Saturday 16^th February saw the second bout in the Auld Reekie Roller Girls 2013 home season, when the Skatefast Club (SFC) took on the Cherry Bombers (CB) at Meadowbank. It was the debut bout of the season for the Skatefast Club, and the debut game for some of SFC’s new skaters – from the SFC: LUruk-Hai, Slamboyance, and Pope John Brawl;

The Bombers were defeated in bout 1 when they took on The Leithal Weapons, so they were all set to kick some SFC ass. As the bout started, in her debut SFC bout, Zillah stepped up to jam against CB Caitlin. Zillah fired off the line to take lead, scored two points and called off the jam.

Jam 2 saw SFC field Lilo and Stitches as jammer, whilst the Bombers sent in Circuit Breaker. Stitches shot through the pack and scored the first 4 points for the SFC before calling the jam. Jam 3 saw Skinner Alive jamming for SFC, and she was held back spectacularly by Grrsula, Demon Speeding and Et Tu Brutal, but Skinner managed to break the pack and scored another 3 points.

Both teams fought hard throughout the first half, and the Bombers saw some incredible jamming from Teenie Bash, who fought hard and scored well. Caitlin was also a stand out jammer in the first period, getting lead and scoring high. Zillah gained even more points for the Bombers during an amazing powerjam which saw her clear 15 points in a minute and a half!

A few jams later and the SFC was in a powerjam. The wall that Velosidy, Grrrsula and ParaBeat’emAll made was a sight to behold and had to be intimidating to the SFC jammer. But, Mo B Quick made it through though with some offensive help from Bint Imperial, and expertly called the jam off just as Circuit Breaker was released from the bin.

The first period ended with the score at SFC 112 – 22 CB, though not before a tremendous display of ‘how to knock out a whole team’ by Crazylegs.

As we entered the second period, the Bombers were brutalised by Mallory Powers as she landed some serious hits. Jam 25 was another powerjam to the SFC, and Fanny Thunders showed just how good her blocking was as she held Mo B Quick back singlehandedly for long enough to allow Teenie Bash back on track.

Some amazing skating skills followed – Zillah avoided hits with insanely low body swerves, Tartan Tearaway put in some hard slams, Debris Harry caught jammers as they sped away and Slamboyance, Apocalypse Cow and LUruk-Hai made super tight walls.

Towards the end we saw an amazing jamming debut from Pope John Brawl who was given the most stupendous cheer from the crowd as she took lead! Some jammer on jammer action ensued and no points were scored in that jam, and she headed back on for another go.

It all got very exciting as she was sent off, leaving the Bombers in a powerjam…and within 10 seconds, Zillah was sent off and Pope returned to change the powerjam in favour of the SFC. Two more jams saw more points for both teams, but the clock was ticking and as the final whistle blew, the score was set at SFC 251 – 72 CB.

The Bombers fought hard and played well, but the SFC were just too formidable on the day and they took an early lead and kept building points. Both teams were a dream to watch.

The Skatefast Club will next play the Leithal Weapons on March 9th, and then the HOME SEASON FINAL will take place on April 6^th where all three teams will be skating: the top two battle it out for the coveted accolade of being Home Season Champions of 2013, while the third placed team will get to play a still unknown yet rumoured particularly interesting Scottish team.

 

 

 

 

We’ve caught up with three of the new Cherry Bombers and luckily they didn’t bite. Read all about them here!

Teenie Bash #208

I started roller derby in Nov. 2010 with the Fair City Rollers (FCR) in Perth; my sister started it before me and dragged me along to watch FCR play Dundee and I was hooked!

My original name was Tinie Temper and after a couple of months, FCR’s Crash Test Mummy told me I should be Teenie Bash and that was it!

When I am not on skates, outside of derby I do karate, work in a carvery and play piano.

I only joined ARRG in July 2012 and I love it! It’s like the biggest family ever and everyone works so hard, not just at practice, but at making the league run as well.

For this season my goal is to work my ass off so I can get a spot on the Thistles!

And a random fact about me that you might never guess: I’m scared of peas!

 

Para-beat’em-all #62

It all started on a girls day in…during some apple crumble consumption we decided to watch Whip It; I’ve had the DVD for months and never got around to it. I’ve never heard of Roller Derby before that day, so after some research and patiently waiting for the next fresh meat to start, the rest is history!

My derby name came in a ‘light bulb’ moment after feeling muscles I’ve not used in years: I could use some Paracetamol…aaaah: ‘Para-beat’em-all.

During the day I’m a mum of one and work in a microbiology lab as a Laboratory Analyst.

I think sucking at something is the first step to being really good at something. Give it a go and you might be pleasantly surprised. The team spirit is the best thing about roller derby and is something ARRG has an abundance of. In the words of some of our most used products: ‘even better, JUST DO IT, because you’re worth it and take care’ (no copyright infringement intended).

 

Grrr #0815

I signed up for ARRG’s Fresh Meat on a whim without really knowing what I was getting myself into (to be fair, Whip It! may or may not have had anything to do with it), and have been skating since March 2012. Since then derby has also started to slowly take over my whole life.

There’s not really a story to my name other than I like onomatopoeia, and just added a Grrr to my name. Tada, Grrrsula, though these days I tend to just shorten it.

Outside of derby I have just started a PhD and am busy researching semiotics in advertising, feminism, and marginal women’s sports. Though I would really like to be a cake taster when I grow up.

I am really looking forward to just skating in an actual bout this season, and my goal is to get more of a feel to all the things that go on on track. This is also what I would like to tell people who want to start or have only started: in the beginning everyone is confused as to what is going on on track, and it takes some time for your brain to be able to react to so many things at once. So just give yourself time and don’t lose patience.

The best part of ARRG besides skating and suddenly having this really great group of friends is the ponies!

 

Come and see them play on 16 February 2013 at 2pm at Meadowbank! Tickets available for £5 (+booking fee) on eventbrite or for £7 at the door. 

Meet some of the newest members of the Skatefast Club just in time to see them skate on 16 February!

LUruk-hai #32

 I started roller derby two years ago in January 2011. I have a friend who had joined Aberdeen’s GCRG league and kept talking about it. I then went to watch Berlin play ARRG back in 2010 and decided to sign up for the next fresh meat!

My derby name is LUruk-hai. I love Lord of the Rings and Uruk-hai’s are cool and bad ass, even if they are the bad guys! I also like that it sounds kind of exotic too.

During the day, my “Clark Kent” persona is spent working for an organisation that supports people with learning disabilities, and I really like it.

This year, I am looking forward to actually bouting and getting more experience. I am also excited about skating with SFC! I like 80s-esque things and the colour yellow (as you will see from my skates).

The main thing I have learnt from roller derby so far is that you shouldn’t compare yourself to others. People are different and work and learn at different paces. So don’t give up if you really want to skate.

Some of the best parts of ARRG are learning derby, the change for keeping fit/doing sport (where as I was quite lazy before!) and all the awesome folk you meet and the great friends you make.

And you may not know, but my husband is ARRG announcer Stephen Tawking.

 

Terrifying Tink #802

Tell me how/why/when you started Roller Derby.
I been kind of aware of it, then a friend tried it and said I would love it; and I did! I started with a brand new league in November 2009.

Why did you choese your derby name?
I am a permanently, filthy child! and a bit scary!

What is your “Clark Kent” persona (or, what do you busy yourself with outside of derby)?
I don’t do much other than derby these days, but my day job is as a research scientist at the University of Dundee, looking for new treatments for Malaria.

 What your goals and what are you looking forwards to this season?
Getting stronger, fitter, harder and gaining better tactical knowledge. I recently transferred to ARRG from a smaller league, partly for the increased physical challenge it would offer, and it’s certainly doing that!

What advice do you have for those thinking about skating or just starting out?
Do it, you’ll surprise yourself!

Finally, what’s the best part of derby and ARRG?
Massive team spirit!

 

Slamboyance #138

I started roller derby at the end of 2011.  I’d been to a few bouts with friends and we all thought it looked amaze and wanted to try it, but I was the only one who ended up giving it a go!

I’ll tell the shortened version of the meaning behind my name!  I’m hoping that one day i can live up to my name and be able to hit hard and have some fancy flamboyant footwork.  Oh, and I’m very partial to a bit of sequin and sparkle!

My goal for home season is to not foul out!  And of course to have lots of fun!

 

Pope #264

I first heard about roller derby a couple of years or so ago. My friend told me that there was this thing we should go to where we’d be taught to skate in the first hour and in the second hour we were to skate around and push people over. I wasn’t particularly keen. After going to see a few bouts and really loving it I decided to sign up, and started Fresh Meat in March 2012. It was a pretty rash decision but I’m really happy I did. And I can confirm that my Fresh Meat training was not at all as my pal had described.

I chose my derby name because I wanted something really really silly. I had a pun-filled couple of months before someone told me to hurry up and pick a name. I sort of regretted it after a while but it’s kind of a part of me and I think I would be confused if my fellow ARRG-ers stopped calling me “Pope”.

This season I most of all want to have fun and to feel like I’m getting better. And hopefully not to spend too much time in the bin (stupid forearms!)

You do need time and serious motivation, but anyone can do derby. When I went to my first FM I had never skated on quads before and I looked terrified. A good friend and great skater said to me “just sort of pretend that you can skate and eventually you will be able to”. I would give that advice to anyone starting out (disclaimer: you do get a lot of very good technical advice too. I just really appreciated this).

Come and see them play on 16 February 2013 at 2pm at Meadowbank! Tickets available for £5 (+booking fee) on eventbrite or for £7 at the door.