Skater of the Month: Teddy Wreck-Spin

Skater of the Month: Teddy Wreck-Spin

How did you get into roller derby?

I was originally asked to announce for SVRG. I saw how much fun everyone was having on skates so I decided to join in.

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

I played a little bit of football and baseball when I was a kid. I rollerbladed when it was really cool. My whole family is very athletic, it was time I joined the party.

How did you derive your derby name?

“Teddy Ruxpin” was the creepy talking bear from the ’80s. Someone else thought of it for me and I took it. I’m horrible at that sort of thing.

What is your primary ref job?

I love to jam ref. Front inside pack is also a favorite of mine. I love skating backwards.

What position would you choose to play if you played roller derby, and what would you be known for on the track?

I think I would do best as a pivot. I’d be best known for ruining your day.

What is your greatest strength as a ref? What do you contribute most?

I’m pretty capable of skating all ref positions. I like to be able to show up to a bout and have many options to be able to help out.

What has been your greatest experience on the rink?

I’ve met so many amazing and beautiful people through derby, the SVRG zebras/skaters are the best. In the 2 seasons I’ve reffed derby I’ve also lost almost 70lbs. Derby has changed my life. I don’t like to think about what I would do without it.

What was your worst injury?

I fell on my skate once and got a wheel up the butt. Sitting down was tough for about a week. Luckily, that’s the worst I’ve been hurt.

What do you contribute to SVRG *off* the track?

I recently took over as head of PR/Marketing for SVRG. It’s been great to work with these girls in such a capacity. SVRG has done a lot for me and I like to give back.

How do you spend the non-derby part of your life? What other hobbies and interests do you have?

I work in radio.  I also have my own podcast, teddyandchris.com.

What’s the one piece of advice you would give other men who are interested in being a referee?

Being a skating ref is 80% game/rules knowledge and 20% skating. If you know how to skate that’s awesome, but you need to know the game. I like it when a skater approaches me before or after a game and says, “I’m so glad you’re here.” It’s the best feeling.

Thank you for making the SVRG Red Cross blood drive a success!

Aim De Kill gives her heart and soul to derby and her blood to the Red Cross.

The Silicon Valley Roller Girls had a huge turnout at this past
Saturday’s Red Cross Blood Drive with 28 completed blood donations.
There were so many additional donors available that some walk-ins
weren’t able to be taken in and had to be booked for other blood
drives. Staff from the Red Cross said it was the biggest turnout the
donation bus had ever seen!

SVRG wants to thank everyone who participated in the event to help
save lives, especially our donors and staff who helped to keep the
event running smoothly.  Many SVRG skaters also gave blood, including
Mauly Anna, Belle Wringer, Tennessee Smitan, Avida Sane!, Jene’mesis,
Catherine Beata Bones, Aim De Kill, Scait Riot, Smack Dahlia,
Pandamonium, the injured Saucy Monstrosity, and referee Teddy Wreckspin.

SVRG is already planning a bigger event to allow us to host more
donors for next year. If you have a large, open indoor location that
would like to host our blood drive for 2011 contact us at
community@svrollergirls.com. Interested in giving blood now? Visit
the Red Cross and sign up for a blood drive near you!

This event helped to surpass SVRG’s annual goal of completing 400
hours of community service, now currently at over 460 hours – and it’s
only August! The girls have also donated over $2,100 so far this year
to local charities including Sacred Heart Community Service, YWCA,
Habitat for Humanity, and The Support Network.

At our September 11th bout we will be raising funds for The Career
Closet, an organization which helps women prepare for entering the
workforce by providing them with a wardrobe and the confidence to
achieve their dreams. We will be giving fans SVRG giveaways for
donating a work-appropriate accessory at The Career Closet booth, so
clean out your closet and click here to get your tickets to
our last home bout of the season before it sells out!

SVRG is a win-win; Killas take down ACDG Rocket Queens 118-72 and Dots pummel Treasure Valley 208-68

The Dot.Kamikazes and Coach Panda line up with guest of honor Jerry Seltzer, major sports fan and son of Leo Seltzer, the founder of roller derby. All photos courtesy of Jim Cottingham.

The luau-themed Freaky Tiki Throwdown was a fun-filled evening for fans and skaters alike. Victory was in the air at San Jose Skate on Saturday night as both Silicon Valley Roller Girls’ teams, the KillaBytes and the Dot.Kamikazes, racked up solid wins.

The KillaBytes were coming off an amazing performance (albeit, a loss) against the Denver Roller Dolls’ Bruising Altitude on June 12. They were curious as to what the Angel City Derby Girls’ Rocket Queens would be bringing, since the team has undergone a reboot (several retirements and lots of new blood) since they faced the Dot.Kamikazes last season. Given their younger roster, the team was matched against the KillaBytes this season instead. The KillaBytes were also excited to face the Rocket Queens since a former SVRG bootcamper, Blow Hole, had moved to southern California and was on the ACDG roster.

Left: Belle Wringer and Skooter Ov'r squish the pack. Right: Lizapalooza, Fox, and Knuckles set the pace.

The KillaBytes earned their name from the first whistle with some killer defense. Absolutely Scabulous, Bozo Disposo, and BootyVicious brought it in the pack and as aggressive jammers. Captain Knuckles DeVille, Lizapalooza, and Bitch Puddin’ took turns positionally blocking or taking out jammers at the front of the pack while Belle Wringer and Skooter Ov’r steered ‘em and cleared ‘em in the back.

Left: Bones & her booty sneak attack; Middle & right: Servix doles out some two piece meal.

Postal Servix and Catherine Beata Bones brought some serious booty into the mix, clearing a path with their ferocious swipes (just check out the pics). Retox Fox doled out persistent beatings on jammers and blockers alike, often sharing some special one-on-one moments with an opponent at the back of the pack. Satan’s Kitten threw blocks so vicious that she found out after the game that she had separated her shoulder (meeowch!)

L: CynTax brushes off a hit; M: Bozo Disposo has picked up jamming duties like a natural; L: Skooter Ov'r whips AbScab while keeping an eye on her pack.

Between the Killas’ stellar defense and the jammers’ indefatigable endurance, the Killas had a productive evening on the line. Jamming duties were handled by Co-Captain Zootown Throwdown, CynTax, Catherine Beata Bones, Absolutely Scabulous, Bozo Disposo, and BootyVicious. The Killas succeeded in dethroning the Rocket Queens, 118-72.

One of the thrills of playing new teams from faraway lands is that you’re not quite sure what to expect. The Treasure Valley Rollergirls from Boise, Idaho, made their first visit to the Bay Area, and the murmurs started as the team started their warm up. “Wow, they really look like they know what they’re doing,” one SVRG skater said. Indeed, Treasure Valley would demonstrate their agility throughout the evening against the Dot.Kamikazes.

L: Lindsay Lohanded steers; M: Lizapalooza has a lock on the jammer; R: Pia Mess deftly disposes of the TV jammer.

The Dot.Kamikazes kicked off the jams with a stellar first jam. Pia Mess and Death by Dollface contained TV’s Jilldozer as SVRG’s Smack Dahlia grand-slammed her way to a 13-point jam to TV’s 5. TV bounced right back in the second jam, as both Pia and jammer Smash ‘n’ Burn were sent to the box. TV’s Ana Rampage secured a 14-point power jam, helping TV take a 19-13 lead. In the fourth jam, new SVRG skater Mongoose, a transfer from Florida, made her debut and racked up 9 points in her first jam despite a pack deficit. Although Feisty Irish was in the box serving time, Scait Riot filled in the gap by working as a one-woman wall against TV’s jammer.

L: Mongoose's debut was marked by several high-scoring jams; here she gets a hand from Servix. R: Smack Dahlia believes she can fly...which she did, through double-digit jams.

SVRG continued to have penalty trouble throughout the first 20 minutes of the first half, rarely fielding a full pack. Every time they succeeded in pulling ahead a few points, TV was quick to respond and narrow the point margin. In Jam 12, Dollface, Kimfectious, and jammer Smash ‘n’ Burn crowded the penalty box, but things turned around for SVRG in Jam 13 as Smack Dahlia took advantage of some killer Pia Mess defense and sped to a 14-0 jam. SVRG’s defense—including some excellent teamwork by Scait Riot, Kosmo Trouble, Lizapalooza, and Donna Diggler, and the requisite knockout hits by Pia, Dollface, and Lindsay Lohanded—held TV scoreless for the last six jams of the half, which Mongoose closed with a 10-point power jam for SVRG, giving them a 85-35 lead.

Patty cake? Dance move? Paper, rock, scissors on who gives the whip? Kosmo Trouble and Death by Dollface prepare for an oncoming Smack Dahlia.

SVRG’s defense continued to freeze out TV in the second half; by Jam 9 TV had only put up 2 more points. In the meantime, SVRG made slow but steady forward progress with the exception of Jam 4, when Pia Mess donned the jammer cap and strode to a 30-point power jam with the help of Scait Riot, Dollface, Kimfectious, and Feisty Irish. Smack Dahlia racked up 10 points in Jam 9 before being sent to the box, but nimble blocking by Lindsay Lohanded held the TV jammer to only 4 points in the power jam. Postal Servix (who along with Lizapalooza and Catherine Beata Bones served double duty on the Killas and Dots tonight) took the line in Jam 11 and scored a 15-point jam while Feisty Irish was on fire with her blocking. In the last jams, Kosmo Trouble, Donna Diggler, Feisty Irish, and Catherine Beata Bones all took a turn on the jammer line. Pia Mess also returned and completed a star pass to Smash ‘n’ Burn, the duo earning a collective 18-points in a power jam. In the end, SVRG triumphed over Treasure Valley, 208-68.



If you just can't get enough Teddy Wreckspin, you'll have to come check out men's roller derby on July 18, 3 pm at Roosevelt Park!

As always, thanks to our awesome coaches, Pandamonium, LTO, Aim De Kill, and Pia Mess; our amazing ref and NSO staff; our visiting opponents, the Angel City Rocket Queens and Treasure Valley Rollergirls; and our families, friends, and fans for supporting us!

Thanks to Jim Cottingham for his photos of the KillaBytes and Dot.Kamikazes!