The Red Wire
January 2012
The Bradentucky Bombers Official Newsletter
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February 12, 2012 Tailgating- 6 p.m. Doors Open: 6:30 p.m. Bout begins: 7 p.m.
Presale tickets -$10 Door tickets - $12 at the door Kids under 10 are free!!!
Free beer and after party fun provided by:
Presale tickets can be purchased from your favorite derby girl or at our fabulous ticket spots: Astro Skate Bradenton A&Z Rentals on Cortez Road Hurricane Hanks on Anna Maria Island V-Town Surf & Skate Sarasota
We will also be collecting office supplies for “Learn to Fish� www.learntofish.ws
January 2012
A Message From the Bombers Sponsorship & Promotions Team Our season is just a month away and we have a couple things in the works before we start. Like our A$$vertisment Auction!
I would like to offer your business, place of employment or any other place you think would like to display our poster and in return we will FB the business/place in our monthly “Look Who Stay tuned for dates as you don’t want to Supports Bradentucky” area on our miss your chance to have “Your Ad in website which can help broadcast your Motion!” business to the masses. -Starr Kazim starrkazim@yahoo.com Sponsorship Chair
Please contact me if you are interested in a poster. Thank you again for being the most amazing fans! -Malice N. Rollerland malice.no36@gmail.com Promotions Chair
Save the Date! Bout Schedule- Next Four Home Games Location: Astro Skate Center 3611 3rd St. W. Bradenton, FL 34205 Feb 12 Miami’s Vice City Rollers March 4th Sintral Florida Derby Demons April 1st Ft. Myers Derby Girls May 20 Gainesville Roller Rebels
Talk Derby to Me: How To Watch Roller Derby
January 2012
Courtesy of Three-Day Bender from the Boston Derby Dames repost of blog Photos by Stalker TexasStranger
Okay, you’ve been to one or two bouts, you’ve seen the rules demo, and you’ve watched skaters making a lot of left turns. But you don’t quite get what’s going on down on the track. We’re here to fix that! Here are some suggestions for how to get more out of watching a roller derby bout, laid out in easy steps. Start at the top, and when you’re ready, move on to the next thing. In the future, look for more in-depth articles on each of these points. 1) Enjoy the hitting. Let’s admit it, the first time you go to a roller derby bout, you’re looking for big hip-checks and skaters sprawling to the floor. That’s okay! To rip off Yogi Berra, 50% of this sport is half-physical, so enjoy the big hits and the big falls. 2) Watch the jammers. They score the points, and they’re the ones who get hit most often! They’re also easy to spot because they’re wearing a big star on their helmets. The blockers will mostly focus on them, so you should too. 3) Watch the pack even when the jammers aren’t there. This is the equivalent of watching the action “off the ball” in most sports: how a basketball half-court offense sets up, or a football defensive scheme. Watch who’s moving to the front and who’s dropping back. Watch how the pack speeds up and slows down depending on where the jammers are. Watch for the refs to signal where the pack is when it starts to split, and how it reforms when that happens. Gotten this far? Great. You’re now a derby fan! Hopefully at this point you’re hooked, and you’ve already bought tickets for the next bout. You want more? No worries, there’s plenty more in store for you... 4) Watch the referees. A good referee is part of the action. Pack refs follow the pack and signal penalties. Jam refs follow the jammers and count points with a raised hand after each scoring pass. Watch for a five-point “grand slam,” when a jammer passes all blockers and laps the opposing jammer. You can learn all the other penalty calls by reading the excellent PDF WFTDA Referee Hand Signals here on WFTDA.com, which shows pictures of all the calls. Look for the difference between a skater being sent to the box for a major, versus being sent
January 2012
off for accumulating four minors. 5) Watch the penalty box. When a team has blockers in the box, opposing jammers have the opportunity to score points more easily. When a team’s jammer is in the box, she can’t score at all! Penalties last for one minute; when a skater has 10 seconds remaining in the penalty box, she stands up to prepare to re-enter the pack. 6) Watch the blockers who aren’t in the pack. The “20 foot rule” is one of the little details that comes into play a lot on the track. It’s like the offside rule in soccer—hard to understand, but used strategically and an important part of understanding the game. When blockers get too far ahead of the pack because they’re fighting off a jammer, look for the “out of play” warning (ref’s right arm bends at the elbow with the hand straight up) and penalty (the hand comes down in a chopping motion), or listen for the call, “20 feet! Let her go!” At this point you should be able to wow your friends with your knowledge of derby. You’ve already bought season tickets for next year. Wait, you still haven’t had enough? Okay, you asked for it... 7) Read the official rules. You won’t get everything the first time. Don’t even try. You might actually try reading them backwards— start at the end and working your way forward. But at some point you just have to read the official wording in order to understand why the penalties are called like they are. 8) Try to understand the strategy. Why did the lead jammer call off that jam? How much time is left in the period? What’s the score? Which jammers get ahead on speed, and which get ahead by letting their blockers do the work? Which blockers seem to rely on hard hits and which rely on positional blocking to stop opponents or clear a path for their own jammer? How do blockers work together to stop a jammer? How does a jammer get help from the blockers on her team? How quickly does a team shift from offense to defense depending on their jammer’s position—do certain skaters seem to always play one or the other? 9) Count jammer points. See if you can tally how many opposing skaters a jammer has passed legally. Don’t forget, they get points for any players in the penalty box as soon as they pass the first opponent on the track. You might not always get the same number as the jam ref, because you might not always see penalties (which result in points not being granted). But the first time you call a
grand slam before the jam ref signals it, the look of awe from your friends will make it worthwhile. Are you kidding me? If you want to get into even more nitty-gritty… 10) Come referee for your closest league. At this point you’ve got the essentials down pat, the rest is just learning to recognize the finer points and respond to them quickly. Hey, you’ll get into every bout for free! (No, seriously. You just might love it.)
Straight form the Derby Girl’s Mouth: Welcome to the Red Wire Hello Bradentucky Fans and welcome to the Red Wire! As the editor of the Red Wire, my hope is to not only provide you with everything and anything related to Bradentucky Bombers but to the roller derby world in general. In every issue you will: Learn more about your Bombers and staff through skater, ref and non-skating official (NSO) profiles. Bout recaps where we will cover the highs and lows of the game as well as the bout itself. (Look for the first one after the February 12th bout) See pictures of the Bombers out and about in the community. Season schedule General derby articles that give a perspective out of Bradentucky Bombers
January 2012
roller derby and into the world wide derby scene.
Another element I would like to incorporate into the Red Wire is you - the fans! 2012 is going to be a great year for your local roller derby league and we want to experience the excitement with you! Over time, I would like to add an element to the Red Wire which would be for the fans which would be unoriginally titled “Bradentucky Fan Zone.” In order for this to work, I need your help! I need fans to send me articles of photos related to Bradentucky Bombers or roller derby in general. Articles can be about: Your experience with roller derby How roller derby has impact your lifeWhat you, as a fan, want to see more of Questions including the Ask Abbyesque letters, if you are so inclined to ask for help Pictures and a caption with a Bradentucky Bomber at a bout or in the community To also get our fans more involved, look for a survey to be released in the near future in which we will be asking you, the fan: “How can we make the awesome sport of roller derby more enjoyable for our supporters?” So with all that, 2012 is looking brighter as we get closer to our season opener. Many thanks again to our supporters and we’ll see you soon on the track! -Nikita Dy-No-Mite #818
January 2012
Bombers Out & About
Event: The Annual Anna Maria Island Privateers Christmas Parade Where: Anna Maria Island When: December 10, 2011
January 2012
Seasoned Skater Profile: Dita Von Cheats Red Wire: What did your life consist of before derby? Dita Von Cheats: Before derby I was a dancer/singer for an internationally touring goth band! I always wanted to play the sport, but was terrified of getting hurt. RW: How did you get immersed into the awesome sport that is roller derby? DVC: I quit the band to be with my mother when she became sick. After she passed I really wanted to be around strong women. It doesn’t get much stronger than roller derby. RW: What is your favorite aspect of the sport? DVC: The sisterhood! RW: How many years have you been playing? DVC: I am going into my 4th season. RW: Most memorable moment: DVC: Oh geez! There have been so many! My first bout was pretty memorable. I was terrified. I think Tenacious skated through my legs, which was pretty awesome! RW: How do you spend your time outside of derby? DVC: I am a drama teacher. RW: What is your prediction/expectation for the 2012 season? DVC: We are going through so many changes this season: new coach, tons of new skaters... I think it’s going to be a season for growth and rebuilding. I see a lot of great
January 2012
things coming from our new gals. RW: Right before a bout, what song are you blasting to get yourself pumped up? DVC: Embarrassing... but I do listen to Ke$ha to get myself going!!!!! RW: Anything you would like to say to the fans? DVC: Thank you for coming to our bouts and supporting us!!!!!!! RW: What position do you play? Do you enjoy this position? If not, what would you like to play? DVC: If you like it, why do you like the position? I primarily play the pivot. I do like it! It’s easy for me to communicate to my girls what’s going on because I’m so tall. The team keeps trying to get me to to become a jammer, so maybe you’ll see that in the future too. RW: What is your biggest challenge, and what do you do to manage this challenge? DVC: In derby, it’s forcing myself to be aggressive. I have to psych myself out before every bout and tell myself to be mean. It’s not easy for me!!!! RW: What is your professional/educational background? DVC: Graduate from Florida State University (FSU) with a major in Theater and a minor in dance. RW: Have you played any other sports? If yes, what sport and for how long? DVC: Played volleyball for 6 years!!!!!! A fan of Dita Von Cheats? Like her on facebook!
January 2012
Freshmeat Skater Profile: Red Crush
A fan of Red Crush? Like her on facebook!
Red Wire: What did your life consist of before derby? Red Crush: Family, work, and school RW: How did you get immersed into the awesome sport that is roller derby? RC: It certainly is addicting! I know it sounds cheesy, but, I saw the movie Whip It, then shortly after took my kids to a birthday party at the skating brink,while skating with them,an ex derby girl rolled up to me and told me about the Bombers, and the rest is history! RW: What is your favorite aspect of the sport? RC: The camaraderie...you’ll never find a better, stronger bunch of ladies. RW: How many years have you been playing? RC: My one year anniversary was January 8, 2012. RW: Most memorable moment: RC: When I made the team! RW: How do you spend your time outside of derby? RC: I spend time with my husband and two beautiful children, and my mom and stepdad. I am a full time college student, and I work full time as an executive healthcare recruited as well. In my spare time (whatever that is) I try to find time to hang with my derby family.
January 2012
RW: What words of encouragement can you offer to those who would like to join the sport? RC: DO IT! Don’t think you can’t, because you can and you’ll love it!! RW: Right before a bout, what song are you blasting to get yourself pumped up? RC: “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” by Drowning Pool RW: Anything you would like to say to the fans? RC: We love you all and thank you for your continued support...P.S. Share your love for DERBY!! RW: As a freshmeat skater, who do you have a derby idol? RC: No, I don’t have just one,I have many! They are all great teachers and give me something to aspire to!! RW: What position do you play? Do you enjoy this position? If not, what would you like to play? If you like it, why do you like the position? RC: I am a blocker/sometimes jammer. One day I would love to be an awesome JAMMER! RW: Do you have a saying or motto that you live your life by? RC: I have two. One is for my day to day life, it’s cliched but... “Live life to the fullest!” Then for my derby life, a quote from Vixen DaCrusher. “Do you wanna be comfortable, or do you wanna win.” This is the one I remember when I don’t think I can push myself any further. RW: Professional/educational background? RC: I am a Nationally Board Certified Massage Therapist. I have been a healer since I was a kid, and have done it professionally for more than 10 years. I thought I’d take it one step further and become a physical therapy assistant as well. In the end, I will be a physio-massage therapist. RW: Have you played any other sports? If yes, what sport and for how long? RC: Yes, I did Tae Kwon Do, and kick boxing for a few years. I loved it and have always been into sports, all full contact! I was the only girl in the neighborhood that could play football better than the boys ; )