by Emmeline PancakeHurst

Everyone involved in roller derby hears the same questions, like ‘Is there a ball?’ and ‘Is it really dangerous?’

As a female derby referee, I’m often asked why I “ref” rather than play. Unlike some, I’ve not taken to reffing following injury. I knew I wanted to officiate, rather than play, right from the start. My other big hobby is live action role-play – I’ve stalked through moonlit woodlands waiting to be ambushed by zombies, hunted nightmares across the wastes outside a fortified city, shot mutants with plasma weapons, traded with demons and saved the world from Fae. So, from roller derby, I was looking for something other than actual gameplay.

I thought the first bout I saw, Storm in a D-Cup, was great. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I really enjoyed it! The more I found out, the more I was interested in understanding how it works, and making it happen, rather than joining a team.

Since I’ve been involved with roller derby, I’ve watched the game evolve. New tactics and plays have resulted in several hours discussion about different scenarios, and how to enforce the rules for them. For example, when knee starts first became popular, it meant applying the pack definition rules in a way I hadn’t used before. The same rules, the same knowledge, but applied to a different situation. I’m looking forward to the next edition of the rules coming out, to see how it will evolve the game.

There are levels of ref-geekery that I’m sure players don’t spend much time considering, like:

• Whistle types (personal preference: Fox 40 classic in black ) and the benefits of a CMG (Comfort Mouth Grip)
• Number of stopwatches I need
• The different ways the ‘Not Lead Jammer’ hand signal can be made (personal preference: big sweeping movements – see the WFTDA Rules Referee Hand Signals PDF)
• Getting referee shirts in the UK  and how best to put your name on them (personal preference: Northern Soul Sportswear and a Velcro-on panel).

Like all skaters, I’m constantly looking to improve. While a player might be looking at maintaining the pack and better bridging, I’m working at being a better front IPR (Inside Pack Referee) and identifying and calling the penalties that go with that position.

Bouting is very different for me, than for a team skater. I don’t hear the roar of the crowd. I know they look right past me, especially as an OPR (Outside Pack Referee) or an NSO (Non-Skating Official). That’s OK. I’m not there to be seen, I’m there to make the game happen. To ensure the game is played properly, safely, and in accordance with the rules, and that everything is properly recorded.

So why do I ref? For much the same reason some of you play/watch/NSO/coach/announce/ bake cakes. For the love of the awesome sport that is roller derby.

Check out Emmeline’s Profile

Dublin Roller Girls VS Cork City Firebirds

Dublin Roller Girls Reserves VS Limerick Roller Girls

Carwyn Jones is the First Minister of Wales, he is responsible for strategic and corporate planning in the Welsh Government and the legislative programme, just to name a few. Last week our very own Enemy of the Skate caught up with him, here is what she had to say:

“Anyone that knows me – knows that I’m quite direct and straight to the point. So my first question to Carwyn Jones was “Hello, do you know what Roller Derby is” “No” was the quick answer. Lucky I came to the meeting prepared. I gave him a copy of our next bout Twin Town Throwdown poster and a few copies of our previous bout programmes.  I told him about all the different teams in Wales and how Roller Derby is the fastest growing sport in the UK. I told him that he should be proud of what Wales has achieved in the sport and there are lots of teams he can follow.”

So now he knows about roller derby I wonder if we should expect him at our next game!

Arriving at skating last night, I was chuffed to see a huge amount of people had come back. In the back of my mind was the worry that cramming this much knowledge into 6 weeks might be overwhelming for some of the new guys and girls, but heck, I was wrong, the turnout was grand!
 
What you don’t expect when turning up to learn a sport, is to be told that the warm up you’re about to be subjected to is known as ten minutes in hell!
In the next chunk of the session, we sprinted, planked, squatted, sprinted, sprinted, bicycled and did I mention we sprinted?
 
Dudes, that Force Ten woman is some kind of sadist! It’s scary enough being on the receiving end of her training regime, I dread to think what it’s like to be on the wrong end of one of her hip checks!
 

Copyright: Snarley Davidson

 
I know now that the name ‘ten minutes in hell’ is completely inaccurate… You’d be mistaken if you’re thinking it wasn’t hellish, it was.
As our trainee referee, Ginger-Dread, pointed out, Force Ten has her very own, unique measurement of time! Her 1 minute of squats went to about 1:50! Like I said, she’s kinda a little bit evil. But we love her, she punishes us and we love her in return. I can only assume we have all developed some form of Stockholm syndrome!
 

Copyright: Snarley Davidson

 
Once we’d had a quick drink (of the non alcoholic variety) we went on to work on skating as a pack, I was so nervous of this before but it was great to all work together, we got used to cutting from the inside to the outside of the track and back again, working in a pace line. We also worked on our falls and stops that we learnt last week, which everyone has DOWN!
It’s only week 2 for cripes sake!
 
We all got on so well with the minimum skills required ‘T’ and plow stops that we even had a go at derby stops too.
Basically what I’m saying is, if you’re a rival team….you better watch yo’ backs, our fresh meat are, already, looking dangerous!
Meet me here next week, I’ll have more stuffs to say!
 
Kissy Love, Abi Sin Ya, aged 33 & 7/8.
 

Copyright: Snarley Davidson

Well here it is, the moment you have all been waiting for. First of all we would like to thank everyone who entered the logo competition, we were thrilled at the response and we received some really great entries. But we decided that the one for us was the entry by the lovely Emma…

We hope you agree that this logo looks amazing, and hopefully we will be easily identified in Dundee now! We are looking to get some new merchandise done in time for our bout against Belfast, so keep your eyes peeled and your purses ready!

On the 1st September RRD will be doing the 5th Midnight Walk to support Keech Hospice Care. The girls will be setting off on the 10 mile route round Luton at the stroke of midnight, and need your support to raise as much money as they can.

Keech is a local charity providing the best care possible to children and adults with serious illness. They support the family and friends through their loved ones illness and in their bereavement. All of this is provided free of charge through the generosity of the local community and fundraising events such as this walk.

Please support us by giving through our team page : http://www.justgiving.com/RebellionRollerDerby2012

Thank you in advance from all of the Rebels

~ Luna Landing

The London Rollergirls Bootcamp, including TWO great bouts on the Saturday evening, was too good an opportunity to miss. It seems like ages ago that me, Sue Perman and Flash Flood were anxiously texting and emailing as we all hovered over Facebook waiting for tickets to go on sale!

So the road trip commenced finally. Setting off straight from work with my bag of skates, notebook and rucksack, I met my fellow Banditas at Halifax train station for the trip down to London. My super smart tube skills ensured we all arrived at Earls Court station however I needed to switch on phone Sat Nav to get to our hotel! Just as we arrived we caught the end of the London Friday Night Skate whizzing past us http://www.lfns.co.uk. Man! That would have been an awesome way to start the weekend. Next time for sure!

So up bright and early for bootcamp next day, what did we get? We learned a load of stuff on blocking, walling, rules, strategy, breaking through walls, plus some really cool stuff from the Dynamic Sports Academy covering agility and some crazy stuff on peripheral vision and science stuff that quite frankly seemed like magic to me! It was great.

Then right on into the two bouts for the evening. Being there to support my old league Leeds Roller Dolls for their bout against Brawl Saints had been a major incentive to head down for the bootcamp and I am so glad I did. Utterly thrilling. In front of a huge crowd, a MASSIVE power jam by Fuzzin Boots in the third jam put LRD in the lead 11-30 briefly before some fatal penalties left them battered by power jams and struggling 143-55 at half time. Despite the score line they had been strong in defense and causing the Brawl Saints jammers some problems. The second half was amazing! Heroic jamming and awesome walls brought the final score to 193-163 and I swear given another 5 minutes they would have won it! Nail biting last few jams finishing with last year’s LRD team captain Bruise ‘Em Banshee squaring up against ex LRD player and former captain Rushin’ Doll in the very last jam.

The second bout, London Brawling against a hand picked team of Europe’s finest derby players was equally exciting. I adored Mad Maloony’s crazy spins and jammer on jammer action, and Jack Attack’s huge fan club support. LRG’s incredible teamwork won the game comfortably in the end, but the European skaters were the real crowd pleasers!

Yes, we went to the afterparty. Restrained for me, I restricted myself to a few pints and a sherbet vodka shot in the ladies! There were some hilarious (and massively skilled) dance offs that sent us back to our hotel laughing. It was great to catch up with LRD too. Next morning, after a soggy walk in the rain and a cheapo cafe breakfast, I shook off my hangover and got stuck into scrimmage. There were strategy workshops and everything from the bootcamp had been evident in what we had watched in the bout the night before so it all became really real and relevant.

We finished the day playing a full bout to put it all into practice. As “Team Marshmallow” with Flash Flood, we overcame initial trepidation over the look of of our seemingly higher calibre opponents to put in some awesome teamwork and win the bout. Big thanks to our lovely line up manager ReBelle Du Jour who kept everyone calm and upbeat. We left on a complete high with aching limbs and a merry journey home, chatting to anyone that would listen about how great roller derby is and entertaining commuters with our late but important stretching routine!

Summary: Bloody Brilliant!!!

~ Flash Flood

‘O.K…so we’re going to jump the apex…’ and so started my first workshop of my first roller derby boot camp after just eight months of playing this crazy sport.

I tentatively asked Ballistic Whistle, coach for LRG, if he had any tips for achieving this. What I meant was…how the heck do we jump the apex?! I have always wanted to do this but wasn’t really bargaining on doing it that weekend! As the weekend wore on it transpired that I was in a group with very competent skaters and I needed to step up to the challenge. I can’t tell you that I jumped the apex but I can say that I gave every physical activity my all and furiously took notes in the off skates workshops, until I sprained my wrist that is!

During one of the drills where I was trying to break through an almost stationery wall of three blockers I was hit and fell backwards landing on my wrist on the unforgiving, concrete floor that is Earls Court. As I howled with pain, I was told by fellow skaters not to put on a brave face. I did not attempt to maintain any dignity and cried like a baby, saying something like ‘I’ve never been injured before, it’s a boot camp, I MUST SKATE!’ The lovely medical people said it was just a sprain, strapped it up and sent me on my merry way to an off skates workshop. Thankfully the jaw droppingly amazing skills exhibited during the evening bout soon distracted me from the pain. I abstained from the after party and rested the silly wrist. Thankfully I was able to skate the next day, I just resisted the temptation to jam and politely requested that other blockers avoid grabbing my wrist.

The day involved scrimmage, directed scrimmage and a bout, all led by the London Roller Girls. It was a really intense day, not just physically but mentally as we all tried to implement the new strategy we had learnt. In the last fifteen minutes I was sacrificed in to the jammer and landed on my wrist again! I removed myself from the game and got it strapped up again. This time I forgot the pain quickly as I was so high from the day of skating. I learnt so much this weekend but I think the big hurdle for me was accepting that injury is part of this game. My injury wasn’t even that serious but it reminded me of the risk factor involved in roller derby. So here is my pledge…I hereby promise to have huge amounts of sympathy for injured team mates in future!

]]> http://rollinnews.com/2012/05/london-rollergirls-anarchy-eurocrash-bootcamp-part-iii/feed/ 0 http://www.bruisingbanditas.com/blog/4558818802/London-Rollergirls-Euro-Crash-Bootcamp-Part-II/2255370 http://www.bruisingbanditas.com/blog/4558818802/London-Rollergirls-Euro-Crash-Bootcamp-Part-II/2255370#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 17:10:00 +0000 banditas http://www.bruisingbanditas.com/blog/4558818802/London-Rollergirls-Euro-Crash-Bootcamp-Part-II/2255370 Disclaimer: This is a syndicated post and Rollin' News cannot accept any responsibility for its content.

~ Luna Landing

The London Rollergirls Bootcamp, including TWO great bouts on the Saturday evening, was too good an opportunity to miss. It seems like ages ago that me, Sue Perman and Flash Flood were anxiously texting and emailing as we all hovered over Facebook waiting for tickets to go on sale!

So the road trip commenced finally. Setting off straight from work with my bag of skates, notebook and rucksack, I met my fellow Banditas at Halifax train station for the trip down to London. My super smart tube skills ensured we all arrived at Earls Court station however I needed to switch on phone Sat Nav to get to our hotel! Just as we arrived we caught the end of the London Friday Night Skate whizzing past us http://www.lfns.co.uk. Man! That would have been an awesome way to start the weekend. Next time for sure!

So up bright and early for bootcamp next day, what did we get? We learned a load of stuff on blocking, walling, rules, strategy, breaking through walls, plus some really cool stuff from the Dynamic Sports Academy covering agility and some crazy stuff on peripheral vision and science stuff that quite frankly seemed like magic to me! It was great.

Then right on into the two bouts for the evening. Being there to support my old league Leeds Roller Dolls for their bout against Brawl Saints had been a major incentive to head down for the bootcamp and I am so glad I did. Utterly thrilling. In front of a huge crowd, a MASSIVE power jam by Fuzzin Boots in the third jam put LRD in the lead 11-30 briefly before some fatal penalties left them battered by power jams and struggling 143-55 at half time. Despite the score line they had been strong in defense and causing the Brawl Saints jammers some problems. The second half was amazing! Heroic jamming and awesome walls brought the final score to 193-163 and I swear given another 5 minutes they would have won it! Nail biting last few jams finishing with last year’s LRD team captain Bruise ‘Em Banshee squaring up against ex LRD player and former captain Rushin’ Doll in the very last jam.

The second bout, London Brawling against a hand picked team of Europe’s finest derby players was equally exciting. I adored Mad Maloony’s crazy spins and jammer on jammer action, and Jack Attack’s huge fan club support. LRG’s incredible teamwork won the game comfortably in the end, but the European skaters were the real crowd pleasers!

Yes, we went to the afterparty. Restrained for me, I restricted myself to a few pints and a sherbet vodka shot in the ladies! There were some hilarious (and massively skilled) dance offs that sent us back to our hotel laughing. It was great to catch up with LRD too. Next morning, after a soggy walk in the rain and a cheapo cafe breakfast, I shook off my hangover and got stuck into scrimmage. There were strategy workshops and everything from the bootcamp had been evident in what we had watched in the bout the night before so it all became really real and relevant.

We finished the day playing a full bout to put it all into practice. As “Team Marshmallow” with Flash Flood, we overcame initial trepidation over the look of of our seemingly higher calibre opponents to put in some awesome teamwork and win the bout. Big thanks to our lovely line up manager ReBelle Du Jour who kept everyone calm and upbeat. We left on a complete high with aching limbs and a merry journey home, chatting to anyone that would listen about how great roller derby is and entertaining commuters with our late but important stretching routine!

Summary: Bloody Brilliant!!!