This year I am going to be taking a big step back from some of the things I have been doing in Roller Derby. I will be stepping back from announcing and from writing.
When I first started my NW Jr Derby Blog, there were 6 teams competing in the NW. Now, there are far, far more. There is no way I can cover all of the Jr derby I would want to in order to be true to what I think the blog should be, a balanced look at all of the junior derby in the area regardless of league. I just plain cannot travel THAT much and I felt as though I was concentrating only on those leagues which formed the original core, what had become the "A" teams of the region.
As far as announcing, I never really feel comfortable doing it. I think I do reasonable at play by play, but I sound more like a radio announcer describing the action on the track. Everyone knows what's going on on the track, they can see it. If I were doing an audio feed, that might be needed. I just don't feel that competent at color. I think there are plenty of others who do the job better than I will, and junior leagues now have enough respect that they don't usually need someone like me (an amateur) to step up.
Who knows, this decision may not happen to last through the season. I might find some bouts to go to and see some things I feel need writing about. I may be at a bout and have someone hand me a mic (it happens more than I thought it could), but I will definitely be more ready to have a stopwatch in my hand or a score sheet in front of me. or, heck, nothing at all but the action to watch and cheering for my favorites to be done.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
NW Jr Derby Champs 2013
So, I started out this weekend at NW derby champs with the goal of writing the most kick ass recaps I could think up. They would be full of stats and breakdowns and show who won what and why using all the numbers. They would have shout outs to skaters from both teams in each one, but there's someone else for that this time, and he does it very well.
If derby were fiction, or faked as it used to be, the story of this weekend would have been one about a group of kids who have struggled to regain the top of the pile over the last few seasons finally coming together and getting the trophy as nine of them were graduating from junior derby this season and would never again have a chance at the prize. But this is not fiction, roller derby is not faked, and that's not the story I get to tell.
Instead I get a raw story, a true story, a gritty story. I get to look in on a tournament of teams struggling against overwhelming odds, teenagers battling fatigue and their own bodies, last minute victories, incredible heart, and heart-wrenching mistakes. It's a story about teams with too few players, players in their last season, players who have struggled personally or as a team to get to where they are. A first season team fighting incredibly hard only to fall just shy, still holding their heads high, confident in the fact that they did something hundreds of others cannot. A team which has fallen from the top, and a team which has risen to new heights, a team solidifying claims to greatness. One which has to look once again to next year, and a team rebuilding their confidence.
In short, it's the story of A team Pacific Northwest Junior Roller Derby. Championships.
6th place - Port Scandalous Roller Punks
All season long, this team struggled along with a short roster. They had, at most, 10 skaters on their team at any one game, They played a brutal double elimination format at Wild West and kept in against opponents outside the area despite being so short handed. But this past weekend, as with most of the ranked games this season, that short team hurt.
They started both games strong, but as the game progressed and their 2 jammer rotation started to show wear along with a blocker rotation which only allowed for 3 of them to rest any one jam, the points stopped coming as briskly, and the other teams were able to capitalize.
In the 5th place bout, they again started out VERY strong, blasting out to an impressive lead, but the Dolls had T-wrecks-Her's number, and she was not able to break free for her usually huge point gains. It was clear midway through the second half that she was beginning to run out of gas. Thankfully, they added in another jammer to the rotation and were able to struggle back to within 25 with less than a minute left and a power jam up! In the end, they fell just short, missing out on 5th place by a mere 15 points. Not bad for a team of 9 skaters!
Tournament results -
Loss to Rosebuds 260-179
Loss to Reservoir Dolls 185-170
My MVP selections:
T-Wrecks-Her
Cookie Dozer
5th place - Emerald City Junior Gems Reservoir Dolls
The Dolls. I have watched some serious flashes of brilliance from them this season which were simply not quite enough to get past the other teams this year. They would put together some impressive runs, but then fall victim to penalty trouble and things would kind of disintegrate for them.
In their first bout, they gave up 8 power jams to a strong Kitsap team. Kitsap was able to take full advantage of those errors. Despite that, they led against the D-Bombers through most of the first game, only to fall victim to penalties in the last 3 jams.
In their second bout, they gave up just as many power jams, but were able to kill the penalties against the Roller Punks with greater effectiveness. That's what I am talking about. The flashes of brilliance were more frequent, and they were really playing as a team. Their defence was tighter and they were able to handle the Roller Punks jammers better. A wild, back and forth affair finally gave way halfway through the second half, and they were able to ward off a late game rally to take 5th in the tournament.
Tournament results -
Loss to D-bombers 211-200
Win vs Roller Punks 185-170
My MVP Selections:
Beautiful Deadly
Neal Cassady
4th place - Rose City Rosebuds
They were undefeated last year. No one could touch them, despite some very valiant efforts. They played strong in the clutch and held off assaults with strong, secure pack play and some incredible physicality. This year they had strong, physical play but there was something missing in a few of their bouts. Against the Roller Punks they showed some of their old form. They were controlling lead jammer and the clock, but gave up power jams in the 1st, 5th, 11th and 13th jams of the half which gave the Punks the lead despite being held scoreless in 7 of the 20 first half jams. The second half against the Punks was really where we saw the team playing their game. 13 scoreless jams for the Punks, capitalizing on power jams, and controlling lead jammer. They were everywhere the Punks were trying to be, hips, shoulders and jammers flying.
In the game vs the Galaxy Girls, it was just plain brutal. Both teams were engaged in a slugging match in the pack and the jammers were struggling to string together points. Most jams on both sides were not only single digit, but most of them were also less than four points. It seemed more that the jammers would throw themselves at the pack with their hands slamming their hips to call off the jam and praying they were able to get past just one opponent before the fourth whistle or before the opposing jammer could close.
It wasn't until halfway through the first half that Galaxy was able to put a 7 jam, 36-0 run together which broke thing open. While points remained hard to come by, Galaxy was able to squeak through for lead and control the points and clock despite the Buds' use of every jammer in their arsenal.
Against the D-Bombers? They were scoreless in 21 out of 46 jams. Power jams were where they were scoring points, but the D-Bombers were playing a physical game to match the best Portland could bring. the Buds found themselves behind for the entirety of the second half. Not a position they were used to, and you could see it in their determination as they fought hard to regain the lead. They finally caught a break in the last few jams, with a massive power 37-4 run bringing them to within 5, but an out of bounds block in the final jam saw their comeback quelled and their jammer in the box.
Tournament Results -
Win vs Roller Punks 260-179
Loss to Galaxy Girls 221-124
Loss to D-Bombers 206-196
My MVP Selections:
Tempest Fugit
Jesus Feist
3rd place - Kitsap Derby Brats D-Bombers
What can I say? This team was the surprise of the season. Virtually winless in ranked play every year, the bottom of the pile in every tournament, but this year? They really brought it together. That's not to say they didn't have their issues, after all they were in fourth place coming into the tournament, but their PF/PA through the season and their performance in the Championships have made me a believer.
And they broke my bracket.
Against the Reservoir Dolls, I mentioned already that they struggled in the first half, but what they were able to put together in a come from behind position was not something they have been able to do in the past; take advantage of the mistakes of their opponents. Down by by 28, they clawed their way back to tie at 172 each at the tail end of the game, then rallied again down by 19 to take an 11 point victory. A site to behold!
Against I5, well... it was another tale. I5 did what I5 does. They locked down the track and scored points. The Bombers were able to throw together some great series of leads jammers, but the I5 blockers seemed to have a homing beacon on the yellow and black star and the best amounted to a 15-0 run over 4 jams.
And then the surprise. This game was just plain awesome to watch. To take on the titans, the team you have never beaten in the 5 years they have been playing tournaments together, and to finally get that victory? There's the payoff of what has clearly been some seriously hard work on the part of the D-Bombers over this last season.
Tournament Results:
Win vs Reservoir Dolls 211-220
Loss vs I5 294-162
Win vs Rosebuds 206-196
My MVP Selections:
Aqua KnockYouOut
T-Pain
2nd place - Seattle Derby Brats Galaxy Girls
This team is wow. This team is agility, flash, brilliance, waterfalling, strategy, speed... everything you could possibly want in an exciting roller derby bout, and they never fail to deliver on that promise. I have watched these girls grow through the years and now, as about half the team graduates from junior derby? I can't help but shed a tear both of sorrow and of joy. Sorrow for what the junior world will be missing, and joy for what the adult world is gaining.
I've already gone through their game against the Rose buds, so let's take on the game against I5. Galaxy led through the entire first half. They came out swinging and had I5 on the ropes, up by 50 until an I5 power jam brought it to within 28... then up by 54 until a jammer was sent back to the bench and I5 clawed back 30 of those points.
The second half saw I5 swinging away and locking down the pack. They gained the lead four jams into the second half and never lost it again. Galaxy managed to threaten in the final couple of jams, drawing to 28 points down, but in a game that tight, 28 points is not easy.
Tournament results:
Win vs Rosebuds 221-124
Loss to I5 285-254
My MVP Selections -
Enurgizer Bunny
Lilly Lightning
Rosie D Kreamher
1st place - I5 Rollergirls
Fundamentals. This team has them in spades. Their flash is in the speed of their jammers, not in the pack. In the pack, it's work time and they do it more effectively than any other junior team out there. They drill hard, they practice hard, they play hard. They work as a single unit and their discipline on the track is undeniable. This season was theirs from start to finish, and they just put the exclamation point on a perfect year. CONGRATULATIONS!
Tournament results:
Win vs D-Bombers 294-162
Win vs Galaxy Girls 285-254
My MVP Selections:
Lex Celerator
Dee Stroir
Hunter
If derby were fiction, or faked as it used to be, the story of this weekend would have been one about a group of kids who have struggled to regain the top of the pile over the last few seasons finally coming together and getting the trophy as nine of them were graduating from junior derby this season and would never again have a chance at the prize. But this is not fiction, roller derby is not faked, and that's not the story I get to tell.
Instead I get a raw story, a true story, a gritty story. I get to look in on a tournament of teams struggling against overwhelming odds, teenagers battling fatigue and their own bodies, last minute victories, incredible heart, and heart-wrenching mistakes. It's a story about teams with too few players, players in their last season, players who have struggled personally or as a team to get to where they are. A first season team fighting incredibly hard only to fall just shy, still holding their heads high, confident in the fact that they did something hundreds of others cannot. A team which has fallen from the top, and a team which has risen to new heights, a team solidifying claims to greatness. One which has to look once again to next year, and a team rebuilding their confidence.
In short, it's the story of A team Pacific Northwest Junior Roller Derby. Championships.
6th place - Port Scandalous Roller Punks
All season long, this team struggled along with a short roster. They had, at most, 10 skaters on their team at any one game, They played a brutal double elimination format at Wild West and kept in against opponents outside the area despite being so short handed. But this past weekend, as with most of the ranked games this season, that short team hurt.
They started both games strong, but as the game progressed and their 2 jammer rotation started to show wear along with a blocker rotation which only allowed for 3 of them to rest any one jam, the points stopped coming as briskly, and the other teams were able to capitalize.
In the 5th place bout, they again started out VERY strong, blasting out to an impressive lead, but the Dolls had T-wrecks-Her's number, and she was not able to break free for her usually huge point gains. It was clear midway through the second half that she was beginning to run out of gas. Thankfully, they added in another jammer to the rotation and were able to struggle back to within 25 with less than a minute left and a power jam up! In the end, they fell just short, missing out on 5th place by a mere 15 points. Not bad for a team of 9 skaters!
Tournament results -
Loss to Rosebuds 260-179
Loss to Reservoir Dolls 185-170
My MVP selections:
T-Wrecks-Her
Cookie Dozer
5th place - Emerald City Junior Gems Reservoir Dolls
The Dolls. I have watched some serious flashes of brilliance from them this season which were simply not quite enough to get past the other teams this year. They would put together some impressive runs, but then fall victim to penalty trouble and things would kind of disintegrate for them.
In their first bout, they gave up 8 power jams to a strong Kitsap team. Kitsap was able to take full advantage of those errors. Despite that, they led against the D-Bombers through most of the first game, only to fall victim to penalties in the last 3 jams.
In their second bout, they gave up just as many power jams, but were able to kill the penalties against the Roller Punks with greater effectiveness. That's what I am talking about. The flashes of brilliance were more frequent, and they were really playing as a team. Their defence was tighter and they were able to handle the Roller Punks jammers better. A wild, back and forth affair finally gave way halfway through the second half, and they were able to ward off a late game rally to take 5th in the tournament.
Tournament results -
Loss to D-bombers 211-200
Win vs Roller Punks 185-170
My MVP Selections:
Beautiful Deadly
Neal Cassady
4th place - Rose City Rosebuds
They were undefeated last year. No one could touch them, despite some very valiant efforts. They played strong in the clutch and held off assaults with strong, secure pack play and some incredible physicality. This year they had strong, physical play but there was something missing in a few of their bouts. Against the Roller Punks they showed some of their old form. They were controlling lead jammer and the clock, but gave up power jams in the 1st, 5th, 11th and 13th jams of the half which gave the Punks the lead despite being held scoreless in 7 of the 20 first half jams. The second half against the Punks was really where we saw the team playing their game. 13 scoreless jams for the Punks, capitalizing on power jams, and controlling lead jammer. They were everywhere the Punks were trying to be, hips, shoulders and jammers flying.
In the game vs the Galaxy Girls, it was just plain brutal. Both teams were engaged in a slugging match in the pack and the jammers were struggling to string together points. Most jams on both sides were not only single digit, but most of them were also less than four points. It seemed more that the jammers would throw themselves at the pack with their hands slamming their hips to call off the jam and praying they were able to get past just one opponent before the fourth whistle or before the opposing jammer could close.
It wasn't until halfway through the first half that Galaxy was able to put a 7 jam, 36-0 run together which broke thing open. While points remained hard to come by, Galaxy was able to squeak through for lead and control the points and clock despite the Buds' use of every jammer in their arsenal.
Against the D-Bombers? They were scoreless in 21 out of 46 jams. Power jams were where they were scoring points, but the D-Bombers were playing a physical game to match the best Portland could bring. the Buds found themselves behind for the entirety of the second half. Not a position they were used to, and you could see it in their determination as they fought hard to regain the lead. They finally caught a break in the last few jams, with a massive power 37-4 run bringing them to within 5, but an out of bounds block in the final jam saw their comeback quelled and their jammer in the box.
Tournament Results -
Win vs Roller Punks 260-179
Loss to Galaxy Girls 221-124
Loss to D-Bombers 206-196
My MVP Selections:
Tempest Fugit
Jesus Feist
3rd place - Kitsap Derby Brats D-Bombers
What can I say? This team was the surprise of the season. Virtually winless in ranked play every year, the bottom of the pile in every tournament, but this year? They really brought it together. That's not to say they didn't have their issues, after all they were in fourth place coming into the tournament, but their PF/PA through the season and their performance in the Championships have made me a believer.
And they broke my bracket.
Against the Reservoir Dolls, I mentioned already that they struggled in the first half, but what they were able to put together in a come from behind position was not something they have been able to do in the past; take advantage of the mistakes of their opponents. Down by by 28, they clawed their way back to tie at 172 each at the tail end of the game, then rallied again down by 19 to take an 11 point victory. A site to behold!
Against I5, well... it was another tale. I5 did what I5 does. They locked down the track and scored points. The Bombers were able to throw together some great series of leads jammers, but the I5 blockers seemed to have a homing beacon on the yellow and black star and the best amounted to a 15-0 run over 4 jams.
And then the surprise. This game was just plain awesome to watch. To take on the titans, the team you have never beaten in the 5 years they have been playing tournaments together, and to finally get that victory? There's the payoff of what has clearly been some seriously hard work on the part of the D-Bombers over this last season.
Tournament Results:
Win vs Reservoir Dolls 211-220
Loss vs I5 294-162
Win vs Rosebuds 206-196
My MVP Selections:
Aqua KnockYouOut
T-Pain
2nd place - Seattle Derby Brats Galaxy Girls
This team is wow. This team is agility, flash, brilliance, waterfalling, strategy, speed... everything you could possibly want in an exciting roller derby bout, and they never fail to deliver on that promise. I have watched these girls grow through the years and now, as about half the team graduates from junior derby? I can't help but shed a tear both of sorrow and of joy. Sorrow for what the junior world will be missing, and joy for what the adult world is gaining.
I've already gone through their game against the Rose buds, so let's take on the game against I5. Galaxy led through the entire first half. They came out swinging and had I5 on the ropes, up by 50 until an I5 power jam brought it to within 28... then up by 54 until a jammer was sent back to the bench and I5 clawed back 30 of those points.
The second half saw I5 swinging away and locking down the pack. They gained the lead four jams into the second half and never lost it again. Galaxy managed to threaten in the final couple of jams, drawing to 28 points down, but in a game that tight, 28 points is not easy.
Tournament results:
Win vs Rosebuds 221-124
Loss to I5 285-254
My MVP Selections -
Enurgizer Bunny
Lilly Lightning
Rosie D Kreamher
1st place - I5 Rollergirls
Fundamentals. This team has them in spades. Their flash is in the speed of their jammers, not in the pack. In the pack, it's work time and they do it more effectively than any other junior team out there. They drill hard, they practice hard, they play hard. They work as a single unit and their discipline on the track is undeniable. This season was theirs from start to finish, and they just put the exclamation point on a perfect year. CONGRATULATIONS!
Tournament results:
Win vs D-Bombers 294-162
Win vs Galaxy Girls 285-254
My MVP Selections:
Lex Celerator
Dee Stroir
Hunter
My MVP team from the 2013 NW Junior Derby Championships
Lex Celerator
Dee Stroir
Hunter
Enurgizer Bunny
Lilly Lightning
Rosie D Kreamher
Aqua KnockYouOut
T-Pain
Tempest Fugit
Jesus Feist
Beautiful Deadly
Neal Cassady
T-Wrecks-Her
Cookie Dozer
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Looking back to look forward
Normally in a preview, we look at the teams playing, say how closely matched they all are and how we're looking forward to some awesome competition as a means of drumming up interest in the event and showing how much we love and respect each team. I love and respect each team. These bouts are going to be the best derby you'll see on the junior circuit, and be better than a lot of derby on the senior circuit.
You will see future stars who are graduating this year (SDB graduating the highest number, many of whom are already trying out for and making adult teams), you will see fast, heads up derby. You will see physical play, and you will see incredible heart. Five of these teams have met over the last five years at about this time of year in tournament play and the results have always been astounding. This year, Port Scandalous offered up the Roller Punks to the NW Jr Derby Championships.
Last year catapulted the juniors onto the scene with the bout between I5 and Rosebuds getting people's attention at Wild West and holding it through champs. This year saw the world looking in on the junior teams via video streams at Wild West, and this champs is going to be awesome as well.
But this year we have seen a bit of separation amongst the teams. And this year, I am going to delve into a little of what I have seen over the last season to give a bit of a look into what we will see this weekend as the 2013 Jr Derby championships get under way.
Over to the right of the blog, you will see the standings. This is pretty straight forward, showing the win/loss and the PF/PA of each team as they wen through the season. Let's dig a little deeper.
I5 Rollergirls - 5-0 through the season in ranked play and losing only one game all season (to Grave Danger), this team has been nearly unstoppable. Looking at the PF/PA, we see that they ended the season scoring 662 more points than their opponents in 5 games. That's an average victory of 132.4 points. Pretty impressive, no? But let's look a little closer. They beat the Galaxy Girls by 3 points, the Rosebuds by 137 points, the D-Bombers by 69 points, Reservoir Dolls by 250 and Port Scandalous by 202. In tournament play at Wild west, they faced the Rosebuds a couple more times and also defeated them, but by MUCH closer scores. Given what they have accomplished so far this season, they are my pick as the ones to beat this weekend.
SDB Galaxy Girls - 4-1, but two of those games were skin of the teeth affairs. Against I5, they lost by 3 in a game which was a nail-biter from beginning to end. Against the Rosebuds they won by 3 in a game which could definitely have gone the other way except for a missed time out opportunity with the Galaxy jammer in the box and 26 seconds on the clock. Rosebuds vindicated themselves against SDB at Wild West in an un-ranked bout, but only won by 23. Clearly, this team is well matched against I5 and Portland, but when it comes to KDB, Port Scandalous and Reservoir Dolls, there is some more daylight. I think they have the best chance of spoiling I5's run this season.
Rose City Rosebuds - 3-2. After last season's undefeated run, they fell victim to the a couple of painful losses to I5 and Galaxy. Against Galaxy Girls was the missed time out, and against I5 it was missing some of their upper level skaters as well as some serious penalty trouble. They proved at Wild West that they can handle SDB, but lost twice to I5... and all three games were very close. Coming into this weekend, they have a huge chance to show that the losses don't mean a thing. They have to play one more game to get there (the top 2 ranked teams get a bye in the first round), but look for them to be fighting hard to get into that final round.
KDB D-Bombers - 2-3. Perennially the team with the no win seasons in the past, the D-Bombers really pumped it up this season, snagging a couple of wins over Port Scandalous and the Reservoir Dolls. While their average PF/PA ran to the negative at -48.6, they were able to prove that they are a team to be reckoned with. Their three losses came to the top 3 teams, and those losses were by significant amounts. This is where we begin to see the separation in the 6 Premier level teams.
ECJG Reservoir Dolls - At 1-4 through the season, the Reservoir Dolls have been a bit of an enigma for me. Watching them play, they seem to be doing everything right, but losing the battle in the pack. Add to that some serious penalty trouble in the games and a seeming vulnerability in keeping their heads in the game and you see them where they are today. If they can resolve those problems coming into the tournament, they should definitely be able to win through.
Port Scandalous Roller Punks - 0-5. They may be 0-5, but this team has been up against one thing this season which has held them back. They only have 8-9 people playing in any given game. They play hard, they play well. Their star jammer (T-Wrecksher) currently holds the record for a single power jam at 44 points. They keep in games for a good long while, but the fatigue and penalties stack up. In their last game against I-5, they ended up with 6 players for the last 10 minutes due to two foul-outs. One need only look at the fact that they have a better average PF/PA (-81.6 to RD's -103.4) to see that they really are a better team than their record shows.
So now we come to the Championships. A bit of a different format this year, not opting for the punishing double elimination tournament and moving to a much easier seeded tournament a-la the WFTDA tournament model.
You will see future stars who are graduating this year (SDB graduating the highest number, many of whom are already trying out for and making adult teams), you will see fast, heads up derby. You will see physical play, and you will see incredible heart. Five of these teams have met over the last five years at about this time of year in tournament play and the results have always been astounding. This year, Port Scandalous offered up the Roller Punks to the NW Jr Derby Championships.
Last year catapulted the juniors onto the scene with the bout between I5 and Rosebuds getting people's attention at Wild West and holding it through champs. This year saw the world looking in on the junior teams via video streams at Wild West, and this champs is going to be awesome as well.
But this year we have seen a bit of separation amongst the teams. And this year, I am going to delve into a little of what I have seen over the last season to give a bit of a look into what we will see this weekend as the 2013 Jr Derby championships get under way.
Over to the right of the blog, you will see the standings. This is pretty straight forward, showing the win/loss and the PF/PA of each team as they wen through the season. Let's dig a little deeper.
I5 Rollergirls - 5-0 through the season in ranked play and losing only one game all season (to Grave Danger), this team has been nearly unstoppable. Looking at the PF/PA, we see that they ended the season scoring 662 more points than their opponents in 5 games. That's an average victory of 132.4 points. Pretty impressive, no? But let's look a little closer. They beat the Galaxy Girls by 3 points, the Rosebuds by 137 points, the D-Bombers by 69 points, Reservoir Dolls by 250 and Port Scandalous by 202. In tournament play at Wild west, they faced the Rosebuds a couple more times and also defeated them, but by MUCH closer scores. Given what they have accomplished so far this season, they are my pick as the ones to beat this weekend.
SDB Galaxy Girls - 4-1, but two of those games were skin of the teeth affairs. Against I5, they lost by 3 in a game which was a nail-biter from beginning to end. Against the Rosebuds they won by 3 in a game which could definitely have gone the other way except for a missed time out opportunity with the Galaxy jammer in the box and 26 seconds on the clock. Rosebuds vindicated themselves against SDB at Wild West in an un-ranked bout, but only won by 23. Clearly, this team is well matched against I5 and Portland, but when it comes to KDB, Port Scandalous and Reservoir Dolls, there is some more daylight. I think they have the best chance of spoiling I5's run this season.
Rose City Rosebuds - 3-2. After last season's undefeated run, they fell victim to the a couple of painful losses to I5 and Galaxy. Against Galaxy Girls was the missed time out, and against I5 it was missing some of their upper level skaters as well as some serious penalty trouble. They proved at Wild West that they can handle SDB, but lost twice to I5... and all three games were very close. Coming into this weekend, they have a huge chance to show that the losses don't mean a thing. They have to play one more game to get there (the top 2 ranked teams get a bye in the first round), but look for them to be fighting hard to get into that final round.
KDB D-Bombers - 2-3. Perennially the team with the no win seasons in the past, the D-Bombers really pumped it up this season, snagging a couple of wins over Port Scandalous and the Reservoir Dolls. While their average PF/PA ran to the negative at -48.6, they were able to prove that they are a team to be reckoned with. Their three losses came to the top 3 teams, and those losses were by significant amounts. This is where we begin to see the separation in the 6 Premier level teams.
ECJG Reservoir Dolls - At 1-4 through the season, the Reservoir Dolls have been a bit of an enigma for me. Watching them play, they seem to be doing everything right, but losing the battle in the pack. Add to that some serious penalty trouble in the games and a seeming vulnerability in keeping their heads in the game and you see them where they are today. If they can resolve those problems coming into the tournament, they should definitely be able to win through.
Port Scandalous Roller Punks - 0-5. They may be 0-5, but this team has been up against one thing this season which has held them back. They only have 8-9 people playing in any given game. They play hard, they play well. Their star jammer (T-Wrecksher) currently holds the record for a single power jam at 44 points. They keep in games for a good long while, but the fatigue and penalties stack up. In their last game against I-5, they ended up with 6 players for the last 10 minutes due to two foul-outs. One need only look at the fact that they have a better average PF/PA (-81.6 to RD's -103.4) to see that they really are a better team than their record shows.
So now we come to the Championships. A bit of a different format this year, not opting for the punishing double elimination tournament and moving to a much easier seeded tournament a-la the WFTDA tournament model.
I have made my predictions and have saved off my filled out bracket. It should be really interesting to see how this turns out!
Find out more at http://www.nwjrderbychamps.com/ and sign up to follow the action on twitter @NWJRRollerDerby ! Tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets and are the same price at the door (no convenience fee!)
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Day 1 at the Big O
Here we are at the Big O tournament! 4 teams facing off, including 3 of the NW A teams and the up and coming Cinder Kittens. 3 ranked bouts through the weekend, with I5 taking on the Reservoir Dolls and the Kitsap Derby Brats D-Bombers and the Dolls taking on the Kitsap D-Bombers.
Day one saw two of those ranked bout with I5 playing both of their ranked bouts in the first day.
9am found me bright eyed and bushy tailed (OK, so I hadn't had my coffee at that point) and ready to record the action! The game started off pretty close, but I5 steadily pulled away, snagging lead jammer status an impressive 80% of the 20 jams in the first half.
While the Kitsap defense was holding firm, limiting the damage for a good portion of the half, the I5 power jams and some incredibly impressive walls with Lex Celerator jamming allowed I5 to shoot out to a 134-77 lead in the first half.
The second half started the bleeding all over again for Kitsap as Little Mean Sunshine was called for a cut track and out of play penalties combined to give I5's Dee Stroir a 20 point power jam. Lex Celerator and Short Fuse added to the total with 5-0 and 12-0 decisions respectively in their jams. Within 5 minutes of the first half, I5 had outscored the D-Bombers 37-0.
From there the Kitsap defense began to really step up. Gaine Slayer and Red Rager combining with Quarter Pounder to stymie the I5 jammers, holding them largely to single digit passes while Aqua Knock You Out, Little Mean Sunshine and Champ Pain grabbed their points and called things off, often without lead jammer status (I5 had a 66% lead jammer status in the second half).
The damage of the first half and the huge decision in the beginning of the second proved too much to overcome for the D-bombers and at the end, I5 found themselves with the win 251-182.
The next bout found the Kitsap Derby brats on the track once again, this time against the Lava City Cinder Kittens. I had the opportunity to see the Kittens at last year's Big O tourney, and I remember being impressed with the huge amount of heart and the spark of brilliance I saw in this team. While they were beaten big by everyone they played last year, it was clear they were an up and coming team who would be a force to be reckoned with very soon.
This year, they have thus far proven themselves as a definite force to be watched for on the NW junior derby circuit. While they did lose their bout to Kitsap (242-160), skaters Erma Gherd, Jabba the Butt and Scruffy Nerf Herder along with the rest of the Kitten s definitely held their own far more than the scoreboard attests.
Next up was the I5 Rollergirls skating against the home team Reservoir Dolls. I was announcing this game as well, so stats were not really possible, but I5 continued their impressive roll this season.
The Reservoir Dolls got themselves into foul trouble early, allowing I5 to shoot out to a huge 206-44 lead in the first half. Hunter, Liv Vicious, Lex Celerator, Izzie Exterminated, Audrey Headburn, Archer and all of the rest of the I5 squad taking their shifts as blockers combined to cause an incredible number of penalties for the Dolls. When the smoke cleared, the Dolls had two players foul out and one skater ejected for an egregious out of bounds block.
When all was said and done, the I5 Roller Girls continued to an undefeated 4-0 record with a final 355-105.
Finally came the last junior game of Day 1, the Lava City Cinder Kittens against the Reservoir Dolls. The Dolls played a lot cleaner in this one, the penalty trouble largely evaporating. The Cinder Kittens were holding their own against the A level squad finding themselves on the lower end of a 153-80 halftime score.
The second half found the Cinder Kittens coming out with claws bared. They fought and clawed their way through the ubiquitous scrum starts, earning lead and taking advantage of power jam opportunities. About halfway through the second half, they had fought their way to within 35 points before Roma Mafia and Beautiful Deadly put the game out of reach and took the victory home 273-185.
Day one is in the books, and an AWESOME amount of junior derby action was witnessed. Tomorrow will find me on the Mic at 9am as Emerald City takes on Kitsap Derby Brats D-Bombers in the final junior bout of the weekend. I am told by one team that this is a ranked bout and by another that it isn't, so I will diligently try to determine the facts... After all, I have a press pass. Facts are what I should do to earn it, right?
Day one saw two of those ranked bout with I5 playing both of their ranked bouts in the first day.
9am found me bright eyed and bushy tailed (OK, so I hadn't had my coffee at that point) and ready to record the action! The game started off pretty close, but I5 steadily pulled away, snagging lead jammer status an impressive 80% of the 20 jams in the first half.
While the Kitsap defense was holding firm, limiting the damage for a good portion of the half, the I5 power jams and some incredibly impressive walls with Lex Celerator jamming allowed I5 to shoot out to a 134-77 lead in the first half.
The second half started the bleeding all over again for Kitsap as Little Mean Sunshine was called for a cut track and out of play penalties combined to give I5's Dee Stroir a 20 point power jam. Lex Celerator and Short Fuse added to the total with 5-0 and 12-0 decisions respectively in their jams. Within 5 minutes of the first half, I5 had outscored the D-Bombers 37-0.
From there the Kitsap defense began to really step up. Gaine Slayer and Red Rager combining with Quarter Pounder to stymie the I5 jammers, holding them largely to single digit passes while Aqua Knock You Out, Little Mean Sunshine and Champ Pain grabbed their points and called things off, often without lead jammer status (I5 had a 66% lead jammer status in the second half).
The damage of the first half and the huge decision in the beginning of the second proved too much to overcome for the D-bombers and at the end, I5 found themselves with the win 251-182.
The next bout found the Kitsap Derby brats on the track once again, this time against the Lava City Cinder Kittens. I had the opportunity to see the Kittens at last year's Big O tourney, and I remember being impressed with the huge amount of heart and the spark of brilliance I saw in this team. While they were beaten big by everyone they played last year, it was clear they were an up and coming team who would be a force to be reckoned with very soon.
This year, they have thus far proven themselves as a definite force to be watched for on the NW junior derby circuit. While they did lose their bout to Kitsap (242-160), skaters Erma Gherd, Jabba the Butt and Scruffy Nerf Herder along with the rest of the Kitten s definitely held their own far more than the scoreboard attests.
Next up was the I5 Rollergirls skating against the home team Reservoir Dolls. I was announcing this game as well, so stats were not really possible, but I5 continued their impressive roll this season.
The Reservoir Dolls got themselves into foul trouble early, allowing I5 to shoot out to a huge 206-44 lead in the first half. Hunter, Liv Vicious, Lex Celerator, Izzie Exterminated, Audrey Headburn, Archer and all of the rest of the I5 squad taking their shifts as blockers combined to cause an incredible number of penalties for the Dolls. When the smoke cleared, the Dolls had two players foul out and one skater ejected for an egregious out of bounds block.
When all was said and done, the I5 Roller Girls continued to an undefeated 4-0 record with a final 355-105.
Finally came the last junior game of Day 1, the Lava City Cinder Kittens against the Reservoir Dolls. The Dolls played a lot cleaner in this one, the penalty trouble largely evaporating. The Cinder Kittens were holding their own against the A level squad finding themselves on the lower end of a 153-80 halftime score.
The second half found the Cinder Kittens coming out with claws bared. They fought and clawed their way through the ubiquitous scrum starts, earning lead and taking advantage of power jam opportunities. About halfway through the second half, they had fought their way to within 35 points before Roma Mafia and Beautiful Deadly put the game out of reach and took the victory home 273-185.
Day one is in the books, and an AWESOME amount of junior derby action was witnessed. Tomorrow will find me on the Mic at 9am as Emerald City takes on Kitsap Derby Brats D-Bombers in the final junior bout of the weekend. I am told by one team that this is a ranked bout and by another that it isn't, so I will diligently try to determine the facts... After all, I have a press pass. Facts are what I should do to earn it, right?
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Mighty Rollers roll on as I5 B's woes continue
One of the things about junior roller derby, is that it often plays early in the morning. By early, I mean about 9:00 early. This morning found me rushing about, making my poor man's mocha and throwing together a breakfast burrito as I rushed out the door and hit the road north to Everett for the first bout of my May the 4th Derby extravaganza. SDB's Mighty Rollers, one of SDB's full contact home teams taking on I5 Roller Girl's B team.
I5 B has had a couple of tough losses, one a close one to SDB's Toxic Avenghers (173-161), and a seesaw battle against Spokane's Atomic Pixies (225-187) in the last couple of months. Mighty Rollers have, of course, been battling against their intra-league rivals (the aforementioned Avenghers).
As I hit the rink and sorted out the ticket at will call, the game had already started, and I found I5 with a 34-26 lead. I hit my seat and started furiously taking notes.
Right off the bat, it was clear these two teams were in it to win it. Hurricane Halle donned the star and hit the pack before a racing Lexi-and-I-Know-It, grabbing four points and calling it off, bringing the score to within four.
I Stole Your Cookie was up next for the Rollers, and found herself on the receiving end of some awesome blocking courtesy of her team. She rattled off one Grand slam before Tiny Terror (recently back on the track after a major injury) was sent to the penalty box on a back blocking penalty. The resulting power jam resulted in the first of a series of Mighty Roller power jams and gave 20 points and the lead (50-34) to the SDB squad.
Assalting Caramel took the remainder of the power jam for her team and was off to the races. Tiny came out of the box and almost immediately ran into trouble in the form of Mighty blockers. She passed the star to Maya Massacre who cut the track, missing Amelia Dareheart as she came back in bounds from a solid hit. Caramel extended the lead to 28 points on the power jam.
Hurricane Halle Continued the roll as she took the remainder of the power jam with Maya in the box and came away with an 8-0 decision. I Stole Your Cookie was up next for Mighty and missed the "call it" signal from the bench as Lexi zoomed past her and snagged an additional four points for a 12-8 decision, making the score 94-60.
A no decision on the next jam and a 9 point run by Mighty Roller Kick N Vixen brought the Mighty lead to 43 at 103-60, and the frustration was beginning to build in the I5 pack. The hits were getting harder and little wilder. Maya found herself the recipient of another cutting penalty and Kick N Vixen found herself on a power jam. Barbie Brutal (who had been living up to her name, landing some serious big hits and causing some trouble for the SDB pack) missed high on a shoulder check and landed it to the head of the Mighty Roller jammer. The refs assessed a gross misconduct and I5 found themselves down a very productive blocker as Barbie was ejected.
I5 was up against the clock and seemed a bit staggered by the Roller's run, and at 133-79, they had a lot of catching up to do. Two jams later, they got what they needed. Assalting Caramel was assessed a back block early in the jam and Maya Massacre was off to the races. A short Mighty pack was facing the passive offense and were having trouble with out of play penalties, making the road for Maya that much easier. Caramel came back in, but was sent back out on a low block. When the smoke cleared, Maya had a 29-9 decision. The final jam of the half brought Malice in Wonderslam into the power jam. She managed 11 points before the half wound down. I5 had found their feet and cut the Mighty Roller lead to 23 at 119-142.
If the first half was a tale of the power jam, the second half was a tale of clock control and some awesome work in the pack. The highest scoring jam was a lead demolishing 44 point power jam by Maya Massacre courtesy of an Assalting Caramel back block which brought I5 to within 8.
The first next 15 minutes were a back and forth battle. Each team grabbing points where they could, scoring 2's and 3's as the jammers fought their way through the defense and hit the pack one their initial scoring pass with their arms waving madly to call the jam before their opponent could score. Mighty Rollers had a run of 7 jams earning lead jammer and a 21-7 point advantage across those jams, but I5 answered back with a run of their own and kept it close at 195-214.
The final jam found I5 B down by 19 points as the two jammers set up at the back of the pack, ready to go. Hurrican Halle and Maya Massacre with a full pack in front of them. The whistle blew and the two hit the pack, looking desperately to get through and snag lead. Maya was out first on the inside and got the call, Caramel about 1/2 a track behind. Maya hit the pack again, looking to score, but missed a blocker on a push out and was sent to the box for cutting. A collective groan went up, but quickly became a cheer as Assalting Caramel hit the pack hard and was sent to box herself!
Maya tried in vain to take advantage of her short power jam, and both jammers found themselves on the track, neither with lead and 45 seconds to go. The blockers were doing their best to hold back the jammers as they traded hard earned fours. At the end, Maya had managed to win the battle of the jam by a four points, but the Mighty Rollers were the ones with the victory lap. Final score was 227-212.
Ones to watch
The awesome thing about watching B team derby is the opportunity to see those who are going to be the A team stars of tomorrow. To that end, here are a few that I want to call out for their performance today.
SDB -
Hurricane Halle - She snagged lead with incredible regularity and displayed some serious speed and agility. As I have mentioned to some, I am only counting 5 point passes with both jammers on the track as grand slams. Halle had 2 of the 4 I counted this game.
Amelia Dareheart - Heads up play in the pack as a blocker, and a fantastic record in this game (and others I have seen her in) of either gaining lead jammer or causing a forced call off. She's got some serious tools. I think it won't be long before she's donning the black and silver.
Assalting Caramel - While she had some trouble with the penalty box, I loved watching her skate. A bit of work on her control entering the pack, and she'll be turning those missed opportunities into some serious scoring runs.
I5 Rollergirls -
Maya Massacre - While she does bounce back and forth between the A and B teams for I5, this game should go a long way towards pushing her off the "floater" list and towards a permanent A team berth. That 44 point jam was a wonder, and her stamina! In the second half, she was out in almost every jam, and spent much of it with the jammer panty on her helmet.
Barbie Brutal - Yes, she was ejected in this game and, yes, I have seen her in serious foul trouble before. If this kid can bring herself under tighter control, she's going to be an extremely feared blocker. She hits hard and has some great timing.
Lexi and I Know It - I don't know if she named herself after Lex Cerator or not, but I like to think so. Her 12-8 decision in the first half and a good lead/force rate in the second half definitely got my attention!
I5 B has had a couple of tough losses, one a close one to SDB's Toxic Avenghers (173-161), and a seesaw battle against Spokane's Atomic Pixies (225-187) in the last couple of months. Mighty Rollers have, of course, been battling against their intra-league rivals (the aforementioned Avenghers).
As I hit the rink and sorted out the ticket at will call, the game had already started, and I found I5 with a 34-26 lead. I hit my seat and started furiously taking notes.
Right off the bat, it was clear these two teams were in it to win it. Hurricane Halle donned the star and hit the pack before a racing Lexi-and-I-Know-It, grabbing four points and calling it off, bringing the score to within four.
I Stole Your Cookie was up next for the Rollers, and found herself on the receiving end of some awesome blocking courtesy of her team. She rattled off one Grand slam before Tiny Terror (recently back on the track after a major injury) was sent to the penalty box on a back blocking penalty. The resulting power jam resulted in the first of a series of Mighty Roller power jams and gave 20 points and the lead (50-34) to the SDB squad.
Assalting Caramel took the remainder of the power jam for her team and was off to the races. Tiny came out of the box and almost immediately ran into trouble in the form of Mighty blockers. She passed the star to Maya Massacre who cut the track, missing Amelia Dareheart as she came back in bounds from a solid hit. Caramel extended the lead to 28 points on the power jam.
Hurricane Halle Continued the roll as she took the remainder of the power jam with Maya in the box and came away with an 8-0 decision. I Stole Your Cookie was up next for Mighty and missed the "call it" signal from the bench as Lexi zoomed past her and snagged an additional four points for a 12-8 decision, making the score 94-60.
A no decision on the next jam and a 9 point run by Mighty Roller Kick N Vixen brought the Mighty lead to 43 at 103-60, and the frustration was beginning to build in the I5 pack. The hits were getting harder and little wilder. Maya found herself the recipient of another cutting penalty and Kick N Vixen found herself on a power jam. Barbie Brutal (who had been living up to her name, landing some serious big hits and causing some trouble for the SDB pack) missed high on a shoulder check and landed it to the head of the Mighty Roller jammer. The refs assessed a gross misconduct and I5 found themselves down a very productive blocker as Barbie was ejected.
I5 was up against the clock and seemed a bit staggered by the Roller's run, and at 133-79, they had a lot of catching up to do. Two jams later, they got what they needed. Assalting Caramel was assessed a back block early in the jam and Maya Massacre was off to the races. A short Mighty pack was facing the passive offense and were having trouble with out of play penalties, making the road for Maya that much easier. Caramel came back in, but was sent back out on a low block. When the smoke cleared, Maya had a 29-9 decision. The final jam of the half brought Malice in Wonderslam into the power jam. She managed 11 points before the half wound down. I5 had found their feet and cut the Mighty Roller lead to 23 at 119-142.
If the first half was a tale of the power jam, the second half was a tale of clock control and some awesome work in the pack. The highest scoring jam was a lead demolishing 44 point power jam by Maya Massacre courtesy of an Assalting Caramel back block which brought I5 to within 8.
The first next 15 minutes were a back and forth battle. Each team grabbing points where they could, scoring 2's and 3's as the jammers fought their way through the defense and hit the pack one their initial scoring pass with their arms waving madly to call the jam before their opponent could score. Mighty Rollers had a run of 7 jams earning lead jammer and a 21-7 point advantage across those jams, but I5 answered back with a run of their own and kept it close at 195-214.
The final jam found I5 B down by 19 points as the two jammers set up at the back of the pack, ready to go. Hurrican Halle and Maya Massacre with a full pack in front of them. The whistle blew and the two hit the pack, looking desperately to get through and snag lead. Maya was out first on the inside and got the call, Caramel about 1/2 a track behind. Maya hit the pack again, looking to score, but missed a blocker on a push out and was sent to the box for cutting. A collective groan went up, but quickly became a cheer as Assalting Caramel hit the pack hard and was sent to box herself!
Maya tried in vain to take advantage of her short power jam, and both jammers found themselves on the track, neither with lead and 45 seconds to go. The blockers were doing their best to hold back the jammers as they traded hard earned fours. At the end, Maya had managed to win the battle of the jam by a four points, but the Mighty Rollers were the ones with the victory lap. Final score was 227-212.
Ones to watch
The awesome thing about watching B team derby is the opportunity to see those who are going to be the A team stars of tomorrow. To that end, here are a few that I want to call out for their performance today.
SDB -
Hurricane Halle - She snagged lead with incredible regularity and displayed some serious speed and agility. As I have mentioned to some, I am only counting 5 point passes with both jammers on the track as grand slams. Halle had 2 of the 4 I counted this game.
Amelia Dareheart - Heads up play in the pack as a blocker, and a fantastic record in this game (and others I have seen her in) of either gaining lead jammer or causing a forced call off. She's got some serious tools. I think it won't be long before she's donning the black and silver.
Assalting Caramel - While she had some trouble with the penalty box, I loved watching her skate. A bit of work on her control entering the pack, and she'll be turning those missed opportunities into some serious scoring runs.
I5 Rollergirls -
Maya Massacre - While she does bounce back and forth between the A and B teams for I5, this game should go a long way towards pushing her off the "floater" list and towards a permanent A team berth. That 44 point jam was a wonder, and her stamina! In the second half, she was out in almost every jam, and spent much of it with the jammer panty on her helmet.
Barbie Brutal - Yes, she was ejected in this game and, yes, I have seen her in serious foul trouble before. If this kid can bring herself under tighter control, she's going to be an extremely feared blocker. She hits hard and has some great timing.
Lexi and I Know It - I don't know if she named herself after Lex Cerator or not, but I like to think so. Her 12-8 decision in the first half and a good lead/force rate in the second half definitely got my attention!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Weekend Preview
This weekend is going to have a bit of NW action... even outside the NW!
It's time for a little reverse Californication -
This weekend, the SDB Galaxy Girls (2-1 in ranked play) are heading south to the land of sun, surf and movie stars. That's right, gentle readers, they are headed down to LALA land to take on the LA Riettes on the banked track, then take on the SFV the next day in a much anticipated matchup between the best flat track juniors the Golden State has to offer (by win record and as ranked in Junior Derby News' top 50 rankings).
This team is undefeated, but we've seen it before. A team that dominates where they are faces a NW team only to find out what we up here already know. The best junior derby? It's right here. I'm sure some day the top three slots on the top 50 will contain a team outside the NW. We'll have to see if SFV can be that team!
USARS action -
There are two junior teams playing USARS rules in Western WA right now: Toxic 253 Jrs and Seattle Junior Roller Derby. They will meet this weekend as part of the One World Roller Derby bout.
At their last meeting, Toxic pulled out a narrow win against a small SJRD squad, but this time SJRD has their team in place. Toxic will still have the advantage in practicing only USARS rules (SJRD plays both WFTDA and USARS rules), but SJRD has added some more experience to their roster and has been training hard!
Eastern WA showdown -
I5B vs Lilac City Pixies. Lilac City has had a long, winding road, but has emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the eastern side of the Cascades. They have been playing against the Walla Walla team a few times and recently tested themselves against the Rainy City and Lava City junior squads and came out on top of those meetings. This will be a tough one, though! I5 is, well... I5. Whether A or B team, they have some of the strongest fundamental derby around.
I5B did recently face their first loss of the season, handed to them by SDB home team, the Toxic AvengHers. You know they will be looking to come back on top!
Eastern WA Showdown the second! -
Yet another bout happening in Eastern WA as the Cherry Bomb Brawlers take on a Portland Rosebuds home team, The Rainbow Bites. Portland's home teams are the training ground for the Rosebuds travel team, and include the travel team members. CBB trains at a very high, physical level, including boxing and cross training 2-3 times a week! Can the Portland squad take on a young, but highly physically trained CBB team? This should be fun!
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! -
On Sunday down in Tacoma we'll find the newest team on the block, the West Sound Rollergirls, taking on an SDB home team, the Mighty Rollers. West Sound has come on strong and fast and include several former Kitsap Derby Brats skaters, but the Mighty Rollers have years of experience and training as a team on their side. Definitely not one to miss, as I am sure this game will contain an inordinate amount of awesome!
So! There's the junior action I know about for this weekend! There was going to be an I5 v Port Scandalous ranked bout, but that has been rescheduled to a later date. If I have missed any, let me know so I can write the weekend in review!
It's time for a little reverse Californication -
This weekend, the SDB Galaxy Girls (2-1 in ranked play) are heading south to the land of sun, surf and movie stars. That's right, gentle readers, they are headed down to LALA land to take on the LA Riettes on the banked track, then take on the SFV the next day in a much anticipated matchup between the best flat track juniors the Golden State has to offer (by win record and as ranked in Junior Derby News' top 50 rankings).
This team is undefeated, but we've seen it before. A team that dominates where they are faces a NW team only to find out what we up here already know. The best junior derby? It's right here. I'm sure some day the top three slots on the top 50 will contain a team outside the NW. We'll have to see if SFV can be that team!
USARS action -
There are two junior teams playing USARS rules in Western WA right now: Toxic 253 Jrs and Seattle Junior Roller Derby. They will meet this weekend as part of the One World Roller Derby bout.
At their last meeting, Toxic pulled out a narrow win against a small SJRD squad, but this time SJRD has their team in place. Toxic will still have the advantage in practicing only USARS rules (SJRD plays both WFTDA and USARS rules), but SJRD has added some more experience to their roster and has been training hard!
Eastern WA showdown -
I5B vs Lilac City Pixies. Lilac City has had a long, winding road, but has emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the eastern side of the Cascades. They have been playing against the Walla Walla team a few times and recently tested themselves against the Rainy City and Lava City junior squads and came out on top of those meetings. This will be a tough one, though! I5 is, well... I5. Whether A or B team, they have some of the strongest fundamental derby around.
I5B did recently face their first loss of the season, handed to them by SDB home team, the Toxic AvengHers. You know they will be looking to come back on top!
Eastern WA Showdown the second! -
Yet another bout happening in Eastern WA as the Cherry Bomb Brawlers take on a Portland Rosebuds home team, The Rainbow Bites. Portland's home teams are the training ground for the Rosebuds travel team, and include the travel team members. CBB trains at a very high, physical level, including boxing and cross training 2-3 times a week! Can the Portland squad take on a young, but highly physically trained CBB team? This should be fun!
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! -
On Sunday down in Tacoma we'll find the newest team on the block, the West Sound Rollergirls, taking on an SDB home team, the Mighty Rollers. West Sound has come on strong and fast and include several former Kitsap Derby Brats skaters, but the Mighty Rollers have years of experience and training as a team on their side. Definitely not one to miss, as I am sure this game will contain an inordinate amount of awesome!
So! There's the junior action I know about for this weekend! There was going to be an I5 v Port Scandalous ranked bout, but that has been rescheduled to a later date. If I have missed any, let me know so I can write the weekend in review!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The standings explained
The standings over to the
right are calculated using a standard formula found in sports.
((Wina - Winb) + (Lossb - Lossa)) * ½ to find out
how many games behind one team is from the other. “Games Behind” is used to determine how many
games the trailing team has to win and the leading team has to lose before they
have an equal record.
Wina = Wins by leader
Lossa = Losses by leader
Winb = Wins by trailer
Lossb = Losses by trailer
If you end up with
a positive number, team A is ahead by that number of games.
If it's not obvious which team trails, just sub in the numbers
consistently and if you get a negative number, you know that team actually
leads by that number of games.
To use our current standings, I5 has a 2-0 record while Galaxy
Girls have a 2-1 record.
((2-2)+(1-0)) *1/2 = ½, meaning SDB is ½ game behind I5. So what does THAT mean? It means they
have an unequal number of games played.
I5 would have to lose one game and SDB play no games before their record
would be equal.
If you apply this formula across all 6 leagues with their current
records, you end up with the standings as they appear on my chart.
And what about the PF and PA fields? That’s the tie breaker. If two teams end up with an equal record, the
difference between PF (Points For) and PA (Points against) decides who is in
the lead. Should that be equal at the end of the season AND their record be the same? Then it falls to who beat whom in the regular
season.
If that game ended in a tie (a rarity, but a possibility) and
their records be the same and their PF-PA differential be the same? Then they are well and truly tied for ranking
headed into Championships. I would
imagine they would have to do as in many other sports and play a tie breaker to determine the seeding.
I5 wins big against Rosebuds 251-114
This past Sunday, I5 went to Portland for the first Rosebuds home game at the Hangar in Oaks Park since 2011
When I5 and the Rosebuds met twice in one day at Wild West Showdown a couple of weeks ago, everyone knew it was going to be a battle both times, and it was! Both teams fought hard for every point, and the scores remained fairly close both times. This time? It was a battle, and both teams fought hard for every point, but I5 took full advantage of every opportunity in a 251-114 victory.
The Buds took an early lead as very strong defense allowed Tempest Fugit to lap a struggling Maya Massacre for a grand slam the hard way. Up 13-5 they looked to capitalize, but Dee Stroir had different plans. She and her defense worked in harmony to answer the grand slam, giving I5 the lead 14-13. Rainbow Dash answered once again, passing the I5 jammer on the track and throwing up another Grand Slam to get the lead 20-14 for the Buds.
Then came the 1-2 punch that rocked Portland on their heals. Dee Stroir grabbed 2 grand slams for 13 points, and Lex Celerator found herself the beneficiary of a power jam thanks to Little Bo Weep being coerced into cutting the track. She scored 24, giving I5 the lead 51-20.
Portland fought back hard, grabbing lead in four of the next 5 jams, but the I5 walls and the speed of their jammers held the Buds to a mere 6 points across that period. I5 started to switch gears and the lead began to grow. In the final 10 jams of the first half, the Buds scored 10 points thanks to a power jam handed to Little Bo Weep by Lex Celerator cutting the track. Over that same period I-5 scored 78. At halftime, the score stood at 133-36 in I5's favor.
During half time, there was a massive dance party on the track. This seemed to energized the Rosebuds as they outscored I5 15-6 in the first five jams before Dee and Lex combined for another 47 points after their team killed a Portland killed power jam opportunity (holding both Rainbow Dash and A-shock scoreless).
From there, it really became a tale of the Power Jams. The teams split on lead jammer (each one gaining lead half of the jams in the second half). When not in power jams, they were fairly even on points, speaking to the evenness of these two teams. The difference really came in the power jams. Portland had 3 opportunities for 48 points, I5 had 5 for 87 points. I5's penalty killing prowess combined with the speed and agility of their jammers just edged out Portland's power.
In the end, I5 stood victorious.
When I5 and the Rosebuds met twice in one day at Wild West Showdown a couple of weeks ago, everyone knew it was going to be a battle both times, and it was! Both teams fought hard for every point, and the scores remained fairly close both times. This time? It was a battle, and both teams fought hard for every point, but I5 took full advantage of every opportunity in a 251-114 victory.
The Buds took an early lead as very strong defense allowed Tempest Fugit to lap a struggling Maya Massacre for a grand slam the hard way. Up 13-5 they looked to capitalize, but Dee Stroir had different plans. She and her defense worked in harmony to answer the grand slam, giving I5 the lead 14-13. Rainbow Dash answered once again, passing the I5 jammer on the track and throwing up another Grand Slam to get the lead 20-14 for the Buds.
Then came the 1-2 punch that rocked Portland on their heals. Dee Stroir grabbed 2 grand slams for 13 points, and Lex Celerator found herself the beneficiary of a power jam thanks to Little Bo Weep being coerced into cutting the track. She scored 24, giving I5 the lead 51-20.
Portland fought back hard, grabbing lead in four of the next 5 jams, but the I5 walls and the speed of their jammers held the Buds to a mere 6 points across that period. I5 started to switch gears and the lead began to grow. In the final 10 jams of the first half, the Buds scored 10 points thanks to a power jam handed to Little Bo Weep by Lex Celerator cutting the track. Over that same period I-5 scored 78. At halftime, the score stood at 133-36 in I5's favor.
During half time, there was a massive dance party on the track. This seemed to energized the Rosebuds as they outscored I5 15-6 in the first five jams before Dee and Lex combined for another 47 points after their team killed a Portland killed power jam opportunity (holding both Rainbow Dash and A-shock scoreless).
From there, it really became a tale of the Power Jams. The teams split on lead jammer (each one gaining lead half of the jams in the second half). When not in power jams, they were fairly even on points, speaking to the evenness of these two teams. The difference really came in the power jams. Portland had 3 opportunities for 48 points, I5 had 5 for 87 points. I5's penalty killing prowess combined with the speed and agility of their jammers just edged out Portland's power.
In the end, I5 stood victorious.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
I5 wins squeaker over Galaxy Girls
It used to be kind of a cross town rivalry. I5 practiced in the North end, and the Galaxy Girls had Ballard and Southgate. These days, you can see both of their logos on on the Southgate wall, and the rivalry is a little more intense.
These teams have traded the 1-3 spots in rankings over the past few seasons along with the Rosebuds, and any combination of those three teams? You know it's going to be a war on the track. And what a war!
It started right off the bat with Lilly Lightning heading to the box with a high block 30 seconds in allowing the other half of the speed 1-2 punch of I-5, Dee Stroir, to slam 30 points on the scoreboard, rock the Galaxy Girls back on their heals and take a 32-3 lead after one jam.
It took practically no time for the Galaxy to reorganize and get their feet. Awesome defense by a power line of Flyin Hawaiian, Rosie D KreamHer and Brutiful Beast held I5 and Beatin Bam!B slugged out a 4-0 decision. The Galaxy Girls began the climb back.
And here comes the BOOM. Lex Celerator put the star on her helmet and trusted her defense. her defesne? Delivered, holding back the Galaxy jammer and allowing Lex to increase their score by 15 on 3 quick passes before Galaxy was finally able to force the call off.
The next few jams saw some intense work from the starting whistle. Walls and modified walls (one skater in front pushing backwards on her teammates to hold the jammer within the pack and stop the "no pack call"? that's definitely a modified wall!). Both defenses were all over the jammers, allowing nothing to get through. Second and third efforts, forward cycling of blockers, pack extension after forcing the jammer out to get the max benefit... everything was on display. It was easy to see why these kids are considered some of the best in the world.
Finally, an opportunity broke in The galaxy Girls' favor. a forearm called on Dee Stroir allowed Enurgizer Bunny to score 20 in a 3-3 pack before Dee was allowed back in and scored 9 of her own! I5 maintained the lead 56-32, but things were beginning to turn for the Galaxy.
56-32
56-42
56-50
An 18 point run purely on the back of some of the fiercest defense I have seen in these past 4-5 years brought Galaxy to within 6, and I though sure they would take the lead!
The Archer took the track jamming against Bunny and threw a shoulder a tad high in the scrum and was sent to the box on a high block penalty. Bunny was off! She took the lead 64-63, but then cut the track in turn 4 allowing the Archer a chance to redeem herself. By the end of the jam, I5 barely had their hooks in a one point lead 67-66!
The next jam was 0-0, but a mere two minutes later at 12:45 left in the first half Enurgizer Bunny took the slow skate to the box for a low block with Lex on the track as the opposing jammer. I5 was once again ahead by nearly 20 at 82-66.
To give you an idea of how tough the defense was? It was taking 30-40 seconds for the jammers to get through the initial scrum. The defenses were holding SO hard that the no pack calls were extremely hard to garner. If it looked like a wall was about to crack the out of play mark, a bridge would appear and the hold would continue, or the push backwards would get more fierce. Then the jammers would be out and around on the scoring pass? And just have to get through that same tough defense.
The hits these jammers were absorbing would lay a linebacker low and they were spinning out of them, or skating on one foot after being hit to stay in, or leaping past blockers, or juking just enough to avoid the hit and be off once again. The footwork and grace? Astounding.
It was no wonder that on power jam after power jam the jammer were luck if they gained a single grand slam. At the half, I5 stood with a 21 point lead 119-98.
Over the first 10 minutes, the Galaxy Girls were doing a good job of getting lead and grabbing what few points they could before making the call. They outscored I5 30-8 in that period and grabbed their first lead of the game 128-127!
Two jams later, I5 jammer Short Fuse, took the lead back, 132-128.
It would take another 8 minutes and some more of that incredible defense actively penalty killing against power jams before Bam!B snagged the lead again (144-142) with 15 minutes left. It is a testament to that defense that the finakl 15 minutes of the half only saw the score advance by approximately 30 points.
At 2:00 left, the Galaxy Girls found themselves on top by 5 at 173-168. The jammers were off and slugged their way through. On the scoring ass, SDB jammer Poison Izzie skated out of bounds avoiding slamming into the back of an I5 wall and got sent to the box for her trouble. Maya Massacre had all the power, but only managed to gain four before calling it off. at 172-173.
00:00:40 left. Lex Celerator gets the star with Poison Izzie in the box, and down by 1. She took the single Grand Slam and skated out the clock. I5 wins 177-173!
These teams have traded the 1-3 spots in rankings over the past few seasons along with the Rosebuds, and any combination of those three teams? You know it's going to be a war on the track. And what a war!
It started right off the bat with Lilly Lightning heading to the box with a high block 30 seconds in allowing the other half of the speed 1-2 punch of I-5, Dee Stroir, to slam 30 points on the scoreboard, rock the Galaxy Girls back on their heals and take a 32-3 lead after one jam.
It took practically no time for the Galaxy to reorganize and get their feet. Awesome defense by a power line of Flyin Hawaiian, Rosie D KreamHer and Brutiful Beast held I5 and Beatin Bam!B slugged out a 4-0 decision. The Galaxy Girls began the climb back.
And here comes the BOOM. Lex Celerator put the star on her helmet and trusted her defense. her defesne? Delivered, holding back the Galaxy jammer and allowing Lex to increase their score by 15 on 3 quick passes before Galaxy was finally able to force the call off.
The next few jams saw some intense work from the starting whistle. Walls and modified walls (one skater in front pushing backwards on her teammates to hold the jammer within the pack and stop the "no pack call"? that's definitely a modified wall!). Both defenses were all over the jammers, allowing nothing to get through. Second and third efforts, forward cycling of blockers, pack extension after forcing the jammer out to get the max benefit... everything was on display. It was easy to see why these kids are considered some of the best in the world.
Finally, an opportunity broke in The galaxy Girls' favor. a forearm called on Dee Stroir allowed Enurgizer Bunny to score 20 in a 3-3 pack before Dee was allowed back in and scored 9 of her own! I5 maintained the lead 56-32, but things were beginning to turn for the Galaxy.
56-32
56-42
56-50
An 18 point run purely on the back of some of the fiercest defense I have seen in these past 4-5 years brought Galaxy to within 6, and I though sure they would take the lead!
The Archer took the track jamming against Bunny and threw a shoulder a tad high in the scrum and was sent to the box on a high block penalty. Bunny was off! She took the lead 64-63, but then cut the track in turn 4 allowing the Archer a chance to redeem herself. By the end of the jam, I5 barely had their hooks in a one point lead 67-66!
The next jam was 0-0, but a mere two minutes later at 12:45 left in the first half Enurgizer Bunny took the slow skate to the box for a low block with Lex on the track as the opposing jammer. I5 was once again ahead by nearly 20 at 82-66.
To give you an idea of how tough the defense was? It was taking 30-40 seconds for the jammers to get through the initial scrum. The defenses were holding SO hard that the no pack calls were extremely hard to garner. If it looked like a wall was about to crack the out of play mark, a bridge would appear and the hold would continue, or the push backwards would get more fierce. Then the jammers would be out and around on the scoring pass? And just have to get through that same tough defense.
The hits these jammers were absorbing would lay a linebacker low and they were spinning out of them, or skating on one foot after being hit to stay in, or leaping past blockers, or juking just enough to avoid the hit and be off once again. The footwork and grace? Astounding.
It was no wonder that on power jam after power jam the jammer were luck if they gained a single grand slam. At the half, I5 stood with a 21 point lead 119-98.
Over the first 10 minutes, the Galaxy Girls were doing a good job of getting lead and grabbing what few points they could before making the call. They outscored I5 30-8 in that period and grabbed their first lead of the game 128-127!
Two jams later, I5 jammer Short Fuse, took the lead back, 132-128.
It would take another 8 minutes and some more of that incredible defense actively penalty killing against power jams before Bam!B snagged the lead again (144-142) with 15 minutes left. It is a testament to that defense that the finakl 15 minutes of the half only saw the score advance by approximately 30 points.
At 2:00 left, the Galaxy Girls found themselves on top by 5 at 173-168. The jammers were off and slugged their way through. On the scoring ass, SDB jammer Poison Izzie skated out of bounds avoiding slamming into the back of an I5 wall and got sent to the box for her trouble. Maya Massacre had all the power, but only managed to gain four before calling it off. at 172-173.
00:00:40 left. Lex Celerator gets the star with Poison Izzie in the box, and down by 1. She took the single Grand Slam and skated out the clock. I5 wins 177-173!
Roller Punks taken down by Reservoir Dolls
I was late on Saturday. A whole 30 minutes late. It happens... but it meant I had missed the entire first half of one of the games I most wanted to see! I always love watching the Reservoir Dolls, and I was very much looking forward to seeing them play against the newest kids on the A team block, the Puget Sound Roller Punks. That second half did not disappoint.
I raced to the track just 5 minutes into the second half to find the ECRG squad up 201-147 after a racing Tiny Badness took advantage of a track cut and the ensuing power jam. Spunkee followed up with 10 more and the Punks looked to be in some serious trouble, down nearly 70.
The Roller Punks had some great opportunities at 17:40 and 13:35 on the clock, but some excellent blocking by a couple of names I am going to be watching in the upcoming season: Beautiful Deadly, and Cassidy. They managed to kill those opportunities and hold PSRP to only 5 points in those chances.
After trading rounds of penalty box musical chairs just a few minutes later, the punks had narrowed that lead to 50, and were looking to make that comeback complete. The Dolls were just as determined to give no ground. With time getting short, it was a battle to see would come out on top!
At 8:20, a cut track gave a power jam to T-WrecksHer, but a very tough 3 wall held her to 8 before she was completely blocked in and handed the remainder of the power jam to Smack who managed a 6-2 decision before being forced to hit her hips and call it off.
The battle continued, and the penalties began to rack up for the Reservoir Dolls, who took full advantage of some short packs and brought the game back to within 30 with 4:00 to go.
The Punks' final opportunity game at 00:00:11. The Dolls had their jammer off the floor thanks to a penalty in the previous jam.
The Punks called a time out with the score looming 244-207 in the Dolls' favor. The whistle blew and the jam was off! The punks had a 4-3 pack advantage and the jammer was finding holes thanks to some excellent offensive blocking. Halfway through the jam, the Dolls' jammer was released, but committed a back block as she zoomed back on the track and another of her teammates fell victim to a forced cut, bringing the advantage in the pack firmly in the Punks' favor 4-2!
It was an heroic effort, but at the end of the 2 minutes, the Roller Punks found themselves 10 points behind. Reservoir Dolls Win 244-234
I raced to the track just 5 minutes into the second half to find the ECRG squad up 201-147 after a racing Tiny Badness took advantage of a track cut and the ensuing power jam. Spunkee followed up with 10 more and the Punks looked to be in some serious trouble, down nearly 70.
The Roller Punks had some great opportunities at 17:40 and 13:35 on the clock, but some excellent blocking by a couple of names I am going to be watching in the upcoming season: Beautiful Deadly, and Cassidy. They managed to kill those opportunities and hold PSRP to only 5 points in those chances.
After trading rounds of penalty box musical chairs just a few minutes later, the punks had narrowed that lead to 50, and were looking to make that comeback complete. The Dolls were just as determined to give no ground. With time getting short, it was a battle to see would come out on top!
At 8:20, a cut track gave a power jam to T-WrecksHer, but a very tough 3 wall held her to 8 before she was completely blocked in and handed the remainder of the power jam to Smack who managed a 6-2 decision before being forced to hit her hips and call it off.
The battle continued, and the penalties began to rack up for the Reservoir Dolls, who took full advantage of some short packs and brought the game back to within 30 with 4:00 to go.
The Punks' final opportunity game at 00:00:11. The Dolls had their jammer off the floor thanks to a penalty in the previous jam.
The Punks called a time out with the score looming 244-207 in the Dolls' favor. The whistle blew and the jam was off! The punks had a 4-3 pack advantage and the jammer was finding holes thanks to some excellent offensive blocking. Halfway through the jam, the Dolls' jammer was released, but committed a back block as she zoomed back on the track and another of her teammates fell victim to a forced cut, bringing the advantage in the pack firmly in the Punks' favor 4-2!
It was an heroic effort, but at the end of the 2 minutes, the Roller Punks found themselves 10 points behind. Reservoir Dolls Win 244-234
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Wild West Showdown at a glance
This past weekend was the Wild West Showdown. For the first time, the juniors were mixed into the main venue where they played a 9 team, double elimination tournament. The 6 A teams all met in the first round for a ranked bout, meaning each team now has at least one game for the rankings in July.
The visitors? Greater Edmonton Junior Derby (Oh, Canada!), Foco Jr derby (Fort Collins, Colorado), and the Nashville Nashvillians.
This was a double elimination tournament playing full 60 minute bouts. 16 bouts, two days, SO MUCH JR DERBY! Huge hits, broken records, awesome agility, brilliantly executed strategy, quick adaptation and learning... As usual, the kids did great things.
But 16 games? That's a lot of stats! As such I decided very quickly that keeping full stats across all of the games would not be possible if I valued my sanity. I also had to choose which games I wanted to cover fully, since there were some overlaps on scheduling. I did get Melanie Adams to keep stats for the Rosebuds bout I wasn't able to cover until the second half. She should have something written up soon.
Over the next few days, I will be posting up write-ups of each of the bouts, as well as offering some of the observations on the tournament.
I *will* say; Northwest Roller Derby? Still the prettiest. Here are the scores over the weekend.
Bout 1: Greater Edmonton defeated the Fort Collins Spartan Babes 253-121;
Bout 2 (NW Ranked): Emerald City defeated Port Scandalous 244-234;
Bout 3 (NW Ranked): Rose City 263 over Kitsap 128;
Bout 4 (NW Ranked): I-5 Rollergirls defeated Seattle Derby Brats 177-173
Bout 5: Nashville defeats Greater Edmonton 335-132;
Bout 6: Port Scandalous defeats FoCo 410-116 (Foco Eliminated);
Bout 7: Seattle defeated Greater Edmonton 355-129 (Edmonton eliminated)
Bout 8: Kitsap D-Bombers defeated Port Scandalous Roller Punks eliminating them by 234-216;
Bout 9: Rose City defeats Emerald City 235-112;
Bout 10: I-5 defeats Nashville 348-173;
Bout#11 Galaxy Girls eliminated Reservoir Dolls 172-71 in an abbreviated 30 minute bout (It was nearly 10pm);
Bout 12: Kitsap Wins over Nashville 265-165 (Nashville eliminated);
Bout 13: I-5 hands Portland their first loss 201-159;
Bout 14: Galaxy Defeats D=Bombers 237-114 (Kitsap Eliminated)
Bout 15: the Rosebuds defeated Galaxy Girls 182-159 (SDB Eliminated)
Wild West Championship: I-5 is undefeated for the weekend, 162-128 over the Rosebuds.
The visitors? Greater Edmonton Junior Derby (Oh, Canada!), Foco Jr derby (Fort Collins, Colorado), and the Nashville Nashvillians.
This was a double elimination tournament playing full 60 minute bouts. 16 bouts, two days, SO MUCH JR DERBY! Huge hits, broken records, awesome agility, brilliantly executed strategy, quick adaptation and learning... As usual, the kids did great things.
But 16 games? That's a lot of stats! As such I decided very quickly that keeping full stats across all of the games would not be possible if I valued my sanity. I also had to choose which games I wanted to cover fully, since there were some overlaps on scheduling. I did get Melanie Adams to keep stats for the Rosebuds bout I wasn't able to cover until the second half. She should have something written up soon.
Over the next few days, I will be posting up write-ups of each of the bouts, as well as offering some of the observations on the tournament.
I *will* say; Northwest Roller Derby? Still the prettiest. Here are the scores over the weekend.
Bout 1: Greater Edmonton defeated the Fort Collins Spartan Babes 253-121;
Bout 2 (NW Ranked): Emerald City defeated Port Scandalous 244-234;
Bout 3 (NW Ranked): Rose City 263 over Kitsap 128;
Bout 4 (NW Ranked): I-5 Rollergirls defeated Seattle Derby Brats 177-173
Bout 5: Nashville defeats Greater Edmonton 335-132;
Bout 6: Port Scandalous defeats FoCo 410-116 (Foco Eliminated);
Bout 7: Seattle defeated Greater Edmonton 355-129 (Edmonton eliminated)
Bout 8: Kitsap D-Bombers defeated Port Scandalous Roller Punks eliminating them by 234-216;
Bout 9: Rose City defeats Emerald City 235-112;
Bout 10: I-5 defeats Nashville 348-173;
Bout#11 Galaxy Girls eliminated Reservoir Dolls 172-71 in an abbreviated 30 minute bout (It was nearly 10pm);
Bout 12: Kitsap Wins over Nashville 265-165 (Nashville eliminated);
Bout 13: I-5 hands Portland their first loss 201-159;
Bout 14: Galaxy Defeats D=Bombers 237-114 (Kitsap Eliminated)
Bout 15: the Rosebuds defeated Galaxy Girls 182-159 (SDB Eliminated)
Wild West Championship: I-5 is undefeated for the weekend, 162-128 over the Rosebuds.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Dear parents and fans: These are kids!
 |
| Sign at Cherry Bomb Brawlers v SJRD |
This past weekend, my SJRD kids (and every single one of them is *my* kid) played an awesome bout. As mentioned before, they lost, but they had a blast playing. At the end of the bout, the teams tackled each other with hugs in an awesome display of derby love. But there was something else. During the bout, one of my players came to me looking very hurt after one jam. Someone in the crowd had laughed at her when she fell. This was an experienced player, someone who has been playing the game for 4 years, and someone who is no stranger to sports and the fans (she plays several other sports as well). Yet she was hurt in this particular instance. If someone as strong and as powerful as this player can be hurt by one comment, how much damage is being done to those even more vulnerable?
Kids matter. We in junior derby know this. We love our kids, and we do everything we can to make sure they can play this game that we (and they) love safely. We give them pads to protect their elbows and knees, helmets and mouth guards to protect their brains. We teach them to fall so they will be able to get back up when the hardest of hitters comes along and sends them flying into the chairs at the edge of the track. But there is a problem. Something which has been getting a lot of attention since the 2013 season started in earnest. The fans are hurting the kids.
Not physically, sure, there aren't flying beer cans or squid being thrown on the track or anything like that, but the kids are being hurt none the less. Words hurt. Laughing and telling them they suck when a kid falls while doing his or her damndest to play the game to the best of their ability hurts. Screaming at the refs, or yelling at a player who has made a mistake can sometimes do more damage than the hardest hitting blocker out there. And it's happening. It has happened at every junior bout I have been at this season except one, and I have received reports of it happening at many others as well.
One need only look at the conversation in one of my posts to see that this topic has become something of an issue, with accusations flying back and forth between leagues and parents. But accusations aren't going to stop it. There needs to be a change in the culture of fans at junior derby.
While yes, we are teaching them to play derby at a very competitive level, we need to remember that these *are* kids. We should be working together to support them all, and to cheer the accomplishments of each and every skater on the track. Sure, it's great when your team wins, but it's just as great when someone on the other team pulls a great juke, or lays down a huge hit. Sure it sucks when your jammer falls, or steps back in at just the wrong moment, giving up a power jam, but you know what? Telling her she sucks is not going to improve her performance.
We need to see more signs like the one pictured above. We need to see inserts in programs, announcements during games, security dealing with unruly fans, and we need to see an agreement on a parenting code of conduct from every single NW junior league.
These are our kids. We need to work together to make sure our kids aren't being hurt.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Feelings on SJRD
Well... an amazing weekend of derby is in the books. SJRD's first, major away bout is done, some of the kids are still together and no one has died... yet ;)
It looks like we might be getting some more kids in next week, some of our up and coming kids are coming up quick, and there are some potential plans for partnerships which are going to expand our offerings and offer some other, experienced skaters a chance to bout. Add to that, some sponsorships in the works and some additional fund raising ideas (I LOVE having a working board!), and we're on pretty solid footing with the juniors.
The tootsy program is growing, too! Gear donations over the past few weeks have given 4 more kids the chance to skate, with 4-5 more wanting to try it out. The growth is there and waiting, we just need to figure out how to make it all happen.
As a couple of my skaters have said in the last three months? I remember now why I love derby. The sheer joy on the faces of the skaters this past weekend. They had just lost by 79 points, but they had won. They were smiling. They were happy. The scoreboard didn't matter, because they had just played the game they love.
And the looks on the faces of the kids who were strapping on skates for the very first time at Boys and Girls club. The nerves were there, but the smiles as they started to learn? Priceless.
Seeing what this game and this league is giving these kids amazes me, and makes me want to work that much harder to make sure this continues.
I know... this isn't a recap, but I just had to share this.
It looks like we might be getting some more kids in next week, some of our up and coming kids are coming up quick, and there are some potential plans for partnerships which are going to expand our offerings and offer some other, experienced skaters a chance to bout. Add to that, some sponsorships in the works and some additional fund raising ideas (I LOVE having a working board!), and we're on pretty solid footing with the juniors.
The tootsy program is growing, too! Gear donations over the past few weeks have given 4 more kids the chance to skate, with 4-5 more wanting to try it out. The growth is there and waiting, we just need to figure out how to make it all happen.
As a couple of my skaters have said in the last three months? I remember now why I love derby. The sheer joy on the faces of the skaters this past weekend. They had just lost by 79 points, but they had won. They were smiling. They were happy. The scoreboard didn't matter, because they had just played the game they love.
And the looks on the faces of the kids who were strapping on skates for the very first time at Boys and Girls club. The nerves were there, but the smiles as they started to learn? Priceless.
Seeing what this game and this league is giving these kids amazes me, and makes me want to work that much harder to make sure this continues.
I know... this isn't a recap, but I just had to share this.
 |
| Team meeting before a bout against the Cherry Bomb Brawlers |
Sunday, February 3, 2013
I5 rolls with win over D-Bombers 297-138
I headed over early to see the I5 v KDB D-Bombers bout. There was a damned fine burger to eat. A *very* fine burger! If that burger were the only good thing to happen tonight, I would have called it a success, but alas, poor burger, you were to be overshadowed by the fine display of power and grace that is junior derby!
I5 blasted out of the gate with Dee Stroir's14 point romp as the I5 blockers swarmed all over Champ Pain, keeping her scoreless. Each jam in the first few series' was the same for the Kitsap squad, as they struggled to find their footing against the solid walls of I5. Then Lex Celerator popped the star on her noggin and found herself the beneficiary of a power jam thanks to a cut track by Lil Mean Sunshine. She rattled off 30 points.
Seven minutes in, I5 found themselves with a 46-4 lead.
The problems just piled up for the D-bombers as their blockers and jammers found themselves in the box more often than on the track, giving I5RG power jams in fully 50% of the jams in the first half right along with pack advantages in just as many. I5 took full advantage, crossing the century mark at 21 minutes into the game. At the half, the score stood at 171-35.
In the second half, Kitsap came alive. While the Rollergirls still took lead jammer 62% of the time, the power jams and penalties seemed to be favoring Kitsap this time! One of the most exciting jams of the game came halfway through the second half.
Dee Stroir and T-pain were on the line as jammers and both hit the pack. Dee got through for lead while T-pain was struggling against the I5 squad. She finally got through and shot after Dee, who found the back of the pack first, passing 2 Kitsap blockers before taking the barest of shoves out of bounds and picking up a cut track penalty! The pack was short for I5, and T-pain was off like a shot, racking up 25 points thanks to some heads up offensive blocking by her teammates.
After that, it was almost all I5 as they scored 62-12 over the next 6 jams.
With the clock ticking down and down about 200 points, you would think that Kitsap would be demoralized, right? Wrong. They just kept on coming! In the final jam of the game, Champ Pain was stuck hard after snagging lead jammer over Karmic Death, who was called for a track cut, giving Kitsap a much needed power jam!
I5 was going to close this one down, though, and had Champ in a vice of blue blockers... but out of nowhere, a star pass! Champ handed it off to KDB captain, Lil Mean Sunshine, who raced the track 5 times and picked up an amazing 23 points to finish out the game!
Excellent bout!
Three Cheers for I5 Rollergirls
Maya Massacre - A game leading 74 points, 66% lead rate, 12.3 Points per jam? It looks like I5 has yet another all star jammer on their hands! First cheer for Maya!
Lex Celerator - She only jammed 5 times and scored 71 points. She had great blocker stats with ticks in every column. Is it any wonder she was the Washington State Roller Derby MVP? A wonder to watch as always! Cheer number 2 for Lex!
Hunter - She led the entire game in blocker stats with more big hits than anyone else in the game. As one of the announcers said, it's like she teleports! One moment, she's opening a hole for her jammer at the back of the pack, then out of nowhere she's in front laying a shoulder in to recycle her opponent. Cheer number three for Hunter!
Three cheers for D-Bombers
Champ Pain - With 40 points she led all other Kitsap jammers, and she had several big hits as a blocker. Definitely a double threat and well deserving of cheer number 1!
T-Pain - She was only two points behind Champ, but she well outperformed in getting lead jammer with a 60% lead rate in her 5 jams. In a game where lead waqs rare for Kitsap, she was definitely of benefit. Second Cheer for T-Pain!
Quarter PoundHer - She led her team in blocking stats, putting up solid numbers in every category. Every time I looked up, she was a homing missile heading for the I5 jammer or making sure that her jammer had a safe path through. Cheer three for QP!
 |
| Photo by The Creepy Leprachaun |
I5 Jammer Stats -
| Number | Jams | Lead % | Points | PPJ |
| 91 | 5 | 80 | 35 | 7 |
| 27 | 6 | 33 | 9 | 1.5 |
| 14 | 4 | 75 | 65 | 16.25 |
| 18 | 5 | 80 | 71 | 14.2 |
| 26 | 6 | 66 | 74 | 12.3 |
| 55 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| 2 | 2 | 50 | 11 | 5.5 |
| 55 | 4 | 50 | 27 | 6.75 |
KDB Jammer Stats
| Number | Jams | Lead % | Points | PPJ |
| 115 | 8 | 25 | 40 | 5 |
| 84 | 2 | 50 | 2 | 1 |
| 33 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 2.25 |
| 1 | 5 | 60 | 38 | 7.6 |
| 5 | 2(sp 1) | 0 | 23 | 11.5 |
| 17 | 5 | 80 | 23 | 4.6 |
| 13 | 2 | 50 | 4 | 2 |
| 106 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Blocker StatsAnd now, the blocker stats! A blocker has three categories: jammer stops, open holes and big hits.
B - Big hits are, well, big hits, but they have to be clean and they have to be significant.
S - Jammer stops have to keep the jammer from getting through the pack in a significant way.
O - Open holes are awarded for creating an opening for your jammer to get through.
A - Assists are awarded if you contribute significantly in a play which gives your teammate the ability to make a big play.
Remember, this is only based on what I can see. If I missed a big hit for you, I am sorry!
B - Big hits are, well, big hits, but they have to be clean and they have to be significant.
S - Jammer stops have to keep the jammer from getting through the pack in a significant way.
O - Open holes are awarded for creating an opening for your jammer to get through.
A - Assists are awarded if you contribute significantly in a play which gives your teammate the ability to make a big play.
Remember, this is only based on what I can see. If I missed a big hit for you, I am sorry!
I5 Blocker Stats
Lex Celerator B-2, S-2, A-2, O-2
Sierrated Blade S-3 A-1
The Archer S-2, A-1, O-1
Hunter B-5, S-3, A-1, O-2
Gory Locks S-1, O-1
Death by Beth O-1
Miss B Haver O-1
Audrey Headburn B-1, O-1
Dee Stroir B-2, S-2, A-2
Izzy Exterminated B-1, S-1, A-1, O-1
KDB Blocker Stats
T-Pain B-1, S-1
Alisin Wonderlsam B-1, A-1, O-1
Holly Palooza A-1, O-1
Red Rager B-1, A-1
Quarter PoundHer B-1, S-2, A-1, O-2
Aqua Knock You Out B-1
Little Mean Sunshine B-1, S-2, A-1, O-1
Kayti Catastrophe B-1, S-1, A-1
Krissy Karnage A-1, O-2
Stabby Gabby B-1, A-1, O-1
Kae-Oss B-1, A-1
Gaines Slayer B-3, S-1
Champ Pain B-3, O-1
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)