fiveonfive | issue 38 | Winter 2017

WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK ROLLER DERBY MAGAZINE ISSUE 38, WINTER 2017

proud partner of the WFTDA

fiveonfivemag.com

fiveonfive contents

30-31

4-5

advice ask swede hurt and suzy hotrod!

WFTDA The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association partnered with the UN Women this year, launching We Believe.

6-9

business addressing business issues making money with merch

10-14

health and fitness derby workout endurance

38-39

16-25

games and coaching WFTDA championships recap visualization

Do More Derby Find out how you can help this derbycentered hospitality exchange succeed!

26-29

gear triple 8 helmet review wheels: grippiness and durometer

34-35

junior derby tri-city juniors

40-41

36-37 rookie

Girls on Track Foundation

holding tryouts

Helping girls by funding awareness of and access to roller derby for fun and empowerment for girls and women.

42-43 international derby

GIRLS N TRACK

editor phoenix aka stacey casebolt castle rock ‘n’ rollers art director assaultin’ pepa rocky mountain rollergirls contributing writers swede hurt stockholm roller derby

from the editor Welcome to the 38th issue of fiveonfive!

Welcome to the 2017 Winter issue of fiveonfive magazine! I hope that whatever you do or don’t celebrate this time of year, that you would give and receive an extra dose of kindness during this season of giving. I’d like to think

suzy hotrod gotham girls roller derby

that the derby community is filled with more love and acceptance than most

bob noxious brown paper tickets

groups out there since we are such a diverse crowd of people. Let’s show it

rosie peacock auld reekie roller girls glasgow men’s roller derby

on and off the track!

sinful sally

As for the content of this issue, there are some amazing off-season workout

catholic cruel girl rocky mountain rollergirls

tips, some guidance on making a profit on merch, and even some pointers

dave wood

for reaching out to the non-derby world for some practical assistance in

kate runnels

several areas of derby. Sinful Sally gives us a great refresher on endurance

fiona grapple rocky mountain rollergirls

and how to maximize your workouts and training to give you the best, derby-

ivanna s. pankin socal derby

specific results.

slam barr patrick williams central kansas roller derby crazylegs auld reekie roller girls cover photo Brangwyn Jones

Also in this issue, Dave Wood recaps the 2017 WFTDA Champs, Kate Runnels talks visualization, and Slam Barr introduces us to the Tri-City Juniors team out of Ontario, Canada. As always, there is much more. Grab yourself a warm cup of tea and your comfy socks, and snuggle in for an entertaining and informative read!

fiveonfive magazine info@fiveonfivemag.com facebook.com/fiveonfive fiveonfivemag.com

Phoenix aka Stacey Casebolt

Castle Rock ‘N’ Rollers editor@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.

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.

Suzy Hotrod Suzy Hotrod quit sports at 15, moved to NYC for art school and played in a punk band. She joined Gotham Girls Roller Derby in 2004 because she was a poor self motivator who hadn’t exercised in seven years. She skated on Gotham All Stars 2004-2014, and has been on two Team USA rosters.

She was the first roller derby skater featured in ESPN The Body Issue. Suzy still skates locally with her home team, Queens of Pain. She travels and coaches all over and locally coaches junior roller derby and recreational skaters.

Swede Hurt Swede Hurt has been skating since the fall 2007 and loves blocking more than unicorns. She will jam when told, hence she gets to pivot. Swede has skated, coached, and captained all over the western world, sometimes she claims roller derby ate her soul. She currently skates with Stockholm Roller Derby Allstars.

Fiona Grapple

April O’Hare Photography

Fiona has been playing derby in Colorado for almost 12 years, and is currently the co-captain of the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls travel team, 5280 Fight Club. She’s a Colorado native, mother of three teenagers, and a Z-list reality show star. (She says to ask her about The Amazing Race! She claims it’s all she has.)

Ivanna S. Pankin Ivanna S. Pankin started playing roller derby in 2003 and currently plays for SoCal Derby (WFTDA) and San Diego Derby Dolls (banked) in San Diego. She’s the Head Planner for RollerCon, the Training Chair for the WFTDA, founder of the Radical Feminist, and sits on the board for Girls on Track Foundation.

Phoenix Phoenix started playing roller derby in 2015, and has never looked back. She skates with the Castle Rock’n’Rollers and their sister team, 303 Roller Derby. She is primarily a blocker, but occasionally surprises even herself by jumping in as jammer. In her spare time she keeps three children alive and fed, and works as a real estate agent.

Suzy Hotrod

Swede Hurt

Gotham Girls Roller Derby New York, NY

Stockholm Roller Derby Stockholm, Sweden

dear blocker and jammer, My league takes a break for a few months for our “off season”. Any suggestions on what I could do best with my time to stay in shape when I can’t skate?

-LAZY SUSAN

dear LS, Let the sh*t talk begin. I do not personally care for Crossfit. THERE I SAID IT. I don’t understand why that type of exercise should be a competitive race for harder, heavier, faster. Buuuuuuut being with a group of people who are drawn to group activities, I’ve seen league mates get majorly ripped from doing it.

While it is not personally endorsed by old timer Suzy who is no longer globally competitive and is not exactly the shining beacon of optimal athletic peaking, I have to say if you’re looking to get fit, the best results I’ve seen is Crossfit.

Otherwise, roller derby completely destroys your body. If you can muster up the patience to not want to scream and run out the door, yoga is extremely restorative. I try every year to do it, but I must admit, the place I go to is boring to me and I dread going there. I’ve been lazy and cheap in researching better options though. I do believe there are really killer yoga places out there that are creative, challenging and must be awesome. I can’t even name more than two types of yoga and I know there’s a heck of a lot more than two. So do as I say, not as I do.

Finally, I hate to endorse this product because they have given me zero dollars to do so, and I am pretty sure they will never give roller derby any dollars (but hey! you never know..?) I really like the Nike Training Club phone app. I can take it to the gym and have my magic little hand computer tell me what to do for 30 mins or 45 minutes and I’ve just done a workout without having to prep or research anything.

Non athletic related, the off season is a great time to do something, well, not athletic. When was the last time you headed to the local museums, gone to the cool arthouse movie theater, or gone through and weeded out your single sock collection? Sometimes doing that stuff is just as restorative. Enjoy your off season! Stay both physically and mentally fit.

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dear LS, I try to go to the gym and build up my strength during the off season. I try to make it to the gym two to three times a week, just for strength training and then do some sort of endurance workout, as in running, swimming or a hard hike. I highly recommend that you try to do things you don’t have time for during the ongoing season, go swimming, ice skating, skiing, climbing, skiing, running, kayaking, yoga, hiking, crossfit and so on. Grab a couple of friends and get moving around. The most essential thing is that you keep on working out and not just sit around, but DO allow yourself for some well deserved rest.

The off season is also a great time to nurse your reoccuring injuries and maybe get some good rehab exercises. Preventing injuries is not better than having to deal with the aftermath. If you know your back is bad, this is the time to strengthen it and get it in shape for the season.

During my off season I do love to go for hikes and hit up the sauna.

Enjoy your break – it’s not only a physical break but a mental break, and to be able to be 100% during the season you need to give yourself some time off.

dear blocker and jammer, We all know jamming can be physically tough. Every skater on the floor from the other team is gunning for you, you have to be able to take a hit, be quick on your feet and of course endurance, endurance, endurance. But, what can you do to mentally keep your head while jamming in a bout? It can be terribly frustrating to be stuck behind a pack wall, or just when you see the light of day and you’re so close to breaking out of the pack, you go down and have to fight your way back through all over again. What do you do to keep your chin up and emotions in check?

-MENTAL MELISSA Jules Doyle

dear MM, Practice, practice, practice. Mental focus comes from body conditioning.

The more you’re familiar with a situation the more you can be on autopilot. You want to be able to turn off your brain and become a wild instinctual animal on survival mode, looking back and saying, “Whoa, I did that?” There’s plenty of information out there on sports psychology and mental conditioning. I’ve never read any of it... but it totally exists! Haha. Lots of people envision themselves having success, playing out the ideal scenario in their head over and over again. Some people have a “happy place” they go to, taking them out of the athletic competition and into a moment of clarity and focus. I’m a big athletic dumb dumb, I don’t know what I do. I just do it. I’m probably the worst person to ask about mental focus.

I believe I have it, but I’m useless in explaining how it got there.

For me now, it’s just experience that carries me. So... skate for 14 years? That is not helpful. Well, what I will say, you have to believe you know what the hell you’re doing. When I skate, I am far more confident than in any place in real life. Roller derby is a low risk pretend world. If I screw up in roller derby, it’s not like failing to get hired for a job. So I find it’s really easy to be confident in the derby bio-dome. Yes, of course I have off days; doubt, frustration, times I want to cry or scream. Everyone does. But guess what? If we all just cried, screamed, and freaked out, what kind of a team is that? We all know that girl in our leagues, the one who gets a pass for being “the crazy one” who can’t control herself. Do you want to be that person? Can you image a world if everyone on the team was that hot mess?

We’re intelligent humans and need to control our wild or negative emotions. Don’t think for a second I’m not someone who gets filled with rage and wants to punch people in the face, oh that’s there, baby. I work really hard to control that and be a productive member of society. Same goes for being down on yourself. I focus my frustration with my play on always making goals for improvement. I’m never satisfied with my play. Yes, I feel bad about what I screwed up, but at least I know what I screwed up and I want to keep trying to fix it.

Be human and get angry, frustrated, sad, defeated and then move along, nothing more to see here, people.

dear MM, I don’t, I’m a blocker... I eat jammers.

Just kidding, it is really disheartening sometimes to be a jammer. From a blocker’s perspective the worst a jammer can do is to look like they have given up.

If I see that the jammer lost all hope, I feel encouraged as the opposing blocker. And if it is my own jammer that has the look of defeat written on her face, I often feel desperate and tend to become worse of a blocker. I think it is important to remember that we are in this together. Blockers and jammers, we depend on each other.

As a jammer it is important to remember that even if it feels like you’re alone out there, you’re not. You have an entire team with you, and they support you. If you feel like you’re fighting and fighting, they are also out there fighting for you, giving offense and holding the other jammer back.

Take a breath and look for your blockers and keep on being a cog in the machinery, be inspired by your blockers and they will be inspired by you.

need advice? email advice@fiveonfivemag.com fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

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addressing business issues by simply asking for help B O B N O X I O U S, B R O W N P A P E R T I C K E T S

During my quest, in recent years, to provide insight into business and personnel issues, the one obstacle I’ve always felt derby faced was being too self-reliant. The sport rarely looks beyond the league or governing bodies for help addressing one of numerous business issues. I’ve never been sure if it’s due to pride, or the fact that DYI seems to imply that we are left to our own knowledge and internal resources. That said, why don’t we seek expertise within our community that can help us? Believe it or not, it doesn’t have to cost much, if anything.

The following examples are just a few of the areas I’ve discussed with leagues where outside help could make a big difference.

Though the areas of help aren’t necessarily connected, they are common issues for most leagues. make things easier for family-oriented skaters I’m known best as an announcer, yet those who know me understand my dedication to the sport has always been vast.

Few realize, during this 13-year ride, that I also raised a family.

Some of you realize how raising a family and being active in derby is an incredible challenge. After all, “derby is not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.” Yep, that’s my favorite quote, quipped by yours truly. That said, you will attract and maintain both skaters and staff with children if you reach out and get a babysitter. A BABYSITTER! How easy an idea is that? Whether you find a recommendation within your club or post an ad, spend the money. I’ve been at plenty of practices where kids are running around for a staff member or injured skater to watch. That staffer or skater came to watch or participate in the practice (sometimes that was me), not kids, and it’s dangerous and chaotic. Constant calls for their parents, running onto the track, and getting into rooms or materials that weren’t child-proofed was unproductive to the parent and a potential liability to the league. No, it’s not the fault of the children. Invest in some simple games and toys, try to develop an area to keep them busy, and find someone who is trained or accustomed to handling kids. How many

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parents, especially women, have you lost over the years because they couldn’t balance the schedule and fulfill their minimum requirements?

Admittedly, the babysitter was more of a bonus item. It’s one of those topics I raise at seminars and eyes light up throughout the room. Yes, it’s a simple fix to a real problem. Moving onto the heavier topics... partner with local sports businesses to better your league One of the ideas which screams to me as an opportunity is establishing relationships with those who manage a sports program. Successful businesses and organizations look to outside resources for help with functions where they lack the expertise. Derby takes on too much, often overlooking help from others. Why not benefit from the expertise others may be willing to offer? Establish a mentorship or offer a board spot to someone who manages a successful local sports club. This could take the shape of a minor league baseball, hockey, or soccer league.

Minor league clubs, just like derby, run a tight ship and need to be very creative in how they attract fans AND keep them entertained so they return. In the earlier days of the Mad Rollin’ Dolls, the BOD had a great relationship with the minor league baseball team in town. Not only would the marketing manager take the time to discuss business tactics with the league, it eventually led to two highly attended derby games played

in the ballpark! We were also mentioned on nights the league would attend games, getting recognition on the scoreboard, by the announcer, etc. The relationship led to better marketing, public recognition, and two amazing special events. The cost for that relationship was little or nothing.

What about establishing a relationship with a large health club management team? You share the same challenges, right?

From a recruiting standpoint, both have the same goals. To draw people into a fitness environment that is friendly, fun, and keeps people engaged for a long period of time. The club survives on memberships, by recruiting basketball, volleyball teams, soccer, and even badminton teams. Health clubs also share the same child-care issues for those raising a family.

Not to mention, they could take interest in sponsorship or provide a fitness opportunity at discounted prices. Maybe you’ll learn they may even support the recruitment of players from their facility.

For those of you in Europe or other areas of the world where professional soccer/football leagues exist, could you become part of their “umbrella” of supported sports? During a recent trip to Barcelona, I toured the facilities for what might be the world’s most famous professional sports team – FC Barcelona. This storied soccer/football team, like many others around the world, is more than just a sports franchise like we’d find in North America. These teams represent the culture of their people and play a large role in the regional sport’s scene. I was amazed to learn that FC Barcelona was not JUST a soccer team, it was an umbrella under which many teams played. Professional basketball was most notable. Total, around 16 professional and amateur sports teams, for women and men, were supported by the club and its facilities. I am aware of a few women’s leagues in Europe who have support from professional soccer teams.

Not only does this resolve issues that revolve around training space and, potentially, offset costs, but, if they are pursuing it, may also provide access to marketing and, potentially, recruitment help.

the easiest business partner you might ever secure – the college intern The most logical and brilliant idea of the bunch was bounced off me by a derby colleague many years ago and I’ve thrown this idea out at numerous seminars – getting help from a college intern. Nearly every community has access to an area technical school, college, or university, which generally offers at least some sort of business education. In most cases, students pursuing an undergrad degree will need to serve either an internship or work with a local business as a consultant before they graduate. This was necessary for my own Management BA degree as an undergrad. The great thing is you get to tap into the knowledge of a business-educated student for ZERO cost. Depending on your greatest needs (accounting, marketing, personnel management, etc.) you may be able to tailor the student to fit those disciplines. All it takes is a phone call to the school’s business department and any opportunities should get rolling from there. Keep in mind that the student is also very networked. Treat them well and you may find that getting help with production, sound issues, and other needs unrelated to the intern’s work may be easily attained from friends of the student. They come to you at an age where, for most, this would be an exciting, different opportunity where interns can bring a lot of energy. Never discount the rising number of Sports Business and Sports Management programs offered in institutions today, which may be an even better fit.

Whether your league is for-profit, a non-profit, or a club, most of the work you do is the same. You’re looking to recruit more skaters, attract a growing number of fans, and maintain practice and game facilities for now and the future. The sport is for those who participate. That has been and will remain our DYI culture. Yet, it’s important to understand that nothing is given away by using outside resources. There is no relinquishing control by establishing business relationships that can help you. In the end, it makes you a better organization, faster. Learn from others and don’t think, in the process, that those you ask for help won’t learn a few things from you as well.

I think, as participants, we understand the importance of and fun that comes from networking within the sport. The same argument can be made by networking within the business community.H

fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

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making money with merch League merch is a great way to raise money – fans and other derby girls alike love t-shirts and inexpensive collectables like buttons, stickers and patches. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that providing a decent stock of merchandise can mean a significant amount of money upfront, so you want to make sure that what you are purchasing is going to bring in a profit. Here are some basics on keeping your league’s merch lucrative:

don’t forget the basics For new leagues or those with little money to spend on merchandise upfront, the classics are always a good place to start. Be sure to keep shirts with your league logo in a variety of sizes – black is always a good seller over brighter colors in the long run – and add shirts with the logos of each team if possible. Once you have a good inventory established, it might be fun to add different colored shirts to mix it up; something unique that stands out in a sea of black or white may grab customers eyes at first glance.

Other basics that cost little to nothing to stock are stickers, buttons and patches. Your league may consider investing in a button maker and stamping your own pins since parts cost mere pennies. Cheaper items like these can also make great giveaways, and you can guage interest in funkier designs or mottos that may differ from your standard logo without purchasing a bunch of shirts upfront. start small Now that you have a great stock of standard merch for sale, start experimenting with cheaper items that have your league logo on them. If they sell, you will not only make a profit, but all those people using your gear will be advertising for you for free! Consider pens, keychains, temporary tattoos and magnets to add to your store. If you find that you just can’t get rid of them down the line, no problem – use them as crowd giveaways or hand them out at events. You’ll still get the benefit of free advertising with little cost.

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drink up Roller derby and alcohol seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. If your league is one of many that serves beer or cocktails at bouts, capitalize on it! Coozies are a great cheap item for fans, as are bottle opener keychains and shot glasses. Shop around – you can find anything from cheaper plastic shot glasses to pricier glass ones, and you may even consider creating a set with each of your teams’ logos!

show the sporty side While alcohol usually sells, your league may have a dry venue. It is also a good idea to provide athletically-geared merch to encourage your league’s kick-ass and sporty image. Water bottles, wristbands and socks are less expensive options while something like a gym bag with your league’s logo may be worth considering. think about themes Be unique and offer something that customers and other derby girls won’t find anywhere else. Think about your league’s location and the theme surrounding your logo or name. Do you live in a really cold area? Offer fun embroidered hats or scarves. By the ocean? Maybe a beach towel or something outdoorsy like a Frisbee is calling for your logo. Consider those fun team names your league created and play off of those if possible. not all merch is created equal Fun and unique ideas are exciting, but make sure you keep it in perspective. If you are dying to offer hunter orange lingerie with your league’s name printed across it, you may want to do your

research first. Keep the following in mind: • What are your biggest sellers – would it pay to stick to something similar when boosting your inventory?

• Who is your crowd mostly made up of? How can you best appeal to your demographic?

• Can you find the item you are looking for with minimal production costs? Do you have the capability to order a limited run and see how well it does before making a big commitment?

• What works for other leagues, especially those in your area?

One example of a risky item that leagues seem to go for time and time again is the calendar. Some leagues have a ton of success selling theirs, while others are stuck with boxes upon boxes of dated material that they can’t seem to give away. If you are able to pull together wonderful pictures, an awesome layout and cheap printing with time to spare for the new year, a calendar may work wonders, but be sure to consider that it is a real possibility that you could end up with something costly that isn’t going to be worth pushing in a few months. Time sensitive materials and those with a large upfront cost should be pursued with caution.H

fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

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derby workout Basic home exercises for new skaters. Preparing for impact!

R O S I E P E A C O C K , A U L D R E E K I E R O L L E R G I R L S, G L A S G O W M E N ’ S R O L L E R D E R B Y

So you've got your kit, and you have fallen in love with this sport, you're working your way through the minimum skills with the aim of playing roller derby like the badass that you are!

In order to unleash your ultimate unicorn powers on track, it's really important to prepare your body for all the unusual movements and unexpected impact you are about to put it through. Roller derby uses movements and lateral impact that very few other sports will prepare your body for. So building up balance, strength, and most of all control in particular areas will help you greatly in your first contact and scrimmage, but should also help prevent injuries such as sprains, pulled muscles, etc.

These basic exercises are focused on control and concentration, not on blasting out quickly without good form.

1. High step ups... Keep your weight on the leg on the chair, don't put your weight back on the leg on the floor. Keep your pelvis tucked and really work on a slow and controlled movement down and a fast powerful push up.

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2. Triceps dips (avoid if you have shoulder injury) again control and slow movement down and strong push up.

3. Split squats. With one foot on the edge of the chair bring the other forward so that as you squat down your knee does not go over the front of your toes, keep your pelvis tucked and chest and chin up. Again slow and controlled movement down and power up.

4. Sit to stand pistol squats.

Focus on balance and control for these fast but controlled sit to stand and slow and controlled sit down. Try not to allow your weight to smash into the chair in the the final sitting motion, try to just caress the seat with your butt cheeks then power up.

5. Pressups. You can do these on your knees or on your feet, it's better to do full motion on your knees than to struggle with form for pressups on your feet. Think about squeezing the muscles in your back as you come down slowly and squeeze your chest muscles as you power up. Keep your pelvis tucked in and try not to allow your hips to rise up or dip down, keep yourself in a strong, flat neutral line with your back and neck.

6. My favorite... My chair core routine.

You can make these easier or harder depending on what you do with your arms. Put your feet together in a straight point under the chair, pull your knees towards your chest then point straight legs above the chair. Pull knees to chest then below, then knees to chest again and split legs to either side of the chair in a V. Repeat at least 10-20 times or until you feel like puking!

7. Fast hip/leg opener/closers These are to be done fast but controlled, the faster you can do them while clearing the chair fully, the better. Time these for 30 seconds rather than counting, but as always, control and form is important. Keep your pelvis tucked and hips flat and forward facing as much as possible.

Try not to twist at all.

8. Skater strides/balance. Focus on engaging your core while also loading your supporting leg and engaging your posterior chair (butt/outside front leg) for balance and stability.

Please see video links on YouTube at tinyurl.com/yb3oa28d. This is my friend Lana from Empower Fitness and myself in my kitchen with wonky floorboards to emphasize this is a simple work out to be done almost anywhere there is a chair. At home? In the office? Whilst bored waiting for the dentist?H

9. Lateral hops... I suck at these so much, this is all about control and balance. Hop on a diamond around the chair, try to do as few hops as possible covering a greater distance, then try for height then try for speed.

Balance and control over everything else.

tinyurl.com/yb3oa28d 10. Plank... Seriously, Planking is amazing for building overall body strength and control. Try to add 5-10 seconds to your time every time you plank and you'll see improvements quickly!

fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

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endurance S I N F U L S A L LY

In competition we typically perform short bursts of activity lasting two minutes or less, with some rest breaks in between. However, we have to maintain that level of intensity for two 30-minute periods. This type of activity taxes the body’s metabolic systems and can be absolutely exhausting unless you train your body to tolerate that metabolic stress. en·dur·ance (\in-ˈdu̇r-ən(t)s) n. the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; especially: the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity metabolic systems Physiologically there are three basic metabolic systems that your body uses for energy. Time for a science refresher course: 1. ATP-PCr system (phosphagen): The body’s quick energy reserve which is stored for immediate use. It’s readily available but only in limited quantities and is used up quickly (in about 15 seconds).

2. Anaerobic activity (glycolytic): Activity lasting between 30 seconds and 2-3 minutes which does not require oxygen for energy production.

3. Aerobic activity (oxidative): Activity lasting over 2-3 minutes which requires oxygen to produce energy.

All systems are used during activity; however some get used more than others. In derby competition we use the first two systems (ATP-PCr and anaerobic systems) most frequently. how to train endurance One of the best ways to train your skating endurance is with interval training. Interval training requires flip-flopping moderate to vigorous

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intensity activity with short rest periods and repeating several times.

• Short, fast bouts of work can be used for speed and speed endurance.

• Short, very intense intervals with short rest periods will stress the anaerobic system.

• Longer, but lower intensity exercise with short rest intervals can be used for aerobic endurance.

The chart below shows work to rest ratios for interval training which can be performed to tax the different systems.

There are a ton of drills that can be utilized for endurance training, which gives you options AND keeps skaters from getting bored. Some examples are listed in the chart on the following page and are broken down into which system is predominately being trained. With the guidelines below for interval training, it becomes very easy to create and build your own endurance drills.

And remember, you can make any drill into an endurance drill by limiting your rest periods, so utilize practice time wisely even when working on agility and footwork!

Sport specific training is super important but there are a slew of other things you can do on your own to help boost your endurance: general health – stay hydrated, eat healthy foods that are nutritious for your body, exercise daily and don’t smoke.

off skates – cross train (run, bike, swim, bootcamp, cross-fit, etc.) and don’t forget the option of intervals. on skates – skate daily for 20-30 minutes outdoors. other tips – learn to breathe properly, i.e. pursed lip breathing; breathe in your nose and out your mouth (“smell the roses and blow out the candles”).

Remember that endurance doesn’t come naturally to some, but it really can be trained. It takes hard work, dedication and time to build your endurance. Keep working at it and eventually a two minute jam with no lead jammer will be a walk in the park.H

fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

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Sunflower Seed Mushroom Risotto C AT H O L I C C R U E L G I R L , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S

rodalesorganiclife.com

ingredients

2½ cups raw sunflower seeds 1 tablespoon coconut oil 2 medium yellow onions, diced 5 cloves garlic, minced Heavy pinch of course sea salt 3 cups vegetable broth (you can substitute mushroom broth if you prefer to bump the mushroom flavors up) 2 cups dark leafy greens, chopped (Chard, Kale, Spinach) 2 cups mushrooms – Shitake and oyster, coarsely chopped; enokitake mushrooms gently broken apart 1 cup green peas 2 tablespoons flat, Italian parsley, chopped Winter 2017 | fiveonfivemag.com

Soak the sunflower seeds for 7 hours or overnight in water and some sea salt. Drain and rinse the seeds. Remove 1 cup soaked sunflower seeds, place into a blender with 1 cup water and blend until smooth. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt coconut oil. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add sunflower seeds and 2 cups broth. Simmer and cook covered for 20-30 minutes, adding broth as needed.

Gently fold in mushrooms and greens. Simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, adding broth if needed.

Gently incorporate sunflower cream from blender.

To serve, spoon risotto onto plates, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and sprinkle a small amount of chopped flat Italian parsley.

fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

the 2017 wftda championships D AV E W O O D PHOTOS BY BRANGWYN JONES

The Hydra has left the country.

Demolishing everything in their path, the Victorian Roller Derby League stretched their unbeaten streak to 11 games with a methodical 180-101 win over the two-time defending champion Rose City Rollers. The new champions never trailed in any of their three D1 playoff games and they continued that dominance at Championships. Again, never starting a single jam behind on the scoreboard, Victoria cruised past Montreal (253-99), Denver (287-65), and Rose City (180-101) to earn their first WFTDA Championship title – the first for any team outside of the United States. day 1 The international action in Philadelphia started with the first game of the tournament. On Friday morning, the Crime City Rollers, from Malmö, Sweden, took on Montreal Roller Derby in what was arguably the most competitive game of the entire tournament. The largest lead of the game was a 28-point first-half margin held by Crime City. But Montreal was able to chip away at that lead, closing the gap to just two points by halftime. Several second half lead changes ultimately led to a 122-122 tie with 4:15 left on the clock.

Three jams later, Montreal had managed a 7-point lead heading into the final jam. After a solid minute of intense defense, the Crime City jammer’s knee briefly touched out of bounds resulting in a track cutting penalty and ending any hope Crime City had of a final-jam comeback. In the end, it was a 133-129 win for Montreal in what would prove to be the lowest scoring game of the entire tournament.

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Friday’s remaining first-round games were considerably less eventful as Angel City, Arch Rival, and Texas put up 100+ point wins against Minnesota, London, and Rat City, respectively. Arch Rival’s dominant win over London ended London’s three-year streak of 4th place WFTDA Championship finishes.

The tournament’s opening day ended with the first two quarterfinal games. Having already played an intense game in the morning, Montreal was unable to put up much of a fight against the eventual tournament champions. Victoria stretched a 32-0 start into a 140-37 halftime lead and never looked back.

But the final game of the day would serve as a perfect bookend to the excitement of the day’s opening battle. Going into the tournament, one of the biggest questions was which of the second place finishers from

the three D1 tournaments would advance to the final four – Denver, or Angel City? By virtue of an overall better playoff performance, Denver had the advantage of a first-round bye, bringing fresh legs to the track against an Angel City team that had played earlier in the day. Denver took the lead in the first jam and held it for the entire first half. But a 15-0 win in the final jam of the half by Laci Knight allowed Angel City to pull within just two points as they headed into the locker room. The second half was largely dominated by Angel City, who rode a streak of eight straight lead jammer calls to a 142-123 lead. But all of that hard work would be wiped away by 27-4 win by recent transfer Scald Eagle. Eagle would ultimately score 120 of her team’s 196 points as Denver left Angel City heartbreakingly close to making the final four for the third consecutive year.

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day 2 Saturday picked up right where Friday left off – with another extremely close quarterfinal game. At risk was Gotham’s streak of seven straight final-four appearances, dating back to their third place finish in 2010. The intense first half included multiple lead changes and a score gap that was often in the single digits, but a 13-0 win for Giles on the half’s final jam put Gotham up 79-65 at the break. Texas came out strong in the second half, taking the lead just four jams in. But the seesaw battle continued as each of Gotham’s four jammers took lead in succession, leading their team on a 30-0 run. The lead changes were far from over. Texas responded with a 24-10 run and found themselves ahead 132-128 with 4:38 on the clock as Gotham wisely took a timeout both to regroup and to save 30 precious seconds. Giles took lead for Gotham in the first jam after the timeout, quickly and easily scoring five points as Texas focused on trying to recover a dropped helmet cover in turn two. Gotham held Texas’ jammer and pivotturned-jammer for the entire two minutes and claimed a 140-132 lead with 2:38 left on the clock. Despite having two timeouts and an official review remaining, Texas chose to let the full 30 seconds run off the clock between jams – seconds they could have desperately used in the game’s final jam. Gotham won the next jam 4-0 and Texas again let the clock run – this time for 20 seconds – before calling a timeout with 1:16 left in the period. Miss Tea Maven took lead 30 seconds into the final jam and Gotham took full advantage of their 50-second gift. Choosing to take no risks and run out the clock, Maven called off the jam with only a single blocker teammate left on the track just as the period clock hit 0:00. Gotham took the win 148-145.

Arch Rival kicked off the last of the four quarterfinal games with a bang, grabbing lead in the first and third jams and opening up an early 9-3 lead over the defending champions. But Rose City would quickly show how little three jams can mean as they went on a 136-5 run to put the game out of reach early. Despite a much more competitive second half, Arch Rival was never able to get within 100 points as Rose cruised to a 237-109 victory and a fourth straight final-four appearance.

After two consolation games, it was time for the semifinals. Victoria jumped out to a 24-4 lead over Denver in the game’s first jam and never looked back. Jam two saw roller derby power-couple Scald Eagle and Lady Trample

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face off. Eagle would win that first battle, but her secondjam lead call was one of only two Denver managed in the entire half. In the end, all five Victoria jammers individually outscored Denver’s leading scorers (Scald Eagle and Cotten, 26 points each) as they cruised to a 287-65 win.

The second semi-final was considerably more exciting as the crowd was treated to a matchup we’ve become used to seeing at the end of Day 3 rather than the end of Day 2.

Rose City and Gotham have met in the championship game each of the last three years, but this year’s bracket had them doing battle one round earlier. Prior to the 2017 season, derby legend Bonnie Thunders transferred from Gotham to Rose City meaning only one of two streaks could continue: either Bonnie or Gotham would play in their seventh straight championship game, but not both.

The first half definitely brought back memories of the incredibly close games the teams had played the last three years. Tough defense and multiple lead changes led to a low-scoring 48-48 tie after 16 jams, but Rose City was able to open up a 19-point gap by halftime. That trend continued in the second half as Rose grabbed lead in five of the first six jams, stretching their lead to 104-71. Several jams later, a 22-4 win for Loren Mutch would put the game out of reach at 146-85 with 12:30 left in the game. Gotham tried to chip away at the lead, but winning the next five jams by a

collective 11-9 score wasn’t enough to make things interesting. In the end, a 159-113 win sent Rose City to their fourth straight championship game, and Bonnie Thunders to her seventh in a row. day 3 After a pair of consolation games to open the day, Sunday kicked into high gear with something rarely seen in modern roller derby: a huge comeback. Denver came out of the gate with an unmatched level of intensity. Facing off against Gotham for the fourth time in 2017, Scald Eagle and company hoped to reverse their fortune with a first-ever victory against mighty Gotham. And it looked like they would do just that. Aided by five Gotham jammer penalties (and none of their own), Denver opened up a 90-28 lead with 10:30 left in an extremely intense and hard-hitting first half.

But then everything changed. In the next jam, Gotham’s USA Roller Derby tripod of V-Diva, Sexy Slaydie, and Caf Fiend kept Wilhelm from making it out of turn two for an entire two minutes. Unfortunately for Denver, that trouble was compounded by their first jammer penalty of the half just seconds before the jam came to an end. By the time Wilhelm could get off the track, Gotham had put up the first 27 of what would ultimately stretch into an incredible 63point scoring streak, giving Gotham its first lead at 91-90.

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Scald Eagle was able to flip the lead briefly back in Denver’s favor at 93-91, but with 24 minutes left in the game, that was the last time Denver would find themselves on top. The score stayed close over the next several jams, but a 3-jam stretch in which Gotham outscored Denver 33-4 gave Gotham a solid 40-point lead. In the end, it was a 178-128 win for Gotham, who outscored Denver 150-38 over the final two thirds of the game.

The championship game featured two teams who have been on incredible runs over the last several years. Rose City took home the silver medal in 2014 prior to their 2015 and 2016 championship wins. But Victoria has been similarly impressive. They missed the 2015 and 2016 championship games by just two points in 2015 and by just three points in 2016. Earlier this year, they became the first team other than Gotham to ever hold the top stop in the official WFTDA rankings. Outside of those two semi-final losses, Victoria has been nearly unstoppable over the last three seasons – including a 64-point win over Rose City earlier this year.

Unlike the last three championship games between Rose City and Gotham, the outcome of this game was never in question. The score sat at 7-7 after three jams, but Rose City was never able to get in front as Victoria methodically cruised to a 99-32 halftime lead, holding one the best jammers in the game, Loren Mutch, scoreless. Seemingly running on cruise control, Victoria never allowed Rose City to get in the game, finishing off a perfect season with a 180101 win that earned them the right to take the Hydra trophy outside of the United States for the first time.

Despite mind-blowing numbers by her teammate, Christy Demons (82% lead, 245 points, +5.9 points per jam), the incredible combination of power, agility, and charisma earned Victoria’s Lady Trample the title of tournament MVP. With the WFTDA season drawing to a close with a dominant victory by a team from Australia, roller derby’s next big event will be the World Cup in Manchester, England.

Team Australia features 14 skaters from the Victoria charter as well as Tui Lyon (Angel City) and Giles (Gotham) who both played for Victoria in past seasons. USA Roller Derby has never won by less than 100 points. Could this be the year that someone gives USA a challenge? We’ll find out the first week of February!H

Tournament Results 1st (W/W/W): Victoria 2nd (W/W/L): Rose City 3rd (W/L/W): Gotham 4th (W/L/L): Denver (placements below 4th are unofficial)

(t) 5th (W/L/W): Angel City, Arch Rival, Texas 8th (L/W): London 9th (W/L/L): Montreal

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DRILL three-team mayhem

purpose: increase pack awareness

Divide into three teams (ideally with five people each, but can be more).

All three teams skate around the track as one pack. Each team chooses a jammer who tries to make it through, lap the pack, and then make it through again. After making it through the pack a second time, the jammer passes the star to another team member who must also lap the pack twice. Each skater should be the jammer once. The teams try to prevent other jammers from getting through the pack while helping their own. The team who gets all their jammers through the pack twice first wins.

Brangwyn Jones

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unicorn vomit and visualization in roller derby K AT E R U N N E L S

Unicorn Vomit and Visualization in roller derby. How in the world are those two things in any way connected? That is how I feel visualization is represented within the roller derby community. To answer it in another way, they are both non-existent.

But for visualization, I/you/we can/should/must make a change to bring visualization into focus to progress as a sport; to make what is possible, real; to bring it into being; to breathe life into this creation; or any cliché saying you want to apply (insert here). To make this happen, there needs to be a concerted change not just at a coaching level to coach visualization techniques, but with each skater to adapt a way that works for them (to bring visualization into existence).

In my many years of bouncing around to various and varied derby practices, mostly on the west coast of the U.S., I have not come across anyone else teaching this important aspect of sports training. I have not seen it in person, nor in videos, in other articles, or at bouts. I have touched on it myself during practices, but not nearly often enough or in depth enough to make a lasting change. And I know this is an essential practice technique for any athlete.

I use it myself, so why do I not teach it more in my practices? I know how to hockey stop, so why would I not teach that important skating technique to others? That’s what I want to talk about now, and hope to show the importance of visualization and why it is needed. visualization Within the brain, the motor cortex tells you where to move.

The visual cortex and other body positioning sensors all feed back into the cerebellum. The cerebellum then tells the motor cortex what to do next and so on; in a continual feedback loop. Hopefully, you’ve done this in the correct movement you were trying for. As an example, let’s take the basic skating stroke. Over and over you have performed this motion and can now do this without thinking about it. That is muscle memory. And that is the feedback loop.

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In the same way I have put pen to paper, or fingers on the keyboard, to write this. With each repetition you become better and better at the movement – the feedback loop – i.e.roller derby practice.

These connections are happening in our brain all the time – one nerve cell gives a signal to another nerve cell.

The next time you initiate and perform that movement or – and this is big – think about repeating that exact movement, the same signal is triggered and sent between those nerve cells, strengthening the connection. Now the connection within your brain is stronger and able to perform the motion better. At the same time you complete the motion correctly, our brain releases a little bit of dopamine (a reward chemical). We feel good over accomplishing some difficult maneuver.

Example: At practice, we go through the tricky footwork and bypass the blocker, right on the edge of the outside line, and we weren’t even touched.

The coach turns to you and says, “nicely done.” We feel alive with success, happy and want to do it again. Reward.

Now, if you follow sports, you have seen that many top athletes and olympians use imagery and visualization techniques in their training and even during games or competitions.

When a basketball player steps up to the free throw line and throws a few shots toward the hoop without a ball, that is the

player visualizing the shot going in.

Skiers – downhill, ski jumpers, freestyle, etc. – if you watch them before their run you see them using their hands following the track they want to take. Or you see them with their arms gesticulating wildly as they go through the motions of the jumps they want to perform, while seeing the jumps in their mind at the same time. Golfers visually line up the putt, seeing the break before stepping up to the ball.

Obviously this won't make you a master just by imagining yourself out there. You still need hard work, effort, and time.

But it will help you along that path of achieving your goals in roller derby. Crossovers, transitions, jumps, whatever it is.

Visualization can help you get there.

The above references are considered internal imagery: whereas, you see yourself moving through these events or motions.

There is also external imagery: as if you watched a video of yourself performing these events or motions.

Roller derby is not like golf or gymnastics or springboard diving. Well, of course not. Those sports have predicted moves to get a calculated score.

Roller derby is more like hockey or soccer or basketball, which does not have those set series of motions to get a score. But they do have motions. A skating stride is a skating stride. Visualize a better crossover. We all had to learn how to stand before skating, skate before sprinting, and so on.

Now, it’s not always about a set series of motions. I have also used it to envision scenarios and situations. Think about throwing a juke to a blocker. Now was it anything like you practiced? Envision the juke in a bout scenario and the chaos around. Because how you practiced the juke during a practice may never present itself in a bout. So you need to think about how and where else you can use it.

Even if you have never performed the move, like jumping the apex or jumping a downed player in a game, visualizing how that would play out in your mind, over and over, makes those connections in your brain, mapping the mental pathways, so if you ever do need it physically, it will trigger those same connections so you can perform exceptionally when needed.

I want you now to think about bout day. All the stress and the nerves and adrenaline pumping you up long before it’s needed. You are in front of a crowd, be it home or away, talking, yelling, clapping, with music blaring to drown out everything else.

Think about having to step out onto the track in front of the crowd and the opposing team.

Are you excited?

Are you nervous?

Maybe a bit of both?

Those nerves and adrenaline can all affect how you play roller derby. If you think about it now, visualize it, hear the crowd noise, the announcer reading off your name and number, the rumble of fifteen pairs of skates rolling along the floor. That flutter in your stomach. Are you going to puke?

Do you need to use the bathroom?

Visualizing now, can help you handle it later.

I practiced this before competing in the roller hockey world championships. I skated on a converted tennis court, in the desolate summer heat, practicing alone. No traffic sounds penetrated to that place. You could hear the weeds crackle as the sun dried out their already parched stems. Heat waves rose from the other courts surrounding mine.

I skated out to the penalty shot line. I filled in the area in my mind. I placed a goalie in the cage before me. Filled the team rosters; nine other eager players pacing like tigers on the line far behind, but not far enough. The crowd, which had been loud, quieted in anticipation as I neared the hockey ball.

I breathed slowly. Seeing my shot.

The whistle blew.

I took the shot.

When this happened in real life during the Copa International tournament in Spain, I had already been in that tense situation. The crowd of people in the stadium staring down, didn’t bother me. The goalie glaring didn’t phase me.

The silly tricks of the opposing team never registered.

The referee signaled.

I did not falter. I did not doubt. I scored the goal.

We need to find that imaginary, that visualization, is an important aspect to our sport and start coaching it. Bring it back into the world. And let’s leave the unicorn vomit alone, in that non-existent state, where it belongs.H

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Triple 8 certified sweatsaver F I O N A G R A P P L E , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S

I have a question for you. How often do you, as a derby skater, think about helmets?

I’ve been skating over a decade and up until a few years ago didn’t give them much thought. If they had a cool color and a sweat-absorbing liner (bonus!) I’d just buy the one I liked the best. More recently however, the risk of brain injury has become a hot topic not just in roller derby but in all contact sports. This is a good thing! We only get one brain and it’s pretty shocking how easily it can get hurt. After watching some of my teammates deal with the horrible after-effects of a concussion my choice of helmet became less about appearance and more about protection.

I’ve always liked the Triple 8 helmets for their color variety and profile. They sit low on your head and were smaller than some of the alternatives on the market. They had the super-thick, absorbent terry cloth liners and a ton of great color options. However, when other manufacturers came along with their new multi-impact versions I made the switch. (Even though I disliked looking like a bobblehead.)

While I felt good about protecting my brain I didn’t love that the helmets were bigger, bulkier and sat up higher on my head. I also was never super happy with the liners provided. We sweat when we play derby. A LOT. I wanted something that kept me cool and kept the sweat out of my eyes, and off my poor teammates.

Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when Triple 8 introduced a burlier, more protective helmet that still maintains that lower-profile look I liked so much.

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The Certified Sweatsaver Helmet is dual certified for both skating AND biking. This is the first and only helmet to fully integrate the best of high impact absorbing EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam with thick dual density soft foam and plush Sweatsaver fabric. Also, the liner is stink-free and moisture-wicking!

OK, enough science. How does it really feel, and how does it look?

I ordered a L/XL (not because I have a big head, but because I have a big BRAIN), and it fit well. It comes with two sets of terry cloth liners, one to fit it as a large, and another if you have an even BIGGER brain, i.e. extra large. The large fit perfectly.

The liners are thick and cushy and the helmet felt secure without being overly tight. The chin strap was easy to adjust and didn’t slip throughout a three hour practice. The look of the helmet was like the old Triple 8s, as it sits just a bit lower on the head, avoiding the bobbly head look I dislike. The color Triple 8 sent me

was a mint green with a navy blue lining and white chin strap. At first I thought it was an odd combo but it’s grown on me and I actually really like it. The helmet has a matte finish, and I’ve found that it doesn’t scratch as easily as some of the other helmets I’ve used. I usually clip my helmet to the outside of my bag, and it stayed pristine even after I chucked my derby bag in my car trunk at the end of

practice. (Don’t judge me. Three hour practice = I need a shower, dinner and a beer, stat.)

I would absolutely recommend this helmet. It’s by far the most comfortable one I’ve worn in my derby career, with the added benefit of really great protection.

I can’t wait to order one in my travel team colors for next season!H

check out this cool video featuring Miss Tea Maven: tinyurl.com/ybmhbl6n Triple 8 dual certified sweatsaver helmets available at: triple8.com

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wheels: grippiness and durometer I V A N N A S. P A N K I N, S O C A L D E R B Y

Here’s kind of a summary of some of what I’ve figured out from Radar, Sure Grip, Atom, my own experience, talking to girls all day long about wheels and research on the internet.

DUROMETER – what the hell is it?

Durometer is a measure of the hardness of urethane in wheels and it’s only ONE factor in how grippy wheels might be. An actual *durometer* is a handheld meter with a tiny retractable metal tip on the end and a gauge on the other end. You can roll the tip over a sheet of cured urethane and the gauge tells you the durometer reading of that place in that slab of urethane. It’s easy to screw that up, though, because it’s a handheld gauge and you can make your reading inaccurate by too much or too little pressure. It’s even harder to get an accurate reading on a wheel shape because it is round, so the curve of the wheel and the grooves can make it even harder to get right.

And there are many other factors that determine wheel performance, especially grip, including: 1. The formula of the urethane they are made of. For track skating purposes, most “experts” – and skaters, who are the real experts – seem to agree that Poly BD urethane wheels perform best. Other urethane formulas include TDI, MDI and outdoor formulas, all with different properties and characteristics that make them suitable for some things better than others. There are also clay, wood and wheels made of pretty much any other material you can get round... but I have never tried any of those, so I’m going to stick to talking about urethane here.

2. The hub material and shape. Some skaters swear by aluminum hubs, others by nylon. Nylon hubs have flex to them when you’re rolling and pushing – so that flex translates into more traction if you were to put the exact same urethane in the exact same shape on the same size/shape hub (one nylon, one aluminum), as well.

I prefer nylon for that reason. Nylon hubs with holes might be even more flexible than solid – not sure on that one but it seems logical to me. Hollow core wheels are certainly lighter but I believe most hollow core wheels are purposefully designed to be stiff. I believe the point is to

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make the hollow core perform with the stiffness (i.e. quickness and less traction) of aluminum without the additional weight. If there’s a difference it’s probably negligible, though. Aluminum hubs are supposed to be lighter, but what they mean by lighter is lighter than other aluminum hubs. Again, there are more factors in the metal hubs that have to be considered to be definitive, but generally, nylon hubs are the lightest.

3. Wheel/urethane shape and ratio of urethane to hub.

Another factor in shape is how much urethane there is to how much hub. There are a lot of new shapes available these days over the former standard 62 x 44 mm wheels.

4. The universe. Meaning – the weather. The humidity.

How dirty your floor is. What type of floor your venue has – etc., etc. All the obvious stuff. So a girl skating in a humid, hot wooden rink with a grippy urethane coating in the south in the summer without A/C is going to HATE super grippy wheels and will prefer something firm. But a team, outside at night in the cold dry air of winter in the desert on a slippery cement outdoor track that’s usually coated in dust, will be physically unable to hold corners in wheels the Southern girl loves. Meaning what’s right for someone else isn’t necessarily right for you. So before you ask on a message board about what wheels are best, ask the veterans on your team! The girls who’ve tried different wheels on your floor will probably be a lot more helpful than anyone else. Then take their opinion with a grain of salt – or ask around to see if anyone has old wheels you can try. Nothing substitutes for your own experience.

So what is the deal with DUROMETER, then? It’s theoretically a measure of how soft the wheels are and how much give they have. But what is painted on the wheel may not be the actual durometer of that particular wheel on your skate. Wheels are poured in big batches so the true durometer of a batch can actually be a range of +/- up to 4 points.

Here’s an example: take pink Fugitives, which Sure Grip told us are about 94 durometer. What that means is that the

pinks are in the 93-95 range and usually measure about a 94. But there are so many factors in what makes a batch of urethane measure a certain durometer (humidity, temperature, amount of dust in the air on the day they were poured, etc.) that the closest the factory can say is that they’re aiming for 94 durometer for the pinks and every wheel in that batch will be close to it. Even things like the color dye (formula of the chemicals) they use can be a factor in the durometer, which is one reason that some manufacturers use colors to differentiate between durometer/grippiness ratings on the same models of wheels.

So what’s the real difference between a wheel that says it’s 92s vs. 95s? What’s the difference between, say, blue fugitives – the grippiest, and reds – the firmest fugitives?

That will depend on the +/- factor for that particular wheel (like maybe your blue fugitives that you think are 92s are actually 91 or 93 – and the red fugitives you’re comparing that are supposed to be 95s are actually 93s also), and all kinds of factors in your venue as well, like temperature, humidity, dirtiness of the floor, your skill as a skater, etc.

That’s why wheel manufacturers are reluctant to be nailed down to a particular durometer because it’s more like a target they aim for than a set measurement of that particular wheel. We have to trick them into telling us what it is half the time, which is why you probably have seen conflicting info about durometers for the same wheel on different sites.

Sure Grip qualifies their durometer listing with the +/explanation and Radar is opting out entirely lately, using terms like “tite” to describe their wheels and not letting us pin them down with durometers at all.

So factor in all that... and the smart skater will basically use the durometer as ONE way to compare wheels, rather than as a set measurement of which one will be grippier than another.

An example of how durometer can be an unreliable comparison (if taken totally out of context): 95A red Fugitives vs. 95A Radar Cayman wheels. Both wheels are on nylon hubs, similar size and shape. But the fugitives are Poly BD – and the Caymans are either TDI or MDI (not sure which). So the same durometer of wheels is the same but in actuality, the red Fugitives are much grippier.

Which means, if you think that one step further, durometer ratings are a good way to compare wheels of the

SAME MODEL. A lower durometer rating will be grippier than a higher durometer when you’re talking about Fugitives – usually (taking into account the +/-). But if you’re comparing Washington apples to Granny Smiths – say Poly BD or Fugitives to Tuners, for example, it’s a good benchmark, but not gospel. And if you’re comparing apples to cumquats, like V-Drives to Flat Outs... well, then durometer is even less reliable because there are so many other factors to take into consideration.

SO WHAT DUROMETER DO YOU NEED? People almost always start by wanting the grippiest. Do you need that? You might! Maybe you’re a new skater and need as much traction as possible while you’re learning. Maybe you have the world’s slipperiest floor.

Grippier is becoming universally accepted as better in our growing subculture, but that’s not really always the case either, in my opinion. For example, I prefer firmer wheels for practice. The main reason is that practicing on firm wheels makes my grippy wheels feel grippier when I need them.

And practicing on slippery wheels forces you to learn better form and grip with your thighs and stride rather than relying on wheels. Firm wheels also tend to be more durable. Softer wheels wear faster. So I save them for games!

But ultimately, skaters want grippy wheels that won’t slow them down. Well, the truth is that grippy wheels are bound to be slower in a sense – they’re gripping, after all. But what are you trying to achieve? If you slip on every push, can you get going as fast? If you slide out on turns or have to coast to hang on, you are probably slowing your overall lap speed.

On the other hand, when I first switched to blue Fugitives, I got a lap and a half less than usual on a timed 5-minute sprint. I was pissed. And I was more tired because I was pushing harder – the grippiness slowed me down. BUT – the next week I was back up to where I was because I was accustomed to the grippiness and pushed accordingly and probably got a little stronger just from sheer stubborness and a refusal to get less laps than I was shooting for. And in a PACK situation, I loved the Fugitives right away because I could bob and weave without sliding, taking harder hits, etc. – so even though I might have been a hair slower, I was getting through the pack faster. And that’s what really counts, for me.H

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We Believe: Progress through Charitable Giving By the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association T H E W O M E N ' S F L AT T R A C K D E R B Y A S S O C I AT I O N

Danny Ngan

2017 may be wrapping up but we’re just getting started on our charitable mission.

“I am just amazed by how people have really banded The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association partnered with together around this cause,“ says WFTDA Interim Secretary the UN Women this year, launching We Believe, the new Furrrocious. “The We Believe booth was a hot spot at international giving program to support global change. the WFTDA Tournaments, where the community sparked The objective of this program is to raise $15,000 for a dialogue centered around gender equality. Seeing so UN Women’s One Win Leads to Another movement, much sharing of knowledge was a beautiful experience, which aims to empower women and girls through sport. and I’m really proud of how many individuals came forward The WFTDA community – made up of generous people to contribute to this important cause.” who are no strangers to powerful “...

I’m really proud of how Through these generous grassroots efforts – took on the donations, we have made so much We Believe challenge at the 2017 many individuals came International WFTDA Playoffs progress towards reaching our goal, forward to contribute and Championships. but we’re not quite there yet. This

to this important cause.”

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is why for the holiday season and kicking off the New Year, we’re asking people to help us push through the home stretch by donating to We Believe as a charitable gift. It’s perfect for that person in your life who agrees with the UN Women that “gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.” It’s also the most social way to take part in a movement driven by UN Women’s belief that women in sport defy gender stereotypes and that the WFTDA embodies One Win Leads to Another’s spirit of community and gender equality.

A portion of the donations will cover the costs of the first-ever WFTDA Minimum Skills Clinic for young women in Brazil, which will use basic roller derby skills to develop confidence in new skaters, in tandem with One Win Leads to Another. To get involved, visit wftda.com/donate.

“Sport is about cooperation and growth,” says Furrrocious. “This partnership between UN Women and the WFTDA demonstrates the potential of derby.

It’s more than just a sport; it’s a community, and it’s an opportunity for change.”H

“This partnership between UN Women and the WFTDA demonstrates the potential of derby. It’s more than just a sport; it’s a community, and it’s an opportunity for change.”

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Looking to Give a Dose of Girl Power and Roller Derby Fun This Holiday Season?

“Rise of the Undead Redhead” and “Woe of Jade Doe” will pack a punch and bust a gut!

“Where was this series when I was a kid!”

That’s what parents are saying about Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles.

Dorothy Moore has never been outgoing. In fact, she’s downright shy. So when she and her sister Sam are forced to move in with their pink-haired, hearse-driving grandma, Dorothy’s not sure she can survive as the new kid in school. Skating as The Undead Redhead with her team Slugs & Hisses, Dorothy and her mismatched crew stumble their way to the track and championship in this wild ride for kids ages 8-12.

Check it out at dorothysderby.com. Ask for it at your independent book store, or buy it at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

tri-city juniors: a league that lives up to its name SLAM BARR

Tri-City Junior Roller Derby from Ontario, Canada is a league that lives up to its name more than most others.

The league has practices in three cities: Kitchener, Guelph, and Stratford.

It’s part of a carefully crafted strategy on the part of Tri-City Junior Roller Derby to cater to the largest group of junior skaters possible.

Laura Wombwell, Head Coach for Tri-City Juniors says that having a single league with multiple locations means that the league is able to draw trainers from more than one adult

women. Every coach has a different skillset and a different style of coaching.”

Hosting practices in multiple cities has also allowed the league to grow and increase skater volume to 80 skaters, making it the largest junior roller derby organization in Canada.

Wombwell says, “There is no way we could maintain the number of skaters that we have at one time in one city.

Spreading it out allows us to have a better coach/skater ratio, and allows us to keep growing the program.” It

[in juniors] a little longer... I left juniors because I needed the challenge and I wanted to skate where everyone was as good as me or better.” Wombwell echoes Peters’ thoughts, noting that splitting the practices by skill level has helped with skater retention by keeping the newer skaters engaged and learning and keeping the vets challenged. It also means that the levels 2 and 3 practices can be more strategy-focused, which helps skaters deepen their appreciation of the game.

It also doesn’t hurt that siblings can

“There is no way we could maintain the number of skaters that we have at one time in one city.

Spreading it out allows us to have a better coach/skater ratio, and allows us to keep growing the program.” league. There are well-established adult leagues in both Kitchener (TriCity Roller Derby) and Guelph (Royal City Roller Girls). As the similar names might suggest, Tri-City Juniors are affiliated with the adult league.

Trainers for Tri-City Juniors share curriculum and many trainers are able to travel and coach at multiple locations. “This means that training is consistent in each city, so we know that the kids are all learning the same skills,” says Wombwell.

Allison Jones, whose daughter, Sloane Boorman, attends the Kitchener and Guelph practices says that “sometimes [Sloane] gets different skills, but I think what’s important is that she’s getting exposure to different

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has also allowed Tri-City Juniors to bring junior derby to a variety of events in different cities. Additionally, because multiple spaces allow the league to have more members, the Kitchener practice is split into two one-and-ahalf hour halves: the first for skill levels 0 and 1 (for emerging skaters) and the second hour and a half for levels 2 and 3 (intermediate and advanced skaters).

Zoë Peters, daughter of league trainer Jennifer Zammit, graduated juniors and transferred to Tri-City Roller Derby and now helps to train juniors. She says that she wishes there had been split practices with an advanced skater division when she was still a junior: “I might have stayed

join Tri-City Juniors together and each attend the practice that caters to their own skill level and parents can enjoy the benefits of having two kids play derby the same night.

From a skater perspective, the three locations also allows the juniors to have more opportunities to skate.

A number of Tri-City Juniors skaters attend multiple practices per week in different cities. More time on skates means greater skill development and the younger skaters love the opportunity to get more skate time in.

“I think one and a half hours isn’t enough to develop skills or experience, at least at the rate that [Sloane] wants to learn,” says Allison Jones. Tony Jim, whose daughter Anna Jim attends the

Joe Mac

Kitchener and Stratford practices says Anna was “doing great just going to the practice near home, but when we added the additional practice, she just bloomed.”

There are also less tangible benefits of the multi-city practices. Allison Jones notes that as a family, they’ve

normally hang out with. Being from a small city like Stratford, it sometimes seems like you know everybody so it’s nice to hang around kids from other places.” Tony Jim says that Anna “is learning to rely on other girls [and] experience diversity and different points of view.”

the more likely you are to find a solid coaching base, and reach more kids.”

As for why junior derby is important, Wombwell says that “as with adult roller derby, often the skaters that find juniors might have a hard time fitting in with other sports environments [or they] are hardcore athletes looking for

The inclusive atmosphere of junior derby brings all of these folks together and gives them a shared goal. We see so many kids making lasting friendships, finding strength and confidence they didn’t know they had, and having a darn lot of fun while they’re at it.” had to be creative as to how they get to practices. Sloane has learned to use public transit to get to practice on her own when she has to go to practice right after school. Makayla Soper, age 10, says that she likes the two practices because “it helps me to get along with other people I wouldn’t

Wombwell says that she “would absolutely recommend multiple locations to other leagues if they can swing it.” She admits that Tri-City has been lucky with their timing and finding practice space and willing adult “big sister” leagues. “The more you can reach out to all of your local leagues,

a new challenge. The inclusive atmosphere of junior derby brings all of these folks together and gives them a shared goal. We see so many kids making lasting friendships, finding strength and confidence they didn’t know they had, and having a darn lot of fun while they’re at it.”H

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holding tryouts Recruiting skaters can be a great hurdle for both new and established leagues.

From the startup league perspective, it can be hard to wrangle a lot of ladies for a big commitment to something they likely have never seen or heard of before. Experienced leagues may also face a number of challenges, from trying to create a decent talent pool in a small city to competing with other local sports teams, popular diversions or even another league in close proximity. Here are some suggestions for running your tryouts successfully and convincing all potential newbies that the track is the place to be: paint the town red Ideally, new skaters will have some kind of skating or athletic experience, so the best places to start your search for new recruits is at skating rinks, gyms, etc. It is a good idea to hang posters or put up handbills at your local college campus or anywhere you can locate female club sports – are their soccer practices at that park by your house? How about pickup scrimmages at the hockey rink? Try to swing by right before or after they meet, introduce yourself and guage interest in players, or at least place some information by the bathrooms or drinking fountains.

While zeroing in on potential recruits who already work out or play another sport seems like a no-brainer, you should also try hanging posters at bars, restaurants and shops, or passing out handbills at local events. Think of everywhere you promote for a bout – now go promote your tryouts in those same spots to let all your dedicated fans know that you are looking for more members of your female skate crew!

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encourage pre-tryout involvement Think about when you tried out for your league – chances are you were excited to play but knew next to no one and were über-intimidated. Let your ladies trying out know that there is nothing to be afraid of – keep them up-to-date on any league events you may be holding so they can come introduce themselves to skaters and other fresh meat.

A great way to get all the newbies familiar with one another and a bit at ease is to create a fresh meat Facebook group or an online forum where they can talk to each other and you can post any helpful information. Allow anyone with an interest in trying out to sign up and encourage pre-tryout skate nights, social get-togethers or just the chance to introduce themselves online in order to feel more connected to the league and their fellow new recruits before their big day. make it a night to remember Make sure your tryouts are well-organized and well-staffed – while these girls are eager to join your league, you still have to sell your league as something they want to participate in. We all know that roller derby is a huge commitment – who would dedicate numerous nights a week and countless hours to something they weren’t passionate about? It’s important to play up the positives of your league and get as many of your skaters there as possible, if only to be a smiling and encouraging face for newbies to interact with.

It’s just as imperative to have a concrete schedule and mapped out plans for the night – you can’t just wing it! Did you tell new recruits there would be extra gear? If so, make sure you have a surplus of loaner pads, rental skates and helmets. Do you know exactly what drills and techniques you are going to test the newbies on? Do you plan on speaking with them individually or in smaller groups to get a feel for their personalities and how they may fit into the league?

Communicate all of this with any skaters or staff you may have helping you evaluate the newbies, and make sure you are all on the same page concerning what you are looking for in potential league members. Smaller or startup leagues may accept any skater that walks through the door, but if

Dana John Hill

into until they have actually come to a few practices and you only plan on offering a certain number of slots to gotten a feel for derby and the league, and it’s important newbies, let your evaluators know what you have in mind. to continue welcoming them with open arms. Set up newbie Lastly, communicate well with your new recruits. The practices once a week or a fresh meat boot camp in the most important bit of information they want to know is beginning to get them up to speed with their skills and the whether or not they made the team, so be clear about commitment they are about to make. when and how you will contact them Also, encourage senior skaters to to let them know if they have been A league is only as take newbies under their wings – accepted. Encourage other options a mentor program where each fresh to those that don’t make the cut this successful as its skaters, meat is paired up with a beef jerky time around – let them know the and it is important to foster skater insures that the new girl value of volunteers and refs, and always has someone to turn to for welcome them back to try out teamwork, league pride one-on-one attention and personal next time. and involvement from questions. where to go from here A league is only as successful the beginning to insure You got a ton of girls to show up to as its skaters, and it is important tryouts and you picked the best and success for new skaters to foster teamwork, league pride the brightest to begin their journey to and involvement from the beginning and strengthen the becoming a fullfledged rollergirl, but it to insure success for new skaters doesn’t stop there! Most skaters league as a whole. and strengthen the league as don’t realize what they are getting a whole.H

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do more derby P AT R I C K W I L L I A M S, C E N T R A L K A N S A S R O L L E R D E R B Y

Roller derby is built on community. The camaraderie and connections you make in this sport last a lifetime.

It is also a family affair. In my family, my fiancĂŠ plays. I play, our two daughters play, we referee, and we travel (at least as much as we are able). Being located deep in the Midwest of America however the big events are a struggle.

Beat me halfway is a ten plus hour drive, RollerCon, ECDX, the Big O all require significant travel and budget planning. So, my partner, April, formulated a plan. It was an idea built on the belief that roller derby as a community would band together and support each other in the effort to see more derby, talk more derby, and do more derby.

Do More Derby was an idea that came into being out of those desires. Too many times we were left to pick and choose which training camps, events, tournaments, and even bouts we could put on our schedule. The average price of a hotel room in the U.S. is more than $125.00 a night, gas is hovering around $2.50 a gallon and registration costs had to be figured as well. We talked about ways to enable our community to take advantage of more things but to do it we had to be able to control the out of pocket expenses. We looked at programs like CouchSurfing and AirBnB but there was nothing designed specifically for roller derby. Often, we were offered the floor at a friend’s house following a long travel but the thought was what if there were no friends where you were going?

The idea is simple: build a group of people from roller derby who would be willing to host others from our community at no cost, give them a way to communicate where they want to go, a way to offer places to stay, a way to share information and ratings on places they have been, a way to do all of this safely, and at little to no cost. We wrote out the plan and formulated the idea, budgeted our needs and looked at our long term goals. As with many start up endeavors, money was an issue. It would take capital to build out websites, mobile apps, advertise, do background checks, etc., and our funding was limited. Most small businesses grow with personal investments and the people close to us helped as best they could but our financial gap was still too great so we began a crowd-funding campaign.

After contacting 1,500 different roller derby leagues worldwide, running targeted social media campaigns, investment offers, and other advertising, we still were too short to make our dream a reality. We needed to spread the word about Do More Derby, we needed word of mouth. Our project had to slow down. We built a group page on Facebook that would offer a message board style way to offer and request places to stay and places needed.

We continued to work with an application developer on ideas for the future, and we continued to look at options for funding.

The idea of Do More Derby is always changing and growing,

Roller derby is built on community.

The camaraderie and connections you make in this sport last a lifetime.

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we need you to tell us what you think, what you want it to look like, what features you want in an app, whether you would prefer a website or a mobile app. We need more people involved, we need people willing to host, we need people to ask for places to stay, the more demand there is for the service the faster it can become a reality. We need ideas for funding, we are actively seeking investors, we are offering fundraising opportunities for teams interested in being part of the product launch. The idea of Do More Derby isn’t going to make anyone rich, but hopefully it will make us all better at derby.

Do More Derby has stalled somewhat in development, if you have thoughts and ideas you want to share or ways to bring this idea to fruition we would love to hear from you. Roller derby is a community and we want to help bring the community closer together. Come find us on Facebook under Do More Derby, on Twitter, or email us at domorederby@gmail.com. We need your help to make this dream into something real, something that will grow, something that will let us all do more derby.H

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Girls on Track Foundation I V A N N A S. P A N K I N, S O C A L D E R B Y

Did you know that by age 14 girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys? Long term involvement in sports helps girls develop positive self image, hone leadership skills and create healthy habits that they can use to build a better future. Girls on Track helps girls stay engaged in sports – our favorite sport, roller derby – throughout their teens and into a productive, healthier adulthood. who are we?

Girls on Track was envisioned by Booty Quake of Roller Derby Athletics and Terminal City Rollergirls. She came up with the idea for Girls On Track at RollerCon 2016 while looking for ways for her business to give back to the community. Booty scratched out the seeds of our mission statement on an airline napkin on her way home, then recruited LuluDemon from PIvotStar, Strychnine from Wicked Skatewear, Eduskating Rita of Akron Roller Derby, and Ivanna S. Pankin from Rollercon and SoCal Derby to form the organization’s Board of Directors. Girls on Track also has an Advisory Board that includes community leaders Smarty Pants of the Texas Rollergirls and Bob Noxious of Brown Paper Tickets, and is working to inaugurate a Junior Advisory Board, as well.

GIRLS N TRACK what do we do?

Girls on Track Foundation’s mission is to give girls in their teens more access to the sport of roller derby. As an alternative sport with strong female role models we know that roller derby appeals to girls that might not feel like they “fit in” with the mainstream sports options.

Girls on Track is working on several initiatives to help make Junior Derby an option for more girls by funding programs that promote awareness and improve access. The organization is developing its own programs, as well as raising money to fund existing initiatives.

For example:

● Intro to roller derby programming (“Derby in a Day”) that adult and junior leagues can present with minimal equipment to their local community groups like Girl Scouts, summer camps, and youth organizations. The program helps introduce the sport, showing how it builds teamwork, leadership, and presents strong female role models in an easy, no-commitment way. Participants get to have fun and experience roller derby in fun ‘sock derby’ games. ● A webinar series featuring celebrity skaters and athletes, where current junior derby players can ask questions and be inspired by leaders in the community.

● A grant program to provide financial support to initiatives by junior leagues, allowing them to reach more girls in their teens, and remove barriers to entry ● Connection-making projects to promote sharing of best practices among junior leagues, and increase recruitment and retention.

● Financial support of events that promote our organization’s values and mission ● ... and a lot more!

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where do we operate?

Our Directors are based in North America, but our vision is global.

Girls on Track is an organization that supports junior derby everywhere it exists now and in the future.

how can you help?

Spread the word! Girls on Track will be at the World Cup, the Big O, RollerCon and more events in 2018 and beyond. Stop by one of our booths or get involved online.

You may already have seen Girls on Track booths at recent roller derby events. In 2017, Girls on Track made appearances thanks to the generosity of several event organizers, including The Big O, Best of the West, JRDA Championships, and RollerCon! We’re looking forward to supporting those events and the World Cup in 2018. Would you like to see Girls on Track at your event? Get in touch to discuss it!

â—? Junior Roller Derby Leagues can become Girls on Track affiliates.

Affiliates are eligible to apply for funding, access programs and resources to help your league grow and succeed, nominate league members for our Advisory Boards, and lots more.

â—? Become an individual supporter! Help us decide how to spend Girls on Track funds, get our GOTF Insider supporters newsletter, pilot test new initiatives, rock our sweet t-shirt and more!

� Partner with us. We’re always looking for leagues, organizations and businesses to further our mission. � Volunteer with Girls on Track. We need smart, talented people like you to help us develop programs, work on administrative tasks and more, including marketing, graphic design, and fundraising campaigns.

Imagine your life if you’d had roller derby in your teens. Help Girls on Track make that a reality for the next generation of girls!H

OUR MISSION

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For more information, please check us out at girlsontrackfoundation.org fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2017

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the big blether C R A Z Y L E G S, A U L D R E E K I E R O L L E R G I R L S

It’s 8am, October 7th, a bitterly cold Saturday morning in Edinburgh, Scotland. Three women huddle against the wind outside an old church hall in Edinburgh, surrounded by trays of sandwiches, boxes of fairy lights, and piles of flip chart paper, waiting for the caretaker to unlock the doors. “Remind me why we’re doing this again,” one says as she checks her watch for the third time.

Rewind a few months, and the idea for ‘The Big Blether’ (as it became known) started to take shape between Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ skaters Crazylegs and Skinner, and Glasgow Roller Derby’s head referee Candy Moho. Crazylegs and Candy, regular attendees at EROC (Europe’s Annual Roller Derby Organizational Conference), hosted by Bear City, had begun to talk at the last conference about an idea to gather together all of the leagues in Scotland. The idea began to spark while discussing some big topics at EROC; the financial sustainability of smaller leagues and the lack of support for geographically isolated leagues. In Scotland, both of these challenges are part of the derby landscape, and there was no central support system in place for them.

While the UK Roller Derby Association exists to lobby for the sport in the UK, Roller Derby in Scotland is a relatively small community with its own unique challenges.

The idea grew stronger as Skinner became involved in the discussions; a Community Sports Coordinator in Edinburgh, as well as a seasoned derby skater and coach, Skinner’s interest was in helping leagues to shape and identify some structure and pathways around the sport within Scotland; moving toward better sign-posting for new leagues, better sharing of information across leagues and looking forward in the longer term to sports development plans and funding avenues. A gathering of Scottish leagues could begin this process, open up conversations and identify our collective challenges and how to work together to smash them.

The first step was to identify all of the leagues in Scotland; with help from Scottish Roller Derby Blog creator Sam Skipsey, and by using a newly created Scottish Roller Derby Facebook group, Crazylegs started to gather contact details, for all of the existing leagues, together with information about their date of origin, gender policies, team

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structure and whether they were currently active. The list grew and surprise, there were over 20 leagues listed in Scotland!

The appetite for a Scottish conference was whetted, the passion to bring leagues together was fully ignited and the three derby enthusiasts began to canvass Scottish Leagues for their thoughts and ideas about topics to discuss, challenges to overcome, and how much vegan food was required.

With some generous funding support from the UK Roller Derby Association and also from Auld Reekie Roller Girls (Edinburgh) – the official hosts for this first event and one of the oldest leagues in Scotland – a venue was booked and materials were purchased and the details began to take shape.

In addition to setting the agenda for the event, the Scottish derby community was asked to help come up with a name for it and so The Big Blether was born, thanks to the Orkney ViQueens Roller Derby. In Scotland, ‘to blether’ means a lengthy chat between pals, a fitting name for a first conference.

Every active league in Scotland was sent an invite to the event, and offered funding to assist with travel to ensure that those furthest away, or with financial constraints could still attend. Invites stressed that proactive reps, willing to discuss, create, agree, and more importantly ‘go do’, were

needed at the event, so big blethering could turn into big By leagues coming together in one place, reps were able actioning and changing. to get a good look at the sport in Scotland and to talk about The uptake was amazing and with 18 leagues signed what the ideal future looks like, and then more importantly up to send 2-3 reps each, the days were shaped and the how we get there. League reps fed back throughout the day sessions locked down. With two rooms and about the real value of the event ‘knowing many big topics up for discussion, we are not alone in this’, ‘meeting other In Scotland, the structure created was around facilitator leagues and hearing about how they are moderated discussions rather than a ran’ and ‘sharing problems and coming ‘to blether’ speaker led, and three helpful volunteers up with solutions.’ People blethered over means a lengthy chat from Auld Reekie were brought in to assist coffee and tea, blethered over home on the day – to introduce topics, set the made lunches and blethered through the between pals, tone and ensure that respectful and afternoon with a brief break for a a fitting name for passionate discussions could happen. conference wide paper, scissors stone Topics on the agenda covered a competition! a first conference.

During the day there was a big spectrum of concerns and interests, from emphasis on opening up or improving the creation of better links for interleague communication between leagues. People felt empowered to support and with local communities, how to recruit voice niggles and concerns openly and honestly, and some and retain skaters, officials and volunteers, problems rifts were mended and new understandings formed. within Scotland with game clashing schedules and how Learning about leagues values and goals most definitely set to move the sport on in terms of recognition on both local a good foundation for strong partnership working in future. and National/International scales. the day arrived!

Church hall doors finally unlocked, tunes were turned on and an hour of frantic setting up ensued as six people dashed about putting up huge WELCOME messaging, draping fairy lights, setting up tea and coffee and putting out tables and chairs. The UK’s National Roller Derby Museum came along with some brilliant examples of historic programs and pictures from the olden derby days in Scotland and League reps began to arrive. Soon the rooms were abuzz with chatter and laughter as people started to share stories and news, put names to faces and discover new leagues.

A pin board was covered in mission statements from all of the leagues in attendance, and exciting and heart breaking messages were sent in from leagues unable to attend but wanting to share their stories; a small junior league in the process of disbanding because of a lack of resources and a brand new remote league that had just been set up that month, keen to get involved and make contact for future events.

Sam Skipsey

Finding common goals and challenges throughout the day was so insightful. Often it was the same from league to league; venues, finances, growth constraints, isolation and rather than just tackle those alone, the powerful agreement was formed, that by working together, sharing resources and lobbying for change, we can not only help secure the future of this sport in Scotland but make it much, much stronger. H

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remembering those we have lost JalePAINyo #19 Johnny Voodoo aka Brett Leftwich 1984-2016 Texas Roller Derby

aka Katelyn Tennant 2002-2017 Sioux Falls Roller Dollz

Robin Drugstores #714 aka Andrea Tessler 1969-2017 Philly Roller Derby

Lola Apollonia BumpHer Thumpher #5150 aka Stacy O’Daniel Barton 1972-2017 South Side Roller Derby

aka Breezy Bryant 1980-2017 Hudson Valley Horrors

Slam-burger and Thighs aka Manda Burger 1979-2017 Durango Roller Girls

you will never be forgotten!

1. “Derby” is missing from WFTDA stick on left. 2. Woman on left (striped shirt) is missing yellow wristband.

3. Woman on left’s hat is now purple. 4. Logo is missing from megaphone (center). 5. Pom pom sticks middle-right are now yellow.

6. Pom pom on top right is a different color. 7. Tagline is missing from ESPN banner.

Brangwyn Jones

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