This month we are featuring the wonderful Sharlotte Patterson!

Sharlotte joined ARRG fresh meat in 2012 and quickly proved herself a formidable force. She played for the Leithal Weapons in the 2013 home season, and showed how good her jamming skills were. She progressed up to the WFTDA reserve spot in under a year and went from strength to strength.
After a wee break, she returned and secured herself a place on the Cannon Belles.

Sharlotte is an amazing jammer, a level headed blocker and a super lovely person too! She’s also one of our new board members – and everyone is very excited about what she can bring to the league for 2015!

Home Team Affiliation: The Cherry Bombers

Joined ARRG in: March 2012

Favourite position to play: I really enjoy jamming

Your Derby story: I saw something on the internet about roller derby and decided to see if there was a league in Edinburgh. I was pregnant with my second child at this point and it wasn’t until he was about 6 months that I decided to have a go at fresh meat. I remember feeling quite anxious about going because I couldn’t skate and also I’m like the least sporty person ever. I pretty much have two left feet. After a couple of weeks I totally feel in love with skating and derby and I can’t imagine not having derby in my life. I now skate on the Belles and am a WFTDA Reserve skater. When I get the chance I also like to take part in co-ed derby.

Worst Derby injury: I think I’ve been pretty lucky and haven’t had any serious injuries (touch wood). I have lost three toenails, sadly.

Best Derby advice: I have at times felt like I needed to do it all and do it all now. I rushed myself and compared myself to others. The best advice I can give would be to never compare your skating to anyone else’s and to take things at your own pace. There’s no hurry to get anywhere. I took this advice and also took a wee break, I went away and worked on my fitness; both body and mental fitness and came back stronger and more prepared then before. I feel like I’m in a better place to play derby now and I actually have so much more fun now.

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories: Um, I can’t really think of any.

Derby Hero: I don’t really have a derby hero. I’d have to say that my derby heros are my lovely family, my kids and supportive partner. Without their support I wouldn’t be able to play derby.

What do you do outside of derby: I work as a Social Worker and love my job.

Fun fact about you: I love glitter and all things sparkly.

Our featured skater for August is the incredible Admiral Attackbar.

Attack is an incredible skater. Not only is she one of the best jammers in Europe (maybe even the world!) but she is also a feared blocker and pivot too. She won the ‘Well ARRG’ award at our 2014 awards ball for her insane strength which she attributes mainly to crossfit. She’s more than a triple threat – she’s a serious force on track. Don’t just take our word for it – WFTDA have recognised her skills and awesomeness and she’s been a featured skater for them too. She’s also one of our coaches, and will be coaching at our bootcamp on the 30th August. We are well proud of her.

Home Team Affiliation:
I’m not actually affiliated with any home team at the moment. I chose to opt out of home season this year in order to focus on training for Twisted Thistles games and going to the States.

Joined ARRG in:
I started Fresh Meat in May 2011

Favourite position to play:
Jammer

Best ARRG memory:
There are so many that I couldn’t possibly pick one that stands out as the best but going to The Big O this year in Eugene, Oregon was an amazing experience. We played five really hard bouts over 5 days, which was a truly exhausting and exhilarating experience, after which I got to play against Team USA, which was also pretty cool!

Worst Derby injury:
I’ve actually never really been injured (touch wood!) but because I’m like 5ft tall I get my own fair share of hits to the face but thankfully nothing serious.

Best Derby advice:
Cross train, cross train, cross train and never compare your beginning to somebody else’s middle.

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories?
When we played London Brawling at Track Queens in Berlin I got a blocking with the head penalty for falling over and accidentally putting my face in someone’s butt.

Derby Hero:
I have quite a few but at the moment basically the entire Texecutioners team from Texas Roller Girls are my current faves. What I love most about them is that they’re not a big team. Most of their skaters are really small but they are all just phenomenally good at playing together and using amazing footwork.

What do you do outside of derby:
I’m a graphic designer and I spend a lot of time at CrossFit. My other hobby is eating.

Fun facts about you:
I have a rock collection

Our featured skater for June is… LL Cool Gay #109!

Gay has been with ARRG for 3 years, and last year, moved into competitive skating. She is a great example of someone who puts their heart and soul into the league – not only does she run the ever-popular cake stall at every single home bout, but she is also a member of the Board, and a spokesperson. She’s been heavily involved in getting ARRG to where they are now, and also achieved so many personal goals – she is a shining example of what dedication and commitment can bring you, both on and off track.

Home Team Affiliation: The lovely Cherry Bombers

Joined ARRG in: May 2011

Favourite position to play: Blocker without a doubt, but really enjoy jamming!

Best ARRG memory: My first home season was the best thing to ever happen!

Worst Derby injury: Fractured tib and fib but recently suffered the trauma of losing a toe nail and I can’t say which was worse.

Best Derby advice: Don’t focus on matching up to other skaters and don’t worry about not progressing fast enough. Enjoy the journey of learning and everything will be wonderful.

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? I have been known to squeal quite a bit on track. It’s always funny and embarrassing.

Derby Hero: Anyone that doesn’t give up.

What do you do outside of derby: I lift heavy things up and put heavy things back down again.

Fun facts about you: When I drink more than one glass of wine I talk with an Irish accent.

This months featured skater is the amazing Terryfying Tink #802.

Tink transferred to ARRG 2 years ago, and is now one of our Cannon Belles. She mainly plays as a blocker, and years of helping out in NSO positions have helped her gain an amazing insight into the game. She’s really involved in the roller derby community, as a rep for UKRDA. Not only is she so much fun to skate with, her dry sense of intelligent humour makes her just fun to be around!

Home Team Affiliation: Cherry Bombers

Joined ARRG in: Nov 2012, been skating since Nov 2009

Favourite position to play: Block, block, block

Best ARRG memory: Coach Karaoke on the way back from Wakefield last year

Worst Derby injury: Ive had quite a few trophy injuries, I think I may have permanent fishnet pattern on my ass, but the worst, that actually kept me off skates, was testing a floor out when no one was around. No pads, not paying attention, I tripped myself and went down hard on my right knee. I didnt think I was going to get up again. But I did, immediately strapped my pads on and played a full bout. By the time the last whistle blew my knee was like a big purple melon. I still have a numb bit, and have to ice it pretty much after every training.

Best Derby advice: Never skate without kneepads, EVER!
EVER! EVER! Buy the best ones you can afford, then gaskets underneath.

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? Hundreds! Mostly involving afterpartys, roadtrips and dashes across countries to play with pals 🙂

Derby Hero: Alma Geddon. I saw her play in the first bout I ever watched, when I thought I could never get to the point where I could compete. She helped me get there.

What do you do outside of derby: As a job, Im a parasite biologist, mostly malaria research at the moment. I crochet in the winter, I garden in the summer and I trawl the countryside in the interests of archaeology whenever I can.

Fun facts about you: I <3 my chainsaw! 😀

This months features skater is the wonderful POPE JOHN BRAWL!

Pope has been skating with ARRG’s Reserve team for a while now, and has recently been announced as the newest member of the All Star Twisted Thistles! This means she will be travelling to Oregon in May to take part in the Big O tournament. Whilst she is undoubtedly nervous about being the new guy skating for the A team, we know she will do us all proud.

To see why she was chosen to move up the ranks, come along to our home season FINAL where the Leithal Weapons will take on the Skatefast Club, as she is Vice Captain for the Leithals

Can she help see them to victory? Head along and see!

Home Team Affiliation:
Leithal Weapons! (formerly Skatefast Club)

Joined ARRG in:
I started Fresh Meat with ARRG in March 2012 and became a full member in June.

Favourite position to play:
Blocker. Sometimes pivot…because I talk a lot…

Best ARRG memory:
There are SO MANY. My first home season was a biggie. I wasn’t skating in the first game and watching my Fresh Meat buddies warming up to play their first public bout was really special!

Jamming lots in my second ever bout and not freaking out or dying…

Getting picked for the Twisted Thistles was both terrifying and wonderful and just makes me want to up my game so much before we go to the US. Hopefully, again, no freak outs or death…….!

Worst Derby injury:
I cracked my rib. Really, that isn’t all that bad and I’m very lucky. But not being able to skate or even exercise for 6 weeks was grim!

Best Derby advice:
Remember the good stuff you have done every practice. Challenge yourself. Tell your pals what they’ve done well. Be inspired by everyone but don’t compare yourself!!!

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories?
Being Rose to Powers’ Jack for our Leithals skate out this Home Season definitely has to be a high point of funny and embarrassing.

Generally inadvertently having the worst face paint out of anyone at any game…the photos don’t lie…

Derby Hero:
I am surrounded by lots of incredibly inspiring women who never cease to impress me on and off the track and I would like to say something gushing about them all really…

What do you do outside of derby:
I fight to save the world from evil villains and internet trolls (just not the ones I agree with, they can stay)

Fun facts about you:
I’ve got gills.
They’re multiplyin’.

Decembers skater of the month is the very fabulous Caitlin O’Carroll. Caitlin’s has been skating with ARRG for a year and a half, and has made a name for herself as both a Twisted Thistle and a Cannon Belle. One of our most adaptable skaters, not only

This months featured skater is none other than the fabulous Mallory Powers.

Powers is one of the longer standing members of ARRG and is not only a great skater, but also an experienced line up manager and puts her skills to use when playing for the Cannon Belles travel team.
Mallory Powers will be off to Amsterdam to skate with The Cannon Belles for their first European game – they have an undefeated record in 2013 – can they hold this title and end the year on a high? We will let you know!

Home Team Affiliation: After 2 years on Skatefast Club, I’m now a proud Leithal Weapon!

Joined ARRG in: 2009

Favourite position to play: I love love love blocking! I love the strategy and team play when in the pack and feel I’m strongest there – and there’s always something new to work on. I am trying to work on my skill and confidence with jamming as well and have surprised myself by quite enjoying it!

Best ARRG memory: There are so many! There have been lots of fun road trips with both the Thistles and the Belles, and getting to play Montreal’s New Skids at the Jack Kane Centre was pretty cool/surreal. Also after I broke my leg the Thistles wrote my name on their bellies in Helsinki and then stood the wrong way round so it said !!!SREWOP – that brought a wee tear to my eye (of laughter, obviously).

Favourite after skate drink/snack: Um…I would like to say coconut water and raw tuna but in reality it’s more likely to be a glass of wine and a massive bag of salty snacks

Worst Derby injury: I’ve had some spectacular bruises, but by far the worst injury was breaking my leg! A spiral fracture to my left tibia meant surgery and metal work and a long recovery. My leg will always be a bit gammy now and I dropped quite a bit in skill level but I’m just trying to slowly build up my strength and not be too hard on myself. Much worse things happen.

Best Derby advice: I’ve really struggled with this, but the best advice is to try not to compare yourself to others: everyone has different strengths and styles, everyone takes a different amount of time to develop, and everyone’s life/derby balance is different. Just train as hard as you can at practice, set yourself regular small goals, and celebrate when you achieve them. And make sure you’re enjoying it – otherwise what’s the point?!
Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? Lucy of London Roller Girls fame once took a whip off me and pulled down my shorts, tights and pants during a bout. On the crowd side of the track. But generally I’m the least glamorous or graceful skater ever so I had to get over the embarrassment thing quite early on!

Derby Hero: ARRG is so well run at the moment it’s beautiful, and everyone who contributes to that is a hero. That it’s just a bunch of pals making all this stuff happen is mind-blowing! Sid (VeloSidy) is a total hero to me as well – she’s an amazing hard-working skater, has been in pretty much every Thistles bout ever, she does tonnes for the league, she’s super supportive of other people, and she is endlessly enthusiastic about the sport. She sums up what derby is all about!

What do you do outside of derby: job wise I have a couple of different roles in community food: I work with volunteers at Broomhouse Health Strategy Group to deliver services set up to improve people’s health and well-being, and I coordinate the activities of the Food for Thought Forum in Pilton. I also work freelance as a cookery tutor. Other than that I watch a lot of American crime drama, bake cakes, crochet small round things, read any books available, hang out with my family, and make pathetic attempts at exercise. I’m also just embarking on Project Allotment which may well render all previous items void.

Fun fact about you: I had fun once. It was awful.

This months featured skater is none other than Lilo and Stitches! Stitches is a long standing member of ARRG and a Twisted Thistles stalwart, and has recently been voted in as Vice Captain. She is also one of our dedicated coaches, and you can take advantage of some of her coaching skills at our upcoming Bootcamp on the 23rd November.

Home Team Affiliation: I have been a member of the Skatefast Club for the past two years, but have just been reshuffled into the Cherry Bombers – exciting stuff!

Joined ARRG in: August 2010.

Favourite position to play: I’ve been a blocker most of my time skating, but since January I have been mostly jamming for my travel team, the Twisted Thistles. I love blocking and working as part of a team more than anything, but I am learning to enjoy the challenges of jamming a bit more lately.

Best ARRG memory: Being in America with the team earlier this year was an amazing experience. Everyone worked so hard to get there, from putting in the work at practice to raising money, from filming comedy videos and printing merch to taking the weird Chinatown bus to Philadelphia (it was cheaper!) that dropped us in the middle of nowhere! Throughout the whole weekend everyone just pulled together and was so unbelievably focused that I didn’t realise what a massive success our trip had been until it was all over.

I think rolling on the floor of the ECDX venue after our last game, while Philly Roller Girls and Windy City just looked at us like we were total mentalists, was a pretty excellent moment. Also Windy City used our power animals!

Favourite after skate drink/snack: Chocolate milk. I don’t drink protein shakes, so chocolate milk is like my lazy person’s way to get sort of the same thing.

Worst Derby injury: I’ve had two injuries since I started skating. I tore the cartilage in my knee very early on (before my first game!) which was quite stressful at the time. Looking back, the long term effects of it were what forced to me to start cross training properly and treat my body a bit better so I am sort of glad it happened!

Then, last year at Track Queens, I fell very hard on my left side/butt cheek during our game against London Rollergirls. Continued impact on the same spot and some bad advice at the time have massively weakened my left leg, so I am currently building it back up. The most frustrating thing about it is that it affects small technical skills I used to be good at!

Best Derby advice: Don’t worry about skating like anybody else. Skating like you is good enough. I spend a lot of time working on my weak points, and sometimes, I get to a point where all I think is ‘If I could only have form like so-and-so’, or ‘if I could only jump like that guy’.

I have had great coaches and captains remind me that my skating is still effective, regardless of how my style might differ, and that I have my own strengths that I bring to the table (even if I think I look ridiculous).

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? When we played Hot Wheels earlier this year, I dropped my mouth guard in the loo at half time. It was a stressful moment. I grabbed it immediately and washed it for ages, but then I went out and asked Caitlin about its cleanliness and she was like ‘Washing takes the dirt off, but it doesn’t kill the bacteria’ while looking totally disgusted. Thankfully I had a spare one!

Derby Hero: I would say that the heroes I have are people who put the work into our league to let us do what we do – there are so many people who make our finances work and our committees happen and they aren’t always the ones who get to travel with the team. As a player, I love any skater who puts thought and time into their skating: whether it be breaking down movements or building on their weaknesses.

What do you do outside of derby: When I am not skating, I am the Reader Development Administrator at Scottish Book Trust, where I work on a nationwide annual festival called Book Week Scotland. Mostly my job involves trying to encourage people to read books. I also spend a lot of time with my cats.

Favourite film of all time: Erm, no idea! I really love Remember the Titans and A League of Their Own now thanks to roller derby. Oh, and Goon!

Home Team Affiliation: Well for the past two years I have played for the Leithal Weapons, and I have taken great pride in wearing blue, but this year I am just as excited to get a brand new team colour and start the fun all over again! The home season is not about winning or losing, it is about watching new skaters grow and develop their skills in a game situation… the pride you feel for every new skater is overwhelming!

Joined ARRG in: Eh… 2011? Is is really bad that I don’t know!? I do know that joining ARRG changed my life; I have never met a more amazing group of women (and refs) and have never felt so accepted.

Favourite position to play: I really like to block and I am never happier than being in a tight wall, holding the jammer back until she wants to give up… I love the feeling of working together on track and using each other’s skills for maximum impact! Plus… I really like hitting people (sorry mom).

Best ARRG memory: There are millions of amazing ARRG moments and listing them would take weeks… The things that means the most to me are the friendships that have come out of this wonderful derby roller coaster ride, so many people that are now part of my life and push me to be a better skater.

Favourite after skate drink/snack: Ok, if I wanted to be all sporty I would say I eat super healthy post skate… BUT after practice I eat Doritos and drink 7-up… and after a game I eat whatever gluten free treats Connie has set aside for me… followed by tequila. ATHLETE!!!

Worst Derby injury: Ugh. I have had a ton of annoying derby injuries… my knees give me the most trouble, but I have had a black eye, cracked rib, torn ligaments in my feet, sprained thumb, and both knees have forced me off skates for months of rehab… BUT I love derby, so nothing will stop me from trying again!

Best Derby advice: Don’t compare yourself to others (yeah right) and remember that every single person has a different derby journey; it may take you two years to play on the travel teams, but only six months for your pal… you may have setbacks, you may have doubts, you may just want to give up… just keep skating! Your journey will be full of amazing highs and devastating lows… it is worth it!

Any funny/embarrassing derby stories? For the first 4 games I was in, nearly every photo was me on the floor… rolling around… looking ridiculous… but they never show how fast I get up! =P

Derby Hero: I am not a derby stalker; I don’t know who half of the skaters are when people talk about their favourites… I feel a ridiculous amount of pride for all the Auld Reekie Girls around me, for all they do for the league, for all they give up for the love of the sport… one hero? Impossible.

What do you do outside of derby: I am a Veterinary Nurse during the day, a job that I find both really wonderful and heartbreaking… every day is different and I have never wished for a different path.

Favourite film of all time: I love like millions of films… and I am very indecisive! My mood swings change my favourites from day to day… but I always return to the same half dozen 😉