fiveonfive | issue 23 | Spring 2014

WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK ROLLER DERBY MAGAZINE ISSUE 23, SPRING 2014

proud partner of the WFTDA

fiveonfivemag.com

fiveonfive contents 34-35

4-5 advice

ask ms d’fiant and suzy hotrod!

WFTDA

6-7 business

Leagues across the globe weigh in on how they help their skaters learn and adapt to the new rule set.

delegating responsibilities

acupuncture and roller derby a review of herbalife 24 rebuild strength eight before you skate

18-23 games and coaching

JoeRollerfan.com

8-14 health and fitness

46-47 derby over 40

tips for effective team leadership coaching derby order of operations: good to great

More and more women over 40 are discovering roller derby and a renewed sense of confidence and fitness.

To highlight this, the UK hosted a “40 and over bout.�

26-31 gear 36-39 junior derby problem parent, problem child RollerCon junior

42-43 rookie surviving the fresh meat program

54-55 international derby 56-61 art and media

Jason Ruffell

helmet liners transitioning to new skates

50-51 derby/life balance Balancing derby, family, and work is difficult, but not impossible. Life coach Leslie Frey provides some guidelines.

editor miss jane redrum fort wayne derby girls copy editor and content manager vera n. sayne rocky mountain rollergirls art director assaultin’ pepa rocky mountain rollergirls contributing writers ms d’fiant angel city derby girls suzy hotrod gotham girls roller derby lorna boom ida slapter rat city rollergirls tony burris, LAC treasure valley roller girls frak attak rocky mountain rollergirls catholic cruel girl rocky mountain rollergirls jaclyn downs dutchland rollers slamlet ann arbor derby dames the professor camel city thrashers shocker khan rage city rollergirls phantom menace rocky mountain rollergirls ivanna s. pankin socal roller derby lois slain dc rollergirls betty ford galaxy seattle junior derby lc/dc shore points roller derby zaphod beatherbox edmonton, alberta samantha briggs hot wheel roller derby feist e. one boulder county bombers bethany tozier new hampshire roller derby brendan adam-zwelling toronto, ontario gory b movie apple city roller derby hannah jennings derby news network cover photo Bob Ayers flickr.com/photos/ayerwave instagram: @maninthebowlerhat fiveonfive magazine info@fiveonfivemag.com facebook.com/fiveonfive fiveonfivemag.com The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributing writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of fiveonfive magazine.

from the editor Welcome to the 23rd issue of fiveonfive!

Roller derby and I met almost nine years ago. Nine years! It just doesn’t seem possible. My husband came home with a flier he found at our neighborhood bar seeking tough-as-nails ladies to help start a league.

I didn’t think of myself as tough-as-nails, but I immediately Googled “roller derby” and found the sites of the Windy City Rollers and the Mad Rollin’ Dolls. The bout photos and skater names pulled me in and piqued my interest, so I attended the first meeting of what would become Fort Wayne Derby Girls.

I remember skating around the roller rink, dodging little kids and talking to our league founder about her ideas and goals. She wanted to make an impact in our community by devoting bout and event proceeds to charities benefitting women and children. I was sold, and for the next six years, I devoted my life to building our league and contributing to the national scene. I became involved in WFTDA and was elected to the board, and in that role, I had the chance to be part of hiring the first executive director for the organization. I traveled all over the United States for bouts and meetings. What a ride!

The sport has evolved so much since I attended that first meeting for the Fort Wayne Derby Girls. I had no idea then how much it would impact me, not just while I was an active skater, but well into retirement, too. As readers of our magazine, I know you get that. There’s something magical about our sport and community, and I feel so grateful to be a small part of it. Like most of the greatest things in life, it came when I least expected it – when I wasn’t even looking for it – and changed my life.

I’d love to hear how you met roller derby and how it changed your life.

Email me at editor@fiveonfivemag.com.

Our Spring issue is loaded with great content. On page 6, Lorna Boom and Ida Slapter provide tips on delegating responsibility – something we could all use a little help with. Team captains from a variety of teams talk about how to be an effective leader beginning on page 18, and with a new WFTDA rule set, be sure to check out the article on page 34 to find out how leagues across the globe help their skaters learn and adapt.

Miss Jane Redrum Fort Wayne Derby Girls Fort Wayne, IN editor@fiveonfivemag.com

contributors

Many thanks to our contributors who come from all over the roller derby community and share their knowledge based on their countless hours of dedication to this sport!

Check out additional contributors at fiveonfivemag.com.

Jaclyn Downs Jaclyn Downs received a BS from Drexel University. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach (AADP), specializing in nutrition and supplementation for optimizing athletic performance, without the use of dieting or processed shakes. Jaclyn is also a certified Yoga Instructor and Birth Doula.

Jaclyn was a founding member and coach/skater of the Dutchland Rollers in 2006.

Jaclyn has retired from roller derby, but her love and support for the sport continue, as she offers group coaching and educational workshops to help athletes with “Pushing Past Your Plateau.”

Her website is GetBalancedWellness.com

Feist E. One Amanda Rieker/Wicked Shamrock Photography

An ardent athlete her whole life, Feist E. One found roller derby from a flyer at a liquor store.

She learned to skate with the Castle Rock ‘n Rollers, and after moving, joined the Boulder County Bombers. Feist E. believes in the physical, mental and emotional powers of roller derby. Her non-derby life includes a career as a professional journalist and copywriter, a supportive husband and a feisty daughter.

Slamlet Emilie C. Samuelsen, a.k.a. Slamlet, is a writer/director who learned how the heck to skate on quads in January 2011 and has been fully immersed in derby ever since.

She is currently a skater and trainer for the Ann Arbor Derby Dimes A-team, the Brawlstars.

Gory B Movie Hayley “Gory B Movie #NC-17” Knighten joined Apple City Roller Derby in Wenatchee, WA at the start of the league in December 2010. During her time with ACRD she also designed and managed the league’s website.

Off-skates, Hayley works as a freelance writer and web designer and enjoys spending time with her jeerleader husband, Tutu Catchoo and her number one fan and son who goes by the derby name, Killer Son. She also watches a ton of horror movies, has a terrific fake blood recipe, and still dresses up every year for Halloween.

Samantha Briggs Samantha is 44 years old, a wife and mother of two boys, ages 12 and 14. She is a Childminder by profession and playing roller derby is her favorite obsession. She started skating in May 2009 at the age of 39 and has been actively bouting with Hot Wheel Roller Derby since Feb 2011.

advice

Suzy Hotrod

Ms D’Fiant

Gotham Girls Roller Derby New York, NY

Angel City Derby Girls Los Angeles, CA

DEAR BLOCKER AND JAMMER, I always have a hard time determining what to eat for derby. While I have my pre and post-bout meal schedule pretty well worked out, I struggle on practice nights. Like most derby girls, I go straight to practice from work. I don’t want to eat a big meal before practice and I don’t want to eat a big meal right before bed. I have tried having a little something before and after practice, but when I go to bed, I can’t sleep because I am still hungry. Any suggestions?

-FRUSTRATED AND FAMISHED

DEAR F&F, Still hungry. Boo. Two words: almonds and avocados. OK, read down more if you want to hear me yammer about myself. But if you’re in a rush, almonds and avocados.

No athlete should ever be hungry. If anything, derby girls take great pride in the amount of food we can absolutely destroy. While being able to brag about eating a whole pizza isn’t exactly athletic nutritional role model behavior, the truth is we train hard and celebrating by having pie covered in ice cream is just as popular with my colleagues as drinking. Food is pretty significant to us. That brings us to your question.

Pie and pizza are most rewarding to who work really hard to eat right.

So I’m no nutritionist, but I’ll just give my personal experience in just eating on a regular practice day as a whole. I eat. A lot. All day long at work, before and after practice. Pretty much all day long like every two to three hours. I crack and don’t follow this always (damn you kettle chips! And on weekends, I eat whatever I want if I go out) but in the perfect world, here’s my story.

I eat oatmeal, grilled chicken, and salads made of beans, quinoa, and vegetables, pretty much every workday. Lunch is my biggest meal and then I have second lunch later in the day around 5pm. All day, snacks are on hand if I’m hungry: Nuts and fruit.

We always keep a big thing of apples and clementines on hand.

If eating closer to practice is new for you, one tip I’d say is don’t have anything with tuna or whole beans this close to physical activity (gross after taste or serious gas). I used to feel gross if I ate too close to practice in general but it got better the more I did it. If you can’t do a whole meal, my go to’s are an avocado or almonds.

I can’t believe how well those two things can fill me up. Apple with peanut butter is also good. Fastest, easist option: the dreaded bars. Train yourself to be OK with eating before practice, even if it feels gross. It gets easier.

Post practice. Get in the habit of drinking a protein drink right away. Embrace the nasty powder. You may not eat dinner for another hour and you need quick recovery.

Yes, likely you’re past 10pm by the time you get home, but personally I recommend eating. It’s no frills and I’m tired so I usually just eat tons of vegetables, no limit. Yes I’m a monster and still eat pasta. Or maybe some hummus and carrots for super fast and easy. Let’s not get fancy people, you still have an hour of derby email before you can go to bed.

In conclusion. Yes, I eat ice cream.

In final conclusion, all I can say is if you’re hungry, eat. Most chosen go to for feeling full for me is avocado or nuts if you aren’t interested in a doing big meal.

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DEAR F&F, I am in the same boat. I cannot eat much before practice or any workout. My daily routine is to leave work at noon and go to the gym at lunch.

For breakfast I’ll have a protein shake and a cup of coffee and after that I won’t eat until around 1:00 pm after my workout. Granted, nobody wants to come within five feet of the carnage when I finally do eat, but it’s a schedule that works for me.

It sounds like you already know what to do but maybe you need to look at what you’re eating. Also, what are you eating during the other meals of the day? Try to make your breakfast and lunch the big meals of the day.

The old adage is definitely for you – eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.

Make sure that you’re getting enough calories at breakfast and lunch to sustain you for the rest of the day. Then it’s just pre- and post-dinner you need to worry about. For these meals (as with most) preparation is key. I would keep it simple before practice: a protein bar/shake or some hard-boiled eggs. Make the after practice meal something small but powerful: a bowl of lentils with veggies, beans and brown rice, spinach salad with grilled chicken. Stay away from anything heavy, cheesy, creamy, etc. If you’re still hungry, go for a healthy snack like paleo oatmeal cookies or a small banana smoothie.

It sounds to me like you’re on the right track, but with a few small tweaks, your diet will fall in line with your derby schedule.

DEAR BLOCKER AND JAMMER, If you could give one piece of advice to a skater just getting started, what would it be?

-AMBITIOUS AMATEUR

DEAR AMBITIOUS, Edges. Learn to use your edges. Do every type of edge work drill you can find on the internet. Edges are crucial for stopping and explosive power. Edges are how to make fast cuts and fast jukes.

Transitions and skating backwards, edges. Everything, edges.

A basic edge finding technique to show newbies is to have them skate in a circle. It is pressure on the edges that make the skate go in a circle instead of a straight line. Practice snaking back and forth in a wavy shape with both feet at the same time.

Boom. Edges.

But in order to get them really working for you in derby, you need to be sharp and harsh by applying a lot of pressure to them, far more than a gentle circle. One drill I like to do to help newbies find their edge in a more dramatic way is to have them stand in a derby stance, and one leg at a time, begin to point one knee towards the other knee, feeling pressure building on the inside of the skate. Press that pressure down so greatly that, to be dramatic, you actually let your two outside wheels lift slightly off the ground.

This is using your edge lean for a more explosive result rather than just picking your feet up and down.

After edges, I say hamstrings. Skating is a quad-centric sport.

Give your poor little hamstrings some love to help them balance you out.

DEAR AMBITIOUS, It’s tough to only offer one piece of advice, so I’ll borrow the multi-layered iconic motto from Coach Taylor in Friday Night Lights – clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose.

Clear eyes – be a conscious player on and off the track. On the track, don’t be an ass. It’s not that hard. Keep your emotions under control and you will be a good player, teammate, and opponent. Off the track, be a good leaguemate. Make sure to meet your league’s requirements for attendance, volunteerism, and dues. Also, trust in your leadership. There’s nothing more poisonous to a league than undermining or spreading rumors about the leadership. Trust the people who were voted in to lead your league. Someone has to make the difficult decisions and it can be especially harrowing when they don’t have the full support of the league.

Full heart – Give it all you got. Roller derby can be a full time job, so moderate your involvement and be honest about what you can give. But what you do give, make sure to do so whole-heartedly. Same with practice.

Be patient and try every drill, even the skills you don’t get right away, keep at it. Anything worth doing is worth doing right, and roller derby is definitely worth doing.

Lastly as the phrase concludes – can’t lose. If you can follow this advice, it doesn’t matter what happens during one game because you’ve already won. Build a strong and healthy league that skaters are a proud to be a part of and it will be a winning experience for everyone.

need advice? email advice@fiveonfivemag.com fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 5

business

delegating responsibilities L O R N A B O O M & I DA S L A P T E R , R AT C I T Y R O L L E R G I R L S

In any community-based organization, a small percentage of the group’s population invariably emerges as the overachievers.

These passionate women (and men) maintain business

keep it or kick it Consider your strengths and the strengths of your group. What do you contribute that most helps your league be successful?

operations, manage league projects, and, if they are lucky, still get to strap on skates and play the game that brings us all together. Often they take on too much, driven by the desire to see their league and sport succeed and determined to make it

Keep these! Tasks that can easily be completed by another member should be the first things to delegate or give away. It is helpful to make a list of all the things you do; keep what is essential and kick what isn’t.

happen with pure force of will. All too frequently these derby dynamos hit the wall, exhausted, overwhelmed and under-

action plan: handbook Work with a committee, team, or the entire league to determine

appreciated. Most of us have seen this scenario played out in our home leagues, as well as on the national scene, but as

what needs to be accomplished and how it should be done.

Delegation isn’t effective unless you can tell someone exactly what you want her to do. Often “nobody can do it as well as you” because they have no idea what you do or how you do it.

Documenting processes in a handbook or desk manual allows others to feel more comfortable taking on new responsibilities and ensures that critical steps don’t get missed. Be sure to

a whole we have yet to address this challenge effectively. The first and most obvious solution is likely the most problematic for our perpetual overachievers: delegate responsibility.

Sounds easy, right? Delegating responsibility can actually be really difficult for people. Delegation can feel like giving away control, especially when we believe our reputation and credibility are on the line. Ultimately, delegation is about trust; in fact, the word delegate means “to entrust to another.”

When members feel a sense of freedom and trust, they are more likely to take pride in having responsibility. A league needs the participation of all members in order to function successfully. The good news is that delegation doesn’t need to be scary.

Here are some key steps to help you become an effective leader and an excellent delegator:

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keep your handbook current so it is a genuine resource and not a snapshot of your league’s history. consider skill sets Don’t expect the skater who has difficulty logging into her email account to design and launch your league’s new website. While our DIY culture encourages members to try new things and expand their skill set, some tasks do require training. Find out people’s background and help fit tasks to people with experience. It is always easiest when a skater with the right skill set is willing to take on new responsibilities, but

willing and available to train and support someone that has the courage to contribute to your league by trying something new. Cross training is healthy, even in the most complicated tasks. Over commitment can damage your league when members spread themselves too thin, and a larger group working together will get better quality results than just one person. expectations and accountability Most importantly, plan ahead and determine what the results should be.

Effective leaders communicate their expectations! Remember, your committee, team, or league should agree on results, and your league’s expectations should be realistic, clear, and measurable.

While the term “accountability” is often seen as a dirty word within the democratically operated derby business model, it is important that we expect each other to be accountable for completing the tasks and projects we have accepted responsibility for. The consequences for dropping the ball can be catastrophic for small businesses like derby leagues. Defining goals and expectations allows members to make informed decisions when they accept responsibility, which greatly increases individual and organizational success.

Create positive ways for giving and receiving feedback.

When you take on a task you are responsible to the entire group and the league’s best interests should come before your personal wants. stay in the loop Skaters are not machines. They are human, they make mistakes, they accidentally skip over things, and on occasion, they may drop the ball entirely. By staying in the loop with regular status meetings or scheduled updates, your league will be able to fix problems as they arise, and educate and develop the skaters. Not only does this help everyone feel confident that everything is covered, it helps your peers become comfortable with their responsibilities and confident in their own abilities, as well. recognition Don’t forget to acknowledge and recognize the contributions of others! All too often, the reason that our overachievers burn out is because they feel that their efforts are unappreciated by the league. When you take the time to thank those you have delegated tasks and responsibilities to and acknowledge their contribution to the process and the business, you help create a rewarding culture that encourages members to participate.

Overloading ourselves with responsibility is one of the most critical mistakes we can make, so share the responsibilities and workload of running your league and remember to avoid putting others down for trying to help. Poor communication of expectations, conflicting perceptions, fear and competition can all keep skaters from doing what they know they should do. Skaters will have differences of opinion on how things should be done, so make sure to work together in identifying goals, objectives and responsibilities. Try to remember that even if you feel like you are a natural born leader, your conviction doesn’t mean everyone will recognize your leadership. It’s always healthy to remember that everyone is in this together and to work collaboratively to create an environment that encourages action and participation.

other ways to share the burden Develop a monthly task rotation in which each committee or team identifies a different person as the lead.

Rotation of all major tasks within the league can help reduce a skater viewing a task as her property. While this can initially be a challenge, cross training will build strength and adaptability. When everyone is in the rotation, everyone feels the shared accomplishment.

Try using a roster for all league tasks.

Create a complete list of all major and minor tasks, and then divide up your tasks evenly and fairly. You can then review who isn’t pulling their weight or who is taking on too many tasks. Be open to talking about how the roster is working and solutions that are agreed on by the league. Skaters that feel they are being forced into tasks will try to get away with doing nothing at all.

People work better when they know what their role is.

Another solution may be the concept called “job complex” – every skater is given two jobs – everyone is stuck with one sucky job, but is also in charge of a fun job. This can help create a balance amongst tasks. Create a way to follow up that doesn’t accuse people of not getting stuff done.

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health and fitness

acupuncture and roller derby TO N Y B U R R I S L A C , T R E A S U R E VA L L E Y R O L L E R G I R L S

Contact sport: a sport in which players may directly or indirectly have physical contact with an opponent.

Roller derby is a contact sport.

The hip check. The C-stop. The J-stop.

The sore body the next morning and the chronic pain and injuries that can accumulate during a season. Like any sport, derby girls are rarely 100% once the season begins. They often skate hurt in order not to miss a bout, which can compound the problem. That’s how much they love it and are dedicated to the team and its goals.

Everyone has their method or modality to manage the pain. You find that thing or combination of things that helps manage the pain and discomfort and keeps the body in balance for the upcoming rigors of bouts and practice. Maybe it’s a massage, a back adjustment, or an ibuprofen. Maybe all three.

I’ve been a clinical acupuncturist specializing in sports injury and pain management for more than ten years, and I’ve been helping frustrated athletes of all types manage their pain and injury issues using acupuncture. My patients have included NFL players, Major League Baseball players, Olympians, MMA fighters, and bodybuilders. But I have to admit, working with our local derby team here in Boise, Idaho, has been the most fun.

I contacted the Treasure Valley Roller Girls (TVRG) and offered my services to the club, having no expectation on what

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their response might be. But I was hoping that something as off-beat as roller derby would accept something just as off-beat as acupuncture. To my delight, TVRG was interested and off we went as team acupuncturist and sponsor.

My first contact with the team also happened to be my first patient from the team, Lemon Harangue Die. Lemon

seeking. Most often this is for pain management and the resolution of chronic nagging injuries that just never seem to go away. The hip check. The C-stop. The J-stop. It’s a contact sport.

“Having Tony with Eagle Acupuncture as a sponsor for Treasure Valley Rollergirls has been an amazing asset!” says Boobie Houser, M.D. “Tony has a vast knowledge

suffered a broken leg last season and has had recurring pain at the break site with skating. She seemed to get some relief

base to help us with injuries and general health concerns. Acupuncture has helped us focus more on the game and less on aches and pains.”

Acupuncture is one of many therapeutic options for the derby athlete.

It can go deeper and reach more exact anatomical structures than many therapies. For pain management, acupuncture is less invasive than surgery and, often, the athlete can continue to train while undergoing treatment.

Acupuncture decreases rehab downtime by stimulating cell counts, blood flow, reducing post-op pain and helping to break up adhesions. It can also treat several areas at once.

“Acupuncture has helped me with the care of several roller derby related injuries,” says Candy AssAssasin. “It can relieve minor muscle tweaks and has aided in the healing of a broken ankle.

It assists in pain control and enhances relaxation, and in turn, helps make me a stronger, more balanced athlete.”

“For the first time in seven years, I am completely pain free,” says Cougar Crush, a four-year veteran on the Treasure Valley Roller Girls. Cougar underwent a series of acupuncture treatments with me for shoulder, knee, back and hip issues. After

from my treatments and, as word got out, the rest of the team followed.

The girls are treated at my clinic and come of their own free will. I evaluate them according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and set them up with a treatment plan that will get them the results they are

years of bouting in pain, she is able to skate pain-free.

Each patient and condition is unique.

Typically, patients receive treatment once or twice per week. Some may respond

Beyond that, there are interesting studies regarding the use of acupuncture to produce

favorably after two or three treatments,

cardiovascular

while others with chronic or hard-to-treat problems may require more. Remember, acupuncture is a therapy, which means an athlete will get the best result from a course of visits rather than just one.

Acupuncture is also effective as a performance enhancer. Many use it prior to an event to calm anxiety and consolidate focus, without feeling drugged. Others use it to stimulate their bodies and overcome lethargy or over-training. Trix-E, one of the original members of the Treasure Valley Roller Girls, uses acupuncture treatments to control allergy and sinus problems.

This can be viewed as a performance enhancement in a way because it releases the athlete from using over-thecounter or prescribed medications, which can have deleterious side effects and reduce performance.

Are there studies to confirm acupuncture’s effect on the athlete? Yes. Acupuncture’s efficacy on pain relief is widely accepted in the medical world and this is the number one issue I deal with TVRG.

improvements that enhance physical capacity and endurance. A study of cyclists showed that those receiving acupuncture extended their performance limits by 7% over those who did not receive acupuncture.1 Another study showed that acupuncture performed postexercise reduces lactic acid build-up in the muscles. Study participants on a treadmill test received acupuncture 5 minutes and 30 minutes after exercising.

Those who received acupuncture had 6% less acid build-up after 5 minutes and 14% less acid build-up after 30 minutes than those who did not receive acupuncture.2 This means less muscle fatigue, reduced muscle soreness, and decreased recovery time.

In the same study, participants reported feeling more comfortable during exercise if the points were stimulated during exercise. This could lead to more intensive and longer training, which came in handy this season since the girls qualified for divisionals in August in Des Moines, Iowa, and took third place, upsetting the top-ranked team.

So what does all of this mean?

It means that in a sports world filled with nutritionists, strength coaches and trainers, the use of acupuncture is a valuable and over-looked therapy that can help reduce pain and recovery times in the derby athlete, as well as potentiate their performance capabilities. I would encourage derby athletes to use acupuncture and Traditional Chinese medicine as a valuable adjunct to their wellness regimen. It’s working just fine in Boise, Idaho.

1 2

Int J Sports Med 13:486-491 Amer Jour Acu, vol. 23, no. 4, 1995

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 9

health and fitness

a review of herbalife 24 rebuild strength F R A K AT TA K , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S

For roller derby athletes, nutrition is a large part of performance and is often overlooked. As many have experienced, it is difficult not to be consumed by the need to improve performance. This will result in long hours on skates, sometimes totaling above ten plus hours a week, and that doesn’t include the additional seven plus hours dedicated to off-skates training.

We do this because we want to be better roller derby athletes. With such dedication and drive for improvement, how we fuel our bodies is important.

Incorporating proper nutrition when you’re putting in more than seventeen hours of training per week can be difficult.

I have found that while I love food, I should get the essential vitamins, minerals, fats, carbs, protein, and amino acids needed throughout the day. Supplements are a simple way for roller derby athletes to help performance and recovery.

For this review, we focus on the post-recovery aspect of our nutrition with Herbalife 24 Rebuild Strength post workout recovery shake. Supplements are different for the individual athlete. Due to the popularity of supplements in fitness, it can be challenging to round out what works for you. I’ve tried a variety of supplements from several brands and have been using Herbalife products for almost six months.

What do we need for post-workout recovery? According to Rocky Mountain Rollergirls skater and nutritionist Sonic Death Monkey, 20 to 30 minutes after working out, we should consume healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein to help the body recover from muscle breakdown. Sometimes it can be a challenge to get everything you need within that 20-30 minute window. Rebuild Strength’s convenience is a benefit. Instead of planning before practice, you have shake in hand that you can quickly mix with water and down as you’re driving home. While it is possible to get correct post- recovery nutrition through food, it would take quite a bit of food and additional supplements to equal what you get in Herbalife 24 Strength Rebuild. One serving of Rebuild contains 24g of protein, 15g of carbs, 4000 mg branch chain amino acids (BCAA), and 3000 mg of glutamine, as well as beneficial vitamins and minerals. Through food, you would have to

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consume six to seven egg whites for protein, one piece of fruit, and a whole handful of extra supplements and vitamins to match Herbalife 24 Strength Rebuild.

If you’re anything like me, derby takes a huge chunk of change out of your pocket. As I put money into gear, gym membership, and travel, little is left over for nutrition. Supplements can be pricey and food isn’t cheap when consumed in large amounts. As a way to compare the cost of Herbalife 24 Strength Rebuild vs. buying food and supplements separately, I broke down what it could cost per serving on each side.

With Herbalife Rebuild Strength, I calculated that the cost of one serving is approximately $3.88. In comparison, the calculated cost per serving of just buying the basics separately, including carbs, BCAA, Glutamine, and protein, amounted to $3.75 per serving, which does not include the twelve vitamins and minerals supplied in Herbalife 24 Rebuild Strength, or the specific proprietary protein blend Herbalife offers in the Rebuild Strength supplement.

Breaking down the cost of one serving provides perspective on how much you would be spending on food and additional supplements alone, which could be more than you realize.

However, Herbalife Rebuild Strength does lack a couple things.

For example, the recommended dosage of magnesium post recovery (500 mg vs. Rebuild Strength’s 120 mg), a mineral that helps reduce muscle soreness. Also, much of the protein in Herbalife 24 Rebuild Strength is whey. Whey is a protein derived from milk, so this may not be an appropriate supplement for vegans or some vegetarians.

The biggest benefit of supplements like Herbalife 24 Rebuild Strength is the ease of quick nutrition for post-workout recovery in a convenient, labor free, and cost-conscious package. It doesn’t hurt that it tastes great. Strength Rebuild isn’t gritty and mixes well with water if you’re in a fix for quick nutrition. Overall as a supplement, Herbalife 24 Strength Rebuild can help you push your post-workout nutrition to a higher level.

For customized programs you can reach a Derbalife health coach by emailing derbalife@gmail.com or visiting Derbalife.com or go to goherbalife.com/krissykrash to order.

Spicy Sweet Carrot Wraps Catholic Cruel Girl, Rocky Mountain Rollergirls photos Jean Schwarzwalder, food styling Leitha Matz

ingredients: 1 lb. carrots 1 medium yam 1 small white onion 2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 12 oz. can pineapple chunks (or fresh pineapple)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice 3 tablespoons vegetable broth 1 cup chopped walnuts Âź teaspoon cayenne pepper 1-2 bunches collard greens or Swiss chard

While heating two medium-sized saucepans of water to a boil, peel carrots and yam and (while keeping them separate) cut into chunks.

Boil both in separate saucepans until soft when poked with a fork.

Finely chop onion and mince garlic. Strain pineapple from its juice, place onto cookie sheet and roast for 10 minutes. (Pineapple should be soft and caramelized). Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add onion and garlic and sautĂŠ until soft and fragrant. Strain carrots and yam.

In a large mixing bowl add carrots, yam, pineapple, onion and garlic.

In batches, pulse in blender or food processor until coarsely chopped, adding the orange juice and vegetable broth as you go. Stir in walnuts and cayenne pepper. Trim tough stems off greens. Place a large dollop of carrot mixture onto a leaf and roll up like a burrito. Yum!

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health and fitness

eight before you skate J A C LY N D OW N S , D U T C H L A N D R O L L E R S P H OTO S B Y H E N R I E TA S T E PA N OV S K Y

Eight Moves to Do Before You Get Rollin’ We’ll start up top and move our way down the body, doing stretches that will warm and loosen the muscles. start with the neck: Swimming, giving a whip, getting checked, and lining up a check all require loose neck muscles to avoid getting pulled or injured. These stretches are always the ones I start with before practice.

1: Standing with your hands down at your sides, lift your chest towards your chin and aim your shoulder blades down towards your tail bone.

Imagine holding a skate in each hand. Feel the weight of the skates drawing your shoulders down. Gently drop your left ear to your left shoulder and hold while breathing deep and trying to consciously relax all of your muscles. Breathe in through your nose, filling your belly, even allowing it to expand. Continue your inhalation into your chest, expanding it in all directions, filling all four lobes of the lungs, and finally, sip that air up into your collar bones. Exhale out the collar bones, out the chest, and finally out the belly. Mindful breathing will create a clear mind and oxygenate every cell in your body, allowing your skating to be on point.

Slowly roll your chin toward your chest, continuing to draw the right ear down to the right shoulder, feeling the stretch move from the side of your neck towards the back, all while still energizing both shoulders down towards ground. Hold for a few deep breaths. Repeat as necessary,

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ensuring a nice, slow head roll between each side to loosen muscles in the back of the neck. Return head to neutral position.

Add on: With shoulders down (still holding those imaginary skates) and hips and shoulders facing forward, slowly begin to gaze over your left shoulder, looking a little farther behind you with each exhale. On an inhale, return your head to neutral position and exhale as you bring your gaze over your right shoulder. Again, hold with mindful breathing. Get loose with it.

No, seriously. Let any tension in your neck and shoulders slide down your arms and out your fingertips. shoulders: Rotator cuff injuries are common in roller derby, so be sure to stretch and warm the shoulders adequately before you get on the track.

2: Elbow press: Extend your right arm overhead, reaching fingertips way up while keeping shoulders aiming down towards your tailbone, just like they were when you were imagining holding your skates. Keeping your chest lifted towards your chin, bend your right elbow, and place your hand on your upper back (go ahead and congratulate yourself with a pat on the back for playing an awesome sport like roller derby).

While keeping chin parallel to the floor (and remember to

2

breathe), hold your right elbow with your left hand and gently begin to pull the elbow to the left. If you’d like to take this a step farther, create an isometric stretch by pressing your elbow into your palm as you pull your elbow. Repeat on the opposite side. shoulders/upper arms: 3: Eagle Arms: Begin with arms stretched out to sides in T-position, palms facing down. Cross your arms in front of your torso, right elbow under the left elbow, intertwining the forearms until palms come together as much as possible (the right hand will probably be lower than the left).

Keeping palms together, gently move your arms in a circle, drawing the circle with your elbows and attempting to make that circle as big and slow as possible. Your hips and shoulders should remain facing forward and as still as possible.

Change the direction of the circle. You can then stretch your entwined arms all the way up and arch your back (hold for a few counts, remembering to breathe) and then bend forward, allowing gravity to pull them down towards the ground. Be sure to repeat this stretch with the left elbow crossing under the right.

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hips/upper legs: Yoga classes always do a lot of postures to open and loosen hips because so many people tend to hold tension here.

These are my favorites, which I find useful before skating.

4: The runners lunge is excellent for preventing pulled muscles in the groin-area due to powerful starting bursts at the sound of the whistle. Anyone who has pulled a muscle in this area will tell you that it makes it nearly impossible to put socks and skates on (as well as stepping into underwear for the next three days) without wincing in pain.

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While kneeling with knees hip-width apart and tops of feet on the floor, extend your right foot to the ground in front of you (knees still about hip-width apart), making sure the knee does not extend over the toes. Place the palms of your hands on the back crest of your hips and gently press hips forward, creating a slow and deep stretch in the front of the hip. Lean shoulders back to deepen the stretch. (*To stretch quadriceps from this posture, see additional stretches below). Switch legs and repeat.

5: While in runner’s lunge with right leg forward, lift your left foot up while reaching your left hand down to wrap around your ankle. Gently assist your foot in towards your left butt cheek, creating a stretch throughout the quad. You can slide your knee further back to deepen the stretch. This stretch can be serious business for lots of people, so it is very important to keep breathing and be sure to not go past your edge. Repeat with other leg.

5

6: Gate pose: This posture not only stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs, but also lengthens the torso and opens the shoulders. It is great for stimulating the lungs and spine.

While kneeling with knees on the floor, hip-width apart, step the right foot out to the side, making sure to keep the left knee directly under the left hip. With hands on hips, straighten and lengthen the right leg so that the heel is in line with the left knee. Point toes up toward the sky and flex the ankle, extending the heel away from the torso. Bend knee slightly, if needed, to

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health and fitness

avoid strain. Inhale both arms out and then up over the head, palms facing each other, elbows straight. While pressing the left hip out, allow torso to bend towards the right (again, as with every pose, keeping chest lifted and shoulders away from ears).

Lower the right hand to rest on the right leg. Hold for a few deep breaths. To release, inhale, bring torso back to center, then lower the arms to sides. Return to kneeling position and repeat on the opposite side. (Note: If you feel any pain in the extended leg/knee, try pointing the toes and bringing the sole of the foot to the floor. If you feel discomfort in your bent knee, place padding underneath.) knees: The knees, from what I’ve seen, are by far the most injured part of the body in roller derby. Because there are numerous muscles joining around the knee, all of which have varying degrees of strength, one muscle will often compensate for a weaker one. Or else derby will cause it to just plain twist and blow out. Most postures in yoga will strengthen the knees, as many of the leg muscles are connected to the knee in one degree or another. Postures like warrior pose and chair pose (pictures provided) are great to strengthen and open the muscles in and around the knee.

But first, it is important to get the synovial fluid flowing before any cardio workout, which lubricates the joints, and this simple move will get it going.

7: Standing with your feet and knees together, place your hands on your thighs and bend your knees softly.

Keeping feet and knees together, rotate your knees in a circular motion, keeping all points of the feet pressing into the floor. Do big circles, small circles, and circles in the opposite direction. Hell, do some curlicues – just move like this for at least five breaths in each direction.

The bonus to doing this is that it will benefit your ankles as much as it does your knees.

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shins: The pain and annoyance of shin splints plagues some skaters.

Calf raises do not help. Stretching and strengthening the shin does.

8: To stretch, there are a few things you can do, the easiest being pointing your toes and drawing the largest, slowest circles that you can with them. Another stretch, relatively easy, begins from a kneeling position with the tops of feet against the ground, and then sitting your butt on your heels.

There are a few modifications to this posture, as you can sit your butt down between your heels and also lean back with your hands on the floor behind you. If you sit on the ground with legs outstretched in front of you, you can do one shin at a time (with the other leg straight) if the other way creates too much of a strain on your knees.

To strengthen, you can make some sort of contraption involving hanging things with a string around your toes, and doing toe lifts of some sort, or else just simply applying resistance to the top of your foot (most easily done with your other foot) while trying to lift it up, keeping heel anchored.

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So there you have it. These eight moves will help protect against injury, as well as help you loosen up before skating.

The breathing will benefit you on numerous levels, for skating as well as for overall mind/body health.

games and coaching

tips for effective team leadership E M I L I E C . S A M U E L S E N A . K . A . S L A M L E T, A N N A R B O R D E R B Y DA M E S

I caught up with the leaders of three outstanding all-star teams to pick their brains about what it takes to effectively captain a team: Brawllen Angel and Chantilly Mace, co-captains of the B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls All-Stars; Olivia Coupe, captain of the London Rollergirls London Brawling; and Barbara Ambush, captain of the Texas Rollergirls Texecutioners.

1. What do you think makes you an effective captain?

Ambush: I’m a kind person, and I try to bring that spirit to practice. I want people to feel welcome on the team – to know that it’s their team; to know that they have room to make mistakes, go outside of their personal comfort zone, share their ideas, hold each other accountable, and to grow as players.

From what I can tell, that culture generates a unique form of individual and group progress and makes us incredibly strong.

B.A.: When I think of a good captain, I think of someone who makes efforts to put the needs of her teammates above her own, and the success of the team as a whole above the individual. Captain or not, we are all always working to raise each other up. This type of outlook has helped to breed a healthy and loving team culture.

Mace: I think that being an effective captain is about being a role model for everything you want your teammates to be.

You can’t ask someone else to do something if you aren’t first willing to do it yourself.

2. Do you have any secret tricks or strategies for working with your team?

Mace: We set clear standards about what we expect from our team and follow through with addressing actions that don’t align with this standard. We really believe in each skater on our team and want to see each of them succeed.

B.A.: Each person responds to feedback or coaching differently, and finding what really drives the individual and opens them to improvement is key in creating a cohesive environment.

Ask your teammate how they best respond to coaching.

Transparency in feedback conversations is key.

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Olivia: I try to be as transparent as possible when we make decisions for the team and explain why and how it’s going to benefit everyone. It’s important that the team have confidence in you and your choices.

3. Does the fact that you’re leading a group of your peers ever cause issues? If so, how do you deal?

B.A.: YES. To say this group of women is impressive is an understatement. At times, they can be incredibly intimidating.

The way I have found to deal is to do my best to be someone they trust and feel comfortable following. It’s difficult to talk to a teammate about improving a skill that I haven’t mastered yet, or to talk to a teammate about improving penalties when I just had a high penalty game, but it isn’t about me. It’s about them. And the team. And what we need to do as a group to get better.

Ambush: Being in a leadership position on a team of my friends and peers, not to mention people who I really admire, has absolutely caused me stress. Sure, there are the more obvious sources of ugh-this-sucks, such as making/delivering charter and roster decisions that disappoint individuals you care about, but I think there is also the more subtle challenge of being a part of a team that truly values the input of everyone.

4. How do you keep the line of communication open between you and your teammates?

Olivia: I’m always encouraging people to get in touch with me in whatever way suits them – in person, email, text, whatever they like. As long as they feel like they can talk to me, I’m happy.

Mace: Whenever possible, I try to seek the opinions of teammates. We have a lot of incredibly talented skaters and people on our team, and a big part of our captaining role is not to know all, but to pool the collective knowledge for maximum impact.

Ambush: There is a fine art to keeping lines of communication flowing, but at the same time focused and productive. I want everyone to be able to contribute to team decisions and feel comfortable approaching leadership with input, but excessive discussion can lead to anxiety and an unsettled team. Too much discussion and people may tune it out. Too little discussion and leadership may miss something really important going on in the team, be it a great drill idea or something that people are pissed about. Part of my strategy has been to draw on my strengths

and to utilize other resources in areas where I’m not so stellar.

For example, I am fairly clear and concise in writing, so one thing I knew I could contribute this year was periodic written feedback to all players on the team. In particular, I wanted to make sure that people would have regularly identified areas of excellence, room for improvement, and, as much as possible, an idea of where they stood in terms of the charter and rostering likelihood. I don’t think I excel at motivating the team verbally, but Co-captain Sarah Hipel is an amazing speaker who generates enthusiasm and focus at practice and on game day, so that’s totally her turf. Sarah and I are both humble and ready to be what our team needs. To that end, we make sure the feedback process isn’t one-sided – we provide anonymous and direct opportunities for the team to let us know how we are doing as leaders, and where we can improve.

5. What is it like being a captain on bout day vs. any other day?

Ambush: The need to make decisions definitely ramps up, and these are the moments where I need to trust myself and the rest of the leadership group because it is not calming or focusing or efficient to get the input of the team on bout day.

Olivia: It’s important to think about your bubble of control and not worry about anything out of your control so that you are calm and focused. People look to you to see how you’re doing and it’s important to emit the right energy, be that calm or excited. Our team uses the term “arousal levels” (snigger) which is a mental conditioning term to do with energy levels.

Some people need a higher arousal level than others to perform well, which means they like to be excited, chatty, laughing, etc. before a game. Others prefer a calmer environment and space to themselves to listen to music, do visualizations or just watch the others. It’s really useful to know what everyone likes so that people can just get on with it.

6. Any tips for other captains out there?

B.A.: I would say remember you are in a support role. Continuously improve. Raise your teammates up. Be what you want to see.

Olivia: Make sure your team has a unified set of values and goals.

When everyone is paddling in the same direction, you’re going to get to the magical unicorn island quicker. Be available! If you don’t have access to email and never check the forum, you’re really going to struggle. Being a captain involves a lot of organizing and paperwork, good communication, and a willingness to see things from someone else’s point of view.

Delegate, delegate, delegate – you will go mental if you don’t.

Have fun – holy shit, you’re the captain – go you!

Ambush: Always say please and thank you. And go get a massage, buddy.

DRILL drill: tootsie roll

drill courtesy of Shocker Khan

purpose: improving transitioning, communication, working with a partner and derby stance

To begin, skaters partner up, get a little speed, then lean against each other while in derby stance. For this drill, as well as when teaching to hit, I like skaters to have their arms relaxed in front of them and lace their fingers together. This is an effective way to keep skaters from “chicken winging” or leading with their shoulder into someone, which can cause injuries. Partners will have their whole sides pressed against each other, including ribs, hips, and upper thighs. Partners communicate to each other when to perform the following steps: • Partners transition away from each other, maintaining contact with their buttocks until they have completed the turn, which means they will need to be in derby stance so they can stick their booties out and press them against each other during the transition. Once they have completed the turn, they will be skating backwards and will now have their other sides pressed together.

• After skating backward whilst leaning on each other for a few seconds, the partners again transition away from each other, touching buttocks the whole time, in order to return to the starting position.

• Skaters perform this action a few times before switching places with their partner in order to practice transitioning both directions.

I prefer to have skaters choose when to transition instead of performing the turns on the whistle or at a specific point on the track. This forces the partners to communicate with each other, which is something I try to incorporate into drills as much as possible since many skaters have a difficult time communicating when also skating.

The tootsie roll helps skaters use their hips/booties to hit/push an opposing skater out of bounds while simultaneously transitioning into a turn around toe stop. The skater is then set up to skate clockwise, forcing the opposing player to either cut the track or skate clockwise as well in order to avoid a penalty.

Another practical use of this move is using it to get away from a blocker who is leaning on them. Quickly transition away from the blocker so that you end up back-to-back with the other skater (if the blocker is on your left, transition to the right and vice versa). Maintain contact with the blocker the whole time.

Use the blocker for balance by leaning on them, then complete a full 360 degree turn (two 180 degree transitions) and sprint past the blocker on the side opposite from where you were previously locked up with the blocker.

Skaters are forced to work on many important skills when performing this drill, sometimes without even knowing it.

Skaters tend to forget they are transitioning both ways when their focus is on other items, such as trying to maintain contact with their partner or focusing on communicating.

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games and coaching

coaching derby THE PROFESSOR, CAMEL CITY THRASHERS

“Why do you want to coach women’s roller derby?”

This has to be the question that I am asked most often from friends outside of derby (yes it is ok, and a good idea to have those), family, and even some skaters on my team. This is especially asked when they find out that I drive almost four hours a day, twice a week, to coach my team. What is my answer?

We will come back to that later...

Let’s face it, as with most sports, coaching derby is typically a thankless job. Often we are the first to be blamed when we lose by 200 points and the last to give credit to when we win in the final jams. Most of us can easily name 5 to 10 nationally known skaters. I dare you to name three coaches from any of the teams that they skate for. Why do I bring this up? Because you need to leave your ego and feelings at the door! That is one of the biggest pieces of advice that I can give a new coach. If you are there for your own accolades and to pump your own ego, then coaching derby probably is not for you. Your job, role, and responsibility should be to help your league grow and improve while doing what you can to help the team win.

I feel amazing when I see a skater pass assessments that looked like a baby giraffe learning to walk on day one. When I see a skater get MVP for the first time I hope that she can say I helped her get there.

Coaching derby requires patience, dedication, and determination, along with the genuine enjoyment that comes from

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helping others. Though some of my skaters probably doubt it, I spend a good amount of my free time preparing for practices, reviewing previous bout footage and focusing practice on what we need to improve. I know that I’m not perfect and that I do not know everything. I am part of numerous user groups (Yahoo has a number of great groups for coaching, bout production, etc.) and I visit other teams’ practices. When traveling for work, I love to see if the local team will let me visit their practice (thanks Ft. Myers Derby Girls), because I am always trying to better myself. I expect every lady on our team to push and better herself, so why shouldn’t I? My background in management has helped me a great deal as a coach. It is ESPECIALLY true in derby that you have to be able to work with a wide range of personalities. I aim for and believe in having the same rules for everyone.

Having said that, I definitely work with each person differently based on their personality. Get to know your skaters outside of practice and it will help you work with them when on skates, I promise. Not every skater is going to like your style or approach. I appreciate input from anyone on the team and take it all into consideration. I just ask that they discuss things with me like an adult and not just say, “practice sucked.” Ok, why did it suck in your opinion? You cannot take these opinions personal either. Again, leave your ego at the door and worry about what is best for the league.

There have been a lot of discussions lately about the different styles of

coaching, both during practice and during a bout. At practice, I coach on skates.

I feel that by me passing assessments once a year just like everyone else and being able to demonstrate what we are covering that I am leading by example.

Skaters are far less likely to say “I can’t do that” when they see me doing it. I think the majority of the girls really enjoy being able to hit me as well. Attendance is another very important thing for a coach to remember. Again, you should lead by example so if you expect your skaters to make attendance you should exceed that. Skaters shouldn’t have to worry about who is coaching them that night. I have missed less than ten practices in almost three years. That includes being in a serious car accident and breaking my leg in five places during practice.

I have many personalities when coaching a bout, which is something that I am working on. My goal is to always keep a calm, cool, and collected bench. If I see a call that I feel was wrong or missed, I tend get loud and voice my opinion (sometimes I am right, sometimes I am wrong... no one is perfect).

If and when I go to dispute a call or discuss anything with an official, I do not raise my voice nor am I disrespectful to them. I will typically communicate (loudly) to my team right before the whistle and during a jam. Sometimes I will communicate to let them know what the other team is possibly planning on doing (which the other team loves) or if a jammer is coming up on them, and sometimes just to let them know if

Evan Pease

the jammer is inside/outside, too.

There is a difference between loudly communicating and just screaming or flipping out. There have been times, unfortunately, where things either don’t go our way or we are playing poorly. It is during those times that you have to keep your cool. One thing I have noted on our team is that EVERY time we lose our cool as a team, myself included, we lose and lose badly. Regardless of what is going on, it is imperative to keep a cool head. If not, it passes through to my bench coach and to the skaters, which leads to hot heads and errors on the track.

Back to the question, “why do you coach derby?” I love the friends that derby has brought into my life, but sadly it has cost me some as well. (Derby drama is an entirely separate topic).

I have found that a lot of skaters play derby as a way to find empowerment for various reasons or just looking for a different way to work out while tapping into their natural competitiveness. My goal as a coach is to better their experience. If a few years from now people are teaching things that I introduced them to, and they have a positive opinion for what I did for my league, then I have been successful. What

my team doesn’t realize is that selfishly I get a lot out of coaching them. As someone that grew up as a wallflower and still suffers from self-confidence issues at times, I took this challenge because I wanted to help and because people doubted that I could do it. I feel like I have overcome those shortcomings and greatly appreciate the relationships that derby has brought into my life. The people associated to The Camel City Thrashers have zero idea what they have done for my life and I love them all for it.

Believe it or not, this is my stress relief and my “me” time. This is why I coach...

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games and coaching

order of operations: good to great SHOCKER KHAN, RAGE CITY ROLLERGIRLS

In the last issue of fiveonfive, we discussed the importance of using your edges, the use of which is how we are able to perform certain moves, such as quickly cutting across the track to land a huge hit or plow stopping in front of a jammer to be able to booty block her. Today, we are going to review a skill that rivals edges in importance: Transitions. For this article,

even years, to perfect this skill. If you are still having trouble transitioning to one or both sides, take a few minutes before/after practice, during breaks, or during open skate at a roller rink (if you are lucky enough to have one in your area) and practice switching directions over and over in increasingly difficult situations. Once you are efficient turning both directions

let’s define a transition as the act of either turning around 180 degrees or switching from skating forward to backward and vice versa.

When I want to quickly assess a skater’s skill level, I have them perform transitions. Less skilled skaters tend to hesitate or slow down before switching direction, only turn one way, or avoid transitioning altogether. Highly skilled skaters are able to transition in just about any circumstance without giving it much thought, even when they can only use one skate to turn around and have to perform a ballerina turn (explained below). Now, you don’t have to be a transition rock star (or as I like to say, Shock star) to play Roller Derby, but it is necessary if you want to go from being an adequate skater to an amazing one. To better explain why transitioning is necessary, let’s go over some examples of transitions in action.

If you have watched a WFTDA ruleset roller derby bout,

at one speed, push yourself to perform them at faster speeds until you are able to do them at a sprint. If you only practice them when skating in a straight line, try transitioning while skating around the track, especially the turns. If you fall a few hundred times in the process, remember it’s perfectly normal and shows that you’re pushing yourself.

For beginners, I make sure they first feel comfortable gliding on one skate and coasting backwards. This will help prevent skaters from feeling desperate to get both skates back on the track and skate forward. To practice coasting backward, I usually have skaters push off a wall while in derby stance which keeps them in control of their own speed. When they are ready, have skaters spread out so they have enough room to perform transitions without having to worry about the person next to them. Skaters point and look behind them in the direction they want to turn, then step with the skate that

you have no doubt seen skaters hit an opposing skater out of bounds, turn around, and skate backward (clockwise) on the track, which forces the opposing skater to re-enter the track at a point that may end up being a fairly large distance away from where they exited the track. You have also likely seen skaters turn around in front of the pack in order to communicate where the opposing jammer is located and/or to help teammates slow down by pushing on their chests while using toe stops or edges (see, they are important!) to perform a reverse plow stop/slide to control the pack speed. Both of these situations require skaters to be able to transition quickly while maintaining complete control and to be able to do so when turning either direction. Uh oh, I heard those groans all the way up here in Alaska! Yes, in order to take your skating to the next level, it is imperative to be able to transition both directions, at any speed, anywhere on the track.

Before you get discouraged, there’s good news! Everyone learns at different speeds and it can take skaters months, or

corresponds to the direction (turning left, step with left foot first) so that it lands 180 degrees behind them, then bring the other skate parallel to the first one. Once they are comfortable doing this, have them skate slowly and perform the transitions either on their own or on a whistle. Make sure they are turning both directions and are not avoiding transitioning when skating around turns.

Some more advanced transition-based skills include ballerina turns and the Creepy Octopus. To perform ballerina turns, glide on one foot, extend the other leg backward, raise arms up and open chest so that you are basically skating in one direction while your body is facing the side or even turned slightly behind you. Next, in one graceful motion, bring that extended leg to the front while turning your chest in the direction you are going to turn and lift your rear two wheels off the floor. Make sure the front two wheels remain on the track.

Once you have turned 180 degrees (which only takes a second), bring your heel back down to the floor and extend

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the other leg behind you again to return to a graceful (and stable) ballerina type position. This can also be done the opposite way by starting with the extended leg in front and chest turned in the direction of whatever skate is on the ground, then swinging the leg behind whilst turning the chest toward the rear and again rotating on the front two wheels. Ballerina turns can also be started when skating on one foot backward, just lift the front two wheels off the track to rotate on the rear wheels.

The Creepy Octopus has become one of my favorite moves because it not only uses the opposing blocker’s energy, but you also get something to lean on when transitioning. One way to practice the Creepy Octopus is to have skaters pair up and take turns performing transitions around each other. The skater performing this move should be skating a little faster than their partner and will need to wait until the front of their shoulder is close to, or even touching, the back of their partner’s shoulder.

Then they transition toward their partner, wrapping their chest around their partner’s shoulder as if suction cupping themselves to the skater. With the shoulder that should now be in front of their partner, and using the built up momentum, the skater pushes off their partner’s chest in order to take the lead and return to skating forward. The whole move is done quickly and in one motion. It is important for the skater who is having this move done to them, aka the Octopussed skater, to lean or push with their shoulder into the skater during this skill. This actually helps skaters by giving them something to lean against and also mimics a real life scenario. You would never just let someone pass you without giving them resistance, right? If done correctly, a skater can end up hitting the Octopussed skater in the chest with their shoulder as they turn (this is an advanced variation, beginners should just focus on turning).

My favorite transition drill, which is great for any level skater, is called 2, 1, 3, 2. The name will soon make sense. To perform this drill, you will need three cones and a space the size of one of the straightaways of a standard WFTDA rules track. First, set up three cones, about seven feet apart from each other along the center of the straightaway. Start with the first of the three cones about seven feet from the jammer line with the last one at the pivot line. Skaters line up in two lines with the first skater in each line starting behind the jammer line on either side of the cones. On the whistle, the first two skaters sprint on their respective sides of the cones, transition then stop on their toe stops when they reach specific cones, then sprint around the

track to the back of the opposite line from which they just came. Skaters always transition so they don’t lose sight of the cones, which, when done correctly, will have skaters turning both directions twice each time they perform this drill, no matter which side of the cones they start. As you have probably already deduced, the name of this drill indicates which cones skaters turn and stop at before sprinting to the next cone. So, on the whistle, the first skater in each line sprints to the second cone, turns towards that cone and stops; skates back to the first cone, turns towards that cone and stops; sprints to the third cone, turns/stops; second cone, turns/stops, then sprints around the track to the back of the line. There you have it... 2, 1, 3, 2.

Variations on this drill include making it a race or relay, having skaters hold hands the whole time, or have them perform different types of stops during the drill (first round-plow stops, second round-hockey stops, third round-jumping toe stops, etc.).

There are many drills that focus on transitions, but unfortunately I have limited space and can’t explain them all in this article. Instead, here are a few situations that show what transitioning can really do for a skater: • When you are hit out of bounds, transition in the direction that allows you to keep an eye on whoever hit you out and you’ll never miss an opportunity to re-enter the track in front of them after they skate out of bounds or fall.

• Transition while hitting/pushing a skater out of bounds with your hips and end up facing the direction you need to skate to force a cut.

• Transition around a skater (aka the Creepy Octopus) to get past that last pesky blocker or get yourself out of being the goat.

• Perform ballerina turns around a blocker when skating too close to the edge of the track to do the Creepy Octopus.

If you have trouble creating drills that focus on these situations, feel free to contact me for ideas.

If you have been having trouble with your transitions or could do them better, I hope you now have a few things to practice next time you strap on your skates. If you have any comments or questions, I prefer to be contacted through this e-mail address: 2N1SkateShoppe@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

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gear

helmet liners P H A N TO M M E N A C E , R O C K Y M O U N TA I N R O L L E R G I R L S

Every league has the proverbial “sweaty skater.” At my league, it isn’t me. But during the summer months, when temperatures rocket into the 90s, working out in an non-air conditioned warehouse leaves me looking like a drowned hairless cat with a sopping mop stuck to my scalp. So this season, I sought after the holy grail of sweatbands.

Traditional Bandana

Triple Eight Sweatsaver Helmet Liner

SweatHawg Helmet Liner

No. Just no. I see people wear these

Meh. It’s 1,000 times better than the

Decent. SweatHawg has excellent sweat

under their helmets, so I figured I’d give

regular Triple Eight helmet liner. The

absorption. It’s a helmet liner designed

it a shot. Sure, it absorbs moisture,

terry cloth material does absorb

for a bike helmet that fits well into

but when it tapped out, I had waterfalls

moisture, but then it sat on my scalp all

a skate helmet. The liner unfortunately

pouring down my body from my scalp,

moist. Eww. Plus, it only fits a Triple

covers the ventilation holes in a skate

just as if I’d worn nothing. Plus having

Eight single impact helmet. Also, I wait

helmet, preventing excess body heat

the bandana knot under my helmet

as long as possible between pad

from escaping. Also, because I rock

led to a wicked headache.

washings to prevent pad breakdown.

a ponytail, I need sweat absorption at

$1.00-$3.00 at your local craft or drug store.

Which meant every time I put that

the base of my skull to collect moisture

helmet on, I put the previous practices’

before my hair absorbs it, inevitably

sweat and bacteria directly onto my

flipping it into the unsuspecting face of

forehead. Hello, acne city.

one of my teammates. For shorter haired

$9.99-$14.99 online or at your local skate shop.

skaters who don’t mind the heat: this is a great product. $20.00-$22.00 online.

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Mission Endura Cool Instant Cooling Bandana Excellent. This product is actually designed to cool an athlete’s body temperature down, rather than to wick away sweat. Wet it, wring it, then “snap to activate” and it cools down 30º.

When dry, the Endura Cool Bandana absorbs sweat. I tried this and it works great, better than most of my Nike dryfit apparel. Unlike the SweatHawg Liner, it is shaped like a bandana, so I can tie it like a headband and it absorbs underneath my ponytail, sparing my teammates the inevitable hair sweat flip.

SweatHawg Ultra Absorbent Headband Badass. The same excellent sweat absorption as the SweatHawg Helmet Liner, now in a headband. I love this product. It has an adjustable velcro clasp at the back, so it fits most skull sizes.

It fits in any helmet and does not break down like a helmet liner when washed, so it can be washed after each use.

Also, since it’s a headband, I can wear it during off skates drills as well as under my helmet when skating. Plus, it comes in white, so it doubles as part of my Karate Kid outfit on 80s movie night. $15.00 online.

But, like a bandana, it gave me the inevitable headache. $4.98 at Lowe’s.

Other Enduracool products available online for $12.99-$24.99.

Based on my research, the clear sweat saving solution for me is the SweatHawg Headband. Mission Enduracool does offer a headband that I’d love to try, but at $24.99, I’ll stick with the more cost-effective SweatHawg version. Results will vary depending on the severity of sweatiness from which the skater suffers, so if you’re in the market for a sweat saver, definitely try out out a few products before settling on one in particular. Keep your eyes open, because they can be found in the most unlikely of places – I found the Mission Enduracool bandana on clearance at a checkstand in my local hardware store. Who’da thunk it? Happy sweat-free skating!

“When I switched from a Triple-8 Sweatsaver to an S-one I loved the fit of my new helmet and the knowledge that my noggin’s contents were better protected, but I really missed the sweat absorbing capacity of the terry lining on the Sweatsaver. I have an occasional skin reaction to perspiration on my face that is annoying and can be gross.

I tried several different fixes – bandanas, headbands – nothing worked quite right, fit right, or was fuss free. What I love about the SweatHawg Helmet Liner is that for me, it is all three – it absorbs the sweat and keeps it off my face, my helmet still fits well, and I can toss it in the wash after every use along with my lycra. In that last regard, it is even better than the Sweatsaver terry band as washing that every day wasn’t feasible. For me the SweatHawg is an essential item.”

– Luanne Rolly Sick Town Derby Dames

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 27

gear

transitioning to new skates I VA N N A S . PA N K I N , S O C A L R O L L E R D E R B Y

Many articles have been written for this very magazine explaining how to choose new skates, what features the different components offer, and how to pick among them. But now that you’ve chosen your next skates, you need to make sure you get the right size and – ideally – make the transition to your new gear as painless (both literally and figuratively) as possible. I try as many new skates as I can to have direct experience when people ask about them, so I think I can help a little with that one, and hopefully save you some foot pain in the process. choose the right size To start out with, it’s hard to get fitted properly, and while skate shops do their best, even in person it’s difficult for another human to know exactly what’s going on with your feet.

A perfect fit is in the foot of the beholder. But you can get the odds in your favor with a few simple tricks.

• Try the skates you want at night. Do you practice in the morning? Play games in the morning? If you do, forget what I just said. But, if like most derby skaters, you do most of your skating in the evening, try the skates on then, too. Most humans’ feet swell up to an entire size by evening if you work on your feet all day or sit at a desk, which probably includes most of us.

• The size you wore in your old skates may not be the size you wear in your new skates. That is true even if you’re getting the same boot model! Different skate manufacturers and models use wildly different size charts, and if your skates are a few years old, odds are the factory has changed the molds. Even if they didn’t, years of skating in those skates – and on those feet of yours – has changed both. My medium width 8.5 feet are a wide size 9 after ten years of derby. Changing weight, fitness, and life events (cough: pregnancy) also change the shape of your feet, sometimes dramatically. All those laps you’ve done around the track have also altered your skates, most likely by a lot. New skates do not fit or feel like your broken-in old ones. So before you spend a lot of money, spend some time to make sure you know your new foot measurements, and how your new skate model is sized.

28 | Spring 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

Fit is very subjective, but one important thing to remember is that skates are not shoes. Most people like a looser fit in shoes than I would recommend for skates. A snug fit in skates can mean less blisters, hot spots, and less energy lost with your feet slopping around trying to get a grip inside your skates when you make fast moves. In the longer term, a loose skate fit can also cause significant structural problems with your feet, including ligament issues and worse from toes trying to hang on while you put your skates through your paces. limit the variables Once you’ve got your perfect fitting boots, what’s next?

Plate size, mounting location and adjustment can be equally important. For example, I have learned that I can adjust to a smaller size set of plates pretty easily, but I stumble and hate switching to longer plates. I also have a favorite cushion setup and adjustment, as well, and matching that with my new gear helps me feel more comfortable on day one of new skates.

When I can, to ease the pain of switching skates, I often move my favorite plates to my new boots, or match the setup as closely as I can.

If you’re ready to try new plates, start by measuring your axle spread. Axle spread is the distance from the center of your front axle to the center of your back axle on the skates you’re used to.

You can switch to single action or change the degree of angle on your kingpin, but if you keep your axle spread measurement close (or a little shorter) than what you’ve grown accustomed to, your new skate transition can be a lot easier. I generally recommend matching your plate setup as much as you can on your new skates. But drastic changes might be worth it if you’re on really long plates with your old skates. Many of the inexpensive recreational skates derby players start with have long plates and a long axle spread, to help new skaters with stability. But once you know how to

skate, long plates can handicap fast lateral motion. Switching to shorter plates can make a skater feel unstable at first, because your skates will be lighter and can react faster to your motion.

But most players find that it is worth a few awkward practices to get accustomed to shorter plates that allow more nimble movement with less effort.

If you love the way your plates work for you now, however, matching the plate mount to your old skates is also helpful.

I’ve found that I like my right skate mounted just a little bit off center (to the outside). That mounting pattern allows me to get a super strong push off the ball of my foot so I can accelerate faster. You probably also have things you like or dislike about your current mount. Try to figure out what they are and go from there! I get frustrated with blog posts and articles that try to push the same gear and setup on every skater, because we’re all different. But study up on what all the self-proclaimed experts say (irony intended), take it all with a grain of salt, and then try to figure out what YOU like. Just keep in mind that the more big changes you make at once will mean that it might be harder to tell if one of the changes isn’t working for you.

Limiting the changes you make to your gear in each setting allows you to compartmentalize your experience so you can dial in the exact right components, fit and adjustments for the way you skate. use your old wheels Keep your old tried and true wheels for at least a practice or two! I know you are ready to hop to the new ones you just got, but if your old wheels were working, consider putting them on your new skates. I especially recommend this if your new wheels are a different size or type. Break in your boots and dial in your plate adjustments, then put your new wheels on, so if the new wheels perform differently, it doesn’t make the transition to your new skates harder. heat molding for a perfect fit Now that you’ve got all that new stuff home, it’s time to start breaking in your skates. Most of the major skate manufacturers recommend some form of heat molding, but many skaters are hesitant to try it. If you’re careful, you can do this without ruining your new skates. It’s worth it! Your foot has 26 bones and a system of delicate ligaments, muscles and nerves wrapped in very sensitive skin. You may think you have big feet.

But when you think of the work your feet do, it’s a miracle that such a small and mechanically complex structure bears the

weight of your entire body and forces many times your weight while you propel yourself around a derby track. Would you rather use heat and tools to break in your skates, or your sensitive feet? Right. Blisters, hot spots and foot pain are a big drag, and ill-fitting skates can aggravate bunions and lead to structural problems and worse. Heat mold them!

First, figure out what’s moldable on your skates. Usually when the manufacturer tells you their boot is moldable, they mean the counters can be adjusted for a better fit.. The counter is a support inside your boot, made of synthetic plastics (Crazy), perforated pressed leather or cardboard (Riedell, Antik, Luigino) or fiberglass (Bont), that is found between the leather (or vinyl) uppers of your boot, wrapping around and cupping your heel.

It’s what makes soft leather boots hold their boot shape, and it provides stiffness and support for your boot, so that the stress of lateral motion moves into your trucks. Sometimes the edges of the counter poke into your feet, which molding fixes, but more often it’s worth molding a skate to make it narrower or wider, and to shape the part of the boot that supports your arch. Heat molding can also help skaters with bunions or bunionettes, because heat makes leather pliable so you can break it in faster on places on the boot that grieve your feet.

prepare your skates Most manufacturers say you can mold skates with wheels and all, but with oven and steam methods, I prefer not to. Urethane hardens when exposed to extreme temperatures, and trucks can poke through plastic bags! So unless you’re using a hair dryer to spot mold, disassemble the skates, removing wheels, trucks, cushions and toestops. Take the insoles out and set

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 29

gear them aside, but keep them handy.

it to a full boil. Put the skate in the bag heel first, and put the bag in the boiling water with the open end over the lip of the

If your skates have laces in them,

pot. Seal the bag by putting the lid on the pot, then let it sit in the steam for 7-10 minutes. Remove the lid carefully (you can

loosen the laces so that you can

burn your face with all that steam!), then carefully remove the boot, again, avoiding the eyelets and other metal parts. Put the

get your feet in and out of them quickly. If they don’t have laces in them, put them in – but again, you want them to be loose. Make marks with a sharpie or chalk in spots you want to adjust, like for bunions. heat ‘em up in the oven Pre-heat your oven to 180F / 82C, then turn it off. Put the skates on a cookie sheet or baking dish for 5-10 minutes.

When you take them out, avoid the lace eyelets and anything metal on your skates – they’ll be hot enough to blister you!

Handle them by the boot leather. When they feel cool enough for your feet, put the insoles in (watch out for the hot mounting bolts!), put your feet in them, and lace them up...

Aquatech steam molding Luigino (aka Atom) recommends steam molding their boots, and they provide bags with lengthy instructions on how to do it. The short version is to get a giant spaghetti pot and double bag each individual skate. You mold each skate individually. Fill the pot about 1/3 with water and bring

30 | Spring 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

insoles back in, put your feet in them, and lace them up tighty.

Atom recommends you sit in them for 15 minutes. I can’t sit still that long! with a hair dryer This is the easiest and least stressful method of spot heatmolding, in my opinion, and even if you use one of the other methods, you can still take a hair dryer to the skates later to make adjustments. You want an older model ceramic dryer – the kind that burns your scalp and singes your hair if you don’t

keep it moving. You can leave your skates together with wheels and stops for this method, but loosen the laces so you can stick your foot in quickly. We have a clamp for our hair dryer, but you can rig something in your kitchen so you don’t have to hold the skates and dryer the entire time it is heating. Point the dryer about 8 inches (20cm) from the area of the boot you want to mold, then turn the dryer on it for 5 minutes or so. Keep an eye (and a nose) on it. If the dryer is too close, you can singe the leather – but you’ll be able to smell if that’s happening. Once the dryer softens that spot you want to mold, you can use your foot, your hand, or – my favorite – the back of a hair brush to push spots out, or roll the edges of the counters so they don’t annoy your feet or poke your ankles. your skates are hot, now what?

Once your skate is hot, the next step is to put your feet in them and lace them up. There are a lot of adjustments you can make at this point. Press in the arches to help the counter form support in that spot. Squeeze and push at the toes for more room, push out spots where your feet stick out for bunions or long toes, gently pinch them in at the heels or ankles to support

Ryan Taylor, Wall-Monsters.com

your foot – you get it. Just mash them around to make them feel as comfy as possible. Then take your feet out and feel the edges of the counters. I like to roll the top edge out a bit to prevent the counter digging into my ankles. You can use that old hairbrush or a back of a screwdriver to push out perfect room for bunions or bony ankles. I usually give the arches another squeeze at this point, and push in around the top of my heels, too. Then set the skates aside and let them cool.

If you have Crazy or Bont skates, or anything with moldable synthetic materials like plastic and fiberglass, heat molding can make a dramatic change in the fit, and once they’re cool, the skates won’t change fit in those areas unless you heat them back up to spot-mold them later – which people frequently do.

If you have skates with pressed leather or cardboard counters (most of the rest), the change after heat molding isn’t quite as dramatic, and it isn’t as permanent. The moisture and heat of your feet and the pressure you exert on the leather when you skate continues to loosen and break the boots in. But it’s still worth doing, because it can speed the process of making new boots more comfortable. You can also continue to spot mold your leather-counter skates by hand (and your old hairbrush) after you’ve skated, when they’re warm, pliable and um, damp.

Keep in mind that if you leave your post-practice warm, damp skates crushed in your bag or anywhere they can’t air dry, especially somewhere squished, you are heat molding them.

You are also cultivating a science experiment of bacteria that smells nasty, breaks down the leather of your boots so they won’t last as long, and is not healthy for your skin. Air dry your skates (and pads, please!) after practice to keep them durable and well-fitting, and to avoid being repulsive and stinky.

the first time is not always the charm It isn’t uncommon to remold skates a couple of times and spot heat areas to make them absolutely perfect. It’s difficult to achieve a perfect fit the first time, and you might not find hot spots until you skate a bit. Bring a piece of chalk to practice so you can mark the annoying areas to fix when you get home.

The hairdryer method can provide a quick fix for hot spots. You can treat leather boots like a baseball glove, as well, and use leather conditioner or saddle soap and that old hairbrush handle again to press out areas that annoy your feet. Shoe repair shops (and Sin City Skates) also have a tool called a ball and ring stretcher (which we refer to as the popper). The popper is especially helpful for pushing out spots for bunions, though the tool can leave a mark on the leather if you aren’t careful.

In the end, you might still have to suffer a little through Day One of New Skates. Hopefully these tips minimize the pain.

Happy skating!

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 31

wftda

new rules? no problem!

WFTDA leagues share some of their rules education best practices LOIS SLAIN, DC ROLLERGIRLS

One of the fun, but sometimes challenging, features of competing in a still-developing sport is the frequent rules updates that follow the evolution of the sport. As we welcome the latest edition of the Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby, leagues are hard at work studying the new rules and tweaking their playing style and strategies to adjust to the new rule set.

Many leagues use the approach favored by Sun State Roller

“Any member of the league can submit questions to our

Derby, of Brisbane, Australia. The new rules, change summary

officiating committee and we will post answers publicly on our

and other supporting documents are shared with skaters, who

forum to a ‘rules library,’ “ Kill Nye said. “Our certified referees

are encouraged to begin studying the documents on their own.

work with our officials rep to make sure that the answers are

Then, the teams start testing the rules out in scrimmage.

consistent with WFTDA tournament rules interpretations and

“The scrimmages are run under ‘bout conditions’ as normal, but with unlimited official reviews for captains to come in

WFTDA rules publications and Q&As.” The Ohio Rollergirls and Texas Rollergirls have taken steps

and clarify, and with an all-in sit-down session after the

to ensure that skaters aren’t just relying on the officials to learn

scrimmage,” said Sun State referee Numb3r Crunch3r. “In this

the rules.

sit-down, the refs will speak to the significant changes that

“We do shy away from putting officials in charge of rules

affect the skaters. After that’s done, the skaters can ask any questions they want.”

Other leagues take a more formal classroom approach. After the last rule changes were released, the officiating crew of Portland, Oregon’s Rose City Rollers organized a town hall meeting for skaters.

The league’s three certified officials presented the rules changes and were available to answer questions, according to Kill Nye, chair of the Officiating Committee.

training for skaters,” said Amy Spears,

“One important part was to reach all the parts of the league at once – skaters, officials, announcers, etc.”

“Several skaters were also present

a member of the Ohio Rollergirls Training Committee. “Instead, the elected members of our Training Committee, who run all practices, are charged with doing this, and we’ve built a culture of making individuals really responsible for learning the rules themselves.”

When the Texas Rollergirls training committee put together a complete curriculum for the last major rules change, “One important part was to reach all the

off-skates to help show scenarios and concepts if needed,” Kill

parts of the league at once – skaters, officials, announcers,

Nye said. “They used a stop watch to keep discussions to a set

etc.” said Bloody Mary, a Texas trainer.

time limit of 3 minutes so that we wouldn’t get bogged down on a single question.”

Rose City’s officials offer other ways for skaters to easily get

Ohio integrates rules training into its practices in a variety of ways, Spears said, from the trainer who is a teacher and works pop quizzes into her practice agenda to hosting an interleague

answers to rules questions at any time, including having an

scrimmage focused on the rules changes. The scrimmage

open invitation for skaters to attend officials’ practices.

included certified officials who talked with skaters about the

34 | Spring 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

JoeRollerfan.com

rules changes and included a Q&A afterward.

“That was less about strictly teaching the rules, and more

two whistles to one whistle and new penalty box protocols.

Texas trainers also tried to look at the new rules through

about seeing how they’d be put into practice,” Spears said.

the lens of technical skating skills, not just strategy and general

“It was helpful to have people from different leagues, because

rules knowledge, asking questions like: What will this new rule

some of those differing interpretations got hammered out.”

mean our skaters need to be able to do well on their skates?

In preparing for the January 1, 2013 rules update, Texas used two weeks in their off-season to dig deep into the rules

What skating weaknesses will this rule expose?

“Basically, we looked at how these rules changes were going

changes, using a curriculum that included classroom and

to change the size and shape of the game, and then tried to

on-skates training, as well as online discussion and testing.

determine what physical skills would come in the most handy –

The classroom portion included a PowerPoint presentation and then small group discussion about specific scenarios that related to the rules changes. At three on-skates practices, coaches led skaters through drills focused on big concepts in

especially if those were weak areas for our community,” Bloody Mary said.

Happy studying to all the skaters, coaches and officials absorbing the March 2014 rule changes!

the new rules, such as (at that time) jam starts changing from

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 35

junior derby

problem parent, problem child B E T T Y F O R D G A L A X Y, S E AT T L E J U N I O R D E R B Y

Being a coach is an important job. It is sometimes very rewarding and sometimes very frustrating. There may be tasks that a coach will be asked to do that they may not feel qualified to accomplish.

I did not know almost eight years ago when I became a coach that along with teaching roller derby I was going to have to teach sportsmanship, teamwork, and conflict resolution, and help empower the next generation of rollergirls. Being a coach is part mother – part chauffer – part psychologist – part mediator.

There are so many different aspects that the mind reels with the possibilities.

Along with the difficulties, the rewards are great. The sport itself will need the next generation excited and engaged if roller derby is to continue for years to come. One of the downfalls in the past was that unlike baseball, football and other major sports, there was not a youth connection – place to play – like there is now. In addition – you can really impact a child’s life. Statistically kids who participate in sports are less likely to do drugs or drop out of school. I have personally seen every kid who has gone through our program and age out go on to college. There will be kids who quit. But do not be the one who gives up on them.

When you coach, you’re going to come across difficult parents, children, and situations. You may not have any frame of reference on how to deal with some, and one thing that I would like to tell you, more than anything else, is to remember your number one goal as a coach is to empower the children. Winning games and making superstars along with everything else is secondary.

The good news is that you do not have face these problems alone.

You should not be expected to know everything.

You can ask for help and support.

There are many resources available to coaches. One of my greatest resources is the Board of Directors for my league. We do not always see eye to eye but their experience and information is invaluable and I could not do my job without them. There are wonderful websites and blogs about coaching, and some great books on the market. One book that I like to use is “Coaching Kids for Dummies” by Rick Wolf. This book puts into pretty simple terms a lot of the situations that you will encounter as a coach. My favorite book by far is “Positive Coaching – Building Character and Self-Esteem Through Sports” by Jim Thompson. This book has helped me through so many situations. It was the first book 36 | Spring 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

I bought when I became a coach and knew nothing about coaching; or children for that matter. It has taught me that coaching is far more than just teaching a sport. It is about helping people find the best in themselves. Both books are about general coaching, which is great because most coach books are sport specific. the problem child: Both books describe the different kinds of problem children. The “whiner”, the “superstar”, the “non-talker” or “quiet one”, the “high strung” kid with the short attention span or ADD, and/or the “emo”– just basically a moody kid. It is important to know that each kid is special and individual and each require a different approach on how to deal with them and their situation. the problem parent: The books also described problem parents. Parents are a little more difficult for me to deal with. There are the “brown-nosers”, the “know it alls” – the ones who think they can do it better than you but really have no clue about the sport, the “grumpy pants” – ones who just want to argue to argue and “dreamers” – those who have unrealistic views of their child’s skills (among other colorful things).

But children and parents are not labels and words. They are individual human beings with unique emotions, dreams, thoughts, and passions. We all know that roller derby invokes so much passion in a person and we all know that derby has derby drama.

Junior Derby is no exception when it comes to derby drama. In fact some is doubled. Imagine on your home adult teams if their parents got to have a say in everything and all skaters depended on someone else to get them to practice.

Well – what can you do about problems or junior derby drama?

The best way is to start by setting expectations. A lot of problems with parents, children, AND coaches can be eliminated or avoided altogether by setting proper expectations. The Board of Directors, parents, and coaches can work together to come up with expectations for skaters, parents, and coaches before the season starts. This way everybody knows how they should behave and act, and they also know the consequences if they act or behave differently from what the expectations are. Our league also has a skater council with a skater from each team that meet and the skater council also goes to board meetings. We let them contribute a lot. After all, it is just as much their sport as yours. So we have an official “Code of Conduct”. We have separate ones for skaters, parents, coaches, and other volunteers. Each is required to read

and sign at the beginning of the season thus setting expectations for the upcoming year.

When situations arise where a skater, a parent or a coach (or any volunteer, ref, nso, etc) is not following the expectations there needs to be avenues of resolution. My first step when there is conflict is always to consult my co-coach.

I never looked at situations in a vacuum nor do I react without getting feedback on the situation. Often how I see it, is not how it is and sometimes I am missing something.

Then the coaches go to the Board of Directors. It is always best to keep them in the loop so that there’s nothing later that can appear as if you didn’t follow procedure. Sometimes a situation will need to go to mediation – this is a great way to resolve conflicts that ensures all parties are listening to you and the resolution is amicable. A mediator can be anyone from the BoD not directly involved.

Once we have sought council, we can follow disciplinary policy if needed. We have a policy where the skater gets a verbal warning if they break anything in the “Code of Conduct”. We record this with the BoD but it is just a verbal warning. If the behavior or actions continues, a written warning is given. I take the extra step to work with my co-coach on the write up and present to the BoD before bringing it to the child. We meet with a BoD member, coaches, and parent, as well as the child. Never discipline a kid one-on-one.

You do not want a she said/she said situation later. If the behavior or actions continue after a written warning, then action can take place. Action would have been defined in the “Code of Conduct” and again in the written warning.

Some examples of things you can get a warning on are talking back to the coaches, being rude to other skaters at practice/other teams at scrimmages and bouts, or not following dress code.

Excessive tardiness or excessive absences are also dealt with the same way. Having a Code of Conduct is a great way to keep emotions and opinions out of situations. It is a way to make sure you are empowering children by teaching them there are consequences to their actions.

As a coach you need to LEAD them but you don’t want to be a tyrant – you don’t want to micromanage. That is not fun for anyone. You don’t want to turn them off sports or give them

a complex that limits them for the rest of their life. It is good to remember that they are children. Kids will act or react in different ways than adults will.

It is good to sometimes Frank Blau Photography take them aside and ask what is the matter. Often times you will find they had a break up, a pet die, a sick family member, or some other situation that is hard for them to deal with and they are acting out at practice. Coaches must be empathetic. When it comes to parents it is also good to remember that you are dealing with the most precious thing that they have in their life – their child. They are trusting you to help them nurture and grow their child. It takes a village.

I like to keep a firm hand of discipline but also try to stay at the level of the child. I probably have the worst attention span of all the children and sometimes even I can get off task. I have always tried to maintain the same standards as the children. I try not to be late.

I’m not great at that. I always follow dress code. I don’t swear at practice. If I do, I do the required ten push-ups. I don’t ask the kids to do something I am not willing to try. Leading by example is a great skill for a coach.

There’s always going to be trial and error – things will go wrong and things can get corrected. It is those things that can become great learning experiences for everyone. Even with expectations and rules nothing should be too cut and dry.

Remember these are children and they’re going to make mistakes.

It’s our job as coaches to help pick them up, move forward, and learn from these mistakes.

As different as the kids and parents and situations are – the best way to deal with them is to not go it alone (seek council), set expectations, be consistent with follow through, and lead by example with empathy.

There are so many situations and the books can be used as reference as things come up in your league. Stay positive. Stay focused. Coaching is worth it. The kids are worth it.

Do you have questions relating to junior derby that you would love answers to? Ask a junior derby coach!

Email bettyfordgalaxy12@gmail.com and we might print your question with Betty’s answer in our next issue!

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 37

junior derby

RollerCon junior I VA N N A S . PA N K I N , S O C A L R O L L E R D E R B Y

RollerCon Junior debuts THIS SUMMER! After almost a decade of amazing experiences at RollerCon there was one crucial element of our community that we couldn’t seem to easily fit into the magic: Junior skaters. After struggling to accommodate them at our adult event for years, we have found a solution: Junior Skaters need their OWN RollerCon. RollerCon Junior has been a long time coming. Juniors have been part of RollerCon from the very early days, volunteering, even managing their own departments and running volunteer crews. Juniors have wanted to skate at RollerCon for years, too. Unfortunately, our safety, insurance and liability rules make it difficult to integrate Juniors easily the adult skating events at the convention. Though junior roller derby seems to have grown in pace with adult derby, we never really had enough kids or enough extra track space at RollerCon to do many juniors-only skating events at our late summer convention. And the social events? Don’t get me started about Juniors at the social events sometimes I have to cover my own eyes at what happens off the track at RollerCon! Juniors and their families and coaches have been asking for RollerCon Junior forever, so after years of research, it is time!

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RollerCon Junior May 30th – June 1st, 2014 Riviera Royale Convention Center Las Vegas, Nevada, USA This summer, RollerCon Junior will bring together the next generation of skaters to celebrate roller derby in a convention of their own, with the best features of our world famous late-summer adult event. We have some of our most popular and amazing RollerCon coaches on our all-day Training Track. We have bouts planned, and kids are cooking up themed challenges already – and we’ve scheduled open scrimmages just for juniors on our Competition Tracks. We’ve got tons of vendors and shopping, right next to our main tracks. We’re also lining up some great social events, including social skates and theme parties in our Fun Rink, a Junior Derby Prom and a whole lot more, all planned by the same people that host the biggest, safest, funnest and most inclusive derby event of the year, every year! Every day we plan more events, with help and suggestions from the Juniors themselves. Hey, Juniors: get involved and help plan this thing!

get a login to the junior section of our forum rollercon.com/forum You have to request membership to see the RollerCon forum boards, and that does require being APPROVED. It takes a couple emails, but we take the kids safety very seriously. The Junior boards (and most of the adult RollerCon boards, as well) have been restricted to registered membership only, with no guest viewing, so RollerCon and RollerCon Junior attendees can openly communicate – to get info, get challenges organized and more! tell us what songs to play at the junior prom tinyurl.com/JRprom-setlist You know we love those google forms.

Here’s one for the juniors!

We’re asking the kids to decide on their own set list for the RollerCon Junior Prom, and we’re running a contest with great prizes including RollerCon Junior t-shirts and more. Kids can enter as many times as they want with as many songs as they want to hear!

photos by Jeffrey Kerekes, ilovenewhaven.org

volunteer at the convention Just like the big event at the end of Summer, we’ll be counting on Juniors and their parents to make RollerCon what it is. It takes hundreds of us to make a great convention! As the RollerCon Junior event schedule develops, so does our Help Wanted schedule, with shifts in safety, traffic, registration, officiating and all the other departments that make this convention happen. Our online hours tracking system credits volunteer hours towards any of our next events. So volunteer hours earned this year can be “spent” on discounts and free tickets at RollerCon in July, or at the next RollerCon Junior, or RollerCon Down Under... you decide! If you already have a Volgistics login, just look for RollerCon Junior shifts during the dates of RCJR (May & June). If RollerCon Junior will be your first time at RollerCon, start here: tinyurl.com/volgistics-app That’s just a few ways to get involved, but like the big event at the end of summer, RollerCon Junior is going to be whatever people make of it.

Want to skate non-stop for three days?

No problem. Want to learn new techniques from the best skater coaches in the sport? Easy. Want to hang with Juniors from all around the world by the pool, or at themed parties and social skates? Done. But we’re not leaving the parents and coaches out. There will be seminars and events geared for adults involved with Junior derby to connect and learn from each other, as well. As the RollerCon Junior schedule develops, we’ll be sticking to the same master plan as RollerCon: too many events of every kind to choose from, so you can’t go wrong no matter what you do! We’re providing summer derby overload, Junior-style. The kids will have to rest for the remainder of summer just to get enough energy start school in the Fall.

On the interwebs – SO MUCH INFO: rollerconjunior.com facebook.com/RollerConJR Schedule and Events: rollercon.com/about/juniorskaters/rcjr-events Tickets: rcjr14.brownpapertickets.com

a few words about juniors in Las Vegas Not sure if RollerCon Junior is right for your kid? The Riviera Royal Convention Center location is the site of many children’s’ activities each year, including dance groups from toddlers on up, youth and teen basketball, volleyball and karate tournaments and groups, and more. The Royale Convention Center is a secure room, where only convention pass-holders may enter. The convention activities take place at the East end of the Riviera campus, far from the casino, bars and other adult-oriented Las Vegas entertainment, and the hotel is offering affordable rates for convenient familysized rooms, including up to four people in each room for our same low group rate. And finally, the convention space is large enough for three tracks and plenty of roller derby vendors and activities, including skating, training, bouts, social events and seminars for both the kids and the adults who help Junior derby succeed. For a LOT more information, check out rollerconjunior.com.

See you there!

fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 39

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rookie

surviving the fresh meat program LAUREN CARROLL AKA LC/DC, SHORE POINTS ROLLER DERBY

“I started right where you guys are...”

Everybody said the same thing on Recruitment Night for Shore Points Roller Derby back in May 2013. They all started in the same place I started, Fresh Meat.

It was hard to believe after watching the short demonstration scrimmage that the women who were now standing in front of a group of potential skaters once knew nothing about derby.

Just following the action was hard enough, I couldn’t imagine how long it would take to get to that scrimmaging level.

As I walked out of recruitment night, processing everything I had just seen, I thought about how I ended up at 1970s throwback roller rink, off a “blink and you’ll miss it” exit on the Atlantic City Expressway on a Wednesday night. I wrestled with the idea if I really wanted to be put through a training process that would require time and money. It had been nine months since I had set foot in a gym, five years since college intramural leagues, and way too long since I was in my high school jock prime. a false start Fresh meat training began the following Sunday. I felt like I knew the basics. There’s a jammer and there are blockers.

And there’s some kind of move called a whip (I may or may not have watched a certain roller derby-themed movie). I googled some derby leagues and watched YouTube videos. I convinced myself that ice skating lessons from a few years back would translate to the track.

I saw a few of the other women from recruitment night.

We were welcomed with an enthusiastic hooray and congratulations from the coaching staff. Apparently the first step of fresh meat is just showing up. With waivers signed and rental skates on, the newest beginners class took to the rink. Actually, a small side section of the rink where we would be safely sequestered from the veteran skaters. All the confidence one carries suddenly disappears after that first major fall. After all the “ooohhhh’s” and questions of “are you okay?” it took a lot of mustering to want to stay on those skates. I wasn’t the only one getting acquainted with the floor.

Out of the eleven fresh meat skaters, we all had our shares of not-so-small falls. Fresh meat practice started to become an anatomy lesson. “I didn’t even know I had these muscles.” It

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was time to start learning stance, and like every skater knows, the lower the better; squats, sits and strengthening those rarely used muscle groups for the average late twenty-something. taking it off the track Prior to starting as a roller derby fresh meat, I thought roller rinks were open only for birthday parties. So when the vet skaters started comparing and contrasting the open skate night at the four roller rinks in South Jersey, I was intrigued about getting some extra skating time. Friday night, I headed out for an open family fun skate at a rink not too far from my sleepy beach town.

While I thought it would be just me and the disco ball out on the rink, the place was packed. Dodging toddlers and trying to keep pace with the inline skaters did help with getting comfortable on skates. And footwork drills are pretty fun when set to “The Electric Slide”. work it when you can I’m not a gym girl. I find it hard to bike or run in place for more than five minutes while simultaneously avoiding my reflection in the gigantic mirror wall. I’m a jock at heart and need to play sports. It’s actually the primary reason why I wanted to join roller derby: to get in shape. So low and behold, I found myself wondering about training outside of practice. Did I think I’d be the girl doing yoga DVDs before bed or going for the occasional run? Absolutely not. But something about being active twice a week at practice is contagious for those other days.

The best fresh meat training for me has been those sneaky workouts. I might have been caught stretching my legs on the stairs at work. I also got strange looks from my family when I was seen in derby stance while brushing my teeth (two minute squat). And it’s safe to say, I have not closed a drawer or door with my hands since starting derby. Unlike the crossfit addicts I encounter on Facebook, I didn’t have any workout stats or selfies to post with the fresh meat program. But there were subtitle lifestyle changes that started. eight glasses a day Besides finding myself wanting to work out more, I picked up some other habits. Water consumption was a must. On a sweltering summer day when I knew I was about to endure the un-air-conditioned convection oven that was our practice

Bristol Roller Derby Fresh Meat session headed by Adéle Linquent, © Matthew Lord 2014, wtf4photography.com

rink, my number-one concern was dehydration. A 32 oz. water bottle replaced the diet colas I used to drink throughout the day and even after the summer heat wave, I haven’t made the switch back. where’s the beef?

I was home from practice, physically exhausted but my stomach was grumbling. I searched through my refrigerator and whipped up a quick-made bowl of quinoa, black beans, hummus and tofu. Before diving into my post-practice snack, I realized this was the fourth or fifth time I’ve gone for the quinoa and tofu, while the chicken cutlets and spaghetti made by my mother sat in Tupperware. “Am I becoming a vegetarian?!” As a lifelong carnivore, it was odd that my preferred method of protein was coming from plant-based foods rather than the breaded, fried, greasy goodness I usually ate late at night. Jokes at the expense of vegetarians aside, a change definitely occurred with what I put into my body and a series of healthy meals with lean meats has made its way into my recipe box. “you’re doing WHAT?!”

I wasn’t hiding my new hobby from my family or friends, but it felt like it would be unbelievable news to them. There’s either a mental image or assumed attitude that goes along with the title “derby girl”, neither of which I project. It was a shock to my mother and father, when I told them how I was spending my Wednesdays and Sundays. Injury was the first concern. But after a full rundown of the mandatory protective gear, the worries seemed to diminish. The questions about safety still linger, but I assure them every so often that all teeth are in place.

Limping around the office one Thursday after a particularly painful attempt at an obstacle hop at practice, I was only

a month or so into fresh meat and I was afraid to broach the topic with my co-workers. It should be noted, I had just started at this job. But when I confided I shed the quiet new girl perception pretty quickly. They were very interested in roller derby and asked if it was anything like what they had seen on TV in the ‘70s. I’m still trying to help them understand that there are set rules and regulations. Working in radio can leave very little of your personal life unopened for discussion on-air.

After the minimum skills assessment, it became public knowledge that I was hooked on derby. from ground chuck to grade A For Shore Points Roller Derby, fresh meat is only a two-month program. We learn the basics, we pass the test and all of a sudden, we’re on the track. That first scrimmage night was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. It also didn’t help that it was a surprise to us recently “tenderized” meat.

My fresh meat class and I had made the grade.

All in all, fresh meat training was more than just getting on skates two nights a week. For me, it was a test in dedication, learning and immersing myself in a sport that I never thought I could do. A sport I honestly never knew about before. My priorities changed, my habits changed, my browser history is almost completely roller derby related websites. Starting as fresh meat can be intimidating but it’s true that every skater was brand new at one point.

Having just played in my first bout in December, it still feels odd to not consider myself fresh meat. Afterall, we’re still training and learning. Every so often, I’ll look at the new recruits, skating around in their safety zone and I bite my tongue from saying those clichéd words, “I was right where you guys are...”

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rookie’s first year at RollerCon Z A P H O D B E AT H E R B O X , E D M O N TO N , A L B E RTA

It’s every derby players dream to go to RollerCon at least once. Whether you’re a rookie or a veteran. But going your first time as a rookie can be a little overwhelming. The key is to do a lot of research and know someone that has been. In my case, I am an extremely organized over planner...

Expect the worst and pack as much as you can. Well, we all know that’s a bad idea (unless of course you are driving) because you can only fit so much in your suitcase and you want to leave room for those new skates you’re bringing back, right?

My RC13 journey started a little later than most, I didn’t buy my MVP pass on Black Friday like I should have. I bought my regular skater pass in mid-February because all the MVP passes were sold out. Don’t even dream about booking at any other hotel than the Riviera. You will regret it, I promise. No matter how cheap you think you can get, you need to be where the action is. My room was fantastic, spacious, clean and had a fridge! Lucky for me in about mid May a few MVP tickets were returned and I decided that I needed to have that MVP pass, best decision I have ever made! As a rookie skater I needed all the help I could get, and taking classes led by such icons as Suzy Hotrod, Dirty Debra Harry, The Rev, Quadzilla, Smarty Pants and 8Mean Wheeler, how could one resist?

From February until July I spent every waking moment dreaming about RollerCon. I read every blog, article, forum posting and joined every single

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Facebook page there was that had anything to do with RollerCon. I needed to have every bit of info there was to make sure my trip was successful.

RollerCon’s website and forums were one of my favorite places to visit, I checked it daily. This is where you can sign up for challenge bouts. I signed up for at least two a day. Get yourself a google account if you don’t already have one. You will need it for all the google documents you’ll be reading!

Having a google calendar to schedule all your classes is a HUGE bonus.

You’ll thank me later for that one!

If you have the spare time, VOLUNTEER!! It’s a great way to help offset your future RC trips. I volunteered with SkateSafe and had a ton of fun!

It’s just one of the many places you can volunteer your time. Remember that if it wasn’t for volunteers RC like derby itself wouldn’t exist. So even if it’s just a few hours, it’s always greatly appreciated.

I found info on volunteering on the RollerCon website!

Challenge bouts were some of the greatest parts of going RC! They are themed and some have a long standing rivalry. It’s a place to meet new friends, improve your skills and try out some of those awesome new moves you learned in a class just hours before. And for a rookie like me it was a chance to actually play! I took advantage of them and signed up for more than I could handle. While signing up doesn’t mean you’ll actually get rostered, but chances are you will. There are three different skill levels, so I signed up for a bit of

beginner and a bit of intermediate.

If you’re not sure where you’d fit in I suggest going down a skill level. While I didn’t feel totally out of my league in the intermediates, I did feel totally comfortable in the beginner. I have a feeling I wasn’t the only one in the beginners who was in between skill levels. Pack every single shirt you have with your name and number on it, you will need them! I think I had 11 in total, all different colors.

Like with any trip the worst part is the packing. What to bring? Do I over pack and have everything I need and don’t need? Or do I under pack and buy what I may need. I took the high road and over packed, and I don’t regret it one bit. Nothing like being the one who has teflon tape for the girl whose toe stop just went flying off into the corner.

Yes, this actually happened!

Rule #1 – PACK YOUR GEAR IN YOUR CARRY ON!!! I cannot stress this one enough. The last thing you need is for the airline to lose your skates and gear.

As badly as you may want those new Antiks, the unexpected cost will set you back, not to mention breaking those new babies.

Besides the obvious like your gear and clothes, here’s a list of things that are helpful to bring. It will make your trip a bit less stressful and more enjoyable.

Essentials to pack: • Lots of shirts with your name and number on it, as many as you have • Extra socks and undies! Two pairs a day if you plan on skating a lot

MacGroovy Photography

• A sweatshirt or hoodie to keep warm, the AC is on full blast and it can get chilly • A small lunch cooler. This will come in handy if you’re busy all day with classes and challenges. Packing some snacks to avoid the over priced food at restaurants. Plus it’s great for bringing your own chilled drinks down to the pool.

• A water bottle also with your name on it. You will get thirsty.

• Eye drops and nasal spray if you’re prone to nose bleeds • An extra mouth guard • SUNSCREEN!! Especially if you plan on spending any time by the pool.

All you need is a nasty burn to ruin your trip and anything else you have planned in Vegas.

• Pain killers and muscle salve of your choice • A note pad for taking notes • Your own sharpie marker • A bandana or two • My best kept secret was my kitty litter bags! I filled cotton bags that I sewed (socks work too) with silica kitty litter, After I was done skating for the day or even in between classes or challenges I placed them in with my gear. It helped to pull away the sweat and

kept odors down to a minimum, which is very important if you’re sharing a room.

Before you get to Vegas, I suggest pre ordering a limo taxi. I pre-ordered one online and just kept an eye out for derby girls once I got to the airport. I asked everyone to pitch in a few bucks to help pay for it. I wasn’t looking to make any money, just wanted to travel in style and meet some new people. It was the best idea ever! I got a 30-person stretch Hummer and we all piled in. It’s way cheaper than a cab.

Now you’re off to Vegas, what’s next?

Once you’re at your hotel (hopefully you’re staying at The Riv), I suggest checking in with RollerCon and getting your badge. The line up can be a little scary looking but it’s much better than doing it the morning of your classes or challenge bout.

If you’re lucky enough to have an MVP pass, you’ll want to start planning out your classes. It seems every year the sign-up for classes is different. It can get very chaotic for the staff (who volunteer their time, so be nice to them), just do what they ask and everything should be fine. I took advantage of google

calendars to schedule all the classes I wanted to take. I carried my iPad to keep myself organized. It helped with taking notes in classes too! And those awesome tricks that you cant seem to nail, that’s where the video option comes in.

When you’re not on skates there’s lots to keep you busy. I don’t need to go into too much detail...

Vendor Village is where I spent the least amount of time. I was on a strict budget and the temptation was there.

It’s a great place to check out new gear and tryout those knee pads you’ve been considering!

Parties will keep you up late, so plan accordingly. There’s a different party each night, each with a different theme.

If there isn’t a party happening, there’s a party down at the pool. I swear some people didn’t leave that pool! How could you blame them? The heat will get to you, so it’s nice to have a place to cool off after a day of skating.

When all is said and done eventually it all has to come to an end. You say your good byes, and see you next years.

Many of whom you’ll create lasting memories and friendships with.

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derby over 40 S A M A N T H A B R I G G S , H OT W H E E L R O L L E R D E R B Y

In October 2013, Sui Cider from Manchester Roller Derby (UK), turned 40. Sui had started her skating career way back in 2008 with Manchester league, Rainy City Roller Girls. A chance meeting on a night out with a friend of a friend who skated, took her to her first practice a couple of weeks later.

“Strapping skates on at 35 was a crazy thing to do!” said Sui. “I could barely stand up but I persevered and became determined.”

That early fortitude and confidence grew such that just a few years down the line, Sui left Rainy City Roller Girls and helped set up a new league, Manchester Roller Derby, where she still skates with today. Then in July 2013, with her milestone birthday looming large on the horizon, Sui began to debate the possibility of marking the occasion with her derby friends in some way and the idea of a birthday bout was born. However, it soon became something more than just a celebration of a significant birthday.

Upon asking friends for ideas, it became apparent that there were a significant number of skaters from all over the UK who were over 40 and bouting regularly for their respective leagues.

She decided it was possible and in fact a more exciting prospect, to make it an exclusively over 40s bout.

This was the first time such an event had been played in the UK. It had only been a few years since the Derby Over 40 group for a predominantly US audience had been set up on Facebook by Donna ‘The Hot Flash’ Kay and even less so for the UK version.

Skaters came from as far north as Auld Reekie Roller Girls in Edinburgh, Scotland and Portsmouth Roller Wenches on the south coast of England. The centre point of these became the chosen location for the bout and so on October 5, 2013 in Halifax, West Yorkshire, the Birthday Bash was played.

Terrifying Tink (43) from Auld Reekie summed up the bout, saying, “Before we played, many of us had met, but not very many had actually played together as a team. After the first few jams we all got accustomed to each other and it was actually one of the calmest bouts I have ever played in. There was no showboating, no egos, no one trying to prove anything to anybody.

It was good, solid, trusting teamwork, and I put that down to the

maturity of the players.”

This was a feeling shared by all those out there on track. I don’t know if it was because we all knew we were roughly the same age and that we shared the common goal of making it the best bout we could and just have loads of fun, but this was a bout like no other.

Roisin Roulette from Birmingham Blitz Dames said, “I really enjoyed the over 40s bout and it was testament to how many kick-ass women there are giving the young ones a run for their money. I would like to still be bouting when I am 50.”

And this is where the strange phenomenon that is roller derby seems to take over. Lindsey Curtis added, “I found roller derby a year ago at 39 and love it! I still feel so much younger and am determined to keep going as long as I can. A diverse sport for a diverse range of people is what makes it so awesome.”

Roisin, who played for Team Ireland in the first World Cup in Toronto in December 2012 at the age of 42 and is planning on trying out again for the next one in Texas in December 2014, stated that, “I want to play for Ireland again. I am fitter and healthier now than at any time in my adult life.”

It is definitely this competitive spirit that spurs all of us on in roller derby but I wondered if it was all down to a desire to prove to our younger counterparts that we still had it.

So I posed the question to fellow UK over 40 players whether proving a point to younger teammates was a driving force?

Sara ‘CoxyandIknowit’ Cox said, “It’s not about proving a point at all; it’s the best way to get fit and I only wish I had found it when I was 20. I didn’t find derby until I was 40 but it does make you feel blimming good that you can do what other skaters half your age do. And you won’t have any nine month ‘injuries’ getting in the way as you’ve already done that!”

Lianne ‘Crazylegs’ Parry from Auld Reekie added, “I think I would have been too much of a doofus aged 20 to appreciate and make the most of the amazing possibilities. The only thing that makes me push myself is my love of playing, improving, building teams and perfecting tactics. My drive to do this hasn’t changed (yet!) over the past five or so years.”

“Strapping skates on at 35 was a crazy thing to do! I could barely stand up but I persevered and became determined.”

– Sui Cider 46 | Spring 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com

Jason Ruffell

“I didn’t start till after I hit 40. I think to a certain extent us over 40s have a higher level of fitness than our next generation.

I didn’t grow up having a wealth of technology around me like Xbox and the like because it didn’t exist. Affordable home games consoles were the height of boredom (just look up the binatone TV Master!) So it was bikes, skateboards, swimming, climbing, rambling, making dens, rope swings, etc. I think that initial period in your life can make a huge difference to your attitude when it comes to exercise being fun not just a necessity to better health.

It’s like a regression for me, back to those days where I played all day long. I do it because I can and I’m gonna keep doing it till I can’t!” commented Ceri Tron Nicholls.

Tina Brazier also said, “I started to practice with our local team at 50 and continue to do so because I love it and only push myself to prove to myself that I can achieve things that I thought I couldn’t. I sometimes find it hard to keep up with the young ones, but hey, I give it a go... I wish I had found derby 30 years ago.”

So it would seem that the love and passion all these people share for the sport itself is the motivation for most people.

However, Louisa ‘Pulp Bitchin’ Bradley from Wakey Wheeled Cats said she feels she has a lot to prove.

“I think it’s challenging being an over 40s skater. In my 20s, I was ridiculously fit and know I can never claw that back. I’m the oldest in my league by a fair margin and feel I have to try to keep up with the young ‘uns! Having said all that, derby is amazing.

I love every aspect and feel proud that I have had to earn my place in skating, through hard work and determination. In mid-November I was given the Best Blocker award by the Birmingham Blitz Dames. Proudest moment ever!”

Sui Cider captained the Naughty North and Brookslide from Portsmouth for the Sexy South in the Birthday Bash. As the teams

had been split geographically, some skaters were from the same leagues as others but for the most part, this was the first time a lot of them had ever skated together. It had an energy and a vibe like no other and there was an overall sense of excitement and happiness as the teams took to the track. At the end of the first half, North had pulled back from a difficult start to lead 100-86.

By the end of the second half, the North began to pull ahead once again to take the score to 172-154. The South then had a last minute time out before Sutton took to the jam line for the final jam against Powers from the North. Sutton took a penalty and gave the North a finishing power jam and with the crowd and teams on their feet, Powers (from Furness Firecrackers) took the final score to 204 North to 167 South.

We were so glad to be giving the crowd an exciting bout to watch, but were most impressed by our ability to come together as a team and to work so well with each other in such a short space of time.

Being a skater and derby player over 40 really seems to revitalize people and recaptures elements of their youth in many cases. All have expressed renewed fitness levels, feelings of youthfulness, and a new lease on life with new friendships being established and the connection to a new community of support and a sense of teamwork and togetherness that derby has brought into their lives. When you are at that mid-point in life, derby can be the turning point that makes you feel like you have the ability to turn back the clock and be young again. As Sarah Cox said, “I think I am fitter now than when I was 20. It’s taken me basically 40 years to find an exercise I like. Why go running when you can skate?!”

Why indeed.

“I found roller derby a year ago at 39 and love it! I still feel so much younger and am determined to keep going as long as I can. A diverse sport for a diverse range of people is what makes it so awesome.”

– Lindsey Curtis fiveonfivemag.com | Spring 2014 | 47

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derby/life balance C A R LY DA E L L I A K A F E I S T E . O N E , B O U L D E R C O U N T Y B O M B E R S

Practices and committee work and a bout and training and meetings – and that’s just your derby schedule this week. Not to mention you have a big presentation at work, your significant other is out of town for work, and your kid has basketball practice.

How can you balance it all?

According to Leslie Frey, a certified life coach and owner of Lifelong Learning Center, there are some practical time management tips to help you enjoy your time doing derby and balance it with your outside commitments.

1. Make sure you put self-care first.

Being at your best will not only help you be a better skater, but a better all-around person. Getting enough sleep and eating a nutritious diet will help you to better commit to the people and priorities in your life.

If doing derby is the main way you take care of yourself, like Mia Wallups of Treasure Valley Rollergirls, remember your other physical needs. “I’ve found that while other things can be less stringent, if I don’t get enough sleep, it’s extremely detrimental to my mental and physical well-bring and has a direct impact on my performance and attitude,” she said. Working full-time, with quite a bit of mandatory overtime, Mia needs to make sure she’s wellrested for everything she does.

Self-care includes prioritizing the things that make you feel your best, physically and mentally. Having time to relax, either by yourself or with those you love is important to make sure you have the energy to be fully committed to all your responsibilities.

“I read and make it a point to spend quality time with my family outside of derby,” said Smack Skellington with Treasure Valley Rollergirls.

As Frey said, “If you can’t find the time to take care of yourself, then your priorities are out of whack.”

2. Have a good focus routine.

Frey suggested to take some time every morning to remind yourself what’s important to you and why you are doing it.

Commit to a morning routine of awareness so that you know the things that must get done that day.

“The measure of success should be getting the things done that you actually, truly care about,” Frey said.

Instead of worrying about what you think needs to get done, focus on making sure you are doing things that make you happy.

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Frey said to decide on the feeling you want to experience from roller derby and see if your commitments match that feeling.

Think about if your commitments on a committee or board of directors or other derby tasks are taking away from the joy you want to feel while skating.

Raggedy Ann-ihilation, of Treasure Valley Rollergirls in Boise, Idaho, agrees. “Decide what your goal for your experience with roller derby is and make efforts to meet those goals,” she said.

As a case manager at a nonprofit, Raggedy has to balance her full-time career with all the things she loves to do with derby.

She now tries to focus on specific duties or goals related to derby so that she doesn’t feel as though she needs to do it all.

“You don’t want to allow yourself to feel like you aren’t giving 100% to all the important things in your life,” said Cookie of Happy Valley Derby Darlins. She owns two Dream Dinners Franchises, working more than 40-hour weeks, and is married with a 6-year-old. She stays focused by setting goals monthly and managing her day-to-day tasks with her phone calendar.

Gambit, a skater with Happy Valley Derby Darlins, uses productivity apps on her phone to keep track of everything. She is busy as a full-time commissioned artist with project deadlines to keep, and a husband and 2-year-old to spend quality time with.

Staying organized and knowing what she needs to do with family, derby and work helps her remember what’s important.

3. Learn how to set boundaries.

Whether it’s in derby or your outside life, learn to say no. Having too many responsibilities will make you resent the things you are working for, and who wants to resent roller derby?

“If the honest truth is that you can’t do it right now, don’t do it,” Frey said.

But what if you are head of a committee and no one else can do it? According to Frey, if this happens, then the group needs to take a look at what they are building, and if no one has time for it, maybe it’s something that is pushing too far, too fast. The same person shouldn’t do everything every time, Frey said.

She recommends that if there are things that are taking too much time, see if you can opt out of them or work smarter at your tasks.

“I still struggle not to volunteer for most opportunities mostly out of fear that no one else will and one person will be left with

a bunch of work. I force myself to feel confident that others will step up – and they do,” said Raggedy Ann-ihilation.

Another consequence of saying yes all the time is burnout.

Every derby player has felt this at one point or another.

Smack Skellington realized she needed to say she didn’t have time to do certain things for her team. “I was burning out so quickly that I had to stop and think if I want to continue to enjoy this sport I need to make sure I don’t overwhelm myself,” she said.

One thing that derby cuts into is relationship time – with significant others, children, non-derby friends and family. The key to making these people happy is to listen to what they are saying.

“When your child or husband or wife is saying to you ‘really, again?,’ it sounds like a criticism, but they are making a request of you. They are requesting more love,” Frey explained. “Hear what they are saying and realize they really love you.”

This request does not mean to stay home from practice, however. That won’t solve the problem. But figuring out what’s most important right then will help you balance your commitments.

When deciding her schedule, Gambit figures out what’s most important at that moment and is flexible with her commitments and time. She thinks, “Is this game more important than going on a trip with my husband?” she said. “No, we’ve been planning this trip a long time. Is practice tonight more important than getting

this project done? Depends on my current attendance and when the project is due.”

Sometimes your choice to go practice instead of putting your child to bed may not be what he, or your significant other, wants.

But what will make your loved ones more supportive of your time with derby is to spend more intentionally connected time together.

“Make sure the time you spend with the other person really communicates that ‘I do care about you,’” Frey said.

One way to make that time special is to make sure that you are connecting and the person is getting what they need.

“We have time with those people, but sometimes it’s not as intentionally connected as it could be,” Frey said. She suggests instead of going to a movie or watching TV, do something where you are fully focused on that person.

Gambit agrees. “No matter what you decide to do each moment, be present in that moment,” she said. She explained that when she’s hanging out with her son she makes sure her full attention is on him instead of being on the computer or working.

Focusing on what the important people in your life are interested in is another way to let your loved ones know you care.

“I have learned that it is important to spend time talking about or doing things we all enjoy, not just things I enjoy,” Cookie said.

The best thing to do, Frey said, is to pick a time management strategy and stick with it to help you get the most pleasure from derby – and everything else in your life.

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ask me why I’m bald B E T H A N Y TO Z I E R , N E W H A M P S H I R E R O L L E R D E R B Y P H OTO S B Y PA U L E R H A R D T

They call me Irate. On the track, I like to imagine I am some sort of blocking machine; an automaton here to wreck your day.

Off the track, I’m just like everyone else. Well, unless you ask my mother, my nieces, my sister and brother, and especially if you ask my husband. Hell, you can ask some friends and for some reason they keep throwing out a word I cannot seem to grab a hold of: Hero.

I don’t feel like a hero. I feel like same old me, sitting in my home office, listening to bad pop music that went out of style about four years ago while typing this. The difference seems to be right now that I have about a half an inch of hair.

So, who is this plain Jane?

Off the track I am an office professional at an insurance company. I’ve been at my current job for almost a decade now. I like it okay. I get to work in my pajamas – that is the biggest bonus.

On the track I am Irate Pirate; a blocker and tenured skater with New Hampshire Roller Derby (NHRD). I am about to enter into my sixth year as a skater. I fell in love with roller derby because of a friend, the Lyrical Gangstah, who retired as a skater before I could strap my skates on. Still, she put the bug in my ear, and tried to get me to go and check out her league, the Boston Derby Dames. I had all the excuses in the world to not go. It’s so far! I am so broke! Oh, but excuses galore! Then it happened, someone started a league in my backyard. My taxes came in; I bought skates, broke my wrist, healed and started training right away. I like to regale my story of my freshie year to the incoming meats with NHRD. It was certainly a year I will not forget.

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So, that’s me!

Now, onto the big question... “Why, oh why, did you shave your beautiful hair?!”

In March 2013, I was traveling to Rochester, N.Y. to play the ROC B-sides with the Queen City Cherry Bombs. We found out a few weeks prior to the bout that ROC was having a St. Baldrick’s Foundation signature head-shaving event. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity dedicated to raising money to fund lifesaving childhood cancer research.

Well, it sounded pretty great and right away two of our girls, Chuck and Su, signed up. They managed to both meet their fundraising goals and I watched as their hair was shorn for an amazing cause. As I watched, my heart broke with sadness and swelled with pride. It was a super conflicting moment emotionally, but I turned right away to our charity department and said “I want NH to do this. I want to do this.

We need to make this happen.”

So, the question is Why? Why did I want to do this so badly?

First, my husband’s second cousin Ella. Ella is seven years old and was diagnosed with a neurological lymphoma when she was very young. I am not sure her exact diagnosis, all I am sure of is that today she is healthy and vibrant, and her parents live with the continuous fear of a relapse. No parent ever wants to outlive their child.

This is true for the parents of a dear friend, Krista. We (my friends and nerdy community) lost her to her cancer in 2006.

She was almost 25... almost. I often wonder how her cancer was so aggressive and they never could find the ‘parent site.’

How long did she have it and not know? How long was her

body trying to fight? She was just barely getting into living when cancer came and took her away.

Recently NHRD also lost one of our own. We were blessed to have a skater who went by Half Pint O’Rage join our ranks for a while. She was in remission when she joined us. She was in relapse when she retired that same year. She got her first (and only) scrimmage in, and then went back into the ring to fight her fight. We lost her last August... one year before the NHRD St. Baldrick’s event.

So you see, why was never an issue and never crossed my mind. I was going to do this.

I was going to raise money to help get rid of a thing, a terror, that made me sad and angry.

I was going to fight for the kids and parents and friends who just wanted life.

When NHRD announced the St. Baldrick’s event, I signed up right away. I was the first and I was ecstatic. I was very quickly joined by Bash, Su, Chuck, JC, and Mimi. The six of us were united and were going to make this happen.

After bombarding family, friends, and acquaintances through Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and in person for months, the big day came and I surpassed my goal of $1,000. The day I reached my fundraising goal, I admit it, I cried a little. My dear friend September had done it for me. She pushed me over by $1. I immediately emailed her and thanked her in every way I could all the while wiping tears from my eyes.

The day of the shave was like any other bout day at first.

Everyone went to work setting up the arena. We were a go.

That day I decided to just wear my hair down. I never wear my hair down anymore. Looking at some of the pictures now, I never realized how long my hair really was!

I listened to the cheering over where folks were being shaved. I heard the announcers talk about the event; I watched the first bout with my breath held.

And then it was my turn.

I had to, of course, stall. I needed Madame Scurrie to be the

one to shave my head. I refused to even sit up in the chair because damn it... Scurrie got the honors and no one else!

She came running over, I sat, and we began.

Pictures tell a thousand stories from thousands of perspectives. I never knew Scurrie pouted when she made that first pass on my hair. At that moment all I could feel was a sudden coolness. The air was freezing! (It wasn’t really, heck it was late August in New England! It was humid as hell!)

I looked up and there they were, my friends and family were smiling. Before I knew it I held in my hands two braids.

I could not stop laughing.

I reached up and rubbed my head. It felt... AMAZING! I didn’t have much time to revel in the moment, the feeling, of what I had done; my hair was the shortest it has been since I was born. I hugged my husband and family, I ran to hug my mom I took some pictures, and then ran right away to get changed, throw on my skates, and hit the track. I skated hard and at my best, and stayed positive. Nothing could touch me. Heck, I got MVP! It was an amazing, freeing, and fulfilling day. Everything about it was beautiful.

Ever since I have been met with the question, “why?!” and so I tell them; I relay the story of August 24, 2013, I tell them about Ella and Krista. I tell them about another event I help with called “Realms Aid” (who knew a bunch of LARP nerds would donate more than $10,000 over the years?). When people ask if it is a statement I sometimes say, “Yes, a statement that cancer sucks, and I stand with children who suffer.” Sometimes people stare, others smile. If anyone asks, “Why did you shave your head/cut off all your hair?” I love telling the story.

I hope that others step up, and more leagues host St. Baldrick’s events and join in the effort to conquer childhood cancers. This is one of the best events I have ever participated in. I hope NHRD does it again next year.

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international

fresh and the furious tournament B R E N DA N A DA M - Z W E L L I N G , TO R O N TO , O N TA R I O P H OTO S B Y B R E N DA N A DA M - Z W E L L I N G

In a city that started the week waterlogged by flash floods

Les Bûches, an amalgamated team made up of players from

after receiving a month of rain in an afternoon, it seems fitting

leagues across Quebec, dominate the day, going undefeated to

that a weekend’s worth of tournament games would be crammed

hoist the championship trophy. But there are enough Cinderella

into one saturday.

stories here to fill a glass Bont boot: Pulp Affliction, from tiny

This is a different kind of flood: over 200 fresh meat skaters

Orangeville, finishes in fourth place, just behind teams from the

(defined here as having less than a year of experience since

powerhouses of Hammer City and Toronto Roller Derby; The Fergus

passing their minimum skills test) representing 16 teams from

Feims, in their highland kilts and just a year old, beat WFTDA-

25 leagues pouring through the doors of the Ted Reeve Arena

ranked Queen City by 70 points and come close to gatecrashing

in Toronto for a deluge of derby – the fifth edition of The Fresh

the semi-finals; Crow City, representing the rural areas east of

and The Furious, organized by the GTA Rollergirls, on

Windsor, win a game and play two more with a seven-skater bench.

July 13, 2013.

For many skaters this tournament is their first official bout,

It runs with remarkable efficiency; there’s no other option,

and their anxiety is palpable at times. Coaches and captains grab

really, with twenty-seven 20-minute games to get through, plus

shoulders, caress backs and hug bodies on the sidelines, trying to

a half-hour championship bout. New teams hit the tournament’s

keep a lid on the emotions of players undergoing a baptism by fire

twin tracks while the current occupants are still celebrating or

which could last all day if their squad goes to the finals. They come

commiserating, and ref crews filter quietly through the

off the track drenched in sweat and ambition, taking their losses

background. The venue becomes a botanical garden of derby

in stride and their wins with candid elation.

life as skaters prepare and hang out, team colours circulating

To be fresh meat is to volunteer to carry the weight of

and clashing in the sweltering heat. Some set up camp underneath

roller derby on your back, to skate and fight and hurt for a sport

trees on the field outside, like a derby version of Georges Seurat’s

still coming to terms with what it is and where it’s going.

“A Sunday Afternoon on The Island of La Grande Jatte”, looking

It’s a commitment to frustration, long hours and ever-present

for serenity amid this mass initiation into the cult of jamming

danger, with no guarantee of advancement. It’s no ordinary life.

and blocking.

The Fresh and The Furious is no ordinary tournament.

The Fresh and The Furious 2014 takes place on July 12, 2014. Register at fresh.gtarollergirls.com.

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art and media

derby makeup: how to create a killer look G O RY B M OV I E , A P P L E C I T Y R O L L E R D E R B Y

“They’re gonna eat you alive.” That’s what my seven-year-old son said when I started playing roller derby. I would never admit it to my kid, but he had. I’m a mommy. I worked in customer service.

Moreover, with my braces and pigtails, I was the furthest thing from intimidating. I thought about all the skaters I admired, those women who were larger than life. Skaters like Betty Ford Galaxy (BFG) of the Rat City Roller Girls in Seattle, WA. I watched BFG in the documentary Blood on the Flat Track. During interviews, she was poised and polite, but on the track, with her face painted like Ace Frehley from the band Kiss, she was this vibrant, crazy, rock star. “I like it because I like feeling like a superhero,” BFG told me recently. I started playing around with face paint and developing a derby persona of my own. For me, wearing face paint helps to get my head in the game. As Hooky Helraiser of the Snake Pit Derby Dames in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho put it, “wearing my face paint takes all the pressure off the crowd. With my make-up you can’t tell if I’m smiling or not, plus it adds to the intimidation factor, which in roller derby is always a fun add on.” the look Find your inspiration. Inspiration can come from your derby name.

At ACRD’s last two bouts, I painted my face to look like Jason Voorhees, my favorite gory b-movie villain. Skull-faced Hooky Helraiser said of her look, “My derby look has changed so much since the beginning. I used to wear all the socks, fishnets, and regular face make-up. As I got my derby name and began getting a persona to fit me that’s when I started to paint my face and my name Hooky Helraiser is what gave me the idea.”

Inspiration can come from your team. Ameless and Smith N’ Messin of ACRD’s Hydro Elektras paint lightning bolts on their faces to show their Hydro Pride. There is also inspiration found in pop culture – especially music like BFG’s Kiss make up. Few derby girls find their perfect derby look right away; many discover it through experimenting with a few different ideas. When I started, I was inspired by rocker Alice Cooper’s eye makeup and then added fake blood around my mouth to put the gory in Gory B Movie. One of the most talented and versatile derby face painters I’ve seen is Frak Attak of the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls in Denver, Colorado. She said, “My inspiration varies from bout to bout. If it’s

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a themed bout, I try to stick to that theme specifically, such as zombies. But, I often find my inspiration the day of depending on how I feel and what I want to try out. I have a hard time sticking to one look since I enjoy trying every look I can think of. Even then, my looks change as I’m doing them, especially if my initial idea doesn’t work out. It’s a lot about trial and error.” the makeup Roller derby is a sweaty, contact sport. Face painters need high-quality theater make-up to meet the challenge. I wear Mehron Paradise AQ cake makeup in white and Ben Nye MagiCake Aqua Paint in hot pink and black. Cake paints need to be activated by water before application. Instead of water, I use Ben Nye Liquiset, which helps the makeup hold up to sweat and the occasional shoulder to the face. My favorite part of my pre-bout ritual is applying my face paint. I lay out my supplies and play mellow music. It’s an almost meditative experience. “It’s the main way of calming my nerves and helping me to relax,” said Frak Attak. “Doing my makeup requires a lot of precision, so having a steady hand is very important, which means I have to focus on what I’m doing and not worry about anything else going on around me. It helps to clear my head so I can maintain focus on the track.”

Before applying face paint, I wash my face and moisturize. Well-hydrated skin sweats less. I then apply a primer, which smoothes skin and helps makeup to go on evenly and last longer. I use e.l.f.’s Studio Mineral Infused Face Primer. Then I dip a flat brush into the Liquiset and mix it into the cake makeup until I get the right consistency. I make sure to brush any drippy run-off onto an artist’s palette before applying the makeup to my face. “The more liquid you have, the easier brush strokes show up,” said Frak Attak. I take my time and apply a light base coat to start. I let that dry completely while I take care of other pre-bout necessities like making sure I have all my gear in my bag and checking my wheels. Then I apply a second coat once the first layer is dry. It has to be dry or the brush will pull up the existing paint. Applying face paint in layers helps to hide brush strokes and prevents flaking.

Dave Wood Photography

michael barbour/2nd Shooter

JP Portrait Studio

JoeRollerfan.com

Dan Knighten

Once I’ve finished applying the face paint, I set it using Ben Nye’s Final Seal setting spray. The spray has a nice minty scent, which I like. Amytiville of the Classic City Rollergirls in Athens, GA uses Mehron Barrier Spray. She said, “It has done really well thus far, allowing my face to still sweat without making any color run.”

Hooky Helraiser uses a Ben Nye setting power, which I am going to try in addition to the setting spray to give my makeup a matte finish.

During the bout, my makeup holds up very well. My helmet rubs the makeup off my forehead a bit, so I try not to paint to close to my hairline. I also wear a bandana to help absorb sweat.

The other place my makeup wears off is on my lips and around my mouth. Instead of reapplying the cake makeup during a bout, I use lipstick. For my white mask, I wear Virgin by Ka’Oir cosmetics.

JoeRollerfan.com

Ka’Oir makes lipstick in every color from white to black and every color in between, like green, blue, and yellow. After the bout (or the after party), most of my makeup comes off easily with regular facial cleanser. I use Ben Nye’s Hydra Cleanse to remove the stubborn black makeup around my eyes.

Derby face paint may sound like a lot of work, but once you’ve done it a few times the application process doesn’t take long at all. Well-applied face paint also requires very little maintenance. Once I’m at the bout, I don’t stress about my makeup. It feels like it’s a part of me. It’s quite literally my game face and when I wear it, I evolve into an extreme, mean, more confident version of myself. I become my own derby superhero.

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Marko Niemelä

art and media

breakfast with champions H A N N A H J E N N I N G S , D E R B Y N E W S N E T WO R K

For some skaters, meeting Gotham Girls Roller Derby first thing in the morning is their idea of a nightmare, but when three members of the WFTDA #1 team showed up in Dayton, Ohio, for breakfast, it was a dream come true for three adorable derby fans.

Breakfast food Toaster Strudel ran a competition called “Morning Movers”, calling fans to talk about what gets them moving in the morning. For one winning family, an early morning visit from Davey Blockit, Violet Knockout and Bonnie Thunders got three derby-loving kids out of bed and into their first pairs of derby skates.

After chomping down breakfast and popping on skates and gear, Gotham and the three kids had a skating and blocking lesson in the kitchen, not to mention the obligatory photo shoot.

Junior derby lovers and clucky adult skaters be warned – the photos taken contain unhealthy levels of cute.

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YOUR AD HERE! fiveonfive magazine’s classified ads are cheap and even cheaper for derby owned businesses! for more information, email advertising@fiveonfivemag.com

64 | Spring 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com 1. Skater on left is missing 7 from arm. 2. Star is missing from pivot’s jersey.

3. Sticker is missing from center skater’s helmet. 4. Name is missing from #25’s armband.

5. Center skater is missing 1 from jersey. 6. Nail polish color has changed on hand on left.

7. Pinky ring is missing from skater 777.

Jules Doyle

THERE ARE SEVEN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PHOTOS – FIND ‘EM!

derbylife.com derbylife.com rbylife f com m