I started playing roller derby back in the UK in the summer of 2008 and did pretty well playing a number of bouts for the next year or so.... until a move to Canada came about! Fast forward 18 months and here I am about to embark on yet another move, this time to Amsterdam!
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WFTDA Rules App…
Am I the only one wishing they’d developed this for android also…?
ANDROID FTW!
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In case you were wondering…
This is why my Tumblr has been quiet since I moved from Canada to Amsterdam by way of the UK….
Yup, I am officially out with the 9 month injury!
As a result I am taking up the role of bench manager and helping out with training over here in Amsterdam and doing my best not to sulk about the lack of “skatey bashy” time.
No doubt I will contemplate the wonders of being a preggo non skating derby girl over the coming months!
In the mean time… roll on October!! :D
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What to do with an old helmet thanks to Ewan Wotarmy! →
Ewan Wotarmy of Montreal’s New Skid on the Block isn’t just a pretty face (and I guess a pretty good skater :P teehee) She also has mad recycling skills too!! http://notquitearbitrary.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-to-do-with-your-old-helmet.html
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Oh the agony!
My skates and gear are now officially washed and packed ready to move *sniffles* I shall be attending home team practice tonight to say bye bye to my lovely Contrabanditas because I may not make Tuesday’s league practice (we fly on Wednesday).
Please think of me during this difficult time :P
p.s. pics to follow of my epic Celine Dion leaving card! lol
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Roller Derby: officially recognised sport in the UK →
Oh yeah!!!
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Reblog if you want 5 random questions in your ask.
Done and done…
(via pacifique)
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effylikesbats asked: what leagues/teams have you skated with?
I started skating with the Auld Reekie Roller Girls (Edinburgh) in 2008 and played for their only travel team at the time, the Twisted Thistles. In Summer of 2009 I moved to Montreal and was drafted to Les Contrabanditas (home team) and Les Sexpos (B travel team). In 8 days I leave Canada and will be gradually making my way (via the UK) to skate with the Amsterdam Derby Dames :)
Edit to add - during my time with ARRG I also guest skated twice for the Middlesborough Milk Rollers.
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What’s your spirit/power animal?
We started identifying power animals in our league a lil while ago to draw inspiration from.
Mine? I’m a hippo! :D
According to this shaman website http://www.animalspirits.com/
a hippo’s wisdom includes…
- Proper use of aggression
- Ability to move gracefully through emotions
- Mother-fury when necessary
- Birth of new ideas
- Protection of family
FUCK YEAH!
What’s your spirit/power animal?
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Being “fat positive” and playing roller derby
Since I have been living in Canada, I seem to have put on weight despite being active in roller derby and cycling (before winter hit, I’m British, not crazy!)
Before I moved here I hadn’t lost weight that I could tell, but I had been toning up and feeling fine with my body and self esteem.
I think part of the reason this has happened is the lack of an active job right now and the introduction of crappy food. Regardless, the last few weeks have seen me feeling particularly depressed about my size.
Then I came across this…
http://yrwelcome.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/why-im-fat-positive/
and I started to feel a bit better.
Before you misunderstand my sudden turn around in my thinking, I would not say I am personally “fat positive” to the extent of the author of the above however it did help me look at things in a slightly different way…
I thought back to a doctor I saw when I first arrived in Canada (for trouble with migraines!) who asked if he could weigh me. Confused, I had replied with “sure… if you want” and he mistook this for defensiveness stating “only if I wanted to” like I was uncomfortable with my size (which usually I am not). When I inevitably weighed in heavier than average he immediately gave me a referral for a dietician because I was “obese” and he clearly assumed I was a lazy, pie munching, soda swilling lay about who sat in front of the TV crying into my tub of ice cream every night. Not once did he ask what exercise I did, how often I exercised or ask about any of my family history. He just assumed. Needless to say, I never went to him again. Fuck that guy!
I began to ask myself… Why the hell should I feel bad because I have put on a few pounds, during a particularly stressful and challenging period of my life? Why should I feel like I am a lesser player than any of my team mates, as long as I continue to push my own limits? The answer is I probably shouldn’t and I need to make an effort to adjust my own attitude for the sake of myself, and those I play with!
I guess my version of being “fat positive” is to endeavour to look at roller derby and my place within it without bringing my size/weight into question because ultimately, it really doesn’t matter what size I am as long as I am trying hard to kick arse and get better at doing what I love the most.
So, with that conclusion, here’s to many more years of my big arse knocking people around the track!! :)
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League transfers - What to do and how to make them successful
In less than 2 weeks I shall be back in the UK and then once our housing situation is sorted I am finally moving on to Amsterdam with my partner! Hurrah!
For those who haven’t been involved in a league transfer or don’t know what to do or expect should you be involved in one, here are a couple of things that spring to mind to help make the process a happy, healthy and awesome experience for all involved.
For the receiving league:
- Get some sort of reference from the old league from either a captain or member of the board, especially if the skater has already passed minimum requirements. An established skater should be treated a little differently to a new skater trying out as fresh meat.
- Make an effort to integrate the skater as quickly and fully as possible. Let them know as soon as you can when training is, which training they can and can’t attend, what attendance policy you have, when the season starts/finishes, what they can expect from any team drafting and when it will occur, what the code of conduct states and get insurance forms completed and signed (if applicable) as soon as possible… Just to name a few items! If you have any kind of fresh meat document or pack it may be useful to edit one as appropriate for the transferring skater to read through at their leisure.
- Understand that often switching leagues isn’t done lightly and consider any background difficulties a skater may experience. Be open to advising on more than just league matters! It will be greatly appreciated.
For the skater transferring:
- Relieve yourself of any old league responsibilities and help integrate new people into your old roles if at all possible. Although it may be tempting to stay really involved with an old league, especially if they are nearby, cutting some ties will help you move on and embrace your new role within your new league.
- If you left your old league on bad terms, avoid talking trash about them or detailing the perceived inner failings of the league. No one likes derby drama and it’s likely you’ll have to play them someday and no one wants a bad on track atmosphere. You may also just end up portraying yourself in a negative light, rather than the ex-league!
- Know that it’s OK to take some time to get into the swing of things, assess your new league and process before jumping head first into additional duties and heavily involved committee roles.
- It will take a while to get used to skating with a whole new set of people so be patient, work hard and a good on-track relationship will blossom!
I am sure there are more but those are the things that spring to mind right now. Feel free to let me know of any more you may think of :)
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I need votes!
Please vote for me! Either write my name (Hurricane Hayles) in the comment section of this blog or comment with my name on either of the FB pages linked! :D
Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu xxxxxxxx
http://www.lucyindaskywithdiamonds.com/
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Bwhaha! Finalist!! →
Yup, that would be my arse… It may not look like much but my arse is pretty big. Remember this fact lol
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So much awesome…
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felixthebrat asked: im fresh meat and our test is coming up soon. after the test we will begin scrimmaging. we have done faux-scrimmages, or "scrimmage drills" and i find it hard to multi-task as a blocker. can you give me advice? is my number one job blocking the opposing jammer? or is that only for a certain position? what about my #2 job? #3 job?
Great question :)
Firstly, know that this is something that EVERY roller derby player is constantly wanting to improve on. It’s something which all players can improve and no matter how great or experienced a player is, everyone will miss something at some point. No one is perfect!
You’re right that your first priority is to block their jammer. Your priorities should be as follows:
1 - Stop the opposition jammer.
2 - If the other jammer gets through, help YOUR jammer get out ASAP!
3 - On scoring pass, rinse and repeat ;)
Your pivot should always make the calls as to how this all goes down and you should always follow their instructions (yes, even if you think their call is bullshit). If they scream at you to drop back, or move up front, you should do so without hesitation. Their calls will depend on the chosen strategy of the team, which jammer is lead, pack positioning, team strengths/weaknesses etc.
So, how do you fulfil your three general goals? Back to basics :)
-Look behind you. Repeat in your head “1, 2, 3, where’s the jammer?” if it helps your observation skills.
-Don’t go rogue! If you are working with a partner, stick with them. If you lose them, pair up with someone else straight away. There is strength in numbers.
-Listen to your pivot and actively ask them what they want you to do before you line up on track. They may want you to sit on the inside line no matter what, they may want you to mess shit up in the pack and be as distracting as possible… again, all comes down to their chosen strategy.
In my own experience, improving your multi tasking skills won’t happen overnight. One day you’ll be playing/scrimmaging and something will just “click” as it were and certain things become a little more second nature. Just keep practising, take as much as you can from drills, implement them as best as you can and everything will fall into place.
Hope that helps :)
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Roller derby takes over the world! →
758 leagues in 25 countries! Check it out!!! :D
