fiveonfive | issue 8 | Summer 2010

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK DERBY ASSOCIATION (WFTDA) ISSUE 8, SUMMER 2010

fiveonfivemag.com

fiveonfive contents 30-31

4-5 advice

ask dahmernatrix and suzy hotrod!

WFTDA Derby’s transatlantic transplantation.

6-9 business coordinating volunteers maximize league profitability

dehydration and heat injury blisters

16-21 games and coaching

feliciagraham.com

10-14 health and fitness

40-41 life as a roller derby widow

favorite training drills from across the country bench management

Keeping your better half in the game.

24-27 gear 34 JRDA the chicago riots

Jules Doyle

cleaning bearings and wheels what’s all this noise about plates?

recruiting for a competitive national standing

36-39 rookie

Future great players are out there – how to find them!

Jay Vollmar

beginner’s guide to the plow stop everything I know, I learned from roller derby

48-49 international derby 52-55 art and media 57 classifieds 60 horoscopes

42-44

editor she who cannot be named rocky mountain rollergirls copy editor vera n. sayne rocky mountain rollergirls content manager annsanity rocky mountain rollergirls art director assaultin’ pepa rocky mountain rollergirls contributing writers dahmernatrix san diego derby dolls

from the editor Welcome to the eighth issue of fiveonfive magazine, the official magazine of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA)!

suzy hotrod gotham girls roller derby

Although most people associate SUMMER with VACATION, we all know that

jam buster winnipeg roller derby

there’s no such thing as a vacation in the derby world! We’ve got tons of info in

bob noxious mad rollin’ dolls

this issue for all you derby enthusiasts out there! Something for the rookiest rook

papa doc windy city rollers

(beginner’s guide to the plowstop, page 36) to the most veteran vet (bench

sinful sally rockford rage roller derby

management, page 18) can be found within these pages, as well as for those of

catholic cruel girl rocky mountain rollergirls

you who may not ever strap on the skates (life as a roller derby widow, page 40).

belle air bomber central mass roller derby quad almighty cincinnati rollergirls coach pauly phoenix, arizona ivanna s. pankin’ san diego derby dolls g. no-evil puget sound outcast bubblegum ferocious chicago riots jolene jawbreaker dutchland rollers double easy denver roller dolls trac/dc red stick roller derby mr. no bragh london rollergirls ryan caesar ohio roller girls

But let’s reflect, shall we?

I write this on the eve of the 6th annual WFTDA conference, and I can tell you that the organization and the sport of women’s flat track roller derby are stronger than ever. At the first con, held in Chicago 2005, there were 22 leagues represented. Coming up in Ohio, there are 78 member leagues expected to attend. That number does not even include the 48 Apprentice Leagues and the 11 more coming in this summer. That’s quite the exponential growth in the short time our beloved version of the game has been in existence, a testimonial to the dedication and excitement that roller derby’s participants possess. We here at fiveonfive will have plenty to write about, but we cannot do it without you! As always, send your suggestions and story ideas to content@fiveonfivemag.com.

monacle debacle rose city rollers luscious smacksome rocky mountain rollergirls

Jam is on!

cover photo david t. anderson flickr.com/photos/andersondt fiveonfive magazine info@fiveonfivemag.com myspace.com/fiveonfivemag facebook.com/fiveonfive fiveonfivemag.com

She Who Cannot Be Named #88 Rocky Mountain Rollergirls Denver, CO editor@fiveonfivemag.com

contributors

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

Check out additional contributors at fiveonfivemag.com.

Papa Doc

Double Easy

Papa Doc (aka Dr. Jim Ramsay) has been the MD for Windy City Rollers since 2005, sharing duties with his wife, Judy, RN. Upon graduating Johns Hopkins University and Northwestern Medical School, he served nine years in the USAF (four in the Far East), giving him the background to deal with roller derby’s unique culture. After practicing medicine for 42 years, he retired to roller derby, the best part of his life so far.

Yi-Nan “Double Easy” Zhang originally started skating with the Silicon Valley Rollergirls in May 2008 and is currently with the Denver Roller Dolls. She joined roller derby after seeing an ad on the San Jose Skate website.

She read about what roller derby was that entire day and then went to her first practice that night.

Easy graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2007 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and now specializes in embedded systems. Despite having very little background in web and social networking, she now runs the Denver Roller Dolls’ website and facebook.

Ryan Caesar

Belle Air Bomber

Caesar got involved in roller derby in 2005, as a coach and announcer of the Ohio Roller Girls.

As a “worker bee” for the WFTDA Games Committee he contributed to the forthcoming WFTDA training manual, serves as a sanctioning representative at tournaments and helps write policies. Today he is an announcer for the Cincinnati Rollergirls, a Derby News Network correspondent and a freelance training consultant. Caesar hopes to return to coaching after he completes his Ph.D. in entomology.

Belle Air Bomber is a derby freshman entering her first season of bouting for Central Mass Roller Derby. As a virtual senior citizen in the derby world at 40, this mom of four is an editor at a weekly alternative newspaper by day and a derby-obsessed vixen by night.

Coach Pauly With over seven years of derby coaching and referee experience that includes working with 35+ leagues across the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and England, Coach Pauly helped bring AZRD’s Tent City Terrors to a national ranking of #3 in 2006. Coach Pauly has shared his knowledge with countless leagues at a number of training seminars and camps around the world.

Bob Noxious Bob Noxious began announcing for the Mad Rollin’ Dolls in late 2004 with co-announcer Baam Baam. After four seasons representing the Dolls at home and on the road, his passion for the game led to a coaching role with the league’s Vaudeville Vixens in 2009, sharing the thrill of watching the team participate in and win their first league championship. He continues to work with the Vixens during the 2010 MRD season. He is known nationally for helping upstart leagues train announcers, presenting regular RollerCon sessions, and working on mic at most national WFTDA sanctioned events and various regional events. In 2007, he started the derby novelty company Flyin’ Squirrel, which can be found at flyinsquirrel.com.

advice

Suzy Hotrod

Dahmernatrix

Gotham Girls Roller Derby, New York, NY

San Diego Derby Dolls, San Diego, CA

DEAR BLOCKER AND JAMMER, I am working on my speed, both as a jammer and a blocker, but specifically targeting how to get the “super-burst” of speed when you need to speed up to avoid a block or catch a jammer. Any ideas?

-NEED FOR SPEED

DEAR NEED FOR SPEED,

DEAR NEED FOR SPEED,

The one word in the English language that shall be tattooed on your soul after ever doing

I’m made of ideas! Meth! It makes you super fast,

a practice with me is, “GO!” or more specifically “GO! GO! GO!” I’m a big fan of get up and go,

impervious to pain, and you can keep going for days,

hustle, and explosions of speed. I recommend practicing every drill when you do a fall or a stop,

which we all know are requisite skills for winning

screaming either “GO! GO! GO!” or “1, 2, 3!” as you get up and return to pack speed. The yelling

tournaments. Also it makes you salivate less, so you’ll

out of words makes you go faster. It reminds you to pick up your feet. Also it tries your endurance

no longer get that gross feeling when you pull a slimy

because yelling and skating is tiring. Yelling and skating are also a really important part of roller

mouth guard out of your mouth in between jams. It’s

derby communication.

Another thing about bursts of speed in general is to learn to pick up your feet and be light and quick using the balls of your feet, just like a sprint in sneakers. Practice running in your skates.

Don’t be clompy. Be a prancing pony, uhhh... of destruction of course.

Now the big truth. A burst of speed is useless if you can’t control it. Can you plow stop or hockey stop after a quick burst of speed? Can you use a burst of speed to hit someone without flying out of control or going out of bounds? Can you use a burst of speed with footwork and get around someone instead of slamming into their back? These are all focuses for drills to harness

only really a problem when your heart explodes, your teeth fall out, and you start to look like something death dragged around in a suitcase.

Please don’t do meth. Just because I’m made of ideas that doesn’t mean I’m made of good ones. That is actually the worst thing you could do.

I wish I had something magical to tell you, but I’m going to have to side with your coach on this one.

the power of a burst of speed. They are equally, if not more, important than being able to pick up

The key to top performance is all of the things that you

your feet and run somewhere.

probably don’t want to do: train really hard, get enough

There are plenty of off-skates things you can do to get your bursts of speed “burstier.” We’re

rest, stay hydrated, and stop eating the garbage you’ll

talking about fast twitch muscles here. I am not a certified personal trainer of any sort but I am

get from the drive through. Look into workouts based

a veteran skater who actually lifts weights now (shamefully I did not before 2010!). Any quick

on developing fast twitch muscles and design one that

online research can give you tons of ideas or simply borrow a book from the library. When it comes

is appropriate based on your current fitness level and

to weights and developing fast twitch muscles, your goal is to lift as much as you can lift in a six

where you’d like to be in the future – and stick to it!

rep set. So that means pretty damn heavy. Do three sets of six at this strenuous weight. Longer

So that’s the physical part of it. As far as

reps at less weight work the muscles di fferently for more endurance but when we’re talking

mentally, I think lots of times when you think you’re

speed, this is the way I would go.

going as fast as you can, you’re wrong. You can

Aside from weights, I suggest doing some research into Plyometrics. It’s a way to exercise

actually go a little bit faster. Maybe you need to

emphasizing bursts and fast powerful movements. Look it up. Use it. And get ready to stretch out

remember to get lower and take wider steps, or push

your calves a lot after it’s over. Also don’t forget your good old school yard buddy, the jump rope.

harder, or pretend the track is made of hot lava and

It is a killer. Wowza.

Learn from other sports too. Likely you or your teammates grew up playing sports.

Grapevine running, relay races, track starts, hurdle workouts, soccer toe taps, and even <shudder>

you have to keep your feet moving to stop them from burning up into crumbly little skatey crisps.

All I can say is, the best way to go faster

cheerleading crap. You can only get so strong on skating alone. Best of luck and get ready to

is, stop thinking about how to go faster and just

buy some new pants.

GO FASTER!

4 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

DEAR BLOCKER AND JAMMER, “I’m wondering how to keep veteran skaters interested in a league that has a big focus on recruitment and bringing skaters up to bouting level?”

-VET DEAR VET, Roller Derby is spreading faster than herpes and is nearly as incurable. Veterans DEAR VET,

should embrace that the league is only as good as what it is bringing up for the

I’m glad that you’re asking this question, because as a veteran skater myself

future. Vets are actually doing a lot more than playing roller derby. They are

I think it’s an issue of the utmost importance. There is nothing more vital to

teaching roller derby to the newer generation of skaters. Instead of getting

your league than veteran skaters. Without us you would never figure out the

frustrated with new skaters not knowing what they’re doing, vets should

best way to crash into someone with wheels on your feet. It’s impossible. It just

embrace growth and become mentors.

can’t be done without us. We are the most important thing on the planet and in

First have the new girls all start at the same time once a season. Do all

order to keep us happy I suggest an offering of brand new skates at least once

of your recruiting and have a “fresh meat” class periodically that can grow

per season, and washing our disgusting pads no less than once a week.

together. Leagues that are from smaller areas that don’t have huge quantities

Haaaaa, just kidding. I hope this is the first time you’ve heard anyone

of recruitment banging down their doors can use these guidelines on a smaller

say something like that. It can definitely be tough figuring out how to steer

scale. Cut recruitment to a certain set of dates to help control the intake of

everyone in the same direction – really at any time – but especially when you

skaters to certain specific waves each season. New girls still enter in as a group,

have a huge disparity in experience levels within the league. I think a lot of

even if it’s small. The bonding that fresh meat will have together getting beat

leagues are experiencing that right around now as some vets are approaching

up and paying their dues is a big deal and best not undertaken alone.

five years of competition, while still welcoming newbies with only five weeks

The only way to bring those newbies up to speed is to make sure they

of skating on their clumsy little adorable feet. I don’t really know the answer

get the core basic skills training and attention they need before throwing them

to that question so the best I can do is offer a few perspectives.

into the shark tank. It is crucial that new skaters get “alone time” as a fresh

In order for the league to thrive, everyone needs to help, but also benefit,

meat group for their own skill and learning benefit, as well for safety’s sake.

in equal amounts. That means that vets can’t get this attitude that just because

Small groups with coaches that can really give them the attention needed to

they helped the league in the past they’ve paid their dues and it’s the new girls’

learn skating is crucial for the proper foundation of new players.

turns to do all of the work. Nor can they act like winning games and earning

As for keeping older girls interested, delegate each fresh meat to a veteran

rankings is their contribution, because let’s face it: a league that spends all of

to be their “bruise director” (as we call it in NYC) and have that vet mentor

its resources on the All Stars is really only fun for the All Stars. That’s good that

the newer skater by being a personal contact and resource for them to ask

your league is focusing on spreading out the skill level, because it will only

questions and learn from. Smaller relationships make jumping into the roller

strengthen your league as a whole.

derby world easier and less intimidating to the new girls.

On the other hand, I know sometimes newer players get the feeling

Vets can and should be trusted as skilled skaters with the wisdom and

that vets don’t care about them or don’t like teaching them. That’s not really

experience of the game. Encourage them that they are like little teacher/coaches

the case, it’s just that inevitably the more time you’ve spent playing derby, the

in every drill that they work with a new girl. I even like to leave a minute for

more opportunity you’ve had to see skaters come and go. Even big scary vets

quick Q&A between partners in drills after we finish the skill, so they can talk

with bone-shattering blocks can get their hearts broken by seeing their favorite

about what worked, what didn’t work etc. When I lead a group practice I can’t

protégé leave. Give them time to recover, they’ll learn to love again. In the

possibly be watching every skater out there. But every vet out on that track that

meantime, maybe a compromise can be reached. I mean, I love teaching

is working with a newbie is getting a firsthand view of a new skater and they

newbies, but I’ll admit showing someone how to T Stop was way more fun

should offer feedback to that skater about what just happened.

the first time than it was the fiftieth time I did it. Maybe you can stratify

Once those newbies are tested in skating skills and then later tested to be

coaching levels so that your intermediate skaters are coaching basic skills,

safe for bouting, get them onto a home team as quickly as possible. Leagues are

and the more advanced ones can focus on bringing the intermediate skaters

large. Home teams are small. When a group of new skaters are introduced to

up to their level, as well as experimenting with new things to continue to

a home team, they now have “X” amount of veteran teammates watching out

challenge each other. That way each person is contributing to the skill level

specifically for them, helping them, and working with them to build chemistry.

of the league in ways that are appropriate to her respective place in the league,

Working in the smaller group of a home team will give the same role to the

but can benefit everyone.

veteran to be responsible to raise those rookies. I trust all my veteran teammates

Either way, as long as everyone gets a chance to voice their concerns and listen to each other’s perspectives, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

to guide and mentor newer skaters actively on our home team. The team exists, our plans are laid out, now get the veterans excited to incorporate the new girls.

need advice? email advice@fiveonfivemag.com fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 5

business

coordinating volunteers JAM BUSTER, WINNIPEG ROLLER DERBY

I joined the Winnipeg Roller Derby League (WRDL) in May of 2009. I knew when I joined the league I couldn’t just be a skater. I knew I had to be “of use” as my Opa would say.

I knew I needed to contribute in a way that was beneficial to our league.

In the fall of 2009 our very first home bout was on the horizon and we suddenly found ourselves in need of volunteers and a volunteer program. That’s when I offered my services to our bout committee. I work as a volunteer coordinator for a local children’s charity so I wanted to take my experience and knowledge and be of use to my league. By stepping in as the volunteer coordinator we suddenly had one less thing to figure out from scratch and it left me to build the foundation of our volunteer program.

The role of volunteer coordinator is an interesting and mysterious position within roller derby leagues. No one really knows exactly what you do or how you do it, but they know volunteers appear at bouts and other league events and, magically, all is well. The one thing people don’t realize about being a volunteer coordinator is that you bring derby to people who want to be where all the action is but don’t want to be in the thick of it. We make derby accessible to those who don’t want to put on a pair of skates. It’s a truly remarkable thing and probably one of the best things about the job.

The most challenging thing I have found about being the WRDL Volunteer Coordinator is having to be one part charming people person and one part hard-ass. I would rather be one or the other but not both. Generally I’m the first and main person our volunteers deal with so I need to be friendly, approachable and my all-around charming self. Unfortunately, I can’t be this person all the time. I’m the person that has to have the hard conversations with volunteers when they’re not meeting expectations. It’s a terrible thing when you have to tell someone they’re doing something wrong because you know their heart is in the absolute right place. But I always ask myself; how is someone going to change and get better as a volunteer unless I have that hard conversation with them?

I strongly believe there are four keys to derby volunteer coordination and that these keys can be used by anyone, whether you’ve just been handed the position of volunteer

6 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

coordinator for your league or if you’ve been doing it since day one.

1. know your volunteers This may sound obvious but it needs saying. This not only goes for knowing who you are allowing to volunteer to be one of the many faces of your league but also goes for their skill sets and what they are comfortable doing. This will cut down the confusion when assigning volunteers to specific volunteer jobs.

Ask each volunteer what they have experience doing or what they are comfortable doing. Keep a record of this for future

Preflash Gordon

volunteer opportunities. Also remember not to ask them only in the context of derby as this might be someone’s first exposure to derby. Be more general, such as: do they have customer service or retail experience. Are they comfortable with a laptop and projector set up? These kinds of things can easily be worked into a volunteer application form that is filled out by everyone wanting to volunteer. Basic general questions will help you sort your volunteers into pools that you can pull from and prevent you from having one of your volunteers who doesn’t know how to program their VCR much less running your scoreboard. Knowing these things will help you assign people based on their strengths and comfort levels rather than just needing to make sure an area has volunteers covering it.

2. check people out It takes a village to make derby work and it’s important to know who the villagers are. This goes hand in hand with point number one. Derby attracts a lot of different kinds of people and you want to make sure you don’t end up with someone who is misrepresenting themselves to you and your league.

There are a few ways to make sure volunteers are who they say they are. You can check up on references. We often get volunteers through connections in our league. If someone were to email me and state they know Portage N’ Maim and she said that we were looking for volunteers, I would check that out with her immediately. I would want to make sure it’s not a case of “know of” someone rather than actually knowing someone.

Same goes with people who state they have special skills like photographers. I ask to see a portfolio and ask a few pointed industry based questions just to make sure I’m dealing with an actual photographer rather than a fan with a fancy camera.

3. make your expectations clear When skating with your pack you need to communicate clearly or chaos will ensue within the pack. This is a no-brainer for skaters. Same goes with volunteers, you need to communicate with them very clearly. This eliminates any possible grey areas.

It’s really hard not to assume everyone will know what you want done or how you want it done. It may be self-explanatory to you but it may not be to other people, especially people who aren’t as familiar with roller derby as you or I am.

Another way to eliminate the grey areas is to make your expectations clear from day one. Be clear about the time commitment required, whether they’ll get to see any of the bouts they’re volunteering for and all that is involved in being a volunteer. This is where volunteer codes of conduct and waiver forms play a role. These are the backbone of any good volunteer program. These documents will lay out all you expect and all they can expect from your volunteer program. These documents can cover everything from dress code to how you would like them to conduct themselves at league events, to when you expect volunteers to arrive for their assignments.

When expectations are laid out clearly and concisely there is little room for confusion and error.

4. be appreciative Volunteers are the heartbeat of ANY grassroots organization.

WRDL literally could not do what it does without the help of volunteers. They need to feel like a non-renewable resource if you want to maintain your core group of dependable volunteers.

Each event is 100% dependent on volunteer time and energy and you must remember that. Volunteers don’t need or want much in regards to recognition as long as they get recognition.

And the occasional free T-shirt, slice of pizza or two and an opportunity to get a comp ticket to a bout and they’re happy campers. WRDL likes to remind its skaters to make sure they thank at least four volunteers at each bout. This not only helps with showing the volunteers just how important they are to us, it also acts as a reminder to our skaters that we could not do what we do without them.

No matter how you approach it, being the volunteer coordinator for your league is never an easy job. Volunteers are a resource that needs to be handled with care and it takes time and effort to build a strong volunteer program but it can be done; it just takes time and a thick skin. There will be bumps along the road, volunteers will bail at the last minute – people will be eager at first and then you’ll never hear from them again, and there will be those volunteers who will make you wonder how they even found their way to your venue in the first place. You will wonder why you even bother. Just remember, you bother because you care. You care about your league, you care about the success of your bouts and events and, you care about bringing derby to people in a different way and allowing people to experience the awesomeness that is derby without having to lace up a pair of skates.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 7

business

maximize league profitability BOB NOXIOUS, MAD ROLLIN' DOLLS

Are you maximizing league profitability? If not, merchandise is likely part of your answer.

Roller Derby is our love, our lifestyle, and our culture. I don’t think there is one of us that doesn’t feel lucky to have had the experiences, friendships, and sense of personal achievement which the sport has provided. However, the underlying truth is we are a business first; the personal pay-offs are secondary. Money can’t buy you love, but it has to sustain your league. Merchandise done right can play a major role in making money. profitability is a necessary evil Roller derby is a business. Common sense dictates that without money, leagues would become recreational or simple “pick up” games in a parking lot. The profitability of leagues has become more important than ever. As more leagues join, or aspire to join the WFTDA, schedules are packed with bouts to improve the learning curve, gain national attention and to have a shot at WFTDA’s championship tournament. Profitability has also become harder as leagues trend toward having travel teams only. Though we all can understand the focus on interleague play, league play is much more profitable because there are no travel costs and each girl draws family, friends and co-workers. A four-team league has a “built in” fan base as high as 500 people. Interleague play uses fewer girls, and often involves paying the opponent an appearance fee. This makes merchandise sales a more important profit center than ever. so, where will the money come from?

MERCHANDISE! I have an extensive retail background managing product and people, as I worked for various department and specialty stores more than a dozen years.

I also founded and co-own the recently re-opened Flyin’ Squirrel novelty apparel company. I have a strong understanding of how profitable a clothing line, in particular, can be when it is done correctly.

8 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

“So Bob, what’s the formula?” I can say that I’ve had successes followed by enough mistakes to know there isn’t a formula, but that you can develop an inventory model that allows your merchandise booth to test the waters, then build upon what works and what doesn’t.

Merchandise IS a very under-utilized profit center for roller derby in general! I’m aware of about how much a league CAN make at a home bout or event. It’s way too little in many cases. Look at other entities which survive with merchandise as a key source of revenue.

Bands are the best example. They will tell you T-shirt sales at shows often fueled the van and allowed them to eat through years of travel. Other up-start sports have survived on merchandise sales as well. I caught an interview with Dennis Anderson, owner/driver of “Grave Digger,” a fan favorite of the stadium Monster Truck series, which blew me away. A few decades ago, when the fledgling motorsport traveled to fairs and small events, he stated it was merchandise sales that kept him going. He supported travel, a vehicle worth tens of thousands of dollars (now well over $150,000), and repairs from each event mostly from selling merchandise. He described how if the truck could even move, he’d make one last run just to pull more fans to his merchandise trailer. It was worth it to him to run the truck into the ground, and repair it, if it meant more merchandise sales. how should leagues manage the merchandise process?

MANAGE is the key word. This begins with your merchandise committee. I understand the dynamic of merchandise committees.

This committee often has a strong number of volunteers because it’s creative and fun.

Plus, we all understand the impulse of buying merchandise. The problem is everyone comes with “great” ideas and that IS their contribution. They haven’t done any

background work on ideas nor are involved with the sales or inventory process itself. It takes a strong committee chair to lay down the law. Don’t get me wrong, you need fresh ideas, but you can only implement so many at a time. Just because you or someone else thinks something will sell doesn’t mean it will.

Assign committee members to practical tasks, such as researching prices on ideas, organizing inventory, using pre- and post-bout inventory to facilitate ordering more stock, and assign someone to the filling of web orders. how should leagues start their programs?

To start with, play it safe and begin with clothing. Clothing should always be at the center of merchandise sales. It’s inexpensive to produce and is the base product fans will look for. Calendars, mugs, trading cards – “hard goods” (things you don’t wear) – are often chancier and bring considerably less profit.

First, a few terms: Screen printing: This process involves hiring someone who “burns” your design image into a screen and applies an ink directly onto the shirt. Each color requires a different screen with a different burn. The ink is applied to the screen and passes through only the burned portion of the screen.

Qualities: A good ink, applied correctly, lasts a long time without cracking or fading. The shirt doesn’t have any “stiffness” in the area of the print. This method also works better with specialty clothing (more expensive, delicate fashion shirts). Generally, this is not a process a league can do themselves.

Once printed, you are left with whatever quantity you order, whether it sells or not.

Heat transfers: Think of this as applying a decal to a shirt. The design is printed onto a special sheet of paper. Using a heat transfer press – where high heat is applied evenly when closed – the printed side is laid face

down onto the shirt. The press, set to a specific heat, is closed for a directed amount of seconds, opened, and the paper peels off leaving the ink on the shirt. Qualities: It can be more cost effective for jobs that use smaller prints and few colors. It is paramount, however, that the quality of both the press and the transfer are high, otherwise the print feels stiff and can crack easily when not dried and washed correctly. This method could be used by the league to make at least a portion of their merchandise ($700 to $1000 investment). You can make the shirts upon demand, freeing up T-shirts until they are needed. So, if a style is a “dog,” you’re not out the cost of the shirt, because the print hasn’t been applied. for the sake of example, let’s use the development of T-shirts What to consider: The acceptable price point for your market.

Generally, you will find T-shirts to run about $15 or $16 with the exception of large or remote markets where a higher price point ($20) is considered reasonable. Start here, then work your shirt costs in line with your price point. Optimally, a $5 or $6 cost per shirt is what I shoot for when using a solid, plain color T-shirt. Your margin (the difference between shirt cost and retail) should be at least 100% of cost.

The number of colors in the design. This is a huge factor in your cost. Here’s a perfect example.

The logo for Flyin’ Squirrel is terrific and was an immediate hit! The problem? I didn’t give thought to the number of colors the artist used. The logo is six colors. As often as I’ve tried, I can’t remove one color without degrading the look. So, it’s too expensive to produce in small to moderate quantities. Whether you have shirts screen printed or the shop uses heat transfers, you will be charged for each separate color! Optimally, stick with three or less.

The number of facings. Of course, you will be charged for each facing on the shirt (front, front and back, sleeves, etc.) And each facing will have a different cost if the number of colors vary.

Size of facings. When using heat transfers, size can save you money on your facings. Heat transfers are generally charged by the sheet (slightly larger than legal paper). If more than one print fits on a sheet, there isn’t an extra charge. For example, if you put

you logo on the back of the shirt collar (very small) and they can fit 15 on one sheet, that’s no more expensive than ordering one design that takes up the entire sheet.

Buying your own shirts at wholesale. When you hire a printer, you pay for the printing AND a markup on the shirt. Why? That’s money out of YOUR pocket. Check with local re-sale laws, but nearly every business, including non-profit, should be eligible for a re-sellers permit. That permit does two things: it keeps you from double-taxation (on purchasing raw materials AND sales tax) and, most importantly, allows you to buy shirts at wholesale prices. The $4 to $6 you may be paying the printer for a plain, black T-shirt can be purchased at a fraction of the cost wholesale. Granted, brands can vary a lot, but you can get a quality, color, durable, no frills men’s cut T-shirt for as low as $1.90. If the printer insists on selling you the shirts, try someone else. Make sure the printing cost doesn’t increase if you insist on using your own shirts.

Quantity ordered. Other than color, the greatest factor in determining cost is quantity. BE AWARE OF THE QUANTITY BREAKS IN COST! When you ask for a bid on a T-shirt, have them quote a range of quantities, regardless of whether it’s screen print or heat transfers. If you don’t, you may find it would have been less costly, or marginally more expensive, to get more shirts made than you ordered. The cost per shirt at 75 units might be low enough that printing 50 shirts doesn’t make sense. Or you may order 40, not knowing a price break at 50 would decrease the cost of the entire order. The more you order, the less your cost per unit becomes.

Though I create original shirts for sale, I also take quantity work from leagues on occasion. I ALWAYS quote them the price of the quantity they want as well as the next few price breaks that come with ordering more. Sometimes, especially with a proven product, it’s worth an extra $100 for 25 more shirts because your margin increases per unit.

Any questions regarding the material in this article can be directed to madrollinbob@yahoo.com or bob@flyinsquirrel.com. I’m always happy to answer any questions that will help make your league more successful. You can contact me knowing I will answer your questions as completely as I can and that it will not be an attempt to make a sales pitch!

Want to boost income at your bouts?

Have a bake sale!

A bake sale is fun and easy way to bring in some extra dough (no pun intended)! Here are some tips to get cookin’: • Ask your bout venue if it’s OK that you set up the sale – you don’t want to infringe on any food/drink contracts that they have in place.

• Have skaters provide the goodies – poll your league about a week or two in advance to see who can make something to sell.

• Organize who is bringing what so you don’t have too many of one thing (cookies and Rice Krispie treats are big sellers!).

• Throw in some goodies that go well with beer (mixed nuts, pretzels, etc.).

• Package them in small portions and easy to carry packaging (ziploc bags, small plates, etc). Label each item with what it is and the name of the skater who made it.

• Set up the bake sale table near your merch table or where there is a lot of foot traffic.

• Sell each packaged goodie at a reasonable price ($1 each is good – easy to make change, too).

• Near the end of the night, sell any leftover items for a reduced price (two for one, etc.).

• Thank each customer!

Be sure to thoroughly clean up afterward and offer any leftovers to your volunteers and/or venue staff.

Everyone loves a yummy homemade treat, especially after a busy night!

Return any plates/pans/utensils to their owners. Get feedback from your sellers how the sale went, and post to your league the results of the sale.

With a little effort and planning, you can expect sweet rewards!

Betty Crocker, watch out! fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 9

health and fitness

dehydration and heat injury PA PA D O C , W I N DY C I T Y R O L L E R S

“No sweat” means “it’s good,” right? Not the case, when exercising in hot, humid weather, when it means danger. Sweating may be a social problem, but it is a life saving process for you on the track.

The core temperature of your body is maintained in a narrow range (about 97º-100º) in a wide variety of environments. This is necessary because at too low a temperature, bodily functions slow down and cease. At too high a temperature, the body essentially cooks.

The body gains heat from several sources. The major contribution is from metabolism and muscle activity: under most conditions, about 70-90% of total heat production.

Radiation from hotter objects in the environment – such as the sun and hot pavement – is variable. High air temperature adds heat, especially with high humidity and no air movement.

Achieving heat loss involves two sets of activities: behavioral and physiological.

The behavioral responses are: 1) Altering the amount of muscle activity 2) Reducing clothing 3) Quenching thirst 4) Seeking shade The physiological processes are: 1) Conduction to colder objects (usually a small loss) 2) Convection which is dependent on air movement and an air temperature lower than the skin temperature (90º-92º) 3) Radiation heat loss dependent on clothing and on the heat of surrounding objects 4) Evaporation (usually the major means of heat loss when the air temperature is the same or higher than the skin temperature) Sweating accounts for the main evaporative loss of heat; respiration contributes a small amount. The ability to lose heat by sweating depends on the ability to sweat efficiently both in volume and in the water content of the sweat, the delivery of blood flow to the skin (i.e. circulation must be adequate), the sweat actually evaporating (limited in humidity > 60%), air

10 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

movement and clothing and equipment (the extent of body covered and the type – e.g. non-breathing fabric).

Your ability to lose heat is reduced by poor physical conditioning, high body fat, certain medications, inadequate hydration, alcohol and caffeine, sunburn (reduces the ability to sweat), fever, clothing and equipment, and lack of acclimatization. types of heat injury When heat loss is impaired, the body suffers heat stress and eventually actual injury in one of several forms: heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat syncope and heat stroke.

Heat cramps are the mildest form of injury. More severe is heat exhaustion or heat syncope. Heat stroke, when the body’s heat loss functions fail, is the most dangerous. Heat stroke can be fatal. Although the milder forms may warn of impending heat stroke, heat stroke may occur without the less severe stages. Therefore, you must be alert to the warning signs and symptoms.

Heat cramps are just that: cramps in the limbs and/or abdomen. If there are cramps all over the body, this is a more serious symptom.

Heat exhaustion and syncope occur when the body is still coping with the excess heat, but is under major stress. The symptoms are weakness, exhaustion, dizziness, confusion, fainting, excessive thirst, cool sweaty skin, cramps, headache, and chills. The pulse will be rapid. The blood pressure will be normal to low. The body temperature is up to 104º. The confusion can interfere with the behavioral activities to reduce heat. Therefore, it is imperative for teammates to watch out for each other.

Heat stroke is a true medical emergency. The body’s protective functions have failed. The symptoms of weakness, dizziness, confusion, headache and/or fainting are present, but the skin is now dry and hot. Nausea and vomiting occurs.

Collapse with coma and seizures may occur. The pulse is very rapid and weak. The blood pressure is low. The body temperature is 104º or higher. Death is a distinct possibility when the body temperature is over 107º.

treatment of heat injury Heat cramps are treated by moving the skater to a cool, shaded environment with cooling measures such as fans or cold wet towels. Removing clothing, stretching the cramped muscles and providing cool electrolyte-containing fluids should relieve the cramps. Your medical team must evaluate the skater.

When you are dealing with heat exhaustion or syncope, cooling measures (fans, cold towels and ice packs) are essential as are electrolyte-containing fluids (if the skater is alert enough to swallow). Medical evaluation and treatment are required.

Heat stroke is an absolute medical emergency. Call 911 while moving the skater to a cool, shaded environment.

Immediately begin cooling with fans and ice packs (if available, provide an ice bath) until the emergency medical help arrives.

The skater will not likely be able to take oral fluids and will need intravenous (IV) fluids. prevention of heat injury and dehydration Acclimatization is conditioning the body to cope efficiently with heat, achieved by slowly increasing the amount of activity in a given climate over one to two weeks. This improves sweating capacity to allow more efficient evaporative cooling with less mineral loss. Acclimatization will reduce the body’s core temperature, improve the thirst response, and increase blood flow to the skin as well as improve the capacity of the heart to respond to the increased demands. You can lose acclimatization “progress” if you are inactive for more than a few days.

Environmental factors can be controlled by reducing or changing clothing, getting to a cooler or shadier area, reducing the physical activity and by reducing the ambient temperature and humidity with fans and air conditioning.

Maintaining adequate hydration is critical, not only for coping with heat, but for physical performance in general. Prehydration is a must: drinking 24 oz of fluids two hours before and another 8 oz right before exercise. The type of fluid is

important and should be non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluids that supply water and electrolytes. Water is the best choice for the first hour or two of exercise. After that, electrolytecontaining, low sugar fluids such as non-caffeinated sports drinks and coconut water are good. During moderate to heavy exercise, about 3/4 to one quart of fluids per hour (usually 8 oz every 20 minutes) is needed in temperatures over 78º. Breaks for water also allow for moving to cooler areas.

The most important electrolytes to supply are sodium (salt) and potassium. Salt is obtained through salting foods and eating salty foods when exercising. When not exercising regularly, a lower salt diet is better. Salt tablets are not recommended. Potassium is ingested through a variety of foods: vegetables, nuts and fruits (especially bananas, cantaloupes, tomatoes and coconut water). Sports drinks should have 15-30 meq/liter of sodium and 2-5 meq/liter of potassium. Lower sugar concentrations (5-10%) are advised, because of weight gain concerns and because higher levels of sugar can induce diarrhea. The maximum daily fluid intake should be no more than 12 quarts.

You can “measure” your level of hydration in two simple ways. First, your urine should be clear to pale yellow. Second, weigh yourself before and after exercise. With adequate fluid intake, you should not lose more than 2% of body weight. You should replace any weight loss by drinking about 24 oz of water for each pound lost.

Other factors in body heat maintenance can be controlled.

Improving general physical conditioning will reduce your level of body fat as well. Check with your doctor about any and all medicines you take (both OTC and prescription) and their effects on heat tolerance. Avoid alcohol and caffeine before exercise. Don’t exercise if you have a fever. Avoid sunburn – this also protects against skin cancer. If you are ill, reduce or avoid exercise until you are well. Wear the minimum clothing needed and use moisture-wicking and breathable fabrics.

Sweating can save your life, so “bathe” in it. Wearing deodorant and washing your pads is still OK.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 11

health and fitness

blisters S I N F U L S A L LY, R O C K F O R D R A G E WO M E N ’ S R O L L E R D E R B Y

I have a new blister. Its name is Beatrice. I’ve gotten to know Bud, Bruce, Buzz and many others over the past few years. When I was in college, I played volleyball and was an Athletic Training Major (division of sports medicine).

My fellow athletic training students dreaded my visits to the athletic training room for daily practice and got sick of looking at my feet during our care and

have taught me more than I ever wish to know about blisters. I’ve been through an endless amount of padding, blister care supplies and athletic tape. I have bunions, bunionettes, calluses and of course, the dreaded blister. I’ve tried everything to help prevent them and to heal them quickly once they appear. You could say I’m somewhat of an expert, so I thought I would share with you all.

Blood blisters are more bothersome and irritating. They appear when all layers of skin are irritated and affect the deep tissue causing blood vessels to rupture. In my case, my past few “friends” have all been blood blisters.

They aren’t pleasant; they take longer to heal and are just plain irritating.

So what’s a girl to do when prone to blisters?

prevention of injuries class. My feet were horrible. At one point, during volleyball season, I had deep “holes” in both balls of my feet from blisters that had ripped open. It was awful and awesome at the same time.

Eight years later I have come to terms with having “Frankenstein” feet. Just 3.5 years of derby have taken a serious toll on my once beautiful and well manicured footsies, and the aforementioned “friends” I have made

about blisters Blisters are simply caused by friction which ends up separating layers of skin from one another and can fill with fluid.

Blisters typically form anywhere there is extra friction, added moisture or “hot spots.” Moist/warm conditions are perfect for blister harvesting, and anyone who skates derby knows that we could make millions in the blister making business.

blister prevention

C Tasmin Brown Photography

12 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

1. keep your feet clean, dry and well kempt Easier said than done, but it really does wonders. Dry feet will cause less irritation to the skin than moist feet. Change your socks frequently.

Sounds like a chore, but if you keep your feet dry you have less of a chance to create a spot that will have excess friction.

When we do off skates training at practice I bring a change of socks to put on before we start skating and recently I have started changing my socks at half time of bouts. I’ve discovered that my hot spots don’t develop until close to halftime, simply because my feet are hot and sweaty. With changing socks midway I have less of a chance to have another nasty blister form.

2. minimize friction Baby power, skin lube, deodorant or Vaseline lightly rubbed on one of your hotspots before putting socks on will reduce friction. Other friction fighters that work well include (believe it or not) duct tape, Blist-O-Ban (SamMedical.com/blistoban) and Engo blister prevention pads (GoEngo.com) and items like Silipo Skate Bite Protector sleeves (Silipos.com) or Clear Clouds sleeves (SkatingSafe.com/ClearClouds) have special gel pads to protect hot spots.

3. wear the appropriate socks The right socks can make or break you.

We all want the newest, most badass socks from our favorite derby apparel website, but many of these socks are made from materials that increase the chance of forming blisters. A study out of the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that 100% cotton socks are the worst for holding moisture and causing blisters. In fact the study further found that nylon socks help prevent blisters the best. Any runner, marathoner or triathlete will tell you not to wear cotton socks. A blended sock of nylon, wool or polyester will wick away sweat and keep your tootsies dry. My new fave socks are made by SmartWool (not trying to sell the socks, it’s just what’s worked for me). I’ve owned these socks for a few years for hiking but just started wearing them for derby within the last

six months and have seen great results.

If you still want to wear your fun, new knee highs, cut off the foot at the ankle of the sock and make them into “leg warmers” leaving the foot part open for whatever socks suit your feet best.

You can still look cute, but have blisterless feet.

4. wear properly sized footwear If your skate boots are too big your feet will move more inside of them and cause more friction and hotspots.

Make sure when purchasing your next set of skates to ensure proper fit. Also, lacing your skate boots properly (based on your own unique foot issues) can be a big help. You can find some great lacing techniques online at IAN’s Shoe Lace website fieggen.com/shoelace.

So you have already developed the “Blister from Hell” OR “Beatrice”; what should you do NOW? blister treatment There are so many products out there to help with blister treatment. What works and what doesn’t can really depend on the person, their skin, their blister (size and type) and your skate boot. I’ve tried it all and below are some of my personal favorite items that have worked well for blister treatment.

• 2nd skin burn pads (Spenco.com/2ndSkin_1.shtml).

My number one choice. These come in rectangular, square and circle pieces and can be found at some drug stores.

They can be cut to size to fit your blister.

They are a bit pricey, but they really cushion a hot spot or existing blister.

• Mole skin (DrScholls.com) or felt/foam pads. A contender for best item to use.

Both work great if used correctly. Make sure to cut a hole in the mole skin or padding just slightly larger than your

blister. The blister will sit inside of the padding and be protected from the inside of your skate boot.

• Blister Band-Aids/Advanced Healing Band-Aids (BandAid.com). These work great on minor blisters, but not well with your more involved blood blister.

These dressings have a breathable center that will fill with air and cushion your blister as it heals. They are waterproof and meant to stay on the area for several days. Be careful with these though, as you don’t want to have to peel them off before the healing process is completed. If you do you can end up ripping the blister and making blister treatment more complicated. should I lance the sucker?

My personal/professional opinion = NO. It can lead to infection, ripped blisters and more problems; however there are some of you who will do it anyway. *Read as: “I’m not condoning this, however if you do here’s what to do” (you can find it on the internet anyway).* • Clean the area thoroughly.

• Sterilize a needle and allow it to cool.

• Create a SMALL pinprick as you don’t want to create an open space for infection or cause any tearing of the top layers of skin.

• Drain the fluid by pressing on the blister with a sterile gauze pad.

• Dress the newly deflated blister with antibiotic ointment and cover with a Band-Aid or other sterile dressing.

Remember that the above is only a last resort. I’ve been a Certified Athletic Trainer for eight years and I’ve lanced a blister only once or twice when really needed.

Take care of your hooves... happy blister free skating.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 13

health and fitness

Chillin’ Out Summertime Soup Catholic Cruel Girl, Rocky Mountain Rollergirls

Suggested beverage accompaniments: iced mint and green tea, water with lemon slices, water with fresh chopped ginger

ingredients: 2 medium to large cucumbers 1 lb. fennel bulb with fronds 1 large shallot 1-2 tablespoons minced ginger (fresh or jarred) 1 cup vegetable broth 1 cup coconut milk 2 tablespoons canola oil

Peel cucumbers, slice in half and remove seeds by scooping out with a spoon. Dice into small chunks and set aside.

Cut fennel in half. Discard outer layer and remove hard inside core. Thinly slice. reserve some fronds for garnish In a large saucepan heat oil and add minced shallots and thinly sliced fennel. Sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. (Turn down heat if browning begins to occur.)

Add minced ginger and remove pan from heat.

If using freshly minced ginger, add halfway through sauté time.

If using jarred, add after fennel and shallots are done cooking.

Gently combine chopped cucumbers with fennel mix.

In a separate bowl stir together vegetable broth and coconut milk until combined then add to fennel mixture.

In small batches purée mix in blender or food processor until smooth.

Chill for at least one hour.

Serve in chilled bowls or cups. Garnish with feathery fennel fronds.

Note: Soup will separate while chilling. Whisk before serving.

For a sweeter variation add 1 peeled, cored and diced granny smith apple to sauté.

Questions, comments and feedback are welcomed at recipes@fiveonfivemag.com

photo by Jean Schwarzwalder food styling by Leitha Matz

14 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

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games and coaching

training drills BELLE AIR BOMBER, CENTRAL MASS ROLLER DERBY

A solid drill can set the foundation for any league. Having the skills, endurance and agility to perform well for an individual, can be key for coming together as a team. For many new leagues, finding a quality drill to achieve these goals can be challenging. For more seasoned teams, finding a new drill to invigorate and inspire can lead to a victorious season. fiveonfive recently asked some of the top leagues in the nation to volunteer a drill that has proven successful for their league. Through their generosity, we are able to provide six proven drills below. Take them to the track and learn firsthand how successful a good drill can be.

LINE DRILL Drew Blood, of Seattle’s Rat City Rollergirls, is trainer to their All Star team as well as proud coach of the Sockit Wenches. Blood explains that the versatile practice drill she submitted has helped their league significantly avoid cutting the track during bouts. “We repeat this at every practice so we will master it. It does take about 15+ minutes to run, so give it some time, but it is so worth it. Our skaters are really clicking and the cutting penalties have been significantly reduced,” shares Blood.

“This drill can be done as part of warm up, at any time during a practice, but my favorite time would have to be after a hardcore endurance session. It’s best, in my opinion, to try to practice these types of things when your legs are fatigued, to replicate real bouting situations,” says Blood.

DRILL Separate your skaters into two even numbered pace lines. Pace line one starts on the outside, pace line two on the inside. Both lines will stay in bounds on the derby track, about 6” to a foot away from the track boundary line.

Skaters will go one at a time from back of the line to the front.

The first pass through, skaters will weave in and out of the pace line (what Rat City calls the worm). The second time through, skaters will move straight through the line, weaving between the skaters and the track line. Third time through, skaters will take a hip check from each skater in the line. The key is to do this all while staying in bounds!

After skaters complete the drill on the side they started (let’s say inside), they will switch to do the same sequence on the other (now on the outside). Both lines will do the drill on both inside and outside lines.

This drill should be done at 50% for the pace line hip checking, and 75% for the passing skater to start, then as you assess the general level of skill, you can quickly ramp up the speed and intensity with which you execute this drill.

Drew Blood offers some advice for full productivity of her drill: “When weaving through, it’s important to stay close to the pace line and maintain control so as not to swing out too far, as you will cross the line when you are trying to pass on the track line side. It’s important to shift your weight here and be mindful of where your feet are in relation to the line, so when striding to weave, you do not cross the track line.

“When skating between the track line and pace line, work at turning your shoulders so your back is facing the pace line. Moving your feet qui ckly will help you stay in bounds and without dragging a foot out of bounds.

“When taking hip checks from each skater in the line, lead in with your hip and leg away from the line (on the inside it’s your right hip and foot, outside your left), use your foot closest to the line as a pusher, but as soon as it gets close to the line pick it up quickly and use it as a driver to quickly pass your opponent, again, shifting weight. Knowing the hit is coming, you should lean into it and use the pressure from the hit to act as a balancing point to push off and pass them... in bounds.

“If they do succeed at hitting you over the track line, and you are ‘out of bounds’, toe stop quickly or plow and run back in behind their hips, legally, and move on to the next one on line.”

16 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

PUSHES AND WHIPS FOR ENDURANCE Ginge r Snap, head coach for Gotham Girls of NYC shares the common fact that all leagues need to work on endurance. “Even your superstars get winded eventually!” she says. Snap enjoys a drill that adds some flavor to her workout. “...skating around in circles forever can get tedious. Here’s a drill I love that incorporates endurance with game skills so that I have something else to concentrate on besides how my lungs are going to explode and my feet are about to fall off.”

DRILL This drill consists of two minutes of active work, then 30 seconds of recovery. As Snap tells us, “Doing a combination of the below levels for a total of about 20-30 minutes is sure to kick anyone’s butt!”

Snap’s goal for this drill is “explosive power and fast twitch muscle recovery, teamwork, assists and getting the hell back up there to help your teammates,” she says.

First level – Pair up. Designate a Pusher and a Pushee.

The Pusher gives the Pushee a push and then sprints back up to them for another push. This continues for a full two minutes. After the two minutes, take 30 seconds off and then switch jobs.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND 1. Remember proper pushing technique. Your hands should be in a W right below her kidney area.

Not too high, not too low. The receiver needs to be in a great squat, but not stuck so low that she can’t respond to differences in direction. Be low, but be fluid in your legs and core.

2. Give her all your power when you push. You should almost come to a complete stop. A small plow stop at the end will ensure you’ve given her all your power.

3. The Pushee should not help out by slowing down. Make the pusher work for it. Stay in the low squat position and be ready for another push at any second. The two minutes that the Pushee is squatting should be as difficult as the Pusher’s job. If it doesn’t burn, get lower and wider.

4. Pusher – tell her what’s happening. A quick “hold on” or “get ready” will ensure your Pushee knows what is about to happen.

Second level – For the next rotation, add whips.

Pair up. Designate a Whipper and a Whippee.

Pusher gives her partner a push like in the first phase, but when she catches back up to her this time, she’ll get in front and give her a whip. That cycle repeats itself for a full two minutes. Push, run up in front of her, whip, run up to her, push, etc. After two minutes, take 30 seconds rest and then switch jobs for another two minutes.

THINGS TO REMEMBER 1. “Don’t grab your partner like a baseball bat to give or take the whip,” says Snap. “Your hands should be in a cup with your thumbs stuck to the rest of your hand. If you grab your partner like you would pick up a pint glass, you’re doing it wrong. Your hand should be more hook-like as if you were hanging off the side of a building. This hand position lets both the whipper and whipee have the control they need to abort the whip if things get dicey for whatever reason. It’s also an excellent training tool to discourage desperate flailing in the pack – if you practice controlled contact during whips, they’ll be more productive.”

Third level – Another modification to increase difficulty is to add more communication and teamwork.

1. Put cones or items on both the inside and outside of the track. It is most effective if these cones are different colors. If you don’t have different color cones, use water bottles, sneakers or other items. Use the above rotations, but this time have the pusher call out where they are going to push the pushee to, like calling the pocket in billiards (“push at the pink boot!” or “push at the orange cone”). After two minutes, take a 30-second rest, then change jobs.

THINGS TO REMEMBER Snap admits that a great side benefit to this drill is that it incorporates communication. “You can up the intensity of any drill by yelling/singing/counting through it. It’s not just the pivot’s job to bark orders – everyone needs to be able to be heard and understood at all times during a loud game with millions of screaming fans cheering you on,” says Snap.

SPEED ASSESSMENTS Philly Roller Girl’s Teflon Donna, captain of Liberty Belles, shares a submission that isn’t necessarily a successful practice session, but rather a regular monthly assessment. “On a monthly basis we make each skater take both speed assessments and endurance assessments.

Even though these are often a pain in the ass, it’s a consistent gauge for individuals to measure their progress throughout the year, for training to get feedback on the strength of the league overall, and to set minimum bars that must be passed to become eligible for home teams or either of our two travel teams,” says Donna.

DRILL Endurance Assessment A – ten laps, ten falls On the straightaway of each lap perform the following fall in proper form, get up, and continue with laps: 1. Single knee taps on the floor, alternating legs 2. Double knee fall 3. Baseball slide 4. Corner fall (done on the corner, resulting in either a full spin on the knees or a tumble roll) 5. Safety (knees, elbows, wrists all hit the floor then pop back up) Repeat for laps six-ten Endurance Assessment B – 20 laps 20 laps on the speed track Philly has found that regular assessments have led skaters to really push themselves during practice to improve their endurance and form in order to meet required times. “The league is very much self-driven,” says Donna. “We don’t have coaches, just skaters who rotate through coaching practice,” she says. This means that skaters have to motivate themselves and each other in order to improve. “Measurable consistent feedback such as assessments – although they’re often the last thing you want to do – really does help to push us all to be better skaters,” admits Donna.

THE BROKEN MOB Coach G Money of Bay Area Derby Girls in California had previously coached football for over ten years before he came to BADG at the end of the 2008 season. G Money created a drill he calls “The Broken Mob” to simulate when a pack has spread out and how to quickly pack up back into position.

“At the time [when the drill was created], we were having issues with getting strung out with skaters in the front and the question was how do we get back together and play defense or offense?” explains G Money. “[This drill] forces people to communicate. The team that communicated the most was always more successful.

Originally, we started the drill with the front jammer out of the pack already. This also gave the blockers a sense of how long they have to ‘regroup’ before the jammer is coming back around for a scoring pass,” he says.

DRILL • Four blockers and one jammer per team • Refs (always a huge help but not required) Two teams: ʻTeam Aʼ and ʻTeam Bʼ 1. Team A has two blockers on the track 2. Team B’s jammer is behind them 3. Behind her, Team B has one blocker on the line with two Team A blockers right next to her 4. Three blockers for Team B behind her 5. Behind them, Team A’s jammer For this drill let’s say Team A is red, and Team B is blue.

Get all the skaters to start skating with a single whistle and to also maintain their position. The more ‘squished’ they are the better. It usually takes at least 3/4 of a lap but once they get right past ‘pack speed’ blow the whistle again to start the drill.

Goals of the Drill The front blockers (Team B) must stop the opposing jammer. If this does not happen immediately, the jammer can often string them out and force a 20‐foot call.

Front Red Blocker (Team A) must immediately perform an offensive move to free up her jammer.

Back Blue Blockers (Team B) need to decide if they want to help stop the opposing jammer or help their own.

Red Team needs to manage getting their own jammer out of the pack while ensuring the opposing jammer can’t get up to speed.

Also, you can also work on timing by starting the front jammer right in front of the pack. As G Money explains, The Blue Team will need to work immediately to free up their jammer. This helps the blockers understand how long they have until the opposing jammer is re-entering the pack.

WINDY CITY PACE LINE Varla Vendetta, All Star Captain of the Windy City Rollers of Chicago, Illinois, explains that Windy City has many drills they create, tweak and revisit based on the league’s overall strengths and weaknesses at any give time. According to Vendetta, the following two drills help to practice reforming tight packs, building strong walls, breaking up walls, trapping and maintaining speed.

DRILL ONE – Lateral Race All skaters skate in a single-file line along the inside boundary of the track.

Everytime a trainer blows a whistle, the skaters must move laterally (not forward and laterally, but completely laterally) to the outside boundary line (must move all the way, foot should touch the line) and then race back to the inside line as fast as possible.

No one is on the “same team,” so no whipping or assisting off any other skater while you are getting back to the inside line. As skaters race back to the line, they should attempt to advance by either legally blocking another skater off the line or simply beating them back to take their spot on the line.

Generally timed for anywhere from three to five minutes. Whistle can be blown more frequently to make it harder/involve more cardio.

Vendetta explains that this works on quick lateral movement, holding the line and stability on the line.

DRILL TWO – The Awesome Blossom “This is named for one of our favorite skaters, Blossom Bruiso, who created it,” explains Vendetta.

This pack drill involves two packs of three skaters each. This can be done in one to two minute intervals. The pack then switches roles or rotate in new skaters and repeats.

Three white skaters start on the pivot line in a wide line across the track.

Three black skaters are placed at three different positions to simulate a pack that has been broken up/pulled apart. Black skater A is on her knees in the infield halfway between pivot and jam line (as if she’s been knocked out of bounds and fallen). Black skater B starts back near the jam line. Black skater C is about ten feet in front of the jam line/line of three white skaters.

On the whistle, the pack rolls out. The goal is for black skaters to bust through the white blockers and get back together. The white blockers are trying to trap at least one black or keep both black that are behind them slow and controlled. Black skaters are trying to break through the whites and get their pack back together. Black skater C that starts in front can practice dropping back to bust up the white wall and get her skaters through. Black skaters A and B can practice breaking through a wall or working together to become “unstuck.”

FALLS AND SPRAWLS Head of Public Relations and fresh meat trainer, Knocksberry Harm of Angel City Derby Girls in Los Angeles, CA offers up one of her favorite drills.

“I love this drill. When you are going through it, it sucks, but it’s such a great drill,” Harm exclaims. Pulling this drill from Angel City’s arsenal, Harm says this is good for both “newer skaters or at the beginning of the season when you need to boost up endurance after a break.”

DRILL All skaters line up along one side of the track or rink.

On the whistle, make a quick start and skate to the other end of the track/rink (length should be at least as long as a regulation derby tack).

At each end of the track fall and turn at the same time. Skater should end up facing the opposite direction and have stomach on the ground. (The easiest way to do this is at the end of the track, make a 180 degree turn/single knee fall, transition to superman).

Skater then pops up in one motion and quick starts toward the other end of the track.

This drill can be used in a timed setting, or a set number of laps (sets of two, four, six... to 14 or 16).

As Harm explains, “This drill is important because you build endurance... and if you ever get in a situation where you are skating with a short roster for a game or if you have players in the penalty box, you can keep pushing, play hard and not get tired as quickly. It also helps you to work on quick starting which is very important in derby because when you get hit or fall, you need to quick start to get back into the jam as fast as you can,” says Harm.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 17

games and coaching

bench management Q UA D A L M I G H T Y, C I N C I N N AT I R O L L E R G I R L S

In derby, a “typical” bout does not exist.

Nevertheless, teams have to find ways to make consistent effort and execution a reality on the track. The bench is an important place to start improving your team’s performance.

positive energy First and foremost, the bench has to be a positive place where teams soak up positive energy. Energy – positive or negative – is a current that moves from body to body just like electricity.

Adrenaline and training can go a long

18 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Rid your bench of all negative energy!

Don’t pout. Say positive things. Use positive words. Avoid criticism, even self-criticism. Your whole bench’s energy is your personal responsibility, whether you spend one jam on the bench or all but one. Be sure you are having

J

Jeff Sevier

Positive voices and attitudes are constructive and create energy. Negative voices and attitudes are destructive, sap energy, and can have disastrous consequences well beyond a single bout.

Your own attitude on the bench is affecting everyone around you.

Somebody is loudly complaining about all the back blocks, about the refs, or about their playtime. Somebody is bemoaning their inability to move opposing blockers out of the way or to stop opposing jammers. “When will the grand-slam-fest finally end?!? The End is Nigh – Repent!” People around that voice of doom may or may not agree but one thing is for sure: everyone on the bench is losing valuable energy.

Negativity saps your whole team’s energy and it can turn a single bad jam into a bad game.

Jeff Sevier

During a bout you find yourself riding the bench most of the time. Even a team’s best players will typically play in not more than half the jams of a typical game... typically. All that time you spend on the bench is precious. If everyone together puts in the effort to make it a positive part of your team’s strategy, the bench can be a magical place. However, it can also be a total disaster since one negative influence can upset the apple cart. A few simple things can make your bench a place of positive energy, cohesion and constructive organization that will translate into better execution on the track.

way, but a jolt of enthusiasm and determination makes all the difference when your team is tested on the track.

a positive effect on your team. 100% positive energy, 100% of the time. That positive energy will translate into more confidence and better teamwork for everyone both on and off the track. sincere praise All athletes benefit from positive reinforcement as a means of motivation.

It’s critical that teammates build each other up with praise and accolades for a job well done while on the bench.

“That juke was sick!” “Thank you for getting that pivot out of my way.” “You totally shut that jammer down.” “Great hit!” “You are on FIRE!” All athletes need to hear these things. A quick pat on the back can spark a charge of great execution and give your team momentum-building energy. Keep in mind, though, it has to be sincere and it has to be consistent.

There are two common errors teams can make with their praise. First, teammates might only congratulate the BIG things. There are plenty of common but impactful actions that go unheralded. Victory is in those details.

Be sure your team encourages them.

Watch the game carefully – look for reasons to commend your teammates.

It’s no small advantage to have fourteen players all laser-focused on the pack.

Secondly, teammates can take

Jeff Sevier

Jason Bechtel

the “best” players on their team for granted. Everyone needs encouragement, even a superstar. Be sure you divvy out accolades evenly and consistently. We often come to expect our best players to make big play after big play, but even those superstars need to hear their teammates’ appreciation. Everyone needs the love, from your superstars to your greenest

A chaotic bench is a typical source of frustration and little else will sap a team’s energy quite so effectively as the confusion and disorganization associated with calling line-ups. Players need to know as soon as possible who

rookies – let them hear it!

My team uses a numbering system of player priority. We mark our benches 1-4 and J. Seat J is for the Jammer, of course. The numbers are blocker priority.

Seat 1 is the highest priority player; so the player in seat 1 will always go in the next jam, regardless of position or situation. Seat 2 is the second highest priority. Seat 4 is the lowest priority.

So, if there is one blocker in the penalty box, then the player in Seat 4 will not go in the jam, because she is the lowest priority – players in Seats 1-3 will go in, because they are the highest priority. (Remember, the fourth blocker in that pack is starting in the

line-ups You’ve got Sharks, Wrecking Balls, Trailers, B1s, B2s, B3s, Swings, Floaters, Outside Fronts, Inside Backs, Lions and Tigers and Bears. Oh my. (If anything, derby is great at making up names for the three blockers who line up behind the pivot.) You’ve got rookies, veterans, hot players, cold players, dedicated jammers, twisted ankles and broken toe stops. Keeping this menagerie organized can be tough. Figuring out who you need on the track when naughty wall-busters start filling up the penalty box can be downright overwhelming. You need a system.

All good teams have a system for calling line-ups (or packs or positions or packages, etc.). Whatever you call them, it’s important that your team has a consistent and effective system that eliminates confusion about who is supposed to be out on the track next.

is supposed to be on the track and what positions to play. A good system avoids weak packs and minimizes the impact of minor penalties in your line-ups.

Jeff Sevier

penalty box.) If two blockers are starting in the penalty box, then the players in Seats 1 and 2 (highest priority) will go in, but the players in Seats 3 and 4 (lowest priority) will not.

It’s up to the bench coach to set the priority. And, it’s important that there is only ONE person who calls line-ups.

Too many voices can create massive confusion and frustration. Generally, I want my most effective, better blockers in Seat 1 and Seat 2; that way, if it’s a short, two-person pack, I know I have my best possible pack on the track. If someone is sitting on three minors, though, I might want to move them down to Seat 3 or Seat 4. If I have a pair of skaters that I need to work together for some goal in the next jam, then I put them in Seat 1 and Seat 2 and keep them together, and so on. This is easy to manage. I simply point at a player, look her in the eye and say “One,” or “Two,” etc. As soon as a player’s number is called, she goes to sit in that seat and waits for her packmates.

It’s important that this happens quickly. The next pack should be set as soon as possible. There’s nothing worse than trying to figure out who is missing seconds before the pack start whistle is about to blow; that is, other than watching the head ref send your best blocker back to the bench and skating short during a power jam because you

Jason Bechtel

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 19 fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 19

games and coaching fielded too many blockers. First things first: get your line-up called, then worry about the rest.

We sometimes have “set” line-ups, like a script, based on personnel and the game plan. Usually in a half, there are about 18 jams. We set no more than nine line-ups, and rarely get through all nine unscathed before penalties or other factors change the plan. It’s important not to be too dead-set on that

a good plan Before they go in to play, it’s extremely important that the next line-up watches the current jam together. They can talk about what they want to do as a group and what needs to be accomplished.

The jammer can tell the blockers which opposing players to focus on and which players they can ignore. Blockers can decide how they want to manage different scenarios: slow the pack down, speed it up, lock down the front, discombobulate the back, isolate the weakest blocker, distract the best blocker, etc. You will find that nothing improves teamwork like talking about the next jam immediately before it happens. That planning will also improve execution, because every player is clear about what needs to happen and what their role is in the next jam.

Focus, grasshopper.

Your bench can work to your advantage and give you a jump on your competition. It’s not a waiting room. It’s not a peanut gallery. It’s a pit stop for

20 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Jeff Sevier

original script. Players get hot and cold and circumstances sometimes call for radical changes. Our system allows for improvisation based on what’s happening at any given moment in a game. I simply set the clipboard down and start prioritizing players and positions.

I really do. I would hug each of them individually in line if given the opportunity. Really. They deserve WAY more hugs.) Our players know that Pale Rider and I are going to yell and jump and carry on; and they know why we do it. For the most part, they do not let it affect their energy (other than that it frequently gives them a good laugh at our expense).

We keep these things compartmentalized and we keep the lines of communication open.

finely-tuned, electric derby machines.

It’s the war room, where attacks and counter-attacks are carefully planned.

One thing about derby is simple: you are either acting or reacting. If your team is dictating the action, then you are winning. If your team is constantly reacting, then your team is losing. It’s that simple. Have a plan. Dictate the action. The place to create the positive energy it takes to execute a good plan and take positive action to the track is the place where you spend most of your time during a bout. caveat emptor If you’ve ever seen me or my cohort, Pale Rider, roaming the bench during a bout – or if you’ve had the distinct privilege of officiating one of our games – you’re probably aware that I can be an impassioned nutbag sometimes. (I love Refs and NSOs. Jason Bechtel

If our nutbaggery is detracting from the positive energy of our bench, we calm down, explain why we're acting like crazy buffoons, change tactics, or stop completely and re-focus our attention. By any means, all of us strive to keep the positive energy flowing on our bench all the time. It's a powerful tool that has drastically changed for the better how our team plays and communicates.

Derby gets intense. It’s not always rainbows and unicorns, certainly.

Tensions can run high. Crisis happens.

Occasionally, the end actually is NIGH. The most important thing to remember – whether you’re a player, official, coach or fan – is that all players, officials, coaches and fans deserve your respect.

Nowhere is that more important than your own bench. Be good. Be respectful.

Master that concept and most everything else magically falls into place.

coach’s corner by coach pauly

know your roll

part 8: Stats and the Secrets They Tell

After years of interleague play a lot of data has been collected by some very important unsung heroes. These folks come to every bout and collect the raw data from the refs and refine it down to produce stats that can be the roadmap to your team’s success.

In my time I have worn many hats and heading up stats was not the most exciting job, but a job that needed doing. Back then it was just trying to figure out the best form to use and what info could be gathered to give the best accounting of the penalties and points scored from jam to jam. I suppose it was all about how many points were scored; who fouled whom and how many times did they do it. As time has passed and the game has evolved so have the methods in which the information has been gathered and shared amongst the teams, as well as the writers that follow each bout. We now know what happened; who did it and what they did exactly. From elbows to cutting the track we have a compass to show us the way. As we all know, knowledge is power and the more you can apply it the better.

Now that you have accurate stats sheets you can pour over the information and find out who was in penalty trouble, who was the most productive blocker and most of all, which jammer scored the most points.

But what does it all mean, you ask? Well, it is my opinion that all of this information can be used to field the best possible group of skaters for your next bout. If you know that you have an awesome skater that makes devastating blocks but is constantly being ejected from each bout, you know that she has to either fix her fouling problems or you need to find another skater to replace her on your roster. Let’s say you see that you have three blockers that seem to work well together in multiple jams; it just so happens that the jammer that scores the most points is always in when these blockers are in. Is it the jammer that is making the difference in your offense? Or is it the three synchronized blockers making the difference?

Either way you will want to make sure to set your lines to take advantage of this information. The stats sheet point out so many small details that give you an easy guideline to follow.

You notice that you have one jammer that seems to get lead at a high percentage. Put that jammer in with your best jammer as the pivot. When she gets lead as she has done before, she can skate through and score as many points as she can within the first minute of the jam, then pass the star to the pivot who has a fresh set of legs to score as many as she can in the second minute.

Depending on how pack savvy the original jammer is,

you can put some serious points on the board in two minutes’ time. Now this strategy is best applied when you are in a power jam situation.

If you can practice with your bench manager, set up two special teams. One team is the “power” team and the other is the “speed” team. The power team consists of your best pivot and blockers that can slow and speed the pack at will; the speed team is comprised of your fastest slippery skaters. During the bout you are faced with specific situations that are tailored to these teams’ specific abilities. You find yourself in a power jam situation, call for your power team and they will take your previous set skaters out of the pack and work their magic to help the jammer score as many points as possible with a full on offensive pack until the opposing jammer enters the jam. On the flip side, you know you have no jammer. You call for the speed team and pull the previously set line up off the track and sprint out to keep a five foot bubble between them and the opposing blockers for as long as possible focusing on not getting trapped and staying within the five feet. Easy to remember for the skater and easier to apply for the bench coach. Again these are simple additions to your game that you can make just by knowing what your team has and what the opposition has through stats.

Bout to bout you will find yourself facing the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to stats. Make sure you give your refs and NSOs the best support possible.

I have found that traveling and checking out other leagues gives you a better cross section of how other leagues produce their stats. Acquiring a form and filling it out doesn’t make the stats; it’s the people with the pens and the dry erase boards that make the difference.

All in all you can take every piece of information gathered during any given bout to adjust the personnel on your roster, make strategic lineup changes, alter your training program and fix trouble areas your team may have in regard to penalties. When the crowds go home and the venue is cleaned up, always remember the refs, NSOs and support staff that help make your bouts better and better every time.

‘Til next time, see you on the track…

If you have any questions, comments or feedback please email me at derbywhisperer@gmail.com.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 21

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gear

cleaning bearings and wheels I VA N N A S . PA N K I N ’ , S A N D I E G O D E R B Y D O L L S

Bearings roll better clean and wheels last longer when you rotate them. How often you need to clean yours depends on how hard you use them. Here’s the lazy skater’s guide to cleaning ‘em quick.

Are they dirty? Good indications that yours need cleaning include: • They make noise or whine when you’re skating • You can feel resistance when you turn your wheels by hand; some wheels spin slower • A bearing is hot to the touch after you’ve been skating • It’s been six months or so since the last time you cleaned them What you need: • 30 minutes or so • skate tool or 3/8 or 13mm socket wrench • citrus cleaner or bearing cleaner • bearing or sewing machine oil • low-fuzz rags (I like old T-shirts) • aluminum baking tin (coffee cake size works great) • bucket • soapy water (dish soap is fine) • old toothbrush • paper towels • canned air (like you would use on electronics) Optional but super helpful: • a bearing press / puller tool 1. INSPECT YOUR WHEELS FOR WEAR Before you take your wheels off the skates, take a damp rag and wipe off your wheels and really look at them. Your wheels are probably showing wear at different rates. If you are like most of us, your wheels will show more wear on your

24 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

“pusher” wheels. For most of us, that is your left skate, front left wheel; and your right skate, front left wheel – with various degrees of wear on the other inside wheels. Usually your least worn wheels are the back right of both skates, not counting wear perpendicular to the treads from dragging your skates for T-stops.

Save your wheels and brake with toe stops! Anyway, remember the wear pattern you see (maybe even write it down).

We’re going to come back to it in a minute.

2. TAKE THE WHEELS OFF AND CHECK YOUR NUTS Then take your wheels off your truck axles by removing the axle nuts with a skate tool or socket wrench. Inspect the axle nuts – they have nylon seals inside and those do wear out. If the fit is loose or you’ve had any indication the nuts are loosening themselves – or if you’ve taken them off and put them back on more than a dozen times, it might be time to replace the axle nuts. We’ll come back to this later when you’re putting them back on. The nylon ring prevents the nut from flying off!

3. TAKE YOUR BEARINGS OUT OF THE WHEELS Next you need to remove the bearings from the wheels. Be really careful taking them out and putting them in. If you dent the dust covers, which is the soft flat ring, often with engraving on it (where it says your ABEC rating) – the cover can press on the ball bearings inside, creating

resistance and slowing your roll. Dust covers are very easy to dent if you’re not careful. Many newer common bearings have plastic dust covers that are much harder to damage. Regardless, it’s best to handle them with the stainless part and avoid touching the covers.

You can use your truck axles to carefully pry your bearings out – or you can use a bearing puller like benchmounted press or a hand-held puller.

I would recommend using a tool because it is possible to mess up the threads on your axles. If you use the axles, be careful, or get a skate tool with an axle threader.

4. DUMP THE WHEELS IN SOAP Take the bearings out carefully, then throw all your wheels – NOT THE BEARINGS, JUST THE WHEELS – in a bucket of soapy water and leave them while you clean your bearings.

5. SOAK & AGITATE There are a lot of things you can use to clean bearings. Skate shops sell bearing cleaner in small bottles for a lot of money – but you can also get a jug of citrus cleaner at a home depot or other hardware store for a lot cheaper – and it’s the same stuff. We used to clean ours in gas – until a Riedell rep told us the soap in gas dries and cracks covers and races. I am told mineral spirits are also fine, but I recommend citrus cleaner because it’s cheap, easy to get, and is recommended by experts like the folks that make Bones Bearings.

Place your bearings in the baking tin and then pour enough cleaner in there to cover every bearing. Let them soak a while, agitating every couple minutes.

Then, depending on how much crud is in the tin, dump the liquid carefully and do the whole process again.

Elisa Baker

6. BLOW ‘EM Once you can spin the bearings without hearing or feeling any major resistance, take them out. Since there is no oil in them, they’re not likely to spin easily, but you should be able to feel hitches in the roll it if there is still crud in there. If you live in a super dry climate, lay them out to air dry on a clean, non-fuzzy cloth or paper towel. If you live somewhere humid or your bearings are really dirty in the first place, blow them out with the canned air computer nerds use to clean out electronics. Make sure they are completely 110% dry. A tiny amount of dampness can rust your bearings overnight.

Q: What’s under the dust cover?

A: Ball bearings in a race.

7. LUBE ‘EM UP After they’re dry, you want to put ONE DROP of oil in each bearing and spin it to spread it around. A particularly slow bearing might want two drops, but resist the urge to put a lot more in because too much oil attracts dirt and you’ll regret it later. If you oil a bearing and it still doesn’t spin freely, you might want to consider replacement – or if you can’t afford new bearings, at least put bad ones aside to put on your back outside wheels, or in whatever positions wear patterns on your wheels show you use the least.

When you’re oiling them, separate the fastest-spinning bearings from the rest. You want your best bearings in your pusher wheels.

8. PUSH THEM IN Now take your wheels out of the soapy bucket and scrub them with the

toothbrush to get all the schmutz off them.

Dry them thoroughly.

Make sure they’re not dripping from the hubs! Then press the bearings back into them.

Put the fastest bearings in the wheels that show the least amount of wear.

This is where most people dent their bearings, so be careful! Again, handle them by the stainless parts – like the middle part that spins – not on the covers.

Even better: use a bearing press to get them back in the wheels.

Note: If you have aluminum hubs, this job is a little harder, because properly machined hubs are BARELY big enough for the bearings. A bearing press is going to make a big difference for you. But with or without it, you may want to put just a very tiny amount of oil – TINY!!! – on your finger and rub it on the inside of the hub and outside of the bearing to ease the process. Then push the bearing in at a perfectly perpendicular 90 degree angle slowly, rocking it gently if it gets stuck.

Finesse is the key – you cannot force bearings into metal hubs.

Make sure the two bearings for each wheel are pressed in all the way back, then put your best wheels on your pusher positions, rotating your baldest ones back to the spots you don’t need as much.

Basically, you want to put them back on opposite of how you took them off – the ones you used the most for pushing will

be baldest – you want to remount your best wheels in those positions.

9. TIGHTEN ‘EM UP Screw your axle nuts back on snugly.

Note: This is a good time to hand test the nuts to make sure that the nylon isn’t too worn. If you can tighten them past the nylon ring without a tool, they can also loosen without a tool. Toss them.

How tight should you put them on? If you’re not sure, an easy way to figure it out is to tighten them down carefully, just until your wheels barely turn, then back them off until they spin freely. It is possible to tighten them so much you dent the dust covers, so be careful, especially if you’re using power tools (set power drill clutch lower to avoid over-tightening). The nut should not be so snug that your wheel can’t spin freely – nor so loose that you can rock the wheel on the axle.

YOU’RE DONE, SO GO SKATE!

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 25

gear

what’s all this noise about plates?

G E N O “ G . N O - E V I L” G U E R R E R O , P U G E T S O U N D O U T C A S T I N C O L L A B O R AT I O N W I T H F R E D " D O C S K 8 " B E N J A M I N

Plates are a very important piece of the overall pie that makes up the skater. They are comprised of parts that provide the steering (action) and support for the skater.

I could totally bore you with all kinds of geometry and math equations and several drawings, but then I wouldn’t be very helpful. I could offer a biased viewpoint and pretend I know what is best for each skater, but that is not helpful either. What I will do is to share several examples of how plates and truck angles react under your feet. I also want to answer questions for you, such as: How do they feel? Will they make it easier to turn the way I want them to? Will they stand up to the rigors of roller derby? Will they make me faster? Will they give me the ability to have better footwork and faster foot speed? turning radius Turning radius is what size of a circle you can turn in without lifting your skates and only leaning. Let me briefly explain a few things.

What factors into turning radius?

1. wheel base The shorter the plate, the smaller the turning radius, the quicker the response will be. An added bonus, shorter plates are lighter and inherently more rigid.

For derby you want the front trucks slightly forward of the ball of your foot, and the back trucks in line with your ankle bone. This is not an exact science and each skater may find they have to develop their own sweet spot.

If the plates are too long they will steer like a skateboard, balanced and stable, but your turning radius is severely reduced and the skate weight will be unnecessarily high. Most skate manufactures and distributors use standardized charts and templates to mount each and every plate, so they usually are long like skateboards when they come in a package. This can be OK for the recreational skater, and maybe even the beginning derby skater.

It is NOT OK for an advanced skater. Once the limits of the equipment are reached, most skaters have to compromise their technique to get past these limitations. This is an ideal time for an equipment upgrade, along with a period of re-learning to get back to proper skating techniques.

26 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

2. king pin angle and truck design The steeper the king pin the faster the plates will respond.

We will look at two examples, the Sure Grip Powertrac plate and the newly designed Sure Grip XK4 with DA45 (doubleaction 45 degree) trucks.

The Powertrac plate was designed for pure speed and it was highly sought out by quad racers. This plate is light and keeps everything in check with its more vertical king pin design (some people call this more stability) and it helps the skater turn left when they are ready (100 meter speed tracks have big sweeping turns). You really don't want slight shifts of weight to give you a huge turning response when you are going 100m fast.

The XK4-DA45 (shown here in early prototype) is a totally different animal. Double-action 45 degree plates are not common but have several advantages over the conventional single-action 45 degree plate.

The steeper angle of the kingpin on the DA45 turns you left or right, with minimal effort. The derby track is not a hundred meters and turning left will happen often and so does an occasional right turn. The 45 degrees gives the skater more leverage to turn the trucks with less force.

Some people call this better responsiveness or squirrely (if they don't like it). With the trucks more sloped (45 degrees), tighter turns are easier to initiate with less foot force on the plate.

3. cushions and suspension tension Those two rubber or urethane things help your plates control the action. These may come in different hardness (depending on the manufacturer) or sometimes you might not get a choice.

Depending how stiff these cushions are they can lessen the responsiveness of the plate, because the stiffer the cushion, the less responsive the plate. If you want to take full advantage of the ability of the truck/kingpin angle, you want them as soft as you can control and they will give the ability to turn faster with less effort. The stronger your legs and ankles are, the more responsive the plate you can successfully use. And this goes true for all degree plates. So cushions can be a way to tune your trucks’ action to help you turn with less effort.

Along with the cushions is the tension you put on those cushions with the action nut. This is another way to tune your action, but remember, DO NOT over tighten the cushions. Only small adjustments should be used here. You don't want to risk breaking a king pin, do ya?

action adjustment nut

4. plate rigidity Nylon plates are made for the recreational skater and many derby skaters are using them. Why? Well they are low cost, but where there is low cost you lose performance and durability. So would they be recommended? Well if you cannot make them flex and let the trucks work they should be fine.

And if you do happen to break them, they are reasonably cheap to replace. However, if you are hard on your plates, you want metal. They have the strength and durability needed to withstand the rigors of derby. Yes, they are heavier, but skates in general are heavy and there are options if you shop around and have a few bucks to spend to find an equal median between weight and performance. so what should I use?

Again, I’d like to offer you some insight. I believe that if you feel the plates under those skates of yours are the best for you, well, then they are. The equipment can only give you the opportunity to perform. You, the skater, must believe it will perform when you tell it to. I just want you to make an informed decision on what’s right for you. To review: • The steeper the angle, the more action that is available with less force.

• Softer cushions and reduced tension on them will require less force for the action to work for you.

• The shorter the plate the more nimble and agile it will be.

• The stiffer the plate the better the power transfer.

If this is a bolt, action nut is on bottom action adjustment nut

Hopefully I offered enough information so that when you are ready to upgrade plates you have some ammo. Also visit SkateLogForum.com and join a community of skaters that are just like you; a skater who wants the best for their performance.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 27

wftda

london calling B L O O DY M A RY, T E X A S R O L L E R G I R L S photos by feliciagraham.com

Let’s go back to 2006. Women’s flat track derby caught

many developing European leagues. Leagues began springing up

fire nationwide in the United States. Tucson Roller Derby just

across the UK, and before long, across Europe. These leagues

hosted the first ever national tournament, Dust Devil 2006,

turned to London Rollergirls for advice on forming a league

and Texas Rollergirls went home with the title along with an invite

or finding a venue in the European environment.

to play at the Bumbershoot Music Festival in Seattle later that year.

WFTDA adopted the first standard rule set for the sport, and

Soon London Rollergirls began seeing the need for a tournament to showcase the emergent European talent and spread the gospel

contentious debate about “re-engaging the Jammer” seems to

of WFTDA-regulation play to European leagues. They began

have been resolved for the moment. And more than 3,000 miles

planning Roll Brittania for July 2009, a massive 12-team,

(5,000 kilometers, rather!) away in London, Europe is quietly

two-day tournament featuring teams from England, Scotland,

brewing its answer to the flat track derby phenomenon.

and Germany. Not surprisingly, London Rollergirls’ London Brawling

Fast forward four years. WFTDA has more than doubled

won the tournament, taking the inaugural European title by

in member leagues and added the Apprentice Program, which

a bruising 333-point spread, and cementing its intentions toward

brings an additional 50 leagues under the WFTDA umbrella.

competitive WFTDA play. Ginger Snap, of Gotham Girls Roller Derby,

Every championship team seems unbeatable, and yet Texas is

reflected, “The whole production of Roll Brittania showed that –

succeeded by KC, who is succeeded by Gotham, who is succeeded

more than dominating so completely on the track as they did –

by Oly. London Rollergirls are no longer quiet and they suddenly

they want the sport to grow overseas as much as we do,” Snap

seem much closer. As this issue of fiveonfive goes to press, London

says. “They want to teach, learn, share and kick butt.” Suddenly,

Rollergirls are touring the U.S. Eastern Region playing games

London Rollergirls had everyone’s full attention.

against Philly, Connecticut, and Providence; by the time you read this, we may well have our first ever overseas WFTDA member.

WFTDA jumps the pond Because of derby’s very organic – and primarily stateside – growth,

how the London Brawling came calling

it was for some time unclear how WFTDA would respond to

Appropriately enough, London Rollergirls is the lovechild of

international members. In 2009, Canadian leagues Montreal

three American ex-pats living in London, who were yearning

Roller Derby and Hammer City Rollergirls became the first

for the derby scene they left behind in the U.S. Bette Noir conspired

members outside the U.S. Regional boundaries. Game sanctioning

with Sugrr Cain and Cyclone Bea, and the three were quickly

requirements and referee certification were re-evaluated with

joined by Slice Andice and Ballistic Whistle from Australia. By

an eye to the geographic or governmental challenges. In addition,

summer 2007, the first bout was underway. In retrospect, it made

the WFTDA insurance policy was limited to U.S. leagues only,

a surprisingly small splash in the collective derby mind, aside

and so an agreement had to be signed between the U.S. and

from some jokes about skating one period clockwise and the other

Canadian carriers to extend more seamless coverage. Meanwhile,

“anti-clockwise” in honor of Brits driving on the other side of the

the Canadian members worked to schedule in-region games

road. London Rollergirls went relatively unnoticed by the derby

with their colleagues in the U.S. in order to qualify for regional

community worldwide. Meanwhile, tiny cultural differences began

tournaments. U.S. members occasionally struggled with passport

to show. “Everyone was so nice!” remembers Bette Noir. “Bikini

or border crossing issues when visiting their Canadian peers.

Killer (from Detroit) and I spent most of 2007 being aggressive

Although WFTDA’s welcome of non-U.S. members was warm,

and trash talking at each other, much to the shock of the polite

it wasn’t clear if WFTDA was looking to attempt these challenges

Brits. The Brits got into it soon enough though!”

on a worldwide scale.

Although sometimes consigned to “little sister” status in relation to the U.S. leagues, London quickly became “momma bear” to the

30 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

In November 2009, WFTDA sent a signal that made its international intentions more clear. London Rollergirls was

announced as the first-ever Apprentice affiliate outside North

the sport – how would total domination on one continent match up

America. As an Apprentice, they were positioned toward eventual

against a firmly established veteran from the other?

full membership in WFTDA, and the significance of their acceptance

London Rollergirls’ London Brawling stood up to Texas, ending

was unmistakable. According to Loco Chanel, a Director on the

only 21 points short of a win, and staging a serious threat to the

WFTDA Board, “Our message to the worldwide derby community

Hustlers’ veteran bench. Three weeks later, London landed stateside

is that WFTDA wants to work with them, that there’s a place for

for a British invasion of the U.S. Eastern Region, and came within

their organization in our association, and that we are truly

a point of taking home a win against Philly Rollergirls’ Philthy

establishing WFTDA as the international governing body of the

Britches. The message is clear – the “little sister” is ready to play

sport.” A benchmark accomplishment for both London Rollergirls

with the big girls... and it might hurt.

and for the WFTDA at large, their acceptance marked a new era of expansion for WFTDA branded derby. caught doin’ the hustle By 2010, London Rollergirls had firmly established its reputation for going big. In keeping with that, they took an ambitious test run at a WFTDA-sanctioned game, accepting a challenge from a Texas Rollergirls’ home team, the Hustlers. An elaborate collaboration evolved and London Rollergirls began plans to host Texas Rollergirls for both the game and a weekend-long boot camp with training by the Texas Rollergirls. To accommodate European skaters hungry for

the world is not enough...

derby training, London aimed for 200 boot camp attendees, making

WFTDA will continue to develop its international program for women’s

it the largest flat track derby boot camp on record; within days of

flat track roller derby. As more diverse international members are

opening registration, the London Rollergirls found the boot camp

accepted, language and translation projects will take higher priority,

was completely full and placed skaters onto waiting lists.

and international legal deviations will warrant greater attention. Most importantly, WFTDA will maintain its steady focus on the skaters who play the sport, and balance aggressive growth with quality for its members. “We’ve been deliberate in our international growth because it’s always been our priority to serve our existing members before taking on new challenges – and aggressive international expansion is a big challenge,” says Loco Chanel.

Meanwhile, the London Rollergirls plan to continue cooking up international match ups. “We hope to host sanctioned bouts with U.S. teams in Europe,” Bette Noir shares. “Not only will this allow us to

Certainly, London Rollergirls was showing the mark of a well-run

compete at WFTDA tournament level, but it will bring the game here

machine on the business side, first planning the inaugural European

which will benefit the whole European region.” Once the goal of full

championships and then taking on the Texas boot camp and game.

member status is reached, it’s time to grab at the next brass ring.

They had made their dominance among European leagues clear,

“We want to get to regionals in 2011... period... full stop,” says Bette

having never won a game by less than 70 points. But no one quite

Noir. It seems that WFTDA will have to break that bad habit of calling

knew how London Rollergirls would stand up to the godmothers of

the championship tournament ‘Nationals’ sooner, rather than later.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 31

jrda

the chicago riots B U B B L E G U M F E R O C I O U S , T H E C H I C A G O R I OT S

It was a blazing September day when Fistful O’Hare, Smoshpit,

our big sisters use. We get better and stronger every week,

and I went to volunteer at a Renegade Craft Fair booth. Little did we

and we’re anxious to tear up the track at our first bout on June 5th.

know we would find inspiration to start Chicago’s one and only junior roller derby team: The Chicago Riots.

We saw rollergirls. They were faster than everyone else. They were bigger and taller than everyone else. They were definitely stronger and tougher than everyone else. They were Amazons, and they inspired us

TCR is important to everyone who is involved in it. Especially the skaters. While most of us can’t find the words to describe just how meaningful it is, we all have to agree it’s one of the best things that has ever happened to us.

Chi-town Choker (the team’s fastest skater and most would say

to do what we do today. We didn’t even talk to them. All it took was

scariest): “I used to be really weak, and most of my friends are really

one look at them gracefully skating like bad asses and we were sold.

strong, so they would push me around and think it was funny.

We wanted – no, needed – to be like them, to be them. It’s not like we

Everyone at school knew me as being weak because my friends

had never seen derby before, but these girls were different. They were

would overpower me. We were friends, but they would push and hit

in front of us, they were within our grasp. We could actually walk up

me and I would get really hurt. Just a couple of weeks after I started

to them and take a flyer or a button. We were way too scared of them

derby, one of my friends hit me, so I hit her back and she said,

though. Of course now we would be able to walk up to any rollergirl

‘WOAH!! WHEN DID YOU GET STRONG?!’ and it made me feel good

as if we had known her forever. We didn’t talk about them. But there is

about myself. The people in roller derby have really changed me,

no doubt that they are why we are here today. Why we are Amazons.

without them I would never have thought to dye my hair black.

Why we are Riots.

I would never have had the courage to do anything like that.”

We came back to my house after the craft fair, ordered pizza and

Anvil Lavigne (one of the team’s most transformed girls):

hung out like normal teenagers. Then the idea came into our heads:

“I refer derby to everybody because it’s something anyone can do

junior roller derby. We had no idea there was such a thing, we thought

if they stick their mind to it. Derby helps girls get out stress, and it

we were geniuses! After going through several lame names, we came

helps a lot in day-to-day life. Girls nowadays go through a lot of stuff

up with The Chicago Riots. We immediately emailed all of our friends

in middle school and high school, derby helps them find themselves

telling them about our idea. About a month later, we met with some

and it supports them through all the drama of being a teenager.”

girls from The Chicago Outfit (TCR’s big sisters), then about two months after that we were on skates.

Our team has grown a lot since those first practices, our skaters range from 12 to 17 years old. Physically the girls could not be more different, but put them on the track together and they’re all Riots.

Nearly every day we get emails from girls who want to join the team.

It still surprises me that we’ve gotten so far, and how enthusiastic these girls are in their emails is still exciting.

Mari Cone and Mo Mentum are the two adult rollergirls that helped

Cupquake (the team’s newest girl): “The Chicago Riots have really taught me how to make friends on my own. I’ve never had to do that.

It’s made me reach out more because it’s something I’m doing without my friends from outside of derby, so it’s made me more independent.”

The Chicago Riots have also inspired two girls in Indiana to start The Chicago Riots’ sister team, The Redneck Rollers.

Our first bout is just around the corner, and with so much under our belts already, who knows what the future of derby has in store for us. All we can tell is that we Riots, along with every other junior

our power trio stop thinking about skating and actually got us up on

league in the world, are making the future of roller derby and girl

skates. They are now our two primary coaches, with different skaters

culture better every day.

coming from the Outfit every week. We bruise each other up every Saturday, and are always working on the same drills and techniques 34 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Black and blue, bruises for you, we are the Chicago Riots!

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rookie

beginner’s guide to the plow stop YI-NAN "DOUBLE EASY" ZHANG, DENVER ROLLER DOLLS

the physics of the plow stop All wheel stops (that’s all the stops listed except for the tomahawk) operate on the same basic principle: That, to stop, the direction your wheels are spinning (“direction of wheels”) needs to be perpendicular to the direction you are applying force (“direction of force”). The diagram below illustrates this principle: Ana Zavala

So you’ve got the T-stop down, you can do a decent tomahawk stop, and you’re working on your hockey stop, but you still can’t figure out how a plow stop works? Or maybe you can do a fairly respectable plow stop, but you want to get to the point where you can plow like nobody’s business?

Or perhaps you don’t even know why you need to be able to plow stop. Hey, if you can stop one way, that’s good enough, right? why should I learn the stinkin’ plow stop?

Actually, each stop that derby skaters are taught has a specific purpose on the track. The T-stop is great if you need to slow down (as opposed to coming to a complete stop) when you are in the middle of a tight pack and don’t have a lot of space to work with. The tomahawk stop (turning around and landing on your toe stops) is the quickest way to come to a complete stop, if you don’t mind being off-balance for a second and ending up facing the opposite direction. The hockey stop is effective for stopping very quickly when you have a lot of space and want to end up 90 degrees from your original position. The plow stop can be used for quickly slowing down or coming to a complete stop when you have space or want to take up space on the track.

Here is a table to summarize: type of stop

good for slowing down

good for coming to a complete stop

good for tight spaces

ending position relative to starting position

T-stop

Y

N

Y

0º

Tomahawk

N

Y

Y

180º

Hockey

Y

Y

N

90º

Plow

Y

Y

N

0º

Like it says in the chart, the plow stop is not good for tight spaces. You need space to make a good plow stop. That said, sometimes you want to take up space! The plow stop is great for when you are at the front of the pack and you want to slow down someone behind you. An expert plow stop can easily take up half the track, even for people who have short legs.

By now, hopefully you are convinced of the importance of the plow stop. Let’s move on to how to do it!

36 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

When you are fully extended into the plow stop, your toes should be pointed inward. That is, you should be slightly pigeontoed. This makes it so that your “direction of force” is not quite 90 degrees from the direction you’re facing but rather a little more forward (about 75 degrees from the direction you’re facing). It is easier to apply force forward than to the sides.

Since your feet are so far extended away from your body, your weight will naturally rest on your inside wheels. In this case, “inside” means closer to your spine (or “medial” for you anatomy nerds out there). Let your weight rest on your inside wheels and, in fact, put more pressure on them. And because you are trying to stop, put more weight on your rear wheels than your front wheels. So, to summarize, you should be pushing more on your inside wheels than your outside wheels, and more on your rear wheels than on your front wheels.

If you are new to the plow stop, one thing you should be aware of is that the plow is a stop whose function (if you were to plot your speed against time) is non-monotonic. What does that mean? Think about the way your car’s brakes work. If you were to put pressure on your car’s brakes to try to make your car slow down or stop, you would expect your speed to decrease from the moment you touched the brake pedal. The car brake’s

Preflash Gordon

function is monotonic. So is the T-stop’s function. Imagine what it would be like if you started going a little faster before you came to a stop every time you hit your car brakes! Now think about a train’s emergency brake. When emergency braking is triggered, it turns off dynamic (motor) braking. So the train can actually accelerate a bit before the wheel brakes activate. If your car’s brakes worked the way a train’s emergency brake worked, it would probably freak you out until you were used to it. If you have trouble with the plow stop and are used to the T-stop, you could be having the same problem. You need to get wide before the braking part of the plow stop is actually activated. And getting wide typically means increasing your speed. how to practice Start by getting used to the position off-skates: Stand with your feet spread at least two shoulder widths apart. Start off with your toes pointed straight forward. Now keep your toes on the floor where they are, but move your heels so that they are sticking out

laterally a little more. You should now be in a pigeon-toed position, slightly lower than before you stuck your heels out.

Don’t even attempt a speed-skating position. Just relax and get comfortable. You should feel more stable in the pigeon-toed position than when sticking your toes forward. If you don’t feel stable, try to relax a little more: Let your knees lock and keep your back in whatever position it’s most comfortable in. This pigeon-toed position is the position you should be in when you come to a complete plow stop on skates.

On skates: Begin at a dead stop with your feet side by side in a normal standing position. Keep your heels where they are, but point your toes outward. Your feet will naturally start moving out and forward. (This is the part where you are getting wide, thereby increasing your speed. Don’t be scared of the speed!) Relax and go with it. Once your feet are about two shoulder widths apart, start putting more pressure on your rear inside wheels. Your toes will naturally start pointing inward, and you will be plow stopping!

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 37

rookie

everything I know, I learned from roller derby TRAC/DC, RED STICK ROLLER DERBY

I never really wanted to be a rollergirl. It’s not that I didn’t think they were cool or whatever. It’s just that I’m an intellectual, and not a very coordinated one at that, so I didn’t really see a space for myself in sports. Until derby I thought sports were for people who were more into their bodies than their minds. The only “sport” I practiced was yoga, which is as much philosophy as it is physicality, and I thought that mind/body balance only came through ancient, philosophically-grounded physical practices.

I was ignorant.

My first few months of derby practice were frustrating and full of disappointment. Not in the sport or the team, which I liked pretty much immediately, but in myself. Despite the fact that I was in pretty good shape, I really couldn’t skate. Even when I learned to skate, I couldn’t skate fast. And even when I got faster I fell down all the time. And then once I stopped falling down so much and started scrimmaging I just got knocked down. I went down so often that when I think of myself during those first three months, all I can remember is time spent on the rink floor.

All that time on the ground wasn’t pleasant. It was embarrassing and painful. But it was on the ground that I learned the most valuable lessons. Because the thing about going down is that it instantly gives you a choice that tells you pretty quickly what kind of person you are. Are you the kind of person who stays down, wallowing in future bruises, or are you the kind of person who gets up and keeps skating?

It seems obvious what kind of person most of us want to be, but it’s easier said than done. Hearing the smack of your tailbone against the rink and feeling the reverberation of the impact up into your spine is not very motivating. Hearing the victorious cackle of the opposing skater who just took you out sucks. Physical pain prompts your body to tell your mind, “It’s okay to rest.” But unless you’re seriously injured, I have news for you: it isn’t okay to rest.

Nothing good is happening on the ground. If you’re horizontal, you’re not helping your team. You’re not blocking, you’re not scoring points, and no one is cheering for you. Hell, if you’re on the ground, you’re not even really playing. You are a liability. And you are not going to feel good about it either. You will sit there on the ground full of self-loathing until you make that decision about what kind of person you are.

An overwhelming sense of self-pity may trick you temporarily into thinking that you have to stay down, that you don’t have a choice. But unless your head is split open and your brains are oozing onto the track, somewhere inside you know that you are making a decision. And that decision is bigger than roller derby.

That may sound a little existential, but it’s the truth. Being the kind of person that snaps back up after a big hit teaches you what you are capable of on and off the track.

Because it isn’t just twohundred pound blockers that are going to knock you down. Life is going to knock you down.

And there are a lot of things scarier than bruiser bitches out there. Just like in derby, sometimes you’re going to see them coming, and sometimes you won’t. You may be able to hear the banshee cry of a skater who’s got you in her sights, but you might not see unemployment coming. It doesn’t matter, though, because the effect is the same. You fall down. Metaphorically or actually, you hit the ground.

The real question is: what are you going to do when you’re down and in pain and the world and the game just keeps speeding up around you? If you’re worth your weight in bearings, you get up, pull your hot pants out of your ass and keep moving. Because the truth is that if you can take a hit from a woman who outweighs you by eighty pounds and could outskate you backwards without suffering a major injury then you absolutely can get back up and on with the show. Taking that hit is way harder than recovering from it.

there are a lot of things scarier than bruiser bitches out there

38 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Mauro Luna

The same goes for life. If you can handle going to that stupid nine-to-five every day in your business casual uniform making small talk with uptight co-workers, you can handle getting laid off. If you can handle dating the same jerk over and over, then you can handle it when he leaves. In derby, playing the game is actually harder than taking the hit. You just don’t realize it, because most of the time it’s moving too fast. Falling down just gives you a minute to think about it.

The other thing is that no one will ever hate you for falling down, and even less for getting knocked down. Every skater will feel your pain. When your pads hit the ground there will be silence. If you don’t get back up, there will still be silence.

But if you do get up, you’ll hear applause.

I have gotten as many kudos for taking a big hit well as I have for anything else I’ve ever done on the track. That may say something about the kind of inexperienced, clumsy skater I am, but I also think it says something about me as a person.

At Blood & Thunder training camp in Bremerton this year, I went to a jamming workshop with Quadzilla and he said, “If you focus on the consequences instead of the rewards, you will never do anything.” He’s right. If you are obsessing about that dude ditching you or whether you can take that other jammer or whether Little Miss Kick Your Ass is going to leave a bruise

on your body the side of Texas, not only will you not do your best, you’ll probably psych yourself up to do absolutely nothing.

And then what? Then nothing. You take no risks, you suffer no losses. You also can’t win if you don’t play. Instead of thinking about all the bad things that could happen if you fail, try focusing on all the good things that could happen if you succeed. If you get called up to jam, don’t sit on the bench thinking about the worst case scenario. Imagine the moment you break through the pack, get lead jammer, and score the ten points that ensure your team’s victory. Imagine the cheering, the adoring fans and teammates. Imagine the free beer. Whatever works for you.

The possibility of pain and failure is always lurking. You can’t escape them.

But fear and apprehension only leads to more of the same. It takes courage to go through life knowing that you will get hurt, and it takes courage to play derby knowing that you will get hit. Playing roller derby has taught me to take every hit as a lesson. For me, staying down is not an option. Not because I’m some zen goddess or something. But because I’ve been knocked down a lot, in derby and in life, and I’m still a basically happy, healthy person. In other words, I know that regardless of what hits are coming my way, I can recover. And really, I just want to be in the game.

If you focus on the consequences instead of the rewards, you will never do anything.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 39

feature

life as a roller derby widow DA N N Y ' M R . N O B R A G H ' B O U R N E

Roller derby is an amazing sport, but its sheer awesomeness can be its biggest drawback. Roller derby can be incredibly time intensive. Don’t be misled by the title of amateur sport, roller derby is anything but. It’s not just a case of a couple hours of training here and there as and when time permits with the odd bout thrown in for a bit of a laugh. This is a serious pastime played by fit athletes that’s very rewarding and very demanding.

Aside from actual bouting, many teams train three or four times a week. Some skaters are in the gym everyday. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of woman-hours. Running a derby league can be incredibly time consuming, taking into account the untold amount of jobs that need to be done – and done well – to make a derby league run smoothly. Whether it be general administration, sponsorship, venue hunting, training, flyering, program design or even insurance and counseling. All of this can take up considerably more time than the actual practicing and playing of the game.

Many team administrators regularly put in over 40 hours of work a week into their league. Add that onto a typical day job and that’s most of the week gone.

Nor is roller derby a particularly cheap sport. It’s not just the several hundred dollars for skates, there’s all the other necessities: pads, bearings, wheels, (because a girl can never have too many wheels, right?) boutfits and travel, all of which soon adds up and, especially for people on travel teams, can run to several thousands of dollars.

Given the current economic climate this

40 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

can present a real challenge to one’s finances.

To any skater, the above probably sounds like a statement of the obvious.

But this isn’t about skaters. This is about those girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands or wives who are collectively known as ‘derby widows.’ And they’re so named with good reason, for many derby widows see roller derby as little more than a bit of fun or a quirky hobby and just do not realize the profound change that it can bring to a person’s life. It is to them that this feature is addressed because they need to understand how much of a commitment in time and money this ‘bit of fun’ takes. This is doubly true for ‘fresh meat’ derby widows. It’s important that they know just what becoming a widow entails so that they don’t find themselves complaining that they hardly see their partner anymore or get huffy because the fifty bucks put aside for some weekend fun has gone to replacing bearings instead.

It can be tough being a derby widow, there’s no denying that. Sometimes they have to have the patience of Job to put up with the sport. A good derby widow needs to have acceptance of the

obligations that come with being a dedicated derby skater. Inevitably, there will be times when derby life and real life collide and that’s when your people skills are needed to keep this Job happy. And they should be kept happy while they can be just as time consuming and finance-draining as derby (and often considerably more so) they’re vital to the non-derby part of a skater’s life, soul and (in)sanity.

They are the reality anchor that can get things done while you’re away skating, can help ameliorate the costs and say ‘sure’ when asked if it’s OK to put up six crazy-assed, drunken opposing team members following a particularly successful after bout party.

The trick is harmony, but adequately resolving the conflicting demands on time and resources by derby life and real life can be as finely balanced as any Gotham Glide or hockey stop. Oftentimes there is no problem; widows attend bouts, cheer, buy merch and generally are supportive in any way they can be.

Unfortunately that’s not always the case and everyone knows people whose imbalance of real and skate life has been very problematic, dramatic, catastrophic and several other things

all ending in -ic. So what can be done to balance the yin and yang of this double life?

1. INTEGRATION – The easiest, and probably most beneficial, solution is to show your widow the awesomeness that is roller derby and convince them to help out with whatever skills they may have. That doesn’t mean they have to turn to the dark side of zebradom either; there’s plenty of other skills that can be hugely beneficial to a derby

in the past). So, we decided to have ‘date night’ – dinner at a restaurant with just the two of us and absolutely no derby talk at the dinner table.”

Fortunately things have worked out well for Poison. “As time’s gone on,” she says, “he’s realized that derby isn’t just a flash in the pan, and it’s grown on him, too. Now he helps lay track, film bouts and sell merch. Recently I even caught him bragging about how he has a hot derby wife!”

league – be it a bout photographer (such as yours truly), to DJ, lighting, statistics, production, first aid and so forth. “My wife was skating,” says LRG’s BigCatMerv. “At one practice it was mentioned that they needed an announcer. I can’t skate and can’t ref so I said I’d give it a go and haven’t looked back since. Three years later and I couldn’t imagine my life without the sport in it.”

2. SEPARATION – If your widow is truly set on not having anything to do with derby (in which case psychiatric help and cupcakes may be in order), there is always the quid pro quo approach.

In exchange for your time at derby, you can have non-derby days where the widow gets first choice of what to do and where to go, with no derby involved. Some will find this Walter Mitty-esque double lifestyle sub-optimal, but it definitely works for others. “When I started playing roller derby, my husband wasn’t too keen,” explains OCRG’s Poison. “He thought I was too small and I might get injured. Also he would get pretty butthurt if I had something derby related every single day of the week (which has happened

3: ASSIMILATION – If you can’t beat them, join them is a well-worn adage, but there are many ways to get widows integrated into the wider derby society.

Cutthroat Calamity of Australia’s Newcastle Rollergirls, gives one solution.

“We have family day outings where the widows are encouraged to come along and meet the team skaters as well as other widows. We have barbecues or trips to the water park where we encourage the widows to compete against the derby wives in any silly sports that we make up on the spot.”

Cutthroat insists that it’s a good way for widows to feel as if they’re included in extra-skating activities and can also forge intra-widow friendships through shared interests. “Even if a widow isn’t into derby,” she says, “they generally find something to bond over – even if it is only beer!”

Sadly, it must be accepted that there will be times when the two sides cannot be reconciled and a decision has to be made about which to prioritize. That may be the widow, or it may be derby.

And that comes down to the individual.

That said, general experience show that this seems to be relatively uncommon.

Luckily, Cutthroat speaks for hundreds – if not thousands – of skaters worldwide.

“My widow is the shit,” she says, “I know he will never be one of those boys who will say ‘it’s me or derby, you need

Jules Doyle

to choose,’ because he knows that me without derby would be like a skate with no wheels.”

So, for all the derby wives who have gotten this far, don’t think of derby as a girlfriend lost, rather think of it as a world-wide family gained. See, we told you derby was awesome.

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 41

feature

recruiting for a competitive national standing RYA N C A E S A R , O H I O R O L L E R G I R L S

As the number of teams and players involved in roller derby grows, it will become increasingly difficult for beginning and intermediate teams to compete with elite teams. The easiest way to improve competitively is to attract talented skaters who don’t require remedial training and can quickly grasp the concepts of the sport and embrace an athletic lifestyle, and thus rapidly contribute to a team’s competitive improvement.

Most leagues currently rely on word of mouth, web sites, social networking sites, and announcements during games to attract new recruits. This passive form of recruiting has been born of necessity – the grassroots nature of the sport and pay-to-play format has mandated that leagues are not selective in accepting new players. In contrast, universities and professional sports teams offer some form of financial incentive to recruit prospective athletes. Without such incentives, it may seem pointless to engage in an active, personal recruiting program.

However, teams can take part in the approach used by universities and pro teams, and make recruiting efforts directed and personalized in order to improve the chances of attracting highly-skilled athletes to play roller derby. While this pertains mostly to skaters, much of this applies to referees, volunteers, coaches, trainers, and even sponsors and fans as well. establish a recruiting program The first step to implementing a recruiting program is to put together a committee or taskforce of qualified people from within the league. Identify people who are knowledgeable, respectful, outgoing and have great verbal communication skills, and at least one or two who can readily answer emails and access the internet. Consider designating a recruiting coordinator or chair to serve as a liaison with trainers and league leaders.

Next, outline a strategy and be sure to include measurable goals. How many players are you looking for? What is your time frame and expected outcome? Where will you focus recruiting efforts? How can you integrate your social media, web, and other electronic resources? What other tools can you use? What

money is available to help pay for directed marketing? Without measurable goals and a plan, it will be hard to assess your progress and figure out what needs to be tweaked if you aren’t satisfied with the results of your efforts.

Don’t rely solely on social media for your recruiting needs, but by all means use it extensively. Wise use of social networking is one of the most effective marketing and recruiting tools a league has, and it’s (mostly) free. However, not many people are taking full advantage of the features such tools offer (events, targeted updates, ad campaigns, etc.), and are not using these tools in a personal and active way.

For example, a status update or event page that advertises the next informational workshop or tryout is a great start, but be prepared to follow up on comments and inquiries in a timely and personal manner. For example, someone might comment, “I have been thinking about trying out for a while, but I’m not sure it is for me.” Without a response, this person is very likely to fall through the cracks. On the other hand, if you post a follow-up comment to the effect of, “Lots of our players had that initial reaction, why don’t you come out and give it a shot? We guarantee that even if you decide not to do it, you’ll have a blast!” Chances are much greater that she’ll show up after reading such a response.

In addition, using flyers, free ads in community papers, online classifieds sites, and online forums that focus on roller skating (and not just derby) are Polly Sonic

42 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

tools that are relatively cheap and easy. None of these will do the trick by themselves, but when you use all these resources you can spread the word about recruiting and tryouts. A smart thing to have available is a flyer or card that includes some basic information about recruiting and tryouts to hand out.

By far, the best tool in recruiting is having a conversation with interested people. This is where having knowledge of the sport and excellent communication skills combined with a friendly personality is vital. Personal interactions are so important in convincing potential recruits that the sport is awesome, the league is an exciting organization, and you really believe that this person has the potential to be an impact player. Don’t be shy to approach people you see out on the trails or at rinks’ open skates, and ask if you can talk to her for just a few minutes.

Embrace the shotgun approach when setting and assessing recruiting goals; your success rate is going to be low so plan accordingly. A rough estimate might be that for every ten recruits that make it through tryouts, you end up with one good player who will stick with it for a number of years and extrapolate from there. For perhaps every 50 people you talk to, only 10-15 may even show up to tryouts. This seems discouraging, but actually it’s quite acceptable. A vast majority of athletic women, even those already involved in some form of roller or skating sports are not going to embrace roller derby.

When recruiting for serious players, you have to deal in volume. incentives Universities and professional organizations have a luxury at their disposal that few derby teams currently have, the ability to offer incentives (usually financial) to players as a way to entice them into joining their organization and as a reward for their time and efforts. However, most derby teams have at least something they can offer to a few individuals to make them feel appreciated and wanted, which in turn might sway them to join.

The exact things that can be offered will vary greatly depending on what resources your league has, but I’ll discuss a few examples of things that should be available to all. First, you should always woo recruits with comp tickets to your games.

Letting a few prospective players into a game for free isn’t going to ruin your league financially, and that kind of gesture goes a long way to showing someone you really want them to be a part of your organization. Merch (or better yet, merch packets) also can go a long way to making someone feel wanted. Most merch doesn’t cost very much, and giving away

a T-shirt and a few buttons and stickers can’t do much damage to your bank account. But it could make a potential player say, “Hey, these ladies are willing to give me free stuff, maybe I’ll check it out.”

Perhaps your league has a local skate shop sponsor? Maybe you can offer discounted or free equipment to the occasional skater that shows a lot of promise and needs some help getting outfitted. Other options might include a form of “scholarship” where temporary reduced dues are offered in exchange for some performance and/or service milestones. Making special exceptions in policies for certain people should be avoided, but some limited financial incentive for promising recruits is well within the spirit of sisterhood most leagues embrace. recruit where skaters and athletes hang out So where do you recruit? This really is an obvious answer – go where there are skaters and athletes. The local rinks, the local outdoor trails, college campuses, hockey rinks, skate parks, etc.

Hang your recruiting flyers at gyms and pass them out at parks where people exercise outdoors. If you focus recruiting efforts solely on bars and hang out spots, the people who show up are going to reflect that.

A great activity that can kill several birds with one stone is to run semi-organized practices in public areas to boost awareness. As an example, get out to the local outdoor running/biking/skating path, and skate the trail doing Indian sprints or weaving lines. Wear league gear and have each player stuff a few recruiting cards in their pockets to pass out during water breaks. Periodically, chant something to advertise

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 43

feature who you are. By doing this you are increasing your awareness in the public eye, demonstrating some of your unique skills, and exposing yourself to an audience of athletic people. This really is an excellent way to combine training, recruiting, and promoting, while having a lot of fun.

Skate parks and shops are a great place to meet people already interested in roller sports. A girl who rides skateboards

follow up and retention Retaining recruits and players could be the topic of an entire article by itself, but it’s worth mentioning briefly here. Obviously first impressions are powerful, so the exact personality of who is greeting and dealing with recruits is of vital importance. The most important factors in retention after that first impression are motivation, having a challenging training program, being

is going to have great balance and baseline core strength, and will usually be able to pick up roller skating pretty quickly.

Extreme inline skaters are an untapped resource of derby talent in many markets. Even if you just run into male skateboarders, chances are they have friends that will be sympathetic and interested in playing.

Hanging out at your local skating rink should be obvious, but you’d be surprised that for many leagues it isn’t. There

organized and professional, and having good communication.

Motivation is across the board and universal – people have to always feel like they belong to an organization that is worth their time, makes them feel good and is worth the sacrifice.

Skaters must leave practices feeling physically exhausted but mentally stimulated. That goes for skaters of all skill levels.

Roller Derby teams today may not have the kind of

is an attitude in some leagues that plain old roller skating is for sissies, not fun, etc. Have members of your recruiting team regularly hit the local open and adult sessions with informational handouts ready to hand over to any women who look somewhat athletic and good on skates. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to convince someone to play derby who would have never even considered it without a personal invitation.

If you live in a region where there are several leagues within driving distance from each other, then by all means recruit from other nearby leagues. This could be a contentious topic, but let’s try and approach this objectively. Some players may simply be a better fit for a team other than their current one, and it may be worth their while to drive a little further to play for a team that is a better fit. Don’t hesitate to let players from other leagues know that there are options available. If a player is going to improve your team competitively and be happier, there is really nothing unethical about trying to lure her away.

Players aren’t under contract and they pay to play, so you are free to recruit them away from their current team.

44 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

resources that a professional sports team has in recruiting new talent, but to be competitive with the top teams in the sport, an active approach must be taken. This will only become more important as the sport continues to advance. Many leagues around the nation are finding that the way they recruited a few years ago is no longer sufficient to attract great players. With increasing maturity and popularity of the sport, many markets have reached a saturation point where the “typical” recruits are already involved, or have tried it and moved on/retired. In order to reach out to women with traditional athlete/skater backgrounds, leagues have to increasingly step out of their comfort zones and find better ways to attract and retain quality recruits. Embracing an active and organized recruiting program goes hand-in-hand with a sound training program. A team that wishes to improve its chances of reaching and succeeding in tournament play will not just wait around for good players to show up, it will go out there and find those good players.

D

DNN BRINGS IT TO YOU live coverage from all the biggest events!

SCORES

HIGHLIGHTS

ANALYSIS

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Jules Doy le

feature

after parties M O N A C L E D E BA C L E , R O S E C I T Y R O L L E R S

Nicolas Charest for RollerGirl.ca

Just like the sport itself, the after parties of roller derby are changing. For a league like Portland, Oregon’s Rose City Rollers (RCR), this means smaller venues and a focus on more engaging entertainment for skaters. Although a good party is usually hard to come by, this doesn’t hold true when a group of sweaty rollergirls get together at a bar.

Speed Bump, who is involved in RCR’s marketing, management, coaching and is an integral part of the league says, “Our parties have changed as much as the sport, as much as our rosters and as much as our fan base.”

That’s saying a lot.

In season one, back in 2006, all bouts were played at Portland’s Expo Center, an enormous arena that seats close to 3,000 people. With so much time and energy going into set up and tear down, not to mention the physical aspect of the game itself, skaters were exhausted and would often show up late to after parties.

Initially like punk rock house shows, with or without the band, these after parties were large, raucous and packed to the gills with fans, volunteers and skaters. They were looked forward to and invested in almost as much as the bout itself. High spirits and healthy banter typically degraded into arm-wrestling, someone attempting the worm and people stumbling away in a drunken haze.

In 2009, with the downturn of the economy, bouts were moved to the hangar space that Rose City practices in, where capacity is limited to 500. Only select bouts throughout the season were played at the Expo Center. Likewise, after parties also became much smaller, but also brought rollergirls to the party faster. There’s still drinking, dancing and music, but fewer people are in attendance.

46 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Dance parties featuring DJs or karaoke replaced inconsistent and obnoxious bands. Skaters get to talk, mingle and sweat it off some more. Physical contests still thrive and it’s not unlikely to see your 100-pound jammer in a friendly hip check war with the fiercest blocker from the opposing team.

The skaters are accessible, lined up at the bar, just like everyone else, but it’s hard to crack into the party anthem if you haven’t shared in the fun of creating it. Fans only come back if they become more integrated with the league as a volunteer, skater, ref or superfan.

In lieu of camaraderie and good times, the purpose of the after party seems to have shifted away from a method of reaching out to potential friends and recruits.

Even so, brand new fans always show up. They’re drawn to the excitement of derby and its Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle. People who aren’t a part of the league, however, don’t usually stay to the bitter end.

Rollergirls know how to party, but it’s key to find a venue that can support our strident nature. In Portland, we’re always scoping out new bars. Places with good space and the ability to accommodate a high impact crowd. Rose City’s most successful dance parties are held at Plan B, a gritty neighborhood bar not so far from the hangar where most home team single-headers take place.

Plenty of new venues have been tried out in the past year, dotted around the city and different both in size and atmosphere. Invasion is one such place, a posh bar located downtown that, to the event planners’ surprise, housed slick male strippers in the adjacent room. One after party at Disjecta

Gallery, marooned deep in North Portland, closed down at midnight. Partygoers were forced across the street to a seedy strip club with the league credit card to buy volunteers more beer. Rose City still hasn’t nailed down a venue to consistently work with.

With five or six bouts in one month, you’ve got to pace yourself.

So, while it’s not an over-the-top occasion every time, some after parties are definitely noteworthy. When Portland’s All Star team, the Wheels of Justice, host their Northerly sister, Rat City’s All Stars, it’s sure to be a big deal. We know them well and they like to party. Another big bout and occurrence is the season opener, where all four of Portland’s home teams: the Heartless Heathers, Guns N Rollers (GNR), the High Rollers and the Break Neck Betties, compete. Every team plays. Everyone goes to celebrate afterwards.

How do team dynamics factor into the fun? Over the years, the rifts between home teams have gotten shallower. When teams first formed in season one, rosters evolved around whatever powerful dynamic the team wanted to define themselves as. Bitchy Betties.

The crazy, but rock GNR. Cold Heathers. It’s not that way anymore, especially as more retired skaters return to the rink to hang out and help and a fourth team has been added in the mix, the High Rollers.

With a healthy Fresh Meat program and an integrated travel team, the league is training together and lasting friendships are born prior to team divides. This means teams who aren't playing will be there to cheer and friendly ties overshadow competitive barriers.

While most of the stereotypes are shifting sands, there’s still room for team bonding. The Betties often show up late to after parties because they go to Kay’s Bar first for a team beer or two.

The Guns N Rollers seem to end up at a dance party together afterwards while the High Rollers show at most parties, supporting the league as a whole. The Heathers still tend to be the party girls.

Typically, after parties draw their participants from the camaraderie of the sport – the opportunity to give props to fellow skaters and breakdown highlights of the game. These days, many prefer to play hard over drinking hard, but that doesn’t mean the after party has to lose its place in roller derby.

After parties give everyone involved an outlet to blow off a frustrating night, a bad event or a chance to celebrate because of an accomplishment. As Draggin Lady, Rose City Rollers’ events coordinator, quips: “Everyone wants to celebrate what part of that success means to them. What makes or breaks it for me is seeing both teams – winning and losing, show up. We’re all there to have fun with the sport and enjoy ourselves.” Nothing can change that.

RollerCon WHAT: Roller Derby Convention WHERE: Las Vegas, Nevada WHEN: July 28 – August 1 (always the last week of July every year!)

WHO: Derby players of ALL SKILL LEVELS, coaches, league members, refs, posses, fans and anyone else interested in derby.

WHY: Because RollerCon is the one place you can pack this much skating, training, seminars, challenges, bouts, scrimmages, vendors and more and more skating into in 5 days – still.

If you have never been to RollerCon, you will probably be fairly overwhelmed. If you haven’t been in longer than a couple years, you might want to check your expectations. A lot of vets talk about how they don’t have travel money for a party anymore – which is, really, how RollerCon started. But it’s only a party now if you want it to be (or you’re injured and can’t skate).

There is so much going on at every skill and interest level now that you can get whatever you want out of the RollerCon convention.

RollerCon is what you want it to be.

•A

training camp.

•A

place to see amazing skating.

•A

place to skate with and against people you admire.

•A

chance to for old dogs to learn new skills.

•A

spot to to check out the latest in derby gear.

•A

pool party with the biggest girl gang on earth.

•A

place for vets to scrimmage without the usual pressure.

•A

track for beginners to learn on.

•A

place to go to seminars on any derby subject under the (blazing) sun.

•A

chance to meet your idols.

•A

chance to beat your idols.

• And

more!

RollerCon.net

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 47

international

derby is growing!

Did you know that there are over 100 international leagues?

You can keep up-to-date with all the new leagues forming around the world at DerbyRoster.com.

Australia Capitol Territory Canberra New South Wales Illawarra Newcastle Sydney

Northern Territory Darwin Queensland Brisbane Cairns Gladstone Gold Coast Northern Brisbane Toowoomba Townsville South Australia Adelaide Tasmania Hobart Launceton Victoria Ballarat Bendigo Geelong Melbourne

Melbourne S E Coast Western Australia Perth

Canada Canberra Roller Derby League Wollongong-Illawarra Roller Derby Newcastle Roller Derby Southwest Sydney Rollers Sydney Roller Derby League Western Sydney Rollers Roller Derby Darwin Brisbane City Rollers Sun State Roller Girls Reef City Rollergirls Port City Derby Dolls ENRG Roller Derby Gold Coast Roller Derby Northern Brisbane Rollers Toowoomba City Rollers Townsville Roller Derby Adelaide Roller Derby Convict City Rollers Van Diemen Rollers Ballarat Roller Derby League Dragon City Derby Dolls Geelong Roller Derby Melbourne Mens Roller Derby Melbourne Roller Derby Victorian Roller Derby South Sea Roller Derby

One Love Roller Dolls Go Go Roller Girls

Brazil Sao Paulo

Lethbridge Medicine Hat Red Deer British Columbia Abbotsford Kelowna Lower Mainland Nanaimo Okanagan-Shuswap Prince George Vancouver Victoria Manitoba Winnipeg Ontario Hamilton Kingston Kitchener-Waterloo London North Bay Ottawa Sault Ste Marie Sudbury Thunder Bay Toronto

Perth Roller Derby W.A. Roller Derby

Belgium Antwerp Gent

Alberta Calgary Edmonton

Ladies of Hell Town

48 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Whitby Quebec Montreal Saskatchewan Regina Saskatoon

Calgary Roller Derby Oil City Derby Brats E-ville Junior Roller Derby E-Ville Roller Derby Oil City Derby Girls Team Canada Men's Roller Derby Deathbridge Derby Dames Gas City Rollers Red Deer Roller Derby Association VooDoo Derby Dolls Okanagan Derby Girls Reign Valley Vixens Harbour City Roller Derby Okanagan Shuswap Womens Roller Derby Rated PG Rollergirls Terminal City Rollergirls Eves of Destruction Winnipeg Roller Derby League Hammer City Roller Girls Kingston Derby Girls Tri City Roller Girls Forest City Derby Girls Gateway City Roller Derby Rideau Valley Roller Girls Ottawa Roller Derby Sault Roller Derby Nickel City Roller Derby Thunder Bay Roller Derby GTA Rollergirls Rollergettes Toronto Junior Roller Derby Toronto Roller Derby Durham Region Roller Derby MTL Roller Derby Pile of Bones Derby Club Saskatoon Roller Derby

Denmark Aarhus Copenhagen

Switzerland Aarhus Derby Dolls Copenhagen Roller Derby

Abu Dhabi Helsinki Roller Derby Bay City Rollers

France Bordeaux Brest Nice Paris Toulouse

Bordeaux Roller Derby B.M.O. Roller Derby Girls Nice Rollergirls Paris Roller Derby Paris Rollergirls Toulouse Roller Derby

Germany Baden-Württemberg Ludwigsburg Stuttgart Bayern Bayreuth Berlin Berlin Bremen Steintor Hamburg Hamburg Nordrhein-Westfalen Cologne Essen Wuppertal

Barockcity Rollerderby Stuttgart Valley Rollergirlz Bayreuth Roller Derby Berlin Bombshells Meatgrinders Harbor Girls

Hamilton New Plymouth Wellington Whangarei

Sweden Stockholm

Brighton Cambridge Croydon Essex Gloucester Kent Leeds Leicester Lincolnshire Liverpool London

Stockholm Roller Derby

Amsterdam Derby Dames

New Zealand Auckland Blenheim Christchurch

Berkshire Birmingham

Machynlleth Swansea

Netherlands Amsterdam

England All England Bedfordshire

Pirate City Rollers Blenheim Brawlettes Dead End Derby Otautahi Roller Derby Hellmilton Roller Ghouls Taranaki Roller Corps Richter City Roller Derby Northland Nightmares

Dublin Roller Girls

Abu Dhabi Roller Derby

United Kingdom

Manchester Middlesbrough Newcastle upon Tyne Nottingham Plymouth Sheffield Shrewsbury Somerset Wakefield West Midlands Northern Ireland Belfast Scotland Aberdeen Dundee Edinburgh Glasgow Perth Wales Cardiff

Graveyard Queens Devil Dolls Red Lion Roller Derby

Ireland Dublin

Zürich City Rollergirlz

United Arab Emirates

Finland Helsinki Lahti

Zürich

M.U.R.D.A. Bedfordshire Roller Girls Rebellion Rollergirls Royal Windsor Rollergirls Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames Central City Rollergirls Brighton Roller Derby Romsey Town Rollerbillies Croydon Roller Derby Seaside Siren Roller Girls Triple Sword Roller Girls Severn Roller Torrent Swale Skate Bombshells Leeds Roller Dolls Dolly Rockit Rollers Imposters Rollergirls Lincolnshire Bombers Liverpool Roller Birds London Rockin Rollers London Rollergirls Rainy City Rollergirls Middlesbrough Milk Rollers Newcastle Roller Girls Hellfire Harlots Plymouth Roller Derby Sheffield Steel Roller Girls Shrewsbury Roller Derby Somerset Derby Girls Wakey Wheeled Cats Tri-County Rollers Belfast Roller Derby Granite City Roller Girls Dundee Destroyers Auld Reekie Roller Girls Glasgow Roller Girls Fair City Rollers Cardiff Dragon Dolls Tiger Bay Brawlers Mid Wales Roller Derby Swansea City Slayers

fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 49

check it out

fast girl skates S H OV E Y C H A S E , R AT C I T Y R O L L E R G I R L S In March, the three-year anniversary of Seattle’s Fast Girl Skates came and went with nary a nod; its owners were far too busy to celebrate.

Beneath stacks of wheels and boxes of Riedell boots, Sarah O’Donoghue and Jennifer Savaglio dash around the small store. They measure feet, mount plates, compare wheels, share experiences, give advice, boost spirits, crack jokes, and answer phones. On their one day off, they order gear to stock the store and fill online orders.

The store’s proprietresses are perhaps better known by their derby monikers, Wile E. Peyote (O’Donoghue) and La Petite Mort (Savaglio), both Rat City Rollergirls since late 2006. They play for opposing teams – a fact that, to their credit, has not ever permanently dented their partnership.

To understand the fiery, competitive Wile E. and the calm, nurturing

Savaglio said.

O’Donoghue agreed. “They get so excited. I’ll never forget when I have customers who have gone through three pairs of skates, getting

Morty is to spend time in their bustling store, which apart from its mission

the wrong sizes, and then coming here and getting the right ones.

to serve and educate local rollergirls, has become derby’s answer to an

It makes us so happy.”

old-time barbershop.

It could be a weekday afternoon or a Saturday night; the scene is often

So how does it work when word gets out and a store – a store that was established to give skaters a chance to touch and try gear before

the same: Gaggles of customers crowd into the shop, some who know

purchasing it – starts getting orders from around the world, Sweden to

exactly what they’re looking for but many of whom are new to skating and

New Zealand?

overwhelmed by choices. All the while, a colorful cast of regulars, including

Selling skate gear online and “getting things right the first time”

many local skaters and coaches, loiter and lean on counters providing a

are not mutually exclusive, said O’Donoghue, who has been known

running commentary.

to go to extensive lengths to make sure skaters who can’t physically

“People come to buy stuff, but they also just stop by to talk,” O’Donoghue said. “I love that people come here just to hang out.

They’ll be eating lunch in the corner while the store is full of boxes and customers, and they’ll just be chatting away.”

When O’Donoghue and Savaglio considered opening the first brick-andmortar store to specialize in derby, they knew it was a risk.

“I remember thinking, ‘OK, this is a huge gamble.’ But derby was a huge gamble at the time,” Savaglio said. “We just wanted to try and see where it went.”

Three years later, it appears both roller derby and Fast Girl Skates are on a steep, upward trajectory. Apart from the store being crowded with

visit the store still get full service experience. Online orders can sometimes take longer than helping a customer in store, she said.

“I have tried stuff on for people while they’re on the phone with me.

I will basically step them through everything,” she said. “I can’t always see the customer, so I always ask them their stats (such as height, weight, and size). It might feel a little intrusive, but in the long run they’re happier with what they get. It’s very rare that we’ve had returns in three years.”

With derby’s demands growing, their thoughts have turned to expansion – hiring their first full-time employee, keeping pace with growing online orders and entertaining the possibility of opening additional locations.

“It’d be nice to grow and open a couple of other locations for people. It’s

people, the two have packed as much inventory as possible into

one of the reasons we wanted to have a brick-and-mortar – you just can’t

the small space. The walls have become a Tetris-style arrangement

really replace that interaction,” Savaglio said. “But we’re very cognizant

of helmets, pads, skates, and an impressive, colorful wall-o-socks

about not rushing to expand, and making sure we really have things nailed

(they started with six styles, and now carry nearly 100). There are braces

down here and that nothing suffers as a result of it.”

and ice packs, referee wear, and all the key components of the “rollergirl uniform” – shirts, booty shorts, fishnets and tights, even jewelry.

The two are well-known for testing what they sell, for advocating on behalf of rollergirls to skate and gear manufacturers, and for going above and beyond to find skaters the right gear. That last thing – seeing girls

While they noodle on expansion plans, O’Donoghue and Savaglio are also looking for more teaching opportunities. The two have taught classes to Northwest Leagues and at Rollercon on gear, pain management, derby strategy and skating.

“We’re not motivated by dollars. We did not open this store to

matched up with gear that works well for them – they say is the single

be rich. We opened it to be of service and to educate – to give skaters

biggest reward of the job.

information and let them make the choice they think is best for them,”

“To see girls in their new skates – they come up to us and say, ‘Oh my god, I love my new skates so much. I feel like I can fly,’” 50 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

Savaglio said. “One of my most favorite sayings about derby is, ‘We’re all novices, yet we’re all experts.’ I love that. It’s so perfect.”

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1 Dirty Larry, Twin Cities Terrors 2 Old Skool Beatdown, Rose City Rollers 3 Scream Weaver, Palmetto State Rollergirls 4 PBR, Sioux City Roller Dames 5 AJ Epstein, TheBlondeBomber.com 6 Sally Strych9, Oklahoma Victory Dolls 7 Black Barberella, Barockcity Rollerderby 8 Cap’n Sarcasm, Capital City Crushers 52 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

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9 Cheatin’ Chong, Dallas Derby Devils 10 SweetHurt, Texas Rollergirls Rec’n’Rollerderby 11 Rollin’ Redshirt, Pioneer Valley Roller Derby 12 Stormy Trooper, Dead Girl Derby KC 13 Slay-her, Lava City Roller Dolls 14 Lethal Lavender, Rage City Rollergirls 15 Ska Face, Rogue Rollergirls 16 Iona Trailer, Hurricane Alley Roller Derby

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17 Stormy Trooper, Dead Girl Derby KC 18 Stonie, Philly Roller Girls 19 Foxy del Fuego, Tampa Bay Derby Darlins 20 Hater Tot, Roc City Roller Derby 21 Stormy Trooper, Dead Girl Derby KC 22 Lorenza Campos 23 Swiss Missile, Pikes Peak Derby Dames 24 Lady Roll D’Mort, Adelaide Roller Derby

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wanna see more? check out RollerDerbyTattoos.com 25 Horribell, Barockcity Rollerderby 26 Sparkilla, Dallas Derby Devils 27 MamaKaze, Texas Rollergirls Rec’n’Rollerderby 28 Fraggle Rockstar, Bellingham Roller Betties 29 Elektra Violette, Green Country Roller Girls 30 Mouth of the South, Toronto Roller Derby 31 Dolly Darton, ICT Roller Girls 32 BackAli Brawler, Battle Born Derby Demons

33 Stormy Trooper, Dead Girl Derby KC 34 Monkey Shines, Fox Cityz Foxz 35 Sin D. Lap-Her, New Hampshire Roller Derby 36 Motley Screw, London Rockin’ Rollers 37 Juicy Jaimz, Sun State Roller Girls 38 MrMcWheely, Arch Rival Roller Girls 39 Tekilla Slamma, ENRG Roller Derby 40 Jackie Lation, Dallas Derby Devils

41 Buster Skull, Wilmington City Ruff Rollers 42 Fraggle Rockstar, Bellingham Roller Betties 43 Karma-Lized, Roc City Roller Derby 44 Needle Fever, Silicon Valley Roller Girls 45 Fun Size, Sioux City Roller Dames 46 Karmann Ghia, Terminal City Rollergirl 47 Little Murder Maid, London Rockin’ Rollers 48 Keligula, Arch Rival Roller Girls fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 53

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK DERBY ASSOCIATION (WFTDA)

ASSOCIAT ION (WFTDA) THE WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK DERBY ISSUE 6, WINTER 2009 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZIN E OF ASSOCIAT ION (WFTDA) THE WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK DERBY ISSUE 7, SPRING 2010 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZIN E OF

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION $17.99 for WFTDA league members $25.99 for non-WFTDA league members SAVE SOME DOUGH ON SHIPPING AND ORDER IN BULK FOR YOUR WHOLE LEAGUE! email info @ fiveonfivemag.com

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fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2010 | 57

PRG 5on5 ECE2010 Ad.indd 1

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1 AM

horoscopes P R OV I D E D B Y Y O U R D E R B Y P S Y C H I C , L U S C I O U S S M A C K S O M E

GEMINI

S A G I T TA R I U S

May 21-June 20

November 23-December 21

You have been having difficulty staying present in the moment. What is going on around you requires all of your attention. If you cannot stay focused, it may be time to consider taking a small break until you can get your head back in the game.

Your teammates are listening and responding to your advice and suggestions. Now may be the time to implement that new move or strategy you have been thinking about. Everyone will take notice and you and your team will benefit from your creativity.

CANCER

CAPRICORN

June 21-July 22

December 22-January 19

Recognizing everything that must be accomplished on the track could make you feel overwhelmed at times.

Don’t let this get in your way! Clear your mind and stay focused on your goals. Your game play will be elevated and your team will appreciate your clarity.

You sense that something has been happening behind your back and this has been affecting your game play.

Do less thinking and take your frustrations out on the track. Be physical and quit worrying about it, others will take notice and the situation will pass.

LEO

AQUARIUS

July 23-August 22

January 20-February 19

Take advantage of your increased stamina and energy.

You and your teammates will be amazed at how far you have come. Stay focused and don’t allow personal issues to hold you back on the track.

Focus on the details, not the big picture. Take every practice seriously and work on the little things that make a big impact on your game play. Taking this approach will elevate your skating and bouting abilities tenfold.

VIRGO August 23-September 22

PISCES

You will find that eating right, clearing your mind and focusing on your team’s strategies really improve your skills on the track. When you are at practice that is all you should be thinking about. Don’t let a teammate’s remarks affect you negatively, they are only trying to help.

February 20-March 20

This is your time to shine! All of the dedication and hard work you have been putting into derby will pay off. Now is the time to unleash the fury you have been feeling. You and your teammates will be surprised at what you can accomplish on the track.

LIBRA

ARIES

September 23-October 23

March 21-April 19

Open communication with your team is key. Realize that not everyone is open to your ideas and suggestions but don’t let that stop you from trying. You are seeing the game a bit differently lately and that insight will ultimately prove advantageous.

You may be feeling overloaded these days with all your derby related responsibilities, but now is the time to embrace and excel. Don’t be afraid to ask your teammates for help, they will be more than willing.

SCORPIO

TA U R U S

October 24-November 22

April 20-May 20

Practice, practice, practice! You have been feeling tired and out of sync on the track, but getting back to basics will bring back the confidence you have been lacking.

Your level of play will be elevated once you tackle this mental block.

Your life is far from dull these days. Teammates seek you out for advice as well as your strengths on the track. Enjoy this attention and share all that you have learned. This will only strengthen your position within your team and your league.

60 | Summer 2010 | fiveonfivemag.com

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