Glasgow Roller Derby and Auld Reekie Roller Girls Go Global!

So, ECDX is now less than 8 weeks away! How ready is the team?
Cider (ARRG):  We bout all year round, so we’re always ready to play Roller Derby.  We just need to remember to pack party hats and sun block and we’re there!

Rogue (GRD):  As ready as we’ve ever been, I reckon! It was important to us to plan and train far in advance for this event so we’ve been working very hard at playing as a solid unit for a while now.

Is there any specific training that your team have been doing to prepare, eg extra scrimmage/off skates training/teambuilding?
Rogue (GRD):  Yes, everyone on the team has taken on some sort of off skates training. This has taken many forms. Some people are going to the gym, some do Cross-fit, running, strength training or even Parkour! This means that everyone has been making a huge commitment, as the team already train 3-4 times a week. It’s a lot of work and time for everyone. This team is dedicated!

Crazy (ARRG):  Yes - lots of intense off skates, focus on team work and a lot of work on our technical skating skills lately -  we jumped at LRG’s invite to go play at Anarchy in the UK III because we knew that would give us a couple of really challenging games and bring the team together just before ECDX.  And the lovely Hot Wheels invited us down for a bout the week afterwards, which was great in consolidating our team work a bit more. For the next few weeks we have booked in a lot visiting teams to scrimmage against us, so that we can do as much as we can to raise level of the ARRG teamwork dream work!  We also have an exciting scrimmage with Gotham, and a pre ECDX bout with another WFTDA league organised for when we get to the States to acclimatise us before ECDX starts. Bouting in New York AND Philly!

What are the team/wider league doing to help with finances for this international opportunity?
Rogue  (GRD):  The whole league, as well as our families and friends, have been amazing in helping us to raise funds for this. To try to list the ways that people have helped would be to miss something out. Fundraising efforts have been as diverse as bag-packing at a local supermarket;  a photo exhibition at a local café run by our own Phoenix; and a Grd Auction.  I’m grateful to everyone who has helped us and I hope we can make them proud.    Click here if you’d like to help out!  http://www.glasgowrollerderby.com/get-in-touch/donate

Cider (ARRG):  So much! It’s unreal -  I think everyone in the league has helped in some way which is a bit single teary for us as a team.  We feel really supported, and a bit overwhelmed by the sacrifices people have made for us.  Our limited edition merch, designed by Admiral Attackbar, has been a huge bonus because not only does it raise money for us, but it’s also amazing quality.  We love the designs! You can buy them here:   http://auldreekierollergirls.bigcartel.com/products.       Our Sponsorship and Advertising Committee have pulled off some brilliant and fun fundraising events for us this year too – like our huge 5^th birthday party which will be happening this Saturday, which has lots of lovely surprises happening on the night. This will help us raise further travel funds.  You can find our more here:          http://www.facebook.com/events/193068510841007/

Do you know anything about the teams you’re up against?
Crazy (ARRG):  Of course! We did some fairly intensive research as soon as the sanctioned teams were announced by ECDX Organisers – it’s frightening how organised our team was at online research or *creeping* as we call it.  There was a 12 hour overnight ‘ARRG mass creep’ period where the whole team did this massive impressive feat of internet stalking and voting to suss out who we wanted to play!  We’ve been keeping an eye on both teams – Ithaca and Dominion – and where they are appearing in rankings; who they’re playing and who they’re beating; but I guess it’s really only when we get there that we’ll get a real sense of the level of play.

Rogue (GRD):  Long island are ranked 93rd, and Columbia 39^th, in the WFTDA rankings but who knows what that means? Teams don’t tend to give much away and it’s hard to find recent footage online. However Columbia are playing against Charm City (17th) this weekend and I’ll be watching the results of that one very closely! I also know from being in touch with members of both teams that they will play hard and play to win, but that they are lovely people and I can’t wait to meet them.

How do you think the team will perform?
Rogue (GRD): The team have all been reminded to pack our A game. We’ll be playing to win!

Cider (ARRG):  I think that we’ve been performing well lately as a team and consistently improving with each bout or tournament, so if we keep our focus I know we can perform well.  It just all depends on how well the other teams perform against us I guess.  We’ve trained hard and we’ll go in with the usual 100% and see where that gets us!

What are you most excited about?

Crazy (ARRG):How long have you got?! It’s ECDX!!! Roller Derby in America! Food in Philly! Rocky steps! Team Sauna! And most exciting, is knowing the rest of ARRG will be watching and cheering for us. We want to make them all proud. Hopefully squeeze a bit of shopping in also…  And also, just to say it is such a great chance for two Scottish teams to represent themselves in the States … and if the Team Scotland after-party was anything to go by (from the World Cup) we should have fun doing it!

Rogue (GRD):  Oh, so many things! I’m excited to get there and play with the team and see all of our hard work pay off. I’m excited about the opportunities that this could create for us. I’m excited about the future of GRD. I rarely stop being excited about roller derby!

FVRG Intraleague: Revenge of the Fallen

Last June, Fierce Valley Roller Girls embraced all things Grease-related in their first intraleague bout, Summer Shovin’.

This year’s intraleague on Sunday 25th May will have a Transformers theme: Revenge of the Fallen. Skaters from FVRG will split into the AutoBlocks and DeceptiQuads for one day only to battle it out on track. The line-up will showcase six of the leagues newest skaters: Tri-Sarah-Tops; Bambi; Tiny Tearaway; Johnny Hangover; WhoopAsh and Elburnzo. This will also be the debut outing for ref Wendy Snarling!

The FVRG bout will be held in Grangemouth Sports Complex. Tickets are charged at £5 in advance, and under 14s go free with a paying adult. Due to the limited seating at this venue, tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis – and from Brown Paper Tickets only.

Join the Facebook Event to keep up to date with the latest news.

Poster design by Chaos Faerie

“Cherry Pop”: Lothian Derby Dolls v Bairn City Rollers

Exciting times ahead as the East meets the Centre, Lothian Derby Dolls taking on Bairn City Rollers‘ women’s team, the Central Belters, in what will be both teams’ first ever public bout!

Speaking for LDD, Duke Boxx had this to say: “We certainly can’t wait to welcome family and friends to our first ever public bout and also the Central Belters first ever public bout. So come along and cheer on some girls popping their bouting cherry and we can certainly sweeten the pot with some yummy home baked goods, goodies to be won and what is set to be fun an exciting roller derby.”

Saturday Fight Fever – GCRG’s Northern Fights vs GRD’s Maiden Grrders

We at GCRG are exited to announce that we will be playing Glasgow Roller Derby‘s Maiden Grrders for our 2nd home bout of the year on the 11th of May.

And once again, there will be FREE ENTRY for everyone. Yup that’s right, no door charge! We are limited to 250 spectators, so get there early to guarantee entry.

Don’t forget your pennies for the Merchandise Stands, Raffle and charity cake stall.

Doors open at 2pm, first jam whistle 3pm. All ages welcome (under 18s must be accompanied with a responsible adult).

Check out the event on Facebook

Date:Sat, 11/04/2013 – 2:00pm – 5:00pm<
Location: Beach Leisure Centre

See map: Google Maps

TITLE	DATE	HOME LEAGUE	HOME TEAM	HOME SCORE	AWAY SCORE	AWAY TEAM	AWAY LEAGUE
Saturday Fight Fever	11/05/13	Granite City Roller Girls	Northern Fights			Maiden Grrders	Glasgow Roller Derby

Scotland heads to ECDX

ECDX won’t know what’s hit it…

For skaters in the North American continent, the East Coast Derby eXtravaganza has been an essential fixture since its founding in 2007. Despite initial hiccups (scheduling their first event in the winter led to ice-related chaos, causing the move to the current June 28th to 30th slot), ECDX is now one of the biggest derby meetups in the USA, outgrowing its initial purpose of providing a yearly meetup merely for leagues  on the Eastern seaboard.

This year, however, for the first time in ECDX’s 7 year history, two of the teams competing in front of thousands of spectators will be from outside the USA and Canada.

Because, this year, Glasgow Roller Derby‘s Irn Bruisers and Auld Reekie Roller Girls‘ Twisted Thistles are bringing Scottish derby to the East Coast.

If ECDX is such an awesome event (winning Best Regular Season event in the DNN reader awards three years running), then why is it that no European leagues have attended before? The same reason, of course, that London Rollergirls has so many sponsors nowadays: the cost of flying up to 20 excited rollergirls, and supporters, across the Atlantic ocean, is a more than significant outlay for even the biggest European leagues.

As a result, both GRD and ARRG are embarking upon an extensive round of fundraising to pay for their travel and boarding, allowing them to represent not just Scotland but also the UK and Europe in Philadelphia.

Apart from augmenting the money made at their regular bouts from raffles and cakes (and face painting in the case of GRD), both leagues have been running a series of derby and non-derby events. For Glasgow, upcoming events include DJ nights at The Flying Duck on May 24th, and at Nice n Sleazy’s on the 31st of that month; a gala day and a speed dating evening with dates not yet finalised.

Facepainting at the first Glasgow Roller Derby Home Season of the year.

Auld Reekie have also been hard at work raising money for their trip, long before their plans were made public. As fundraising chair Skinner Alive notes, “We were in touch with the ECDX organisers just after the summer of last year so our journey to ECDX was always in our 2013 plans, and as such we have been fundraising like mad over these past 8 months.”

ARRG’s first ever hosted bootcamp, School of ARRG Knocks, was one of the first events that the league run to raise ECDX funds, and was so popular that a second bootcamp (subtitled “Even ARRGer!”; perhaps “Skate Free and Die ARRG” was taken?) is already planned.

ARRG are also running quizzes and music events across Edinburgh, in venues such as The Tron, ElboW, Brassmonkey, Leith Cricket Club and The Breakfast Club, hosting bands such as Shields Up, Trails, Taking Chase, Curators, Bonehouse and Albaroma. Skinner noted that both the hosts’ and the bands’ support is particularly valued, with the bands often providing their services for free.

As well as continuing to advertise such events, ARRG is also gearing up for a very special event: their 5th birthday party, which Skinner promises will be an event not to be missed.

Both leagues have even been driven to sell their possessions to help raise funds. One of the first things that Auld Reekie’s fundraising team (Skinner, Princess Die, Maulibu Barbie and Captain Havoc) did on learning they’d be going to ECDX was to stick all of the league’s old kit at a car boot sale for a starting fund, which “was a great easy money maker, and truly amazing what you can turn into cash with very little effort”.

GRD are also raising money in other ways, with an auction of time and items in planning. This will be hosted by GRD themselves, although the precise format is not available at this time.

The Auld Reekie Limited Edition Merch stall, at their first Home Season bout of the year.

Finally, both leagues are also producing new merchandise. In Edinburgh, skilled graphic designer, and star ARRG jammer, Admiral Attackbar has developed a range of limited edition clothing with the “Party ARRG” brand. “We decided that we really wanted to give something back to our supporters for helping us out so rather than just donating money, fans can buy themselves a sweet limited edition tshirt instead and know that the proceeds are going to help us get to ECDX,” said Admiral. Asked about the origin of the punny slogans, she revealed that their something that’s been bubbling under for a while: “When we hosted School of ARRG Knocks we were coming up with puns all over the place and Party ARRG arose at some point with regards to the after party. I was really trying to capture the spirit of the league in the new merch designs whilst still keeping things clean, simple and effective.”

Meanwhile, in Glasgow, GRD are sourcing recipes for a  planned cookbook, with a vegetarian and vegan slant, which they are hoping will be successful enough on its initial run to raise funds.

More prosaically, both leagues will be offering their bag packing skills in the shopping centres of their respective cities, so if you want your purchases packed by a roller derby skater, do watch out in the next few months!

Of course, it isn’t just skaters who are raising money for their trip. Dave McAleavy, possibly Scotland’s most well-known derby photographer is running an exhibition in derby-owned Cafe Phoenix to raise money for the GRD’s cause. “Glasgow Roller Derby have had a great couple of years,” said Dave, “and heading to ECDX to take on the world [...] the proceeds from sales will be going to their travel fund.”

If you want to know how important this is to both leagues, all you have to do is to talk to the skaters, all of whom are now considering their next few months in the context of ECDX.

New GRD Irn Bruiser Mona Rampage, playing as part of the composite team “The Gravehearts” in Edinburgh. (Photo: Laura MacDonald)

Speaking for Glasgow Roller Derby, new Bruiser Mona Rampage was luckily enough to graduate to the A-team just in time to join the ECDX crew, and is understandably excited. “Getting selected to be a Bruiser was a massive accomplishment for me”, she said: “I failed my minimums 3 times so was always behind everyone else in my intake skill wise; watching them getting selected for the top 20, NSOing bouts they were playing in, and bench managing their team’s games. To finally go from being on the sidelines to being on the A-team was huge for me. I can’t even express how happy I was to be selected. I feel like I really earned my spot though, which makes it so much sweeter! As for ECDX, I am really trying to up my game for the tournament as it will be the hardest thing I have ever done, not to mention the hardest thing the Bruisers have ever done.”

Alma Geddon, jamming against Sheffield Steel in Scotland’s first international derby tournament, in Glasgow

Auld Reekie’s Alma Geddon has been on their A-team, the Twisted Thistles, for a while, but that hasn’t tempered the excitement of ECDX for her.

 Both Mona and Alma were especially excited not just to be facing some fantastic American derby opponents, but each to be doing so alongside their counterparts on the other side of the country. “It’s massive for Scottish and UK derby and I’m glad we can share the experience with them. We are really lucky that we get on so well with all of the ARRG girls and I’m excited to hang out with them by the pool, cheer them on in their sanctioned outs and I’m sure they will do the same for us” enthused Mona.

Alma was equally pleased to be seeing Glasgow’s skaters at ECDX. “It’s fantastic that both ARRG & GRD will be a part of ECDX this summer. In 2011 the Scottish national team competing at the first Roller Derby World Cup in Toronto consisted mainly of skaters from these two leagues. In the bout against Team USA, Team Scotland may only have scored the now infamous ‘one point’, however, I think it’s true to say our Scottish pride & tenacity has already left quite an impression on a number of the American skaters. As one of the Team Scotland skaters I know I learned a lot from my World Cup experience & have grown as a skater as a result. The other lovely byproduct of the World Cup is that the two leagues have grown much closer & more supportive of each other than ever before, there was a whole lot of Scottish love at Track Queens tournament last November in Berlin. I’m looking forward to ARRG & GRD showcasing how far we’ve all come & how hard we’ve all been working!”

That said, if it was all about simply hanging out with each other, there’d be no need to fly to Philadelphia to do it. Mona Rampage was all about the challenge,  “really excited to play Columbia as they are the highest ranking team we will be coming up against. I really hope we give them a hard game! I’m going to try my hardest in any case!”  While Team Scotland veteran Alma Geddon has perhaps a few more contacts, and is looking forward to catching up as much as making new friends “Three days of superb derby action to enjoy watching & playing, not to mention rubbing shoulders with some derby heroes/crushes, meeting up with old friends & making new friends …. I stumbled across a roller derby spectating team called Hot Pants Cold Beer, they sound like a great fun bunch of folks.”

Whether those folks can keep up with the cream of Scottish Roller Derby is another matter entirely, and one we look forward to testing on June 28th!

All of Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ events are advertised on Facebook & Twitter (@AuldReekieRG), as well as the ARRG website. The limited edition ARRG merchandise can be bought at: http://auldreekierollergirls.bigcartel.com/  before April 15th, and then at all of the ARRG bouts until the 18th of May. You can also donate directly to ARRG via their website.

Similarly, Glasgow Roller Derby’s events are also publicised on Facebook and Twitter (@WeAreGRD), and on their website, which also includes a funding thermometer. As with ARRG, you can donate directly to them via their website.

The Jakey Bites: One Year On

To celebrate the recent birthday of The Jakey Bites – Scotland’s first Men’s Roller Derby team – we caught up with team skater, Duff McKeggar, to hear about their year so far and their plans for the future. The Jakeys will play their first headline bout at home this coming weekend, so this is a perfect opportunity to learn more about the team before heading along to Grangemouth to show them your support!

In just over a year, The Jakeys have gone from being a “ragtag collection of male referees” from the existing female leagues, to a dedicated team of 22 skaters who travel all over the UK to compete.  They’ve come a long way since heir first training session in a cold airport hanger in Perth in January 2012!

First Training Session: Alan Watt, Marco Vezzani, Martin Willox, Chris Riggeling, Iain Elstone, Dan Blake, Jazza Crawford, Gregg Pearson, Graeme Clark

When the news of a men’s roller derby team in Scotland broke out, enthusiastic male skaters emerged from the derby community to join the 9 refs - a mixture of husbands of female skates, friends of skaters, or those who had watched a bout a thought “I want to try that!”.

The newly-formed team didn’t waste any time in lining up their first bout, despite having barely enough skaters to fill the roster and only recently having passed their minimum skills test. So on 21st April 2012, The Jakey Bites traveled to Newcastle to take on their men’s team: Tyne & Fear. With their bright orange t-shirts, a Rab C. Nesbitt team logo, and a bus-load of supporters, The Jakeys made quite a first impression! The team never won their first bout but that didn’t matter – this was their exploration into the unknown territory of Men’s Roller Derby and getting a glimpse of what the future could hold for them.

Tyne and Fear vs The Jakey Bites, photo courtesy of Tyne and Fear

As well as the brightness of their uniforms that day, the team’s merchandise for sale also raised a few eyebrows. Emblazoned across the back of the t-shirts were the words “Scottish All Stars”. When I asked Duff McKeggar where this name came from, his answer was far less controversial than many had assumed! Duff explains, “It’s pretty much an in-joke. The Jakeys have always based ourselves on the featured team from the movie Rollerball (I must admit I’ve never seen it!) and apparently they are known as ‘The Houston All Stars’ so when we were designing our first t-shirt print run, Scottish All Stars was jokingly mentioned as a possible back print and it stuck!”. Simple!

Coincidentally, there has been a lot of talk recently about standardizing National Team Selection on the UK Roller Derby Association (UKRDA) website, so we were keen to hear if The Jakey Bites had any plans to live up to their All Star title and become the official national team. I must admit, I was disappointed when Duff said the The Jakeys would never be officially recognised as the ‘Team Scotland’ of men’s derby, but he did reassure us that – when the time comes – the roster will hopefully feature a large number of Jakeys.

But before we look too far into the future, let’s look back at what The Jakey Bites have achieved in their first year. By far their most memorable moment was playing in their first public bout against Tyne and Fear after only a few months in existence, explains Duff. The Jakeys also organised and hosted the hugely successful Sur5al tournament in December last year – a knock-out competition of mixed teams of 5 skaters from teams all over Scotland.

Sur5al Tournament, photo courtesy of Claire Brunton of Zenspirations

On a personal note for Duff, he recalls his biggest achievement with The Jakey Bites: “I was delighted to play in the Tyne and Fear bout after only a month of skating which was made all the sweeter by getting the Best Jammer award!  Playing in Scotland’s first men’s derby and co-ed bouts was also a great achievement”.

After their first bout in April 2012, it was full steam ahead with The Jakeys playing 4 more bouts away from home; opening a double-header event for Glasgow Roller Derby in June; and joining force’s with Dundee Roller Girls in the first co-ed bout in Scotland.

The Jakey Tayzers vs The Silvery Bites, photo courtesy of The Jakey Bites

2013 already looks to be very busy for The Jakey Bites – and we’re only in April! There is talk of a Men’s European Roller Derby Tournament taking place later this year, and Duff hopes to see The Jakey Bites in the line-up to showcase the Scottish talent. If we know the The Jakeys, they should have a busy bouting calendar lined up, and hopefully more of these played at home. Duff also ranks their “elusive first win” as a huge priority for the coming year!

With so many more bouts in the pipeline, the question on everyone gent’s lips is: “How do I become a Jakey Bite”? The answer is simple: Duff recommends that you contact the team via their Facebook Page to get more information about their training commitments. Even if you train with the team, your place still must be earned by a rigorous team selection process, with the final decision being with the Captain.

If the prospect of jumping right into a bouting team  isn’t quite what you’re looking for – any one of the regional men’s teams would be happy to sign you up and put you through your paces. Duff explains that The Jakeys “have fully embraced the new leagues and are happy to see men’s derby in Scotland growing so quickly. As the Jakeys are more of a collective than a league we’ve never really had a consistent fresh meat program whereas now the local leagues all have first rate fresh meat programs so ongoing we have a wider pool of talent to choose from”. Duff himself is one of the founder members of Capital City Roller Derby in Edinburgh, and many of his fellow Jakeys are involved with the new leagues in one way or another.

For now, Duff and his teammates are focusing all their efforts in organising and training for their first headline bout that will be played at home on Saturday 6th April.  We’re intrigued to see The Jakeys in action again, especially since Duff lets on that “anyone who hasn’t seen us for a while will be very pleased with how far we have come in such a short time”. He is looking forward to having a loyal home crowd behind them, and hoping that they will put on a good show!

The coming year promises to be very exciting for The Jakey Bites – and Men’s Roller Derby in Scotland – and we can’t wait!

The Jakey Bites play South Wales Silures on 6th April in Grangemouth. Tickets are available to buy online – visit the Facebook Event for more details so you don’t miss out on the action!

 

Mad Smacks: Newcastle Roller Girls vs FVRG

In homage to the remake of Mad Max, Newcastle Roller Girls are hosting ‘Mad Smacks’ on Saturday 30th March: a double-header bout  featuring Fierce Valley Roller Girls.

NRG’s Whippin’ Hinnies will take on FVRG’ s Parma Violents in the first bout of the day, from 12:15 pm. Both teams are keen to hold onto their winning streak, but only one will be victorious!

Tickets can be bought online in advance for £6, or for £7.50 on the door.

Visit the ‘Mad Smacks’ Facebook Event for further details.

Image courtesy of Newcastle Roller Girls

Do you believe………………..?

Just when Scotland needs them the most, Steve return…………

 

Born of Roller Derby legend Team Steve rise again! This Mothering Sunday they do battle against the mighty all Irish Gael Force exhibition team.

But who are the elusive Team Steve and what are they all about?

Team Steve was founded by Scottish Derby skaters who tried out for the word cup and made it to the top 30 but didn’t get selected to play for Team Scotland. Originally there were 10 and 4 more were invited to play in their first bout against Team Scotland.

Team Steve is essentially a for the skaters by the skaters team. You must be selected and invited to play, there may be a number of skaters put forward but essentially a vote will decide who makes the team should a space become available. You have to be Scottish to be on the team; although not an official National body we are still a nationally based team. The girls who skate on Steve represent a variety of leagues across Scotland coming together for the love of the sport and of course a good time.

Gael Force is an Irish equivalent of Team Steve, you have to be Irish to play but those keen eyes may recognize a couple of our own homegrown players with Irish lineage. Chemikill Hazzard and Lilo and Stitches will be bouting with Gael force as well as a couple of Gotham girls to boot. Their line up is undoubtedly impressive and this bout promises to be a proverbial clash of the titans.

 The bout will be held @ The Futsal Arena in Birmingham this Sunday. Gael Force are holding a series of boot camps down there this weekend (check their event page on Facebook for tickets) and rounding off with the Team Steve bout. If you have the chance to get down to Birmingham this promises to be a bout that will not disappoint and a chance to see some of the best skaters in Scotland and Ireland compete for the love of the game.

http://www.facebook.com/events/204490849693423/ (GAEL FORCE VS. STEVE)

Steve is a team for the people; starting out as the underdogs they have made a name for themselves as a fun-loving and skillful team who always give their competitors a cheeky run for their money.

 WE BELIEVE IN STEVE!

Auld Reekie Roller Girls:Home Season 2,Bout 3-Leithal Weapons Vs Skatefast Club

Image courtesy of ARRG

The penultimate bout of the Auld Reekie Roller Girls Home Season is coming up.
The bout takes place at Meadowbank Sports Centre,London Road,Edinburgh on Saturday the 8th of March.Doors open at 2pm and entry is £7 on the day or £5(plus booking fee) in advance.

The Jakey Bites vs South West Silures

On Saturday 6th April, The Jakey Bites – Scotland’s All Stars – will take on South Wales Silures at Grangemouth Sports Complex.

Although The Jakey’s have played in a few bouts now, this will be their first Scottish Headliner! Their previous bouts have seen them travel to Newcastle in their debut; they opened Glasgow‘s Home Seasons Tournament in 2012 with a bout against The Inhuman League; and have also played in a co-ed bout with Dundee Roller Girls.

Tickets will be available for £6 online – link to follow. Keep an eye on the Facebook Event for more details.