WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK ROLLER DERBY MAGAZINE ISSUE 16, SUMMER 2012
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JUNE 9-10
JULY 7-8
AUG. 4-5
Jacksonville, Florida
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JUNE 21-22
JULY 21-22
AUG. 11-12
Feasterville, Pennsylvania
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fiveonfive contents 34-36
4-5 advice
ask ms d’fiant and suzy hotrod!
WFTDA A joint venture between WFTDA and Blaze Streaming Media, WFTDA.tv brings highquality productions of exciting WFTDA match-ups to derby lovers everywhere.
6-9 business 10-17
health and fitness core training derby sport training derby fitness
Blaze Streaming Media
choosing a charity that works groupon
42-43
18-25 games and coaching
Derby Dad
integrating new skaters while keeping vets engaged strategic communication in coaching
A proud derby dad offers his unique perspective on the impact roller derby has had on his junior derby daughters’ lives.
plates 101 skate inserts
37 junior derby
Steven Hewett
26-32 gear
co-ed junior league
Mama Does Derby More and more moms are taking the track and trying roller derby on for size. Brass Snuggles provides insight into the challenge of balancing derby and motherhood.
38-41 rookie
Ann Yoo
small town derby how to be a good host league
48-50 international derby 52-62 art and media 63 classifieds 68 horoscopes
44-45
health and fitness
core training F R I DA B E AT E R , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S photos by April O’Hare Photography
Why would we train our core for roller derby when we skate with our legs and occasionally use our arms to give assists? There are several reasons why strengthening your core will dramatically improve your game. A strong core will allow you to deliver and receive blocks more effectively, improve your skating form, increase your stability on skates, and improve injury recovery. blocking Delivering effective blocks requires three main things: 1. Foot work, 2. Power, and 3. Stability. Strong back and abdominal muscles affect both power and stability. Although the majority of the power usually originates from the legs, core muscles are important as well. Furthermore, core muscles work with leg muscles for stability. When initiating a block – whether it be a lateral block, hip check, positional blocking, or a swoop – the core acts to stabilize the blocker and allows her to control her body. Core muscles are even more important when receiving a block. To avoid losing one’s position or falling down when receiving a block, the core must support the skater. When the back and abdominal muscles engage, they create stability and allow a skater to absorb hits. The stronger the core muscles are, the more forceful hits skaters can take. form Perfect speed skating form looks like this: knees are bent at a 90 degree angle, back is flat and parallel to the ground, and the space between the chest and the thighs is minimal. To make the
back flat and minimize the space between the chest and thighs, the core muscles must pull the chest down and into the body. Some people advocate a different form for blockers skating within a pack. This form has blockers bending their knees at a 90 degree angle and positioning the torso upright so that blockers are ready to give and receive blocks. This position is almost completely dependant on the core muscles. stability A strong core will increase stability on skates. In addition to balance and footwork, a strong core will keep a skater on her feet. injury recovery and prevention I broke my back sometime in the fall of last year and I skated without medical attention until January. When I finally went to the doctor and got an MRI, she was shocked that I wasn’t in more pain. My strong core had stabilized my back and was doing what the bone was intended to do. The doctor sent me to physical therapy and I began an even more intense core strengthening program. The intense core exercises have almost eliminated all of my lower back pain. Strengthening core muscles can have great effects on injury recovery.
core strengthening training for roller derby: classic plank The plank is a great all-around core exercise that works both the exterior and interior abdominal muscles as well as the lower back. Hold this position for as long as you can in three sets.
10 | Summer 2012 | fiveonfivemag.com
side plank
weighted kayakers
The side plank works the obliques, which are the foundation of powerful hits.
To do kayakers, sit on the ground, lift your feet off the ground and twist your torso from side to side. You can add a weight to make it more challenging.
Hold the side planks as long as possible for three sets.
Do three sets to failure (as many as you can do).
exercise ball crunches
weighted side bends
Exercise ball crunches engage the middle and upper abs. These should be done slowly as well.
Weighted side bends also work the obliques. They should be done very slowly and methodically. Hold a heavy weight at your side and engage your opposite side slowly as you pull the weight up.
Do two sets of 50.
Do three sets of 20 on each side. Add more weight if you aren’t feeling challenged.
weighted back bends On a back bend bench, hold a weight to your chest and slowly drop down and lift yourself back up using your lower back muscles.
captain’s chair leg raises Captain’s chair raises are one of the best exercises for your lower abs. Do three sets of 15.
Do three sets of 20.
fiveonfivemag.com | Summer 2012 | 11
rookie
small town derby BA N G - A - R A N G FAY E , N A U G H T Y P I N E S D E R B Y DA M E S
Horses and Roller Derby? When people think of Wyoming they generally think of cowboys,
Sure, there are a lot of hardships when it comes to running a league in a small Wyoming town, but there are also a ton of
horses, wide open spaces, and rodeos. One thing that people do
positives. For instance, we have an amazing fan base. We generally
not think about is roller derby.
sell out every home bout, and we have fans travel with us to our
The Laramie Naughty Pines Derby Dames changed that when they formed Wyoming’s first ever league in 2009. There is not a whole lot to the city of Laramie. The heart
away bouts. In a town this small, you get to know these fans, and they get to know you. This way it is very personal and there is an amazing connection between the dames and the fans.
and soul of this town is the University of Wyoming. Without the
We always have kids, and occasionally adults, running around
University, there would not be a whole lot of fresh meat in this
and getting all of the Dames’ autographs. To them, we are
town. Due to the University, and the fact that everyone leaves after
approachable, and not too scary. We are also able to get very
they graduate, there is a very high turn over rate. Girls join for
involved in the community. For a town this small, there are
a year or two – once they realize that there is a league in town –
a surprising amount of events that we do; Farmers’ Market,
and then they graduate and leave. Of course, you have the girls
Homecoming, Jubilee Days, etc. We always do our best to have
that are true Wyoming-ites and they stay with the team as long as
a couple Dames at every event representing the Naughty Pines
possible, but because everyone comes and goes so rapidly, the few
and helping out in any way they can.
that are here for the long haul get worn out. We are constantly
The best part about having a league in a town this small
training fresh meat, we never turn anyone away, and there is
is we have all found a sanctuary of women who are similar.
a very large workload. Being a skater owned and operated
Sometimes, in this little country town, it can be suffocating.
non-profit takes a lot of work from a small group of women.
Not that the people aren’t great, but there is not necessarily
This is something I don’t think is seen as much in bigger cities.
a lot of variety. It gets very overwhelming. But I met all of these
We are only two hours away from Denver, where there are many
amazing women, and I can escape three days a week for two
hours. I can sweat, curse, be completely free and open without different options for a derby girl to pick, and an overflow of derby girls. In a town of 20,000 people, we do not have many options. fear of judgment. Don’t get me wrong, Laramie and our fans have Another issue that we encounter is lack of facilities. The local
skating rink where the Pines used to skate closed down about a year ago, and since then we skate at the local ice rink. But,
been so good to us, amazing actually. But with small towns, comes
the small town mentality, and sometimes one just needs to escape. I honestly do not know how I have lived without these women
because it is an ice rink, we cannot use it all year long. And on
and this sport for so long. This may sound cheesy, but now that
October 1st, we get booted. At this point we skate at the local civic
I have found it, I do not think I can ever live without it. People
center, and they are amazing for letting us use their gym, but the
tend to look at roller derby and think it is all about the fishnets
building was built in the early 1900’s, the floor boards are warping,
and bad ass bruises, but there is so much more to it. There is
and we cannot even lay a full track. But hey, at least we have
camaraderie, friendship, and tons of love for each other and for
somewhere to skate. Some of the members have discussed
the sport we love playing so much.
building our own rink, but that takes a lot of money, which takes
And through our trials and tribulations, numerous teams have
a lot of time to raise. There is also a lack of warehouses in
popped up all over Wyoming! It is amazing how many there are
Laramie, so we cannot just buy an old warehouse and throw some
now, in towns even smaller than ours. They are going through the
cement down. It gets very frustrating at times. Between the lack
motions, and getting the ball rolling in the right direction. They will
of skaters and the lack of facility, it makes you want to scream
have to deal, if they haven’t already, with a lot of the same issues,
sometimes. But you know what? We still put up with it anyway.
but in the end it is totally worth it, because we are all doing this for
Because all of us are in love with this sport, and even though
the thrill of playing a sport we love, and spending time with our
it may not seem like it right now, the positives outweigh
new and amazing derby families.
the negatives.
38 | Summer 2012 | fiveonfivemag.com
photo by Nicholas Charest
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