Photo credit: Adrian Valenzuela

SKooter Ov’r is one of SVRG’s most versatile skaters and, given her swinging with both the KillaBytes and the Dot.Kamikazes, has likely skated in more SVRG bouts than any other skater this year. Her contributions to both teams throughout the year helped her earn the designation of Skater of the Month.

How did you get into roller derby?

Roller derby found me at the San Jose Grand Prix in 2007, in the form of  Death by Dollface.  She says, “You’re pretty good on your skates. Have you ever thought about roller derby?”  To which I replied flatly, “Nope.”  “Think about it,”  she said and passed along the info. A few days later and several pints into conversation with a dear friend, the idea sounded perfect!  So I lurked out SVRG on MySpace and was soon at the rink watching my first practice.  We did not have boot camp back then; it was sink or swim, do or do not. The second night I hopped on the rink in an old pair of high tops from the 70’s with outdoor wheels ( I skated in those for five months before I bought proper skates)  and in my first pace line ever , Miss Behaved, now known as Juicy K. Tore, comes skating up next to me. All smiles, she asks, “How long have you been skating?”  “Why?” is my natural response, to which she replies, “’Cause I wanna know how hard I can hit ya.”

What kind of skating skills or athletic abilities did you have before starting derby?

Early skating via elementary school field trips, and as an adult I would go pub hopping downtown wearing skates. Other sporty spice included swim team, softball, track, and marching band.

How did you derive your derby name?

All the good names were taken.  After pints with Peter, we decided to derive a name using the same technique that porn stars use to find their names (Ed.’s note: This process entails taking the name of your first pet and the street you grew up on), and thus: Skooter Mallard.  After a few more pints, it was wisely decided that Skooter Ov’r was more appropriate.

I chose the number 76 because my grandfather would refer to me as the Spirit of ’76.

What is your primary position?

Jane-of-all-trades.

What is your greatest strength as a skater?

My greatest strength as a skater is my team.

What is your favorite derby memory?

Blood & Thunder bootcamp (2008 & 2009) with Juicy K. Tore, MisTits, and Feisty Irish, sake plus pedi-cab races equal a purdy good memory.

Reno in  June 2008 was derby magic too. Rooming with Coach Panda & Maker’s Mark.  Watching the look of shock in RoboFlow’s face as she flew backwards into a crowd after I c-blocked her. A skate stole a purse. A pinky promise to stay till the end and then being rewarded $500 by the Wheel of Fortune: “I won! I won!  Buffet for everyone!!” and a road trip to boot. That was deeerrrbby-licious.

And being awarded MVP by Santa Cruz, even after being ejected (Ed.’s note: for racking up too many penalties) in August 2009.  However, all the time spent with my teammates is continuous derby awesomeness.

Photo credit: Adrian Valenzuela

Who are your favorite derby skaters, and why?

Goodie Two-Skates: ‘nough said.

Demanda Riot:  Versatile, effective. Best bout-fit ever!

Pandamonium & Pia Mess:  They raised the bar.

What team would you want to challenge in your “dream bout”?

Ireland.  If they can ever get their shite together!

Who’s your biggest fan?

My mom, DUH.

What’s your favorite thing about SVRG?

To say it is the anti-sorority sorority would be cliché. It’s the magic of having 60-70 women from all walks of life. We’re a sisterhood on skates.

What do you enjoy most about derby life *off* the rink?

Is their such a thing as derby life “off the rink”?  Who wrote this question?

I’ve forgotten where the track ends and where I begin.  I mean that literally…I’m always  out of bounds.

How do you spend the non-derby part of your life?

Sushi Slinger, Slumlord, Knuckle Provider, general Knit-tasticness, Bike Party Lover, Dubliner, World Traveler…I have left my mark all Ov’r the world and on many things; however, they have left their tag on me.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give women interested in playing roller derby?

Don’t be shy.

Photo credit: Adrian Valenzuela

KillaByte co-captain, Dot.Kamikaze, and recently elected SVRG General Manager Steffen Razor knew she had knee surgery on the horizon, so she squeezed in one last skate at the Red Red Holiday tournament (where her team, Orange, came in 3rd) and then hopped on the surgical table four days later.

According to the doc, Stef’s knee problems preceded her derby involvement, but given the stress that derby puts on the knees, her sporting didn’t help. Essentially, her cartilage ended up with the consistency of sauerkraut, leading to fluid retention and stiffness in the knee. You can read the details about her injury and procedure at Rantin’ Razor.

In the meantime, send your well wishes and thoughts. Heal fast, Razor! Can’t wait to see you back on skates next season!

On our recent venture to San Diego, some of us KillaBytes headed to Ocean Beach to frolic in the sand (and seaweed). From left, Satan’s Kitten, Retox Fox, Bitch Puddin’, and Belle Wringer pose in front of the seaweed SVRG that Kitten and Belle sculpted in the sand. Afterwards, our art was viciously attacked by rabid seagulls, who later stalked us for our delicious Hodad’s burgers. Yeah, I’d like to see you come after us on skates, mofos!

Image credit: City of San Jose website

The Silicon Valley Roller Girls would like to thank the City of San Jose and Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio for a $250 grant. This covers two hours of rink time, or one practice. We appreciate the city and Councilmember Oliverio’s commitment to supporting amateur women’s athletics and providing the community with an alternative for sports spectatorship. As a nonprofit organization, we struggle to cover our expenses and every contribution helps to keep us on skates. Thank you!

The Silicon Valley Roller Girls’ season officially ended at the November bout, but we’ve still been workin’ it out and taking any derby opportunity that rolls our way. This weekend SVRG members made appearances at Red Red Holiday, a mixed scrimmage hosted by Sac City, and a scrap team (translation: anyone who had the time & money to travel) meandered down to face some of the San Diego Derby Dolls.

Red Red was particularly exciting this year because we got to send a lot of our new blood for some scrimmage experience. In addition to SVRG vets Steffen Razor (Team Orange) and MisTits (Dark Green), five of our interns got their first taste of bouting: Bozo Disposo (Dark Blue), Cannonball Iztik (Black), Absolutely Scabulous (Red), Blanca Basura Barbie (Pink) and Catherine Beata Bones (Light Green). The ladies had a wonderful time, and three were on the top teams. Barbie’s team, Pink (too appropriate!), took first place, MisTits’s Dark Green took second, and Steffen’s Orange took third. Congratulations!

In the meantime, a bunch of scrappers were bouting in San Diego. There was a question of whether the bout would even take place, because the roof at the Del Mar Fairgrounds was leaking in several places above the concrete track. Thing is, you can’t just tell derby girls there’s no derby. After consulting both teams, SDDD’s Bonnie D. Stroir declared that the game would go on, with some brave volunteers actively toweling the wet spots on the floor.

Because SVRG couldn’t field a whole team, we were grateful for the assistance of a couple of Central Coast Roller Derby ladies, Ivanator and Lacy Thunderware, to help fill our roster. Ivana joined Pia Mess, Death by Dollface, CynTax, and Betta Watchit (in her bout debut)  in the jamming rotation, while Rot Wheels, Kimfectious, Lizapalooza, Belle Wringer, Satan’s Kitten, Bitch Puddin’, Retox Fox, and BootyVicious performed blocker duties. Refs Texas Tea Bag and All Nate Long made the trip with the team, and the most honorable Aim De Kill tackled lineups for the group since her knee injury kept her off the track.

The game was a close one, with SVRG up by only ten points at half time. The tide turned in the second half, however, when SVRG often had more players in the penalty box than on the track. On numerous occasions SVRG was plagued by confusion, because a skater would get sent to the box only to find it chock full of her teammates, at which point she would have to return to the track until she was sent back. Before the midpoint of the second half, SVRG was down two skaters as both Ivanator and Lacy Thunderware had been ejected. SDDD wisely used their perpetual blocker advantage; having more blockers on the floor for nearly every jam allowed them to play woman-on-woman defense and keep one blocker solely on the SVRG jammer, limiting SVRG’s scoring. SDDD also made the most of a couple of power jams when SVRG had their jammer in the box. Gradually, they inched closer and closer, finally securing the lead in the last three jams of the night. SDDD defeated the SVRG scrappers, 97-82. One of our photographers, Adrian Valenzuela, made the trip down with us and you can see a couple of his shots here. You can also check out other pics from the game here.

But the derby wasn’t over for the weekend. SDDD graciously hosted us at their amazing warehouse the next day so some of us could skate on a banked track for the first time. As Satan’s Kitten noted, we were all “SVRG green with envy” about the team’s space, which had room for a banked track, a regular track, workout equipment, lounging area, kids’ play area, and plenty of storage. Some of our previous night’s opponents, Bully Julie and Lila Monster, were there to give us some lessons on how to maximize our speed, hit legally, and take hits on the rail. Despite getting a serious workout the night before, we were all super psyched for the opportunity to skate on the banked track. THANK YOU SDDD and especially Julie and Lila for letting us come skate! You all are awesome!

L: SVRG hearts SDDD! On couch, Lila Monster, Bitch Puddin', Retox Fox, and Satan's Kitten; standing, Bully Julie and Belle Wringer. R: Belle, Kitten, Kimfectious, and Fox on the banked track.

L: Kimfectious and Betta Watchit on the rails. R: Kitten roars on the track.

Of course, that’s not enough derby for some of us. Some of the girls who had skated this weekend (Steffen, Dollface, Disposo, Belle, Fox, and Kimfectious) joined their teammates in welcoming some of the Santa Cruz Derby Girls for a mixed scrimmage last night. Lulu Lockjaw, Hell Louise, Pippi Hardsocking, Roxy Scarmichael, and CinZilla came out to skate with us and it was a fun evening for all. Thanks to all the refs and NSOs who made it possible, and a personal thanks to Broken Baby Doll, Panda, and the rest of the crew who came to my aid after my injury. Congratulations to Team Girth (Pandamonium, Hell Louise, Smack Dahlia, Lindsay Lohanded, Beth Sentence, Donna Diggler, Steffen, Fox, and Knuckles) who defeated Team White (Lulu, Dollface, Pippi, Roxy, CinZilla, Belle, Kimfectious, Smash ‘n’ Burn, and Disposo). Thanks to Jim Cottingham, who came out to photograph us (pics here), and a big thanks to SCDG for coming to visit!

Photo credit: Jim Cottingham

SVRG President Death by Dollface and Coach Pandamonium are featured in an article on startup roller derby leagues in the WFTDA magazine, Five on Five. Check it out!

Aim takes a farewell lap at her last home bout this November. Photo credit: Boss Hogg

As the Captain of the KillaBytes, Aim De Kill set a gold standard. Our “Mama Byte” was a knowledgeable, supportive force on the track for the KillaBytes and when she skated with the Dot.Kamikazes. She pivoted with grace, and no matter how tough things got, she was there to offer an encouraging word–or pick off a blocker for you. Aim announced her retirement at our last home bout this November, but thankfully she will be sticking around to help coach our new recruits.

This is Aim’s second Skater of the Month award. That’s just how awesome she is. This time, I decided to give her the floor, so here is what she had to say:

Thank you for selecting me as Skater of the Month for a second time in two years. It’s been my honor to skate with SVRG for the last two seasons and to serve as KillaBytes Captain in 2009. I love my league and I’ll miss bouting with you!

Aim, we will miss you too!

Aim sent this photo to me labeled as a "TIGHT ASS PACK," presumably talking about the beauty of strategy executed here, but also perhaps a comment on our fabulous bums. Photo credit: Nocklebeast

The Silicon Valley Roller Girls are thankful for our families, friends, sponsors, fans, and supporters. We are thankful for our hardworking zebra crew. We are thankful for our sister teams and competitors. We are thankful for having such an amazing season. We are thankful for the sport of roller derby.

And we are thankful for having each other. Everyone should be so lucky as to have such a close and supportive group of friends/teammates.

Happy turkey!

SVRG closed out a stellar season with double wins as the KillaBytes defeated the Brentwood Undead Bettys 155-104 and the Dot.Kamikazes beat the Humboldt Redwood Rollers 159-63.

The KillaBytes, who hadn’t played a home game since May, brought in the crowds for their second home bout during the 2009 season. Considering their last bout was in August, the team was reared up and ready to take on Brentwood’s Undead Bettys last Saturday.

Although the Killas and the Bettys had not yet faced off, some of the Killas had skated with the Bettys earlier in the season against the Santa Cruz Harbor Hellcats. In the spirit of sharing, some of the Santa Cruz women helped the Bettys fill out their roster for this bout. Don’t let the numbers fool, you, though; although the Bettys may have trouble fielding 14 of their own for an away bout, they have a strong core of skaters and the Killas knew they would be tough opponents.

Given the Bettys’ lineup of brutal blockers, including Lisafer, Luna Tix, and Cemetery Mary, the Killas’ theme for the night seemed to be “Help Your Jammer Out.”  After a close first half, the Killas had crept ahead of the Bettys, 76 to 61. The KillaBytes continued to employ a number of strategies that ensured that their jammers would get the support they needed to make it through the pack efficiently and put points on the board.

Left: Dirty Thirty and Texas ChanaSaw Massacre wall up. Right: Belle Wringer, Retox Fox, and Aim De Kill pin some Bettys to clear a route for Postal Servix (Photo credits: Nocklebeast).

These strategies resulted in several high-scoring, grand-slamming jams. Zootown Throwdown, who was named the KillaBytes’ MVP by the Bettys, threw down 84 points in 11 jams, including a 20-point jam in the second half. Postal Servix toed the line 12 times, bringing home 47 points, including a 15-point jam—a remarkable feat considering the fact that a) she had to roll right in to skate for the Dot.Kamikazes in the next bout;  and b) she skated through foot pain, and after the bout she discovered she had a fracture in her foot. (Servix is now in a walking cast and out for the remainder of the season.) CynTax skated in eight jams, putting 24 points on the board. Juicy K. Tore, who also skated with the Dot.Kamz, filled out the jammer rotation.

Top left: Belle Wringer clears the line for Zootown Throwdown (Photo credit: Nocklebeast); top right: Juicy K. Tore gives Postal Servix a helping hand (Boss Hogg). Bottom left: Retox Fox contains so CynTax clear the pack (Nocklebeast); Bottom right: Captain Aim De Kill whips Zoo to the front (Nocklebeast).

The indomitable Aim De Kill, Steffen Razor, and Double Knuckles DeVille managed the pack at pivot. Belle Wringer and Satan’s Kitten both made impressive outings in their second official bout for the Killas. Mauly Anna, Retox Fox, and Dirty Thirty also worked the pack. ChanaSaw Massacre returned to the rink with her signature snowplow after a long season of injury, including a broken hand and back issues. Sadie Mae Gutz  made the comeback of the season, playing in her first bout since giving birth to a baby girl (named, yes, Sadie) less than a month ago. Don’t tell me derby girls don’t LOVE LOVE LOVE this sport, folks: that is some serious commitment.

KillaByte Captain Aim De Kill announced her retirement.

And speaking of someone who has some serious LOVE LOVE LOVE for this sport, the KillaByte captain, Aim DeKill, announced her retirement  at the bout. Although she will not be skating next season, she will be taking an active role as a coach, helping our new class of bootcampers in the spring. All of the Silicon Valley Roller Girls want to thank Aim, our Mama Byte, for being such a remarkable and compassionate skater and friend. She truly embodies all that is the SVRG spirit.

Unfortunately, as is the way with derby, your reporter had to work during the Dot.Kamikazes bout, so my observations are here and there. Check out our announcer Killer Vee’s writeup here and her KillaBytes writeup here.

From what I could see, the Humboldt Redwood Rollers looked like a very coordinated and agile team. In the end, however, they were no match for the Dot.Kamikaze defense and power jamming. The stats show that, aside from Sissy Jr. scoring 13 points in the second jam, the Dot.Kamikaze pack prevented Humboldt’s jammers from ever making more than one scoring pass in a given jam. The Dot.Kam jammers frequently managed more than one scoring pass through the pack and often grand-slammed Humboldt. Pia Mess thrilled the crowd as she closed out the game with a 25 (arguably 30, as she was shooting through the pack as the whistle blew) point jam.

Here are some shots from the game:

Left: SKooter Ov'r eyes a Roller, while Lizapalooza takes out two blockers and the jammer singlehandedly, clearing the way for Dollface (Nocklebeast). Middle: MisTits makes a Roller into a Flyer. Right: Donna Diggler and Lindsay Lohanded pick off the Humboldt jammer.

Left: Smash 'n' Burn deftly stays in bounds. Middle: Smack Dahlia provides her own D. Right: Death by Dollface gets a monster whip from Pia Mess. (All photos: Boss Hogg).

Our next home bout is Saturday, November 14, at San Jose Skate, 397 Blossom Hill Road, and you are in for a treat: it’s a doubleheader, so you will get to see both the Dot.Kamikazes AND the KillaBytes battle against Humboldt Roller Derby and the Undead Bettys, respectively. As always, there will be a raffle, beer garden, concessions, vendors, and half-time entertainment. We plan on ending the season with a bang!

Not only are you getting two bouts for the price of one, but we are also having a recession sale: tickets are only $10 in advance (kids: $5) or $15 at the door (kids: $7).What a bargain! Ten bucks for an entire night of DERBY! A portion of the proceeds from this bout will benefit Sacred Heart Community Service, a local organization that helps families and seeks to alleviate poverty in the South Bay.

Tickets are available online at Brown Paper Tickets or pick up paper copies at the locations below.  Get yours now!

Jack’s Bar & Lounge
167 E Taylor St
San Jose

Ohana Board Shop
3567 Stevens Creek Blvd
San Jose

Psycho Donuts
2006 Winchester Blvd # C
Campbell

San Jose Skate
397 Blossom Hill Road
San Jose

Streetlight Records (San Jose location only)
980 South Bascom Avenue
San Jose
You can read some preliminary scoop on the bout here at Killer Vee’s blog.