Friday 27 May 2011

Derby Spotting: Calling It Off

So I've noticed recently how a lot of people turn up to watch a bout with a good grasp of the basic rules, but spot things happening on the track that just seem to make no sense at all. The fact is that roller derby strategy sometimes uses the rules in surprising ways and it can be hard to work out exactly what's going on, but in my opinion it's exactly this that makes the game so crazy and exciting!

If you've ever found yourself having to ask the person next to you why they're screaming at the pack to slow down or why the star jammer got through the pack once and then the jam just ended, then worry not, I am here to help you out!

This week I'm going to look into calling the jam off and power jams.

Roller derby is all about the points. If you can get points while the other team get a big fat zero then happy days right? One way to stop the other team getting points is to catch the other team's jammer in the pack and stop her from passing people while your jammer whizzes round and round. It's a good strategy but you can't always rely on it - one good hit from the other team or one very nippy jammer and she's passed you. So how else are you going to stop them from scoring? Well I'll tell you how - you're going to call it off!

If you get lead jammer (i.e. get through the pack first without committing any fouls) then you’re allowed call the jam off at any time. Basically, you want to call off the jam (by touching your hips with your hands) at that magic moment when you have points and the other team doesn't.

Here's an example from our game against The Imposters in January.  Behold the dextrous G Whizz as she takes the jam by storm.



G Whizz comes out of the pack first and gets lead jammer. You can see her get through the pack for the second time (picking up 4 juicy points) 0:49, and note that she is already calling it off because the Imposters jammer is just inches away from scoring as well. Whoever’s not the lead jammer will be single-mindedly chasing the other jammer down to try and reach the pack before she does. If the lead jammer is overtaken she’ll have to call off the jam early to avoid the opposing team getting any points.

No one wants to do more work than is strictly necessary so if the other jammer gets through the pack, the lead jammer will have to go round *again* until there's a gap in the scores, all the time getting more and more tired (it's not easy out there you know!) Ending a jam with equal numbers of points scored is not a good situation – you might as well have both got zero, except now you’re both knackered and you’ve wasted valuable time.

This tactic is the bread and butter of roller derby. You could almost say derby is more about stopping them from getting points than getting points yourself! So if you ever find yourself at a bout wondering why someone's calling it off - look at where the other jammer is and there's your answer.

There is one other situation that relates to calling it off and this is during a power jam. Power jams occur when one jammer is in the box and the other jammer has free reign to just snap up all the points she can handle. In this situation the jammer pretty much never calls it off because it's free points ain't it!

You can find more info about Manchester Roller Derby at our website www.manchesterrollerderby.co.uk

Monday 23 May 2011

The 'NO MINORS' rules set: Yea or nay?

In case you missed it, at the beginning of April the WFTDA confirmed they would be testing a new rules system known as the ‘no minors’ rules set. Throughout the summer, teams from across the US will be participating in test bouts to see how these changes could impact upon the sport we know and love.

Like the current rules set, penalties will given based on impact. At the moment there are three impact levels: ‘no impact’, ‘minor impact’ and ‘major impact’. As its name suggests, the ‘no minors’ rules set would get rid of minor impact penalties. While some minor penalties would simply be ‘upgraded’ to ‘major impact’ penalties (and result in a minute in the penalty box), others would be called as ‘no impact’ and thus incur no penalty.

But what effect will this have on the game?

Critics argue that bringing in these new rules would result in sloppy, dangerous game play. The ‘no minors’ rules set, for example, determines that any use of elbows which doesn't directly result in an opposing skater losing position as ‘no impact’. Similarly, any back block which forces a skater off balance but does not cause them to lose their relative position is ‘no impact’. While these changes may come as a relief to many skaters, others argue that the changes would encourage careless play and increase injuries.

Yet, many of the changes seem to have been suggested with safety in mind. Some infractions currently classed as ‘minors’ would become major impact penalties under the new rules. This includes any clockwise engagement or blocks by stopped skaters, even if they do not result in loss of position.

Supporters of the new rules argue that they would create a faster paced and more exciting game (could roller derby be any more exciting?!)

The new rules would drastically reduce the amount of time jammers spend in the box and perhaps create higher-scoring games. In cases of false starts the jammer wouldn't be penalised unless they failed to yield to the opposing jammer. Similarly, the curiously-named tactic, ‘poodling’ (intentionally incurring a fourth minor by positioning oneself out of play when lining up), would become redundant. Unfortunately, this would result in fewer power jams, which in my opinion can be tactically very interesting.

All in all, it’s hard to say what the impact of the changes would be. It depends not only on the rules but on the strategies that teams will adopt in order to use them. If you’re interested in reading a more detailed analysis, WindyMan’s Roller Derby Notes provides an interesting discussion of the proposed changes.

Despite the hype surrounding the test bouts, there's been no official proposal to change the rules. According to the WFTDA,
The ‘no minors’ rules set was created for the sole purpose of ‘collect[ing] data for review’.

All changes to the rules must be voted on by member leagues and it is by no means certain that these changes will be adopted.

So far, only one bout has been played according to the test rules and this was closed to the public. The first public test bout will take place on 25 June 2011 when Charm City Roller Girls take on the Windy City Rollers.

Like many in the roller derby community, I can’t wait to see how it goes!


To find out more about MRD, check out our website: www.manchesterrollerderby.co.uk

Thursday 19 May 2011

A Midsummer Night's Scream - 19th June 2011

Never watched live roller derby? What are you waiting for?

It is exactly one month until our next game at Manchester's Academy 1.

A MONTH!

If you were at our last game, you'll know what the atmosphere's like. Everyone gets behind their respective team and excitement reaches fever pitch. The announcers do a great job of keeping everyone, not least the skaters, on their toes - and the rocking DJs, cake peddlers, merch lovelies and raffle merchants do their very best to make sure no-one leaves without a smile on their face and a feeling of being absolutely essential to the success of the game, BECAUSE YOU ARE!

If you weren't at our last game... first of all, why not? :P I'm just kidding, have a quick read here about it.

But really, roller girls from all across the North West will need your help and support at this one. We're hosting a 'cherry popper' game to give newer skaters experience of playing a real bout. This will be the first bout of the day and sees the Montagues take on the Capulets - aiming to settle the age-old score between the feuding families once and for all.

The finale of the day will be our game against Central City Rollergirls' 'Slay Belles'. It's gonna be a tough one but we're ready to fight, just like Demetrius and Lysander in Shakespeare's enchanting tale of forbidden love and fairies (with added skates!).

Come to Manchester, have a laugh, eat some cake, watch some derby, scream until you're hoarse - what more do you want from a day? The best city in the world combined with the most exciting sport, fairies and Shakespeare. Positively cultured, my love!

You can get your tickets here, but get on it quick. Once they're gone, they're gone. 

To find out more or to chat to other lovelies making their way to A Midsummer Night's Scream, check out our Facebook event.

Derby loves,
Kate Push

Monday 16 May 2011

What do I need to play Roller Derby?

Want to play roller derby but have no idea where to start? Seen 'Whip It' and want to give it a go? In this short blog I'll shine a little light on what I've learned, how to get involved and what equipment you'll need to get you up and blocking in no time.



The first and most important thing you need is enthusiasm. Without this, it can be a painful journey. You might think that being able to skate is more important but you can learn to skate. Learning to be enthusiastic, I've found, can be rather more of a challenge.

It also helps to have a sense of adventure (or grow one) and leave your inhibitions at the door, as you won't get anywhere in roller derby without a few nervy moments. I still remember lining up for my first ever jam and feeling sick to my stomach, but finishing with the biggest sense of achievement and an even bigger grin.

What will you get out of it?
Everyone is different and takes up roller derby for various reasons. I took it up to improve my confidence and be part of something I thought looked exciting, whilst getting fitter as an added bonus.

And I'm going to throw this out there first off: physical prowess is not the most important thing in roller derby. We have guys and girls of all shapes and sizes so you don't need to be a super-fit powerhouse to play. Practising consistently and regularly will improve your fitness anyway, and balance and agility are more important than brute strength in my opinion.


If you have the time then extra exercise to build muscles and improve core stability can be helpful. Derby has a habit of toughening people up as well as improving general fitness, and you tend to use your legs a lot so it's great for building up those muscles. Some of our players have actually lost weight by using roller derby as exercise.

But the physical part is just a small part of the benefits of derby. The sense of achievement the first time you get lead jammer in a bout and hear people shouting your name is pretty damn awesome and I grinned for about a week. Or the first time you block someone to the ground... or beating your laps from the previous week. Being part of a team of such lovely people is another big plus and making new friends in a relaxed environment is always a winner.

You'll need some basic equipment unless you want to get involved as one of our NSOs (Non Skating Officials). NSOs are a vital part of the crew, making sure everything is in order and penalties and scores are tracked.


If you come to join us at Manchester Roller Derby, we can lend you all the equipment you need whilst you have a go and see if it's for you. I bought most of my equipment online as there aren't a lot of places that stock skates, although your local skateboarding supplier might be able to help you out with some of the protective gear. The basic kit you need is below - prices will vary but it can be cheaper to buy all your kit together as you may get a discount. For example, I got my skates (Riedell R3), knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards for around £125.

Skates
Roller derby is played on quad skates so I'm afraid rollerblades are out. Skates are available in a wide range of prices and fittings and what you choose will depend largely on your budget and what feels right to you. We could do a whole blog on choosing skates but to give you a rough idea, the cheaper end of skates start around £80 and can go up into the hundreds. Skates are upgradable too so get something that feels comfortable and you can upgrade plates, bearings and wheels later.




It really helps to try before you buy, or you can end up embarking on a very expensive skate journey. Don't be afraid to ask if anyone is the same size as you at practice and try a few pairs as, like shoes, they all feel different.

Most derby skaters use skates designed for derby that are light and manoeuvrable but some of our skaters skate in hockey skates. Some of the most common choices for beginners are Riedell R3s, Sure Grip Rebel Invaders and Riedell Vandals or Wickeds. Come and try some out with us first anyway before you make your choice. I picked Riedell R3s, partly because they are non-leather but comfortable. Cheaper skates come with wheels but these can be varying in quality so be prepared to upgrade once you have tried out different wheels! The Arcadia where we practice is also used for roller hockey, so some of our skaters use hockey wheels which are lightweight and fast.

Pads and helmet
Roller derby is a full contact sport and you will fall so knee pads, wrist guards and elbow pads are a necessity. Again we have pads you can borrow when you start. Like skates, you can pay a little or a lot for a set of pads.


From my experience, there isn't a great deal of difference in wrist guards but make sure that they are double splinted (have a hard part on the front and the back). I started out with relatively cheap knee and elbow pads from Anarchy which provide enough cushioning without being too bulky but have moved onto 187 knee pads which provide a lot more cushioning.

You'll also need a helmet in case of stray limbs or back falls. Your brain is pretty important so make sure the helmet fits. Helmets used in roller derby are the same sort that skateboarders wear - cycle helmets aren't really suitable for roller derby as they are too rigid and can cause more injury than they prevent. Ideally, get down to a skateboarding shop and try some different helmets out for fit. The helmet needs to fit tightly enough so it won't jiggle about if you do knock your head. If there are gaps, try a different one - do not underestimate the importance of a good fitting helmet. The good news is that they are pretty cheap from about £15-£30. Some popular makes are NutCase, TSG and Triple 8.



Mouthguard
Before being allowed to take part in hitting drills you'll need to have a mouthguard. Knocks to the face are rare but teeth are pretty difficult to put back in so it's better to be safe than gummy. We sell mouthguards for £3 and they're easy to fit; just place in boiling water then fit according to the instructions. You can get custom mouthguards from your dentist too which will last for some time and, depending on your dental plan, they can be fairly cheap too. Mine was £30 and I notice a big difference in fit and comfort now I have it.

What to wear
Good news! Apart from the protective equipment, you can wear what you want for roller derby. However, you will get hot and sweaty after a few hours of skating so leave the sexy woolly jumpers at home. It's most important that you're comfortable and able to stretch, so things like jeans are not so practical. Bear in mind you will need to get elbow pads and knee pads on too so short sleeves and legs help with this. Most people tend to wear shorts and vest or t-shirt with leggings, tights or long socks to protect your shins from scrapes. Keep jewellery to a minimum as you don't want to get caught on anything or have to stop play whilst we all get down on hands and knees to look for the clasp off your favourite necklace.

Getting involved
You can't do roller derby on your own so find some people to learn and play with... like Manchester Roller Derby for example! If you're local, the easiest way to get involved is to pop down to one of our Sunday sessions at 5:45pm to see what you think.


Our Zero to Hero programme is the best route to passing minimum skills. Minimum skills means you'll be able to take part in full-contact games (scrimmage or bouts). The next one starts on July 3rd from 6 till 8pm and will run for 12 weeks, taking you through all the things you need to learn in order to pass minimum skills.

You do need a certain amount of time to devote to roller derby and once you get hooked, you'll end up wishing there were more hours in the week. See our Join us
section on the website for details of how you can get involved. It's a bit basic but the more you put in, the more you will get out.

Drop us a comment on this blog, our
Forum or look us up on Facebook or Twitter if you're interested or just come down and try it out. Our ethos is that everyone is welcome regardless of age, gender or ability and if you have that enthusiasm, anything is possible.

Sunday 15 May 2011

Sunday outing!

Last Sunday a few of us were lucky enough to join a mixed scrim with Leeds Roller Dolls & Middlesborough Milk Rollers.  Leeds are in training for a momentus closed bout against London Brawling, so we agreed to play Leeds Vs everyone else so they could indulge in a little bit of team bonding.  How could anyone say no to that!

MRD's own Sui-Cider was elected captain for the black team and the game was on! Since most of us hadn't skated on a team together before, we separated in to jammers and blockers and did our line-ups production line style, which was great because it meant that MRD & MMR skaters were all mixed up together.  I put myself forward to jam because I thought, 'Hey, what better practice than jamming against Leeds!'

It was a mixed game for me, I got lead jammer twice and managed to get some points but also got sent to the box three times (eek!) Playing a hardcore team like Leeds can make it easy to pick up penalties, you're trying so hard you have to be extra careful.

It was a great game, although HARD! The final score was...

Massive thanks to Leeds for hosting us & Cecee Slam'er for her superlative bench managing skills.  And good luck to Leeds against London... it'll be tough but we know you can do it!

You can find more info about Manchester Roller Derby at our website www.manchesterrollerderby.co.uk

Monday 9 May 2011

Great Yorkshire Showdown!

Hi everyone, this is Polly Killer checking in with a (slightly belated) recap of the Great Yorkshire Showdown 2011, hosted by the beautiful and talented Leeds Roller Dolls.

This year's GYS was super exciting for us because last year's tournament in October was many MRDers first bout (we lost to Wakey Wheeled Cats 62:20), so it was a great chance for us to see how much we've improved in 6 months.... and we really have!

The tournament is made up of eight teams split in to groups, playing 30-minute games within their group, then the winner of each group goes to the final.  It's a massive derby fest with sooo much to see, although trying to concentrate on watching a bout when you're about to play one yourself isn't easy if you feel as sick as I always do!

Our first game was against the fabulous Dolly Rockit Rollers (who are the proud owners of my favourite team logo ever!) and they're a tough bunch who pushed us hard. They were 7 points up after the first jam & the gap widened even more, but after warming up a bit and one awesome 20-point jam from Fale we took the lead and went on to win 83:52.  Phew!  It's great to play a team that make you work so hard right up to the last second.


Tennel Aidie going in for the kill.
Photo by Daz Wilson

Next up for MRD was our old rivals and awesome buddies Hot Wheel Roller Derby, previously encountered at our first home bout Wonderbrawl (see the video here).  Like us they've made massive strides in the last 6 months, led in to battle by their hardcore coach Jerry Attric, so we prepared ourselves to give our all.

Well, we skated hard and managed to pull a tremendous win of 71:48, leaving us with half an hour until the final against Leeds Roller Dolls.  Eeeek!  We had to hold it together, stretch out, stay focused and discuss how we were going to approach the game.  We knew we had LRD's infamous walls to contend with.

Well, it was hard and fast and we skated like we've never skated before.  The score after a full hour of gameplay was 142:85 to Leeds, and they freaking deserved it!  Those ladies know how to put up a fight!


Fale shows us what she's made of!
Photo by Scott Kellie

After that there was nothing left to do but party! Although I can't sign off this post without one special mention... we at MRD hold a special place in our hearts for the Liverpool Roller Birds, and there is one Bird who showed an example to us all that day.  Yes, I'm talking about the wonderful Sissy Breakneck, who left blocking behind her for one jam only and jammed like a rocket for LRB nearly doubling their points!  One of the greatest parts of roller derby is going out of your comfort zone and taking on the world.  Sissy, we salute you!


Check out that grin!
Photo by Daz Wilson
You can find more info about Manchester Roller Derby at our website www.manchesterrollerderby.co.uk