fiveonfive | issue 25 | Fall 2014

WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK ROLLER DERBY MAGAZINE ISSUE 25, FALL 2014

proud partner of the WFTDA

fiveonfivemag.com

fiveonfive contents 34-37

4-5 advice

ask ms d’fiant and suzy hotrod!

WFTDA

6-9 business

It’s tournament time. Find out what to expect for the coming action-packed season. Who will take home the Hydra?

wave accounting software running of the bulls derby style

10-17 health and fitness plyometrics kinesio tape reducing injuries

46-48 Team Lobster

18-21 games and coaching

The derby community has a long history of rallying for its skaters, coaches, and mentors. Read about Rob Lobter’s touching story and find out how you can help.

order of operations: assists

24-33 gear 38-39 junior derby junior derby changed my life

Your Sunday Best

wheels cheap and easy gear updates

49 RollerCon recap

40-45 rookie

RollerCon is always a whirlwind for those who attend. Check out this recap from one of this year’s attendees and start making plans for next year.

start-up leagues: first year setup welcome packet

Tristan King

56-58 international derby 60-61 art and media

editor miss jane redrum fort wayne derby girls copy editor and content manager vera n. sayne rocky mountain rollergirls

from the editor Welcome to the 25th issue of fiveonfive!

art director assaultin’ pepa rocky mountain rollergirls

Maybe it’s just because I am a retired skater, but it seems that we just

contributing writers ms d’fiant angel city derby girls

wrapped up 2013 Championships, and here we are in the midst of our

suzy hotrod gotham girls roller derby

favorite time of year again. I mean, who doesn’t love tournament season?

margaret banger sitka sound slayers helen wheels rocky mountain rollergirls katicorn boston derby dames

It’s what our community waits for all year long. And this year’s schedule will be action-packed as usual. Sadly, I can’t make it to any tournaments this

catholic cruel girl rocky mountain rollergirls

year, but like so many others, I will be tuning in to wftda.tv to catch as much

oh noshi didn’t wreckin’ roller rebels

of it as I can. Hats off to WFTDA and all of its member leagues for continually

stuart orr grand raggidy roller girls

pushing the game forward.

shocker khan rage city rollergirls la petite mort fast girl skates

Just like tournament season, this issue of fiveonfive is action-packed, as

phantom menace rocky mountain rollergirls

well. For those new to derby, check out the Start Up Leagues article on page

lois slain DC rollergirls betty ford galaxy rainier roller girls bitches bruze southshire roller derby

40. Wondering what wheels to buy? Jennifer Savaglio’s article on page 24 will give you a comprehensive run-down of different brands and

preditor-in-chief port scandalous roller derby

durometers. Looking for a feel-good article about our awesome

hannah jennings rose city rollers

community? Flip to page 46 to find out how we’ve rallied around Lobster.

swede hurt gotham girls roller derby shadowboxer gotham girls roller derby

As always, we couldn’t do what we do without your support and input.

emma clarke, slam panther, sass n bite roller derby australia

We want you to be a part of our community, so let us hear from you. Is there

lebron shames chicago bruise brothers hermione danger foco girls done derby cover photo Jean aka the Blastart facebook.com/theblastart fiveonfive magazine info@fiveonfivemag.com facebook.com/fiveonfive fiveonfivemag.com The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of fiveonfive magazine.

a topic you want us to cover? Do you want to become a contributing writer?

Email us at content@fiveonfivemag.com.

Miss Jane Redrum Fort Wayne Derby Girls Fort Wayne, IN editor@fiveonfivemag.com

contributors

Many thanks to our contributors who come from all over the roller derby community and share their knowledge based on their countless hours of dedication to this sport!

Check out additional contributors at fiveonfivemag.com.

Margaret Banger Adam Andis, nunatakdesign.com

Sarah Ferrency, aka Margaret Banger #RU-486, is a founding member and treasurer of the two-year old Sitka Sound Slayers in Sitka, Alaska. Located on an island in Southeast Alaska, Sitka has one of the highest saturation rates of derby players nationwide, with about 35 members in a town of under 9,000 people. Banger also blogs occasionally at diyrollerderby.blogspot.com.

Phantom Menace

April O’Hare Photography

Phantom Menace, a sith lord and school librarian from Castle Rock, Colorado, began skating with the Castle Rock ‘n Rollers in 2010 before transferring to the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls in 2011. Though it’s been three years, most of RMRG still remembers Menace as “that girl who wore a tutu to her first RMRG bout.”

Katicorn Kat Setzer is a Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist living and working in Boston. Her writing has appeared on DerbyLife, the Boston Derby Dames blog, i09, and in Bust Magazine.

Bitches Bruze Amy Jo Moore, aka Bitches Bruze, started playing derby in 2007. She was a co-founder of the Hellions of Troy (Troy, NY) and Burlington Bombers (Burlington, VT). She has coached roller derby around the United States and Europe and can often be heard on WFTDA.tv at ECDX, and WFTDA playoff events.

In December 2013, after years of insane commutes, she finally started a league close to her home in Pownal, VT. Southshire Roller Derby will begin competing in the summer of 2015 and is rolling strong.

Stuart Orr Stuart Orr is the founder and owner of Iron Orr Gym in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has served as an athletic coach, seminar speaker, strength consultant, and personal trainer for the past 17 years.

(For training consultation or seminars, you can reach him at orrbarbell@hotmail.com.)

advice

Suzy Hotrod

Ms D’Fiant

Gotham Girls Roller Derby New York, NY

Angel City Derby Girls Los Angeles, CA

DEAR BLOCKER AND JAMMER, What do you feel are the most effective approaches for bench staff to communicate with and encourage skaters on the bench during a bout?

-BETTY ONDA BENCH

DEAR BOB, The most effective use of two bench coaches is a balance of an active and passive role. I've worked with an active track facing bench coach who keeps their eye solely on the game unfolding. While a calm bench is ideal, in general, for me personally, I want my track-facing manager to have their heart in it and tap into a little emotion. That means sharing in the excitement and energy of a good run, but that also means calling us out when, quite frankly, we're fucking up. This person should be able to pump the team up and also challenge the team. It is more than a facilitator role. This bench coach should have chemistry with the team. They also need to be delicate and positively encouraging while giving realistic, serious, trouble shooting feedback on the fly directly to skaters during the live bout or at half time. I think it is important to be able to have these conversations during the game. If an open line of honest communication is established as part of the way the team is run on the bench, real productive adjustments can be made without feelings being hurt.

The second bench coach is all eyes on the bench. A calming presence is key in this role while doing a busy job.

To keep the team calm, it's really important to have the next line up ready to go quickly so that the skaters can sit down together and align before the jam starts. This person orchestrates all of the lineups, but more importantly needs to keep the team balanced (technically speaking, but also mentally speaking) when players need to be pulled from lineups due to the penalty box. Some players get benched a lot when box trouble happens. This second bench coach should always quietly and encouragingly check in to keep the players that aren't getting full game time still engaged mentally. They also need to really pay attention to who is getting pulled so that no one is overly shorted play time by accident. There is a lot of mental juggling in this role and skaters can really lose momentum if they are frequently pulled incorrectly.

During the bout, the team captains have a large job being skaters themselves in addition to being team leaders. Having that extra support of team leadership from bench coaches is crucial. Both bench coaches are encouraged to give high fives as much as possible, and it's small, but an encouraging smile also goes a long way. A team is complete when both players and bench coaches are together as one.

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DEAR BOB, While thinking about this question, I find my point of view very singular. With exception to a few games while pregnant, I generally don’t bench manage. Given my limited experience here, I decided to call on someone who has put much more standing time in at the bench (usually in a sweater-vest). With that introduction, I’ll hand things over to my old friend and league-mate, head coach of the Angel City Hollywood Scarlets and the women’s Team USA assistant coach, Conan the Vegetarian: Great question! I’m happy to help. Here are some basics: Be Positive: In the intensity of the moment, it is easy to turn negative if things don’t go as you wish. Negativity is poisonous on the bench. Be positive in your communications to the players. Instead of saying “Stop turning sideways on the inside!” Say, “Keep that inside line covered, feet forward and present your back.”

Be Concise: Don’t flood your players with information, feedback or critique. At most, you should only need a few seconds to communicate key ideas or observations to your players. Most players are not able to learn new things during the bout, so keep your communication simple.

Establish Expectations Ahead of Time: This is critical to keeping things positive on the bench. Play time, positions, and roles should never be surprises to any of your players on game day. Talk privately ahead of time with players about how much playing time they are going to get and their specific role.

Listen: Listen to their verbal and nonverbal communication. Are they focused?

Overwhelmed? Tired? Confused? Upset? Tailor your communication to help get them where they need to be.

Reinforce Themes from Practice: Your team may master a concept in practice and then completely lose track of it on game day. Remind players of things you practiced, and give positive feedback when they execute those things during the game. It is very rewarding for the players to execute something precisely as they practiced it.

Promote Positive Discussions Between Teammates: Leading up to the game, talk with your team about the type of discussions they should be having on the bench and set standards for how they communicate with each other. Make sure they are being positive with one another and having useful discussions.

Keep Them Focused: Do not allow your players to get caught up in things they cannot control, such as officiating, fans, announcers, or the behavior of the opponents.

Remind your players of your game plan and keep them focused on executing it with their teammates. Make sure they don’t withdraw into themselves if they made a mistake. Protect them from themselves.

Have Their Back: If something dirty goes down, get your ass to the center and make sure the refs know about it. Don’t make your players fight those battles. Their focus should be on executing the game plan.

Lead by Example: Be a gracious winner or loser. Thank the other team for playing.

Always thank the officials individually if possible.

DEAR BLOCKER AND JAMMER, What’s the best way to prepare mentally and physically for tournament season?

-TINA TOURNEY Jules Doyle

DEAR TT, For me the best way to prepare for tournament season is to not freak out. I try to focus on the fact that I’ve worked hard all dang year! Realistically, this is easier said than done. Naturally, teams start to seriously rev up when tournament season comes. Once you’re seeded, it’s a clean slate and skaters really are on their best behavior. Truth is, many skaters can’t give 100% all year due to work, family, etc.

But when push comes to shove, tournament season brings everyone to practice all the time, as we’re fighting for roster spots and fighting to win the Hydra.

You’re going to want to start to kill each other... because you’re pretty much KILLING each other and it breaks you down physically, which starts to break you down mentally. Being a jammer especially, I get seriously beat up by my teammates. It is incredibly frustrating. You have to walk away and stay calm. Get rest after you walk out that door and don’t mentally hold anything after practice ends. I try to stay mentally clear of derby when I am not at practice. Some people thrive in saturation. I thrive by trying to pretend I’m balanced with other things in my life. So I’ll try to cook dinner, or visit a retired skater friend, or anything to stay clear of derby insanity. I don’t read DNN for example. I read Garfield comics, or something, anything, that isn’t derby. Whatever, Garfield is awesome. I too hate Mondays and love lasagna. Win win.

Practices get more intense, and as much as I hate it, practices also become more frequent. I start to get really burned out sometimes. If I can offer advice on this, don’t drastically increase the amount of practices. Your team needs to be the best all year, not make up for it with an insane amount of practices in a short period of time. Make the time you’re together count, but respect a skater’s right to a break, too. I actually do not regularly participate in added, non-typical derby day training. For example, I try so hard to keep Tuesdays as my day. Well, easier said than done, as there are women who are willing to do ANYTHING to make that roster and now they’re going far beyond what they literally signed up for as their requirements for practice attendance to just get a chance at a roster spot, and that is no way to live! I recommend sticking with your schedule and working hard within that time.

Be on your best behavior. The best thing you can do is sleep. When was the last time you got eight hours a night consistently? My secret? I actually really do sleep seven to eight hours a night. Every night. MIND BLOWING. Also I am one of the only people who gets to start work at 10am. I am a totally unrealistic adult and that means that no one else is getting enough sleep ever. We all get home really late at night from practice. I don’t know how my teammates who need to be up at 6am do it. If I was one of them though, I suppose I would need to be regimented about immediately showering and going to bed as soon as I got home. I also tend to have a dirty apartment and laundry during tournament season because I put small things second during this time, which of course reminds me that my life is a mess and that I put derby ahead of everything else and that is not totally healthy.

Well. It’s tournament season now, so I can process all these deep thoughts about my screwed up life priorities during the off-season.

Don’t delve into any insane new workout regiments. I admit I am not well educated on a training arc method. But I know you’re supposed to build muscle early in the season, then endurance, and by the end of the season feel optimal and just be practicing the derby game and skate skills. I love that my team takes non-contact time to practice skills all the way up to the final tournaments. It is a great mental and physical break.

Finally, do something really nice for yourself when it’s all over. Or if you’re me, still reward yourself with ice cream as frequently as you like.

DEAR TT, Great timing with this question, as I write this column I’m on my way to the first tournament of the 2014 season in Duluth, MN. With the introduction of WFTDA D2 tournaments last year and the anticipated D3 at some point, I believe many more skaters will be prepping for tournaments than ever before.

Make no mistake, regardless of the Division number that follows that “D”, WFTDA tournaments are physically, mentally and emotionally intense events. Preparation is not only key to a strong performance, but it’s key to your entire tournament experience.

I speak from a place of experience, when my league first attended a WFTDA tournament we experienced a minor meltdown directly after.

First off, like Conan mentioned in the previous article, meet and discuss expectations individually and as a team beforehand. What are your team goals? What are your individual goals? What is your team behavior at a tournament? Chat with your captains and coaches to find out the team schedule, curfews and any other important details prior to the event.

As athletes it’s important to time our peak athletic performance to hit during the tournament season. There are plenty of online resources that go into great detail on the science behind it, but basically – professional athletes do not train 100% absolutely all of the time. Plan the year out so you can have off season, skill work, followed by a ramp up for training and strength and then peak performance time in the weeks leading up to the tournament.

Next up, mental focus. Feel the need to change jobs? Not getting along with your partner? I hate to say this, but it can wait until the off-season. Even a seemingly small change can be magnified by the intensity of preparing for a tournament. It’s also important to leave room for the unexpected. We can’t always control the ways in which life happens, but the more stable your work and home-life, the more focused you will be on the track. And if life is falling apart the week before a tournament, just remember it will still be there when you get back. Leave those issues behind as you take to a new city with your team.

Eat right and do not drink alcohol. I don’t need to really explain that one, right? Lately folks are glorifying the fun we had in the old days as a bunch of drinking teams with a roller derby problem. Yeah well, recreational leagues still exist. This question is about a team going to tournaments, tournament level teams generally don’t have heavy drinking habits in 2014. Though, I suppose that goes back to your team goals.

One last word of advice, if there’s any team drama happening, resolve it ASAP or resolve to put it on the backburner until after the tournament. It’s tempting to ignore issues bubbling under the surface with a big event on the horizon, but those nagging things have a way of slipping out and the last place you want that to happen is around 300 of your new derby friends. Acknowledgement goes a long way, it’s okay to recognize an issue and resolve to steer clear of it until it can be addressed properly.

Don’t forget, when the games are all done get out there, meet new people, and enjoy yourself.

need advice? email advice@fiveonfivemag.com fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 5

business

wave accounting software M A R G A R E T BA N G E R , S I T K A S O U N D S L AY E R S

You’ve just started a roller derby league, and you’re the only one on your team who knows how to balance a checkbook, so all of the sudden you’re the treasurer. Or maybe your team has been around for a few years, you’re applying for your 501c(3), and someone dumps three boxes of paper on you and says, “We saved everything!” Or, you spend three hours every month tracking and collecting dues payments. Whatever your circumstances are, you need a way to stay on top of your league’s finances. Enter Wave, a cloud-based basic accounting, invoicing, and payroll software for very small businesses. Its tag line is, “Do what you love, Wave does the rest,” and there’s a certain amount of truth to that. Most of us have lives outside of derby, and the more time we spend on league business, the less we get to spend skating.

When I started looking for bookkeeping software, my goal was to keep the treasurer’s job as simple and as streamlined as possible. I’m not a finance professional, and I knew it was unlikely my successor would be. I also had committed to being treasurer for just one two-year term, so I wanted a system that would transfer easily to the next treasurer. As a Mac user, I was looking for cloud-based software so that when it came time to pass on the books, we wouldn’t be hampered by compatibility issues. Wave quickly rose to the surface. It was well reviewed by outside sources and met all of my criteria. Best of all, it’s free!

With no financial risk, I gave Wave a try and have been quite pleased with it, enough so that I wanted to share it with the rest of the derby world. Wave provides all the basic double-entry bookkeeping features you would expect – a ledger, customizable categories that it learns to apply correctly, automatic bank downloads, and a dashboard page with a good snapshot of your finances. As I started using it, I discovered that Wave has a few key features that make it ideal for roller derby leagues. It makes collecting dues super easy through invoicing, has integrated credit card processing, allows you to upload and save receipts, and has beautiful reports that make transparency easy. Best of all, Wave has great customer support and an intuitive feel.

One of the main tasks for roller derby money people is collecting monthly dues, and being able to streamline this with Wave really sealed the deal for me. When I started as treasurer, I

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tried using another system to keep track of membership and dues, but it was not very user friendly for me or for the members. Wave allows you to easily create customized, professional looking invoices and send them to any email address. If you’re making the same invoice for a number of people, you can create it once and copy it, changing the customer with a drop-down box.

Members don’t have to sign up or sign in, and they can pay securely online using integrated credit card processing, which I’ll talk more about shortly.

Soon after I joined Wave, they added the ability to schedule recurring monthly invoices, and at that point I stopped using the other service. I invested an hour or so creating recurring invoices for about 30 skaters, and now we are all automatically billed each month, with periodic automatic email reminders. Invoices are automatically entered into the books as accounts receivable until the member pays. If a member pays by cash or check, I manually enter the payment, which takes about 30 seconds, including sending the member an email receipt. If she pays by credit card, I don’t have to do anything until the bank download comes in.

No more checklists, no more reminders, no more feeling guilty for harassing people to pay.

Wave uses Stripe as its integrated credit card processor. Stripe charges the same fees as other common processors, and if you sign up from inside Wave, your accounts will be seamlessly linked.

Using Stripe, you can create an automatic credit card payment system so that members don’t even have to remember to pay.

Wave also has a Smartphone app that uses the phone’s camera rather than a swiper to charge cards in person, but thus far we have found Square to be quicker for in-person sales. It’s great to have when you forget the swiper, though!

Another feature I love in Wave is the ability to upload receipts.

All I do is take a picture of a receipt with my Smartphone using the receipts app, verify that the information is correct, and it gets saved in the receipt section and entered as an expense in the books. Wave learns your common vendors and the appropriate categories, making it easier every time you use it. When another Board member spends league money, she just texts me a picture of the receipt and I can save it and enter it the same way. We’re on auto pay with the local copy shop and the gym, so they email

me pdf receipts, which are also easy to upload into Wave. Our accounting is almost completely paperless, and the easier you make it on people, the more likely you are to get those receipts.

Like all decent accounting software, Wave automatically connects to your bank and downloads your transactions. For simple transactions, it matches what you have entered into your ledger with the bank transaction, or more commonly, you need to merge the downloaded transaction with the one you have entered either manually or from the invoice system. My primary criticism of Wave is this process. When an invoice is paid by credit card, it shows up in your ledger as two entries, the gross charge and the credit card processing fee. This is appropriate accounting, because you want to show your gross charges and your fees separately in your books. However, the bank deposit shows as a single transaction representing the net income. Add to that the Stripe bundles deposits, so if three people pay on the same day, you could end up with one big deposit you need to match to six smaller transactions.

Wave has two suggestions for dealing with this, neither of which is satisfactory to me. The quickest solution is to verify that the bank deposit is correct and simply delete that downloaded transaction. I don’t like this because I like to have all of my downloaded transactions in my books, backing up my entries.

The other option is to split your deposit into individual gross charges and fees, and then match those transactions. This is a time consuming process; I spend at least an hour each month doing this alone, often including logging into Stripe directly to figure out which deposit is associated with which invoice payments. But going to this trouble makes it really easy to go back in your books and have confidence that everything is properly accounted for. With all the time Wave saves me on collecting dues, I’m willing to spend the extra time doing this.

Accounting software must not only allow you to track your finances accurately and completely; you also need to be able to communicate your finances to the Board, league members, and the IRS. Wave has a small number of standard reports that have been adequate for my purposes. Each month I provide the Board and the league with a Balance Sheet showing all the account balances, and an Income Statement that shows income and expenses by categories. I use the balances from the Balance Sheet to manually reconcile the bank accounts and the cash on hand, although Wave recently added an internal reconciliation feature.

I also manually prepare a budget-to-actuals report, using the

numbers from the Income Statement and my budget spreadsheet.

Wave also allows you to add “guest collaborators” to your account, which you can assign various levels of access, from view-only to also being able to edit transactions and other account details.

A feature I am eagerly anticipating in Wave is business budgeting. They are working on it but have not identified a target release date. I would really love to be able to click a button to create my budget-to-actuals report! I would also like there to be an easier way of tagging transactions or creating subcategories, so that I could track and report on committee budgets as well as the overall league budget. As it is now, I use a multi page spreadsheet to create our league budget, with pages for each committee that feed into the main budget. Then I only track and report on the whole budget. Committee budgets are simple enough at this point that it would be pretty obvious to me if one was way out of line; however, the committee chairs would like to know how much they have left to spend.

Finally, I want to give a shout out to Wave’s customer service.

I have emailed them a number of times with questions, and every time they have followed up quickly (within a day or two) and either fixed a glitch or helped me understand how to do what I wanted to do. They also have a pretty substantial searchable knowledge base, and users can suggest and vote for features to focus on developing. You never get an automatic response where it looks like they didn’t even read your question! I also took advantage of an offer for a free hour of professional bookkeeping advice, and it was helpful enough that I would consider paying for that service if I need it in the future, as our finances become more complex.

They set up a web meeting with just me and one of their “Wave Pro” bookkeepers, and I got to ask whatever I wanted about both bookkeeping in general, specific to a non-profit, and with respect to Wave.

The big picture take away is that Wave has made keeping the books for our new derby league surprisingly easy, and I’m looking forward to showing it off to whoever takes on my job after me.

It’s free, and very competitive with other professional bookkeeping software, which have significant costs and potential compatibility issues. While nothing can really make the derby treasurer’s job fun, Wave makes it a lot easier and faster, leaving us with more time to skate. waveapps.com stripe.com

fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 7

business

running of the bulls derby style H E L E N W H E E L S , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S

The history of people running in front of bulls in Pamplona, Spain, is not completely clear. Some say the tradition got its start when bullfighting became a popular pastime, and the only way to get the bulls from their corral to the bullring was by running them through the streets to the ring. Eventually, people started running with the bulls, and then in front of the bulls, which in the end grew into the current popular festival. Every year in July, thousands travel to Pamplona, Spain, for the most famous bull-running event honoring Navarre capital's patron saint, San Fermin. Of note, Pamplona is not the only location where bull running is held.

Similar events also take place in other provinces of Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and even France.

In 2007, this time-honored event experienced a modern makeover as the San Fermin in Nueva Orleans debuted. The inaugural event drew about 200 people and has since grown into a large scale, 4-day celebration with a 2014 crowd in excess of 18,000 participants! The NOLA run distance is about one mile, and free to the public, with a voluntary registration fee to support the four-day festival. Proceeds benefit Animal Rescue New Orleans and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Rocky Mountain Rollergirls borrowed the New Orleans fundraising concept in 2010, developing a similar annual event called The Highland Running of the Bulls with a run distance of 1K. There is a registration fee with all proceeds from the event benefiting the Tennyson Center for Children, an organization that helps families receive therapeutic services focusing on improving safety, stability, and family functioning.

In case you have missed previous fiveonfive stories covering Running of the Bulls Derby Style and need brought up to speed, the gist is that Pamplona’s tradition has been updated with a twist the way only roller derby could spin it – there are no street stampeding bovines. Instead, “roller bulls” wear horned helmets, wield whiffle bats or pool noodles, and careen on quad skates through the event course while landing swift swats on runners’ meaty parts as they flee from the skating roller bulls. Runners wear white tops and bottoms, with red scarves or cloth around their neck or waist in ode to Pamplona’s tradition, while a few brave smartarses even go so far as taping red bulls-eyes to their backsides to taunt the roller bulls!

It is so much fun to participate in Running of the Bulls Derby Style, but not everyone can pilgrimage to New Orleans for the

Louisiana event, or get to Denver for the Colorado run, so how in the heck does a roller derby league go about organizing a running of the bulls event for their neck of the woods?

In fact, planning a running of the derby-bulls event is not as difficult as one might think. The following suggestions will have your league well underway to building a FUNdraising event worthy of its own notoriety in four easy steps!

1. Get a solid planning committee together. Planning a successful Running of the Bulls Derby Style event requires a lot of time, (wo)manpower, and community resources. Initial planning may take several months to orchestrate. To make the whole process more effective, enlist the help of a charity with which you partner or even a local runner’s shop as a resource of someone who understands how to organize a similar event.

2. Select a charity or cause to support. Search to find awareness campaigns for charitable causes in your area and partner with their local organization to operate the event. Traditionally, Running of the Bulls Derby Style takes place in July during the Pamplona, Spain event, however if that month doesn’t work for your league, plan the event during a designated month of a cause for maximum public exposure.

3. Set a date, time, location, and estimated number of participants. Decide where you want your event to start and end. Contact local law enforcement agencies to make sure that the selected route does not break any laws, and check with municipalities to find out if permits are needed or if you need to close off streets for your course.

4. Create a checklist. Break down the logistics of event planning from initial preparation to wrapping up at the end.

Design a step-by-step guide to organizing and executing your special event.

Doc Tucson

8 | Fall 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

Lindsay Pierce, Denver Post

Lindsay Pierce, Denver Post

PLANNING CHECKLIST Pre-event Preparation Who will handle: • Publicity and media relations?

• Volunteer outreach?

• Enlisting participants?

• How much should the registration fee be for runners?

• Who will take care of procuring: tables, tents, sound system?

• Are portable bathrooms required?

• What other equipment is needed?

Event Day Who will handle: • Checking in the runners at registration and will this include finances?

• Safety and first aid?

• Traffic management of the runners?

• Start/end of event?

• Volunteer coordination?

Make sure the entire group is completely clear of the respective responsibilities each individual is in charge of, and the protocol of how the event will be carried out.

Post-event Who will handle: • Clean up?

• Equipment return?

• Finances – reimbursements, expenses and donations?

Key Points • Develop a Budget: Maintain good records, keeping track of all income and expenses.

• Revenue opportunities: • Sponsorship • Ticket sales • Donations • Expenses: • Printing • Permits • Insurance • Speakers • Security • Plan publicity/marketing – Spread the Word!

• Spotlight the charity partner at one of your games prior to the event • Get the word out in digital and non-digital form: • Twitter/Facebook • E-mails/Newsletters • Craigslist

• Newspapers/Magazines • Local TV stations/radio shows • Community centers • Use your Street Team to distribute flyers • Ask the charity you are supporting to help market the event through their contacts as well Parking – ensure ample parking is easily accessible to event location The day of the event! Ensure that all know their responsibilities. Have informational flyers about future roller derby events for distribution to spectators at the course finish to promote your league!

Event Checklist • Set your event goal • Establish a spending budget for shirts and advertising • Arrange a location for your event • Set the date for your event • Notify group members well in advance • Advertise your event with posters, flyers, community announcements, mailings and emails to be sure your event gets the support you need • Organize your volunteer staff and designate responsibilities • Enlist the help of local businesses.

• Write letters • Make phone calls • Set up in-person meetings.

• Who can help finance or publicize the event? If they can’t give money, can they donate supplies?

• Can a local printing shop donate flyers and ads or T-shirts?

• Gather all necessary supplies. You may need the following supplies: • Registration/Merch tables • Chairs • Posters/Signage • Cash box/plenty of change • Registration forms/event waivers • Collect your final funds raised – calculate profit or proceeds for charity • Evaluate the event – Create an evaluation form to hand out and collect postevent • Keep forms short • Anonymous • Make reflections – Say thank you!

• Thank volunteers and participants for making the event successful • Publicize successful outcome • Post photos on league website/Facebook page

Doing good things for your community is GOOD FOR YOUR LEAGUE! Olè!

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health and fitness

plyometrics K AT S E T Z E R , N A S M - C P T A N D N A S M - C E S A K A K AT I C O R N , B O S TO N D E R B Y DA M E S E X E R C I S E S D E M O N S T R AT E D B Y WO M A N I M A L , B O S TO N D E R B Y DA M E S

With the advent of workouts like P90x and Insanity, plyometrics – jumping and other explosive exercises – have become increasingly popular in the roller derby world. Although plyometrics can involve any part of the body, the most easily recognized plyometrics involve some sort of jumping; even the humble jumping jack, made famous in elementary schools the world over, is a plyometric move.

The easiest way to understand plyometrics (often shortened to “plyos”) is to think of your body like a spring: when you stretch out a spring, then let it go, it recoils quickly and forcefully.

Similarly, when performing plyometrics, you start in a position that lengthens the muscles powering the movement, then quickly contract those muscles. This “winding-up” position allows your body to activate more of the muscle tissue, creating a fast, strong movement.

You can test this concept on your own: try jumping from the ground starting with straight legs, then try jumping from the ground with your knees bent into a squat. You can probably go much higher from the squatting position, right?

While many players see plyos as an opportunity to boost their cardiovascular fitness, a well-designed plyometric program can help athletes in a number of ways: not only building explosive

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power and jump height, but also increasing how quickly an athlete can create the explosive force, improving reaction time, and teaching the body to absorb shock.

In particular, plyos improve strength and decrease impact forces on joints, a boon to female athletes – research has shown that adding plyos to the regimen of female basketball and soccer players reduced anterior cruciate ligament injuries in these populations.1 Roller derby players face similar risks with all the side-to-side movements and sudden changes in direction we perform on the track. Getting the body adapted to sudden movements and teaching it to decelerate forces quickly will allow your body to react to similar situations more effectively during a game. Jumping the apex, flipping around to confront the opposing jammer, or springing out of the way of another player’s hit can all place some gnarly forces on your joints. Your body will be happier if you train it to deal with that impact.

So what are the key components of a plyometric exercise?

We already discussed how to set up for the most explosive motion possible.

Even more important than the wind-up, though, is the landing. Trainers will often tell athletes to land lightly when jumping. Imagine it this way: if you hit the ground with a tremendous crash, that shock will go through your entire body. Instead, land with your toes hitting the ground first, then roll along the rest of your foot until your feet are flat. Let your knees bend continuously as you

land, and make sure they don’t wobble from side to side as you move (they should track directly in line with your toes). This movement should be as smooth as possible – oftentimes, folks new to plyometrics will land with stiff knees, then squat. Let your knees bend the moment as you make contact with the ground!

Also, make sure to choose jumpingfriendly surfaces: if you’re on a mat or jumping onto a box, make sure it won’t twist or move when you land. Try to practice in places where there’s some extra cushioning for your landings – foam pads will be kinder to your body than concrete.

Before you get started, keep a few guidelines in mind: Because plyos will get your heart rate soaring, it’s tempting to do a lot of them for an intense cardiovascular routine. Don’t do too much too soon, though. Focus on quality of movement, not quantity. One high jump with a noiseless landing is worth far more than a dozen sloppy jumps with your joints wobbling all over the place.

Give yourself plenty of time to recover from a plyo workout, because your muscles actually get stronger during the repair cycle between workouts – usually around 48 or 72 hours does the trick.

When NOT to use them A good rule of thumb: if you can’t do the movement well slowly, then don’t try to turn it explosive. Still find plain ol’ squats torturous? Don’t do jump squats then!

Because these movements are performed so quickly, your joints undergo a lot of force. Lots of force

plus bad movements equal injuries. You play a contact sport – do you really need more opportunities to get hurt?

If you’re feeling pain beyond normal muscle discomfort, particularly within the joint, skip the exercise. It’s also worthwhile to point out that if you’ve recently had an injury that affected the stability of a joint – say, an ankle sprain – you’ll want to have a doctor or physical therapist clear you before you start jumping on it.

Let’s get jumping!

The following are some plyometric routines that will help you build up your

your strength or cardio routine.

Doing them in the beginning will give you the energy to focus on proper form. Even better, the exercises help get the neuromuscular connections in your body woken up and firing, so you’ll be able to activate those muscles better in the rest of your workout, as well.

leg strength and agility. They’re set up in four levels of difficulty. Start with level one, practicing the exercises two to three days a week, for three to four weeks. Then progress to the next level.

If you’re fitting these into a longer workout, they’re really great to do at the beginning, after you’ve warmed up, but before you get to the meat of

1

Voskanian, Natalie. “ACL Injury prevention in female athletes: review of the literature and practical considerations in implementing an ACL prevention program.” Current Review of Musculoskeleton Medicine. June 2013. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3702781

General guidelines: ● Warm up beforehand with some foam rolling, dynamic stretching, and glute and core exercises. ● Start with one set of each exercise in a section, and work your way up to three sets. ● Perform 8-10 repetitions of each movement, focusing on soft landings. ● Rest for up to 60 seconds between sets. ● Give yourself two days rest in between plyo workouts.

squat jumps

tuck jumps

ice skaters

LEVEL 1 squat jumps Start in a squat, with your legs bent to 90 degrees. Swing your arms back, then forward again. As your arms come forward, explode up from the ground, allowing your legs to straighten completely as you leave the ground. Land back in a squat.

long jumps Start as you would with a squat jump. This time, as you jump up, also propel your body forward. Keep your toes in line with when you land (so you don’t have one foot in front of the other).

Try to improve your distance with each jump.

tuck jumps Same as a squat jump, but pull your knees up to your chest when you’re in the air. This is similar how you would jump over an obstacle on the track. Add some ankle weights if you’d like to better simulate the feel of having skates on your feet (without, you know, being on wheels).

ice skaters Stand on one leg, knee slightly bent, opposite leg in the air behind you. Swing the back leg and leap to the side, landing with the leg you were originally standing on floating behind you.

(This is really fun to do on skates, but that’s advanced.)

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health and fitness

single leg hops

single leg jump

power step ups

LEVEL 2 single leg hops Squat down on one leg, jump up until your leg extends, and land back in a one legged squat. It’s easy to keep your leg stiff and do just a little bunny hop for this one – really try to wind-up with a deep single-leg squat first to get the most explosiveness.

single leg jump to landing

power step ups

on two feet w/ twist Similar to the ice skater, but this time, when you leap to the side, also twist

Start with one leg up on a bench. Push through it hard enough to straighten it and lift yourself off the bench by a

your body mid-air. Land softly on two feet. Pretend you’re leaping around a particularly gnarly blocker.

couple of inches. While both your legs are mid-air, switch feet. Land with the opposite leg on the bench, knee bent.

Immediately repeat with that leg.

box jumps You’ll need a short platform for this one – a curb, a 12-inch block, or a lowbench are good options. Start on the ground in a squat. Jump up and forward, letting your legs straighten out before landing on the bench in a squat again.

Step down.

box drops Start on a chair or bench. Step off. As you drop to the ground, try to land as smoothly and softly into a squat as possible, letting your butt touch the bench before you stand up. This move is especially helpful for teaching your body to diffuse impact.

one leg box drops Step off a box and land on one leg squat, as softly as possible. Use a much lower box than you use in a two-legged box drop – you’re absorbing a lot of impact with this move.

depth jumps Perform a box drop. Then, right after you land in a squat, jump out of it as quickly and as high as you can, then land in another squat.

LEVEL 3 hops with direction change Similar to the single leg hop, but turn around mid-air before you land. Start with 90 degree turns, then build up to 180 degree turns.

LEVEL 4 box hops Combine the one legged hop with a box jump! Start in a one legged squat, then jump onto a low block – think street curb, or a step-aerobics bench with a riser or two underneath it.

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box jumps

power step ups

Chickpea Salad Catholic Cruel Girl, Rocky Mountain Rollergirls

Protein builds and recovers muscle, so that is why you want to load up on protein after exercise. Chickpeas pack a whopping 12 grams of protein per cup, making this salad ideal for your post workout, practice or bout meal. It is easy to tote in your skate bag pocket wrap style in foil to enjoy on your ride home when you are so hungry your dirty socks look appetizing.

PontusForsberg.com

ingredients 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1⁄2 cup Earth Balance mindful mayo 1⁄2 cup celery, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons red onion, diced finely 1 heaping tablespoon parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon capers 1⁄2 teaspoon ground yellow mustard 1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1⁄8 teaspoon turmeric handful of spinach

Place chickpeas and mindful mayo into a food processor and pulse until creamy yet still somewhat chunky.

In a bowl, combine celery, garlic, onion, parsley, and capers.

Gently stir until mixed together.

Add chickpea mixture and stir.

Add ground yellow mustard, black pepper, and turmeric.

Stir until thoroughly combined.

Place over spinach as a sandwich, wrap or salad.

fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 13

health and fitness

kinesio tape AMY “OH NOSHI DIDN’T” REIDHEAD, DC, FIAMA, BSN-RN, WRECKIN’ ROLLER REBELS

If you play roller derby like I do, it’s not a matter of if you are going to get hurt, but when and how bad. My name is Oh Noshi Didn’t (aka Noshi) of the Wreckin’ Roller Rebels based in Denver, Colorado. I am a practicing chiropractor, acupuncturist, and registered nurse, and I am currently attending nurse practitioner school. With all that medical training, you think I would steer away from such a competitive, full-contact sport... but I can’t get enough of it. Instead, I think it’s important for every skater to have a few tools in their skate bag to alleviate the everyday issues common to roller derby. Kinesiotape is one such tool, and it’s easy to use, with no nasty side effects.

Hot on the athletic scene during the 2010 London Olympic games, Kinesiotape was first seen in the U.S. on a grand scale gracing the bods of beach volleyball goddesses Karrie Walsh Jennings and Misty May Treaner. Other well-known athletes, such as Lance Armstrong and David Beckham, have also been seen sporting the stuff. As an athlete and a healthcare practitioner specializing in musculoskeletal issues, I was curious: what is this stuff, how does it work, and how can I get my hands on it?

Kinesiotape has actually been around since the late ‘70s and was invented by a Japanese chiropractor and acupuncturist named Kenso Kase. He developed the tape because he felt that the older, more fixed approach to athletic taping was often too restrictive and didn’t allow for adequate blood flow and healing to occur. Unlike traditional fixed athletic tape, Kinesiotape is supportive while allowing joint full range of motion and may help reduce muscle fatigue. It also has the added benefit of increasing lymphatic drainage and helping with pain management without the use of drugs or chemicals.

This fun, often multi-colored tape, can be cut, stretched and snaked around almost any body part. You can find a product called KT Tape at practically any sporting goods store, but I prefer to buy true Kinesio Tex or Kinesio Tex Gold tape online. I find the KT tape sold in stores, while conveniently cut and scored for most athletic needs, doesn’t stay on the skin very long at all. Especially for us derby athletes who sweat a lot and have a lot of gear changes, only the real stuff stays on strong for a few days and can handle showers and keep on sticking. It’s worth the investment.

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For everyday derby purposes, I prefer to teach people two super easy taping strategies: The“X” marks the spot method for pain and injured parts or the Lattice or Octopus method for bruises.

With the “X” marks the spot taping method, you should cut two strips of tape either 3 or 5 squares long (6-10 inches) depending on the site of the injury (tape is marked on the back in two-inch cubes so this makes measuring a snap) and round the edges to help it stay on longer. I then turn the tape over and tear the backing straight through the middle. From here I pull off the backing until I get to the last cube or so. It should kind of resembles a Band-Aid. Taking care not to touch the sticky tape,

I then hang onto the remaining backing and stretch the tape to nearly 100% of its stretching potential using the full length of my fingers so that it doesn’t pucker and then back off 20-30%.

Then I place this first piece, adhesive side down, directly across the point of greatest pain, with the tape going directly along the joint or muscle that is hurt. To finish, take the backing off the remaining 2 inches and lay down the ends with no stretch at all, and rub the tape briskly to activate the adhesive, taking care not to pull up the ends. Laying down the second piece is the same stretching protocol as the first, in an “X” marks the spot (center of the X being the worst point of pain) at about a 45-degree angle to the first piece. Set this tape, same as the first with about 70-80% stretch in the middle of the tape and zero stretch on the ends. If the skin puckers under the tape when you are done, you have done it right!

With bruising, the taping method is a little more labor intensive, but well worth the work. Again, cut two strip about 3 or 4 cubes long (approximately 6-8 inches) and round the edges as before. The whole procedure is the same with both pieces of tape but you need to do them one at a time to keep the strips as even as possible. This time, take your scissors and cut down the middle of the tape lengthwise, leaving the last 2-inch cube of your tape uncut. This will be your anchor piece.

Your piece should now look Y shaped. From here, cut those two halves in half again. What you have now should resemble an

octopus or jellyfish. Now you are ready to place your tape, and this is where it gets a little fun. Start by tearing through the tape between the remaining untouched square and the fingers you just made. Remove the backing from the anchor piece and place it just an inch or so below or beside the bruise. Then working with one finger at a time, remove most of the backing and lay each finger around and through the bruise in a fan like fashion with no stretch on the fingers at all. The second piece should be placed again at about a 45-degree angle to the first so that in the end, you have what looks like a lattice pattern over your bruise. Once both pieces are placed, use a part of the backing to slightly rub the tape into place, warming up the adhesive so that it will stick.

Working with the tape takes a little getting used to, but after a few botched up pieces, you should get the hang of it. These two techniques are by no means the extent of what and how Kinesiotape works, but they are quite easy and are absolutely harmless to try by yourself, even if you have no medical or sports injury training. If you are interested in more in-depth taping techniques or want to know the type of injuries that can be managed using Kinesiotape, KT Tape has hundreds of helpful videos easily found on YouTube that you can search and try for yourself. Don’t be afraid to give it a try!

fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 15

health and fitness

reducing injuries S T UA RT O R R , G R A N D R A G G I DY R O L L E R G I R L S

The primary objectives of our strength and conditioning program are to reduce the likelihood of an injury, reduce the severity if one occurs, and increase the athlete’s performance base on the track. In the case of derby and its combative nature, it is vital that every joint structure from head-to-toe be strengthened in a balanced fashion. We divide the body into five segments: Neck Hip/Thigh Torso Arms/rotator cuff Midsection Notice how neck is at the top of the list. We work the neck first as I believe it is top priority for any combat athlete. One of the most important things I’ve learned from Dan Riley (former Washington Redskin and Houston Texan strength coach) over the years through clinics, emails, and phone conversation is the statement, “If you only had 10 minutes to work with your players and you spent that time training the neck, you’ve done your job.” With concussions at the forefront and the plethora of information available on how to DIAGNOSE/MANAGE concussions, teams need to also implement PREVENTATIVE MEASURES to reduce the likelihood of one occurring.

Dr. Dawn Comstock, a professor of Epidemiology at The Colorado School of Public Health, released some important data in early 2013. Dr. Comstock collected data between 2010-2012 on 6,704 high school boys and girls participating in soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Athletic trainers measured head circumference, neck circumference, and neck length, and employed neck exercises (cervical flexion, cervical extension and lateral flexion left and right). Measurements were taken before the season started and throughout the study. Trainers reported injury data, including incidence of concussions over the two years. After adjusting for gender and sport, neck strength was shown to be a “significant predictor of concussion risk.” The data showed that for every 1 lb. of neck strength gained, concussion risk was reduced by 5%. Nobody is saying that you can’t get a concussion if you train the neck, but Dr. Comstock’s research shows that strengthening this often

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overlooked area shows a “strong potential as a key preventative measure against concussion.” In my own experience training the necks of non-athletic clients, I have also gotten rid of headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, and even vertigo in a couple cases. modalities for neck work There are many outstanding 4-way neck machines on the market today. I personally own a Rogers Athletic Pendulum 4-way neck piece, which is the best neck machine I have ever used. It has a superb feel and smooth action. If it is in your team’s budget, I highly recommend the purchase of a 4-way neck machine as progression of strength is quantifiable and gains can be tracked over time. However, in this article, a form of exercise called Manual Resistance (MR) will be employed as I assume many teams (and most gyms for that matter) do not have access to a 4-way machine. MR is a strength application where the resistance is applied by your training partner and offers a “no excuses” workout since no equipment is needed and large groups can be trained at once. If you decide to perform the exercises as a team, it is extremely important they be done AT THE END OF PRACTICE. You do not want to take hits during drills with a fatigued neck. Another important point is MR takes repeated practice and is an art in itself. Take extreme care when training the neck musculature, and I urge you to follow these rules: 1. The lifter begins each exercise with the goal of failing around 8-10 reps. This requires pacing, and with each subsequent rep, the effort is increased.

2. The spotter should allow the athlete to perform each rep at the same pace or speed of movement. This will require different amounts of pressure throughout the rep by the spotter due to leverage. The lifter will feel as though the resistance is similar at all joint angles and should feel smooth.

3. The negative, or lowering phase of the rep should be slower than the positive, or raising phase. A good guideline is to raise the weight in 1-2 seconds and lower the weight in 4-5.

4. The spotter should feel more force from the lifter during the lowering phase of the rep.

nocklebeast

5. The lifter should continually contract the targeted musculature during both phases of the rep.

6. The spotter should give feedback to the lifter as he feels for constant tension from the lifter and recognizes any relaxation or loss of tension during the movement.

7. The lifter should pause with pressure at the point of contraction.

8. The spotter should ensure the lifter is applying pressure at the point of contraction and then ease slowly into the lowering phase of the movement.

9. The exercise is completed when athlete reaches muscular failure.

I also recommend the following exercises as part of your neck routine:

training the neck

I generally recommend performing the entire routine twice per week with the shrugging movements and rows being performed with any modality including, but not limited to, barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, chains, or MR aiming for 8-12 heavy reps.

Regardless of your strength and conditioning philosophy, make neck training top priority as the safety of your athletes should be first in line. I don’t care whether you crossfit, kettlebell, use swiss balls, balance on boards, prancercise (look it up) or bootcamp, make the time to train your neck.

You will be grateful you did.

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games and coaching

order of operations: assists SHOCKER KHAN, RAGE CITY ROLLERGIRLS

Have you ever been in a super sturdy stance, ready for your teammate to perform a hip whip around you, only to have her barely touch you instead of properly pulling straight backward in order to gain momentum? Not only do they not take any momentum, but they don’t give themselves a boost either. It’s as if they had two dead fish for hands. After quite a bit of frustration, I finally came up with a couple methods that force skaters to use their teammates in order to gain momentum on the track, which leads to skaters becoming better at assisting.

The first issue I’ve encountered when teaching skaters how to give and take whips is that fundamentals get pushed aside, while flashy moves like the waitress whip get more attention. the basics Let’s start at the beginning. Here is a list of basic assists every Roller Derby player should strive to perfect and some tips to ensure you are not only being safe, but also getting the most power out of the move: ● Hip Whip ○ Assess your partner to find her center of gravity before beginning the whip so you end up whipping around her instead of wiping her out. ○ Grasp with your thumbs aligned next to your pointer fingers, not outstretched separately where they can jam into your partner’s back. ○ Pull straight back, not to one side or the other. If your partners keep twisting and falling when performing this whip, you aren’t pulling straight back. ○ When your partner performs this whip around you, make sure you are in proper derby stance and be aware of your surroundings in case you are able to move into a better position to further assist your partner (such as moving slightly in front of an opponent so when your partner hip whips around the opposite side, you are able to shield/screen the opponent for your partner.) ● Hip Push ○ As with the Hip Whip, you should assess your partner to find her center of gravity prior to beginning this assist. ○ Form a “W” with your hands, touching your thumbs together, palms tilted slightly, and arms extended fully before making contact with your partner. This will give your

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partner maximum time to get ready for the assist in case she was not in derby stance or was otherwise distracted. ○ You should be skating faster than your partner prior to

making contact with her so when you do place your hands at her center of gravity, your arms bend and your hands naturally end up around your stomach/chest in just a couple seconds. DO NOT PULL YOUR PARTNER TOWARD YOU! I’m not sure why this bad habit started with some leagues, but it needs to stop. Not only is it potentially dangerous, but it is completely unnecessary and ends up wasting precious momentum. ○ Push your partner straight forward. You don’t want to push a skater into a wall or into a corner, so you may have to wait for a better position on the track or until a wall of opposing blockers is taken out. There isn’t a time limit when performing assists. ○ If you do this correctly, you can not only push your partner forward, but also slow yourself down rapidly in order to lay a wicked can opener on an opposing player or use the rapid loss of momentum to suddenly move yourself out of the path of a skater coming in to wipe you out. If you have never tried these, I highly recommend practicing both techniques... they are a lot of fun! ● Outside Whip ○ Quite possibly the most recognizable and often the first assist thought of when the subject of roller derby whips is brought up, the outside whip should be one of the most powerful assists; however, so many skaters perform it incorrectly... to the point of making the maneuver pointless. ○ In order to give a powerful outside whip, both the whipper and whippee must be equally involved. ○ The whipper turns their whole upper torso to the right as far as they can, shifts their legs into a cutting stance with their right foot in front, extends their right arm toward the whippee with a cupped hand (thumb not extended) palm facing up, and abdominal muscles engaged, ready to turn the torso forward when needed. ○ The whippee makes eye contact with the whipper and extends their right arm and places their cupped hand with the palm facing down into the whipper's upward facing

cupped hand. The whippee may also place their cupped left hand on the whipper’s forearm for stability. ○ At this point, both skaters pull away from each other to the point if either skater lets go, they will both fall. This requires practice and trust, but once you perform this assist correctly, you’ll understand why this is so important. ○ Once the whippee is locked in, the whipper uses their abdominal muscles to turn forward. DO NOT USE YOUR ARM MUSCLES TO WHIP. Rotator cuff injuries are common when this whip is performed incorrectly, are difficult to heal, and recurrence is common. Your abdominal muscles are stronger and much less prone to injury, so use them. ○ When using the cupped hand method, either skater is able to release at any point since neither skater is locked into the other (which is why you don’t want to use your thumbs).

This way, if one skater sees a blocker coming in to take them out, they can let go in order to juke out of the way. ○ Don’t try to rush this whip. When the outside whip is performed correctly, it can take a few seconds to complete and the whipper will give up so much momentum they slow or even come to a complete stop, which means the whipper gave the whippee all of their momentum. ● Inside Whip ○ To get the most out of an inside whip, the whipper turns their torso to the left and brings their right arm across to offer a cupped hand to the whippee.

○ The whippee accepts the offered hand similarly to the outside whip, where they cup their right hand with the whipper’s right hand, but this time they don’t do anything with the left hand. ○ The whipper uses their abdominal muscles to turn their torso to the front while the whippee pulls themself forward by bringing their right arm straight back to their body. ○ After the whippee has passed, the whipper may give them an extra boost with a one-handed push by placing their left hand at the small of the whippee’s back (their center of gravity).

Jules Doyle

Skaters need to not only know how to perform the basic assists, they need to also feel comfortable whipping their partner when faced with distractions and opponents in a real game-type scenario. It’s fine and dandy to be able to do a perfect leg whip when no one else is on the track, but if you can’t put your skills into action during a jam, they are of no use.

In the next Order of Operations article, we will go over the more advanced 360 degree whip (aka waitress whip), as well as a couple methods I have developed on forcing skaters to properly perform assists with their partners.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or would just like to reach out and say hi, you can email me at 2N1SkateShoppe@gmail.com.

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games and coaching

DRILL

drill courtesy of allderbydrills.com

drill: musical stops

Using a track that is permanently laid down, create “boxes” between the 10 foot markers (depending on your skaters’ skill level, they can be either large or small boxes). Use chalk, masking tape, or cones to mark out the boxes that you will want your skaters to stop in.

While you play music, skaters skate around the track in a counterclockwise direction. Each time you abruptly stop the music, the skaters come to a complete stop within one of the boxes on the track. The last person to come to a stop within each of the five boxes is out of the game (this is on the honor system, people). If a skater is all by herself in a box, she can remain in the game. The game is over whenever you decide – usually when it’s clear that the five people left on the track have set a pace that allows each of them to get to a box by themselves when the music ends, but you can also reduce the number of boxes once you get down to the same number of skaters as there are boxes and from here go with the traditional musical chairs route: the last person standing wins.

If you have really skilled skaters, this game can be adapted and made more challenging by marking out the boxes in different parts of the space, not dicating what direction skaters can skate in, reducing the size of the boxes, or increasing the number of boxes while limiting the number of skaters allowed per box (like traditional musical chairs).

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flickr.com/photos/gt8073a

purpose: stopping on command in small spaces

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gear

wheels J E N N I F E R S AVA G L I O A K A L A P E T I T E M O RT, FA S T G I R L S K AT E S P H OTO S B Y G R E G O RY S C OT T BA X L E Y

I seriously do not envy all you skaters out there who are facing the incredible amount of choices these days in wheels.

Hopefully, this article will guide you to your dream wheels.

And remember, if you are happy and performing well with your wheels and they are still in decent shape, you don’t have to try the “new hotness.” If it ain’t broke...

for agility. The wheel is narrower, so the skater hits the edge faster and thus moves their feet faster. When considering which wheel is right for you, ask yourself if you want to improve your speed or your agility.

Diameter – 62mm vs. 59mm:

The next section gives the basic differences between wheels. Then I’ll go into each manufacturer, what they have to offer and what their claim to wheel fame is. Next I will answer some questions to guide you toward the best wheels for you.

Lastly, I’ve prepared a chart. (Oh, how I love my charts!) It should help you compare the various and sundry choices.

HUB – (center part of the wheel) metal (Aluminum) vs. plastic (Nylon): So what’s the difference? The difference is in the material’s flexibility. It’s the same theory as with plates: flex and weight. An aluminum hub wheel is more responsive, and some say it gives you a better roll because it’s more rigid,

Again, the difference is speed vs. agility.

The larger in diameter the wheel is, the further each push carries you per revolution. The smaller it is, the more agile you can be and stops and starts can be done faster.

Indoor vs. Outdoor: Hardness (Durometer, as indicated by the number followed by an “a”) is the big differentiator here.

Generally, indoor derby wheels range in hardness from 88 to 101a. The harder the wheel, the higher the durometer, the faster you can go.

yet heavier. A nylon hub wheel flexes as you push, which can waste energy, but it is lighter. That said, if your wheels feel heavy to you, you could be wasting energy. Finally there are wheels made out of a more rigid Nylon or Urethane, which keeps the weight down but still allows for more response and roll. Atom and Heartless/Reckless wheels are an example of these types of solid core nylon hubbed wheels.

Wide (44mm) vs.

Narrow (31-38mm): The difference here is speed/stability vs. agility. The standard width, 44mm was used for speed skating. (This was our only choice when derby started.)

The idea is that the more surface the skater has to push with, the faster they can go. The more narrow wheels are

The ideal is to find a durometer that allows for speed, but is not so slick that you lose control and slide out.

An outdoor wheel is much softer, about 78a. This is because when you are skating on a sidewalk, for example, there are many bumps and rough spots, so you want your wheel to act as a shock absorber and be more sticky/grippy. Outdoor wheels are sometimes larger, so you can go farther with each push, which is a good idea when you are skating 15 miles in a straight line! Right in the middle are the hybrid wheels, 80 to 86a, which are meant to be used on very slick floors like some banked tracks, but they were created specifically for polished concrete. The theory is that they can be used both indoor AND outdoor, but if I’m going trail skating outside, I’m using my 78’s, because I want a really smooth ride for my busted up by derby joints. Hybrid wheels on trails can vibrate a lot, which can be uncomfortable for the skater. Plus you run the risk of ruining them.

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So what’s a “Pusher” wheel?

A pusher wheel is any wheel that is softer than the other wheels you are currently using. For example, if I am happy wearing a full set of 8 of 95a hardness wheels on a wood floor, but I try the same wheels on sport court and suddenly I’m “Bambi on Ice”, then I’d use one to four wheels softer than that 95 on the spots where I need more grip. Anything softer will work, so it could be a 93a, 90a, or the original “pusher” hardness, 88a. Keep in mind that for some, too much of a gap between hardnesses can be jarring, as the idea is to get just a little more grip right where you need it. A shout out to you folks rockin’ a ton of different hardnesses under your feet – if it’s working for you, more power to you. But most skaters get what they need with two hardnesses. Also, remember no matter what you decide your final hardness magic mix will be, make sure to match the diameter and width.

Cheat Sheet: Where do I put my pusher wheels on my skates?

For flat track – you put the softer wheels in the spots that you push with.

On the left foot – your front left side and either the back left side OR the back right side. On the right foot – on the front left side and either the back left side OR the back right side. On the banked track, some skaters are putting their pushers on the RIGHT sides of their skates in order to “dig” to climb up the banked track. The best way to determine your needs is to try different placements of the wheels. Some skaters use only one pusher, others need up to 6. The choice is yours!

black wheels are the pusher wheels

Wheel Manufacturers and what they are known for: ADONIS: New to the market, Adonis’ “micro” wheel is the smallest wheel currently available for derby. It makes the skater extremely agile and maneuverable, but the skater trades speed for agility and must work harder.

Benefits Include: lower center of gravity, reduced weight, improved response, and improved precision. It should also be noted that using very small wheels reduces the distance between the floor and the skater’s kingpins, and they can be caught on the rope marking the derby track.

Cheat Sheet: Did you know?

1. A wheel must be broken in before it reaches its actual grip. When wheels are brand new, they are often slippery and should not be worn for the first time on a bout day.

2. Many wheel manufactures acknowledge the grooves on the wheels do not give you more traction. The grooves happen as a side effect during the manufacturing process when they make the wheel round.

Just because your grooves are gone may not mean you need a new set of wheels. To know when your wheels are done, it’s better to look at the edges. If they are very rounded, or the wheel has very large air holes around the hubs, it is time for replacement.

ATOM: A pioneer in the world of derby wheels, Atom was the first company to go from 44mm “wide” wheels, to 38mm “narrow” wheels.

They were also the first company to attempt to give skaters the best of both worlds of the wheel hubs – the lightness of nylon AND the rigidity of metal, in their hollow core wheels.

As of late, many new changes are afoot for Atom. They have recently come out with a brand new look and their wheels now come in two sizes only. 62mm x 44mm OR 59mm x 35-38mm.

Many of their urethane formulas have been updated and improved.

They have also released the BOOM wheel, which is not categorized by hardness, rather it is a special formula meant to be great for slick floors, but not be so sticky as to impede performance.

As Atom puts it; “Boom provides grip with controlled slide.”

BONT: Since Bont is very new to the wheel market, these excerpts were taken directly from their website: “FXX or Formula XX is our top of the line Made in the USA wheel. The formula for this wheel dates back to the good ol’ days of Hyper wheels. Those who were around in the day will notice that the smell of the wheels brings back the memories of the wheels of old. We have taken those old Hyper formulas, updated them, and applied them to the best urethane that money can buy.” So have at it, old-school Hyper wheel lovers!

FXX Wheels with Mini Bearing Hub This wheel has a fully aluminum hub from 6061 T6 aluminum.

The hub is designed to fit Bont’s 167 or 688 micro bearings which in combination form the lightest full size wheel on the market.

This smaller bearing to reduce weight is intriguing. We are looking forward to testing and getting feedback on the wheel’s performance. We thought it was worth mentioning even though it is so new.

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CRAZY: Another relative newcomer to the wheel market, Crazy’s Control wheels continue to perform well and are preferred by a growing number of skaters. They also offer a hybrid wheel and outdoor wheels. The reports we are getting from the field about their Control wheels is that there is a noticeable difference in performance when wearing these wheels, in that the skater can immediately feel the increase in control due to having both grip and slide.

JUICE: Also a newcomer to the wheel market, Juice wheels have been developed specifically for derby at all levels of play. From Juice: Our wheels “feature an inner urethane core, allowing the running surface of the wheel to remain on the floor longer delivering more grip just when you need it most. Compression on your stroke drives energy into the core, and then expends it during the roll, giving you that added punch. More grip, longer roll, and less wasted energy.”

Basically, this means that the hub of the wheel is rigid toward the back, giving the skater better roll, and the wheel is softer near the edge, for flexibility and rebound. Sounds good to us! These wheels are aesthetically attractive, and we hope the concept continues to be tried and loved by many more skaters.

RADAR: Radar has been around since the beginnings of modern derby and their wheels have always been a top choice. And they have just re-booted their entire line and we are loving the changes! The Bullet was well received by the market and we have high hopes for the Presto wheels with their shark hubs. The Flatout and Villain continue to be a go to wheel for beginning skaters learning to get their legs under them, and their outdoor wheel, the “Pure”, is known as the “Cadillac” of outdoor wheels.

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RECKLESS (GRNMNSTR): First known for the wildly popular and cutting edge for the time Heartless wheels, GrnMnstr continues to bring great wheels to market. Quick to implement feedback from skaters, they have redone their Reckless Ikon and Evader wheels, making several improvements to both the look, performance and break in time of the urethane. Most recently they are developing a wheel featuring dual stacked urethane to give the skater super roll and edges that grip at the same time.

Yeah, we’re looking forward to that!

ROLLERBONES: Ask any old school skateboarder about Rollerbones wheels, and prepare to be bombarded with gushing admiration for this company. Rollerbones has a state of the art facility where their wheels are made, and the precision shows. The Turbo wheel is gorgeous, with a super sexy swirly metal hub that makes the wheel lightweight, but gives it superior roll. These wheels also hold up extremely well for even the skaters toughest on their wheels. Their Day of the Dead line is made with the same attention to detail, but with a nylon hub and a lower price point. This is also the only line to come in a hardness of 80a, for skaters who need even more grip than a hybrid wheel, which is typically an 84a.

SURE-GRIP: Sure-Grip started with a simple roller skate wheel more than 75 years ago, and today they are still going strong. Sure-Grip created the original Hybrid wheel, the Sugar, and their wheels have been a tried and true choice since the beginning of derby.

Sure-Grip’s Zombie wheel has been very popular, and is a great addition to the derby market. While most wheel manufacturers where moving away from aluminum hub wheels for derby, Sure-Grip jumped in with both feet with their Zombie wheels.

They were betting that a percentage of skaters were going to prefer the superior roll of a metal hub wheel, and they were right!

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gear HOW TO CHOOSE WHEELS All that’s super great, but I’m more confused than ever! How do I pick a wheel?!?

Start here: 1. What surface do I skate on the MOST? (Hardness/Durometer) A. Wood, like in a skating rink: typically, you could use wheels between 93-100a because the floor is sticky enough to help you grip.

B. Sport Court (plastic tile): For this, most skaters do well in 88-95a, depending on their stature and experience. (more on that later).

C. Banked Track (Masonite): generally pretty slick, but it depends on how often it’s painted. Hybrid to 90a.

D. Polished Concrete, very slick floors: A hybrid wheel is usually best, so 80-86a.

2. How experienced of a skater am I? A. Advanced: Generally, it is said that an advanced skater can skate on anything, but for the purposes of narrowing down choices, generally, a harder wheel is called for. Size is a personal preference and we don’t find it has much bearing on experience.

B. Intermediate: Usually an intermediate skater is looking to vastly improve their skills to move up the ladder. With that in mind, think about what you want to improve on as a skater and choose your wheels accordingly. Do you want to be faster? More agile? (see below) Learn a powerslide or hockey stop? Cross on the corners instead of coast? Your wheels should help you develop in conjunction with your training. I tell students to try to use the hardest wheels they can manage while practicing, and developing, so they learn to control themselves with form and technique rather than relying on the stickiness of wheels to keep them from sliding on the corners of the track. That said, it’s generally better to change hardness by small amounts. I wouldn’t jump more than two durometer points at a time. And don’t forget, your typical floor will also dictate what hardness range you are in. Try to nail down your “this porridge is just right” hardness for your floor, and go up a point or two when you are ready for the challenge.

C. Beginner: A beginner is usually just trying to keep their legs under them and their ass off the floor. Again, start with the surface of the floor and pick something on the softer side of the spectrum for that surface. So if it’s wood, a 93a should be fine, sport court, perhaps an 88a, slick banked track or polished concrete, go right for the hybrid. One of the two

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larger wheels might also be best, as they give you more surface of wheel on floor for stability, speed and stopping.

However, some beginners find the 44mm wide width to cause them to clip wheels with other skaters so keep that in mind as well.

3. What do I want my wheels to do for me?

(Height and Width) A. Fast. I want to be FAST! And not work very hard to do it!

A larger wheel will help you go faster, so 62x44mm would be appropriate.

B. Agile. I need to move my feet more! A smaller wheel will help with that. 59x38mm or 59x35mm. For super-duper agility, try the Adonis wheel, which is 50x 36 or 50x32mm.

C. I want both! Then a wheel in the middle of the sizes can work for you. 62x38mm gives you potentially both speed and agility.

4. What is my size/stature?

A. I’m average. Most of us fall into this category, so the above guidelines are applicable.

B. I’m peanut sized! A smaller/lighter skater will not get as much of the grip from a wheel as a larger skater, so for example, a 93a wheel might not be as sticky as it would be for a skater who is 6’5” in their skates and over 200lbs.

Go a point or two softer/ lower in number.

C. I’m a Brickhouse, baby! For a heavier/ stronger skater, the reverse is true. They can find a wheel stickier than an average sized skater. Go a point or two harder/higher in number.

5. What position do I play?

I’ve put this last in importance because I have an atypical feeling about this. In my mind, we are all skaters. Choosing a wheel for the position you play is, in my opinion, pigeonholing the skater either into a playing position, or a wheel that might not be right for them for any of the reasons listed above. Instead, try this: A. Blocker – think about what you want to accomplish as a blocker and then answer the questions above.

B. Jammer – See A. That should give you a pretty good starting point. Refer to the chart for the different options available as far as size and hardness, then it becomes about budget and aesthetics.

Overall, the wheels available from all the manufacturers are really quite good. Wheel technology and urethane compounds have come a long way.

Wheel recommendations: the following chart is meant to be a guideline and/or a starting point if you are overwhelmed by all the wheel choices. If the wheels you are using do not fall into this chart, but are working for you – don’t change them! If it ain’t broke...

Sport/Skate Court

Polished Concrete

Banked Track

Wood

Sport/Skate Court

Polished Concrete

Banked Track

95-97a

88-91a

93-95a

93-96a

91-93a

84-88a

91-93a

95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout 96a FXX 96a Control/Quake 96a Heartless/Reckless 96a Day of the Dead 97a Turbo 97a Bullet/Presto 97a Shaman 98a Zombie 98a Stroker

88a Adonis 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Super G 88a Quake 88a Ikon 88a Bullet/Presto 88a Turbo 89a Rollout/Zombie 90a Control 90a Heartless 91a Snap/Juke 91a Ikon 91a Martini/Spiked 91a Bullet/Presto

93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto 94a Heartless 94a Day of the Dead 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout

93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto 94a Heartless 94a Day of the Dead 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout 96a FXX 96a Control/Quake 96a Heartless/Reckless 96a Day of the Dead

91a Snap/Juke 91a Ikon 91a Martini/Spiked 91a Bullet/Presto 92a Adonis 92a Heartless 92a Day of the Dead 92a Turbo 92a Zombie 93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto

84a* Boom/DNA 84a Poison 84a Bruiser 84a Envy 84a Villain 84a Sugar 86a Day of the Dead 88a Adonis 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Super G 88a Quake 88a Ikon 88a Bullet/Presto 88a Turbo

91a Snap/Juke 91a Ikon 91a Martini/Spiked 91a Bullet/Presto 92a Adonis 92a Heartless 92a Day of the Dead 92a Turbo 92a Zombie 93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto

95-97a

88-91a

88-91a

80-89a

84-91a

95-98a

88a Adonis 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Super G 88a Quake 88a Ikon 88a Bullet/Presto 88a Turbo 89a Rollout/Zombie 90a Control 90a Heartless 91a Snap/Juke 91a Ikon 91a Martini/Spiked 91a Bullet/Presto

80a Day of the Dead 80a Turbo 80a Jolt 84a* Boom/DNA 84a Poison 84a Bruiser 84a Envy 84a Villain 84a Sugar 86a Day of the Dead 88a Adonis 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Super G 88a Quake 88a Ikon 88a Bullet/Presto 88a Turbo 89a Rollout/Zombie

84a* Boom/DNA 84a Poison 84a Bruiser 84a Envy 84a Villain 84a Sugar 86a Day of the Dead 88a Adonis 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Super G 88a Quake 88a Ikon 88a Bullet/Presto 88a Turbo 89a Rollout/Zombie 90a Control 90a Heartless 91a Snap/Juke 91a Ikon 91a Martini/Spiked 91a Bullet/Presto

95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout 96a FXX 96a Control/Quake 96a Heartless/Reckless 96a Day of the Dead 97a Turbo 97a Bullet/Presto 97a Shaman 98a Zombie 98a Stroker

95a Adonis 88a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 88a Super G 95a Super G 88a Quake 95a Martini/ Spiked 88a Ikon 95a Bullett/Presto 88a Bullet/Presto 95a Rollout 88a Turbo 96a FXX 89a Rollout/Zombie 96a Control/Quake 90a Control 90a Heartless 96a Heartless/Reckless 91a Snap/Juke 96a Day of the Dead 91a Ikon 97a Turbo 91a Martini/Spiked 97a Bullet/Presto 91a Bullet/Presto 97a Shaman

93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto 94a Heartless 94a Day of the Dead 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout

95-97a 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/Spiked 95a Bullet/Presto 95a Rollout 96a FXX 96a Control/Quake 96a Heartless/Reckless 96a Day of the Dead 97a Turbo 97a Bullet/Presto 97a Shaman 98a Zombie 98a Stroker

93-95a 88-91a 93a Juke/Grod 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 93a FXX 88a Super G 93a Control/Quake 88a Quake 93a Ikon 88a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 88a Bullet/Presto 93a Bullet/Presto 88a Turbo 94a Heartless 89a Rollout/Zombie 94a Day of the Dead 90a Control 95a Adonis 90a Heartless 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 91a Snap/Juke 95a Lowboy/Stroker 91a Ikon 95a Super G 91a Martini/Spiked 95a Martini/ Spiked 91a Bullet/Presto 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout

93-95a 93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto 94a Heartless 94a Day of the Dead 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullet/Presto 95a Rollout

93-95a 90-93a 84-89a 90-93a 90a Control 90a Control 93a Juke/Grod 84a* Boom/DNA 90a Heartless 90a Heartless 93a FXX 84a Poison 91a Snap/Juke 91a Snap/Juke 93a Control/Quake 84a Bruiser 91a Ikon 91a Ikon 93a Ikon 84a Envy 91a Martini/Spiked 91a Martini/Spiked 93a Martini/Spiked 84a Villain 91a Bullet/Presto 91a Bullet/Presto 92a Adonis 92a Adonis 93a Bullet/Presto 84a Sugar 92a Heartless 92a Heartless 94a Heartless 86a Day of the Dead 92a Day of the Dead 94a Day of the Dead 92a Day of the Dead 88a Adonis 92a Turbo 92a Turbo 95a Adonis 88a Juke/Juke Alloy 92a Zombie 92a Zombie 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 88a Super G 93a Juke/Grod 93a Juke/Grod 95a Lowboy/Stroker 88a Quake 93a FXX 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Control/Quake 95a Super G 88a Ikon 93a Ikon 93a Ikon 95a Martini/ Spiked 88a Bullet/Presto 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Martini/Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 88a Turbo 93a Bullet/Presto 93a Bullet/Presto 95a Rollout 89a Rollout/Zombie

Advanced

93-95a 93a Juke/Grod 93a FXX 93a Control/Quake 93a Ikon 93a Martini/Spiked 93a Bullet/Presto 94a Heartless 94a Day of the Dead 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout

(Either = narrow or regular width)

Agility

95-98a 95a Adonis 95a Juke/Juke Alloy 95a Lowboy/Stroker 95a Super G 95a Martini/ Spiked 95a Bullett/Presto 95a Rollout 96a FXX 96a Control/Quake 96a Heartless/Reckless 96a Day of the Dead 97a Turbo 97a Bullet/Presto 97a Shaman 98a Zombie 98a Stroker

Jammers

Blockers

Beginner

Speed

Wood

93-95a

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cheap and easy gear updates P H A N TO M M E N A C E , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S

Your gear has been purchased, you’ve attended your first few practices, and you’ve fallen in love with roller derby. When visiting the local skate shop, you want everything. Bearing necklaces, derby skins, lift and separates, that cool Skate Ink tee with the badass derby chick whose name you haven’t learned yet. (Or maybe you’re ruminating, “Wait, those are based on real skaters?!”) Target, already deadly in terms of forcing you to overspend, becomes even more treacherous to navigate. Aisles of brightly colored clearance tights, $2 knee socks, Justin Bieber clearance duct tape, etc., calls to you as you pass by, and haunt your dreams...

Rather than throwing money at all the cool derby shit you can buy, here are some cheap and easy upgrades every roller girl should have and can afford. (But every roller girl needs to keep a roll of duct tape on hand, so never pass up a discounted roll – especially if it screams Bieber Fever.) skate laces: Unfortunately, most roller skates come with cheap laces. A good set of hockey laces (I prefer waxed) will add personality to your boots while also preventing the laces from slipping and your boot from loosening up as you practice. They come in a variety of fun colors and patterns and at $6-8 per pair, you can grab two sets to mix and match colors and patterns. Keep the spares as backups so when your new derby crush breaks a lace, you can be her savior by offering her your spare. mouth guards: I remember my first mouth guard. It was huge, I drooled all over myself, and I couldn’t talk. Hopefully someone enlightened you to the SISU ProTech Dent mouth guard. If not, the $20-$26 you’ll spend will dramatically impact your derby experience. While the lime green variety may seem really cool now, green teeth don’t brighten your smile in photos.

Sometimes, it’s best to go with the plain colors (read: white.)

You may also want to pick up a case for your mouth guard.

They get lost easily, and having a case to store them in not only keeps them clean, but keeps them from wandering off, as well. reversible scrimmage jersey: If you’re out and about and spot a reversible top with your team’s scrimmage colors: pick it up and have a local screen printer heat press your name and derby number onto it. Packing two shirts every scrimmage gets old; having one that allows you to play for either team will simplify your scrimmage day preparations. It is also wise to pick up a generic black/white reversible scrimmage jersey for

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local derby events. Depending on how involved you become with your derby community, you may often have opportunities to scrimmage with other leagues, and will likely need to bring both black and white scrimmage jerseys to those events. In Colorado, there are multiple events every month (sometimes more than one per week) that skaters can attend that require black/white scrimmage tops. toe guards: Your skates are your most expensive piece of gear.

Protect them with a set of toe guards. They come in all shapes, sizes, and prices and are customizable. Grab a cheap pair at your local skate shop, or support the derby community by picking a handmade set on Etsy. I’ve heard skaters swear that unique toe guards make cutting penalties more easily identifiable to refs, but I disagree. Toe guards are a great place to add a splash of color and personality to your daily skating ensemble without appearing kitschy. toe stops: Another great update option is a nice set of toe stops. They can add both functionality and style to your skates.

Ask your new league mates about their toe stop pros and cons.

Different toe stops work well with on different skating surfaces.

For example, Gumball toe stops work wonders on polished concrete, but wear out too quickly on sport court (and don’t even think about wearing them outside.) Bionics, on the other hand, are perfect for sport court, but aren’t grippy enough for every skater on polished concrete. And while those fancy colored toe stops may seem enticing, you may want to steer clear – traditionally they aren’t made from the highest quality of materials. Moonwalkers and SureGrip Rx are the exception. insoles: They may not be sparkly or neon, but a good pair of insoles are worth more than their weight in gold. Most roller skates (even expensive roller skates) come with cheaply made insoles that do not provide adequate support for your feet.

Investing in a nice pair of insoles will improve comfort as you skate, making it easier to focus on more important things like mastering your hockey stop. A brand many skaters favor is Superfeet, and I have used Dr. Scholl’s and SOF SOLE and liked both. custom skate noose: That thing hanging on a rack at the skate shop that looks like some sort of bondage device? It’s called a skate noose, and it’s a hands free way to carry your skates. Skate nooses are a great investment – sure, maybe you can fit your skates in your bag now, but once you start wearing

gaskets and bringing extra wheels to practice, your bag will get pretty tight. Also, think about all the cool roller derby events you get to go to now to represent your league. After that pub crawl or the Running of the Bulls, you may want to take your skates off and wear your sneakers back to your car. Roller skates are a handful, and a skate noose is easy to carry with you and useful to transport your skates once you’re done wearing them.

Pick one up at a skate shop or at Etsy. helmet decal: If you skate for a large league, it is difficult remembering everyone’s name. Most derby girls have their name on a number of shirts, but even then it’s hard to always have one clean to wear to practice. A great way to make sure you have your name and number on at every practice is to get a helmet decal. Plenty of skate shops sell these, or you can order one on Etsy.

If you’ve already made those upgrades, and you’re still itching to make some derby purchases, here are some less functional accessories and more expensive items that never go out of style. t-shirts: First, you should definitely pick up a shirt to rep the league you skate for. It’s also always cool to sport a shirt from another league, especially if you dig the logo. If you’re lucky enough to attend RollerCon or a large tournament, you will find a vast array of quirky shirts. Peruse the clearance and you’re guaranteed to find something to wow both your new derby friends, as well as those other people you used to hang out with but no longer have time for. My personal favorite finds include a chartreuse Tiki Timebomb Roller Derby Librarian Godzilla tee and a Betty White as Tupac Tank. sleeveless hoodie: These are usually pretty pricey, but well worth the investment. Roller Derby warehouses and venues come in all shapes and sizes and it’s good to have a hoodie to cover up with between warming up and playing a game, but difficult to slide a regular hoodie over bulky elbow pads and wrist guards. Either grab a cool zip up hoodie and cut the sleeves off or invest in a sleeveless hoodie. Both Pivot Star and Iron Doll have cool derby specific varieties. fanny pack/shoulder bag: Yeah, I know. It isn’t the 1980s and you’re not a tourist. And yet, derby girls do often travel to play, and I know quite a few who sport fanny packs. If you aren’t into fanny packs, get yourself a cool shoulder bag or backpack to carry your personal items when you travel for derby. Fydelity makes “boom bags” with speakers that are both functional and awesome, and I have yet to meet a derby girl who doesn’t love rocking out. With portable speakers, you’ll be able to blast your tunes as you bar hop with your teammates after your games and will be the hit of the after-after party.

Debora Machado

bearing necklace: A bearing necklace is the pearl necklace of roller derby (get your mind out of the gutter!). A classic piece that will never go out of fashion, that you can inherit from a senior skater, pass on to a newbie, or purchase from a variety of vendors in unique settings to fit your unique style. While you can easily make your own, you will also find these in abundance at tournaments, in skate shops, or on Etsy.

Don’t be like me and dump hundreds of dollars of gently used “derby-cessories” at Goodwill or on your league’s newbies once you become a veteran. Nobody wants a pair of burnt orange footless tights or black bloomers with baby pink ribbon and bows. Especially don’t be like me and show up to your first scrimmage in a green tutu and matching fishnets. You will never live it down. Roller derby is expensive; adding classic items that add functionality and style to your derby raiment is the way to go so that down the road when you’re drafted to a team, you have the money to purchase yourself a fancy new uniform or a nice new set of bearings or wheels.

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wftda

2014 wftda tournaments LOIS SLAIN, DC ROLLERGIRLS

This is the month roller derby fans all over the world have been waiting for all year.

The quest for the Hydra is in full effect, and 40 teams are ready to fight to the finish to try and secure one of the hotly contested spots in the international Women’s Flat Track Derby Association Championships.

The Division 1 Playoffs bring together

Championships last year, are entering

coming teams making the D1 Playoffs

the best skaters and teams in the world,

Playoffs in Evansville as a top seed this

for the first time.

offering fans a chance to gush over the

year. Not far behind is the Victorian

talents of their favorite players while

Roller Derby League (#5), who made

in 2011 by roller derby and WFTDA

sitting trackside – or bringing the games

WFTDA history in 2013 as the first

veterans Ivanna S. Pankin and Trish

into their living rooms via WFTDA.tv.

Australian team to qualify for Playoffs.

the Dish, is aiming to be one of the

Victoria will go to Charleston as a 2 seed

Cinderella stories of 2014. Ranked #38

derby community to the 2014 Playoffs,”

this year, potentially setting them up

in the world, SoCal is headed to the

said WFTDA Tournament Director Alisha

to be the first Australian team to earn

team’s first ever WFTDA Playoffs in

Campbell. “Our goal is to create an

a coveted Champs spot.

Charleston, West Virginia, as a 10 seed.

“We can’t wait to welcome the roller

exciting, top-level sporting event where

Tri-City Roller Derby, doing double

SoCal Derby, a newer team founded

Several teams that competed in the

fans of roller derby new and old can

duty this year as hosts and competitors,

inaugural Division 2 Playoffs in 2013

enjoy the incredible roller derby games

has added another Canadian team to

have advanced in rankings over the last

that will take place in the coming

the D1 Playoffs roster by earning the

year to earn a spot in the top 40.

weekends.”

#40 ranking, along with prior qualifiers

While the Playoffs action is always full

Last year’s Division 2 Champions,

Montreal Roller Derby, Toronto Roller

the Jet City Rollergirls, are now ranked

of great athleticism and amazing stories,

Derby, and Terminal City Roller Derby.

#30 and are going into the Charleston

each year brings new twists in this ever-

The Tri-City Thunder took 5th Place last

Playoffs as an 8 seed. The 2nd Place

evolving sport. In 2014, fans will get to

year at the D2 Playoffs in Kalamazoo,

D2 team from last year, Santa Cruz

witness the new strategies and changes

Michigan.

Derby Girls, has climbed the ranks to

to game play with the most recent rule

Bear City Roller Derby, of Berlin,

changes, including 30-second penalties.

Germany, also added another country

This year has also reflected the growing presence of non-U.S. teams

to the Playoffs mix with their attendance

#25, earning them a 6 seeding at the Sacramento Playoffs.

The 2013 3rd Place D2 team, the

at last month’s Division 2 Playoffs.

Blue Ridge Rollergirls, ranked #41,

in the top tiers of the WFTDA rankings,

Thanks to the overhaul of the

secured the final D1 spot due to the

making the Playoffs a truly international

rankings and tournament seeding

Oly Rollers declining their tournament

affair.

process last year, 2014 again will bring

invitation. They will compete in

us a slate of new bracket match-ups

Sacramento as a #10 seed.

The London Rollergirls (#3), building on their first ever trip to the WFTDA

34 | Fall 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

and a chance to check out up-and-

Sacramento Sept. 5-7, 2014 Hosted by Sacred City Derby Girls

Venue: Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St., Sacramento, CA. Part of the Sacramento Convention Center complex, Memorial Auditorium is one of the most recognizable buildings in the city. The auditorium opened in 1927 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Participating teams: Gotham Girls Roller Derby, Minnesota Roller Girls, Denver Roller Dolls, Rat City Rollergirls, Terminal City Rollergirls, Santa Cruz Derby Girls, Tampa Roller Derby, Kansas City Roller Warriors, New Hampshire Roller Derby, Blue Ridge Rollergirls Tickets: wftda.com/sacramento Three (other) reasons to visit Sacramento: 1. Food and Wine. Sacramento was named “Farm to Fork Capital of the United States” and is surrounded by several winemaking regions.

2. History. Steeped in the history of the Gold Rush and the U.S. railroad network, there is plenty to learn at museums, and modern entertainment in a historic setting at Old Sacramento State Historic Park.

3. Outdoors. Seated at the confluence of two rivers, there are plenty of options for hiking, biking and rafting.

Evansville Sept. 19-21, 2014 Hosted by Demolition City Roller Derby

Venue: Ford Center, at 1 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN. Ford Center is an 11,000-seat arena and is the Evansville region’s center for sports and entertainment that opened in November 2011.

Participating teams: London Rollergirls, Texas Rollergirls, Windy City Rollers, Jacksonville Rollergirls, Ohio Roller Girls, Toronto Roller Derby, Steel City Roller Derby, Nashville Rollergirls, Houston Roller Derby, Arizona Roller Derby.

Tickets: wftda.com/evansville Three (other) reasons to visit Evansville: 1. Port of Evansville. In this area of town, you can visit the last operational LST ship, a WWII-era vessel and go to a restaurant called “Beertropolis,” among other activities.

2. A League of Their Own. Admit it, you loved that movie! Evansville’s Bosse Field, built in 1915 and now home of the Evansville Otters, was the backdrop for the 1992 film.

3. The hotel. The official tournament hotel is the Tropicana Evansville, a riverfront hotel with an adjacent riverboat casino.

fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 35

wftda Salt Lake City Sept. 26-28 Hosted by Wasatch Roller Derby

Venue: Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City, UT. The first Salt Palace in Utah was built in 1899 but was destroyed by fire in 1910. The venue went through several iterations before the current convention center was built. The Utah Museum of Modern Art and Abravanel Hall, home of the Utah Symphony, adjoin the convention center.

Participating teams: B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls, Angel City Derby Girls, Rocky Mountain Rollergirls, Charm City Rollergirls, Montreal Roller Derby, Wasatch Roller Derby, Arch Rival Rollergirls, Oklahoma Victory Dolls, No Coast Derby Girls, Tri-City Roller Derby Tickets: wftda.com/salt-lake Three (other) reasons to visit Salt Lake City: 1. Mountains. It won’t quite be ski season in September, but the city is surrounded by canyons and mountain resorts that offer plenty of options for outdoor fun.

2. Books. Salt Lake City is home to Ken Sanders Rare Books, one of the premier book dealers in the U.S. You might find Ken himself in the shop, ready to chat with you.

3. Olympic history. Most of the venues from the 2002 Winter Olympics are in nearby Park Slope. In downtown SLC you can visit Olympic Legacy Plaza, part of a large shopping and dining complex. The plaza features the Olympic Wall of Honor and the choreographed water and light display of the Olympic Snowflake Fountain.

Charleston Oct. 3-5, 2014 Hosted by Chemical Valley Rollergirls

Venue: Charleston Civic Center, 200 Civic Center Drive in Charleston, WV. Participating teams: Rose City Rollers, Victorian Roller Derby League, Philly Roller Girls, Atlanta Roller Girls, Naptown Rollergirls, Boston Derby Dames, Mad Rollin’ Dolls, Jet City Rollergirls, Columbia QuadSquad, SoCal Derby Tickets: wftda.com/charleston Three (other) reasons to visit Charleston: 1. Famous rivalry. Roller derby has Gotham v. Texas; West Virginia has the Hatfields and McCoys. Named for the infamous family feud, the Hatfield-McCoy Region has more than 500 miles of trails to explore.

2. Pies & Pints. This local chain offers unique pizza toppings like grapes or Thai shrimp served alongside craft beers.

If pizza isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other great dining options recommended by hosts Chemical Valley Rollergirls.

3. The Mystery Hole. This roadside attraction promises to defy the laws of gravity. You’ll have to see it to believe it!

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Nashville Oct. 31-Nov. 2 Hosted by Nashville Rollergirls

While the focus is now all on the Playoffs series, it’s the perfect time to plan your trip to the Music City for the 2014 WFTDA Championships in Nashville, Tennessee! Whichever teams advance to the next round, you know you will see the best of the best compete.

Nashville is a lively city that is also ready to keep you entertained outside of the tournament as well!

Venue: Nashville Municipal Auditorium, 417 4th Ave. N, Nashville, TN. Municipal Auditorium was designed and built in 1962 to satisfy middle Tennessee's need for a multi-purpose facility. For more than three decades it has hosted everything from concerts to circuses, auto shows to evangelical crusades. It is the home venue of the Nashville Rollergirls.

Three (other) reasons to visit Nashville: 1. Music. They don’t call it the Music City for nothing! You’ll find live music in multiple venues every night of the week, plus tons of country music history, like the Johnny Cash Museum. You can even make your own recording at Jack White’s Third Man Records.

2. Ghosts. Nashville Ghost Tours allows you to explore the city’s haunted past on foot, through tavern-crawls or by hearse.

3. Southern cooking. Whether you’re looking for great BBQ, southern classics, vegan grub or locally sourced ingredients, Nashville has you covered! The city is also home to multiple craft breweries and the award-winning Corsair Distillery.

WFTDA.tv You probably can’t make it to ALL the events in person, but that is no reason to miss out on the incredible roller derby that will be taking place at the WFTDA Playoffs and Championships! You can find all the games live on WFTDA.tv and never miss a hit.

“WFTDA.tv gets better every year because we’re always working hard to improve the quality and reliability of the service,” said WFTDA Director of Broadcast Operations Erica Vanstone. “Our production partner has done a fantastic job of creating derby that everyone wants to watch, and our announcers, interviewers, and sponsors have helped to make WFTDA.tv such an awesome destination for our fans.”

Last year’s Championship game between Texas Rollergirls and Gotham Girls Roller Derby has now been watched about 90,000 times on the WFTDA.tv archives.

“But what really makes our broadcasts worth the effort is what is happening on the track,” Vanstone said.

“I’m so proud to showcase some of the hardest-working athletes in the world, and this year will be the most exciting yet!”

Gather some friends, make some snacks, and prepare to watch hours of live roller derby from the comfort of your living room!

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junior derby

junior derby changed my life B E T T Y F O R D G A L A X Y, R A I N I E R R O L L E R G I R L S

When roller derby was new in the world, the derby gods blessed me. I stumbled upon an amazing sport and became a founding member of the Rat City Rollergirls of Seattle, Washington. It was all brand-new and exciting. Fishnets. Fake fights. Punk rock. It was amazing. I fell in love with this amazing sport. THROTTLE ROCKETS POR VIDA!!!

Everyone was thinking about how to organize and have tournaments but no one was really thinking about Junior Roller Derby. One day, my friend’s daughter called me and told me that she was going to have Junior Roller Derby as an after school sport at her school. To this day I am still not sure why I said this, but I immediately told them if they need help coaching, they could call me.

A few days later, a teacher named Amy Pendley called me from Pathfinder K-8. They were starting a junior derby and they did need help. Two teachers decided to do this after school program because there are not enough after school sports for girls. One of the teachers, after deciding to do the sport, found out that she was pregnant and could not help out on skates.

In the fall of 2006 when I showed up to a classroom full of about 15 little girls, I really didn’t know what I had gotten myself into. They were 6th to 8th graders. Amy and I worked for the first couple of weeks just to get skates and gear for all the girls. Once they had all the gear, the next step was to teach them how to skate. I wasn’t just starting a Junior Derby league – I was literally taking these kids and teaching them from the ground up.

After the first on-skate session, Amy told me that she could no longer attend the practices because her teacher meeting had changed dates. I was now in charge of all these kids by myself. I had to pass a background check, become an employee of both the Seattle Parks Department and the Seattle School System (the program was at a school but funded by the Parks Dept.) so that I could be left alone and in charge of these kids. I was about 35 and didn’t have kids of my own. I panicked. I asked all my friends who are parents for advice and found the best book ever, which I have come to think of as my coaching bible: Building Character and Self-Esteem Through Sports by Jim Thompson. I recommend it to everyone who coaches.

38 | Fall 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

Pathfinder was technically the second junior derby to start, but we had the first public bout at half time of a Rat City bout.

By the end of the school year, we were told there was no funding for the following year. I had been collecting names and emails of parents who were interested in getting their children involved in Junior Derby. I found an hour on Fridays at Bellevue Skate King where we could all practice. I rallied the parents and kids and a few came from Pathfinder. We did fundraising in the beginning so none of the juniors would have to pay dues, but it was only one hour a week to pay for so that wasn’t too hard. As we got more kids and other practice times, we had to move to a dues system. For ease of collecting from them, we now require payment at the beginning of the season, as with other junior sports.

The first Junior league was actually the Tucson Derby Brats.

I talked with their coach many times over emails and phone calls about the two little leagues that we were starting. When Pathfinder was no longer an option, I needed to come up with a new name for the team. He suggested I just use the city name and call them Derby Brats. It was our vision the Derby Brats would be synonymous with Junior Roller Derby. Kind of like when you say Little League, everyone knows that’s kid’s baseball.

That is how the Seattle Derby Brats got their name. The first interleague junior bout was against the Tucson Derby Brats at WFTDA’s national tournament in Dallas, Texas, in 2007.

Junior derby has gained in popularity ever since that bout in Dallas. Once the world thought about these kids getting out there and playing their little hearts out, it seemed like everyone wanted to be a roller girl. The Seattle Derby Brats have steadily gained skaters every year since. There are now six home teams and an all-star travel team. We will also make a Tootsy Roller (non contact) All star team and an SDB B team for some travel bouts. The All Star travel team is called the Galaxy Girls. This was not my idea. But I like it.

Along the way, I have had many great adventures and many heartbreaks. Anyone who says coaching kids is easy, doesn’t coach kids. I helped to start the JFTDA, which later became the JRDA. We had two leagues branch/split off ours. We helped

Steve Messerer

start a NW Junior tournament. We have consistently placed top three. Always, I am so proud of every girl. So many adventures.

Camping trips. Travel bouts. And then high school graduations years later.

When I was getting married, I wanted some of them as flower girls. I couldn’t choose. I asked my fiancé, “Can’t I just have them all?” He is amazing and so was our wedding. We had 47 flower girls on skates with pink and white tutus, which we had made at a bonding party before the wedding, and of course, I had them wear all their safety gear.

After many years of coaching, I came to the decision that I needed to do some other things in my life with my family and my home. I decided it was time for me to move on and to stop coaching Junior Roller Derby. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I talked with the other head coach and the Board President. We decided to tell the girls early – it was months before the end of the 2014 season when we told the parents. I didn’t want it to be something we talked about at the end of the season when they had to focus on NW JR Champs.

I have learned more from coaching Junior Roller Derby than I ever could have imagined. It has made me become the person I am today. It made me a better person. I learned how to deal with the struggles and conflict in ways I’ve never been tasked with before. I learned how to be a mother.

I learned how to help pick a kid up who is down and I don’t mean on the track. I wore many hats: A chauffeur. A cook.

A confidante. A friend. An organizer. A fundraiser. Well heck, it taught me how to be a coach. How to watch an elite roller derby bout and break down all the things that those amazing skaters did and bring it to a group of children in a way that they can learn and relate to so that they can play the same full-contact sport that we called Roller Derby. How each child is uniquely different and perfect. How it’s my job as coach to find a way to relate to them and help them to learn and grow.

Junior Roller Derby is about so much more than just teaching kids how to skate. We instilled dress codes and policies around swearing, the use of drugs and alcohol, and basic team sportsmanship. I didn’t want to just teach them to be little badasses on the track. I wanted to teach them how to be gracious young ladies who become strong adults going out into the world with confidence. I think with the help of other coaches and parents, we are really achieving great things. I am always asking older girls where they plan to go to college and what team they plan to try out for. It’s really cool to see them focus so much on academics as well as sports and to plan some of their future around where they might want to go to college or vo-tech, as well as where they might want to skate. I have already seen skaters whom I coached for some time, some as many as eight years, go on to college and adult teams that are excelling. It is the most amazing feeling full of gratitude and sheer awe that I may have had some little part in helping them become the adults they are today. It was a huge responsibility and I’m honored that their parents let me be part of the village it takes to raise a child.

I now skate on the Rainier Roller Girls with four of my former junior skaters where I am head of the coaching committee and I still travel to coach, so I’m not 100% retired yet. I feel because of that, it has made retiring from SDB a little easier. Just a little. Time for new blood to lead the junior troops.

It has been an amazing journey. My life is forever changed.

I am so very thankful to all those who have walked this journey with me.

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rookie

start-up leagues: first year setup BITCHES BRUZE, SOUTHSHIRE ROLLER DERBY

Starting a roller derby league is no different than starting any small business. Success in the long term takes significant preparation and planning. As markets saturate and leagues start in smaller markets, having a sound business plan and putting the right people on the right jobs will keep you rolling. organize Everything starts with organizing - legally then internally. legal Legal organization varies by jurisdiction and mission. Check with your local business development organization or Secretary of State (local or regional government outside the U.S.) for guides, documents, and assistance in choosing the right kind of legal organization and completing the necessary paperwork.

Regardless of for-profit or non-profit, you’ll need bylaws to define: • The size of the board and how it will function • Roles and duties of directors and officers • Rules and procedures for meetings, elections, and appointments • Who may be a member and how membership status is attained/retained • Reference to policies and procedures (such as conflict policies, dues, attendance) Most Boards in roller derby are made up of volunteers – usually but not always members of the league. After defining and electing a board, policies like Conflict Resolution, Attendance, Training, and Safety round out your business organization. Policies are best written

TIP: Policies are not bylaws.

Policies can be changed by the representative leadership as needed without league votes.

Changes to bylaws require warnings, votes, and filing.

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broad, comprehensive, and not reactionary or overly restrictive. training The heart of most roller derby leagues beats around training. While the most visible aspects of leagues are public competition, the main product of any league is its training program.

You will need to create a program that: • Meets the needs of existing members • Meets the needs of potential members • Works within the realities of available practice space and time • Can be conducted with your human resources • Creates manageable steps toward attainable individual and group goals competitors When writing plans for your initial training of skaters, you’re need to consider who you have available for training. Will you hire an outside coach regularly or only for special occasions?

Do coaches need derby experience or is a general athletics coach who can learn derby okay? Will your skaters train each other? What is the general skill level of your current skaters? What needs do they have for training?

Will a certain amount of training and/or attendance be mandatory for membership? For game eligibility? Do you expect your coaches to volunteer all their time? What needs do you see having to meet in the next year? Next five years? Next ten years? Will you make the time and funds for increasing training if needed or will you limit your growth to what fits in a fixed

budget? How competitive would your league like to be on a scale of recreation league (only competes internally and privately) to Division I WFTDA (or MRDA or other ruleset)?

There’s no best answer to any of these questions. For example, the needs of a new league in an area that’s never seen roller derby will be significantly different at the onset than a group of skaters who have left an established league. A fresh meat league’s needs are likely to change significantly in the first year and the splinter group skaters may have more trouble with self-training.

When it comes to choosing coaches, if your league relies primarily on skaters who are also vying for roster, it’s important to plan to provide them access to training. This may mean helping them attend outside training, intermittently hiring travel coaches, or having sufficient skater-trainers so the work of planning and training doesn’t overwhelm what is likely to be your league’s best competitors.

It’s also helpful to secure outside accountability when it comes to competitive roster selections.

Frequently neighboring leagues will provide individuals capable of assessments to help.

While the WFTDA provides a continually updated set of Minimum Skills Requirements (MSRs), today’s requirements are only mandatory for members of WFTDA Charters playing in sanctioned games and recommended for others. While some leagues might require skaters to have at least all the non-contact skills prior to joining, it can help fresh meat intake to break those skills down to smaller, more manageable levels. Be clear what skills are required for each training event in your schedule, what skills are required to advance in levels or return from injury, and what resources your league provides members to reach those goals. A two or three stage program can keep practices organized and bouting skaters on track for improvement.

Having a safety plan in place before anyone puts on a pair of skates at practice is not only

Jules Doyle

required by the WFTDA and MRDA if you use their insurance, but is good policy no matter where or when you skate, as well. The WFTDA has a basic safety protocol on their site, which is a great starting point for creating your own plan. Once you adopt your protocol, make sure it is given to each new skater and official, it is published where members can easily find it, and it is reviewed and updated at least annually. officials While many leagues initially focus either primarily or exclusively on competing skaters, the sport of flat track roller derby relies on a field of well-trained skating and non-skating officials. Skaters are good candidates for these roles – either internally or from other leagues – but fostering the development of individuals who choose to focus on officiating is vital for not just the health of the league, but for the greater derby community, as well. Training of officials should not be an afterthought but developed in conjunction with competitor training. It is important for leadership to help facilitate interleague training of officials both through creating helpful contacts with neighboring leagues, online resources, and extending a welcome to outside officials at league training.

communication Communication is the lifeblood of any organization. Have good communication and your league is healthy and vibrant. Have poor communication and your league and its members suffer. No matter what your communication skills are like, all leagues can benefit from good tools and protocols. intraleague Intraleague communication is a lot like herding cats. Leagues need to broadcast information among the membership, as well as the ability for specific groups of people to have access to certain content. League-wide information includes things like assessment requirements, training schedules, game schedules, fundraising events, etc. Focus groups include coaches, Board members, and finances and will need to keep some information shared just among that group with the ability to add and remove members as they are elected, appointed, join, or leave. Archives of information, even for people who weren’t around when the communication occurred, are critical for long term success. It’s easy, as a new league with no institutional knowledge, to slip into the habit of Reply All emails or using social networking groups to communicate but these forums are technologically incorrect and

have security, access, and privacy risks.

A technically adept member can secure dedicated hosting, set up discussion forums, wikis, blogs, file storage/sharing and websites.

Owning your data keeps it portable for future leaders and members and doesn’t require any one individual to keep it going. There are plenty of free and/or paid team programs available as well, such as Team Snap (teamsnap.com). The free portions of these programs offer email-like communications, file storage, and calendar planning/availability. A search for “online team collaboration” will return a lot of results of free and inexpensive solutions.

Make sure league business is not published publicly on social networks. Once members are in the habit of safe and effective communication tool usage, it’s pretty easy to maintain. Having a couple mentors for skaters skittish on their devices will go a long way in getting the internal league communication skate rolling. interleague Establishing a good relationship and tone with neighboring leagues is nearly as critical as internal communications. Even if you never plan to compete outside your league, odds are you’re going to need outside officials at some point. It is best to have a single email address

fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 41

rookie other leagues can use to contact your official interleague point person or persons. It’s okay, and probably desirable, to have an address that more than one person can access.

Have a common vision and tone. If more than one person replies from the league’s email, they should sign their communications.

Members should know to whom interleague communications should be directed. Often the interleague coordinator is aware of many things in the works the general membership may not be aware of.

When starting your new league, introduce yourself to your neighbors. This means finding teams around you and letting them know you exist, what you have to offer, and what you anticipate you might need. Offer to help with their games and be sure to attend them! Not only is it good for new skaters and teams to get the experience of volunteering, it also helps build your new league’s goodwill in the derby community. After general introductions, make a point to reach out to leagues with skaters or teams that can participate in practice exchanges, scrimmages, and even future games. public The face of roller derby has changed significantly since its early years. The public image your league puts out on its very first moments online will impact your league for years to come. League name, logo(s), colors, fonts, photos, and written content all define your league in the public eye.

selecting a name A local derby organization made up of skaters with one or more teams is usually called a league. You will need a league name. Typically league names are related to the geographic area where the league practices, competes, or draws its members from.

Teams within a league may or may not use the league name. Some leagues do repeat the league name for their top travel team; such as Gotham All Stars or Central New York All Stars, while others have completely different names; Grade A Fancy for Green Mountain Derby Dames or the Texecutioners of Texas Rollergirls. creating a league image League image includes things like logos, voice, photography, and colors. Keep these open and accessible to the widest possible audience.

Logos are best when they are clear, can be printed in one to three colors, are recognizable from a distance, and can be proudly worn by anyone in any gender, age, and cultural spectrum. Skates, wheels, helmets, stars, the track, and profiles of skaters all make images that the world can associate with derby. Add knives, brass knuckles, and skulls and you exit the bigger cultural spectrum and may even have created the potential for merchandise that can’t be worn to grade school. Add fishnets and tits and you alienate some of the gender spectrum.

League colors need not be the same as team colors – but once you choose colors, stick with them in everything you do – online and off. Think of any major sports team. They always have two or three complimentary colors that you can look out into the crowd and see where the fans are sitting.

When it comes to photography, you can’t beat having a good photographer, but it’s also good to regularly share snapshots of skaters doing things: practices, volunteer events, headshots, out in the community, and competing. Keep your pictures and always make sure you have the permission of the photographer before using photographs. Just because you found it in a google search or it’s a picture of you and your teammates doesn’t mean you have permission to use it in your marketing. Be a good content user and good photographers will work with you. Steal and make excuses and you alienate one of derby’s best assets.

Create content regularly – for your social media and for your web site. This kind of marketing breeds familiarity. A little work every couple weeks will have your media content as robust as a solid 4-wall and as recognizable as a powerful jammer rotation.

In the next issue, I’ll cover finances, venue selection, promotion as they relate to starting your league.

adrianvalenzuela.com

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rookie

welcome packet L A U R A L O F G R E N A K A P R E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F, P O RT S C A N DA L O U S R O L L E R D E R B Y

Everything a roller derby league does, from recruiting prospects to keeping them; from maintaining a balance of interest and commitment to having fun; all depends on a warm welcome from current league members.

For Port Scandalous Roller Derby (PSRD) in Port Angeles, Washington, the girls who had established themselves in the league were still pretty new to welcoming new skaters. After finally gaining a space and at least a dozen newbies a few years ago, a falling out with a rink manager and a loss of those new skaters was a hard hip check to the league that was just getting on its feet.

Taking a few months to collect themselves, the ladies of PSRD worked together to find a new space and to try to get back their prospects with a promising prospect camp.

For me, I had just moved to the Olympic Peninsula and sought out the team after having seen a flyer for them posted in a local bar during a previous visit. They invited me to their start-of-the-year meet-up to talk. I had no intention of skating then. But once there, they gave me some skates and I sticky-scooted around the local YMCA floor for about half an hour, talking to every girl there individually about their experience, expectations, and love of the sport.

With their latest Prospect Camp information in hand, I came back the next week to a group of about three new girls and some skaters of whom I had already met to try my hand at roller derby.

The nervous thoughts that go through a woman’s head entering into the derby world for the first time are excitedly mind-numbing.

Where do I even begin? What if I fall constantly? I hate pain. Is this a mistake? Can I commit? What if I despise it? I’m a quitter. Yadda yadda. While sitting on the floor that could’ve used a good sweeping, several of my nervous thoughts were put to bed with PSRD’s welcome packet. But several new ones surfaced, as well.

Inside our handbook were practice schedules that would prepare us for WFTDA qualifications and off-skates orientation sessions to introduce new skaters to derby rules and league business. Right there

was when I started silently freaking out. Skills test? I’m pretty good at written tests, but physical ones? Not so much.

Then there was a little blurb about the investment of roller derby.

Yes, it can be expensive to participate in the hard-hitting sport. But at least our handbook was up front about it and gave alternatives to buying new gear right away. Several team members have loaner gear for prospects to try before they invest in their own. Necessary equipment includes a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, a mouth guard, wrist guards and, of course, some skates with all the fixins. Starting up can be expensive, but there are alternative ways to test the derby waters. Skater insurance is also required, plus league dues after passing the skills and written tests.

Things were adding up so far in the handbook. Time commitments and monetary commitments made it feel like this may too expensive for someone like me – an at-the-time unemployed journalist.

But then they shared all the nifty stuff we had to learn in order to pass quals and play in an actual bout with everyone else on the team. There is a Beginner and an Intermediate section in the PSRD welcome packet that lists the necessary skills, including posture, stride, quick steps, weaving, whips, taking hits, stopping and so much more.

Details about the league’s specificities gave me a punch-in-the-boob reality check, because PSRD approaches everything professionally.

Running a league is like running a business, and the more questions you ask, the clearer the operation becomes. This section of the handbook outlined volunteer requirements and how invaluable the help would be in the coming months. It also detailed our league’s structure, including the Trainers, Captains, Coaches Team (TCCT), the Board and the HR Committee.

The packet also goes over league member options and skating commitment levels. Every league is different, but there are three levels for PSRD ladies. Full-time members are expected to volunteer a certain amount of time each month by participating in organized events. They must also attend a certain amount of practices each month. A bouting member must meet similar requirements, but they are less than a full-timer. We also give people the option to drop-in and skate.

What was especially appealing about my welcome packet was – finally – some reassurance that if this whole derby thing didn’t work out, I could still participate some way in the league. Every league is always looking for NSOs, refs, support staff, and volunteers. If I

Running a league is like running a business, and the more questions you ask, the clearer the operation becomes.

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If there’s one thing that was emphasized in PSRD’s pack, it is to not be afraid to ask questions. There are so many resources out there. You just have to take an initiative and seek them out. couldn’t skate worth a ding-dong, I could at least show off my amazing organizational skills within PSRD. Part of Prospect Camp and the welcome packet was that there would be homework, or derbywork. Le sigh. I thought I was done with that after graduating college. Alas, no. In the packet, homework was basically to watch all the derby your eyes could handle and study the handbook. Doing homework assignments not only can make you a better player and teammate, it gets you in the habit of taking some time each week to improve your derby knowledge, thus impressing friends and family, as well.

My Prospect Coordinators finished off their welcome packet with a few loose ends that didn’t fit anywhere else inside the pages. They give advice on taking care of your body. Obviously, you are the only one who knows your body best, but small tidbits like taking Epsom salt baths after the first few practices to relieve muscle pain and drinking tons of water and working out off skates are immensely helpful

reminders, especially if you’re brand-spankin’ new to working out on a regular basis.

Among all the knowledge-filled pages were a few waivers new Prospects have to sign. You don’t have to sign your life over, but the league needs you to acknowledge the risks you’re taking when you begin in the sport of roller derby. There are inherent dangers in any physical activity, and those who are teaching you need to know that you know the risks.

Every welcome packet to a league is diverse, but they should all emphasize the importance of getting fit and how to stay that way, outline expectations during game play and during meetings, explain requirements for practices and events and give contact information.

If there’s one thing that was emphasized in PSRD’s pack, it is to not be afraid to ask questions. There are so many resources out there. You just have to take an initiative and seek them out.

feature

team lobster HANNAH JENNINGS, ROSE CITY ROLLERS

When the going gets tough, the roller derby community has always supported its own.

Sometimes help comes in microform – volunteering at a game, helping a teammate move or giving up a couch to a visiting skater. On rare occasions, this desire to assist a fellow derby player goes macro –

Masonite Burn

from successful fundraisers to get teams to champs, to the longstanding fundraiser for legendary skater Tequila Mockingbird, who was paralyzed playing derby in the early days of the renaissance. The rally to help a fellow skater returned with gusto a few months ago, when inimitable coach Robin “Rob Lobster” Ludwig was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of terminal brain cancer.

Rob Lobster has been part of the roller derby community since the very first bout put on by the Rose City Rollers. After being roped into volunteering by Scratcher in the Eye, Lobster became hooked on the growing sport and quickly moved from volunteer, to scantily clad home team mascot, to referee.

After donning the black and white for two seasons, he was approached by the Wheels of Justice travel team to coach them – brought on initially as an assistant, Lobster was soon brought up to the front lines.

“I was assistant coach for one week before the head coach quit,” he laughs, recounting his rapid rise to responsibility. “Fly by night, we had a game down in LA three or four weeks later.

So that was my start of coaching. I stayed coach of Wheels for six seasons.” Lobster initially made a name for himself by wearing outlandish matching outfits with line up coach Mullet Bullet, and later became a meme after being snapped by scores of derby photographers during games. His incredulous look, open mouth and outstretched arms made him the most recognizable coach in the WFTDA. To this day, a whiteboard featuring Lobster mid-pose gets whipped out and filled with game-related heckling at Rose City Rollers games.

Lobster also took an active role in men’s roller derby, joining Portland Men’s Roller Derby not long after its inception, and just in time for travel team Bridgetown Menace’s first competitive season. As Menace captain he led the team to champs and has

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returned with the team two more times, including 2013 when Menace came away in 6th.

Just after the 2013 competitive season was over, Lobster moved to Denver to help set up a new arm of the business he’s helped build – iconic Portland eatery, Voodoo Doughnut. It was there that he began to notice a decline in health, which went from concerning to very scary in a matter of months.

“Sometime around early December, I was driving on the highway and things started to get weird,” says Lobster. “Luckily my friend was driving with me so I pulled over and asked him to drive, and as soon as we switched seats I had a full-on seizure and had to be taken to the ER. They misdiagnosed me and said I had epilepsy. After this, I was put on seizure medication and it kind of put a stop to them, but on New Year’s Eve, I came close to having another seizure and then had another major one at work; that was in early February. So I went back to the ER, and they again didn’t diagnose it, they just sent me home.

“I came back to Portland in March, and started to get really sick by the end of the month. I went to the ER here and they refused to do an MRI – the doctor in the ER was just going to send me home, and the neurosurgeon wasn’t going to see me until June. We found this out later, but the reason I didn’t get an MRI at first was because my insurance company refused to pay for it. We thought it was the doctor refusing. The doctor should have pressed my insurance company to get it done, but he didn’t.”

Things took a turn for the worse when Lobster began to suffer intense pain when exposed to light. Darkening his living

“We were never actually told, ‘Hey, this is terminal cancer’ until a week later at the radiation doctor,” says Lobster. “He basically

room and hiding for a week, he found himself unable to see or eat, and lost 25 pounds quickly. Finally, girlfriend Shaina

laid out a few things – ‘this percentage of people live past a year, a small minority live past two years, and nobody lives

Serelson had enough of Lobster being untreated, and called a neurosurgeon. “She demanded that something be done, and

very long’. He thought we had already been told that it was terminal, which is probably why he delivered it in the way he

the surgeon said he would see me the next day,” says Lobster.

“He then called back an hour later and told me to go to the ER right away. They got me an MRI 20 minutes after I turned up.

They danced around the subject, and basically knew, but never said that I had brain cancer. They put me on some drugs, and the guy told me they had to do emergency surgery.”

The next morning, Lobster went into surgery for an expected two-hour procedure that ended up being closer to six. During this time, the neurosurgeon was able to remove 95-98 percent of a 6cm x 5cm brain tumor, known as glioblastoma. The tumor was putting pressure on his entire brain, and at the time of surgery, Lobster’s brain stem was 3cm off center and the tumor itself was pushing on the eye, creating the blindness and light sensitivity he had been suffering. Lobster counts himself lucky, however, because the tumor was growing outwards, not inwards – an inward-growing tumor would have encroached on his brain matter too much and would have been inoperable.

Unfortunately for Lobster, Shaina, and Lobster’s family, a breakdown in communication at the time of surgery prevented them from knowing the extent of his illness.

did.” Upon hearing this, Lobster immediately passed out.

People diagnosed with terminal cancer tend to have a lot of percentages thrown at them, much like the information given to Lobster by his radiation doctor. As he learns more about glioblastoma, Lobster is having to largely put these statistics out of his mind, due to the cancer’s high rate of incidence in the very young and very old. “A lot of people die from radiation because it’s so intense and they aren’t healthy enough to survive,” says Lobster. “I go into these chemo and radiation places, and everyone is over 60 or 70, in really bad health and dying. It’s very rare that I see someone around my age. It’s hard to hear these numbers but it’s also hard to know what to do when doctors keep saying to me, ‘Don’t sit on these numbers, they don’t apply to you’.”

Lobster has just finished six weeks of chemo and radiation, which is supposed to reduce the remaining 2-5 percent of the cancer down to an invisible (but still present) size. While it’s likely that his next MRI won’t visibly show the cancer, it will always be there and is likely to grow back. “Remission is not an option, at least not right now,” says Lobster. “There is research

photos by Masonite Burn

fiveonfivemag.com | Fall 2014 | 47

feature In the meantime, Lobster is spending his time meeting people with the same cancer on Facebook, working at Voodoo Doughnut when he can, and – unbelievably – playing roller derby. He’s had to begin sporting a fancy white hockey helmet

Regularman

for extra protection, and had to get through a few doctors for the go-ahead, but is still taking the track as fit as ever. Doctors

being done – there’s a lot of stuff being done in Sweden which is positive, stuff being done at Duke, and even here in Portland, but it’s really slow going.”

Lobster recently had the chance to take part in research and was accepted into a project that has already proven to have greater survival outcomes. Lobster’s insurance company, who had already denied him an MRI at the diagnosis stage, again stymied his efforts to be well, denying him coverage for the pre-screening tests that would have got him into the study.

His next shot at taking part in research is in around six months’ time, when after his next round of chemo, he can be part of a study that is showing a 90 percent survival rate at two years.

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aren’t worried that playing a contact sport could accelerate his cancer, but are worried that a brain injury on top of cancer could make his life hell. But when it comes to his sport, his diet, and his lifestyle, Lobster is pretty pragmatic. “At first I tried to go on a special diet, and I do the best I can with it, but I’ve kinda made the decision that if I’ve only got so many years to live and I’m not going to survive this, I would be really disappointed if I spent it doing things I didn’t want to do. My doctors know I play derby, and they have also never said I should go on a special diet – both the neurosurgeon and the doctors have told me to live my life, do what I want, and not sit around praying for some miracle.”

While Lobster may not be in the market for miracles, he has found himself in the company of derby angels, who have been doing everything from organizing organic food boxes and bringing him meals, to driving him to and from radiation appointments. There has also been a groundswell of support for Team Lobster – a fundraising initiative that has spawned a Go Fund Me campaign and a run of Team Lobster shirts through Left Turn Clothing.

“Seeing how people are supporting me has been really cool,” says Lobster. “It’s weird, when you’ve been involved with something like derby for so long, you can get cynical about what people think about you, especially since moving away from an active role in women’s roller derby. I had to give up any cynicism that I had because seeing that support showed that people do really care; that this is a community that supports its members.”

Rob Lobster’s treatment is ongoing, and the costs of ensuring he stays happy and healthy are unknown.

To join Team Lobster and get more information on how to contribute to his medical care, visit facebook.com/groups/weareteamlobster.

RollerCon ‘14 S W E D E H U RT, G OT H A M G I R L S R O L L E R D E R B Y Tristan King

RollerCon is like a magical creature. You hear about it; you think you know what it is; and then you experience it and it is something completely different. And it seems to be a different experience to every one, even when you have been before. Each year is its own magical experience. 2014 was my fifth RollerCon and I came home with a smile on my face, a bunch of bruises, a need for sleep, and a voice lost to intense AC action. There are a few things that don’t change about RollerCon: there are always challenge bouts with amazing dress up, training sessions, vendors, the derby famous, and derby players, and lots of unicorns... And there is always the pool...

At RollerCon 2014, I skated 14 challenge bouts, Fasholes and Vagine Regime being my absolute favorites to play. I was sad to realize that Amazons vs. Shortbus wasn’t scheduled this year, but next year... maybe next year. Many of the challenge bouts were co-ed, and since I haven’t played that much co-ed that was a new experience to me. Men really like to turn around. Playing with the Fasholes against the Tomboys is always one of the most ridiculous bouts of the week (fashion before function). Vagine Regime vs.

Chaulksuckers is continuously one of the most fun bouts to play, and is also one of the most well attended bouts of RollerCon with the Queerleaders taking cheering to a new level.

This year I didn’t get an MVP pass, so I couldn’t go to any of the training sessions, but I heard from my friends that coached or attended that training sessions were fun and this year the lines were not as bad as previous years.

I also watched a bunch of Challenge bouts; East vs. West on Wednesday being the most exciting. It was a great display of amazing roller derby by incredible athletes. The skaters on the teams had been voted on by an online poll earlier this year, and both teams were stacked with well-known skaters. In the end, it was the Easterners playing tighter as a team that gave them the win, despite that most people had betted on West to be the winners.

Lawton Howell

Challenge bouts are fun, but not at as exciting to watch as the sanctioned WFTDA bouts. Bay Area, Rocky Mountain, Denver, and Detroit all played sanctioned bouts during the weekend. I even got box seats with some friends during the Bay Area vs. Denver bout, with a great view over the track and all the vendors. Also this year MRDA had three men’s team face off, and by saying facing off, they really did skate a lot face to face.

I haven’t really watched that much male derby before, so it was fun to see St Louis Gatekeepers, Shock Exchange, and Bridgetown Menace play.

Every night had a good party and when they died out we all ended up in bed or in the pool floating around sharing beers and stories. Like mythical creatures, people would disappear and reappear and it’s like no one ever sleeps in Vegas. All of RollerCon is accompanied by a faint pling, pling, pling from the casino machines and there is a bar in the Riviera that serves one dollar beers. In the morning, you meet the same people at water aerobics at 9am that you left a few hours earlier at the same location sipping a beer. Somewhere in your mind you ask yourself, did they sleep, did I sleep? Some things about RollerCon can’t be described by words, you just have to be there and ride the creature.

Another highlight of RollerCon 2014 was Keary (the greatest) carrying a boom box around creating spontaneous dance parties with amazing mixtapes (magical if anything). I also bet there was more than one person that got a spontaneous tattoo from the tattoo parlor in the Riviera (I didn’t, even if I was darn close in 2012). And last but not least, even if it is “The last issue of Hellarad – the Death of Fun” was also available throughout RollerCon. If you have missed out on Hellarad, you have missed out on a part of roller derby history and lots of fun.

I will see you in 2015, by the pool, on the track, and maybe even on the dance floor (or riding a unicorn).

Tristan King

Tristan King

Masonite Burn

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feature

going gotham: my experience making the switch S H A D OW B O X H E R , G OT H A M G I R L S R O L L E R D E R B Y

My story is similar to many women’s stories in my new league.

After being a three-year veteran, captain of my A-team, and even a coach, I am only now nearing the end of my Fresh Meat period!

Like many other Gotham Girls, I didn’t start out skating with GGRD. I began my derby career with a smaller WFTDA league, the Long Island Roller Rebels. After three years committed to LIRR, I decided to try out for the driving force that is Gotham.

Making the decision to switch to the Gotham Girls was by no means an easy one. I combed through the pros and cons.

I had always been a powerful voice in my previous league; I had been a starter on my All-Star team and my opinions were listened to. I knew transferring to Gotham would change all that. I would go back to being a little fish, but it would not be a pond I was swimming in. Gotham seemed as vast as the Atlantic when looking in from the outside. I felt guilty for leaving Long Island. That is where I first fell in love with Derby and I would be leaving the girls that taught me, were patient with their coaching, and even put up with my incessant questions throughout the learning process. These were the girls I trained with as I developed into the player that other people would now bring their questions to. I had devoted hours upon hours, money, labor, and more emotions than I thought I could muster.

With Long Island, I found romance, friendship, sisterhood, and more drama than anyone would wish for in a lifetime. Long Island was my hometown and the Rebels my first step, but it wasn’t enough anymore.

Throughout my three years with LIRR, I watched teammate after teammate leave the league; expressing their need for competition, a more serious commitment, and better coaching.

I scorned these girls, pleading that if everyone would just stay this league would get better, it would be more stable, and we could be more competitive. My pleas turned into anger and eventually resentment. This was until I realized that maybe it wasn’t so wrong to transfer. I started assessing why. I started talking to friends who had switched to Gotham, and I started to understand. It wasn’t wrong of these girls to want more out of the sport they love, it was wrong to fault them for that. Then I became just one more who seemingly gave in to the ‘Gotham

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glamor’. Well, at least that’s what was perceived.

I was very nervous to take the first few steps. I had established myself as a loud voice for LIRR, and being so near in proximity to Gotham, I knew that voice would have been heard and possibly interpreted in some incorrect ways. I was concerned that even though I was trying out for a Meat Pool, I would not be walking into a fresh start. After being captain of my team for two seasons, I had become a lot more frustrated and pessimistic in attitude. Many of my old practices seemed like a chore, and to be honest, I had not progressed in skill since about my second season.

I heard rumors from former teammates that Gotham wouldn’t take me because of my attitude, or that they believed I couldn’t improve my skills. This angered me, but on certain levels I couldn’t fault them. Hadn’t I once had those thoughts?

As hurt as I was to hear this, I used those claims as fuel for my derby reinvention. Gotham’s tryout process was far more rigorous than I was used to. I kept my head down and voice off over hurdle after hurdle. I listened and processed every ounce of feedback the coaches offered and worked hard to show them that I was in fact improving. I went to every possible practice offered. I was accepted into GGRD’s 2014 Meat Pool.

My training didn’t stop there. I knew that I had only a couple of months to prove to the captains and coaches that not only did they want me in their league, but also I would be an asset to their team. Gotham is made up of four home teams: Bronx Gridlock, Brooklyn Bombshells, Manhattan Mayhem, and the Queens of Pain. Captains, managers, and current team-members have a say in who gets drafted to their team. In my mind I knew that I needed to show these girls that I am the most positive teammate with skills to back it up. I was nervous about that.

As stated, my last years on Long Island were not filled with positive joy, rather a lot of tedious arguments with players who were discontent, strain to get my team to work hard or sometimes at all, and just an overall dissolve of passion for roller derby. Before our official meat period started, I looked back over the last weeks of extended tryouts. My attitude had changed, I was happy. I realized that my passion had returned

Manish Gosalia Photography

and that I now looked forward to practices. When we had four days off in a row from skating I found myself longing to get back on the track. My skills had improved, and I could finally plow stop. Gotham had restored my love and faith in roller derby.

It is now a week before the home team draft and I am as nervous as ever. Each team has so much to offer both on and off the track and I know I’ll be ecstatic no matter where I land.

I am excited again. I honestly realize at some random points of the day that I’m walking around grinning and have to remind myself it is because of these amazing opportunities that I was given. Yes, I will admit that there are times when I am a bit star-struck. I would be lying if I didn’t say that being coached

by Bonnie Thunders was not an amazing feeling, or looking next to you in a wall and realizing that you’re blocking with Suzy Hotrod. Having Donna Matrix as your Bruise Director, or even the realization that OMG WTF is your escort for Derbytaunt, and will hopefully stabilize you enough because this happens to be such a momentous event that even I will put on a pair of disdainful heels. When all that glamour dies down, what I am

left with is a positive perspective on derby, a set of skills that continue to improve each and every practice, and an entire league of new women to get to know and love.

I was not the first to make the switch to Gotham, nor will I be the last. I continue to receive distaste from certain people about my decision, but overall I know that I made the right choice. The Long Island Roller Rebels are an amazing league that provided me with such a wonderful background, but in the end, I knew that I needed to take that next step. There is a very real possibility that I will never skate at a WFTDA level again, and that thought saddens me from time to time. It was a sacrifice that I needed to consider before transferring to Gotham, and one that I know I can live with. As I eagerly wait for the time when I can step onto the track with my new league, I am constantly reminded that Roller Derby is not a job, not a requirement, and not an obligation. Roller Derby is a passion; it’s a way of life. If each and every time you lace up your skates, you are not feeling that intensity, then you must find a way to rediscover your love for this sport.

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herbal derby

Gypsy Wagon Apothecary and fiveonfive present

A user friendly cookbook focusing on the medicinal properties of 5 popular kitchen herbs.

By detailing their medicinal properties along with some entertaining facts and applications, users of this book begin to understand how our food can become delicious medicine.

With a few simple adjustments, Herbal Derby can easily accommodate every dietary requirement for optimal health and vitality. available at fiveonfivemag.com

international

roller derby australia E M M A C L A R K E , S L A M PA N T H E R , S A S S N B I T E , R O L L E R D E R B Y A U S T R A L I A

DIPP (Derby Injury Prevention Program) In 2012, Skate Australia received funding from the Australian Sports Commission to conduct a survey into each of the roller sports.

One of the biggest standouts from the results for roller derby was that injuries were the leading reason people left the sport or from wanting to be involved in the sport.

This coupled with the rate of injury increasing by 80% each year, sparked a conversation with strength and conditioning specialists, who were keen to assist in breaking these issues down.

The strength and conditioning specialists reviewed our injury data and observed league training sessions to identify the areas of concern to roller derby athletes. The Derby Injury Prevention Program (DIPP) was officially born.

RDA launched the pilot of the DIPP in March with an overwhelming response from the community. Injury prevention is something very close to us here; we have tried our very best to find a solution that can be implemented in all leagues. We wanted to find a program that could be implemented into any training session and could be performed by everyone from an absolute beginner to a more advanced skater.

As well as rolling the DIPP out in all States and Territories before the end of the year, we are working in the background with our High Performance Manager on a model that will see this being accessible to all. Part of this process includes developing a network of experts in each state and territory to assist derby athletes with active recovery, rehabilitation, nutrition etc. Let’s just say: ‘watch this space’.

Roller derby burst onto the scene in Australia in 2007 and has been rapidly growing in popularity ever since. There are now over 120 leagues spread across the country. These days, you can take up the sport anywhere from Cairns, to Alice Springs, to Kalgoorlie, and everywhere in between. Some major cities have up to four leagues. The phrase that roller derby is “the fastest growing sport in the world” couldn’t be more true in Australia.

In 2013, Skate Australia (the recognized national organization for roller sports in Australia) set up Roller Derby Australia (RDA), to work with the Australian Roller Derby community to provide access to the opportunities provided by the Australian Sports Commission, and support the growth of the sport at all levels. RDA actively work with women’s, men’s, co-ed and junior leagues and strongly believes in providing opportunities across the entire participation spectrum.

It is important to note that RDA identifies the WFTDA as the international governing body and identifies the WFTDA rules to be the official rules of the sport.

Over the course of this year, RDA has been working on new initiatives for the sport to improve the strength and conditioning of our athletes and to do our part in increasing the sustainability of the sport in Australia.

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Richard Tompsett

Sport plays a huge part in Australian culture. The Australian Government, through the Australian Sports Commission, provides financial contributions to national sporting organizations (NSO’s) to allow them to run programs and facilitate the growth of sport within the country. The ASC has contributed over 1.2 billion dollars in funding to participation in sport over the past four years.

Coaching Accreditation Over the past few years, the demand for a roller derby specific coaching accreditation in Australia has become quite a movement. In Australia, each NSO is responsible for providing

officially recognised courses for coaches and officials.

The benefit of having an accreditation is more than just official recognition. Accreditation provides further proof to the Australian Sports Commission that Roller Derby is here to stay and that the sport is operating in an official capacity. By providing numbers of coaches and participants, RDA are able to secure further funding to invest directly back into the sport to foster current and future opportunities.

The Australian Sports Commission also provides scholarships and other means of funding to coaches that are accredited through a recognized program.

The Roller Derby Australia Coaching Accreditation begun a little over a year ago with leagues being contacted to participate in a workshop session in each state and territory on how Australian Roller Derby Coaches envisage the accreditation to look and what requirements would be necessary.

Each workshop produced quite similar responses, which have shaped the shell of our working document.

We have just recently shortlisted our working group and created an online platform to flesh out the remainder of the accreditation. This committee will work with us to create an accreditation for our coaches and trainers that meet the specific needs of the community.

Before we submit our course to the Australian Sports Commission we will be sending it through to the WFTDA to add valuable feedback and ensure we are all working on the same page.

Not only will this be a benchmark internationally, the Australian derby

community will have written the first recognized coaching accreditation for Roller Derby ever!

Officiating Scholarship Further to the support received by the Australian Sports Commission, this year has seen our very first Roller Derby Official receive a scholarship.

Numb3r Crunch3r from Sun State Roller Girls has been working since 2012 to secure a scholarship to further her experience as an official both in Australia and internationally.

As a part of the scholarship, she has been attending seminars provided by the Sports Commission on topics such as sports psychology, nutrition, officiating techniques and more. She has also been involved in interactive sessions with other sports, such as football and soccer, and has been able to spread the word about derby and its rapid growth both nationally and internationally in the wider sporting community.

The scholarship has also supported her travel to events like The Great Southern Slam and will see her officiating at the WFTDA Regional Playoffs later in the year.

WFTDA Each month RDA and WFTDA has been catching up regarding upcoming events and opportunities for derby in Australia. The WFTDA have been extremely supportive on the Coaching Accreditation and Injury Prevention front, which may see further growth in this area.

In addition, we have been working with a local tournament committee and the WFTDA on an exciting opportunity for Australian and New Zealand WFTDA apprentice and member leagues for early 2015.

The Bont Invitational January 9-11, 2015 Cherry Axe-wound, Organizing Committee

With the support of Roller Derby Australia, Sydney founded skate manufacturer BONT will join forces with Newcastle Roller Derby League (NRDL) and Sydney Roller Derby League (SRDL) to host a home grown event which will see Australian and International teams come together for three days during January 2015. In an Australian first, Australian derby leagues will have the opportunity to not only participate in a world class tournament but to be formally WFTDA ranked on home soil.

The Bont Invitational roller derby tournament will feature closely matched teams grouped together to form “pods� with all teams guaranteed three full length WFTDA mock or sanctioned games in a round robin competition format. Unlike other tournaments, this will not be a knock out competition but rather a battle to see which team performs the strongest overall. Each Pod Champion team will be awarded each with an exclusive Bont prize!

The Bont Invitational will run over four tracks at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre (NEC) and Hall of Industries in Newcastle, New South Wales Australia, with two of the tracks dedicated to bootcamp sessions where skaters will be taught by world class coaches. The event facilities are located just six minutes from the bustling metropolitan of the Newcastle city centre with numerous accommodation options, beaches and sprawling views offering a unique summer holiday experience for participating skaters and spectators.

Check out our Facebook page facebook.com/thebontinvitational or contact thebontinvitational@gmail.com for more details.

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international Team Australia This year we are sponsoring Team Australia to participate in the Blood and Thunder World Cup. Apparently we are the first-ever governing body in the world to give our team such support. To our international friends this is just as much of a big deal as it is to us, as it paves the way for other countries to follow suit, ultimately injecting more support into the sport on an international stage.

We look forward to supporting the girls throughout this journey and are itching in anticipation to see them compete against some of the world’s best! You can follow our weekly skater profiles and news updates on our Facebook page to learn a little bit more about our representative team.

Derby Fest Derby Fest is a three-day roller derby festival that encompasses training, seminars, scrimmages, and bouts with top USA and local coaches.

RDA will be working with the organizers of Derby Fest for some awesome derby experiences in 2015. Not only are we sponsoring Derby Fest, but we have also teamed up to deliver three regional clinics in Australia with stops in NSW, SA and WA. Roller Derby Australia loves the passion that Derby Fest has for growing the skating experience of our Australian skaters and feel this partnership is one that really taps Richard Tompsett

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into the grassroots development of our sport, not to mention gives back to the amazing regional leagues we have nationally.

Roller Derby Australia is ultimately working to achieve the best opportunities for the sport within Australia. Establishing networks of passionate derby folk Australia wide and working with these communities, we envision a strong future for the sport. In this future, we see recognized backing from the Australian government that will see greater opportunities long term. This will include access to bigger and better facilities, assistance with international travel, reducing risks, and national unity.

Many will have seen the achievements of the Victorian Roller Derby League who are likely to come out ranked in the top five after their recent USA tour. We are so proud that the level of derby in this country has gotten so high. These accomplishments are pushing other leagues to new levels, and we look forward to more Australian teams making their mark on the international community in the coming years.

Despite humble beginnings only seven years ago, we are already amazed at how far this sport has come in our country, and we are very excited to be part of the journey.

Derby Fest January 24th-26th 2015 Oliver Hamalainen

Derby Fest is a three-day Australian Roller Derby festival, which brings together coaches from the UK, US and Australia. Offering a space for on and off skates development in a participant focused environment.

Derby Fest 2015 will feature coaches: Smarty Pants, Stefanie Mainey, Wild Cherri, and Swish Cariboom with more coaches yet to be announced.

This Australia Day holiday long weekend boot camp has three training tracks, running all day, every day. With skate skills, strategy and roller derby technique coaching. Training is offered on and off skates in two hour sessions throughout the day from 8 am - 10pm. All skill levels from beginner to advanced are catered for with programs also offered for juniors, fresh meat, refs and officials. Off skates seminars are held throughout each day covering everything from rules and strategy to league organization.

Each evening track one is turned into a challenge bout track holding three themed bouts for all skill levels. Highlights last year included Australia vs. Stars and Stripes, Derby in the reverse direction and of course Vagine Regime vs. the Caulk Suckers. Last year saw coaches participating in multiple bouts giving the skaters a chance to skate with and against their coaches every night. Derby Fest also features expo stands with skate gear, clothing, services and more.

Derby Fest organizer Guns N Rosie says, “Derby Fest is a space for enabling development and growth in Australian Roller Derby and having an awesome time while you do it, we are careful to limit tickets so everyone gets maximum track time and quality coaching. We work hard to secure the right mix of coaches to help take Derby in Australia to the next level.”

The inaugural Derby Fest was a quality event that saw participants come away with amazing experiences and new derby knowledge all while having a great time. We can’t wait for Derby Fest 2015 which is already shaping up to be another amazing event.

For more information, you can visit derbyfest.com.au or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/derbyfestOZ

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art and media

two worlds collide in Star Cross’d Jammers A N DY F RY E A K A L E B R O N S H A M E S , C H I C A G O B R U I S E B R OT H E R S & H E R M I O N E DA N G E R , F O C O G I R L S G O N E D E R B Y

Shames, on sports and the film The combination of sports stories and film is nothing new. Where the two meet, many of the best gems are tales built not around duels between legendary players, but narratives about meaningful interaction between humans.

Wassup, Rockers!, a 2005 film panned by the press, offered a unique look into the life of Latino adolescent boys who ponder their own social outcaste in glittering Los Angeles, while shredding its streets on skateboards. Big Fan (2009), starring comedian Patton Oswalt as an NFL-crazed adult, profiles what happens when a lazy, lonely person substitutes fandom for real relationships.

Most of the films so far that have profiled modern roller derby have been the work of documentarians or filmmakers introducing our sport. Derby, Baby! (2011) profiled the game’s tipping point and explosion following early efforts of headstrong women in Austin, Texas. Before that, Whip It (2009) brought roller derby to the world-at-large.

This summer’s DVD release of Star Cross’d Jammers, a drama

by Australian director Penny Cavanaugh and English director Michaela Upton, depicts two skaters, Scabrielle (Imogen Hopper) and Nobody (Kate Logan), that are in love with each other as much as they are with derby. Scab, an established starter is a brooding ego-on-skates, while Nobody, an alluring, flirtatious and soft spoken redhead, is a rising star. The two connect at an after party despite disapproval of their contentious, toxic teams.

Kylie Keene

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Kylie Keene

While the plot and its characters are both steeped heavily in the familiar narrative of practice, bouting, and socializing into late hours, Star Cross’d does provide a glimpse of the derby life outside the U.S. “I didn't go in to the project feeling like I needed to write something for the gay derby community. I just wanted to tell a good story,” said Cavanaugh about the film. “The social aspect of the sport is important because roller derby really isn't all about (only) skating.”

It’s probably true that this film – if not made exclusively for the roller derby crowd – will appeal mostly to those who play or follow closely. But the lesson within is relatable to anyone who has juggled two passions.

Moreover, Star Cross’d demonstrates that romance and love of sport can be unshakable rivals. The film’s fervent yet troubled characters hint that whether you are skaters, investment bankers, or circus performers: being in love is both an exhilarating and excruciating exercise. Likewise, it doesn’t matter whether you are distant league mates with a discreet crush, or tight-knit teammates. Love – at least for some of us – is at best a doomed and star-crossed affair.

Photographic Storm

Hermione Danger, on the film’s look at romances “Well, every relationship has to start somewhere,” one skater says.

True, but they don’t traditionally start with a back block. Nor in the presence of strippers on roller skates.

However, if your circle is built of loud ladies with bright hair, buff biceps and an alcohol tolerance greater than that of your belligerent grandfather, you’ll probably find yourself making out in a stairwell with the cutest little skater that you ever did see.

Similarly, if your life revolves around derby, then it is only natural that your romantic relationships would evolve from within the pack.

One great aspect of Star Cross’d Jammers is its willingness to address the distinctions between real life and derby life, an overriding theme of the movie. Where is the line between life and derby?

When do you draw it?

And how?

“The only thing higher than Scabrielle’s power jam is the number of girls in the league that she’s slept with,” said one cynic at the after Kylie Keene party. Viewers of the film may recognize everyone else’s peevish need to talk about business both in and outside of your bed.

Another question within is: When does the formality of calling someone by her derby name come into question? Scabrielle’s boss mentions it is easier for Scab to go by her derby name than her given name because of the pain of her real life. Roller derby is certainly similar to a loving big sister. Yet, learning what it can teach you without letting it define you is, as anyone in derby knows, a soulful experiment.

While Scabrielle believes that “Roller derby has made me who

I am,” her friend Psycho Babble, a character present only in her dreams, and a muse of sorts, retorts: “Roller derby has helped you become who you are.” The distinction can be confusing. So is roller derby, as is the desire to win.

However, when players from different teams engage in sex and romance, one might ask herself if dating affects the ability to be competitive. All this really depends on the relationship and the maturity of each skater. Nobody, Scabrielle’s love and the more introspective of the two characters in Star Cross’d, states what most dating skaters hope they would believe, “You can never give less than your best on the track. I wouldn’t want you to. Just like you’d be insulted if I slacked off.” Sweat in the bed is no less significant than on the flat-track.

Still, the best part is the lovers’ chemistry. Their intimate conversations about derby and how it influences their bond is palpable, while the story’s not-so-subtle homage to Romeo & Juliet throughout elicits a smile.

It beckons another touching question: Are roller derby relationships Shakespearean? Given their intensity, it is not a long shot. Most of all, the film’s representation of a roller derby love liaison is many things. Sexy. Intense. Poetic. Yet, sweet in the best of times and dramatic in the worst of times.

Star Cross’d Jammers is the latest step in the self-discovery that roller derby elicits from the majority of the skaters both in life and at the whistle.

“This isn’t everything, is it?” Scabrielle asks.

“No,” Psycho Babble responds. “Not even close.”

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derbylife.com derbylife.com rbylife f com m

64 | Fall 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com 1. Logo is missing from skater on left’s helmet. 2. Second skater from left’s helmet is now red.

3. Red jammer’s number is now 42. 4. Yellow on red jammer’s pants is missing. 5. Star is missing from flag.

6. “Home” is missing from scoreboard on left. 7. Referee on right is missing WFTDA patch.

joe mac/midnight matinee

THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PHOTOS – FIND ‘EM!