We asked ARRG’s Temple of Doom to tells us all about the up and coming trip to D2 playoffs. Here’s what she said…

In only three short weeks from now, ARRG’s All-Stars will be packing their bags, heading over the pond and braving Trump’s America: all to compete as the number one seed in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s (WFTDA) division 2 playoffs in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Getting to the WFTDA playoffs has been a long time coming for ARRG. In 2014 we were ranked 72 at the time of playoffs seeding and still had a few spots to climb before we would be eligible.  After working hard in 2015, we were just outside the rankings cut-off for D2, which back then was 60, and we were ranked at 63. In 2016, we qualified!… but due to various factors beyond our control, couldn’t send a team and someone else gratefully took our spot. So here we are in 2017 and not only have we qualified, but this year we’ve steadily climbed the entire D2 bracket and come out at the top! As a team, we draw confidence in the fact that every climb we have made over these last few years represents genuine improvement in our gameplayEvery game, scrim, extra practice, additional work with a guest coach, time spent analysing footage, off-skates session and early morning gym trip has meant that each rankings increase has been hard fought and deserved.  This year we’ve had the privilege of being pushed even harder by a B-Team that’s currently kicking ass in British Champs  and going from strength to strength. (Photo credit: Marko Niemiela Photography. Marko Niemelä Photography)

Despite being a long time coming, it is also a very good year to be joining the WFTDA play-offs structure. It’s the year that Gotham (NYC) has finally been dethroned of their world number one spot by VRDL after what’s seemed like a lifetime and the first time one of the playoffs locations has been hosted outside of North America (oh hai Malmo!). This year there are more “international” teams represented in the WFTDA playoffs brackets than ever before. I say “international” because, since it’s reboot at the turn of the millennium, roller derby very quickly spread beyond the USA. Yet “international” often still gets applied to non-US teams, even though really it’s just one big playing field (well, derby track) that we’re all playing a part in, whether you’re in the US or not. This year, in division 2 there are teams from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, France, England and USA represented – how cool is that? We are the only Scottish team going to playoffs  this year, and we want to help build up Scottish derby on the roller derby radar. For ARRG, it is great for us to be taking part in what will hopefully be the year we can stop talking about “international” roller derby and just call it roller derby.

Pittsburgh is a long way to go, there’s no doubt about it – getting there will cost us in time, money and our collective carbon footprint. To some extent you could be forgiven for asking, “is it worth it?” But for us, totally, it’s worth it 100%. I’ve already talked about being part of pushing the boundaries of internationalism within the sport. There’s loads for us to gain as a league from mixing up the gene pool: Playing different teams with different behaviours and styles of play is really important for flexibility and depth in our own game. It stops weird rankings enclaves from building up. Put simply, when the same teams play each other locally all the time, this can skew the rankings (which has historically had a negative impact on teams outwith North America), big international tournaments can iron things out. There’s also the small differences in where refs and officials draw the lines of what is or isn’t a penalty which are good to learn from and adapt to. Then there’s the mental focus and endurance that’s needed to play multiple games across a weekend on an unfamiliar floor in a different time zone, which can only help build resilience and strength individually and as a team. Throughout this, we want to learn and assimilate new information so we can take it back to our amazing league and we can all level up.

So, that’s just some of the reasons why we’re excited about heading stateside in a few weeks – and why we hope you’ll be following us and the Division 2 tournament on the 18^th – 20^th August. We will be adding game times and scores on our our “Division 2 Tournament” page  so be sure to check back to see how we’re doing. Our first game will be on Friday 18^th August against Dublin (entering the tourney as 16^th seed), who we last took on and won against in 2016.

Then, if we’re able to repeat our previous success against Dublin we’ll be heading on to play No Coast Derby (hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska) or Ohio Roller Derby, and we’ll be charting new territory with either league. And as for the rest, we’ll update you with news as we have it!

Next week in our blog we’ll be bringing you some of the many things we’ve been doing to prep for this tournament so we are at our peak mentally, physically and as a team when we take to the track in Pittsburgh. See you then!

In the mean time….

Captain of the All Star Reserves, Cirque Du Slay, has written us a round up of ARRG’s All Star Reserves British Championships campaign and some great info about their secret weapon for the upcoming game on the 12th August at Meadowbank Sports Centre. Here it is with some excellent photos. 

This is the Reserves’ first year participating in British Champs and it’s been an absolute cracker. Our journey through Tier 3 Women’s North has been an exceptional development opportunity for all of us as individual skaters and as a team, as well as a ton of fun, and we’re doing pretty damn well! As we approach the final games of our tier on August 12th with one eye firmly on British Champs playoffs in September (fingers crossed!), it seems like a good time to look back on all we’ve achieved so far.

We kicked things off back in Aberdeen in April with an absolute nailbiter of a game against the hosts, and our tier’s current leader, Granite City Roller Derby. Top hosting prize for providing blowing bubbles and smiley face balloons, pals! Granite ultimately took the win with a heart-stopping scoreline of 201-199, with both teams playing some pretty epic roller derby along the way.

For our next challenge, we took on Spa Town Roller Girls in Halifax. We prepped good by fuelling up on noodles the night before at a hotel in Huddersfield, to take on a team from Harrogate in Halifax (Reserves’ English geography is coming on in leaps and bounds).

Obviously this was an excellent strategy as we won by a comfortable 453-58. Here we are celebrating. Aren’t we just sickeningly adorable?

After that we got to host our Tier 3 North pals in sunny Edinburgh, sharing our venue with a wee Iron Man competition, just in case anyone lacked for sporting inspiration that day. The crowd was full of cheering friendly faces from the rest of our incredible league and their support carried us to a second convincing win of 290-77 against Halifax Bruising Banditas.

Our fourth game took us back on the road (karaoke may have featured) to our third country of British Champs so far, taking on Furness Firecrackers in North Wales. Furness came out all guns blazing and there was a tense series of lead changes at the beginning, but we pulled away decisively to take yet another win of 308-134.

Next up, we are hosting all six teams for an exciting final in which we will take on North Wales Roller Derby for the chance to make it to British Champs playoffs in Stoke-on-Trent in September. There is everything to play for and we are sure of a great day for not just our team, but all of our wonderful opponents, officials, volunteers, fans, organisers, announcers, bout crew, designers, track layers, PA operators, social media updaterers and videographers who make all the good fun roller derby happen.

The Reserves are feeling pretty confident about this game, cos we have a secret (?) weapon and her name is Big Shirl. Big Shirl may be two-dimensional, but she knows how to make the most out of life (pictured below on a casual intergame fashion shoot), and she is the ultimate teammate. She is made up of every single Reserve who has played for us in this tournament, and of the combined strengths that every single one of us contributes to the team. She contains our goals, our successes, our best bits, our in-jokes and our reasons to be proud. She has been with us in Aberdeen, in Halifax, in Edinburgh and in North Wales and soon she will be back with us for our final game, cheering us on and reminding us of how hard we have worked and how much we’ve improved and all that we are capable of together. Come see.

The final twenty skaters that will form the official Roller Derby Team of Scotland have been announced, including six skaters from Edinburgh’s Auld Reekie Roller Girls.

The six Edinburgh women fought off competition from thirty fellow Scottish skaters and battled through an intense six-month selection process which included international fixtures, intense training sessions and assessments to secure a coveted place on Team Scotland.

Skaters Lianne Parry (Crazylegs), Sharlotte Patterson, Rosie Peacock, Alison McNellis (Phoenix), Jess Little and Mandy Davis (Bangers) will now join their fellow teammates in what will be a gruelling twelve-month training period, as they prepare for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup in Manchester.

The skaters had this to say on their selection to Team Scotland:

Lianne Parry (Crazylegs) said; “I’m just taking it all in – to be selected for one World Cup tournament is a very cool opportunity; to skate in 3 World Cup Tournaments – Toronto 2011, Dallas 2014 and now Manchester 2018 is pretty mind blowing!  I can’t wait to get stuck into team training, the squad looks really strong and we’ve been getting to know each other for the last few months so now the hard work begins.”

Sharlotte Patterson said; “It’s a huge privilege and honour to have been selected as part of the final Team Scotland squad; I remember watching league members going off to play for Scotland years ago and hoping one day that that would be me! Right from the start, skating with Auld Reekie Roller Girls has inspired me to push myself and really focus on my jamming skills. I will be so proud when the World Cup rolls around next year to be able to represent Scotland.”

Mandy Davis (Bangers) said: “I’m very excited to be a part of a strong Scottish team, representing our country at the World Cup in 2018.”

Alison McNellis (Phoenix) said: “Honestly I’m not sure what to say, it’s a shock and a complete honour to be selected. I will put everything I have into the training and world cup. I really can’t wait to share the track with the rest of the team!”

Jess Little said: “I’m hugely excited for the opportunity to play for Team Scotland and to continue training with the squad.”

Rosie Peacock said: “I am so proud of every skater who has made the final twenty for Team Scotland. We have all worked incredibly hard to get to this point, to get to know one another and gel as a team. We’ve already had several opportunities to play internationally and now coming up against team Ireland at EuroClash will present our next challenge and opportunity. I’m very excited about the progression of the team, now we can focus on specific roles and positions on track.” 

The team won’t have time to bask in their achievement as their first challenge comes swiftly in the form Team Ireland who they will face at the EuroClash Tournament in Newcastle on the 25^th & 26^th March.

Stepping in from the Cold by Life Saber  

Since coming to Scotland from sunny Spain over nine years ago I thought I was fully used to the Scottish weather. However, there I was once again on the sofa playing videogames under my blanket. Another dark winter coming… And the low mood continued over the summer and then over autumn and back in winter again: work, sofa, work, sofa, work, sofa…

I kept thinking of getting fit again and improving my social life so I would break this bad cycle. I kept thinking of joining the Auld Reekie Roller Girls, the crazy Roller Derby girls which would inject my life with energy and an active lifestyle again. This thought was liberating. However, at first I was working different shifts so I could not commit to enough training sessions, then time passed and I was getting more and more unfit and my mind kept telling me I was crazy to even think I could attempt to stand on skates.

Then four years later, a week before my birthday, I saw an open taster day advertised again for skating near my house, this was a sign! No more excuses I thought. I have regular shifts now and free time and the training sessions are not too far. I immediately started overthinking, yes again… remembering that I had not skated since I was a child and that I had put on considerable amounts of weight since then! This time, I did not listen to any of that, not even the voice telling me I had the same agility as Pinocchio and would look like Bambi on ice. This time I just got myself to the first taster day and had no clue what I would find there.

What did I find? Well, above all I found my new passion. Many people there were experienced and very passionate about the sport. Others, like myself, were just looking down at their skates and trying to stay up. During the session I laughed, I felt frustrated, I fell various times but also learnt that falling means you are trying new things and pushing yourself. By the end of the session all I could see were smiles and I was committed to push myself and turn my body and mind into something powerful and to be proud of.

I explored a bit further and joined ARRG for their Skate Skills 101 programme to train weekly. That was not enough you see? I also read every single review on the Internet about wheels, skates, skate bags, knee pads etc until I found my first Fresh Meat kit. Nope, I did not stop there either, I booked myself in all social skate sessions and discos coming up and joined various social media pages with info and tips. And my favourite….. stickers, stickers, stickers! Yes, I became addicted.

The training sessions are great! The support we receive from the returning skaters and also the trainers is outstanding and the comradery and banter makes the training more enjoyable. I still remember the first time they lined up some cones and helmets in front of us and just like that, it was time to learn to jump! That was petrifying at first but I will never forget the sense of achievement I felt and the big cheer I got when I jumped those helmets! And when I nailed my first crossover and when I was able to skate one more lap!

Some days if I feel down I remember what I felt when I went to my first Roller Derby match. The teams were so strong, agile and they were having so much fun. The atmosphere was fantastic and very infectious. I enjoyed it so much I am now volunteering for future events and getting involved in as many things as I can. My friends now keep mentioning how I use Roller Derby vocabulary more and more in every conversation!

I find Roller Derby suits me since I have always had a competitive mind and it gives me focus and determination. It is also very convenient because we train indoors so winter cannot get to me there! I had not done any regular exercise for over five years and since joining ARRG in September I can feel I am progressing and my body is changing every day. My friends tell me I look different, more positive and radiant. I do feel different, more empowered and determined. I now have a weekly routine where it is not just training but also a way to feel empowered, strong and have fun.

Inspired by Life’s story? Tempted to give roller derby a go? Do it! Email newskaters@auldreekierollerderby.com for details on our next new intake. 

Cirque Du Slay #23  

I was already well into my game day when the audience watched the Auld Reekie Roller Girl All Star Reserves take to the track for our first jam against Granite City’s Northern Fights on Saturday. As usual, the team had met in our changing room hours before to start the process of preparing ourselves mentally and physically to be the most in sync, super-gelled, teamiest of teams.

This transformation involves a mixture of long-running ARRG traditions, season-specific Reserves rituals and one-off activities. So many of the anecdotes, in-jokes and rituals that gel teams together and make game days so special come from this period. I have bonded with various ARRG teamies reading anonymous nice comments they’ve written about me, constructing a web of (imaginary) wool to symbolise our (not imaginary) combined strength, playing with balloons perilously close to a row of shower heads and wildly waving my teamies’ arms around in a sort of charades by proxy (the clue was “winning”, obviously).

The masterminds behind all this excitement – i.e. the leadership team, spend hours rolling out this program of activities, corralling 15 people, doing their own game prep and trying to keep their cool when the umpteenth person asks them what’s the time/what time is the warm up/do they have time to go to the toilet? On Saturday this fine team consisted of co-captains Puke and Doom, Bench Coach Collie and Line Up Manager McPain, who kicked off Organised Team Fun by way of positive post-its. Everyone wrote their name on a post-it and their teamies filled it in by describing them in one word … beginning with the same letter as their name. In case you were wondering, this is quite hard, but it did produce some wonderfully creative and unconventional compliments (always lovely to hear your pal thinks you’re “civilised”).

The Reserves’ Biggest Fan Award trophy made an appearance: a beautifully constructed work of art and mechanical engineering which functions on occasion as an actual fan but has sadly proved poorly suited to the jet-set life required by our recent game schedule. It allows us to tell a teamie at each game who did something particularly awesome that We Are Your Biggest Fan! and would afterwards be handed over to an incredibly deserving new winner.

Next came the warm ups, off skates first and what better way to warm up than Strip the Willow? Even if it was far scarier than the roller derby – for my partner at least, pre-game adrenaline seemed to inspire the same wild zeal as the drunk finale of a ceilidh – but miraculously we all made it to the end of the music in one piece and pretty warm besides. Then in full kit, we continued to warm up our bodies and our brains, increase our communication and raise our aggression levels ready to play at 100% from the very first jam.

After being fired up by a final pep talk from Captain Puke, followed by our properly inspired team chant (Chant! Chant! Chant! HUH!!!), it was time for the first jam. I then played a bloody amazing game of roller derby as part of the most in sync, super-gelled, teamiest of teams and we won by 179 points to 99. Cos we were prepared and stuff. It was pretty fun.

Pummela #321

I joined Auld Reekie Roller Girls in May 2011 which seems like an age ago! Every time I think back to when I first put skates on, I laugh. I couldn’t stop or turn a corner and would often hit the wall if I got too cocky and went too fast. The first time I saw a game I thought – there’s no way I could ever do that. Now I’m playing for the All Star Rookies (ASTRO) and we have a game on Saturday against Mean City! This is the first time I’ve played in public with ASTRO so I’m incredibly excited. We were talking tactics at the weekend so I feel READY!

I didn’t actually play my first game of roller derby until roughly three years after I joined ARRG. Although I’ve skated intermittently during that time, I was around enough to see the sport evolve and keep my connections within the league. By which I mean keeping in touch with friends in the league and volunteering. The beauty of being part of a roller derby community is that whether or not you can skate, there’s always a place for you. You can be involved.

I passed the minimum skills after completing the fresh meat programme the first time. It was massively exciting to move up to skate ‘with the big girls’ as we affectionately called it at the time. All this amazing stuff was happening as I ignored increasing pain in my left hip. Eventually I couldn’t ignore it and it turned out I’d significantly damaged the inside of my hip joint so I needed surgery. That was all fine and I would come back and play again when I was better.

When that time came and it was a shock. I couldn’t do what I could before and I had gained a lot of weight. There’s a rule in the roller derby community that you should never compare your progress to others. It’s sound advice but I went beyond that and compared my recovery to other people’s recovery! My confidence was low and I came close to quitting all together. I accepted that if I wanted to play, I had to work for it so I took another few months off to strengthen each bit of my body and mind that needed to be strong.  When I returned again, I struggled through the minimum skills test and eventually passed after countless attempts. When I moved to intermediate I thought ‘that’ll do’ but I then progressed to advanced training, then soon after I got selected for the All Star Reserves. When I got the email offering me a place, I may have cried a little.

After that amazing experience I’ve had some other obstacles to tackle such as depression which made playing roller derby that wee bit harder. I took another break. I take a lot of breaks but I know that’s OK. If that’s what it takes to keep me playing, that’s fine. When ARRG decided to create the ASTROs I was incredibly excited. A great opportunity arose for me and I was lucky to get a place. I feel really at home in this team and whenever I feel that I should be progressing better or faster I remind myself that I almost quit once and had I done that, I wouldn’t have proved that a big person like me could be athletic, I wouldn’t have achieved what I wanted, I wouldn’t have met so many amazing people and I wouldn’t be playing with the ASTROs on Saturday.

Pummela alongside her fellow ASTROs take on Mean City Roller Derby this Saturday. Full game details via Mean City’s Facebook page. 

All go at ARRG..

We’ve had such a busy start to 2012 that we’ve not even had time to tell you what we’ve been up to. It’s been quite a rush – here’s a quick roundup of the highlights of our 2012 so far.

Twisted Thistles at Tattoo Freeze

The smoke from Edinburgh’s Hogmanay fireworks barely had time to clear before ARRG’s Twisted Thistles blasted off to Tattoo Freeze. We saw some superb jamming, big hits and great tactical skating as the Thistles triumphed over Leicester’s Dolly Rockit Rollers 100 -60 in the first game of the day.

The action continued with ARRG taking on London Rockin’ Rollers in a close, nail biting game that ended LRR 78 – ARRG 61 and meant we played Glasgow in another nail biter for 3rd/4th place. The final score was GRG 79 – ARRG 76 which placed ARRG 4th overall behind GRG 3rd, CCR 2nd and LRR 1st. Well done ladies!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksdNzaICICw&w=595]

ARRG’s first ever Home Season kicks off

There was hardly time to get over the excitement of Tattoo Freeze before ARRG’s first ever home season game between the Leithal Weapons and the Cherry Bombers at Meadowbank Sports Centre. What a bout! The crowd went wild at the power jams, epic hitting and fantastic shows of athletic action from both teams. We had kazoos, capes, banners that people skated through and the Skatefast Club helping out with some classy announcing. Oh and we revealed our beautiful new merchandise, covered in our new logos.

The final score was Leithal Weapons 179 – Cherry Bombers 171 and looking at the videos and photos from the bout it’s clear that fun was had by all. Looking at the after party footage it’s clear that the fun continued…

Woot – more bouting!

The bouting continued as some of ARRG’s ladies went off to star at Slaughtership Down, an invitational scrimmage hosted by the gorgeous Granite City Roller Girls. The game was great fun and the final score was Woundwort’s Warlocks 163 – 146 Bigwig’s Banshees, with ARRG’s players doing us proud. Even though they were on separate teams, our players (Mallory Powers and Crotch Lightning) were BOTH awarded Best Blocker. Get in!

Can you hear us pumping on the stereo? And blasting on your television?

We’re famous! We’ve been all over the TV and the radio lately and the interview requests haven’t stopped! First we had a mention on Countdown from one of our loyal fans Mark.

Then…our home team captains, Mallory Power, Minnie Riot and Crotch Lightning spent the afternoon at Leith FM talking about our home season and upcoming games and playing their favourite 80s tunes!. You can hear the show here:

[soundcloud url=”http://soundcloud.com/freshair-features/auld-reekie-roller-girls-talk”]

As if radio wasn’t enough, we then got a call from Caroline Henderson at STV! She’d heard about the amazingness that is roller derby and wanted to film ARRG in action (and try on some skates) as we practised at The Crags (our amazing new, old home! ) Much fun ensued and we appeared on the News at 6 on the 21^st Feb. You can catch our appearance on the STV web player at exactly 21 minutes in!

 

Home Season Bout 2: The Skatefast Club VS Leithal Weapons

Affectionately dubbed ‘The Crimpers vs The Seagulls’, our second home bout happened on the 25^th Feb and saw The Skatefast Club take on the home team leader, Leithal Weapons. Smoke filled skateouts, big hair, 80s boutfits, capes, kazoos and the mini Leithal’s mascots all made an appearance before the first jam whistle. We saw amazing offense, cracking jamming and some fancy footwork from the very first until the final whistle. The final score was SFC 116 – 209 LW ensuring that the Leithals will head to the final with two wins under their capes.

Phew… that’s a lot!! What Next?

In just over a week our Twisted Thistles will be trekking down to Birmingham for a game against new WFTDA members, Central City Rollergirls. Yo7u can get more information about the game here.

On the 25^th March you can catch the ARRG Cannon Belles at the Bells Sports Centre in Perth as they take on the Fair City Rollers in Cell Block Tango. It’s only a short drive from Edinburgh so you can get your tickets here!

Following on from that, we have the third game in our inaugural home season. This one will be a serious battle for a place in the final as the Cherry Bombers battle against The Skatefast Club – expect this to be a corker of a bout as both teams have all to play for. Tickets at the link as usual!

And then it’s only a few short weeks until our home season final on the 28^th of April, to see who will be the winner of our first ever home season championship! You won’t want to miss out on tickets for this one!

Hope to see you there! – ARRG xx