October Skater of the Month: RollHer Zombie

Gina, or as she is known to us, RollHer Zombie, is both a blocker and jammer for the Dire Skates.  Gina is one of the founding members of the team and her dedication has held strong over the years. Her dedication is most evident in her ability to motivate her teammates to push themselves to do their very best.

On the track Zombie is a powerful and valuable player, a crowd favorite. Off the track, Gina is in charge of our finances, which means she keeps track of money spent for bouts, our skater dues, taxes, merchandise, and our donations to local charities and organizations. In addition to this, she is a trainer, which means she works hard to whip us into shape, leading workout sessions outside of practice, off-skates practices, and often leading or joining in on trail skates.

Additionally, Gina can always be counted on to listen and support her derby sisters. Gina is a considerate friend and teammate who often puts others and her team before herself.



Assistant Coach, Mr. BadAZZ had this to say:

Zombie is a big part of Dire Skates. She is a trainer, handles financing, and is a lot of help with the team merchandise. She also gives me a helping hand when Coach can't make to practice. She helps me by running drills and conditioning for the team. She hits hard and skates fast. Thanks for all you do, Gina.

Goregon says of RollHer Zombie:

Gina is a natural leader who gets results when leading the team in drills, exercise, and on the track. She's also a tireless worker, balancing the books and monitoring our team accounts. It doesn't hurt that she's got an amazing personality.

DJ Smear-O had this to say:

Gina has been totally dedicated to this team since its inception. I look up to her in mad ways. She's awesome on wheels and a rocking chick with a tender heart. She's a sister and friend to me as well as a tough as nails trainer who whips my saggy, floppy ass into shape

Emily KickNsuM added this mushy bit about her derby wife:

Gina has always been one of my biggest rivals on the track, even though we are on the same team. The Dire Skates used to host scrimmages against each other and we were always on opposite teams and it felt like jammed against each other over and over. Even though pinned against each other some how we fell in love, or I did anyway. That’s how I found what we call a derby wife. She is that person on the team that pushes me harder at practice; we see eye to eye on most team decisions, but most importantly she has became someone I can call for anything. It's something I love about derby because I found a great friend that I believe will be a friend beyond derby careers and crazy life changes, someone that I don’t think I would have ever became friends with if not for roller derby. "Roller Derby saved my soul," is a quote used often… but its not just roller derby the sport that saved my soul its skaters on the team like RollHer Zombie that saved my soul.

 Thank you for all you do, Gina!

September Skater of the Month: Terahrizen

Sasquatch

Terah, or as she is known on the track, Terahrizen, is both a blocker and a jammer for the Dire Skates. Terah is small, but mighty in both physical and mental stamina. She works hard to get what she wants, even attending extra training and hitting the gym with teammates whenever possible.

Terah is in charge of marketing, which involves making and disseminating flyers and working on social media, among other things. She coordinates and delegates to her marketing minions who gladly do her bidding.

Terah is also mom to junior skater Korah the Destroyer.

In addition to being a great player and doing great work for the team, Terah serves as a mentor to her current teammates and, more specifically, to the newbies as they get acclimated to roller derby and their new team. Terah does so much for the team, though, as noted below, her strengths lie in what she makes those around her feel they are capable of accomplishing.



BadAZZ Mothercutter had this to say:

Terah has come so far since she joined the team. She always has a positive attitude and wants to motivate others to better themselves. She is a great example for the newbs to look up to, a perfect example of what hard work and dedication can do.

Our coach The Golffather said this:

Terah maybe small but she can pack a punch. She has been one of the most dedicated players on the team. She puts in more time on and off the track that I know. Getting better is something she strives to do and she by far is doing it. Not only is she so dedicated on the track she does so much behind the scenes that no one sees plus juggles her job, 2 kids, and her photography business. If you need something done she will bend over backwards to get it done. I am proud of her for what she has done and is doing. I am looking forward to seeing what's next for her. I am proud to be her coach.

And Terah's big sister, Emily KickNsum said this:

When Terah joined the team I was named her big sister. She has made me proud ever since. Terah seeks out opportunities to improve her derby knowledge and skill constantly. She is a great teacher and is always reaching out to show others what helped her when she was learning specific moves. Even though she is small, she has a huge heart and I am proud to have her on my team.

Thanks for all you do, Terah!

Catching up with your DIre Skates!

Sometimes keeping up with a derby girl can be tough.

I am here to help!

Your Dire Skates have been so busy out in the community, volunteering and talking about fitness and health (and, of course, how derby contributes to that). We worked with Habitat for Humanity, visited the Y Camp, sweat it out at CityFit, and hung out at CityLife.

Seen here: future members of our junior team, The Skate Aways!

We just had tryouts and have brought on a good bunch of new girls who are currently being whipped into shape (that process is top secret, but look for updates very soon). And we just played a game against a crazy good team, Midwest Corn Stars. We lost, but we had a blast.

Don't let the mustaches fool you

Our next bout (or game as it is now officially called) is an away one, as is the following one, but we will be back home on November 15th when we will be playing to support BRAvo!. Stay tuned for more info on that--we have some fun things in store for you derby fans!

We have been and will be all over the place, but there is one sure way to find us: the smell.

--Bilbo Stabbins

Body Image, Roller Derby, and the F Word

Editor's note: Please welcome The GOREgon in her first guest blog. This is part one of a two part exploration of body image and the power of roller derby.

You may have noticed that most roller derby teams are populated by women (and as an aside, there are plenty of men's roller derby teams) and that these women train hard and slam into each other a lot.

What you may not notice at first is the incredible confidence and drive that roller derby has helped these women to achieve. Keep watching, though, because you will eventually see it. It only gets stronger in each player as the season goes on, no matter how many points they win or lose by.

Roller derby is also a very welcoming sport and offers a place for women and men (and junior players!) to become part of a team. No matter your age, race, body type, athleticism, sexuality, gender identity, religion, or class--roller derby is for you. In fact, if you never felt like you fit into team sports in school or always felt like you couldn't do it, you should try roller derby! As Bonnie Thunders, super-star derby player for the Gotham Girls Roller Derby, stated in an interview with the Huffington Post :

Bonnie Thunders of Gotham and Team USA

"[Roller derby is] kind of secondary to the more popular sports, which allows it to attract the people who didn't fit in in the primary sports.”

As a fat woman, roller derby has been the only thing in my life that has inspired me to become more physically fit and to increase my skill set to improve my team. For the first time, I feel like I am a part of something and not an outsider looking in. I have gotten teased and harassed for being big in weight and physique as well as for not being as fast or fit as others. Fear kept me from the gym and from team sports until the ripe old age of 31.

This is nothing new for derby 'girls' as any one of them can tell you. Contrary to popular belief, a lot of us wear clothing that is quite normal for a team sport! We need to move around so we wear tight shorts and leggings or tights and tank tops because boy, it gets hot when you work as hard as we do. We sweat, get disgusting, stink to high heaven...and love it. We build sisterhood with our team-mates (and often, the opposing team, too!) while we work on team strategy and toward building up each others’ strengths and weaknesses.

A lot of us, no matter our shape, size, height, race, etc., hate our bodies. We struggle to either accept ourselves or to fit into an idea of what we should look like. It doesn't help that everywhere we turn, we are bombarded with images and messages telling us how inadequate we really are. I have always had a hard time, still have a hard time, loving my self and my body. I thought roller derby would be a sport for fit, athletic women and that I would have a hard time keeping up. I thought that big girls wouldn't be welcome in any sport save power lifting and shot put.

Demanda Riot of B.A.D.

I was so wrong. Roller derby takes ALL kinds. Look at the stars of our sport like Demanda Riot, Jackie Daniels, Bonnie Thunders, Scald Eagle, Bork Bork Bork, Beyonslay, and on and on and on. My point is, women of every age range, weight, height, build, fitness level, ethnicity, religion, and race play roller derby. Will roller derby help you love yourself more? It did for me. Will roller derby help you lose weight? Maybe. I haven't lost a pound yet but I replaced a lot of fat with muscle. Some do and some don't. You can't join just to lose weight, though. Roller derby requires you to WANT it.

Bork Bork Bork of Windy City

 I see it as my job to lift up all of my derby sisters with me, letting them know when I notice them for any reason and trying to be as tactful as possible with criticism. When we have bad days, it helps to have a team full of inspiring women to look up to. No one has told me my ankles are too fat, as my childhood ballet instructor once told me, and no one has told me that I need to remain a certain size or shape to keep playing derby. I get positive reinforcement and constructive criticism, both things I have learned to crave from my coaches and teammates alike. The only thing roller derby requires of you is the dedication and fitness you are willing to put into it to get better.

May Skater of the Month: Dragon Ballzy

Dragon Ballzy, or as she is also known, Katey, is a blocker and, as of late, a jammer for the Dire Skates. Though she just joined in 2013, she has clearly has a natural talent for derby as she has shown great improvement in the short time she has been on the track with the team.

Ballzy is always smiling and willing to geek out with her fellow sisters at practice, making her a wonderful, positive energy on the team, but she is also a force on the track. She hits hard, falls hard, and plays hard for her team. To illustrate, Ballzy scored more points for us in the last away bout than any other jammer. She works hard to improve her skating and it shows!

Off the track is an artist who just so happens to also make pizza to support her derby habit.


Here is what our coach, The Golffather, had to say about Ballzy:

 "Dragon Ballzy is up and comer for the Dire Skates. She is coming into her own and coming out of her shell. She has been known to make the big hit and recently she has been starting to jam. Most of the time you see a jammer that is small and agile, well "Ballzy" isn't the smallest skater or the most agile but she can make her own hole. It will be fun to see where she can go from here as long as she puts the time and effort into it."


RollHer Zombie had this to say: 

"I dig Katey's skate or die attitude. She has improved tremendously and I love to watch her skate. She is easygoing, always a total sweetheart, and always a total badass. I <3 her so hard"


BadAZZ MotherCutter added this:

"Ballzy is an amazing person and a great player. She's a sweet person, but don't let her smile fool you. Her skills have improved tremendously since she started with the team. I very much enjoy having her both on the track and as a friend"

Thanks for all you do, Ballzy!

Derby love

Vet Profile: Emily KickNsuM

Name: Emily KickNsuM 

Number: 31 

Position: Jammer/ Blocker 

Signature move: Backwards blocking/ penalty box sitting 

Tell us about your non-derby self: I’m a surgical nurse, wife, mom to a weimaraner named Jack, Zumba fanatic, fisherwoman, bargain hunter, cancer survivor, and a bad cook. 

Why did you join roller derby?: I will do anything as long as I can wear my roller skates.


What is your favorite part of roller derby?: Feeling that I belong 

What are your roller derby goals?: To have fun while doing good things for my community. I would really like to see us become a recognized not-for-profit organization in this community. 

What do you hope Dire Skates can do for Richmond?: I would like for the Dire Skates to be a fun, entertaining group that people can be fans of, knowing that we do more than just skate, and knowing we work to help others and organizations in the community. Most importantly, I want the Dire Skates to make a difference in Richmond. 

What are you skating on right now?: Vertigos with custom-mounted pink crazy plate thanks to Malice B Stopless.

 If you could skate anywhere, anytime, where and when would it be and why?: Wouldn’t matter as long as I had good friends, good music, and skates, I’d be a happy girl. 

If you could have any famous person alive or dead join Dire Skates, who would it be and why?: I don’t know….. Shaq, he could take up a lot of room on the track and I just see him knocking some girls down and them not getting back up. 

Tell us one thing you want us to know about yourself: Growing up I really wanted to be a mailman. 

Tell us one thing about another skater: Korah the Destroy actually thought about having her derby name be Korah KickNsuM, which I think is really cool.

So you wanna derby...

Have you thought about joining derby?

(If you've ever been to a bout, then answer is very likely a resounding "YES!").

Well, we are holding tryouts on June 22nd and 29th and we would love to have you join us!

Here are a few things you should know about our tryouts and joining derby in general. 

1. It's okay if you can barely skate (or cannot skate at all). We will train you. Even if you cannot roll around the track without falling a billion times, you can join if you want it bad enough. You will have a tougher time in the beginning, but derby is all about working hard to get what you want.

2. You should be exercising. Now. I should be exercising instead of writing this blog. We make a lot of what we do on the track look pretty easy, but unless you are getting some cardio in or going to Zumba or lifting weights (or all of the above!), you are probably not going to be fully prepared for the level of physical activity required for derby. It's nice out. Go for a walk, do some squats (they are your friend), and strengthen that core! You need a strong butt to hit people with so get to work! Additionally, The Skate has summer hours so if you'd like to get time in on wheels, do it!

3. You will have fun. We are hilarious and stinky and hilarious. We will make sure you feel comfortable during tryouts and afterward, but please come with a good attitude, come ready to learn, and come ready to make friends!

4. Wear comfy clothes. It is hot in The Skate (the word "Mordor" is spoken at least thirty times during each summer practice), but you also need to be able to move around and fall in your clothes.

5. We will provide skates and gear for your tryouts ONLY. Bring your own mouth guard (I will gladly share my stinky knee pads with you for tryouts, but I barely know you so sharing a mouth guard is really pushing it. $2 at Walmart will do for now. Skaters and The Skate staff can help you order gear and skates that will work well for you and within your budget.

6. You will smell awful because you will be sweaty and because you will be borrowing a stinky vet's gear. Derby stank is real.

7. You will fall. And you will get up. And you will fall again. We will teach you to fall correctly before we teach you to do much else. Safety first. 

8. You should be watching roller derby. Come to our bout on May 10th if you can! But there are so many bouts streamed online through DNN, there is a wealth of derby (women's and men's!) within about an hour of here. One blog provides .gifs of cool plays, interesting footwork, or to illustrate specific rules. It helps! And it's fun!

8. Did I mention that it will be fun?! I am serious. Everyone is so nice and we genuinely want you to join us on the track and in this whole crazy thing we call derby. 

There are other things you can do like start thinking of your derby name or stock up on cool socks and tights, but ultimately, come prepared and make sure you feel comfortable.

If you want more info, message us on Facebook, email us at thedireskates@gmail.com, or talk to your favorite roller girl.
We can't wait to see you!

--Bilbo Stabbins