Image courtesy of Granite City Roller Girls

Granite City Roller Girls in conjunction with Breakneck Comedy present a comedy night featuring Paul Pirie.Pirie has been described as "…a most impressive physical comedian…" by Chortle and as "a class act" by The Herald.He was also Scottish Comedian Of The Year,Runner Up in 2006 and been well received at the Edinburgh Festival. Tickets are £10 and are available from any GCRG skater or here. The fundraiser event takes place on Friday the 7th of September,at The Carmelite Hotel,Aberdeen.Doors open at 8pm with the show getting under way at 8:30pm

Image courtesy of Auld Reekie Roller Girls

Auld Reekie Roller Girls have released ticket prices and details on their upcoming boot camp, the School Of ARRG Knocks on Saturday the 6th of October.

The day will feature... two tracks running sessions for different levels with coaches from Auld Reekie Roller Girls' All Star Travel Team. off skates strategy, skate maintenance, fitness and league structure sessions. a day-long referee bootcamp with WFTDA certified official and Head Referee of Leeds Roller Dolls, Boris Snarloff. a graduation scrimmage. an amazing not-to-be-missed afterparty.

Limited tickets are available here and prices are as follows: Skater Ticket (Minimums passed skater)£35.00
Referee Ticket £25.00 Off Skates Referee/NSO Ticket £10.00 Off Skates Skater Ticket £10.00

Image courtesy of Glasgow Roller Derby

Glasgow Roller Derby's Irn Bruisers host a bout against Belgium's first Roller Derby league,Go-Go Gent Roller Girls at The Arc,Cowcaddens Road,Glasgow on the 8th of September. Doors open at 1:30pm with the bout kicking off at 2:00pm,entry is £5,tickets are available in advance. Please note that this bout replaces the previously advertised one against the Lincolnshire Bombers,but season tickets are still valid.

Delayed only slightly by pretty much the entirety of the Scottish Roller Derby blog contributors attending Chaos on the Clyde, here's August's Monthly Diary Entry from the Nasty Nessies: Azeroth's finest, Kazziklysm!

Kazziklysm Skates On!

What first attracted you to Roller Derby?

A few of my friends had started training with the Nasty Nessies, and were talking about it on a night out. They badgered me to come along, so I gave in, and haven't looked back!

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 spent ages trying to think of something, and I asked loads of my friends for ideas. A good friend of mine suggested I use a play on words to incorporate my love of World of Warcraft, and the expansion pack Cataclysm, so I became Kazziklysm. I think it reflects the fact that im a destructive force on the track, that and when you know the story it shows I'm just a big geek at heart!

What was your biggest initial difficulty?

My biggest difficulty to begin with was my weight and general fitness level. At 17st and a size 22 i hadn't exercised in a very long time, but Derby is so much fun that I kept at it, and I'm now fitter than I have ever been (not to mention 2 st lighter)!

Lots of roller girls find it hard not to spread the word about their new sport. How have you been spreading the word?

I find it so hard not to speak about derby 24/7, it's like an odd compulsion. My Facebook is literally full of derby posts and I love telling people who have never heard about it before what the sport is all about. I've pestered all of my friends to join up, and working for the local newspapers, they've have been great popping in articles and pictures for me about the Nasty Nessies, raising our profile throughout the Highlands.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt/ done this month?

This month has been a biggy for me: on the 23rd July I managed to complete my 25 in 5 (finally!) and pass my mins. We had a fantastic training session with [Glasgow Roller Derby's] Viper, who taught us so many new skills, drills and ways to improve our play.

What were the most difficult and the best things?

The most difficult thing was definately the 25 in 5. For a couple of months I had been getting closer and closer, and it was gutting to miss out just by a few seconds but the feeling of sheer elation and relief when I finally managed it was worth all of the failures. I can't pick one best thing, there are so many, but the team banter is right up there, and my lovely derby wife Desperate Measures, who makes me go to practice even on the odd occasion that i wanna be lazy and stay home!

What's new for the Nessies this month?

We're putting into practice a lot of the drills and skills Viper taught us, improving our game so hopefully we will be ready to skrim in the near future :D

Kazziklysm has nominated Schneck Breaker as the Nessies' diarist for next month, so come back then to see what she has to say!

Auld Reekie Roller Girls proudly present a screening of the film Derby Baby at The Three Sisters,Cowgate,Edinburgh on Thursday 13th of September. Tickets are available in advance at a cost of £7 and the screening will be followed by an ARRG afterparty, Emmy-winning filmmakers Robin Bond and Dave Wruck take viewers along on their quest to learn why women’s flat track roller derby is the fastest growing sport in the world. Derby, Baby! explores the drama, the friendships, and the addictive nature of women’s flat-track roller derby. Featuring interviews with the stars, fans, critics, promoters, and sociologists who discuss derby’s organic growth as a unique athletic expression of women’s empowerment, and the “tipping point” that is close at hand.

You may have already seen Raven Psycho from Into the Nitemare selling roller derby clothing at bouts all over the country; she now has some exciting news to share with us!

Tell us about Into the Nitemare: who are you, where do you come from, and what do you do?

Into the Nitemare started out as the clothing side of our bookshop and has become its own entity very quickly. We've got the best job ever! We travel the UK watching bouts and taking our gear to skaters, officials and fans, it's awesome. We're a family business consisting of myself, Pete and the smalls Calum, Dominic and Jenna, you'll see a combination of us somewhere at a bout on Saturdays!

How did you got involved with Roller Derby, and what made you decide you wanted to do more than just take part in the sport?

Two skaters with FVRG, Monkey Wench and Chaos Faerie joined the book club I'd started and found myself roped into Fresh Meat but due to work commitments I found it really difficult to keep up. So this s my 3rd attempt, but from that first day on skates, I, like most other girls who skate, was completely hooked! The business came about by accident really. We'd started doing the Roller Derby hoodies and then were invited to have a stall at a fundraiser for DRG and we've been at a bout every weekend since. People then asked if we'd be expanding in to skate kit. And we've never looked back.

Your business has recently evolved from selling Roller Derby clothing, to selling equipment  – how did that decision come about?

People asked us when we were organising travelling if we could bring, pads, wheels and other small bits n pieces like bearings and toe stops. We'd looked into going into partnership with another company but it never came to fruition so we made the move to become official suppliers ourselves. Since then it's just expanded to the point we’re we are now.

We've seen your stall at Roller Derby bouts all over the UK for months – what made you decide to open a physical shop, and why Falkirk?

We love to travel and meeting new people and to be honest you can't get in the house for stuff! Plus when people see that you've got a physical place they can visit they have more confidence buying from you. That and people have the opportunity to come and see us for a change..We chose Falkirk because my team, FVRG, is based in the Forth Valley area and I live here so it made sense. And the FVRG deserve a local store.

Raven Psycho at Block and Roll All Nite in Belfast

When is the grand opening of Into the Nitemare's store? The Grand Opening will be the first week in September. Fiercey's, Keep an eye on your inbox and our Facebook Page for an invite to the opening party!

There are very few dedicated Roller Derby stores in the UK – has that posed many challenges for you in the initial setting up phase?  Unfortunately Derby isn't a mainstream activity yet and the biggest issue we've had is sourcing the UK distributor, as most of the kit is manufactured in the US, but most people are pretty helpful throughout the community and have given us loads of advice and support. We've found one excellent supplier and we're now in talks with others to assist in expanding our range of accessories and wheels. The biggest issue we find is that some shops have a derby section or can get derby kit, the biggest issue with this, we've found, is that they don't have the experience of taking part to advise correctly. However, when you do find a skater run store you can be assured that they have the best interests of the skater at heart.

What do you think makes you stand out from these other stores?

We travel. That's the biggest difference, people don't just see a website, Facebook page or flyer – they see us. They've met us or are going to meet us, again, gives them confidence in the name. We're also pretty prolific on Facebook too, so a lot of people know 'Into the Nitemare' and then get to put a face to the company, makes such a difference. Loads of people approach us at bouts saying 'Ah, so you're Into the Nitemare...' they've seen the brand and now get to meet the family behind it.

How do you decide what clothing lines and equipment to sell, and from which brands?

We like stuff to be a wee bit different and we end to choose stuff we would wear ourselves, and if it's a small or independent company, even better. That's how we hooked up with Ralph and Nadia at Queens of The Sin Bin, by Derby, for Derby. Our Darkside range started out as our main brand in the book shop and when we came across their Roller Derby range it was hard to resist. At this point we are developing our own Nitemare clothing line with designs coming from our own local tattoo artist, a derby tattooist from Leicester and the final designs coming from Roller Grrrls L'il Rollers line.

Kit wise we stock Sure Grip, Green  Monster, Smith, Bullett, 187, Rollerbones, Reckless, Roces, and Antik to name a few with more brands on the way too. We're really excited to have the new Sure Grip Zombie wheels in stock and the new Envy arriving hot on its heels.

Roller derby equipment can be very confusing because there is so much choice and a lot of decisions come down to skater preference – do you agree that in this respect, your store has a lot of benefits over online stores since you can talk to your customers face-to-face?

Definitely, face to face in any situation makes a difference. One thing we've come across again and again is pad size issues, you can always send them back but that takes ages and we all know derby girls have no patience. So with us, you can try the pads for size, see the quality of the tee shirts, have a squidge of the wheels.

We give as much advice as we can but don't profess to know everything and we'd rather look into something than sell you something that doesn't suit. We love hearing about a great wheel set up or which plates you've fallen in love with but, as you say a lot is personal preference, so if you fancy the new zombies or want to try a set of Witch Doctors, ask your team mates if you can borrow theirs before making a decision.

What does the future hold for Into the Nitemare?

The future for Nitemare is looking bright. With Roller Derby in the UK still in its infancy and growing in popularity and participants month on month we're hoping to be here for the distance.

We'll still be travelling the UK so check out our website to see if we're coming to your local team! We've got a few Scottish bouts lined up for the rest of the year and will be shouting on the Fierceys in November.

So if you're ever passing by Falkirk, drop in to say Hi, 'like' us on Facebook or check out our website.

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate to sit down with Cheap Skate, aka Ellie Harrison, a Glasgow Roller Derby skater who has undertaken the task of establishing a UK roller derby museum, with the aim of archiving as much about the sport as possible.

Cheap Skate started skating with GRD in January and instantly became hooked. But for her it was more than just skating.

"It came about as a result of learning about roller derby and as a result of being asked to work with the Women's Library, which has been going for 20 years and is currently based in the Mitchell Library. It's an archive of women's history or things that relate to the history of women. Everything in the library has been donated, so the entire collection is based on this ethos of collective ownership - if everyone donates, everyone feels a part of it."

The library, one of two archives dedicated to women's history in the UK, is continuing to thrive and will be moving into its own venue later this year.

For the 20th anniversary, Cheap Skate was one of 20 artists invited to work with them, and during her work there, she noticed how much amazing stuff was there.

"I started to question why people weren't going there," she explained, "and what I could do to help spread the word and make it more inviting to younger women.

"All of that was happening at the same time as I was learning about roller derby."

Noticing the similaries between the library's collective ownership ethos and derby's "by the skaters, for the skaters" mentality, she realised that it would be a good fit together.

"I also realised that because it is a new sport, and the people who are doing it are so busy doing it, there is no-one making sure this story is told.

Mistress Malicious, one of the founders, recently officially opened the museum in the library.

From bout programmes to merchandise, there is a lot of items being created that run the risk of being lost in the backs of drawers or as committees evolve over the years.

"The good thing about the library is that it's an accredited museum and is open to the public."

She added: "Since I've started talking to people about this, I've learned that there's so many people who are archivists or librarians, so that's been a great help."

Cheap Skate said she wanted every league in Scotland, if not the whole of the UK to be represented in the museum, and in an exhibition they are running from the 22nd of September to the 13th of October, called the "Revolution on Roller Skates", curated by GRD and ARRG skaters.

"It's only really going to grow and realise its potential if people donate and keep it going.

"Anything relating to leagues in the UK, we want."

The museum will have a stall at Chaos on the Clyde in Kelvinhall on the 25th and 26th of August, where skaters and league members can chat to people from the library and possibly be interviewed and photographed as part of the archive.

Ultimately, Cheap Skate admitted that she would like to see the museum live up to its name, and become the National Museum of Roller Derby, which chronicles all of the UK derby scene.

"I hope that the collection will build and build, and leagues will get used to it being there and want to become a part of the documented history of UK roller derby. It will become valuable for the UK, for Scotland and for the women's library. The collection could then travel and create awareness for the sport and have a life of its own."

Any leagues interested in being a part of the museum - and really, why would you not? - can visit http://www.nmrd.org.uk for more details. The museum also has a Facebook page.

Back to a normal schedule this month, Fierce Valley Roller Girls bring you their latest diary entry, from the tiny but not at all shambling Zombette!

Zombette, by Claire "Chaos Faerie" Brunton

What first attracted you to Roller Derby?

The excuse to put on skates again for the first time in 15 years attracted me to Roller Derby. I was encouraged to come along to a training session by a friend who’d recently taken it up. After a few wobbly laps, my 5-year-old skatey memories began to trickle back and I managed to make it through the session without falling. I have never made it through another training session without falling since!!!

Who are your derby heroes?

I always try to live by Maggie Mayhem’s advice and “be my own hero”, although it is hard when you know your own weaknesses so well. I’m really inspired skaters like Bonnie D Stroir, Re-AnimateHer and Bonnie Thunders who are at the top of their game and are amazingly talented derby skaters. They show you where hard work and time can take you.

 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?

Being terrible at making decisions, I found it a bit of a task to pick a derby name. I love old zombie movies, so I knew I wanted a zombie theme name. Also, often being the smallest person in company, I thought Zombette would fit. Zombette doesn’t really have a huge personality in track, but she likes to take advantage of that fact when jamming. Slipping through unnoticed, trying not to grab a snack on someone’s arm on the way. I am hoping that as time passes and my confidence grows, so will the persona of Zombette.

What was your biggest initial difficulty?

I am my own worst critic, so my biggest difficulty was, and still is at times, letting myself off with making mistakes. If I took too long to learn something, or I messed up a Jam, I would give myself a really hard time about it. I’m getting better at dealing with it now. I try to highlight at least one success for every mistake and take life one jam at a time.

 Lots of roller girls find it hard not to spread the word about their new sport. How have you been spreading the word?

With roller derby being a growing sport, more and more people are hearing about it. I usually find all I have to do is explain the rules, and insist it is nothing like roller ball. I’ve Invited people along to bouts to “spread the word” and everyone has come away loving it. I think there’s a few misconceptions surrounding roller derby, but the best way to experience it is to see it ... then play it!!

What’s the most important thing you’ve learnt/ done this month?

I had taken a bit of a derby holiday, following our intra league bout last month. The plan was to take a month out; away from derby to focus on all the things I used to do before I started skating. I lasted one week before I had bought Lead Jammer magazine and was watching bout clips on you tube and two weeks before I had my skates on again. I have learned that roller derby has become more of a significant part of my life than I had realised, which has be a really nice discovery.

What's new for the Fierce Valley this month?

Mins!! A lot of our skaters have bee re sitting their yearly mins tests and it’s my turn this month. Hope I pass again!!

Don't worry, it is actually August. Still, because they won't be dictated to by anyone, especially dead Romans, the Nasty Nessies are having their Monthly Diary for July right now. This month it's Desperate Measures telling us all about herself.

Desperate Measures!

What first attracted you to Roller Derby?

The thing that attracted me to derby was my sister: she was part of NNRG but now she is in Glasgow. When she started, she kept going on about it but I was only 17 at the time, so I could not join at that point. After, when I turned 18, my sister dragged me along and I just fell in love with the sport; everyone was so nice that just kept me going until now I can't even miss a session without hating the fact I can't go!

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?

Image courtesy of GRD

Glasgow Roller Derby proudly present Chaos On The Clyde,a two day tournament featuring six top teams from around the UK and Europe.In addition to the hosts,you can see the Leeds Roller Dolls,the London Rockin' Rollers,Sheffield Steel Rollergirls,Auld Reekie Roller Girls and last but by no means least,the mighty Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz. The action takes place at the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena on the 25th and 26th of August,tickets are £10 per day or £15 for both days,tickets can be bought in advance,here,additionally there will also be a vendor village, catering and a licensed bar on site.

Tournament Schedule

Saturday 25 August 2012

09:30 DOORS OPEN 10:00 London Rockin' Rollers v Glasgow Roller Derby 11:30 Leeds Roller Dolls v Auld Reekie Roller Girls 13:00 London Rockin' Rollers v Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz 14:30 Leeds Roller Dolls v Sheffield Steel Roller Girls 17:00 Venue closes

Sunday 26 August 2012

09:30 DOORS OPEN 10:00 Glasgow Roller Derby v Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz 11:30 Auld Reekie Roller Girls v Sheffield Steel Roller Girls 13:30 5th place play-off 15:30 3rd place play-off 17:00 Tournament Final