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