Head over to Ante Ortus A Novus Lumen Ars for a fine bout report for the recent Glasgow Roller Derby double header featuring GRD's Maiden Grrders against Granite City Roller Girls and the Irn Bruisers up against the mighty Berlin Bombshells.Plus all the usual pictures and video to peruse.
All photographs by Sam Skipsey
Derby names are an important aspect of the sport, especially when you're starting out. How did you choose your name, and how does it reflect your personality on track?
What was your biggest initial difficulty?
Lots of roller girls find it hard not to spread the word about their new sport. How have you been spreading the word?
What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt/ done this month?
What were the most difficult and the best things?
What's new in FVRG this month?
Griz has selected BloodHoney as April's interviewee, so be sure to come back to see what Fierce Valley have been up to in the next few months.
Image courtesy of Central City Roller Girls
Auld Reekie Roller Girls travel down south to take part in a double header presented by Central City Roller Girls on the 10th of march at Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre,Birmingham. First CCR's Slay Belles will play Manchester Roller Derby and then the main event will be the Centrinnians up against ARRG's Twisted Thistles. There is a bit of history between the two teams,but ARRG have always emerged the victors in their bouts so far.Will CCR turn the tide?...should make for a great bout.
Photograph by Aoanla
You can find a bout report for the second of Arrg's Home Season games over at Ante Ortus A Novus Lumen Ars.All the quality reporting,pics and video you have come to expect from Aoanla.
Image courtesy of Team Scotland,original photograph by Dave McAleavy
Glasgow Roller Derby presents Team Scotland in a double header bout on the 17th of March at Kelvin Hall Sports Arena,Argyle Street,Glasgow. Doors open at midday and entry is £8 on the day or £7 in advance. Team Scotland will face a long awaited return match with Team Steve/The Best Of The Rest and against GlasArrg.. unsurprisingly, a team made up from members of of Glasgow Roller Derby and Auld Reekie Roller Girls.
Perhaps just a smidgeon late, it's time for Inverness's Nasty Nessies to make their monthly diary entry. This February, it's Belle Block-H!
What first attracted you to Roller Derby?
I was really attracted to the thought of doing something totally different but getting fit at the same time, and I liked the idea of getting involved in a women's sport that was open to people of all ages, size and ability. Also the promise of a whole new social life!
Derby names are an important aspect of the sport, especially when you're starting out. How did you choose your name, and how does it reflect your personality on track?
I'm a huge fan of Prisoner: Cell Block H (for those that don't know - it was an 80s Australian drama series set in a women's prison) my real name is Isabel and one of my friends suggested Belle Block H as a Derby name (thanks Fi!). I don't think it really reflects my personality as such but it's a nice link to one of my off track quirks.
What was your biggest initial difficulty?
Standing up! with great excitement I laced up my skates for the first time then I realised I had to somehow stand up. I got there though (thanks to my hubby Nick for holding my hand!) and I started moving about slowly. I hadn't been on skates since I was a child so it was somewhat intimidating and It took me quite a long time to get over the fear of falling.
Lots of roller girls find it hard not to spread the word about their new sport. How have you been spreading the word?
My family, friends and colleauges all know that I play Roller derby. Some had never heard of it but everyone has been interested and enthusiastic. My 2 year old son now has his own pair of roller skates that he calls "car shoes" and my niece was gutted that you have to be over 18 - she's 12 and wants to play roller derby (she lives in Aberdeen so maybe a future Granite City Roller girl?!)
What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt/done this month?
It's taken a while but I've managed to really get my speed up due to the fact I can now do much more efficient crossovers. Going to see my first live bout was also a highlight of this month - most of NNRG travelled down to Perth to watch Granite City's Slaughtership Down bout; I have to say they make it look incredibly easy but I know it's actually really tough.
What were the most difficult and best things you’ve done?
The best thing was probably just managing to get back on skates after having to take a couple of weeks out in January as I'd hurt my back (not derby related!) and also skating with my awesome new wheels - they've made such a difference for me. The most difficult part is probably pushing myself really hard to get my speed and endurance up so I can hopefully pass my 25 in 5 in a few weeks - it's really tough to keep going when your thighs are burning but my fitness has definitely improved in the last few months.
What’s new in NNRG?
We've had quite a few girls pass their 25 in 5 this month so everyone is training hard and getting really close to passing their mins which is really exciting - it'll definitely be a big milestone for NNRG. We're also taking on newbies again so anyone interested can come along to one of our Wednesday night sessions to see what it's all about.
Those Wednesday night sessions are advertised on the Nasty Nessies website.
Next (well, this) month's entry will be by Bee-Yatch.
Image courtesy of Glasgow Roller Derby
Glasgow Roller Derby have a double header lined up for their first home bout of the year. Aberdeen's finest,Granite City Roller Girls take on The Maiden Grrders,while The Irn Bruisers tackle The Berlin Bombshells This all takes place on Saturday the 10th of March,at The Arc,Cowcaddens Road,Glasgow.Note that doors open at midday,with the first bout starting thirty minutes later.This is bound to be a busy game,so why not take advantage of a Season Ticket that in addition to getting you into this double header,also gets you entry into the upcoming Glasgow games against Stockholm,Paris and Lincolnshire.
When I was given the assignment to speak to Brim Stone I was so excited. But I knew I had to suppress my inner fangirl to take care of the job at hand. However, I couldn't help but gush a little bit.
Brim, known to her intimates as Kayla Wilkins, skated as part of Team Canada during the 2011 World Cup and also skates for CN Power, the Toronto Roller Derby travel team, and Gore-Gore Rollergirls, Toronto's home team.
Just starting her sixth year in derby, Brim admitted that she had "never understood the appeal of team sports" before giving roller derby a chance, although she did take part in horseback riding when she was younger.
On track, her favoured position is Pivot, and aside from concussion, she has managed to avoid any serious injuries.
Asking someone who has come so far and achieved so much for a list of their derby idols might seem a bit ridiculous, but everyone looks up to someone and Brim was no exception. "Bonnie Thunders and Joy Collision are at the top of my list right now, but I have so many! There are so many great skaters out there."
Making the cut for Team Canada was no easy task. Brim explained that multiple tryouts were held across the country.
"There was a fitness component (push ups, sit ups, agility test, beep test, etc.), a derby skills component, and a mark given for scrimmaging. Coach Pauly made a long-list at each tryout, and then chose a team of 20 from that list."
After surviving the gruelling "audition" process, Brim said she was "shocked" to make the team. "I wanted to make the team so badly, and I was so honoured to be put on the roster to represent my country."
She added: "It [making Team Canada] wasn't always a goal - I wasn't very competitive when I started derby - so it was something that developed over time. I had thought about what an amazing opportunity that would be before the World Cup though, so when it became a possibility I wanted to put everything I had into the tryouts."
And once at the World Cup, Brim Stone was keen to get stuck in, although she didn't get to play against everyone.
"I wanted to play against all of the teams! I really didn't have a lot of knowledge of what the other teams would be like, so I was looking forward to that challenge. I have to admit that I did really want to play against the USA, but I wasn't chosen for that particular roster. That was ok though, in a team sport the team always has to come first to be successful, and sometimes the best thing you can do as a player is to be the best cheerleader for your team! And now I've got a better idea of what skills I need to work on to be a better skater in the future."
Despite her preference for playing Pivot, Brim found herself on track jamming a lot during the competition.
"So, my personal best moment was a jamming moment for sure - I took hip off of my team mate Windigo's shirt, and swung into the inside track, on one leg, and managed to save it and skate out of the front of the pack! It was so fun!"
And cheering her all the way into the final was her support system, which included her parents, who travelled from their home two and a half hours north of Toronto, an aunt and uncle who flew in from Alberta, Brim's derby-playing partner, and some of her team-mates from Toronto Roller Derby.
And what did Brim think that first time she heard the Canadian national anthem played?
"It was great - after 5 years of playing derby, I now associate the national anthem with 'go' time! It was especially important hearing it at an international event."
Following the World Cup, Brim left with a lot of lessons learned, but cites one as the top of the list.
"The most significant was the importance of bringing the international derby community together in one place. Incredible! Every country can learn so much from Team USA - how they operate on and off the track - and I think that will push us all to move the sport forward much faster."
But the competition wasn't just all business, and Brim shared her favourite part of the experience, off-skates.
"For me it was all of the support and encouragement I received from my ToRD league mates. That was what was driving me to do the best that I could do on the track because I wanted to make them proud."
And Brim told me when I asked if she was aiming for total victory at the next World Cup: "Iam always aiming for total victory!!"
Image courtesy of Dublin Roller Girls
The next day,Sunday 4th March,they then bout against The Cork City Firebirds at Little Island Sports Centre in Cork.
Image courtesy of Cork City Firebirds
Photography by Laura MacDonald
Head over to Ante Ortus A Novus Ars to read the bout report for the Fierce Valley Roller Girl's Parma Violents first public bout against Dundee Roller Girl's Silvery Tayzers. For another view of the bout,you can read Rochelle Stewart's bout report over on the Fierce Valley Roller Girls website.This was originally published in The Alloa Advertiser.