Hot Couture

Hey folks,

Just a quick note to let you all know that the lovely Joy Taylor now has a blog for her business Hot Couture. Not familiar with her work? Joy's a local Adelaide lady who made our Mile Die Club and Road Train Rollers uniforms, and also sells the most devine 50's inspired clothing.

check out the blog by clicking the link on the left had side of this site.

Fresh Meat Testing

Well this is the end of Fresh Meat for 2009.
A few tears shed last night, some in frustration & some in elation. Either way ADRD is proud of you all for trying your hardest, turning up despite the heat, and skating your guts out every single week!!!

We are proud to announce the arrival of 35 Fresh Meat graduates, and 16 Referees!!

The "Freshies" are comprised of 25 brand new fresh meat ladies, 3 existing ref's, 6 injured/absent league "refresher"skaters and an expat Aussie skater joining ADRD from an overseas league.

Ref's consist of 9 brand spankin new "frefs" (freshy refs) and 7 existing ADRD referees.

You all get a well earned break now, time to refresh, spend time with your loved ones, and psych yourselves up for season 2010!!! Don't forget the freshy welcome pic nic Sunday 17th Jan @ Botanic Park 1.30pm (details in the "What Next" blog entry).

Just so you have something to mull over in the break, time to start thinking about your skater names! head on over to the "International Rollergirls Master Roster" to check out the list.

http://www.twoevils.org/rollergirls/

Please don't try to register your name yourself, it will be ignored. The roster is run by volunteers and it takes AGES to get thru all the emails they get from all over the world. There will be a set time next season where you will be asked to submit your name & number choices to ADRD, who will then send ONE league email.

Oh yeah and don't forget...... KEEP SKATING!!!!

What Next??

Monday night testing is looming near and some of you may be wondering what happens next??

For those of you who don't pass testing - you know the drill, no more training with ADRD.
For those that do pass, you'll get to have a break over Christmas and then resume training with the WHOLE league (freshies, frefs, existing refs and mouldies) on Mon JANUARY 18th 2010.

Again these are CLOSED training sessions, so please no onlookers, there will be a chance for this in the future so we ask for your patience and understanding till then. Please note league training for 2010 is TWICE a week, Monday 7pm- 9pm and Thursday 7.30pm- 9.30pm.

Due to the increase in league members this season we also need to respectful that the parks is not our personal hang out area before & after training so please be mindful of not clogging up the walkways, stairs etc and disrupting other peoples sessions.

Attendance marking is vital if you want to play in any bouts, I (Holga Von Lomo) will be logging attendance so it is YOUR responsibility to report to me and get marked off once you arrive at training. Please let me know if you are in attendance but injured and not skating, or if you will be absent for any particular training sessions as this also needs to be taken into consideration.

You will be required to attend 6 training sessions per month as a player, and 4 per month as a referee.

One last thing....

Freshy Welcome Day

Date: Sunday 17th January
Time: 1:30pm
Place: Botanic Park (between the Botanic Gardens & Zoo under the big shady trees)

BYO: food, drinks, blankets, chairs & games.

This is aimed at being a family friendly event so children and partners are welcome.
We will coordinate some fun (and daggy) activities for your enjoyment, please feel free to bring along your own to share.


See you there :D

Bruise your own adventure

http://www.blackyellowgreen.blogspot.com/

got a great big shiner? send it to Clementine ... bruiseyourownadventure@gmail.com

Fresh Meat- a guide to tenderising (week 4)

Week 4 graced us with 2 visiting Victorian skaters, Geelong Roller Derby League "Atom Bombs" Captain Ruby E Raze, and team mate Miss Hellfire who hails from Ballarat Roller Derby League, and also skates for BRDL's "Gold Diggers".

you can check em out here:

BRDL: http://brdl.wordpress.com/

GRDL: http://geelongrollerderby.wordpress.com/

Training begain with a 20 min skills obstical course, everything that will be tested on,
various stations included:
1. Knee slides, alternating knees with each slide
2. Jumping an obsticle & double knee slide
3. Stepping over lines accross the room
4. baseball slide, quick to get up
5. give a whip & take a whip
6. push, snow plow - alternating with your partner
7. leaning with a partner
8. shoulder checks
9. booty blocking

we then broke up into larger stations, this time being able to choose which to participate in.

1. Whips, steps & pushes with Pixie Pincher & Marshall Stacks. Pixie says: Remember to include some height in your steps.

2. Shoulder checks with Vaderella, Lady Cadaver, Candy de la Ghetto & Lady Roll D'Mort. Vader says: Remember to control your hips and use your core strength.

3. Jumps & baseball slides with Voilent Krumble, Nyx Bellatrix & Rebelicious!
Krumbs says: Remember to get up without using your hands on your knee- jump up if you can quickly & don't raise your legs when you fall.

4. Pack Skating with Barrelhouse Bessy, Melvin Star, Coconut Rough, Lashez, Lula Fortune, Crispy Saltbush. Bessy says: Remember pack awareness, know where your teamates are, look behind & to the sides, stay in the track, fall small and fall ALONE!

Finally the Mouldies treated everyone to a scrimmage demo, allowing the freshies to see what it's all about. A good chance to see everything they'd just practice in action, and how NOT to get sent to the penalty box!!!

Final warm down was 10 mins free time to recap and ask questions.

Freshies you've come sooooo far .....Good luck everyone for next weeks testing XXX

Names and Numbers

Frefs & Freshies take note- WFTDA has announced an update to rules version 4.0

http://wftda.com/files/WFTDA_Official_Rules_12_1_09.pdf

The basic change at this point is to uniform numbers. (check section 3.7.4) here area few of the main points- please go read the full rules for a more indepth run down.

3.7.4.3 A player’s number may contain up to four characters.

3.7.4.4 A player’s number must be alphanumeric with at least one numerical digit.
For example: L5 is an acceptable number, but LV is not. Numbers cannot contain symbols.

3.7.4.5 A player may have small characters preceding or following her player number on her jersey e.g. 55 mph, where “mph” is considerably smaller than 55. These small characters are not considered part of the skater's number and they may not inhibit the legibility of the player’s number whatsoever. The maximum size for the small characters is two (2) inches.



Oh yeah there's also been a request from Violent Krumble: " No more chocolate bar names!"

Gear Up

Now we’re into the serious Derby stuff it’s time not only to gear up but make sure you have the right stuff.
As Vader said last Monday “this is the dangerous side of Derby. This is where you start breaking bones.” Some people have found this out already!

There are several items of compulsory gear you must have to practice and bout.
Skates (if you’re still using the Parks loaners, you’re going to find them a hindrance for some skills)
· Helmet
· Knee pads
· Elbow pads
· Wrist guards
· Mouth guard
These are NOT Negotiable! If you don’t have them you may be sidelined and sitting out with me watching everyone skate past.

Optional items include
· Padded Derby short
· Toe guards (for your skates not your feet)
· Knee gaskets
· Outdoor wheels and bearings for outdoor training

Ladies, if you wear a skirt to practice it may be wise to invest in bike shorts or tights, because when we’re doing double knee slides or stretching out your legs, those around you may not want to see undies… or your vag!

Care of Gear
Since your gear can cost upwards of $300 you don’t want to be replacing it every season. Here are some experienced words of wisdom from the Mouldies.

Helmets
Helmets clean up with a bit of eucalyptus to get off some of the skid marks that build up and the sticky marks left from old stickers.
Foam lining can be aired, deodorised or left to fester.
If you fall and land on your helmet be sure to check for cracks and weaknesses in the helmet. If it seems compromised or take a hard hit, throw it out!

Skates
Toe guards fitted over the front (from toe guard to laces) can save a lot of the stitching on the front of your skates and stop the need for gaffa tape. You can buy them made from leather or vinyl to lace on to the front. But be sure to check out Dee Injuria’s hand knitted toe guards made from a piece of felted knitting 10cmx5cm with holes in the appropriate places to thread through laces and for the toe stopper. If you’re not that crafty cut up an old jumper that’s been shrunk in the wash.
Spare parts for your skates are also a good idea. Outdoor wheels and bearings are obviously better suited to rougher uneven tracks. Vader recommends “buy a second set of lock nuts especially if you are constantly changing your wheels ie outdoor skating. Those nuts have about 6 changes before they lose their integrity and don't grab the thread securely which means loose wheels and eventual wheel falling off whilst skating = not very fun experience!”

Wheels
Wheels and bearings should be separated before cleaning either. What will clean one can ruin the other.
Rebel’s advice
· Do not clean wheels with acetone - it can melt the urethane.
· Do not clean wheels with alcohol - it can dry out the urethane.
· Wheels are best cleaned with nothing more than water or a mild detergent (a bit of dishwashing liquid, is all that's usually required to remove dirt). If there is hard crud stuck on your wheels, Chux magic erasers and scrubbing brushes are really good, but if it's really bad, a bit of steel wool may be needed.
Rowan de Boate warns that “most solvents (acetone, alcohol(inc metho)) damage the polyurethanes used in wheels, and can cause them to de-polymer (turn to goop)”

The floor at the parks is not the best, by now you have flaky bits of crud throughout your gear. Many girls bring old cloths or baby wipes to give their wheels a wipe down before and after practice.
If you’re still slipping around corners after cleaning the wheels, check the tread. You may have worn it out and will need your wheels either re-treaded or replaced.

Bearings
DON’T keep your skates with your pads. After training pads are generally wet and smelly and metal skate bearings can rust quickly! You’ll be replacing your bearings soon otherwise.
More hints from Rebel:
· Do not use WD-40 or similar to clean or lubricate bearings - this is the quickest way to make them sieze up.
· Do not use any water or water-based products to clean bearings - they will rust.
· Bearings are best cleaned in an oil based solution to prevent rusting (white spirits, methylated spirits, kerosene, etc).
Many skaters have found out the wrong way, even though nail polish remover has acetone in it, there are other components that will rust your bearings.

Mouth Guard
Clean it! And clean it regularly. A lot of sports guards can be porous enough to allow bacteria to grow between wearings.
And if you want any extra incentive to clean your mouth guard, then threats of growing oral thrush in your guard should have you running off to drop it in a cup of mouth wash and scrubbing it til it shines.

Pads
There is much discussion on the best way to care for pads.
Some people wash them, some just air them, some hose them down or wait for a rain shower, some cover them in foot deodorizer, and others (you’ll know who by the smell) leave them in the car all week!
Pads have been known to disintegrate in a washing machine, and regular and frequent washing can shorten the life of your pads. However it will also reduce the smell.
Find your own mixture of cleaning routines to match your level of smell tolerance.

But be warned, there’s a reason why they are called ‘Mouldies’!
Grazer: “Washes superstitiously. Before each bout. Like her jockstrap.”
Bessy "Get used to the stink. The harder you train, the more it will stink. Washing is overrated!"

Fresh Meat Skills

Hey folks here's what you need to know! It will be very similar to the last test, there will be four stations running simultaneously, and two "wait" stations. Each station will have an Administrator who runs the show, An Assessor, and helpers.


Fresh Meat skills testing will consist of the following:

1. Single knee falls, left and right
2. Double knee fall
3. Baseball slide
4. Jump over 3” high object
5. Positional blocking
6. Hip checks, left and right
7. Shoulder checks, left and right
8. Hop from one foot to the other whilst moving
9. Giving and receiving hip whips
10. Giving and receiving pushes
11. Looking around whilst skating
12. Avoiding obstacles within a pack
13. Leaning whilst skating
14. Clicking/knocking wheels while moving

If there's anything you think needs clarification, or if you have any questions, just ask.

Fresh Meat- a guide to tenderising (week 3)

Fresh Meat week 3 saw much more tenderising!!!

Pixie Pincher and Melvin Star lead training with some warm up laps, quickly followed by a short pyramid drill (up to 3 laps and back down again). Then quickly into stretches.

Pushing in pairs, straight lines first down the length of the hall, then with a partner on the track.
Pixie, Vader, Mel, Kit Cat & Bessy were some of the mouldy oldies on hand to demonstrate the importance of where and how to push correctly, and the dangers of not doing so.

Next up was some more skating on the track, this time stepping or side jumping over one of the boundary lines, getting used to lifting feet while moving, and having to clear an obstacle, great for agility.

Then on to some pack skating on the track, 4 packs per track. Packs were required to stay together as much as possible, evenly spaced from the other packs on the track, and also having to demonstrate skills previously learnt such as positional blocking, (booty blocking and leaning), hip and shoulder checks, some wheel taping, and switching positions within your own pack, remembering to communicate during it all.

Once we got the hang of it, everyone was split into teams for some more pack skating, this time with an oldie as jammer! 2 teams per pack had to assist their teams jammer through the pack, or prevent the opposing teams jammer from getting through. And also pack drill with the oldie skating at the back of the pack holding up a number of fingers for the pack to call out. The point being pack awareness, knowing where your teams players are, your opposition AND the jammers! Those who were not on the track got to do some core strength exercises- planks, sit ups, push ups, squats, cycle riding legs and so on.

Sadly this week saw 2 serious injuries, Sam sprained her wrist & Olivia fractured her fibula !!!


I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you all of the importance of ambulance cover if you don't already have it. "Even if you have private insurance you may not be fully covered. Many private health insurance schemes only cover you and your family for emergency ambulance services. Almost a third of our work is non-emergency, which would leave you to pay the bill". An average emergency ambulance bill is around $700!!!!!!

Please take the time to check out if you are fully covered.

http://www.saambulance.com.au/


This weeks theme song is brought to you by freshy Olivia .... "Broken Leg" by Blue Juice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqnagz41NTU&NR=1

Fresh Meat- a guide to tenderising (week 2)

Vaderella: "If Aretha Franklin was a bear and she wanted to shit in the woods it would look like this!!!"

And just what exactly would that look like?? Well you'd just have to come to blocking 101 with Vaderella & Slave Driver to find out!

Fresh Meat week 2 was nothing but blocks, blocks and MORE BLOCKS!
Last night we were treated by (dare I say it) the leagues best blocker & hitter, Vaderella and Slave Driver (also known as Mumma Blocks) who whiped and shaped those freshies into some lean mean shoulder smackin, hip checking, machines!

We started the evening with some warm up laps of sticky skates in figure 8's and slaloms, then a demonstration of shoulder checks.
Kit Cat Krunch helped Vader to demonstrate how to effectively give and receive a shoulder check, introducing along the way some new terminology. Each person paired up and was given the chance to practice some shoulder checks.

Remember those hula arms ladies, nobody likes chicken wings :P

Candy De La Ghetto then rounded us up for some more track laps, this time her favourite endurance drill... roof, floor, window and face punching. ok so not REAL faces, but hell we can imagine can't we ???

Next up back to Vader and Mumma showing us how to "hold the line" by leaning into your opponent. Again we paired up and skated a length of the hall along a line marked with cones, swapping partners to get a feel for different heights and builds. Once that was mastered onto some little "love taps", again gently bumping our partners as we skated in a straight line.

After all that the notable quote came into play... what Mumma Bessy (Barrelhouse Bessy) like to call B.I.F.... "butt in fanny", and yes it pretty much is just that. A forward blocker attempting to "sit" on her opponent to block them. Great for those girls with Beyonce bootys! yep this is one sport where junk in the trunk really pays off, so get swinging it ladies.

Back to an endurance drill- derby stance for 2.5 mins!!! Followed by sit ups planks and walking cross overs, some more roof punches whilst running on the spot, laying down bike riding, and leg rises ending with a final strength drill of side step pushing your partner the length of the hall whilst they lean on you with their entire body weight!!!

Boy did I sleep well after all that :)

Slave Driver: "yo everyone did so well last night - well done for looking after yourselves and each other - no broken bones HOORRAAAYYYYY!!!!!! keep safe and train hard! Slave Driver..... x"

Your homework this week is to check out one of my big booty'd hero's Beyonslay, you can view her "Slay ride" on you tube (watch the instant replay around 47 seconds) now thats what effective blocking is all about!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1uVC0VlqwY

Meanwhile If you have any great bruises email them to clementine.ford@gmail.com
& check out the freshy forum for Audrey Apple's "bruise your own adventure" blog at the end of the week.

Hot Quads Roller Skates - New Blog

Rebelicious! from Hot Quads Roller Skates now has a brand spanking new blog for all things skate and derby related, go check it out...

http://hotquadsrollerskates.blogspot.com/

Fresh Meat- a guide to tenderising!

Welcome to roller derby 101, and what a night for it 37 deg Cel!!!

Barrelhouse Bessy and Rolla Junky ran us thru a pyramid drill, falling drills, whips and a warm down of pack skating. But first up a safety check, including making sure everyone's toe stops were nice and tight.

Pyramid drills as you will soon learn are every derby girls "favourite" *insert sarcasm here*.
For those of you that don't know it involves 2 people pairing up and taking turns skating laps of the track, starting at one and working their way up to a designated number ( last night was 5) and then back down to one. The aim is to do it as fast and as cleanly as possible - no inside track cutting, no out of bounds skating, and no interference with other skaters.

Bessy and Pixie Pincher took us for stretching and then it was onto falls in smaller groups.
Single knee slides, double knee slides and my personal favourite .... baseball slides,
- a combination of knee slide finishing with a sex kitten a-top a grand piano pose ;) Once that was mastered it was time to test them on the track. We split into 2 groups, Great Whites & Fighting Kangaroo's with the oldies included for good measure. Whenever the name of your group was called out you had to do a fall, stay down on the track till the next groups name is called, then get up quickly, safely and continue skating.
I don't know what hurts more today, my ass from a recent coccyx fall or my thighs from all those knee slide lunges!?

Next up- whips, again in smaller groups learnt the basics of a hip whip (which will be in the testing) and the importance of communicating what you are doing to your whipee. Remember if you are taking a whip to execute it effectively you need a good grip, adequate pull, but also a stable whipee, don't forget how important that derby stance is for balance. Some of you may have missed out on doing arm whips, don't stress there will be time for this later on.

Finally some pack skating, practicing nice tight groups and "sticky wheels" getting used to not lifting your feet as you skate, moving around in a pack, and again that all important COMMUNICATION. Then planks,
sit ups and squats to end the night.

Vaderella says: "It was fantastic having a competent skate skill group of around 60 to manage and they took up the instruction and drills like hungry hungry hippos. Great session tonight everyone - I'm so happy we haven't broken anyone...yet (fingers crossed for a fresh meat intake that's intact!)"

Just a reminder to remain intact No protective gear = No skating

That means you MUST bring and WEAR your mouth guards... in your mouth not as a helmet decoration ;)
I don't want to see any of you ending up like this!!!

This was taken at my workplace recently, the person was only walking down the street! So can you imagine what could happen on skates, at speed on cement!??? Not only is this a safety issue, but during bouts you are required to wear all your safety gear correctly, so it's really important to get used to how it feels when your skating flat out gasping for air, how tight you like your laces done up, or which way round your knee pads go... right Vader ;) ???

Testing, ......testing,... 1...2...3...

90 girls turned up for testing last night, (official numbers of those who passed are still being collated.)

So much positive energy and encouragement from everyone involved, and of course that side dish of nerves. Check in went smoothly each person being assigned laminated numbers for their helmets or arms which were one of about 6 colours.

The idea being we split up into colour based groups, pink for the "boys" (refs hehe), red, yellow, orange, green, blue, and white (I think???) then took it in turns doing each drill at one of 4 stations. Each station had an administer to give a demo of what we must do, a group of assessors, and some helpers.

Stations consisted of :
General Skating on Track A assessing stride, posture, crossovers.
T-stops and Snow Plows on the far scoreboard side.
Squatting and keeping all wheels on the floor and Skating on 1 foot on Track B.
Weaving through Cones and Stepping.

Once everyone had completed the circuit of testing we used the 2 tracks to do 5 laps in 1 minute, and 25 laps in 5 minutes. Exhausted and relieved it was all over results were then given to each person in private. Always the hardest part of the evening, so many tummies churning in anticipation, yet the Adeladies thought of everything, supplying hugs & tissues for those of us who needed it.

So a few of you will be thinking what now??? If you didn't pass remember you can still be part of the greater derby community. We seem to be having an increasing number of places to skate, and people to skate with, so keep up the facebook groups and your skating!! Attend our bouts and public events we love your support, cheer, jeer, sell stuff at stalls or whatever it is you love to do for your favourite team....or dare I say league.

For those of you that didn't make it, big hugs, and MASSIVE props to you for trying in the first place! just don't quit now, I wanna see you back as "cured meat" for next season!!!

Skills Test Blues

There are 116 people trying out for Roller Derby this year. That's more people than is currently in the league. Unfortunately this means some of you won't make it through.
As hard as it may seem at the time, it's not the end of your Roller Derby career, it's just putting it on hold for a year while you brush up on your skills to become a better, stronger and more determined Derby girl.

Because the league knows this can be a stressful evening there will be huggers on stand-by for last minute reassurances, a supportive ear, and a shoulder to cry on. They still want to show you that they love you for all the hard work you've put in over the last 3 weeks, all the after hours training you've taken on, and the determination to get back up again when you fall again, and again, and again.
If you feel like you weren't treated fairly and have something you want to raise, remember we have grievance counsellors, Lula Fortune and Cannon Wonderful, you can have a chat with.

Rumours going around at the moment say that if you don't pass the skating test you can still be a ref. Last year they were able to do this because of different testing requirements, a need in the league for refs, and some pretty determined girls who have been an asset to the black and white stripes. However this year they already have more than enough Derby Widows and rule driven guys and gals strapping on the skates to train as Refs. As Wolfe Whistle reminded everyone at training on Monday, if you didn't put your hand up to test as a Ref, you're testing as a Derby girl. There is no changing your mind because you failed.

Karmen Getme was a freshie last year who failed the skills test, however that didn't stop her. She's back trying again this year, and she's brought a year's worth of practise with her. Karmen says:

This year I didn’t qualify to be a Derby girl but I still really wanted to be involved. I was hungry for it. I hadn’t until that moment realised that I
truly wanted to be a Derby girl. So that burning desired flamed my decision that if I can’t play this season I'll come out guns a blazing next year.

Dee Injuria was one skater who refused to say no. She's spent the past year skating when she can, practising in car parks and was able to get onto Team Zebra because of last year's rules. She recalls of what she learnt after failing the skills test last year:

I was devastated when I failed last year’s skills test. I even tried to plead and negotiate my way into being a derby girl – something, by the way, they won’t let you do, no matter how much you cry and beg.
However, I know now that it wasn’t that the roller girls thought that I wasn’t good enough to be part of the league, and it wasn’t that I had lost something that I wanted so badly. I just needed extra time to learn to be comfortable on roller skates. Having the extra year’s practice has meant that I can come back to fresh meat tryouts this year, stronger and faster and more stable than before. I may not make it again – but I will get closer this time, and I’m sure my derby friends won’t love me any less for it.

The league encourages you to keep skating, keep coming along to bouts, maintain the friendships made this year at Fresh Meat, and come back in 2010.

Vader reminds everyone "keep on skating, enjoy our bouts ,cheer loud and bring it full bore next intake!"

More mid week practice

Hey folks,

If your not on the facebook ADRD freshies group go join up NOW!!!....
A few more practice sessions/venues have been organised if your keen:

Ariel Ferrero: Have booked the parks from 9.30am til 11.00am thursday 28th if anyone is interested.

Valentine Falls: puttin a call out to all you freshies in the deep dark dirty south! the noarlunga liesure centre lets me use their courts during the day when its quiet for a minimal amount but they may be down with us booking it for practice sessions. anyone keen?

And they are having a halloween roll event this friday night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm so you can dress up like a vamp or a witch or something while you practice...http://www.noarlungalc.com.au/content.asp?pid=134586

Also Ingle Farm rec centre on friday nights. Public 6-8. Freshies 8:30-10. This week public skate goes till 9 due to Halloween Skate.

Raw Meat- a grilling in process (week 3)

How's everybody feeling after this week???

Yep testings only one week away ARRGGHHHHH!!!!!!
DON"T PANIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Hits panic button*

So alot of you are probably feeling exactly like me, and not knowing how, when or where you can cram in that extra practice session before testing, fear not there is a solution!!!

Your such a resourceful bunch, Jodie Lee May has arranged practice at
"the parks" for 10.30am tomorrow (Wed 28th) if you want to know more head on over to the ADRD freshies group on facebook (look in the links menu on left hand side of this page) here's whats been posed so far:

"For all you freshies who are not working during 'normal' working hours, the parks stadium can be booked during the week, for $5.70 p.p. the latest booking is 3pm until 4 when it's booked out! There is a creche for the kids to attend for up to 2 hours also."

Or if your unavailable during the day how about joining Audry Apple on Thursday evening:

"Hey there Parkside/Unley/Goodwood etc ladies! A bunch of us are meeting at the Parkside Primary School tennis courts on Young St on Thursday night at 7pm if you want to come along. Might try and do some kind of core work exercise stuff too.. Come one come all!"

Just remember folks, skating outdoors if you've not done it before will be very different to what your used to on the indoor surface. Rougher surfaces like concrete = alot more traction so you'll feel it's alot harder to push along, and take longer to stop!!

So before you think I've forgotten I'd best recap week 3's training session.

Trainers Violent Krumble and Barrelhouse Bessy started last night with an almost obstacle course set up, re-capping those all important skills needed for testing. A long straight run for a T-stop, round the cones and back again for a snow plough. Then over to Bessy's & Wolfie's station for some stepping agility practice, back, forward, left and right. On to weaving thru cones, and exiting Via Mr Hot Rod with a single foot skate to the final station, I like to call "sticky wheels" that's skating without lifting your wheels, using your body sway or figure 8's to propel you along.

Next up 5 big fast laps of the whole room, and some stretching with Krumbs, while Bessy talked about the skills testing. Then she gave us a demo of riding the track, and after that everyone got to do those suicide laps we love so much :P (endurance laps). Once everybody felt human again it was on to some air hostess "stopping" practice T-stops and snow ploughs only. Another quick talk and time to have a drink, Finally some more stations for last minute practice & recap of cross overs, stops, weaving, one foot skating and stepping.

PHEWWWW what a week!!!

Final words of advice from Dee Injuria: "check your wheels!!!" do you know how to adjust them? are they spinning freely? keep them clean by wiping over with a cloth after each training session, and don't forget to clean your bearings every few months too.

Don't forget to check out this weeks photos on the facebook freshy group...
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/photo_search.php?oid=264804635051&view=all

See you all next week, & good luck everyone !!!!

Raw Skills

Overhearing comments on Monday night, it seems there is a lot of confusion over what will and won't be covered in first test on 2nd of November.

Since everyone is so ramped up to get practising, and the trainers can't stress how important that is, then it seems only fair to have a check list to run through. Check out the list of locations to practice from an earlier post: http://adrdfreshies.blogspot.com/2009/09/practise-practise-practise.html

Things that count in the first test:

1. Skating Posture - how you stand
   
2. Stride - how you skate
   
3. Crossovers
4. Speed & Endurance- 5 x laps in 1 minutes
5. Speed & Endurance- 25 x in 5 minutes
6. T-Stop
7. Snow Plow
8. Skate on one foot
9. Propel without taking feet off ground
10. Weaving across track
11. Stepping side to side and back to front
12. Squat and coast
13. Squat and propel self
14. Weaving through cones

Remember that Speed & Endurance is not just about speed, but endurance too, so if you get to the magic number before your time is up, keep going! How many laps can you do in a minute? Can you beat 30 laps in 5 minutes?

Stopping skills is not a one or the other type of test. You will have to do both snow plows AND T stops. Planting your face in the wall is not an option!

To pass skating on one foot, you have to coast around a derby track on one skate without losing your balance.

Propelling without taking feet off the ground, weaving across the track and squatting will be covered in the next session - every other skill has been covered so far.

What you won't find in the first test:

• crossover in the opposite skating direction
• weaving on one foot
• weaving backwards

If you need more info or clarification on anything to do with the test or have any questions re Freshie training either send an email to info@adelaiderollerderby.com or make comment here to discuss and see if one of the mouldies will answer.

Raw Meat- a grilling in process (week 2)

Another Monday rolls around, this week we had 116 Freshies of which 9 want to be Referees,
way to go Adelaide :)

First up a quick note to say thanks to everyone who registered for the 2009 Fresh Meat intake.
Registration has now closed.

But you really, really wanna be a rollergirl? If you missed out in 2009, keep coming along to watch our bouts, keep improving your skating skills, and stay tuned to this page for news of our next intake, probably late September 2010.

Training sessions are closed to the public (yeah that's absolutely everyone except registered
skaters) to allow our freshies to develop skills faster by training hard without distraction.
But down't worry, you'll get to meet the new ADRD rollergirls soon enough, when we launch our next exciting season in 2010!

Our Trainers last night were Pixie Pincher and Violent Krumble, starting off with a refresh
of skills from week one... STOPPING!!! Then a few laps of what I like to call "Pushmi Pullyu" but unlike the Doctor Dolittle character it didn't involve any two headed llama like creatures.
Once we were nice and warm, Pixie lead us thru a few stretches and the trainers talked about the importance of managing your injuries and hydration! To recap, know your body, know the difference between good pain and bad pain! for eg: good pain= OMG I'm so unfit, I'm a bit out of breath, and my feet really hurt but I can push myself for another few laps. Bad pain= I've just fallen over, my leg hurts like hell and I can't get up!!

Pixie Pincher says: Continuing to skate on bad pain will only make it worse and instead of sitting out the rest of the session (and learning by observation) you might be sitting out the next 3 weeks or more. You are also responsible for your own learning. Look at your skills with an honest eye. What do you need to work on? Ask for help, look at some skate tutorials on you tube, put your skates on at home and skate around the house, get out and skate!

If you are coming to training injured PLEASE let the trainers know, and if you are injured DURING training, again let us know, even if it's just to put some ice on an injury, it's important we know for your own personal safety and for the league. In regards to hydration, it's really important to drink loads of water in the 2 to 3 days before a training session, Training is alot of hard work and you don't have time to go get a drink every few minutes whilst training, so we really encourage you all to stay nice and hydrated.

On that point I do encourage everyone to be responsible skaters, anyone skating under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be asked to leave. This shouldn't only apply to ADRD training but any social skating your doing too, you are not only putting yourself at risk but also those skating around you.

Next up was a discussion about league commitments and what it all involves:

• 2 evening training sessions a week (for 10 months)
• extra team training sessions
• Bouting
• Committee Participation
  
• Derby camp
• After parties which leads to the day after... which is another day lost!
  
• travel team training sessions if you get on the travel team

Remember it's a HUGE commitment that WILL take alot out of your life, can you juggle work, families, relationships, child care, transport and other previous sports and hobbies??
If your having concerns about any of these come talk to a league member, we are here to help :)

Back to drills... Lots more weaving around cones, figure 8's and also one foot weaving, stationary stepping for agility, then split into smaller groups for some core strength training, on track crossovers, and individual introductions. A rude surprise of endurance laps in the middle ...
25 laps in 5 mins to be exact, then 5 laps in 1 min. YES you will be tested on this!!!
Finally a few run thru's of "aeroplane hostess" drill, trainers waving their hands in various directions, instructing skaters to skate left, right, snow plow, t-stop, or continue skating.

Some final words from Pixie Pincher: You are probably all feeling sore from training. Derby introduces you to muscles you haven't really used much. Have a bath in epsom salts,
they are great for relieving aching muscles. Stretch out your sore spots (gently - don't over stretch). Core strengthening exercises are going to be helpful in building up strength therefore reducing the ache in your lower back from skating in derby stance.

Some that are great are:
Plank - lie on tummy, support weight on forearms and either knees or toes (with feet flexed), keep body straight, engage stomach muscles.
Side plank - support weight on forearm and knee or feet body facing side, keep body straight.
Bridge - lie on back, knees bent, feet on floor. Lift pelvis up to ceiling hold and lower, repeat. Engage gluts (bum), hamstring and quads (front and back of thighs)
Squats - stand with legs hip with or wider apart, squat like you are going to sit on a chair, keep chest and head up, keep arms in. Stand up, repeat.
Crunches/sit ups - there are so many varieties of sit ups and crunches, just remember to be careful of your neck, and back. Crunches and sit ups should be engaging your stomach muscles, if you are feeling sore in other areas (neck, back) you are doing them wrong. Ask someone for help.


Be sure to check out week 2 photos on the facebook group .... and keep on skating!!!

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=11510&post=41060&uid=264804635051#/photo_search.php?oid=264804635051&view=all

Raw Meat- a grilling in process ( week 1)

Ohhh.............Myyyyyy................God!!!!!!!!!
That's the censored version of my reaction walking into raw meat training last night.


I was a little bit rushed to get there, soaking wet from the rain, and rather flustered by the time I walked in the door, but to see a long white line of nervous freshy virgins awaiting instruction was an almighty sight to behold. 100 in total and so pristine in their new gear looking like a bunch of penguin's (I'd forgotten what that was like!). You could smell the anticipation in the air unlike a league training session where the smell is usually our stanky pads!

Barrelhouse Bessy and Rebelicious! were the trainers for the evening, and did an almighty job in wrangling so many new and anxious participants. They started the evening with a warm up and get to know you game. Everyone skated around and when Bessy called out a number we had to form groups of that number.


Next up was weaving drills with cones, nice big ones, then a bit tighter, figure 8's and if you were game backwards weaving.

After that everyone split into about 10 smaller groups to get some more personal instruction on stopping. T'stops and snow ploughs for now..... lot's of practice on those, and finally Reb's gave everyone a demonstration of how to ride the track, as an introduction to crossovers. Again split into smaller groups and helped the freshies hone their skills in this department.

So many memories came flooding back to me, it's been a year now since I was in this situation, funny how you recognise yourself in other people, but also great to be able to reassure them that yes, you WILL get better... Just keep practicing!!!

Time flew and the next thing I knew we were in a huddle ready to do our "end of training" cheer, feeling very proud of our new tribe, and relieved I didn't injur myself after loaning my wrist guards to a needy freshy.... that is until I got kicked in the shins in the huddle by a falling freshy lol, Take this as a reminder, it's not a question of IF you'll get injured, but more so a question of WHEN!!!

Mouldy advice:
Blow Up Betty: "Aftercare tips: Stretching! Cause those thighs are gonna be burning today!"

Ivanna Shoverova: "Practise throughout the week wherever and whenever they can...maybe let them know how stoked we are with all of them? They're all so lovely!"

Freshy testimony:
Gemma Vendetta: "I felt that the vibe was nervous, yet ultra excited, and all the girls I met were awesome! The derby girls (and gentlemen) were so kind, caring and supportive, I felt like I was MEANT to be there! ♥"

2 more sleeps!!!

Hi there freshies,
I hope your all as excited as I am, only two more sleeps to go!!!
I've heard a few people are worried about not having all their protective gear yet.


DON'T WORRY!!! the first 4 weeks of raw meat training are basic learn to skate skills, there will be NO contact with other skaters at this point. Of course if you have gear bring it along, but don't stress if you haven't got it all just yet.

Fresh Meat training however is a totally different story, because you will be learning to play derby and you WILL be making contact with other skaters there is a need to wear ALL your protective gear, no if's or buts!!

If your short on gear please let a league member know, some of us have old equipment you may be able to borrow.

See you there
Holga

Roller Derby Dictionary

Ever wondered what a derby wife, derby widow, NSO, IPR, or zebra huddle is??? Roller derby is a pretty odd sport, and more so it has some really odd terms, here's a few to get you started.

ADRD- Adelaide Roller Derby (League)

After party - A celebration after the bout where the winners can claim their bragging rights and the losers can drown their sorrows. Those who did not skate, they just drown.

After after party- known amongst ADRD skaters as "The Place"- A venue in which drunken celebrations continue. Usually decided at the after party & often involves karaoke.

Backstretch - The straightaway portion of the track that is opposite of the area where the skaters start.

Banked Track - A specially designed track built with embankments in each of the turns which helps increase the speed. There is currently no banked track roller derby in Australia.

Bout - A bout is the entire single competition between two teams. A bout consists of 2 periods and preset amount of time per period (usually 30 mins).

Break (the pack) - When a jammer passes all of the pack skaters the first time, they broke the pack. This means they now have to skate back around to the back of the pack. Then, for every skater they pass, they will score a point.

Call Off (the jam) - A jammer who has been designated as the lead jammer can “call off” the jam by putting her hands on their hips. Calling off a jam is a strategic move to prevent an opposing team from scoring.

Crash Zone - This is a buffer zone outside the outer perimeter of the track. This area is kept clear to assure the safety of fans from skaters falling out of bounds as well as an area that may be used by outside referees.

Cutting the Track- skating out of bounds on the inside of the track. ( can incur minor & major penalties).

Flat Track - Roller derby played on an even track surface with no modifications to change the angle of the turns.

Fresh Meat - Term used to identify skaters who are new and are in training and have not been drafted to a team.

Front stretch - The straightaway portion of the track where the skaters start from. This is the area closest to the team benches.

Infield - The area in the middle of the track oval. This area is considered to be out of bounds. ADRD uses this section for penalty benches, score keeper, penalty tracker and penalty timers.

IPR- Inside Pack Referee, pack ref who skates on the inside of the track.

Jam - an individual race during a period where the skaters in the pack as well as the jammers are started. A period can have an unlimited amount of jams. The jam will last for a certain amount of time (90 seconds for ADRD) and can be called off early by the skater designated as lead jammer.

Jam Timer - A person holding a stop watch who is responsible for timing the length of an individual jam. If the designated time of the jam expires and the jam has not called off, they will blow a whistle 4 times to indicate the end of a jam.

Jammer - skater who is responsible for scoring points during a jam. The jammer will be identified with a helmet cover with a star on it.

Jammer Line - A place on the front stretch of the track where the two jammers line up at the beginning of the jam. The jammer may not cross the jammer line until the second whistle is blown at the start of a jam.

Jammerless Jam - A situation where both jammers have received penalties that sent them to the penalty box and therefore there is are no jammers for either team on the track.

Lead Jammer - The lead jammer is the first jammer to “break” through the pack entirely in bounds and did not commit any penalties along the way. Being lead jammer means that the jammer can stop a jam in progress if it is strategic to do so.

NSO- Non Skating Official, consisting of score keeper, penalty trackers, penalty timers, jam timer.

OOB- Out of bounds- skating outside the marked track.

OPR- Outside Pack Referee- pack referee skating on the outside of the track often in a "skate and wait" formation. ( can also consist of 4 standing referee's, one placed at each corner of the track).

Pack - A group of skaters, 4 from each team. This includes 3 blockers and 1 pivot. The pack skates together (& must stay within 20 feet of each other) their goal is to assure that their team’s jammer is helped through the pack while preventing the opposing team’s jammer from getting through.

Panty - Slang for the helmet covers used by jammers (jammer panty) and pivots (pivot panty).

Passing the Star - A strategic move where the jammer can take off their helmet cover (with the star on it) and pass it to their pivot (the skater with the striped helmet cover). This will give the pivot the jammer position and the pivot will be able to score points. The jammer would become a blocker and can’t score points. The star can not be passed back to the original jammer.

Penalty box - When a skater has to leave the track for a major penalty, they will spend their prescribed time in the penalty box. There are also penalty timers for each league who keep track of the time served on a penalty and will release the skaters when their penalty time expires.

Pivot - A skater who is a member of the pack who is responsible for setting the pace for the speed of the pack. The Pivot is can also be declared the jammer by having the star being passed to them by the jammer. The pivot is identified by a helmet cover with a stripe on it.

Pivot Line - A specific line on the front stretch where the two pivots line up. The remaining blockers of the pack line up directly behind the pivots and the jammers line up a prescribed distance behind the pivot line at the jammer line.

Raised Track - A rope material placed on the track to define the actual boundaries (both inside and outside) of the track. They are used by referees to determine if a skater is in or out. Sometimes, these are ropes of lights which enhance the presentation of the game. ADRD does not use raised tracks at this point.

Reverse Jam - Skating a jam in the clockwise direction. Done in practices for training purposes. Also done at times in public during exposition bouts.

Rollercon - The annual roller derby convention usually held the last week of July in Las Vegas USA.

Scrimmage - An informal game used for training or for other purposes and does not count towards any statistics. Many scrimmages are closed to the public.

Sin Bin - see “penalty box”.

SOE- Skate of Emergency, interstate double header hosted in Adelaide 27/9/09 Adelaide Phantoms Vs Sydney City Assassins, Adelaide Tornados Vs Northern Brisbane Brawl Stars.

SOO- Skate of Origin, interstate bout consisting of ADRD Adelaidies Vs VRDL All Stars affectionatly known as "the Ashes of Roller Derby" SOO2 was hosted in Reservoir Victoria on the 22/8/09

Stats Geek - General term used to identify a person who is involved in gathering or maintaining statistics.

Turn 1, 2, 3, 4 - Identification of each turn on the track. Turn 1 is the left turn just after the pivot line, it then continues around the track in an anti-clockwise direction.

WFTDA - Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. The leading national body of roller derby leagues with about 70 members nationwide.

Widow/Widdower- This term is coined because derby tends to become a quick obsession, and the derby girl spends sooo much time on derby practices, fundraisers, and meetings, that her significant other is essentially a widow/widower to derby.

Wife- She is the one person that the very instant you looked at her, you felt like you'd known her since you were a fetus. She looked just like your best friend from fifth grade, or something she did reminded you of all the things you ever liked in anyone else.
She is the first person you'd call if you ever need to get bailed out of jail.
She's the one who will be holding back your hair when you puke after drinking too much, and she won't let anyone take your picture while doing it.
She'll ride in the ambulance with you when you lose a tooth, break your wrist, or tear your ACL. She'll make you laugh the whole way to the hospital, try to steal your pain medication (lovingly), and sneak your favorite food and a beer into recovery.
She'll make her actual husband understand that if he loves her, he's gonna have to put up with you, too, no matter how many times you come over forcing him to revisit all the derby-related shows on his Tivo that you missed.
She may not even be your best friend in the league or the sport, but she'd be the one you know will be the first one to back you up, even if you're dead wrong. She'll just tell you you've lost your f#$king mind later in private, possibly kick your ass a little bit, and then be the only one who could ever talk your hotheaded ass into some reason.

Zebra - another term for a referee.

Zebra Convention/Huddle - game play stopped so the referees can confer with each other.

Got any more? please feel free to add them.

Somebody Stole Our Zebra

Skate of Emergency was fantastic, but some lousy person stole the mascot of Team Zebra- Debra the Zebra.
Mr Hot Rod (her keeper) is upset, Team Zebra are distraught, and Derby Girls are out for blood!
Reward Offered!

Win Tickets to Whip It!

As if you need another reason to attend this Sunday's Skate of Emergency...
But here's an added incentive anyway...by coming to the double header you get the opportunity to win free tickets to Drew Barrymore's new roller derby movie, Whip It! That's right, Adelaide Roller Derby wants to take you to the movies so this Sunday we're giving away heaps of passes to see Whip It!

Watch the trailer here: www.whipitmovie.com.au

And get your tickets to the Skate of Emergency at: www.oztix.com.au

Big Derby Girls Don't Cry

I've had so many people come and ask me about fresh meat for this year, with one of the main concerns being about body image. "Oh I'm too small, too tall, I'm too big,too old....or concerns about the clothing! Do I really have to wear hot pants and fishnets!!??. Having started out my derby career as one of the larger girls I thought it would be nice to provide you all with some inspiration. We all have attributes that lend themselves to the derby track and in the words of Marshall Stacks...
"Every body type has it's special derby attributes, big butts do great blocking, super short people can sneak through the pack and hit low, tall girls have greater reach and can cover the track with ease, big thighs equal strong thighs that can jump around. Derby is about embracing you and using your body in a new way which will change your world, if you're worried about body image rest assured you won't be judged."


MS: "My derby experience with ADRD has been amazing in regards to my relationship with my body, no-one has ever been insensitive or unsupportive about me or anyone else that I've heard. The focus has always been on improving my fitness and strength to improve my playing and to use the special qualities my body, it has never been on my appearance. My size and shape make me hard to move, stable and a hard blocker which makes for a strong derby girl, I've had nothing but compliments from fans with compliments on my appearance as well as my playing, this is not a crowd that tolerates demeaning comments from it's audience so you have nothing to fear there."


Cannon Wonderful one of ADRD's more colourful members says: "To feel comfortable in the skin your in is one of the best friends you can have. Expression in this community is also cherished i cannot think of another sport which would allow me to express my inner unicorn loving hippie in such a lovely way. "

Clothing is also something that is very individual, there are no set rules about what you must wear to training so long as it's safe for you and wont endanger other skaters. Some girls like wearing leggings, some like shorts or skorts, even long skirts it's up to you. If you don't like singlets a T'shirt is fine.
Many girls have tattoos and are not shy to let them show, yet some are more concerned about covering their scars. The beauty of derby is that regardless of how you look, how you dress, or how you feel we all have the ability to leave our hang ups at the door, if you can't then perhaps roller derby isn't the sport for you.

CW: "My body is the way it is and i honestly don't give a shit what people think about that. Derby is good for that cos it blurs social conventions in a way because we all come in different shapes and forms but we're all important. There is not one way of being that's better than another."

MS: "If you're worried about body image rest assured you won't be judged, you can train in baggy shorts and an over sized T shirt to start with, and the crowd will love you if you bring personality and heart to the track no matter what you look like while doing it."

Want to see what other ADRD girls have to say? check out this short film by Amiee Knight & Jane Baird
Talk Derby To Me

Missed the info night?

Did you miss the information night? Fear not, you can still get everything you need.
head on over to the Adelaide Roller Derby website, click on the contacts tab, scroll down to the fresh meat pack PDF (highlighted in red) print it out, fill in the info sheets & be sure to bring them along to training so you can skate!!!

http://www.adelaiderollerderby.com/contact.html

meanwhile... just keep skating!

Holga

Practise, Practise, Practise

So you turned up to the info session at The Wheaty last night, got your Derby pack, flicked through the rules, filled out your forms and started putting aside money to buy your gear, but you just can't control that desire to get out on the rink and skate.

Bike paths, tennis and basketball courts, even supermarket car parks after hours offer great outdoor areas to practise, if you have your own skates and a keen eye for track obstacles ie sticks, stones and small children. But don't forget that there are several community recreation centres* that offer indoor roller skating, with skate hire if you don't have your own pair of skates yet. You may even spot a Derby Girl or Ref practising their skills.

St Clair Recreation Centre (8445 8344)
109 Woodville Rd, Woodville
Saturday 1.30 to 4.00 pm General Skating Session
Free Skate Hire
$5.50 entry

Blackwood Recreation Centre (8278 8833)
1 Northcote Rd, Eden Hills
Sunday afternoons 3.30pm - 5.00pm
Free Skate Hire
$7 or $22 for a family of 4

Gawler Recreation Centre (8523 0111)
Nixon Tce, Gawler
Friday evenings

Ingle Farm Recreation Centre
Beovich Rd, Ingle Farm
Friday evenings 8.30- 10pm
BYO Skates
Privately organised, so the price will vary.
Under $10- the more who turn up, the more people to share the cost between.

Now get your skates on, and get your butt on the rink.

* this is by no means the definitive list, so if you know of skate sessions in your local area, please add comments.

So You Want To Be A Roller Girl???

COME TO THE "RAW MEAT" INFO SESSION

Wed September 9th 2009 at 7pm
The Wheatsheaf Hotel - Tin shed
39 George Street, Thebarton
www.wheatsheafhotel.com.au

Learn more about ADRD
Website - www.adelaiderollerderby.com
Email - info@adelaiderollerderby.com

Fresh Meat Poster Download it, print it and share it!