It's been nearly a year since I wrote anything on here. Welcome back. This is probably going to become more of an opinion place than a "covering NW Jr derby" place. As I have transitioned away from running the leagues and my daughter has graduated to adult derby, I find myself doing a very different job. As the NW regional rep for the JRDA, I am more in the "how should Jr Derby look?" mode.
And here's the first thoughts.
There was an article on Hellarad recently about the new v old style roller derby. Not the strategy or rules or whatnot, but the old, edgy, punk rock style vs the new, athletic style. You can read it here:
No-skirt-no-justice
For all you new stylers? I get it. You like the athleticism. It's what you do sports for. The competition level needs to be high, the discipline needs to be there. Winning is important, and coming together as a team to win is paramount. The skills need to be constantly improving and the coaching has to be on point. Getting to the top of the heap shows success. The old paradigm didn't have that drive, so the old ways have to go.
You *like* that the old community is kind of dying. But that community, that edge, that joy in doing something just plain SO AWESOME was what attracted my daughter to the sport. It was a sport for the "rest of the people." Not the jocks, but for those more on the fringe of socially acceptable. It's what brought me to volunteer countless hours, to drive countless miles covering these kids and to volunteer my time as an NSO, as an announcer, as an administrator and to support this sport with everything I have.
There were kids who had not done ANY other sport. When they found roller derby, it helped them to enjoy the sport and competition. They bonded together hardcore. They were a family and a community. They bonded over the bruises and the bumps, they learned how to be powerful.
They expressed themselves in every way both on and off the track. they would wear whatever they wanted to along with their uniform. They would paint cool designs on their faces and rip their tights (just a little, young ladies) and a matching pair of brightly colored socks was nowhere to be seen. They trained pretty hard and they got pretty good. They chose derby names and they loved them.
And now those same individuals are being told to pack up their mismatched, colorful socks and to put away their face paint, because roller derby is SOOPER SERIAL. It's a sport, and sport means winning. Winning means team, and athletics and all looking the same so we're intimidating and professional. The new kids have soccer, swimming, softball and all manner of other sports they also do and they bring that discipline with them.
Has it improved the level of play? Yeah, I have to admit it has. But these players are more disciplined, less prone to dissolving into giggles, less likely to have dance-offs on the jammer line or sing-alongs during official times outs. In moving towards a higher level of athleticism, what are we leaving behind?
Derby used to be "edgy". Now, if it keeps on as it is, it might as well be Lacrosse.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Thursday, November 14, 2013
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.
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.
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!
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