Dundee Roller Girls Referee Recruitment

Dundee Roller Girls – Zumbathon

Dundee Roller Girls are proud to present our latest fundraising event – a 3 hour zumbathon!

We have four instructors coming – to be announced shortly!

Saturday 14th April
12-3pm, doors open at 11.30
Tickets £5

Various stalls will be in attendance including Virgin Vie,  The Body Shop, Partylite and many more!!

Adults (18+) may participate but children are welcome to watch too, there will be face painting on the day too!

Dundee Roller Girls Logo Competition

The Dundee Roller Girls are looking for a new team logo.

Designs will ideally:
Reference Dundee
Have our full team name, Dundee Roller Girls.
Consist of no more than three colours, the main colour could be either pink, black or silver.
Black and White designs also welcome.

The image must have block colours suitable for screen printing.

The winning designer will receive a free team t-shirt (with new logo) and free entry to our next home game of their choice.

Looking for inspiration? Check out other UK teams logo’s at
http://rollinnews.com/uk-roller-derby-teams/

Competition is open now and ends 12pm on Saturday 14th April 2012
Entries can be submitted to dundeerollergirls@gmail.com

The winner will be notified no later than Friday 20th April
Any queries please contact us on the above email address.

Copyright of the image will be relinquished to the Dundee Roller Girls.

Dundee Roller Girls Fresh Meat

 

Kick start your New Year fitness resolution by trying a different sport; Dundee Roller Girls are recruiting new skaters to join our ever growing league.
Roller Derby is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and with the first ever World Cup just passed, we want to open the opportunity up to more people!

Whether you are competitive, looking for fun or just want to try something new, roller derby has something for everyone! We will provide you skates and safety equipment, all we ask is that you come along and have some fun!

We have 3 taster sessions available for you to come along to – Wednesday 18th January, Wednesday 25th January and Wednesday 1st February, 7-8pm at the DISC, Mains Loan, Dundee

Dundee Roller Girls Christmas Fayre

CHRISTMAS FAYRE FUNDRAISER!

Head along to a festive Christmas fayre for a spot of last minute Christmas shopping.
On sale will be handmade gifts, prize raffle, craft stalls as well the famous Dundee Roller Girls bake sale, so get yourself along and support your local roller derby girls!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=189608154459598

 

Dundee Roller Girls Vs Fair City Rollers

Perth’s Fair City Rollers travel to Dundee in November for one of the most exciting rematches this year. Almost a year to the date since these two teams last met,  massive crowd gathered at the Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth for one of Tayside’s most hotly anticipated games. Both teams brought their ‘A Game’ that day, but the Dundee Roller Girls (previously Dundee Destroyers) got their first win and came out on top to beat the Fear Maidens with an impressive score of  161 – 80.

Both teams have undergone some radical changes from players to team names but one thing is for sure, both teams have grown so much since their first meeting, that this game is set to be the rematch of the year!

Dundee Roller Girls Open Day

Dundee Roller Girls are having a taster session in the form of an Open Day available to the public. This free, public event is at the Dundee International Sports Centre (DISC), Mains Loan, Dundee between 1 pm and 4 pm and everyone is welcome.

You can experience the speed and action of the sport in demo bouts, have a go in a taster training session and watch the Silvery Tayzers in match action on video. There will be derby players from around Scotland on hand to introduce you to the fun, explain the rules and show you the equipment you will need to get started. Stalls selling derby related items and a bake sale complete the programme.

Dundee Roller Girls are an all female team and you need to be at least 18 years of age to join.

An interview with Cherry Fury

Photo by Dave McAleavy (www.BoutDay.com)

We are always interested to hear from the skaters, but what about the refs? They make up an integral part of any team/bout and are sometimes left in the dark. I caught up with Cherry Fury, one of Scotland’s most travelled referees to pick her brains…

Did you always go into roller derby with the aim to become a ref?

In all honesty I began roller derby to get involved, simply to get involved. I found the prospect of a new sport exciting and the opportunity to be part of a team was something which I relished. It is true that I began skating on the team; I’d say it was a straight forward choice as that’s how I took my first steps back on skates after a few years. After around 18 or so months I had a go at refereeing after discussing it with Ella Bella Bang Bang and it just stuck. Officiating is a critical part of the sports development. Skaters need officials as much as officials need skaters and a wee bit of ground to roll around on.

What do you think makes a good referee?

Firstly I’d say time. We all have to learn and practice, it’s very difficult to become a referee. It takes a lot of time and commitment to develop. You have simply got to training as much as you can, push yourself, get involved with as any scrimmages and bouts as possible and be very frank about your strengths and weaknesses.  The strength to take feedback, self-assess and appreciate the support that’s given to you and the support you must give to others. Finally I would say respect, you never throw a fellow official under the bus, we all make mistakes and seek the elusive perfect bout but to achieve that would leave us with little to learn and I don’t believe in that.  We are called a ‘crew’ for a very good reason as working together is fundamental to a bout being well officiated including those on and off skates.

Do you have any referee idols? Is there a particular referee that you look up to or go to for advice?

I have a huge amount of respect for officials in roller derby, skaters too as we all make our sport what it is today. I have been very lucky to work with some of the strongest and most knowledgeable officials in the sport, both in Europe and the USA and I look to everyone I work with for feedback or advice.

If you were to twist my arm for a few, first up would be Ella Bella Bang Bang (ARRG), this lady is truly inspirational and is the reason I became a referee. She is supportive and constructive with incredible determination to support everyone she works with. Miss Trail (NYSE) really impacted the style of referee I have become. Her calmness and knowledge of the sport is incredible. I admire her development work with the MRDA and always to aim to live up to her standards.

There really are too many to mention and I don’t want to leave anyone out but, I always learn from every bout I officiate and every official I work with. Officials are constantly discussing rules, debating changes in the game and pushing the boundaries of our knowledge. We support and push each other which are a real credit to all the individuals involved.

You are quite famous among the roller derby community for your small reffing pants, but recently I have noticed that you have been covering up a bit more. Is there a reason for that?

Hahaha, yes the pants. I don’t really have a specific answer. Yes, the WFTDA tournament protocols have an officiating dress code but that doesn’t affect most games I skate. I have some very good compression tights which help me with my leg and you’ll notice I wear those under my pants. Maybe the fact that 80% of my ref photos on Facebook are of my bum, makes getting a good headshot a nightmare, but again I’ve never received any complaints. I do have a black pride of scotland kilt for thr world cup which  i love to skate in now too.

If and how have things changed since you became a ref ?

Our game is constantly changing, from rules development to the skill and ability of skaters. I believe in supporting the sport and accommodating it as it develops. The most notable thing for me is the technical level to which teams are applying and bending the rules. As an official you need to have exceptional knowledge of the rules, protocols and how those are applied to the game. Teams really are pushing the boundaries of what can be done within the rules and it is up to the officials to develop and keep ahead of that curve.

What’s is your greatest achievement in your reffing career?

My greatest, wow, well that’s a tough one as there are so many things and so many bouts that I have been part of which I am proud of. I’m working towards my certification and if I achieve that ill be over the moon but so far if I had to pick one it would be being selected to ref the MRDA championships in New York. I am a huge fan of the men’s derby and  have a huge amount of respect for the men’s teams both in Europe and the USA.

You’ve been one of the more widely travelled scottish roller derby referees. How does it feel to be refereeing at the first World Cup?

Its fantastic! I get the opportunity to work with some amazing officials, see some fantastic skating and just being part of the first derby world cup ever is awesome. In all honesty knowing that there is a Scottish team amongst a fantastic range of European teams and two Scottish Refs among a crew of excellent European officials representing European derby at the event makes me proud of everything that everyone in European derby has achieved.

Favourite rule.

2.2.2, it’s the prime directive that keeps us rolling.

Dundee Roller Girls – Fundraiser Event

Dundee Roller Girls are hosting a Pop & Entertainment Quiz Night on Tuesday 4th October, it’s at Drouthy Neebors and starts a 7:30pm. Entry is £10 per team of 4.

Quiz will start shortly after 7:30pm so get there early to get your team registered and get a good seat! Cash prize for the winning team!

Image courtesy of Dundee Roller Girls