This month featured skater is the amazing, incredible, wonderful KIKI PEARSON #2! Kiki is an incredible person. Not only does she skate for both the All Stars and the All Star Reserves, she also runs the merch committee, runs her own business, makes derby panties, sews amazing gifts and prizes for our fundraising events, raises three children and also managed to Captain the All Star Reserves. Oh, and she weightlifts twice a week too – and squats like an absolute machine. On top of all of that, she manages to be one of the kindest hearted people you could ever meet. WE LOVE KIKI!

Home Team Affiliation: 2 years with the Leithal Weapons and then last year, the Skatefast Club.

Favourite Position: Blocker by trade, sometime pivot and a reluctant jammer. I think I have good ‘loud talking’ skills being mum to three kids.

Number of Games on the All Stars and AS Reserves: Yesterday made it 20….

Your Derby Story: Went to a Festival game in 2010 with my family and we left, full of excitment as I had just signed up for fresh meat. A friend at work had just started. As I progressed slowly and needed to buy skates and pads, the husband confessed his teenage love of roller skating and went on to co-found the first men’s team in Scotland. Almost everything revolves around derby now. I did wonder of I would EVER get through a training session without being sick or getting a massive headache! I am NOT a sporty person or ever regarded myself as competitive. Just goes to show you – derby brings out things in you, you never knew you had and teaches you things which you can use universally.

Worst Derby Injury: there’s a tweet which goes ‘remember those pre-derby days when you referred to your knees as left and right? Now it’s ‘the bad one and the not so good one’? No bad injuries to report but I think my whole body will remind me of roller derby for the rest of my life.

Best Derby Advice: what I say to my daughter when we are both struggling or frustrated (me with derby, she with 9 year old related challenges) – Practice. Always practice. And by practice I mean listening, doing your best and persevering. Too heavy for a 9 year old? That and not comparing yourself to others. Learn from them but don’t compare. You too have skills to offer.

What You Do for the League Aside from Skating: I’m spokesy for the Merchandise committee since 2013. If you ever need a t shirt, a badge or a mug SEE ME! If we don’t sell something and you want it, SEE ME!

Any Funny/Embarrassing Derby Stories OR Top Training Tip: Usually found drinking tea at after parties so I would hope my embarrassing stories are few. Sadly a few do come to mind – Amsterdam, Eugene….actually, almost any journey with Puke. Top training tip: go to practice, on a good day or a bad day. go. to. practice.

Derby Hero: All the women (and the men) in ARRG are amazing. Heck, all skaters and non skaters have skills which I admire. How could one alone be a hero? (I would say Gregg as he always gives his honest opinion, critique and advice, but I’m married to him. Does he count?)

What Do You Do Outside of Derby: Sewing. Lots of sewing. I have a small business making nice things and roller derby panties but can more often be found repairing sweaty pads for folk. I can also be found practising my pivot voice on my three kids…sadly they are not as responsive as a pack. Needs work. I enjoy lifting heavy things, namely weights. But sometimes I need help to bring the shopping in from the car….

Fun Fact About You: I have a collection of about 25 wooden nutcrackers. And my kids don’t like roller derby.

*note – this photo was from one of the most amazing moments in ARRG home team history – home team final, 2014.  Skatefast Club v Leithal Weapons. Kiki was the jammer for Skatefast, and the Leithals were 24 points ahead going into the final jam. Then Skatefast got a powerjam. Kiki scored a 25 point jam to win the season by ONE POINT.

This month’s featured official is the amazing Kirds n’ Slay. She is one of our referees.

Joined ARRG in:

I started fresh meat back in January 2011. It’s crazy how time flies!

Role in ARRG:

I’m one of the referees.

Favourite position to officiate:

It’s a tie between being an outside pack ref and jammer reffing. They both present their own challenges. Though at scrims I’m trying to become more comfortable with both areas of inside pack reffing.

Your Derby story – why are you here?

I knew I wanted to be involved in roller derby in some way after first seeing Whip It and then finally watching my first live game. It was the first game ARRG ever did in the Fringe and I loved it. I originally started out with the intention of playing roller derby, but I’ve always NSOed from day one as I’m a rules geek. Towards the end of my first year I got injured but in my time off skates I stayed involved and got heavily into my NSOing. I also did bench during the first home season. When I was back on skates I tried to get back into playing but found I didn’t enjoy it as much anymore. One of the refs at the time asked me on and off/hinted about me considering reffing as I seemed to like the officiating side. I thought it over then made the switch reffing 2 years ago and haven’t looked back. I did do a spell of line ups during the second home season, but decided to fully concentrate on reffing. I’m hoping to take my reffing as far as I possibly can, for myself, the league and the Scottish officials community.

Best official-related advice:

Believe in yourself. If you don’t, you’ll stress yourself out and won’t enjoy what you’re doing.
What you do for the league aside from officiating:
I’m the officials’ co-spokesperson, but I’m also a member of the sponsorship and advertising committee. I’ve been on that one since its inception and mainly sell ads for the programmes. I’m also one of the board members for the league, having been on there officially since September 2014. And… I’ve been recently trained as a first aider.
Any funny/embarrassing officiating stories:
I think it was my first time jammer reffing a game when I fell over when lining up to get ready in the 30 seconds between jams. I tipped my weight the wrong way and went backwards. Unfortunately there is a lovely photo out there which documents this. I did laugh about it right enough before I went into ‘officials’ mode again.

Derby Hero:

Each and every official I’ve been on a crew with and the skaters who have helped me along the way. I also have a soft spot and much respect for anyone who comes back from injury.

What do you do outside of derby?

I have your standard 9-5 job, but besides that I’m very much into my fitness. I recently started cross fit as I wanted to mix things up a little as I was starting to find the gym a little monotonous. This is also to help with Tough Mudder, which I’m doing again this year. Apparently I also don’t like to have any spare time. I’m doing a Criminology with Psychological studies degree through the Open University on a part time basis. I started it last year and it’ll take about 6 years.

Fun fact about you:

I spent a year abroad in Finland whilst at university. Any Finnish I did learn (only the very basics!) I’ve long since forgotten.

The Auld Reekie Roller Girls, Edinburghs Roller Derby team, are on their way to Wales this weekend to compete in the first leg of the UK’s first ever progression and relegation based roller derby tournament. The tournament covers teams from Scotland, England and Wales, and Auld Reekie are delighted to have been invited into the 6 team Premier Division.

Captains Skinn’er Alive and Lilo and Stitches said ‘we are so excited to be playing this tournament. The teams involved are playing the highest level roller derby in the UK and we are thrilled to be part of it. All 6 teams in the premier division are amazing, so it’ll be really exciting to see the games play out’.

The team are on their way to Newport this weekend, taking on the first of their rivals; Middlesbrough. This season sees a few new faces on the ARRG All Stars, and the team is looking stronger than ever. The M’boro team are not to be taken lightly however; ranking 5^th in the UKRDA rankings.

Not only have they got new players, but a new name too. This is the first time the ‘All Stars’ are playing; previously they were known as the Twisted Thistles. 2015 saw a new streamlined look for Auld Reekie, as they dropped the team names and are now known as the All Stars and the All Star Reserves. The Reserves have already had one win this year, with a second home game to come at Meadowbank on 28^th February, so the All Stars are looking to follow their lead and take home three wins this weekend too.

The All Stars are confident in their team, who have been working tirelessly all off season and are looking to build on their new skills and tactics across the season to come. This being the opening weekend, it should prove pretty exciting to see how they get on.

If you would like to see the next leg of champs, which is taking place in Edinburgh, they’ll be playing at Meadowbank on May 2^nd.

This months featured skater is the incredible Block Rockin’ Feet #514! Rocki is one of our All Star Reserve skaters, and she is  a triple threat; skilled in blocking, jamming and pivoting. Not only is she an incredible force on track, but she is also a formidable member of team party ARRG, always keen to show off her afterparty skills. She also probably has the longest legs in the league.

 

Home Team Affiliation: Leithal Weapons

Joined ARRG in: October 2012

Favourite position to play: Jammer or Blocker

Number of games on the All Star Reserves: 6

Your Derby story: I first heard about roller derby in a strip club in 2009/10.  My pole dancing school were having a ‘pole jam’ with the dancers and one of them suggested we try derby (I think her name was Kat).  I was really into pole then so couldn’t commit to anything else time-wise. When our lessons moved to The Crags a few years later, I saw everyone getting kitted up for scrims. It looked fun so I decided to check out the next bout at Meadowbank.  Following that, I signed up for the next Fresh Meat and I’ve been with ARRG ever since.

Worst Derby injury: luckily it’s only been a sprained ankle and a couple of monster bruises

Best Derby advice: don’t compare your progression with others.  Just do YOUR best.

What you do for the league aside from skating: I’m the Treasurer so all things numbers-related

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories OR top training tip: I managed to annoy the entire team on the long bus journey back from Birmingham by drunkenly singing ‘Caledonia’ (very badly) and refusing to stay in my seat. Sorry pals!

Derby Hero: everyone at ARRG who puts in all the hard work to keep the league running, growing, and developing.

What do you do outside of derby: I run.  Did my first half marathon in 2014 and going for a full one this year in Berlin. I also help run a local Brownie Unit.

Fun fact about you: despite being one of the tallest players in the league, I was actually a premature baby and was the tiniest in the class until High School.

PRESS RELEASE:

BIG hits and speedy skating will be on display as Edinburgh’s all-women roller derby team takes on rivals from Oxford.

Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ All-Star Reserves hope to hit, whip and skate their way to victory against Oxford Roller Derby.

All Star Reserves’ captain Kiki said her team was confident after a decisive win against Sweden’s Crime City Rollers in November.

Kiki said:

“We’re looking forward to this game. We’re hoping that all the hard work we put into training in 2014 – combined with a wee rest over Christmas – will pay off. We’ll give Oxford a run for their money.”

However, the Oxford team comes fresh from  battling it out at the the Heartland Series tournament of 24 English and Welsh teams.

They are sure to bring their new skills and strategy to their game against Auld Reekie in a fast and fierce demonstration of athleticism on wheels.

The All-Star Reserves hope to get loud support from the Edinburgh crowd on their home ground at Meadowbank Sports centre.

Supporters can also snap up merchandise and tuck into home-made cakes at the game on Saturday, January 31st, from 2pm.

Tickets for Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ All Star Reserves vs Oxford Roller Derby are £8 on the door or £7 from the Brown Paper Tickets website.

Free entry for children aged under 14.

Our January Featured Skater is the incredible Evelyn Tent #999

Evelyn is a skater on our All Star Reserves, and has been for some time now. She’s a force to be reckoned with on track, and a lovely person off track. She’s also a committee spokesperson for ARRG and puts a lot of work in. We think she is great! If you want to judge for yourself, come and watch her skate at the end of the month when the All Star Reserves take on Oxford at Meadowbank on the 31st January – tickets here

 

Home Team Affiliation: Leithal Weapons

Joined ARRG in: Oct 2012

Favourite position to play: at scrims – jammer is so much fun. In a bout though – blocker as designated O.

Number of games on the All Star Reserves: 6 amazing games

Your Derby story: Unfortunately I was a slow starter into ARRG. I saw a couple of notices calling people to sign up but was always able to talk myself out why I couldn’t make it at the moment. I still kick myself over the lost time I could have been playing.

Then in 2011 I managed to drag my boyfriend to watch one of the Fringe bouts which meant our Saturday night date was spent shopping online for derby gear. And so its continued – derby is the ONLY thing that will drag me out of bed on a Sunday morning!

This year I’ve been working hard at it both on and off skated and its been great. I’ve moved up to advanced, made the Reserves and got picked as a WFTDA 20 Reserve.

Worst Derby injury: 2013 Christmas scrim – landed weirdly on my knee and as I rolled I felt my knee cap move well out of place before popping back into place as I finished rolling. Hows that for stretchy tendons?

Best Derby advice: Weight training is essential and you have to make time for it. It reduces the risk of injury and without it you’ll never have the power to get through a pack.

Mentally, don’t compare yourself to your team mates – you’re competing with yourself.

What you do for the league aside from skating: I’m the Secretarial spokesperson (and soon to be trained up First Aider).

Embarrassing derby story: Most embarrassing derby story was playing against Hamburg. Came on as jammer and managed to imagine the start whistle – managed to get almost to the apex before it was called. Fortunately the other jammer decided to follow and confuse the referees enough that no penalties were awarded.

Derby Hero: The Australian wall that held Scald Eagle back for 1:44 during the World Cup!

What do you do outside of derby: I’m a big fan of boardgames – the more complicated the better. That and getting embroiled in debates that last till the sun comes up.

We are excited to start the year by showcasing one of our most important league members – and it’s a non skater! Officials are SO important to the running of Auld Reekie; they contribute so much time and effort to make sure we can skate in the best conditions (because otherwise we would be officiating ourselves and that can get messy!) so it is with total delight that we introduce to you Andy Clockwise – a dedicated NSO for ARRG and a frequent Head NSO not only for us, but all across Scotland. He is also a great teacher and has taught many a skater and NSO how to use a stopwatch and whistle with ease!

Joined ARRG in: April 2010

Role in ARRG: Dedicated Non Skating Official

Favourite position to officiate: Definitely Jam Timer as you can see the whole game unfold doing that role. It’s such an integral position to the whole game and you can see the entire officials crew doing their wonderful stuff. Useful if you’re Head NSO!

Your Derby story – why are you here?: It’s all Blackjack Belle’s fault. She’s a skater with Newcastle Roller Girls now but was one of the founders of the Granite City Roller Girls and skated with ARRG sometimes too. She dragged me and my wife (Faerie Nuff) along to see this sport we had never really heard of back in 2010. There we were just the two of us (Blackjack was on the ARRG team), sat in the bleachers confused and wondering what the hell was going on but loved the atmosphere and slowly began to understand the game. We knew then that we needed to get involved! I decided I would try to be a referee as that was the only way for a guy to get on skates back then. There was no men’s derby round here then. My skates took forever to arrive because there weren’t really any UK based skate shops at the time that I could get a decent skate package from and eventually I was starting Fresh Meat. That was huge fun, despite me being the only guy. It was kind of akward at times but never to the point it was a problem. Refereeing was fun and I did a few games, but after about 18 months I badly injured my arm at work and had to hang my skates up or risk irrepairable re-injury and be unable to work. I settled into NSOing and really enjoyed it. I quickly realised the need for more dedicated NSOs as the sport was growing so much and so I set about finding some. We now have the ARRG NSOs, probably one of, if no the largest collective of NSOs in a league in the UK! We’re here to officiate games to the highest standards possible because the sport deserves it.

Best official-related advice: Officiate scrimmages like games and the games will seem like scrimmages!

What you do for the league aside from officiating: I’m on a couple of committees apart from the Officials. I’m in Bout Management Committee and organise footage recording/sharing with the captains for all home games, I make sure the PA is booked and someone is there to operate it. I get water for home games too. I’m also on Secretarial Committee and admin the leagues Google Drive account.

Any funny/embarrassing officiating stories: Getting a brain fart whilst score tracking is kinda embarrassing! Always have a calculator on hand if you’re doing that for a potentially high scoring game!! Getting food rage in a hotel lounge and going on a rampage for takeaway in Guildford was kind of funny! Maybe the most embarassing story was the time I gave myself food poisining whilst driving a minibus for the Jakeys Bites who had a game on in Hull one weekend. I had bought this reduced egg sandwich from Tesco for 10p the day before. SUCH a bad idea! I was determined not to let it stop me as I was also Jam timing that day and I have never been so relieved as when I blew the end of period whistles and could sprint away…

Derby Hero: I can’t think of any one person to be honest, everyone in Derby is a hero in so many different ways. I do find myself in total awe at skaters who return from injury though, to work hard to regain fitness and get back on skates again after a bad injury is hard mentally and physically.

What do you do outside of derby: Not a lot to be honest, I’m a pretty awesome procrastinator! I work as a delivery driver all over the lower half of Scotland and that keeps me pretty busy. Anyone who sees my facebook check-ins will see that, you never know where I’ll pop up in my wee truck! I love old cars and have a Rover Mini Cooper that I love to drive in the summer months. It’s no use for hauling Derby kit though so never makes it in to Edinburgh sadly.

Fun fact about you: I can hum and whistle at the same time. A very useful skill to have.

 

Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ All-Star Reserves will be taking on Oxford Roller Derby in a fast and fierce demonstration of athleticism on wheels. Come and see which team will hit, whip and skate their way to victory!

Edinburgh’s All-Star Reserves had a fantastic 2014 culminating in a decisive win against Sweden’s Crime City Rollers in November. Meanwhile, Oxford have gained much experience by taking part in the Heartland Series tournament, in which they were one of eight from a total of 24 English and Welsh teams who qualified to battle it out for the tournament’s cup. Although they didn’t win, Oxford is sure to have benefitted from the experience, and will bring their new skills and strategy to their game against Auld Reekie. But the All-Star Reserves will have the advantage of being on home ground with the raucous support of the Edinburgh crowd. Who will prevail?

We collared the All Star Reserves’ captain at practice, who told us ‘We’re looking forward to this game! We’re hoping that all the hard work we put into training in 2014 – combined with a wee rest over Christmas – will pay off, and we’ll give Oxford a run for their money!’.

It’s sure to be an eventful game, full of big hits and speedy skating. There will also be the usual fantastic stalls in attendance where the public can snap up some of our snazzy merchandise, or tuck in to the delicious cakes on offer. Come and see the sport that everyone’s been talking about!

Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ All Star Reserves vs Oxford Roller Derby: 2pm,
Saturday 31st January 2015 – Meadowbank Sports Centre

Tickets: £8 on the door or £7 + booking fee from:
Brown Paper Tickets
Free for children aged 14 and under

For information about press entry to games and all enquiries, please contact Lisa
Williamson (Princess Die) on communications@auldreekierollerderby.com

Skaters are available for interview on request.

Breaking News: Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ Twisted Thistles and Cannon Belles are retiring

There have been rumours flying around, and you may well have noticed on social media some talk of the ‘last ever Thistles game’ and the ‘last time the Belles will ever play’. Well, don’t fear. Auld Reekie Roller Girls are stronger than ever and the only place our travel teams are going is up in the rankings.

However, there is some truth behind the whispers. As of January 1st 2015, the Auld Reekie Roller Girls travel teams will no longer be known by the above names. Instead, the teams will henceforth be called the All Stars and the All Star Reserves.

This is a super exciting time for ARRG, as we move into the future we hope the new streamlined names will help us grow roller derby and appeal to a wider audience, so we can showcase our skaters, our skills and ourselves as the number one team in Europe.

For information, press entry to games and all enquiries, please contact Lisa
Williamson (Princess Die) on communications@auldreekierollerderby.com or visit our website
at www.arrg.co.uk. Skaters are available for interview on request.

We are absolutely delighted and proud to end the year with one of our most incredible skaters – Crazylegs. Crazy has been with ARRG since the beginning – she has made ARRG, and roller derby in the UK, what it is today. Not only is she an incredible skater – having captained ARRG, her home team and Team Scotland on numerous occasions, but she is also a formidable force behind ARRG and we wouldn’t be where we are without her.

She heads up our training committee, with particular focus on running the coaching side of things (and very frequently guest coaches for other teams), and she is also on many other committees, really helping drive the league in a positive, forward direction. Not only does she also work as a liaison for UKRDA, and was one of the team of organisers for the incredible UKROC that was held in October, but she also works with WFTDA and is so heavily involved with roller derby – not just for us but across the world.

She is one of our most prized assets and we are thankful to have her as a fundamental part of Auld Reekie.

Let’s all wish her the best of luck as she heads over to Dallas to captain Team Scotland in the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup!

Home Team Affiliation: Skatefast Club
Joined ARRG in: 2008

Favourite position to play: Pivot

Your Derby story: I joined Auld Reekie in 2008 -‘The Beginning’. I couldn’t skate and I was really too shy and awkward to speak to anyone for at least 2 months…then out of nowhere suddenly I’m having opinions, I’m on the Board of Directors…then I’m coaching, I’m captain of the Thistles, I’m organising the coaching committee, I’m captaining Team Scotland; seems like a supportive, accepting environment really does allow people to blossom; I feel like I blossomed but in a massively assertive way! Game wise, I think I’m lucky in that I just grew with the sport – I love the direction it’s taken, I love that as it grows and gets more physically demanding, I find myself always wanting to work harder to meet that challenge. I’m definitely going to be the strongest pensioner in the world one day.

Worst Derby injury: I’m quite clumsy so I injure myself quite often in small yet stupid ways. Most recent was splitting my lip open on a plane getting Ciders skate bag out of the overhead locker.

Best Derby advice: Team meetings should always take place in the pool or the sauna. ALWAYS.

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? I LOVE embarrassing moments; I think my fave ever fleeting embarrassing moment was in a sauna in Berlin with Skinner, Bint and DeeDee, but what happens on tour stays on tour!

Derby Hero: DeeDee from our league is a super hero for realsies. Travelling and coaching with Cider (the person not the drink) is the most fun ever because she can think on the spot, make up drills on demand and she can read maps – but mostly because she has a wicked sense of humour; she makes me laugh like no one’s business and we always end up in the most ridiculous situations somehow. Skating wise, I love watching Luz Chaos from Arizona because it looks like she has tiny hidden trampolines on her wheels.

What do you do outside of derby: I run my own business with two of my league mates and favourite people – Princess Die and Skinner’Alive which is the best thing ever; we’re opening Edinburgh’s first skate venue called ‘Skate House Edinburgh‘ (SHED for short) and we want everyone to come and skate and hang out in the SHED every day. We might even just move in and live in our skates and drink smoothies. I can’t stop smiling!

Fun fact about you: I can do a one armed push up