KillaBytes Make a Strong Showing in Sonora

Will this be the season of 2-point nail-biters? It was clear from the start that the February 25^th battle between SVRG’s KillaBytes and High Country Mountain Derby Girls’ Hell Cats was a close contest, with the Killas and the Hell Cats taking turns at lead jammer status. Bad Tempt-Her and Skirt Vonna-Gut (formerly known as Newton’s Slaughter) started the night off with 15-point power jams in the 2^nd and 4^th jams respectively. Both sides were dishing out and taking some big hits, but no one was stopping SVRG’s LauRAWR! By the end of the first half, SVRG was barely holding the lead, 92-90.

©2012 Russell Reno Photography, Skirt Vonna-Gut Takes a Hit

SVRG’s 2^nd half was about keeping the Hell Cats from putting numbers on the score board. The Hell Cats were ahead by one point (108-107) in the 5^th jam, but a lead change put the Killas back on top (126-110) by the 9^th. The score continued to leapfrog as both teams nickel and dimed their way to the lead.

With just 19 seconds left, the game was within a point (154-153 Hell Cats). The clock was ticking down in the final jam, the crowd was going wild, and in a last-minute zebra huddle, the referees decided a final score of 155-153 in favor of the Hell Cats. Solid teamwork like this promises a great season ahead for the Killas.

Absolutely Scabulous, with Züca travel bag in tow, arrives at High Country Sports Arena, Photo by Surge

Shout out to our travel team sponsor, Züca!

SVRG is grateful for Züca’s generous donation to our travel fund for the past three seasons! And what more could a derby girl ask for in a travel bag? The aluminum frame can hold up to 300 lbs., so it’s a sturdy seat when you need it. Sasha Degrader uses the handy drawers as a tool box, and mesh side pockets let your gear breathe. The wheels not only glow in the dark but also flash for higher visibility. Whether we’re on the road, in the air, or off to practice, it’s easy to haul our derby gear around in Züca bags!

SVRG Ctrl+Alt+Del the Competition at the Big O

The Emerald City Roller Girls hosted the Big O tournament in Eugene, Oregon, from February 10^th–12^th. Thirteen WFTDA-sanctioned bouts were held, as well as three men’s bouts.

After graduating from the apprentice program, SVRG competed as a full-fledged WFTDA member league in 2011, ranking 14^th out of 30 in the Western region at the end of our first year.

At the Big O, SVRG was matched up against the Jet City Roller Girls from Everett, WA (8^th in the West), our hosts the Emerald City Roller Girls (12^th in the West), and the DC Rollergirls hailing from our nation’s capital (11th in the East). Although we were the underdogs, we fought hard and won all three bouts! Read on for some game highlights.

©2012 Donalee Eiri, Photography by D.E.sign, Call It…a Victory! Left to Right: Pandamonium, Bionic BabyDoll, Pia Mess, Beth Sentence, Absolutely Scabulous, Zootown Throwdown, and LauRAWR

Bout #1 Win over the Jet City Roller Girls

SVRG’s Dot.Kamikazes upset the Jet City Bombers in a fight-to-the-finish bout ending in a score of 124-122. Jet City was the only league at the Big O that had qualified for the “Besterns” (Western Regional Playoffs) last year. But SVRG had a strong start, drawing first blood and leaving Jet City scoreless for the first few jams. Bad Tempt-Her started things off right with two grand slams in the first half. Then Jet City started racking up the points while SVRG’s blockers were sent to the box.

When it was Jet City’s turn to pay for penalties, Bad Tempt-Her and Pia Mess grabbed consecutive 20-point power jams in the second half to close a 40-point gap and tie the score at 107. Both teams fought to the finish with some big hits by Sasha Degrader and Kozmo Trouble. The bout ended in a nail-biting clock rundown in the final jam.

More details on the SVRG/Jet City bout can be found at Derby News Network (DNN).

Bout #2 WIN over the Emerald City Roller Girls

SVRG takes a 2-point win (127-125) over our hosts. Another close contest, DNN called it “the most exciting bout” of the Big O.

Both teams fought neck-and-neck with lead changes throughout the bout. In the first half, an Emerald City 25-point jam was countered by Smack Dahlia’s 20 points to take the lead in the next power jam.

Emerald City had a 2-point lead going into the last jam, but illegal clockwise skating to retrieve a dropped helmet cover put Emerald’s jammer in the box, giving SVRG enough time to pull ahead. Knowing the rules wins games.

©2012 Nicolas Charest, Whip! Left to Right: Kozmo Trouble, Bad Tempt-Her, Catherine Beata Bones, and Smash N’ Burn

Bout #3 WIN over the DC Rollergirls All-Stars

West beat East with a final score of 174-151. The first half was dominated by DC with strong defense by All Star Chinese Cheker. Meanwhile SVRG crowded the penalty box, with two skaters waiting to go to the sin bin at one point.

But the comeback kids pulled it off in the second half, rising back up from a 49-point deficit. The DC skaters were plagued by penalties and Velocityraptor was ejected from the game for clockwise blocking.

Catherine Beata Bones got a unicorn (25-point jam) to close the gap. Then SVRG came ahead for the first time in the bout with under 12 minutes left when Pia Mess jammed for 23 points.

DNN was there to cover the action.

©2012 Donalee Eiri, Photography by D.E.sign, Pregame Dance Party! Left to Right: Zootown Throwdown, LauRAWR, Bionic BabyDoll, Smack Dahlia, Catherine Beata Bones, Smash N’ Burn, Absolutely Scabulous, Tennessee Smitan, and Juicy K. Tore

SVRG returned from Oregon 3 for 3, rising in the ranks to 12^th in the West. What an incredible way to kick off the 2012 season!

Love Derby, But Don’t Have the Time? Join SVRG’s Rec League!

Drop in for a practice with Circuit Jerks, SVRG’s recreational league for some low-impact play! Anyone who meets the requirements listed below can join in the fun. Whether you’re building up the courage and skills to play full-contact derby, recovering from an injury, looking for extra practice time, or wanting to scrimmage without getting the snot knocked out of you…rec league is for you! Can’t commit 60% of your life to derby? No problem. How about one night per week?

My first time at Jerks, I was fresh out of SVRG’s bootcamp. The league was on break, so rec league was my only chance to get some derby skating in before the holidays. It was a great workout that included conditioning (planks, squats, etc.), drills, and light scrimmaging—mostly things I couldn’t do on my own during open skate.

My favorite drill was running the gauntlet. We skated around the track in a pace line, opening and closing the line like a gigantic zipper each time the whistle blew, while the last person in line worked their way up through the middle of the scissoring pack. Skaters in the pace line worked on moving laterally from the middle to alternating sides of the track, while the jammers worked on getting through the middle of the pack with short bursts of speed. It might sound complicated, but it’s easier to do when you see it. We’d love for you to come on out!

Artwork by Joe Fox

Circuit Jerks’ practices are held from 8-10 pm (note the new, commuter-friendly timeslot!) every Tuesday at San Jose Skate (397 Blossom Hill Rd., San Jose, CA). Each session is guest coached by a veteran skater from SVRG. Once a month, there’s a black and white scrimmage; the next one is on Valentine’s Day, February 14^th. Refs and NSOs (non-skating officials) are always welcome and needed!

To participate, you’ll need:

• To be at least 18 years old
• Protective gear (helmet, mouth guard, elbow pads, wrist guards, and knee pads)
• Current 2012 USARS or WFTDA insurance
• Derby skating experience, whether through SVRG bootcamp or skating with another league
• To have passed the WFTDA basic skills test in order to participate in the scrimmage portion of practice and monthly mixed scrimmages
• $10 for each drop-in session

Remember to like our Facebook page to receive updates and contact Patty Hearse (recleague@svrollergirls.com) if you have questions. Don’t miss out!

Who Is Roller Derby Nation?

3,700+ MN Rollergirls' fans at a bout in 2007, Photo by Brian James Macke

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) is conducting two surveys to learn more about you, the people who make up derby nation—the skaters, fans, sponsors, medics, officials, photographers, and all who take part in this great sport. Last year over 10,000 people took the survey revealing trends that have sponsors clamoring to be a part of the meteoric rise of modern roller derby. Derby nation is the mom next door, your lawyer, your kid’s teacher, it’s all around you…and it’s growing.

Please fill out a short survey by February 15^th. Your confidential answers will help the national association and your local roller derby league improve the fan experience. If you provide your email, you could win some WFTDA swag for your time.