey arenas everywhere in Canada have laid down ice, this goes to show you, it ain't done yet! I even started working on the 2nd annual, Derby Luv US Thanksgiving with the Blue Ridge rollergirls today. We'll know more as we get closer, but the plane ticket is purchased, the vacation is booked from work, and I am ready....
A really good read, and a hard time getting into roller derby, that is all worth it...
I just read an amazing article by a writer that tried out for the Minnesota Roller Girls. Wow. Not only a good read, but an amazing tale of heartbreak and pain, work and sweat for fresh meat girls with the dream of playing roller derby.
As a player that started out as one of the "Come one, Come All" girls, the last or next to last member to join Les Contrabanditas in Montreal in 2006, I didn't have the experience of having to train like a madwoman for months and then have to try out in front of a league and screaming coaches to see if I made the cut. And then being sent home because I sucked more than half the other girls, and am not worthy to play for the team.
If I had, I probably wouldn't have done it. Why? I was never into sports or doing anything in front of people I didn' t know before roller derby. I was too shy, too reserved, too scared... it was roller derby that made me willing to wear a short skirt, to skate in front of people and try to jump, fall, hit, move, skate faster, get up and sweat with confidence and even...glee. After Les Filles started up, and La Racaille, our 2008 recruitment in Montreal before I left was more organized, with training, boot camps, draft picks and all that, but I don't think we told any girls no, and I don't think anyone was turned away..."until next year's tryouts" except for those that were just learning to skate and could not safely stay up yet.
I am so hard on myself that I doubt I would make it onto a team like MN if I were to go to tryouts, even if I were to go after the next 8 months in the gym I am spending, after over a year playing and training in Montreal behind me, because I would have to compete against all these skaters that I would think were better than me, and that would probably be better than me, with the huge insurgence of true, hardcore, Olympic-gold, hyper-competitive athletes that are getting into roller derby.
And having never had that All-Star player, winning jammer, award-winning blocker experience, I have no personal grounds to build my rollergirl confidence. Roller derby still seems to welcome women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, but I think I am correct in that we're hearing the first groans of a labor pain, that will birth a new era of today's roller derby, that will make it start feeling more and more like all the mainstream sports I never joined.
I hope I'm wrong. I hope that if I am right, I'll be happy for roller derby. I hope if it does, that we keep some grass roots, amateur-style, come one and all, we love roller derby leagues that maybe become the farm teams for all the high rollers. I could train on a farm team until I'm good enough for the big leagues., sure I could!
Adult Fitness Tax Credit for being a Rollergirl in Canada
Hey, thanks to Slapollonia of the GTA Rollergirls in Toronto, I've sent my postcard. I can't actually vote, being a US Citizen and a Canadian Permanent Resident, but I'm Canadian enough that I pay taxes in Canada, so I'd love a tax credit.
How about you?
If you're not already aware there is a Children's Tax Credit in place to try and promote a healthy lifestyle. It allows up to $500.00 tax credit per person. So having said that... how about an Adult Fitness Tax Credit? That applies to anyone who maintains a regular routine of physical activity and ANY SPORT, activity or MEMBERSHIP. This is a fantastic incentive to help promote physical activity and can also offset some of the costs of joining roller derby for your players.
Please take twenty seconds (I swear at the most) to fill an online e-postcard that goes to Harper, Flaherty and your local MP. Do it now, while the Canadian election is a hot topic and just around the corner. I just did it in less than 20 seconds.
Derby in Dairyland, the WFTDA Easter Regionals Tournament is on this weekend, Oct 10-12. There are several things to take note of for this event. 1) The Charitable events by the Mad Rollin' Dolls and the party schedule 2) The Bout schedule, of course, and the top seeds - DNN is travelling but watch out as we get closer to the day. 3) Texas won over Bay Area 135-59 final at the Battle Royale Western Regionals last weekend. If you weren't watching the stream and games on DNN last week, where were you?! Oh and Rice Rocket of TXRD... I'd like to see her and Iron Wrench of Montreal jamming it out. My god what a bout that would be! New Skidz, please, saddle up and get it on with TXRD in 09!
LA Derby Dolls introduced their new team, the Varsity Brawlers on the 4th. But, sadly, I don't see an update on the LA Dolls website yet to link to. I'll keep my eyes open. I'm on a blackberry now, so if you send events to me on Facebook, I'll be able to see them and post them on the run.
Rein Valley Vixens Need Skaters: The Rein Valley Vixens, of the Lower Mainland Roller Derby out in B.C. are doing some fundraising and are in recruitment to add skaters to their league for the next season. Check that out! New leagues, I adore!
Derby Team Splits in Two! Albany, NY is the scene of a split in a league where the dispute stemmed over the "MORE FIGHTS" "LESS SHOW", "MORE WORK""MORE PLAY" doctrines of roller derby. I've seen this before. Some people love the aspects of roller derby that includes the characterization, attitude, showiness, dressup, and battles/fights/show-off moves, while others are athletic and want the uniforms to reflect sports uniforms more, and want the organization of a true athletic commitment with more discipline, work, and competitiveness.
The good thing about roller derby is that you can have both, but I see this becoming more and more common as those that got into roller derby for the attitude and fun, are slowly separated from the more competitive and serious skaters that want to rank in WFTDA and be #1 at all costs. And don't forget the teams that are also split because they prefer OSDA rules, or have co-ed teams. Roller Derby is awesome in all it's flavors, so just remember, there's different kinds of roller derby, and all of it is a good time!
Of course, if there's news on "Whip It", I'm watching!: An Ari Graynor Quote on Whip it! is in a recent interview she did for her upcoming movie projects. (You may need to scroll down a bit, it's near the end). I'd like to send a Derby Luv T-Shirt to Drew Barrymore, so I need to find out how to do that.....
And well, Derby Luv, let's see - well, paper dolls, roller derby events, training and skating aside, Derby Luv is trucking along. If there's anything you want to see or want more of at Derby Luv, just drop me a line at info (at) derbyluv.com. - Derby luv to ya, Nia Capps #74
Charlie Red Stick is this week's featured SC Rollergirl. Charlie is a spectacular athlete and one hell of a skater. She's knows how to really give a whip and brings her fierce Indian spirit with her out on the track. Charlie does a spectacular job juggeling being a mom and taking care of her family with being a fulltime derby girl.
Derby Name: Charlie Red Stick Number: 77 Team(s): All Star team / Capt. Beach Flat Betties Position(s) : Blocker/Pivot Hometown: Houston, Texas
How did you learn about roller derby and how did you get started? I watched it on TV in the 70's.
Why do you play roller derby? It sounds basic, but I play because I have skated my whole life, and I love the company. It's a good sport for an old girl.
What are your favorite two things about playing roller derby? Playing a good game, getting a good move or hit in.
How did you get your derby name? I named myself, after my ancestors the Red Stick, from what I gather they were the Anarchists of the Indian tribes in the deep south, rejecting all things white. Burning shit up and not assimilating. They were pretty hardcore.
What roller derby skates and gear do you use? I have Riedell Hellcats and Cannibal wheels. I wear Bell helmet with the awesome Jim Phillips graphic, and Bullet pads from NHS.
What skates make you drool? Mine are pretty cool, I'd like some better plates though.
What else, besides play, do you do for your league? I am Co-Point on the Coaching and Recruiting committee, I am the Captain of my Betties team, I do assessments for the league, oh and I smudge the team (with sage) before games.
What was your worst injury from roller derby so far? Well, I have had a couple concussions, I had my nose broken nose during an all star game, but by far it has been my torn rotator cuff. I fell the wrong way on it at practice one night and tore it all the way through, it has ended my season. I just had surgery to repair reattach it and I am in painful rehab physical therapy hell right now.
How hard is it for you to balance your derby and real life responsibilities? I have a husband and 2 older kids, 12 & 15. I have had to miss Open House at school a couple of times and go to practice during turbulent times here at home, but they are very supportive.
Where do you see the sport of roller derby in 5 years? X Games for sure.
What is your theme song? Smash It UP the Damned.
What's your dream roller derby vacation/travel/trip? I'd like to go see my friends in TX play. Rollercon would be nice.
What has been your best roller derby moment this season/ever? The first game, the rush of the fans and thinking hey, I can do this.
Elizabeth Ocean Designs - Roller Derby Paper Dolls and Other derby-licious fun!
Surely by now you are all used to me taking weird strolls around the internet in search of things like the guy with the skate-wheeled suit that could roll around full-bodied, the roller derby artwork, and rollergirl-themed everything including perfume, and wanting the whole world to love derby as much as all of us do.
Well, in one search look around, I discovered Elizabeth Ocean Designs. Elizabeth Ocean Temporary I.D. Paper Dolls is what I found. Elizabeth hand paints in water colors, various sets of paper dolls. And I couldn't resist asking her if she wanted to be featured on Derby Luv. I asked her to send me the SubCulture Sampler, which included the base doll along with my favorite outfits, the Redheaded Alert Roller Derby outfit, the Petticoat Heartbreak Rockabilly dress and the Goth Lolita, Sugarplum Disaster. Instead, she sent me the Subculture Sampler along with the "Bike Messenger" Sampler with a bike messenger-themed outfit for each season, AND "The Steampunk Sampler" which is Lady Dirigible in various situational garb with a 18th-century wear vibe.
I also asked Elizabeth about herself and what her deisgns were all about, and found her to be very creative, willing to promote things us rollergirls and guys adore, and I had a great time playing with my new paper dolls! The Rollerderby: Redheaded Alert outfit on the Basedoll "Blushing Bluebelle" now lives on my desk next to my VooDoo Baby Darkie and my Tim Burton toys.
Derby Luv (DL): I read you are a licensed attorney. What inspired you to make paper dolls?
Elizabeth Ocean (EO): I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm an attorney because I'm not "that" kind of lawyer. Moreover, I've been an artist my whole life and trained as a costume designer before making the switch to do-gooder law. After my stint in idealistic do-gooding law I needed a break and felt the deep need to create something beautiful and fun. I found myself thinking about the toys that made me happy as a kid, and decided to update the paper doll for modern sensibilities by combining my love for watercolor and costume design.
DL: What other artwork/crafts do you create and sell?
EO: I have a line of jewelry (Candied Ginger Jewelry) crafted from beads that I make by hand from polymer clay. In addition to paper dolls, I also paint watercolors of everything from tiny leaves to giant squids. In whatever spare time I manage to find, I can be found knitting, felting, documenting my days in comic book form, and creating plush toys for friends and family.
DL: I received three sample packages, The Subculture Sampler, The Bike Messenger Sampler, and The Steampunk Sampler. What inspired you to create these three packages?
EO: We live in what I think is a golden age of personal expression through clothing and adornment. These samplers are my interpretation of some of the best examples of such expressive fashion. I want to celebrate everyone who dresses to be noticed.
The Subculture Sampler was the first set that I created and it sprang from that desire to celebrate expressive fashion. I put all of these divergent threads into one set because I found that, despite their differences, they are strangely compatible. Actually, the roller derby Redheaded Alert was one of the first outfits I designed for the set.
The Bike Messenger Sampler was inspired by my time living in five different cities and seeing how vital bike messengers are to the heart of any urban ecosystem, regardless of season. I want to add that none of my cycling ladies are wearing helmets because I consider them to be off-duty (since they aren't painted with their bikes). Redheaded Alert, however, is sporting her skates and is therefore in full safety gear.
The Steampunk Sampler is my homage to the steampunk movement; I created it in watercolor as my welding skills leave something to be desired (for now....).
DL: The Roller derby-themed outfit of Redheaded Alert is in the Subculture Sampler, along with Rockabilly: Petticoat Heartbreaker and the tattooed Bike Messenger: CarbonFiber Careener. Are you a rollergirl, roller derby fan, or bike messenger now or in a past life.
EO: I sadly lack the skating skills to be a rollergirl myself, but I am a huge derby fan. I have nothing but awe-filled admiration for the dames who have the skills (and chops) to be rollergirls. Despite the fact that I've had many, many random jobs, I've never been fortunate enough to have one of them be a bike messenger gig. I rely on my bike for all my local travel needs though, and love getting dirty riding trails (despite my weakness for handlebar streamers).
DL: What toys are scattered around your desk? EO: I actually keep my desk clean since that's my painting surface, but around my studio there's a She-Ra Princess of Power action figure that I've had since I was 8 years old, an inordinate number of ducks (of the plush and rubber variety), a miniature disco ball that I bought in London while studying costume design there, and a plush crow of great sentimental value.
DL: What other collections do you have, and what are the inspirations behind them?
EO: I also have a collection called "The Alternative Bride Sampler" that was inspired by going to many, many weddings in the past couple of years. There are also several new sets in the works that are coming soon!
DL: What's up next for Elizabeth Ocean designs? What lickable jewelry or posable paper is coming next?
EO: I love the phrase lickable jewelry and may have to steal it. Jewelry-wise I'm working on a series of pendants that are a combination of clay, paper, and text. In paper doll land I'm hard at work on a tattoo-centered sampler and a roller derby sampler since Redheaded Alert obviously deserves her own set.
I'm also creating more diverse paper doll sets as my non-white friends keep asking when I'll make something that looks like them. There are some kid-friendly sets coming too, that provide the same alternative couture but with simplified silhouettes for easier cutting lines (for anyone who lacks confidence in their fine motor skills).
DL: Do you actually design or make costumes/clothing?
EO: Yes! I am always looking for an excuse for a costume party so I can construct something wondrous (like a Medusa outfit complete with iridescent snakes) and I make dresses for special occasions. I actually made the dress that I wore to my law school graduation in a strange intersection of my talents (it's made of a Japanese fabric with little leaping bunnies and finished with pink satin ribbon). I also turned my wedding dress into an abstract wall quilt since there was no way I was going to stuff it into some creepy box with a little window.
DL: CarbonFiber Careener, in Bike Messenger Sampler, SPRING, is carrying a coffee in her right hand, but what is it in her left? And that isn't Starbucks coffee is it?
EO: CarbonFiber Careener Spring is carrying a bag of granola (vegan) in her left hand. And that is most definitely NOT Starbucks coffee! Although I do have to say that my brother, who is a puppeteer and graphic novelist, worked for Starbucks for a little while, and they gave him amazing health insurance and employed a ton of other artists he knew. That said, give me a local coffee shop anyday, even though I'm mainly a green tea kind of girl.
DL: How can people get their hands on some paper dolls to play with, admire and decorate their lame office desks? (Come on, my day job is in an office, and even if I like my job, it's still LAME!)
EO: Decorating office desks is vitally important to maintaining sanity. In my former life as a criminal prosecutor, I'm pretty sure I was the only person in the county who had a plastic frame shaped like a rabbit and a collection of Pixar-themed toys on my desk. But I digress... You can find my paper dolls online through my Etsy shop: http://elizabethocean.etsy.com/. If you're in NYC you can buy my dolls in person at the American Folk Art Museum's store (an amazing musuem devoted to outsider art): http://www.folkartmuseum.org/. More stores are in the works so hopefully I'll be infiltrating a city near you soon.
DL: Would you make customized dolls for people, if they wanted a collection for their own derby team or just one of themselves?
EO: Absolutely! I would LOVE to work with derby teams or individuals to create personalized dolls and outfits. I think that a customized set of paper dolls makes an amazing and unique gift for that gal who has everything. People should feel free to contact me about custom orders (or about anything really) through Etsy or through my website: http://www.elizabethocean.com/. Thank you Derby Luv for this awesome interview!
Thank you, Elizabeth, for the new toys to play with when I am procrastinating on posting on Derby Luv, or when it's too snowy this winter to go skate. I've only made it in the Subculture Sampler so far, and hopefully my scissor-work and craft knife will continue strongly. Thank you for allowing me to play with these. The artwork has a very awesome feel to it, the paper is easy to cut and is sturdy enough for a rough rollergirl to get setup without it getting mangled, and I think if I had a daughter, I would totally be able to play dressup with her with these and give her a sense of beauty in women that are not just paper barbies.
We hope to see more of you, Elizabeth, and I am seriously interested in a Corseted outfit or an interesting Black and Blue Ball outfit for RollerCon 2009 or 2010 when I finally get there. Let's chat about that another time!
And I'd have to say that your best parties choice of the Mad Rollin' Dolls MIGHT have a runner up in Montreal - but I'd have to party in Dairyland to test that theory - but I hear my alma mater roller derby league is getting the rep for being quite the party league. I'm serious, you should get passports and work out something with Georgia W Tush, cause I bet the party would be fabulous! I'd even take a trip back to Montreal to see that! Country cover songs of "Baby Got Back", you say?
For those of you lucky enough to be playing for WFTDA teams, and for those bad-ass girls that are lucky enough to be playing for a WFTDA ranked team, AND on one of the Top 4 seeds for the Battly Royale Western Regional Final that kicks off tomorrow and has bouts starting on Friday, Good Luck! Battle Royale Schedule
I'm in the East, and I have a soft spot in the WFTDA ranked teams for Carolina (my home state) and I'm hoping to the Blue Ridge Rollergirls make it into WFTDA top rankings alongside Carolina someday.
MRD "Mad Rollin Dolls" http://www.madrollindolls.com/ is hosting the Eastern regionals, Derby in Dairyland Oct 10-12. I'll be watching Derby News Network for the write-ups and stats on the top seeds there, and routing for Carolina - partial to Gotham - and wait, I just want to see Kick ass roller derby. If you are going to be down in Dairyland to see this one, let me know how it goes and send me a photo or two. I'll be watching the tournaments presented by Broken Cherry on DNN.
Anyway, the bout started out and from what I could see at first, The London Thrashers and Thames Fatales are pretty equally matched. Both list quite a few girls as jammers, pivots, and blockers so they all have a lot of well-rounded skaters. The first period seemed to be a bit of a challenge, with the slippery floor causing some slowness to the pack, and falls that left a couple of players catching their breath. But what became evident is that it took that first period for the teams to kick in strategic thinking. It was 21-19 score in favor of the Thrashers at the end of the first period. 
For period two, the speeds improved, I saw better blocking in the pack, and jammer strategies began to emerge, with jams called off strategically and some walls forming in the packs by the blockers. By the third period, Thames Fatales had pulled into the lead and were headed for the win.
