Bonnie and Collied

The time had come, two undefeated teams facing off, Avalanche City Roller Girls (ACRG) Vs Killer Rollbots, it was bout day. The game had been at the front of my mind for the last two weeks. Since we stepped off the track at our last game in Invermere, the preparation begun. The gap in between had seemed like forever and I had crammed as much roller derby learning into my brain that I could possibly handle. Now here we were, rolling into the Marysville arena to take on the only other undefeated team in the league.

ACRG, my team from Fernie is what would get me through this game. In my five month roller derby career I have learnt that sometimes derby can be scary, you have to throw yourself into a pack of four blockers that are trying to hit you down. You get hit hard, you fall hard and sometimes it really hurts. But you get back up again because there are four other girls out there, on your team, that have your back.

Excitement levels were high. Over time I have learnt to channel my nervous energy for the best, into a pool of explosive power and strength ready to unleash when I hit the start line, now days the jammer line. In our change room the final touches to our warm up go down. A bunch of dancing, skate stamping and thigh clapping.

Rolling onto Marysville's bumpy, uneven, cut up track, the drama had already began. Just as we had predicted, severe storms had hit. Sheeting rain had soaked the ground outside and now condensation was rising through the chopped up concrete slab, making corner two and half of the back straight a slippery affair. My team was set, half of us had just spent the last hour on the track, officiating the first game, we knew what we were in for. Unfortunately for the Rollbots, they were none the wiser, seeking ten minutes to change their wheels. ACRG took this opportunity to extend our warm up over the slippery surface.

Then we took the line. Noise levels rose from the crowd, I don't think we were the only ones excited for this game. Our play was strategic and our team knew what we had to do to win, we just had to execute it right. Jenna jammed first, she got lead jammer! Our skaters on the bench, me included, erupted into cheer. The first five minutes of my game were clouded as I landed myself in the sin bin for two minutes. Now we couldn't score points, as I was wearing the jammer pantie. This wouldn't drag us down, our blockers rose to the challenge.

Half time rolled around before I could even think, we went into the break with a narrow lead, a lead non the less. We were playing well but the game wasn't over yet. I'm was sceptical of getting to excited - its not over till its over. Positive air filled our change rooms and we psyched up for the final half.

Having three minor penalties I found myself on the bench waiting and avoiding my fourth as this would send me to the box yet again for a major. Finally I was on, in the box and back on the track. Our jams ticked down one by one. Power jam for us and power jam for then. Our score gradually increased and time felt like it stood still.

We were high on adrenaline and finally the whistle blew to signal the end of the game. We had done it, we won against the Rollbots! You couldn't wipe the smiles of our faces if you tried. Our proud team skated a victory lap and posed for a team photo. What an incredible feeling. 10 days on and I still get butterflies thinking about our victory!

Rival Revival

Nervous energy engulfed the room. We sat there quietly, an hour before the first whistle blew. We were about to play the first official bout as Avalanche City Roller Girls in the East Kootenay Roller Derby League. I looked around the room to see these women who had built our team and the league from scratch. Joining us were three other teams, Barvarian Barbarians from Kimberly, Mountain Town Maulers from Cranbrook and Killer Rollbots from Invermere. Along with them came coaches, officials, volunteers, support crew, spectators and a beer garden! 12 months was all it had taken. Wow!

Time ticked by as each of us prepared for the bout ahead. The rooms became busier as we pulled on our booty shorts, inked numbers into our arms, fixed our wrist guards and tightened our skates. I knew everyone faced it, we all just had our own way of coping the with the nervous energy that swamped the rooms. Mostly, we just tried to laugh the butterflies away.

Before we knew it, we wrapped on the aviators for our team skate on and introductions. Safety checks followed and then the Canadian national anthem. I tried my best to hum my way through and made a mental note to learn the words before the next bout. In a matter of moments our powerhouse line up stood on the track and the first whistle blasted.

The first few jams elude my memory but our star players came to the party. Our strong blockers, Breakadawn, McCoy and Lacey put their forces in motion. Whilst Jenna and Jax rolls laps and clocked points on the board. I line up in the pack, brain working overtime. This is the biggest mind game I have every played. Understanding the play, the timing and where the other 9 girls are on the track is paramount. Staying on your feet is key. There is so much to think about in this game of roller skating.

The first half flies by in an instant. To me it feel like a scatterbrain moment and strange calls made by the refs leave us wondering how we could possibly be 11 points behind. The change rooms now hold chaotic energy as we sit taking deep breaths with one goal...to calm down. Our support crew enter and we find just enough time to gather our minds and screw our heads back on. Words of inspiration fill the air. We return to the track in much better shape.

In the second half I find myself jamming every other jam. Finally I can find my feet and my brain. I prefer the offencive play. The mission is simple get through the pack. My focus kicks in and I plough around and around, fighting my way through. Every other jam analysing Jenna to learn in any way I can. The arena is filled with screaming crowds and excitement. Soon I realise that even jamming has its complexities. Rolling around in my own world, I'm awakened by my team mates telling me to listen to the bench. This is where I am told the play. We sit for no longer than a minute and its on again.

The clock ticks down and the scores are close, we hold a small margin of a lead. The final jams seem a mess of confusion. Yet we play them out. Finally the whistle blows to signal the end of the game. We stand as team staring at the scoreboard. Points click up on either team. Were up by 8. We won the game!

Foxxxy Frostbite having her knee taped at half time.

Check out the full game here.

Let the games begin

As I lye in shavasana on the studio floor, I melt into the wooden surface. So energized by the practice yet so tranquil. Floating into another world, in the midst of calm, Im skating. How bizarre that in such a peaceful place I find myself in this hectic sport. Yet in this hectic sport I can find peace! This is where I want to be.

Just over 12 months ago, I thought up some crazy plan to play roller derby. I dont know where it came from, I didn't event know what roller derby was. All I knew is that it was crazy, exciting and fast and I had  to be a part of it. As I began investigating, I found that it wasn't that difficult to get involved in, but I didn't want to go down this road alone. Dani, one of my best friends would be up for the madness of this game. 

I'd met Dani six years earlier on another crazy mission, bobsleigh. Yes, Australia has a bobsleigh team! Attempting to qualify for the 2006 winter games, we hurled ourselves down tracks all over the world. She seemed the perfect person to come on this adventure with me. And so we entered....into the world of roller derby.

After purchasing our skate gear, we found ourselves surrounded by five year olds at the roller dome. Rolling around getting used to the four wheels that would take us into this new game. 11 months later I find myself in the small town of Fernie, with there very own roller derby league. I've had around five months total on my skates and tomorrow I get to play in my first bout.

Saying Im excited is an understatement. This is not like any other sport I have played. Normally the day before a comp Id have speratic waves of nervousness but not today, Im not sure why, maybe they will come tomorrow?

As I lengthen my breath and wiggle my toes I slowly return to studio room. Let the games begin!

Flying Fernie Powder

Here I am in Fernie, Canada, the place of legendary powder. I stood at the top of Curry Bowl in snow up to my thighs. There had been over a meter of this stuff fall in the past 48 hours. Below me were sections of untouched fluffy powder. I pointed my board forward, my addiction for all things fast, came flooding back.

I felt invisible. But maybe that’s what powder does to you? The air was freezing but the sun warmed everything. I sat on my back leg to lift the front of my board. I wanted to go fast. So I just went straight. The wind whipped passed my face. Snow flew everywhere. I held still and strong over my board. All I could see was untouched white fluffy snow. All I could hear was screams of excitement. All I could feel was a rush of pure adrenaline. I flew down. My board carried me at a speed I never thought I could ride at! I laughed so hard from the inside out as I just kept getting faster. Bouncing over other people’s tracks. More fresh snow, more speed, more adrenaline.

The feeling wouldn’t last forever. Yet I was doing my best to make it. In a split second I lost control. I lost my edge and was flung forward. I turned to a rag doll and cart wheeled three times down the mountain. Upside down, inside out and the wrong way round. I came to a halt in an instant, deep in the soft powder. Laughing as hard as I could because nothing even hurt!

This is my first time living in the season of the snow. When I came here, three months ago I could barley side slip down the icy face of an intermediate blue run. Thankfully my need for speed kicked in and I’m excited to challenge anywhere on the mountain. Next is for tricks. Jumps, 180s, 360s, back flip, front flip? They can’t be too different to flying trapeze, right?

VRDL take on Hotrod Honeys

Fast, intense, rough, sexy, exciting and tough. I don’t think I have ever seen anything like it. Not only is it a sport, it’s also a spectacle. Roller Derby is a skillful game that’s grueling yet graceful.

The almost Antarctic conditions didn’t stop the crowd flocking to the showgrounds last Saturday night to see the Victorian Roller Derby League take on the Texas Hotrod Honeys. All three and a half thousand of them poured through the gates blankets and beanies in tow. For the lucky ones, they scored a seat on the ground or in the grandstand. Those not so lucky stood at the back on the platforms. Those wanting to get close to the action, brought cushions and rugs and sat track side in the ‘suicide seats’ just outside the safety zone. This is where the play comes crashing and sliding down on top of you!

I took my seat on the cold concrete ground, next to the player bench. The girls roll around the track effortlessly warming up. For them skating is second nature. Finely tuning their skills before the start of the bout. They are known only by there derby names, Kitty DeCapitate, Skate Bush, Smashen Pop, Kitty von Krusher to name a few. There uniforms are all different but matching with there own personal touch.





The atmosphere is intense, especially when you have thousands of people huddled around the short track. The teams form their final huddles before ‘Game On.’ As they take up their positions on the track the Hotrod Honeys look to have an impressive line up. But why wouldn’t they, the origins of derby stem back to America from 1930s. At the first whistle the battle begins. The Texans are fast and strong with chiseled abdominal muscles they are quick to tally their first points. There talent is incredible and the local girls put up a fight. The team’s fly past, around and around, they crash and bash and fall and fight. The crowd roars as they battle it out for 60 minutes.





When the final whistle sounds, the bout is over. The scoreboard shows only the result, but not the wonderful spectacle that has rolled out before us. The Texans have won, but it doesn’t matter, everyone had fun. The crowd swarms to the edge of the track to celebrate with the players on there victory lap, high fives all round. The place is left buzzing after this amazing display.

An electric sport like nothing you have every seen before. If you have never been to a derby bout I suggest you get to one soon. You wont regret it.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Do you think it's possible to fly?

Do you think it's possible to fly? Of course it is! Have you ever wanted to fly? Well of course you have! Imagine soaring through the air. For a moment in time, you are weightless. Flying, no connection to the ground or anything for that matter!

Five meters off the ground, I stood on the platform, approximately eight inches wide. My left hand held the side post, the right held the flying swing. Staring directly ahead, I saw the 'cradle'. That's where I was going. My waist harness was fastened and I was ready to go.

Six months ago, after weeks of pondering, I signed up for flying trapeze school. This was one of the best ideas I had ever conjured up! Once a week for two hours, I'd join five others to learn trapeze tricks at Circus Oz. A fascinating class, the first I attended made me realise what a wonderful escape this was from the world. You really have to concentrate hard on what you're doing, right then and there. Listen and instruct your body, let go of fear and chuck the tricks.

After two terms Id build up quite a number of tricks that I could attempt, I was close to mastering a few but the most recent was the 'Alibaba'. Being quite an advanced trick, Id had a few attempts and I was getting closer and closer each time. The key to the Alibaba is a strong swing, height, power and as with most tricks getting the timing right. My classmate Julz had already succeeded twice on this trick tonight.

So there I was, on the platform, eyes fixed on the cradle. That's where I was going. Firing up I took the leap and launched onto the swing. Kicking my legs backward under the platform, then a tremendous beat forwards. I had the power in my swing. Reaching the top I took another swing backward, a strong beat, I had the height. The final beat forward with all my might. I thrust myself forward releasing my hands to fly forward. Soaring through the air the whole world stopped and I was flying. There I was sitting in mid air, I could see the cradle, closer than ever before. Arms outstretched I reached as far forward as possible.

SPLAAATTT! I hit the mats with the hardest thud. Splattered out like a pancake. I had missed. Again. I'll try again next week, in my last class for the term.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Need for Speed!

Up the ramp, across the roof, down the stairs, around the corner, through the gate and in through the little door in the corner, this place really was a secret headquarters. Grey clouds and rain had been threatening this cold winters day. As I made my way into the warehouse the cold air lingered, it was no warmer in here. I was embarking on a new adventure, into the world of roller derby. I was lucky enough to obtain one of 50 spots in the Victorian Roller Derby Leagues (VRDL) recreational training program, or as they called it the ‘wRECk crew.’

Just a few months ago I began my quest to be a derby player. I invested in a pair of skates. They were bargain from ebay. Part of the reason I had brought them was because they looked cool. Like sneakers, but with hot pink wheels.

As I newbie in the ‘derby world’ I understood that it would be a while before I would be good enough to bout. I’d heard a bit about the VRDL, a professional league, perhaps one of the best in Australia. Three teams that bout once a month. Together they also form a Victorian team to travel interstate and overseas all in the name of roller derby! Now that’s fun! This is not just girls on skates, this sport is intense. Firstly, to be selected into the league you must get through the try outs. This requires a fair amount of derby skills and fitness, then after months of training for several hours a week, if you’re good enough you will be selected into a team to bout.

So here I start. Skates on, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards – check, my helmet is fastened and my mouth guard in! The girls in the group are great chicks all at different skill and fitness levels. We learn to fall, stop and skate in different ways. In the skating drill I find myself flying around the track as fast as possible – its my 'need for speed' (build up through sprinting and bobsleigh). My brain warns me that I’m still very much, an armature. If I’m not careful Ill overbalance splattering all over the cold hard concrete floor. Thankfully I’m fortunate enough to avoid a date with the hard floor on this occasion, no doubt we will meet one day!

I leave the session feeling exhilarated, I have just tapped into another new passion. I am determined to play...watch this space.