In the Mile High City, the biggest difference for competitive athletes coming from outside Denver is the altitude.
The lower levels of oxygen can tax the lungs ability to oxygenate the blood, putting even higher demands on the body during times of stress, I.e. Athletic competitions.
Windy City posted a few short videos of a training session in which it's athletes carried weighted backpacks and breathed through straws to simulate the rigors of competing in Denver during the womens Flat Derby Association's 2011 Championship Tournament, Continental Divide and Conquer.
Rumor has it that Gotham Girls Roller Derby spent a week in Denver prior to the start of the tournament, acclimating to the altitude.
Host-league Rocky Mountain will likely have a distinct home-field advantage When they play No. 3 South Central seed Nashville, scheduled for 3:45 p.m. (Mountain) today.
Showing posts with label wftda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wftda. Show all posts
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
WFTDA Championships: Transfer skaters strive for their chance at gold
UPDATE: Cheri "Wild Cherri" Kresge will transfer back to the South Central Region, joining the Atlanta Rollergirls after a season playing for Gotham .
"My love life takes me there," Kresge said. "I really wish I didn't have to leave Gotham. They were an amazing team to work with. Gotham is my N.Y. family - the closest friends I have up here. I'm going to miss all of them."
Kresge was a part of the Gotham's 2011 Women's Flat Track Derby Association championship team, winning first place during Continental Divide and Conquer, the WFTDA's championship tournament, in Denver, Colorado.
Atlanta currently sits fourth in the WFTDA South Central standings and ranked 30th in the world on DerbyTron.com. Atlanta finished fourth in the WFTDA South Central 2011 tournament Show Me Der-B-Q in Kansas City, Mo.
"With the Atlanta Rollergirls, I hope I find a happy derby home and I plan to sit put for awhile," Kresge said. "I will be trying out for the travel team and hope to help build a collection of Ws going into regionals this year."
Atlanta is 1-1 for the 2012 season. Atlanta defeated Maine 181 to 114 on Feb. 18, 2012, but lost to Nashville 166 to 136 on March 24, 2012.
"My love life takes me there," Kresge said. "I really wish I didn't have to leave Gotham. They were an amazing team to work with. Gotham is my N.Y. family - the closest friends I have up here. I'm going to miss all of them."
Kresge was a part of the Gotham's 2011 Women's Flat Track Derby Association championship team, winning first place during Continental Divide and Conquer, the WFTDA's championship tournament, in Denver, Colorado.
Atlanta currently sits fourth in the WFTDA South Central standings and ranked 30th in the world on DerbyTron.com. Atlanta finished fourth in the WFTDA South Central 2011 tournament Show Me Der-B-Q in Kansas City, Mo.
"With the Atlanta Rollergirls, I hope I find a happy derby home and I plan to sit put for awhile," Kresge said. "I will be trying out for the travel team and hope to help build a collection of Ws going into regionals this year."
Atlanta is 1-1 for the 2012 season. Atlanta defeated Maine 181 to 114 on Feb. 18, 2012, but lost to Nashville 166 to 136 on March 24, 2012.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Upsets wreck mayhem on NC's mid-field
Now that I’m back in the Bat Cave, I need to start working. A whole Region Tournament season comes to a close as the final 3 seeds have been chosen to represent the globe at the Continental Divide and Conquer, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association Championship Tournament, for the Hydra Trophy.
Monumental Mayhem, the 2011 North Central Region Tournament, upsets a lot of conceptions about a parity lack in the region (Including my own, but I’m willing to admit my mistakes). Last year, Windy City walked through the team’s three matchups to repeat as NC champions and heading into this year’s tournament, Chicago looked to three-peat with ease. Naptown and Minnesota would disagree however, both teams managing to put the No. 1 seed in danger of its region loss. Detroit proved it belonged at the top of the North Central dogpile with a 174-59 win over Brew City, only to fall to Minnesota with a 21-point loss, setting them up for the third-place game with tournament host Naptown.
Monumental Mayhem, the 2011 North Central Region Tournament, upsets a lot of conceptions about a parity lack in the region (Including my own, but I’m willing to admit my mistakes). Last year, Windy City walked through the team’s three matchups to repeat as NC champions and heading into this year’s tournament, Chicago looked to three-peat with ease. Naptown and Minnesota would disagree however, both teams managing to put the No. 1 seed in danger of its region loss. Detroit proved it belonged at the top of the North Central dogpile with a 174-59 win over Brew City, only to fall to Minnesota with a 21-point loss, setting them up for the third-place game with tournament host Naptown.
The remaining six spots in the region were up for grabs, after a 119-116 loss to Arch Rival Roller Girls, the Chicago Outfit went 3-1 on the tournament to improve four spots and claim the fifth place spot with wins over Brew City, Mad Rollin’ Dolls and their ARRG rematch. Improving ninth to fifth in the North Central Region was only the start for the Outfit. Flatrackstats.com ranked the Funderdogs 17th in the top 20 teams. Chicago Outfit will likely move up a spot or two from their Derby News Network Power Rankings standings, currently at 20 of 25. Captain Sweet Mary Pain also won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award, capping off a long 12-7 season.
Losing the fith-place game, ARRG moved from eighth place to sixth, with wins over first-round opponent, Outfit, and Cinncinati, which came into the tournament with Seed 5, and ending in eighth place.
Cinnicinnati and Mad Rollin’ Dolls take the biggest falls of the tournament, slipping three and four points respectively, including a Madison loss to Seed 10 Ohio. Cinncinnati losses came from Naptown, Brew City and Arch Rival, in the Black Sheep’s 1-3 region tournament effort.
I have notes for these games – Brew City-Ohio, Detroit-Brew City, Cinnci-Ohio, Detroit-Minnesota, Windy City-Naptown, Arch Rival-Outfit fourth round, and Windy City-Minnesota – so look forward to some write-ups.
Losing the fith-place game, ARRG moved from eighth place to sixth, with wins over first-round opponent, Outfit, and Cinncinati, which came into the tournament with Seed 5, and ending in eighth place.
Cinnicinnati and Mad Rollin’ Dolls take the biggest falls of the tournament, slipping three and four points respectively, including a Madison loss to Seed 10 Ohio. Cinncinnati losses came from Naptown, Brew City and Arch Rival, in the Black Sheep’s 1-3 region tournament effort.
I have notes for these games – Brew City-Ohio, Detroit-Brew City, Cinnci-Ohio, Detroit-Minnesota, Windy City-Naptown, Arch Rival-Outfit fourth round, and Windy City-Minnesota – so look forward to some write-ups.
Original seed/change
1. Windy City (0)
1. Windy City (0)
2. Detroit (-2)
3. Minnesota (+1)
4. Naptown (+1)
5. Cinncinnati (-3)
6. Mad Rollin (-4)
7. Brew City (0)
8. Arch Rival (+2)
9. Outfit (+4)
10. Ohio (+1)
3. Minnesota (+1)
4. Naptown (+1)
5. Cinncinnati (-3)
6. Mad Rollin (-4)
7. Brew City (0)
8. Arch Rival (+2)
9. Outfit (+4)
10. Ohio (+1)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
WFTDA No Minors Beta Testing
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association in April announced the league would be testing a new beta rule set in which minors were eliminated from the game.
As both a coach and referee, I wanted to reserve judgment until I had an opportunity to watch a test bout. Thank god for DVDs.
I just got my package of East Coast Extravaganza 2011 DVDs from Blaze Streaming Media
I finished watching the WCR-MTL bout last night, which was under the standard rule set.
Upon starting the WCR-Charm bout, I realized it was under the Beta Test rules with no minors and it's definitely interesting.
The obvious impact is minor elbows, back blocks, etc., that have low impact to gameplay aren't called.
This gives jammers a lot more freedom to skate without worrying about picking up her fourth minor. The jammer rotations remain set, unless a short rotation needs a rest.
The second major impact is what constitutes a cutting penalty.
Under the standard rule set if a skater passes two or more skaters, or the fore-most blocker, (regardless of color) the offending player will be assessed a major penalty and directed to the box.
Only cutting one player, regardless of team, will earn a skater a minor penalty.
Under the No Minors Beta Test, a player may pass one friendly player while skating out of bounds without being assessed a penalty. However passing two players of any color, or one player of the opposing team, will result in a major penalty.
In the WCR-Charm bout, jammers are constantly forced to recycle to the back of the pack, to keep from taking a major penalty.
As a coach, it would be nice to not have to worry about minor penalties. I'm usually the point person for checking minors and deciding whether to draw an intentional fourth minor or bench a player because of minors.
From a ref's perspective, not having the extra whiteboard and personnel in the center would free up lots of space in the middle. Also WFTDA rules are generally designed to promote the safety of the sport. Misconduct, Blocking to the Head and Direction of Gameplay are all rules designed to keep skaters safe.
If WFTDA was to remove minors from the rules then it would allow the higher-level teams would be allowed to play without worrying about picking up penalties that minimally affect gameplay.
I do think the minors help keep lower-level players safe, holding skaters to a high accountability for things that could escalate into grosser penalties.
The Beta Test isn't necessarily a guarantee WFTDA will remove minors from the rule set. Instead, these games give the organization a greater awareness of the play level and impact certain rules and sub-rules have on the game.
They could as easily Beta Test a clockwise-skating rules set.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Uproar on the Lakeshore - 3 stars (Unedited)
Fivepointgrandslam.com gives its three stars for each day of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's championship tournament in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 5-7.
For the third day, we'll actually give three stars for both the third-place and first-place game.We'll add the names of the third-day stars on Nov. 17, so check back for updates.
Day 1
Third Star - Rosie the Rioter
Charm City's No. 100, along with Joy Collision, led a much of Baltimore's defense, delegating pack duties to her charges while working in tandem with Mistress May Eye to help shut down the opposing jammers. The pair stifled Lex'i Cuter, No. 187 for Minnesota, keeping her from making multiple scoring passes in Jam 10 of the first half. Rioter, an integral part of Charm's D-team, stalled most of the Minnesota blockers, preventing them from making multiple passes -- Minnesota had only 5 multiple scoring passes in 34 jams -- and blanking MNRG 11 jams in the bout.
Second Star - Femme Fatal
No. 18 for Oly stood out in the three jams she wore the star cover. She earned lead in two of those jams, but she had a 4-5-5-5 multiple pass in Jam 10 of the bout. The jam would go to two minutes after neither jammer secured lead, and Fatal would help extend a 50-8 Oly lead to 69-14 over Nashville. With Rambo Sambo in the box, Fatal would rack up four more grand slams in Jam 10 of the second half, putting up 20 more points to make the spread 100-plus points, 170-50. She ended the bout with a 43-6 jammer differential.
First Star - Bloody Mary
Texas jammer Mary would pick up 2-0, 6-0, 10-0, 5-point jams, in the closest game of the tournment next to the Rocky-Oly final. The lead change would swing back and forth before
Astronauty's mental error of calling off the jam with 27 seconds left on the game clock and no timeouts left, would be forced to give the game to Texas, 72-59.
Day 2
Third Star - Hoosier Mama
Windy City's defense would get its best test of the tournament against Oly, who's run-and-gun offense simply wears down their opponents. After a successful star pass from Athena DeCrime to Jackie Daniels in the second jam of the second half, WCR's defense would slowly get to work, trying everying they could to cut into the deficit. In Jam 7 of the second, Hoosier Mama, Deb Autry and Sargentina stacked the front of the pack holding back Oly's jammer, Harmony Killerbruise, and keeping her from getting much more than a grand slam, while Kola Loka exited and returned to the box in the same jam. In Jam 9 Mama would tease Oly jammer Scara 2 Death the A-line gap, only to shut the door on her. Death would earn lead that jam, but get boxed for a low-block major, to allow Varla Vendetta to score a 5-5 scoring pass in the last 37 seconds of the jam. Unfortunately Oly would still manage to beat the championship tournament hostesses 178-76.
Second Star - Rocky Mountain Defense
For a team known for its pack control, this was no where near as evident as their bout against Gotham City. Rocky's Frida Beater and Psycho Babble established a front wall with 15 minutes remaining in the second half to hold Bonnie Thunders to a 4 point jam, as Urrk'n Jerk'n finished serving time in the penalty box. Urrk'n managed to serve her time with 59 seconds left in the jam and complete her initial pass with 37 seconds remaining - forcing Thunders to call the jam to prevent the Rocky jammer from scoring any points. Gotham would be forced to call a timeout after only managing 8 points in 6 minutes and 11 seconds of the first half. Assaultin' Pepa (Rocky #86) had a good assist in Jam 19 to spring her jammer, Frida Beater, No. 202. With a significant lead, Rocky would settle for running out clock, thanks to Jam 6 in the second half going the full two minutes after lead Gotham jammer Swede Hurt would get boxed for a major back block. DeRanged would earn lead, completing her intial pass a mere 2 seconds before Thunders could complete hers, opting to just eat time before calling the jam, prompting boos from the crowd but giving the Rocky jammer a bit of a rest. With Frida Beater in the box with less than 4 minutes remaining in game, Rocky would offset a 4-2 pack disadvantage during a Gotham powerjam -- Amanda Jamitinya would hold Gotham jammer Suzy Hotrod in the back, trying to force a cut, meanwhile eating time on her two penalized blockers. Rocky would end Gotham's undefeated play 109-74 advancing to the first-place game on Sunday.
First Star - Bonnie Thunder
After a less than stellar first-half performance against Texas in the first bout of the Day 2, Thunder (340) for Gotham City, would earn lead in all 8 jams in the second half. Thunder would also successfully call each of her lead jams, avoiding the box and mental mistakes. Thunder scored 24 points, four grand slams and earned lead in only 2 of her six jams in the first half. In the second half Thunder warmed up, playing Texas' small-ball philosophy against them, settling for five points in her first five jams of the second frame. She would go on to finish her turns with the star by earning a five-point grand slam in one jam, and 4-4 scoring passes in her last two jams of the game, finishing her second half point total with 29 points, for a game total of 53 points. All of her grand slams would would come against a scoreless opponent, adding to her jammer differential 25-0.
Day 3:
Second Star - Teflon Donna
Donna (85) was the paramount work horse of Philly's Liberty Belles. The all-around player for Philly was often seen in all three positions: blocking and pivoting in the pack while occassionally wearing the star as her team's jammer. Gotham may have held her scoreless, but her presence on the jammer line dictated how New York's defense played, trying to trap her and keep her out of scoring range as much as possible. I don't remember seeing her sit out more than one jam, constantly taking playing time on the track in the Gotham-Philly grudge match for second-place.
First Star - Bonnie Thunder
If Thunder (340) put up great numbers against Texas, her efforts in the third-place game versus Philly were astronomical. Much like Texas' second-round matchup, Thunder would take much of the first half to warm up, scoring 8 points in the first five jams and only earning lead twice. Something inside Thunder woke up, only going scoreless in one more jam in the last 10 jams of the bout, and managing multiples scoring passes in seven of those 10. Thunders would amass 15 grand slams throughout the game, to bring her total points up to 108, achieving her personal best record. Thunders would improve upon her 50 percent lead jammer average in the first half with a nearly perfect average in the second, not earning lead in one of seven jams, and only dropping 3 points in that jam. Her last two jams, she faced off against Persephone (15) of the Liberty Belles, managing a 5-5-5-5 and 5-5-5-4 scoring passes after Persephone was boxed in both jams for major track cuts.
Day 3 - Rocky Mountain versus Oly
Third Star - Deranged
Deranged (27, Rocky) started picking up more and more playing time as Urrk'n Jerk'n and Pscyho Babble fouled out in the course of the game. Her defense as a jammer more than made up for Deranged's mediocre jam numbers, twice stalling the opposing Oly jammer to kill penalty minutes for her boxed teammates. Deranged started the bout with a 5-5-2 jam earning lead and calling it before 2 Ton Heffer could score any points, mostly because the pack held her to her intial pass for 1 minute, 2 seconds. It would be that pack support and mental aptitude that helped carry Rocky over Oly, proving that the first time the team from Denver beat the 2009 WFTDA champions was no fluke. In the thirteenth jam, Rocky's defense would have to step up when Deranged was boxed for a major track cut, while Oly's jammer 2 Ton Heffer tried for a power jam, only to be boxed herself for incurring her fourth minor, and releasing Deranged. The jam would end scoreless as both teams would lock down their defense, reventing any points from going on the board. Deranged jammed seven times in the first half, eight times in the second, but only earned lead in five of those attempts. Her 46 points for the team was definitely a huge help against Rocky's win over Rocky.
Second Star - Atomatrix
Oly's Atomatrix (003) put up several multi-scoring passes and capitalized on earn lead by calling the jam a majority of the times she had the privelage. Atomatrxi put up two 8-point jams in her first three attempts before falling pray to the penalty box. The Oly jammer would round out her first half with a 5-5-5 jam after earning lead and a 4-5-5-5-5 after committing a no pass-no penalty on her initial pass. Rocky keyed in on her during the second half, holding her to 11 points, compared with her 39 points from the first half. Unfortunately for Atomatrix she would get boxed four different times while wearing the star, giving Rocky opportunities to score power jams and keep the points close. I can only speculate that either Atomatrix was tired, or Oly was worried she'd get boxed again when the game clock fell near the two minute mark, as it's here that Oly opted to put Lector (9) in. And while she did make a 23-point jam, if she had called the jam before getting boxed, Oly stood a better chance at holding on to their lead going into what seemed like the last jam of the game.
First star - Frida Beater
Rocky co-captain Frida Beater (202) got to shine on roller derby's biggest platforms, the WFTDA championship game. Her never say day attitude shined through adversity in the Rocky-Oly penultimate jam. After an official timeout with 2:25 left on the game clock, Rocky had a small seven-point lead, 130-123. Beater lined up against Oly's Tannibal Lector (9), who would earn lead within 12 seconds of the jammer whistle and go on a tear through the pack. Lector picked up five scoring passes, 5-5-4-4-5, as Beater was stuck in the pack and then disaster struck for Oly as Lector was called on a major block to the back with less than 30 seconds left in the jam. Seizing on a power jam opportunity, Beater was able to complete her first scoring pass with 12 seconds remaining, artfully pulling out a second 4 point scoring pass before jam time would run out. Rocky would take a timeout with 16 seconds remaining on the game clock and Lector still sitting in the penalty box with approximately 30 seconds remaining on her penalty time. Rocky would take a knee at the start of the jam, to start Beater instantly after the pack whistle, optimizing how much time the Rocky jammer could score. Beater would earn lead within 10 seconds of the jammer whistle and complete 5-4 scoring passes within 43 seconds before calling the jam with no game clock and little chance for an unboxed Lector to complete her initial and scoring pass, giving Rocky the one-point margin of victory to win the WFTDA championships.
For the third day, we'll actually give three stars for both the third-place and first-place game.
Day 1
Third Star - Rosie the Rioter
Second Star - Femme Fatal
No. 18 for Oly stood out in the three jams she wore the star cover. She earned lead in two of those jams, but she had a 4-5-5-5 multiple pass in Jam 10 of the bout. The jam would go to two minutes after neither jammer secured lead, and Fatal would help extend a 50-8 Oly lead to 69-14 over Nashville. With Rambo Sambo in the box, Fatal would rack up four more grand slams in Jam 10 of the second half, putting up 20 more points to make the spread 100-plus points, 170-50. She ended the bout with a 43-6 jammer differential. First Star - Bloody Mary
Texas jammer Mary would pick up 2-0, 6-0, 10-0, 5-point jams, in the closest game of the tournment next to the Rocky-Oly final. The lead change would swing back and forth before
Astronauty's mental error of calling off the jam with 27 seconds left on the game clock and no timeouts left, would be forced to give the game to Texas, 72-59.
Day 2
Third Star - Hoosier Mama
Windy City's defense would get its best test of the tournament against Oly, who's run-and-gun offense simply wears down their opponents. After a successful star pass from Athena DeCrime to Jackie Daniels in the second jam of the second half, WCR's defense would slowly get to work, trying everying they could to cut into the deficit. In Jam 7 of the second, Hoosier Mama, Deb Autry and Sargentina stacked the front of the pack holding back Oly's jammer, Harmony Killerbruise, and keeping her from getting much more than a grand slam, while Kola Loka exited and returned to the box in the same jam. In Jam 9 Mama would tease Oly jammer Scara 2 Death the A-line gap, only to shut the door on her. Death would earn lead that jam, but get boxed for a low-block major, to allow Varla Vendetta to score a 5-5 scoring pass in the last 37 seconds of the jam. Unfortunately Oly would still manage to beat the championship tournament hostesses 178-76.
Second Star - Rocky Mountain DefenseFor a team known for its pack control, this was no where near as evident as their bout against Gotham City. Rocky's Frida Beater and Psycho Babble established a front wall with 15 minutes remaining in the second half to hold Bonnie Thunders to a 4 point jam, as Urrk'n Jerk'n finished serving time in the penalty box. Urrk'n managed to serve her time with 59 seconds left in the jam and complete her initial pass with 37 seconds remaining - forcing Thunders to call the jam to prevent the Rocky jammer from scoring any points. Gotham would be forced to call a timeout after only managing 8 points in 6 minutes and 11 seconds of the first half. Assaultin' Pepa (Rocky #86) had a good assist in Jam 19 to spring her jammer, Frida Beater, No. 202. With a significant lead, Rocky would settle for running out clock, thanks to Jam 6 in the second half going the full two minutes after lead Gotham jammer Swede Hurt would get boxed for a major back block. DeRanged would earn lead, completing her intial pass a mere 2 seconds before Thunders could complete hers, opting to just eat time before calling the jam, prompting boos from the crowd but giving the Rocky jammer a bit of a rest. With Frida Beater in the box with less than 4 minutes remaining in game, Rocky would offset a 4-2 pack disadvantage during a Gotham powerjam -- Amanda Jamitinya would hold Gotham jammer Suzy Hotrod in the back, trying to force a cut, meanwhile eating time on her two penalized blockers. Rocky would end Gotham's undefeated play 109-74 advancing to the first-place game on Sunday.
First Star - Bonnie Thunder
After a less than stellar first-half performance against Texas in the first bout of the Day 2, Thunder (340) for Gotham City, would earn lead in all 8 jams in the second half. Thunder would also successfully call each of her lead jams, avoiding the box and mental mistakes. Thunder scored 24 points, four grand slams and earned lead in only 2 of her six jams in the first half. In the second half Thunder warmed up, playing Texas' small-ball philosophy against them, settling for five points in her first five jams of the second frame. She would go on to finish her turns with the star by earning a five-point grand slam in one jam, and 4-4 scoring passes in her last two jams of the game, finishing her second half point total with 29 points, for a game total of 53 points. All of her grand slams would would come against a scoreless opponent, adding to her jammer differential 25-0.Day 3:
Gotham versus Philly
Third Star - Suzie Hotrod
With the exception of a few mental errors, Hotrod (55) put on a show for the Gotham fans at the UIC Pavilion on Sunday, Nov. 7. Fans cheered on one of Gotham's most recognizable stars in what was rumored to be her last WFTDA game with the New York City team. The Gotham and Philly blockers were out to prove they knew about positioning and pack control, demonstrating the tactics that earned them first and second place respectively in the East Region tournament. In the fifth jam of the game, the pack killed off 1 minute, 5 seconds of the jam before releasing jammers Hotrod and Shenita Stretcher (Philly). Hotrod would earn lead within 17 seconds of the jammer whistle and manage a full grand slam before Stretcher could complete her initial pass. The Gotham pack would maintain control in the ninth jam releasing the jammers at the 1:47 mark of the jam clock. Hotrod would take 30 seconds to break through the pack without earning lead and make a 5-4 (committing a forearm minor preventing an extra point) scoring pass before accidently trying to call the jam off, earning her fourth minor and being directed to the box. In an almost comical fashion, Hotrod touched her hips twice and pleading with her jam ref that she didn't mean it. Gotham's defense would take the jammer penalty kill cue and shut down Philly jammer Elle Viento (22). With Bonnie Thunder (340) doing most of the heavy lifting in the first half, Hotrod managed earning lead only twice in five jams, and getting boxed at least twice while wearing the star cover. In those five jams though she did manage to score optimum points, earning grand slams in three jams, while earning 4 points in her last jam of the half. In the second half, Hotrod would earn lead 100 percent in five jams, with 18 points (one grand slam), to help carry her team into a third-place finish for the 2010 WFTDA season.Second Star - Teflon Donna
Donna (85) was the paramount work horse of Philly's Liberty Belles. The all-around player for Philly was often seen in all three positions: blocking and pivoting in the pack while occassionally wearing the star as her team's jammer. Gotham may have held her scoreless, but her presence on the jammer line dictated how New York's defense played, trying to trap her and keep her out of scoring range as much as possible. I don't remember seeing her sit out more than one jam, constantly taking playing time on the track in the Gotham-Philly grudge match for second-place.
First Star - Bonnie Thunder
If Thunder (340) put up great numbers against Texas, her efforts in the third-place game versus Philly were astronomical. Much like Texas' second-round matchup, Thunder would take much of the first half to warm up, scoring 8 points in the first five jams and only earning lead twice. Something inside Thunder woke up, only going scoreless in one more jam in the last 10 jams of the bout, and managing multiples scoring passes in seven of those 10. Thunders would amass 15 grand slams throughout the game, to bring her total points up to 108, achieving her personal best record. Thunders would improve upon her 50 percent lead jammer average in the first half with a nearly perfect average in the second, not earning lead in one of seven jams, and only dropping 3 points in that jam. Her last two jams, she faced off against Persephone (15) of the Liberty Belles, managing a 5-5-5-5 and 5-5-5-4 scoring passes after Persephone was boxed in both jams for major track cuts.
Day 3 - Rocky Mountain versus Oly
Third Star - Deranged
Deranged (27, Rocky) started picking up more and more playing time as Urrk'n Jerk'n and Pscyho Babble fouled out in the course of the game. Her defense as a jammer more than made up for Deranged's mediocre jam numbers, twice stalling the opposing Oly jammer to kill penalty minutes for her boxed teammates. Deranged started the bout with a 5-5-2 jam earning lead and calling it before 2 Ton Heffer could score any points, mostly because the pack held her to her intial pass for 1 minute, 2 seconds. It would be that pack support and mental aptitude that helped carry Rocky over Oly, proving that the first time the team from Denver beat the 2009 WFTDA champions was no fluke. In the thirteenth jam, Rocky's defense would have to step up when Deranged was boxed for a major track cut, while Oly's jammer 2 Ton Heffer tried for a power jam, only to be boxed herself for incurring her fourth minor, and releasing Deranged. The jam would end scoreless as both teams would lock down their defense, reventing any points from going on the board. Deranged jammed seven times in the first half, eight times in the second, but only earned lead in five of those attempts. Her 46 points for the team was definitely a huge help against Rocky's win over Rocky.
Second Star - Atomatrix
Oly's Atomatrix (003) put up several multi-scoring passes and capitalized on earn lead by calling the jam a majority of the times she had the privelage. Atomatrxi put up two 8-point jams in her first three attempts before falling pray to the penalty box. The Oly jammer would round out her first half with a 5-5-5 jam after earning lead and a 4-5-5-5-5 after committing a no pass-no penalty on her initial pass. Rocky keyed in on her during the second half, holding her to 11 points, compared with her 39 points from the first half. Unfortunately for Atomatrix she would get boxed four different times while wearing the star, giving Rocky opportunities to score power jams and keep the points close. I can only speculate that either Atomatrix was tired, or Oly was worried she'd get boxed again when the game clock fell near the two minute mark, as it's here that Oly opted to put Lector (9) in. And while she did make a 23-point jam, if she had called the jam before getting boxed, Oly stood a better chance at holding on to their lead going into what seemed like the last jam of the game.
First star - Frida Beater
Rocky co-captain Frida Beater (202) got to shine on roller derby's biggest platforms, the WFTDA championship game. Her never say day attitude shined through adversity in the Rocky-Oly penultimate jam. After an official timeout with 2:25 left on the game clock, Rocky had a small seven-point lead, 130-123. Beater lined up against Oly's Tannibal Lector (9), who would earn lead within 12 seconds of the jammer whistle and go on a tear through the pack. Lector picked up five scoring passes, 5-5-4-4-5, as Beater was stuck in the pack and then disaster struck for Oly as Lector was called on a major block to the back with less than 30 seconds left in the jam. Seizing on a power jam opportunity, Beater was able to complete her first scoring pass with 12 seconds remaining, artfully pulling out a second 4 point scoring pass before jam time would run out. Rocky would take a timeout with 16 seconds remaining on the game clock and Lector still sitting in the penalty box with approximately 30 seconds remaining on her penalty time. Rocky would take a knee at the start of the jam, to start Beater instantly after the pack whistle, optimizing how much time the Rocky jammer could score. Beater would earn lead within 10 seconds of the jammer whistle and complete 5-4 scoring passes within 43 seconds before calling the jam with no game clock and little chance for an unboxed Lector to complete her initial and scoring pass, giving Rocky the one-point margin of victory to win the WFTDA championships.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Unedited: Oly-Nashville 11/05/2010
Defending champions Oly would be a difficult matchup for Nashville, who were bit of an underdog in the South Central regional tournament just to play at Uproar on the Lakeshore. Plagued by mental errors, Nashville suffered at the hands of Oly, who capitalized on every opportunity the Music City Allstars gave them.
Oly's fast pack, evidence of a heavy speed skating background, would hold Nasville to five points to their 50 in just 3 minutes and 26 seconds of the first whistle. Rambo Sambo mustered 4 points, while Maulin' Monroe earned just 1 point, with 16:34 in the first half.
Sambo would go on the defensive with the jammer star in the sixth jam, earning lead before slowing down Oly's Licker N Split, No. 523, enough to suck her back into the pack and then earning three points before calling the jam.
Nasvhille's Showstopper dropped Scara 2 Death hard in the center track to force her to call the jam with a 9-0 point swing in Oly's favor.
A phantom whistle in Jam 12 would confuse everyone on the track when skaters thought they heard four whistles and some returned to their bench. Sambo was albe to pick up five more points than Split, before the jam would officially end and the referees would call an official timeout to sort out the source of the whistle with 8:47 to go in the first half.
Tannibal Lector, No. 9 for Oly, would jump a fallen skater in Jam 13 to earn lead and a 4-2 score pass versus Monroe's 3 points.
Lector would intentionally pick up her fourth minor in Jam 18, in which Sambo and Harmony Killerbruise would jam. Killerbruise would get boxed for a track cut major, and Nashville's defense force Oly's lead blockers out of play to spring Rambo for lead and earning 7 points, before Oly's jammer exited the box, completed her intial pass, and could begin her scoring pass.
In Jam 19, Clitty Clitty Bang Bang, No. 9mm and rail-thin jammer for Oly, was boxed for a major track cut, but Monroe was unable to earn lead jammer for Nashville because of a minor track cut. With the jam going two minutes, Nashville failed to recoginze opposing skaters coming out of the box for a possible trap on two different occasions to optimize the power jam opportunity. Instead they chased after the front Oly blockers, and neither team was able to score any points to end the half 94-40 for Oly.
Oly's control in the second half would contain Nashville's jammers to a paltry 13 points: Sambo, 8 points in three jams; and Lady Fury (No. 5ft3), 5 points in two jams, the lone scorers for Music City.
Mental errors plagued Nashville's jammers, too. Maulin Monroe earned lead in Jam 12 of the second half, but doesn't call the jam despite Automatric initiating her scoring pass, giving up 5 points to Oly and burning precious time off the game clock.\
Oly's defense and offense gelled in the last 8 jams of the game: Their jammers scoring 64 points (10 grand slams at 5 points apiece) while holding Nashville to 3 points, as another Cinderella story gets knocked out of the national tournament.
Oly's win earned them a shot at the North Central region tournament champions, the Windy City Rollers, on Day 2 of the WFTDA championships.
Oly's fast pack, evidence of a heavy speed skating background, would hold Nasville to five points to their 50 in just 3 minutes and 26 seconds of the first whistle. Rambo Sambo mustered 4 points, while Maulin' Monroe earned just 1 point, with 16:34 in the first half.
Sambo would go on the defensive with the jammer star in the sixth jam, earning lead before slowing down Oly's Licker N Split, No. 523, enough to suck her back into the pack and then earning three points before calling the jam.
Nasvhille's Showstopper dropped Scara 2 Death hard in the center track to force her to call the jam with a 9-0 point swing in Oly's favor.
A phantom whistle in Jam 12 would confuse everyone on the track when skaters thought they heard four whistles and some returned to their bench. Sambo was albe to pick up five more points than Split, before the jam would officially end and the referees would call an official timeout to sort out the source of the whistle with 8:47 to go in the first half.
Tannibal Lector, No. 9 for Oly, would jump a fallen skater in Jam 13 to earn lead and a 4-2 score pass versus Monroe's 3 points.
Lector would intentionally pick up her fourth minor in Jam 18, in which Sambo and Harmony Killerbruise would jam. Killerbruise would get boxed for a track cut major, and Nashville's defense force Oly's lead blockers out of play to spring Rambo for lead and earning 7 points, before Oly's jammer exited the box, completed her intial pass, and could begin her scoring pass.
In Jam 19, Clitty Clitty Bang Bang, No. 9mm and rail-thin jammer for Oly, was boxed for a major track cut, but Monroe was unable to earn lead jammer for Nashville because of a minor track cut. With the jam going two minutes, Nashville failed to recoginze opposing skaters coming out of the box for a possible trap on two different occasions to optimize the power jam opportunity. Instead they chased after the front Oly blockers, and neither team was able to score any points to end the half 94-40 for Oly.
Oly's control in the second half would contain Nashville's jammers to a paltry 13 points: Sambo, 8 points in three jams; and Lady Fury (No. 5ft3), 5 points in two jams, the lone scorers for Music City.
Mental errors plagued Nashville's jammers, too. Maulin Monroe earned lead in Jam 12 of the second half, but doesn't call the jam despite Automatric initiating her scoring pass, giving up 5 points to Oly and burning precious time off the game clock.\
Oly's defense and offense gelled in the last 8 jams of the game: Their jammers scoring 64 points (10 grand slams at 5 points apiece) while holding Nashville to 3 points, as another Cinderella story gets knocked out of the national tournament.
Oly's win earned them a shot at the North Central region tournament champions, the Windy City Rollers, on Day 2 of the WFTDA championships.
Unedited: Charm City versus Minnesota 11/05/2010
Friday's second game of Uproar on the Lakeshore pitted North Central darlings, the Minnesota Roller Girls, against the third seed from the east, Charm City, in a game where Charm started establishing their dominance at the start-stop pack control early on.
Charm's Joy Collision, No. 747 lined up on the jammer line against MNRG's No. 91, Suzie Smashbox. Neither jammer would earn lead, but the Charm City defense held Smashbox to just three scoring passes, while Joy picked up four with a 10-16 point spread.
Minnesota would fail to earn lead in the next four jams, but kept the point spread close, keeping it within six points, 21-27, with 20:49 left in the first half.
L'exi Cuter, Scarmen Hellectra and Psycho Novia would pick up the heavy lifting to pull Minnesota back in the lead, earning lead in the next three jams, picking up 5, 4-1, and 4 scoring passes respectively.
However Hellectra would be sent to the box for a block to the back and Charm's Just Carol capitalized on the power jam, earning lead and scoring 19 points, 1 point short of four grand slams because of a no pass, no penalty call.
With that effort Charm City pulled back into the lead, 35-52 with 14:17 left in the game.
L'exi Cuter would earn lead again, this time against Alli B. Back, No. T2, but Charm's Mistress May Eye, No. 10, and Rosie the Rioter, No. 100, practically stop L'exi cold on the track, stuffing any chance at multiple scoring passes, forcing L'exi to settle for four points and calling it off.
Killaman Jaro, No. 9, jamming for MNRG would make it through the pack first against No. 1618 I.M. Pain, but get boxed for a fourth minor. Declared "not lead," Pain would pick up three scoring passes for maximum points, earning 15 points for Charm to extend their lead 44-60 with 10:04 remaining in the half.
Minnesota would call a timeout, but unable to make up much of the difference, found themselves trying to claw out of an increasing hole. Minnesota's Smashbox would get boxed in two different jams, one for a major track cut and for picking up her fourth minor. Hellectra would be the only jammer to finish the first half with a multiple scoring passes in the last 10 jams.
Meanwhile Charm picked up five jams with multiple scoring passes in those same jams to end the half with a 58-109 lead.
Penalties and lack of Lead Jammer calls in their favor spelled Minnesota's demise in the first half. Smashbox started in the box wearing the jammer star, exit, and get called back for her fourth minor, and Pain would capitalize, earning lead and picking up a 5-5-5-5 scoring pass.
Minnesota would earn lead three times in eight jams, as Charm picked up the lead and racked up more points or cut into Minnesota's scoring opportunities. With more than 24 minutes remaining in the second half, Charm lead 148-72.
I.M. Pain would pick up lead and 10 points in Jam 12, and Lady Quebaum would add to Charm's score earning lead and 12 points in a 5-4-3 jam, missing two points for a minor cut and a no pass-no penalty.
Charm's defense would continue to execute when called upon, speeding up to keep Minnesota's jammer, declared lead, from earning any points against their Just Carol, who earned 4. Pain would go on to two more multi-scoring passes with lead jammer extending the margin with a 37-3 point differential against her opposing jammer. Holden Grudges jammmed to give Pain a rest between her 37 point run, earning lead and putting up 19 points of her own, helping Charm put the game out of reach for MNRG 237-100 with less than 10 minutes left to play.
Joy Collision blocked L'exi Cuter at the top of the pack, holding her to just 17 points in the last jam of the game. Collision would get boxed for a clockwise block, joining Grudges in Charm City's penalty box, but Minnesota didn't have much of a chance.
Charm won 249-119, advancing to play Rocky Mountain on Day 2 of the championship tournament.
Charm's Joy Collision, No. 747 lined up on the jammer line against MNRG's No. 91, Suzie Smashbox. Neither jammer would earn lead, but the Charm City defense held Smashbox to just three scoring passes, while Joy picked up four with a 10-16 point spread.
Minnesota would fail to earn lead in the next four jams, but kept the point spread close, keeping it within six points, 21-27, with 20:49 left in the first half.
L'exi Cuter, Scarmen Hellectra and Psycho Novia would pick up the heavy lifting to pull Minnesota back in the lead, earning lead in the next three jams, picking up 5, 4-1, and 4 scoring passes respectively.
However Hellectra would be sent to the box for a block to the back and Charm's Just Carol capitalized on the power jam, earning lead and scoring 19 points, 1 point short of four grand slams because of a no pass, no penalty call.
With that effort Charm City pulled back into the lead, 35-52 with 14:17 left in the game.
L'exi Cuter would earn lead again, this time against Alli B. Back, No. T2, but Charm's Mistress May Eye, No. 10, and Rosie the Rioter, No. 100, practically stop L'exi cold on the track, stuffing any chance at multiple scoring passes, forcing L'exi to settle for four points and calling it off.
Killaman Jaro, No. 9, jamming for MNRG would make it through the pack first against No. 1618 I.M. Pain, but get boxed for a fourth minor. Declared "not lead," Pain would pick up three scoring passes for maximum points, earning 15 points for Charm to extend their lead 44-60 with 10:04 remaining in the half.
Minnesota would call a timeout, but unable to make up much of the difference, found themselves trying to claw out of an increasing hole. Minnesota's Smashbox would get boxed in two different jams, one for a major track cut and for picking up her fourth minor. Hellectra would be the only jammer to finish the first half with a multiple scoring passes in the last 10 jams.
Meanwhile Charm picked up five jams with multiple scoring passes in those same jams to end the half with a 58-109 lead.
Penalties and lack of Lead Jammer calls in their favor spelled Minnesota's demise in the first half. Smashbox started in the box wearing the jammer star, exit, and get called back for her fourth minor, and Pain would capitalize, earning lead and picking up a 5-5-5-5 scoring pass.
Minnesota would earn lead three times in eight jams, as Charm picked up the lead and racked up more points or cut into Minnesota's scoring opportunities. With more than 24 minutes remaining in the second half, Charm lead 148-72.
I.M. Pain would pick up lead and 10 points in Jam 12, and Lady Quebaum would add to Charm's score earning lead and 12 points in a 5-4-3 jam, missing two points for a minor cut and a no pass-no penalty.
Charm's defense would continue to execute when called upon, speeding up to keep Minnesota's jammer, declared lead, from earning any points against their Just Carol, who earned 4. Pain would go on to two more multi-scoring passes with lead jammer extending the margin with a 37-3 point differential against her opposing jammer. Holden Grudges jammmed to give Pain a rest between her 37 point run, earning lead and putting up 19 points of her own, helping Charm put the game out of reach for MNRG 237-100 with less than 10 minutes left to play.
Joy Collision blocked L'exi Cuter at the top of the pack, holding her to just 17 points in the last jam of the game. Collision would get boxed for a clockwise block, joining Grudges in Charm City's penalty box, but Minnesota didn't have much of a chance.
Charm won 249-119, advancing to play Rocky Mountain on Day 2 of the championship tournament.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Quick hits: Derby's Black Widow
I bumped into the Texecutioners' coach Kelli "Black Widow" Page during the halftime of the Rocky Mountain-Charm City bout on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, at the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's championship tournament called Uproar on the Lakeshore in Chicago, Illinois.
(I'll probably work some of these quotes into a future blog, so don't be surprised if you see them again.)
****
On the Rocky-Charm matchup ...
"I think (Rocky-Charm) it's an interesting matchup. Even though their styles are different, they're both very physical teams. Rocky relies a lot on their speed and taking advantage of power jam situations. I think that's also true of Charm City. I think they're both looking for those opportunities to really put a hurt on you, and that's where the point swings heavily come into play."
"They're both headsy teams and they don't let the other team change their style of play. They really stick to it. "
"It's obvious that Rocky is very comfortable working together. You'll see a lot of their recycling and they play in really close proximity of each other. They're always looking for that pair matchup out there. "
"When Dolly is out there, or Joy, they (Charm) are dictating and telling the rest of the pack what that play is and they respond to wherever they're directing them to go."
About avoiding penalties and skating clean ...
"At this level it's huge. If you give a team an opportunity the way the style of play is now where they have the back wall and they stop and they trap one of your players, thats it, it's over. You really have to make sure that you're as clean as possible and don't give them as many opportunities to do that because it will hurt you."
(I'll probably work some of these quotes into a future blog, so don't be surprised if you see them again.)
****
On the Rocky-Charm matchup ...
"I think (Rocky-Charm) it's an interesting matchup. Even though their styles are different, they're both very physical teams. Rocky relies a lot on their speed and taking advantage of power jam situations. I think that's also true of Charm City. I think they're both looking for those opportunities to really put a hurt on you, and that's where the point swings heavily come into play."
"They're both headsy teams and they don't let the other team change their style of play. They really stick to it. "
"It's obvious that Rocky is very comfortable working together. You'll see a lot of their recycling and they play in really close proximity of each other. They're always looking for that pair matchup out there. "
"When Dolly is out there, or Joy, they (Charm) are dictating and telling the rest of the pack what that play is and they respond to wherever they're directing them to go."
About avoiding penalties and skating clean ...
"At this level it's huge. If you give a team an opportunity the way the style of play is now where they have the back wall and they stop and they trap one of your players, thats it, it's over. You really have to make sure that you're as clean as possible and don't give them as many opportunities to do that because it will hurt you."
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Uproar on the Lakeshore: What's in a name?
Jennifer Smith, Kelley Young and Rachel Bockheim are perfectly ordinary names in a sport where double-entendre nomenclatures and non-serious nicknames are the majority -- Flash Gloria, Missile Toes, Estro Jen, Queefer Sutherland, etc.
Smith and Young represent a small number of players who will skate under their real names during the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's annual championship tournament, which this year will be held Nov. 5-7 in Chicago at WFTDA's Uproar on the Lakeshore.
Bockheim, who plays for the tournament hostesses, Windy City Rollers, under the name Jackie Daniels, also skates for Team Legit, a team comprised of skaters using their real names.
The International Rollergirls' Master Roster website catalogues and registers derby names from all over the world at www.twoevils.org/rollergirls. The registration tries to ensure that no two roller girls share the same name or that their names aren't too similar.
The idea for derby names is largely borrowed from the theatrical performance art of burlesque and is a widely accepted practice to assume an alias for roller derby.
Skaters sometimes choose their new alias. Sometime their alias chooses them.
"I came up with the name Snot Rocket the first year I started skating, in 2005," said Young, who skates for the Kansas City Roller Warriors. "My team and I were skating in a St. Patrick's day parade, and March in Kansas City is chilly."
"I kept blowing snot rockets since I didn't have a tissue, and we all thought at the time it would be funny if my name was "snot rocket" because I was kind of fast for the derby community at the time."
Smith, who is co-captain of Nashille's Music City Allstars, cautions new Nashville skaters to take some time when trying to determine their new name.
"They need to realize this is what your friends will call you, what will be on our website, what could be on DNN (Derby News Network), what will be the first thing to inform the impression of someone you are meeting for the first time, etc.," Smith said. "You just want to make sure you convey what you really want to convey."
To skate under your legal name is a dramatic departure from the sport that began its rebirth in 2001.
Enough kindred skaters got together to form their own team, Team Legit, which played one of its first games at Battle of the Bank II in Austin, Texas, in 2009. Bockheim was a last-minute add, and despite the team never playing or practicing together before, managed a third-place finish.
Team Legit currently plays two to three games together a year. But Bockheim doesn't mind people calling her Jackie, even when she plays for Legit.
"I actually started bouting under my real name about a year and a half ago," Smith said. "I can't think of any circumstances that contributed to it. It was just something I gravitated toward as I got more and more serious about derby."
She wasn't always Jennifer Smith, though. When she first started skating, she took on the name Smith N. Wesson. She also took the number .357, a popular gun model for the company.
Switching to her real name, Smith changed her number, too.
"When I switched to my real name I used 11, which was the number I used in sports growing up," she said.
Young made the switch from derby alias to using her real name after returning from retirement.
"I decided to shed the name after I came back to skating following a year hiatus, which I thought at the time was a permanent retirement," Young said. "Snot Rocket as a derby personality had generated so much hype, and I didn't want to feel the pressure of coming back into that after a year off, having to live up to the same expectations that were hovering over me at the time that I retired."
"I wanted a clean slate. I just wanted to come back and skate with my girls, with my team, without all the hype and personal attention. I'm just me, Kelley, on and off the track. Snot Rocket was old news."
The name occassionally hangs in the air.
"As far as nicknames, people have called me 'snotty,' 'snot' and other shortened versions," Young said. "Some of my teammates still call me these nicknames, and I don't mind it as a friend thing. ... These girls have been close to me with that alias for a long time. I just want my jersey to say my real name."
During Amber Waves of Pain, WFTDA's South Central regional tournament, one fan wore a Kansas City Roller Warriors shirt with the name Snot Rocket and the number 4 screen printed on the back, cheering on Young as she blazed through the pack as one of KC's star jammers.
"My dad still wears a Snot Rocket jacket and shirt," Young said. "He's proud of my past accomplishments."
Young's father and mother were part of a larger contingent of Kansas City fans, including other skaters' parents.
"My folks are my biggest fans," Young said. "My siblings are more mildly interested and supportive, but my parents are derby fanatics. Honestly, I think my dad would prefer for me to skate under Snot Rocket. He's proud of my past and talks about it all the time. My mom, she's just happy with whatever. They're both really happy I'm skating again."
When Young retired, Princess Slay-ya took the number 4 for the year her teammate was on hiatus, returning it upon her return. Princess Slay-ya eventually retired, too.
"My number has always been 4."
Neither Young nor Smith place too much emphasis on playing under their real name.
"I don't consider skating under my real name as an honor per se," Young said. "It's just something I want to do."
Within their respective league, Young and Smith often find support from their teammates. The casual fans are usually the people with the biggest reaction.
"Outside of the league, when I meet people who are just learning of derby they of course ask what my name is and I explain that I use my real name," Smith said. "Probably 50% of the time people are kind of confused about it and 50% of the time they think it's cool."
As the sport continues to grow and roller derby gains more of an audience, Smith thinks more skaters will choose to use their real name, the "trade off between the quirkiness of derby and derby becoming more mainstream."
Young agrees.
"Every skater should do what she wants to do," Young said. "But I do think that perhaps at the national level, decreasing the antics increases the legitimacy of our sport."
PHOTOS
TOP: Team Legit takes a moment to strategize.
BOTTOM: Team Legit's Karolina "Swede Hurt" Berglof (46), Laura “Amanda Jamitinya“ Mann (9) and Rachel "Jackie Daniels" Bockheim (7) corral Trish the Dish of the San Diego Derby Dolls.
Smith and Young represent a small number of players who will skate under their real names during the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's annual championship tournament, which this year will be held Nov. 5-7 in Chicago at WFTDA's Uproar on the Lakeshore.
 |
| KustomKulturePhoto.Net |
"I think everyone comes up with their’s (derby name) in their own way," said Bockheim, who played for Grand Raggidy, the Grand Rapids, Mich., team for four seasons before transferring to Chicago. "Some do all kinds of research, some know it instantly before they show up. I started so early in terms of the derby movement, there were maybe 300 names. Now, there are thousands."
Bockheim originally chose the name Jackie O'Nasty, but it had already been taken, and so she stumbled on Jackie Daniels.
"I hear some skaters say everything is taken, but I still hear new great names, and still have great ideas hit me once in a while. Call me. Once selected, your league rep submits them to small group of ridiculously amazing volunteers who run the list at twoevils.org. I believe each league has their own policy of when they allow you to register your name."
"I hear some skaters say everything is taken, but I still hear new great names, and still have great ideas hit me once in a while. Call me. Once selected, your league rep submits them to small group of ridiculously amazing volunteers who run the list at twoevils.org. I believe each league has their own policy of when they allow you to register your name."
The International Rollergirls' Master Roster website catalogues and registers derby names from all over the world at www.twoevils.org/rollergirls. The registration tries to ensure that no two roller girls share the same name or that their names aren't too similar.
The idea for derby names is largely borrowed from the theatrical performance art of burlesque and is a widely accepted practice to assume an alias for roller derby.
Skaters sometimes choose their new alias. Sometime their alias chooses them.
"I came up with the name Snot Rocket the first year I started skating, in 2005," said Young, who skates for the Kansas City Roller Warriors. "My team and I were skating in a St. Patrick's day parade, and March in Kansas City is chilly."
"I kept blowing snot rockets since I didn't have a tissue, and we all thought at the time it would be funny if my name was "snot rocket" because I was kind of fast for the derby community at the time."
Smith, who is co-captain of Nashille's Music City Allstars, cautions new Nashville skaters to take some time when trying to determine their new name.
"They need to realize this is what your friends will call you, what will be on our website, what could be on DNN (Derby News Network), what will be the first thing to inform the impression of someone you are meeting for the first time, etc.," Smith said. "You just want to make sure you convey what you really want to convey."
To skate under your legal name is a dramatic departure from the sport that began its rebirth in 2001.
 |
| KustomKulturePhoto.Net |
Team Legit currently plays two to three games together a year. But Bockheim doesn't mind people calling her Jackie, even when she plays for Legit.
"I just want to play roller derby really, I’ll skate under anything," Bockheim said. "But, I can say I had proud moments and texted my dad a picture of my BOCKHEIM jersey."
"Everyone already knew me so well/long as Jackie Daniels, that no one was calling me by my real name anyway, even the announcers were calling me JD."
Smith's reason for skating under her name was more personal.
"I actually started bouting under my real name about a year and a half ago," Smith said. "I can't think of any circumstances that contributed to it. It was just something I gravitated toward as I got more and more serious about derby."
She wasn't always Jennifer Smith, though. When she first started skating, she took on the name Smith N. Wesson. She also took the number .357, a popular gun model for the company.
Switching to her real name, Smith changed her number, too.
"When I switched to my real name I used 11, which was the number I used in sports growing up," she said.
Young made the switch from derby alias to using her real name after returning from retirement.
"I decided to shed the name after I came back to skating following a year hiatus, which I thought at the time was a permanent retirement," Young said. "Snot Rocket as a derby personality had generated so much hype, and I didn't want to feel the pressure of coming back into that after a year off, having to live up to the same expectations that were hovering over me at the time that I retired."
"I wanted a clean slate. I just wanted to come back and skate with my girls, with my team, without all the hype and personal attention. I'm just me, Kelley, on and off the track. Snot Rocket was old news."
The name occassionally hangs in the air.
"As far as nicknames, people have called me 'snotty,' 'snot' and other shortened versions," Young said. "Some of my teammates still call me these nicknames, and I don't mind it as a friend thing. ... These girls have been close to me with that alias for a long time. I just want my jersey to say my real name."
During Amber Waves of Pain, WFTDA's South Central regional tournament, one fan wore a Kansas City Roller Warriors shirt with the name Snot Rocket and the number 4 screen printed on the back, cheering on Young as she blazed through the pack as one of KC's star jammers.
"My dad still wears a Snot Rocket jacket and shirt," Young said. "He's proud of my past accomplishments."
Young's father and mother were part of a larger contingent of Kansas City fans, including other skaters' parents.
"My folks are my biggest fans," Young said. "My siblings are more mildly interested and supportive, but my parents are derby fanatics. Honestly, I think my dad would prefer for me to skate under Snot Rocket. He's proud of my past and talks about it all the time. My mom, she's just happy with whatever. They're both really happy I'm skating again."
When Young retired, Princess Slay-ya took the number 4 for the year her teammate was on hiatus, returning it upon her return. Princess Slay-ya eventually retired, too.
"My number has always been 4."
Neither Young nor Smith place too much emphasis on playing under their real name.
"I don't consider skating under my real name as an honor per se," Young said. "It's just something I want to do."
Within their respective league, Young and Smith often find support from their teammates. The casual fans are usually the people with the biggest reaction.
"Outside of the league, when I meet people who are just learning of derby they of course ask what my name is and I explain that I use my real name," Smith said. "Probably 50% of the time people are kind of confused about it and 50% of the time they think it's cool."
As the sport continues to grow and roller derby gains more of an audience, Smith thinks more skaters will choose to use their real name, the "trade off between the quirkiness of derby and derby becoming more mainstream."
Young agrees.
"Every skater should do what she wants to do," Young said. "But I do think that perhaps at the national level, decreasing the antics increases the legitimacy of our sport."
PHOTOS
TOP: Team Legit takes a moment to strategize.
BOTTOM: Team Legit's Karolina "Swede Hurt" Berglof (46), Laura “Amanda Jamitinya“ Mann (9) and Rachel "Jackie Daniels" Bockheim (7) corral Trish the Dish of the San Diego Derby Dolls.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Uproar on the Lakeshore: Championship Week
We're down to the wire for those of us in the roller derby community awaiting the culmination of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's season.This weekend 12 teams will play for the Hydra Trophy, awarded to the WFTDA's top team each year.
Fivepointgrandlslam.com will be in Chicago live-Tweeting and covering the tournament, as will numerous other journalists and roller derby enthusiasts.
In preparation, I'll have a blog for each day of the week until the opening day's game (Monday-Friday).
Tuesday: By the numbers
Wednesday: What's in a name?
Thursday: The post-regional power rankings
We've been in contact with a few skaters and coaches about some things to watch for at the tournament, and hope you'll enjoy each new entry. And stay tuned. We're hoping to have our Wi-Fi connection up and going to stay connected with everyone.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The championship invitations are punched
Kansas City, Mo., reigns supreme in the South Central, upsetting Austin, Texas, in the regional finals. Nashville surprised almost everyone taking third place over Atlanta, the South Central's third seed, to take the SC's third seed heading to Chicago for Uproar on the Lakeshore.
The Texas-Kansas City was the bout to watch, capping off the three-day tournament with seasonally experienced roller derby.
The contest between the Kansas City Roller Warriors and the Texacutioners was intense from the beginning to the very end with a major lead changes. Texas started out on top 41-40 with 10 minutes left in the first half, with Kansas overtaking the lead 64-49 at the half. Texas and KC would tie 98-98 with 15 minutes left in the bout, making it anyone's game.
Both halves had plenty of action, but in the second half Texas struggled to adapt to two events that radically changed the course of the bout. Texas had already burned their challenge early in the game (I believe for a point dispute) when Curvette, No. 76, was called on a major low block, which was later upgraded to a gross misconduct and an ejection, when she attempted to step around the Kansas City jammer.
Chasing the jammer, Curvette was behind a half-step and tried to work her away around the inside of her opponent. Curvette inadvertently kicked the jammer and as she brought her leg around the jammer's front she used her upper right thigh to block the Kansas City skater, causing the KC jammer.
Having seen the "inadvertent kick" and after the jammer falling her jam ref called Curvette on a major low block, and upon the completion of the jam, the referees conferred and expelled Curvette for the illegal low block.
Their challenge expired, Texas had to sit by and watch Curvette as she skated back to the tournament's staging area.
Texas would also have problems with Kansas City's up tempo and frustrating defensive/offensive onslaught, with KC at one point with a four-wall in the rear of the pack holding back the Texas jammer.
Texas faced a choice of trying to slow down and pick off the Kansas City blockers hoping their jammer could get through or speeding up and forcing out-of-play calls on the KC defense and possibly "destroying the pack calls" on Texas.
TXRG chose to try and pick off the blockers, clogging up the track with plenty of bodies and making an impenetrable wall that their jammer couldn't navigate.
Later in the second half, each jammer from their respective teams was called on almost simultaneous cutting majors. Both jammers reported to the box sat at the same time.
The jammers seem confused as when they were to be released, and Kansas City Coach Ice screamed for his jammer to return to the track.
The crowd audibly upset, the referees took an official timeout at jam's end to discuss the previous events. It would be one of a couple official timeouts the zebra herd would take, with the action happening fast and the stakes at hand extremely high for both teams.
What had transpired was Dementia mistakenly thought the major track cut that was called on Texas jammer Oliva Shootin' John was directed at the KC jammer. When both jammers did return to the track and the jam ended upon Dementia's successfully calling off the jam, OSJ was instructed to return to the penalty box to serve her time, but the referees still awarded her the points she earned on her scoring passes.
However if both players had been called for major penalties and they indeed sit at the same time they would be instructed to stand, and both jammers would serve 10 seconds and be released back to the track.
As per WFTDA rules as of May 26, 2010, Section 7.4.2, if both jammers are seated in the box at the same exact moment, both Jammers will serve 10 seconds before they are simultaneously released back into play by the penalty box official.
The debacle illustrates a key point for both jammers and their respective jam ref. Upon sitting in the box, the jammer should look to her jam ref and ask what the call was, but the jam ref should also communicate what the skater was sent off for. If the jammer mistakenly went to the box, that would be the proper time for the jam ref to instruct her to return to the track.
KC's Kelley Young, formerly Snot Rocket, managed a huge 29 point jam with a minute left to play to put Kansas City on top 153-123.
KC, Texas and Nashville will join the ranks of Gotham, Philly, Charm City, Windy City, Minnesota, Madison, Bay Area Derby, Rocky Mountain and Oly to play for the coveted Hydra Trophy, the WFTDA championship.
Hometown favorites No Coast leaped three regional spots, from South Central No. 8 to No.5 beating two Derby News Network nationally ranked Top 25 teams (as of September 2010), Dallas (SC4, DNN25) and Tampa (SC6, DNN 24), their only loss to the South Central No. 1 seed Texas. No Coast also got some redemption for some losses earlier in the season against Tampa. No Coast jammer Flash Gloria won the tournament MVP, working incredibly hard in No Coast's jammer rotation.Amber Waves of Pain, the South Central Region tournament, is over, determining the final spots in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's championship tournament.
Kansas City, Mo., reigns supreme in the South Central, upsetting Austin, Texas, in the regional finals. Nashville surprised almost everyone taking third place over Atlanta, the South Central's third seed, to take the SC's third seed heading to Chicago for Uproar on the Lakeshore.
The Texas-Kansas City was the bout to watch, capping off the three-day tournament with seasonally experienced roller derby.
The contest between the Kansas City Roller Warriors and the Texacutioners was intense from the beginning to the very end with a major lead changes. Texas started out on top 41-40 with 10 minutes left in the first half, with Kansas overtaking the lead 64-49 at the half. Texas and KC would tie 98-98 with 15 minutes left in the bout, making it anyone's game.
Both halves had plenty of action, but in the second half Texas struggled to adapt to two events that radically changed the course of the bout. Texas had already burned their challenge early in the game (I believe for a point dispute) when Curvette, No. 76, was called on a major low block, which was later upgraded to a gross misconduct and an ejection, when she attempted to step around the Kansas City jammer.
Chasing the jammer, Curvette was behind a half-step and tried to work her away around the inside of her opponent. Curvette inadvertently kicked the jammer and as she brought her leg around the jammer's front she used her upper right thigh to block the Kansas City skater, causing the KC jammer.
Having seen the "inadvertent kick" and after the jammer falling her jam ref called Curvette on a major low block, and upon the completion of the jam, the referees conferred and expelled Curvette for the illegal low block.
Their challenge expired, Texas had to sit by and watch Curvette as she skated back to the tournament's staging area.
Texas would also have problems with Kansas City's up tempo and frustrating defensive/offensive onslaught, with KC at one point with a four-wall in the rear of the pack holding back the Texas jammer.
Texas faced a choice of trying to slow down and pick off the Kansas City blockers hoping their jammer could get through or speeding up and forcing out-of-play calls on the KC defense and possibly "destroying the pack calls" on Texas.
TXRG chose to try and pick off the blockers, clogging up the track with plenty of bodies and making an impenetrable wall that their jammer couldn't navigate.
Later in the second half, each jammer from their respective teams was called on almost simultaneous cutting majors. Both jammers reported to the box sat at the same time.
The jammers seem confused as when they were to be released, and Kansas City Coach Ice screamed for his jammer to return to the track.
The crowd audibly upset, the referees took an official timeout at jam's end to discuss the previous events. It would be one of a couple official timeouts the zebra herd would take, with the action happening fast and the stakes at hand extremely high for both teams.
What had transpired was Dementia mistakenly thought the major track cut that was called on Texas jammer Oliva Shootin' John was directed at the KC jammer. When both jammers did return to the track and the jam ended upon Dementia's successfully calling off the jam, OSJ was instructed to return to the penalty box to serve her time, but the referees still awarded her the points she earned on her scoring passes.
However if both players had been called for major penalties and they indeed sit at the same time they would be instructed to stand, and both jammers would serve 10 seconds and be released back to the track.
As per WFTDA rules as of May 26, 2010, Section 7.4.2, if both jammers are seated in the box at the same exact moment, both Jammers will serve 10 seconds before they are simultaneously released back into play by the penalty box official.
The debacle illustrates a key point for both jammers and their respective jam ref. Upon sitting in the box, the jammer should look to her jam ref and ask what the call was, but the jam ref should also communicate what the skater was sent off for. If the jammer mistakenly went to the box, that would be the proper time for the jam ref to instruct her to return to the track.
KC's Kelley Young, formerly Snot Rocket, managed a huge 29 point jam with a minute left to play to put Kansas City on top 153-123.
KC, Texas and Nashville will join the ranks of Gotham, Philly, Charm City, Windy City, Minnesota, Madison, Bay Area Derby, Rocky Mountain and Oly to play for the coveted Hydra Trophy, the WFTDA championship.
Hometown favorites No Coast leaped three regional spots, from South Central No. 8 to No.5 beating two Derby News Network nationally ranked Top 25 teams (as of September 2010), Dallas (SC4, DNN25) and Tampa (SC6, DNN 24), their only loss to the South Central No. 1 seed Texas. No Coast also got some redemption for some losses earlier in the season against Tampa. No Coast jammer Flash Gloria won the tournament MVP, working incredibly hard in No Coast's jammer rotation.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Bring on the pain
After a weekend of surprising upsets at Rollin' on the River 2010, the best in the west are heading to Chicago.
Rocky Mountain ended Oly's 22-bout win streak to snatch the No. 1 seed going into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's Championship Tournament on November 5-7. Oly was unable to ride its 287 point differential from its first two games to a first place finish, upset in the last game 127-86, despite several lead changes.
Bay Area Derby overcame it's 6th seed in the Western Region, upsetting Denver in the first round 132-128. BAD lost to eventual champion Rocky in the second round, but then took third place in the tournament with a win over Rose City.
Now the action turns to the Midwest once again as the regional tournament stops in the land of Nebraska for the final WFTDA regional tournament.
The No Coast Roller Girls will host Amber Waves of Pain, the South Central Region Tournament on October 8-10 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Tournament staples Texas and Kansas City look to maintain their roller derby dominance, and take two of the top spots into Uproar on the Lakeshore in Chicago.
Thus far the No. 1 seed has made it into the the top three of each region, thus securing a bid in the championship tournament. Gotham and Windy City maintained their lock on the No. 1 seed, and secure a first-round bye in Chicago. Rocky and it's upset of Oly will get the bye after taking first place in the West.
Three more spots in the championship tournament remain open as the Top 10 teams in the South Central Region vie for a spot in the (inter)national spotlight.
Both Kansas City and Texas have won the WFTDA national championship previously, before the inception of the Hydra Trophy. Texas became the first WFTDA champion ever in 2006, while Kansas City won a year later in 2007.
Texas advanced to the final game in the 2009 WFTDA national tournament at Declaration of Derby in Philadelphia, losing to Oly Rollers 179-100 in the championship game, and thus earning second place in the tournament.
South Central No. 1 seed Texas looks like a shoe-in.
"All in all, Texas has always been a derby powerhouse!" says Christine "Sylvia Bullet" Newell, No Coast blocker. "I think their chances are pretty good, but I wouldn’t put them past an upset."
Bay Area Derby, originally ranked sixth in the Western Region, and Minnesota, originally ranked seventh in the North Central Region, both managed key upsets to place into the championship tournament.
Underdogs No Coast are keeping their focus positive on their chances in the South Central Region.
"Minnesota’s Cinderella story reminds us that it’s possible for No Coast to break into the top three and make it to Chicago in November," Newell says. "To make it to Chicago we’re going to have to play smart, play clean, and stay focused."
No Coast will have to beat Hard Knox, No. 9 seed in the first round of the South Central, to get a chance to play Texas, No. 10 in the nation according to Derby News Network's September 2010 power rankings.
"We aren't looking past Hard Knox, but we are planning on playing Texas and are looking forward to it," Newell says.
Atlanta Rollergirls will face the winner of the first round matchup between Houston and Memphis. Other Amber Waves of Pain participants include Dallas Derby Devils, Nashville Roller Girls, and Tampa Bay Derby Darlins..
South Central Rankings
SC01 Texas Rollergirls (DNN 10)
SC02 Atlanta Rollergirls (DNN 20)
SC03 Kansas City Roller Warriors (DNN 18)
SC04 Dallas Derby Devils (DNN 25)
SC05 Nashville Roller Girls
SC06 Tampa Bay Derby Darlins (DNN 24)
SC07 Houston Roller Derby
SC08 No Coast Roller Girls
SC09 Hard Knox Roller Girls
SC10 Memphis Roller Derby
Top 3 finishes per region
Here are the top three finishes for each region. The number one seed for each region gets a bye in the first round of the championship tournament. The No. 2 seed from each region will play a No. 3 seed from a different region. Teams seeded No. 2 or No. 3 will have to play three games if they want to make it to championship finals and a loss in the first round will knock them out completely. Second round losers will still get an opportunity to play for third place.
Rocky Mountain ended Oly's 22-bout win streak to snatch the No. 1 seed going into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's Championship Tournament on November 5-7. Oly was unable to ride its 287 point differential from its first two games to a first place finish, upset in the last game 127-86, despite several lead changes.
Bay Area Derby overcame it's 6th seed in the Western Region, upsetting Denver in the first round 132-128. BAD lost to eventual champion Rocky in the second round, but then took third place in the tournament with a win over Rose City.
Now the action turns to the Midwest once again as the regional tournament stops in the land of Nebraska for the final WFTDA regional tournament.
The No Coast Roller Girls will host Amber Waves of Pain, the South Central Region Tournament on October 8-10 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Tournament staples Texas and Kansas City look to maintain their roller derby dominance, and take two of the top spots into Uproar on the Lakeshore in Chicago.
Thus far the No. 1 seed has made it into the the top three of each region, thus securing a bid in the championship tournament. Gotham and Windy City maintained their lock on the No. 1 seed, and secure a first-round bye in Chicago. Rocky and it's upset of Oly will get the bye after taking first place in the West.
Three more spots in the championship tournament remain open as the Top 10 teams in the South Central Region vie for a spot in the (inter)national spotlight.
Both Kansas City and Texas have won the WFTDA national championship previously, before the inception of the Hydra Trophy. Texas became the first WFTDA champion ever in 2006, while Kansas City won a year later in 2007.
Texas advanced to the final game in the 2009 WFTDA national tournament at Declaration of Derby in Philadelphia, losing to Oly Rollers 179-100 in the championship game, and thus earning second place in the tournament.
South Central No. 1 seed Texas looks like a shoe-in.
"All in all, Texas has always been a derby powerhouse!" says Christine "Sylvia Bullet" Newell, No Coast blocker. "I think their chances are pretty good, but I wouldn’t put them past an upset."
Bay Area Derby, originally ranked sixth in the Western Region, and Minnesota, originally ranked seventh in the North Central Region, both managed key upsets to place into the championship tournament.
Underdogs No Coast are keeping their focus positive on their chances in the South Central Region.
"Minnesota’s Cinderella story reminds us that it’s possible for No Coast to break into the top three and make it to Chicago in November," Newell says. "To make it to Chicago we’re going to have to play smart, play clean, and stay focused."
No Coast will have to beat Hard Knox, No. 9 seed in the first round of the South Central, to get a chance to play Texas, No. 10 in the nation according to Derby News Network's September 2010 power rankings.
"We aren't looking past Hard Knox, but we are planning on playing Texas and are looking forward to it," Newell says.
Atlanta Rollergirls will face the winner of the first round matchup between Houston and Memphis. Other Amber Waves of Pain participants include Dallas Derby Devils, Nashville Roller Girls, and Tampa Bay Derby Darlins..
South Central Rankings
SC01 Texas Rollergirls (DNN 10)
SC02 Atlanta Rollergirls (DNN 20)
SC03 Kansas City Roller Warriors (DNN 18)
SC04 Dallas Derby Devils (DNN 25)
SC05 Nashville Roller Girls
SC06 Tampa Bay Derby Darlins (DNN 24)
SC07 Houston Roller Derby
SC08 No Coast Roller Girls
SC09 Hard Knox Roller Girls
SC10 Memphis Roller Derby
Top 3 finishes per region
Here are the top three finishes for each region. The number one seed for each region gets a bye in the first round of the championship tournament. The No. 2 seed from each region will play a No. 3 seed from a different region. Teams seeded No. 2 or No. 3 will have to play three games if they want to make it to championship finals and a loss in the first round will knock them out completely. Second round losers will still get an opportunity to play for third place.
South Central region, Oct. 8-10, 2010
1. To be determined
2. To be determined
3. To be determined
Western region, Sept. 29-31, 2010
1. Rocky Mountain (W2, DNN3)
2. Oly (W1, DNN2)
3. B.A.D. (W6, DNN8)
Eastern region, Sept. 22-24, 2010
1. Gotham (E1, DNN1)
2. Philly (E2, DNN4)
3. Charm City (Baltimore) (E4, DNN9)
North Central, Sept. 10-12, 2010
1. Windy City (Chicago) (NC1, DNN11)
2. Minnesota (NC7)
3. Dairyland Dolls (Madison) (NC3, DNN14)
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