Derby Baby

I used to have a pair of those metal skates that I tied over my shoes when I was a kid in the seventies, rackety, useless things with hard wheels that juddered over every bump. Then when I was thirteen my birthday present was an amazing pair of blue and red roller boots. I skated with my mates up and down Lancashire terraced streets, and then after a year I stopped. My roller boots went to a jumble sale, and I never imagined that at thirty eight, I might be wanting another pair of skates.

A friend (Abby Dasher) asked me to come along to her first Zero to Hero session at MRD a year ago. I sat at the side of the rink, feeling too nervous to join in. To be honest, I thought NO WAY could I ever do that. Everyone looked tough and confident (and hot), even the beginners. They all seemed to be fearless skaters, not wavering when they were told to fall on both knees, or skid across the floor. And so comfortable in hot pants and crazy tights. I thought, WOW, I love it. But figured this was no place for me, with all these gutsy, sexy, confident women. Leave the building, I thought. Go home and write a poem, read a book, watch TV.

Abby went skating week after week, and kept saying COME, YOU WILL LOVE IT! I listened to her stories, saw her photos, admired her growing confidence. But still felt I was the wrong kind of girl for derby. Always the last to be picked for teams at school. Not a sporty girl, or competitive, in fact a bit of a wimp to be honest. Why would I want to bash into other people? And more importantly why would I let other people bash into me? And what if I fell...?

Yet, here I am. Searching on the internet for my first pair of derby skates, debating whether to get Anarchy pads or invest in some more expensive pads, and what kind of wheels do I want? I have a bruise on one side of my bum. It's the size of an apple. And on the other side, I have a set of bruises that look like stairs. I have sore shoulders from blocking in training, and my shins hurt.

I only signed up for the Zero to Hero training session, because Abby Dasher kept pestering me in a lovely way to DO IT, DO IT. I resigned myself to it. I sighed, and worked out that if I just tried it once, I would be able to say, no roller derby is NOT for me.

Only, there was something about that first session, all lined up along the wall with Tori Bee whizzing round us, telling us you can do it, You're all amazing... praising our awkward one knee falls and our nervous skating. And the others in the group, all looked to me from a distance like the most confident, gutsy women (and men) in the world, and even up close, they seemed tough and up-for-it, but when we got talking I found out most of them were nervous as well, a bit jittery or unfit, new to skating, or maybe scared of falling. We laughed when we got it wrong and tried again, and everyone encouraged everyone. And actually it was surprising that I enjoyed it so much.

So, I kept turning up. Me. In hot pants. Never thought I would see the day. In skates at nearly forty. Never thought I would love anything remotely like a baseball slide, or that I would laugh so much one session giving and receiving shoulder blocks while racing around the rink with Sledge Hannah, or that I might feel so proud of myself for improving my laps, moving from a first effort of 16 laps in five minutes to this week's 22 laps.

I'm not quite a Hero. I still have a lot of work to do and practice. I don't push myself as hard as some people. Yes, I want to graduate from Zero to Hero and get the chance to join MRD's new training team, the Rookie Monsters. I want to learn more about roller derby and how to play and maybe, perhaps if I psyche myself up for it play in a bout one day. But I have more personal reasons for coming to roller derby. This is why I keep coming...

... because, for many years, probably since school, I avoided team games and anything competitive because I was always one of the least strong, fast or capable. I was always seen by others as not being good enough to be in a team, or letting down a team that had to choose me. And now, I have the opportunity to take my time to be good, learn at my own pace and in my own way, without feeling as if other people think I'm crap or that I'm letting anyone else down.

I still have those little doubts sometimes that maybe everyone has about themselves, but I feel so much more confident... at everything, because I'm trying things I thought I was too scared and soft to do. I still don't like falling over, but I'm learning to pick myself up and carry on. I feel proud of my bruises sometimes, because they are a sign that I'm more confident and gutsy than I imagined. I feel more assertive but less angry. I throw a bit of the weeks frustration into a shoulder block and I get praised for doing it. I can see myself very slowly improving so that maybe next week, I might get 23 laps, or my laterals might get tighter and faster, and I might fall over and laugh.

It's hard to explain how important this is. I guess people have many reasons for starting roller derby. I started by accident, through persuasion, not really understanding the game or what I might benefit from it. I wasn't looking for it to change my life, but it already has because I've realised I'm tougher than I thought.

Sometimes the hardest fight is with yourself

Roller derby is a sport that prides itself on being accessible to all. No matter what age you are and what size you are you can learn to skate and kick ass with a team you love and who accepts you for who and what you are. This is one of the appeals of roller derby for me.

Why else does derby appeal to me? No expectations, the support of fellow skaters and knowing that I am part of a strong team, both physically & mentally. All of these aspects of derby are what make this sport one that works for me, and I take that motivation with me both on and off the track.

I want to talk to you a little about a side to these men and women that isn't always seen. We turn up to a practice, scrimmage or a bout with a smile and are seen to be brimming with confidence. However humans are complex machines and this outside image may be hiding a great deal underneath.

18 months ago I was diagnosed with a long-term condition called Pernicious Anaemia. The effects of this can include fatigue, low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, neuropathic pain and nerve damage. It took me ages to get diagnosed. I wasn’t eating properly and lost an unhealthy amount of weight. I actually didn’t realise I was ill.

Copyright Shirlaine Forrest

It wasn’t until I nearly collapsed at work that I got the wake-up call that something was wrong. I had a month off sick and many blood tests later I was given my diagnosis. I was relieved that I knew what was wrong and now I need B12 injections every couple of months for life. I made an effort to gain weight/eat better and now have a bigger and healthier body to block you all with! Looking back at bout pictures from before I knew I was ill I'm honestly surprised I managed to play a full-length bout. I should have listened to my body and taken care of myself when I really needed to.

Some of the best skaters I know have “hidden” illnesses that they fight in their own way every week of their lives. Depression, chronic fatigue, diabetes and heart conditions are all conditions that aren't always obvious from the outside but affect every day living. They can make it a constant struggle to function normally and to continue with a normal life, which many take for granted.

What I am trying to say is, sometimes all is not what is seems. Roller derby does attract athletic individuals who appear to take naturally to everything they do, but many of us are not natural born athletes. We train hard, get back up when we get knocked down and strive to be harder, better, faster and stronger!

I have a lot to thank both roller derby and my team, Manchester Roller Derby, for. I have learnt that I can do it. From the non-skater I was a few years ago, I have become a valuable and credible member of my team. I have more determination and so much more confidence than I used to have. I know that I can push myself to be better and it will pay off. It may take me longer than some to achieve my goals but I am not going to give up!

Stay strong and true to yourself, listen to your body and stay positive - the rewards are there for the taking.

"Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding"

Copyright Shirlaine Forrest

LIVE ROLLER DERBY: BACK IN MANCHESTER

It's true, MRD really can't get enough of Manchester. Good job really! About a month and a half has passed since our last home bout and we're already back with another one. 

This event will be a double-header, featuring both the girls and boys of MRD in two amazing bouts. Manchester Roller Derby is rather well-known for its inclusive nature; we run mixed scrimmages (a bit like practice games) twice a month, which allow girls and boys to play roller derby alongside and against each other.

In the first bout of the day MRD's established women's team, the Checkerbroads, will go up against Gloucester's Severn Roller Torrent after last year's away defeat. This bout starts at 2pm - so get there nice and early!

Manchester Roller Derby's men's team, New Wheeled Order, is currently the only one in Manchester and this is your opportunity to see them take on another men's team, The Jakey Bites from Scotland. The whistle for this bout will be blown promptly at 4pm.

Get your tickets before they're gone, by visiting our ticket page and RSVP on Facebook if you feel so inclined. It's cheaper by three quid if you buy in advance, so get on it and save yourself some pennies. 

There'll be DJs, a raffle with schmexy prizes, and delicious baked goods for your tummies. Afterparty venue TBC.

Tickets are £7 adv, £6 concessions, £10 on the day and under 10s get in free.

See you on the 9th!

MRD’s Phoenixes Fire Up

Manchester Roller Derby’s NEW team are to debut on Saturday 21 April in the club's first home bout of the year.

The bout will be a double-header featuring the debut of our newest team, The Phoenix Furies, as they take on local rivals, Preston Roller Girls. The Furies have been working hard in preparation for their first bout and are excited to show their home city what they are made of.

Spectators will also witness Manchester Roller Derby’s Checker Broads return after a triumphant two-game winning streak, which has seen them secure victories in both Birmingham and Liverpool. They take on Dundee Roller Girls in a return match following MRD’s away game win last year.

We recently celebrated our second birthday and are feel as though we're going from strength to strength. There are now two women’s teams, a men’s team and a constant stream of new members eager to try out this exciting sport.

For those of you that may not already know, roller derby is a fast-paced hard-hitting sport which has rapidly gained a place in the hearts of all who experience it. The full contact sport is played on quad roller skates with two teams on an oval track. Points are scored by one individual from each team, known as a jammer, who must race to get through the pack against hard defensive play from the opposing team and with the help of their own team.

The home bout is being held at the Armitage Centre, Moseley Road, Fallowfield in Manchester on Saturday 21 April 2012 (9 days from the date of this post!). Doors open at 1pm and first whistle will be at 2pm. Children are welcome as this is a family friendly event and under 10s get in free. There will be merchandise and craft stalls, DJs, a raffle and other games.

Tickets cost £7 in advance (£6 concessions) so save yourself and your friends/family some pennies by getting yours now http://www.manchesterrollerderby.co.uk, or by visiting http://tinyurl.com/mrdaprilbout

Vic Tori Bee on what it's like being training manager at MRD

What has been the highlight of your time as training manager at MRD so far and what are you most proud of?

Zero to Hero III has been the highlight of my time as training manager and when taking on the role it was what I was most looking forward to, despite being very nervous about it! This Zero to Hero programme for new skaters is unlike any we have done in the past; rather than a 12-week programme it is now continuous with intake every six weeks. New skaters can learn at their own pace, repeating the 6-week programme as many times as they wish. The calibre of skaters moving through the programme and into team training is brilliant and I guess this is what I am most proud of!

What has been your biggest challenge in the role?

The entirety of the role has been challenging and that’s what I love most about it. I do love a challenge! From finding my own teaching style to organising endless lists of skaters, it’s all been a big learning curve.  We’ve had over 100 people sign up for Zero To Hero so far this year, with around 15 - 20 starting each intake.

How many people passed their minimum skills at last testing?

25th March saw the first minimum skill assessment for this year’s Heroes and they did great, far exceeding my expectations. Six passed all of their skate skills and another 17 were hot on their heels, with only a couple of skills left to nail.  The following week these skaters found themselves back in the classroom to sit the rules test. It’s a very challenging test, even for those skaters with up to 12 months experience and it is rare people pass first time. Safe in this knowledge, I offered to bake cheesecakes for any hero who passed first time. I now have FOUR (much deserved!) cheesecakes to bake!

What is your favourite thing about the new skaters?

My favourite thing about the new skaters is their eagerness to learn, and I especially love the giggles as they hit the deck.  It’s also great seeing all the new friendships blossom, both in session and on social networking groups. They’re all so fresh-faced and have so many new persepctives and talents to bring on board the MRD ship.

What would you say to people thinking about getting involved that might not be too sure?

Come and give it a go! It may be scary, starting anything new is scary. But it’s also exciting and odds are, you’ll be hooked by the second week.  Anyone concerned about the physical contact aspects of the game should be reminded that we also need refs and non-skating officials who are imperative in this sport!

Any other aspects to the training role that deserve a mention?

On the other end of the scale, I have also really enjoyed coaching Checker Broads (MRD’s travel team) of which I am a part.  It’s a bit strange coming directly from teaching the Heroes and then jumping into the thick of it with highly intensive drills and tactics. After a bit of a losing streak for MRD, it was my goal to bring us back to the top of our game; teaching urgency, fancy footwork and killer tactics to go out there and dominate the track on bout-day…. and with two glorious wins under our belt in the month of March, I think we’re on to something!

Vic Tori Bee jamming at Malice in Wonderland vs Liverpool Roller Birds in March '12
(copyright Shirlaine Forrest)

*  *  *

If you want to see the results of the Zero to Hero programme in action, come along and watch MRD's next home bout on Saturday 21st April. This will be MRD's Phoenix Furies first bout as a team and will feature three skaters who have come through the Z2H programme this year. The Checker Broads will also be bouting, in a return game against Dundee Roller Girls. Tickets here, more info here. 

I’ll show you mine if you show me yours...

In my team I am known as "Sui Super Schmoozer" and there are a good few reasons for this.

MRD's Checker Broads in Liverpool, photo copyright Shirlaine Forrest

When I first came on the derby scene in late 2008 there were only a handful of teams in the UK.  From the start I saw myself as an easy-going, relatively sociable sort of roller girl who loved meeting people and hearing their roller derby stories, dreams and goals.

Mixed scrim with Newcastle Roller Girls and Middlesbrough Milk Rollers.

I was lucky to be part of a team then who enjoyed trips to watch other teams bout and were heavily involved in the “fun” side of derby, which of course included staying on at afterparties as often as we could! We travelled all over the country - playing, watching and learning from the other up-and-coming teams from around the UK.

I would go to as many mixed scrimmages as I could and was lucky enough to guest skate for a few mixed teams in the early days. In recent days my derby has even taken me to Sweden where I captained a team for a “UK Invades” bout in Malmö.  I also helped put a team together to take on the mighty Team Scotland before they embarked on the roller derby world cup in Toronto and scored that all important point against the USA!

UK Invades Sweden with skaters from Crime City Roller Girls, Manchester Roller Derby, London Roller Girls, Auld Reekie Roller Girls, Sheffield Steel Roller Girls and Fair City Roller Girls.

My biggest achievement so far is co-founding the wonderful MRD. To work on the PR for this new league I've concentrated on what is now known as my schmoozing (which involves welcoming new skaters and guests that visit us, amongst other things). We have an open door policy with the bi-monthly co-ed scrimmages that we host and make sure we are welcoming to all.

I travelled to the US recently and had an opportunity to watch the New York Shock Exchange, who were awesome. I was brave enough to go and introduce myself to their captain, Jonathan Rockey, and the next day was sat on a bench at Gotham’s training hall watching them train. If only I had taken my skates with me!

Ooh, I nearly forgot! Bootcamps! Having been to three or four and I can confidently say they are invaluable… sometimes expensive, but worth it.  Top-class coaching from some of the best skaters in the world, meeting and playing against skaters with varying skill levels and some pretty amazing parties afterwards to help you dance the aches away.

Grange Hell was the UK's first bootcamp, hosted by Central City Roller Girls. There were probably representatives from every league in existence in the UK at that time. 

I had never taught anyone before being involved in roller derby but found myself teaching a room full of eager new skaters early on at MRD and within 6 months we had our first bouting team.  When I realised I could actually teach useful skills I offered myself out to other new teams when they needed help and have coached the likes of Preston Roller Girls, Chesterfield Roller Derby and The Bruising Banditas of Halifax. I am more than happy to add more teams to this list ;)

Basically what I am saying is, it’s nice to be nice. Get your face out there and help where you can. Support local roller derby. Buy tickets for bouts near you and get a car full of people to go and watch other teams play. You get to meet people and it’s also a great way to learn the game.

Most times when I go and watch a game I don’t care who wins, I just enjoy the sport and lap up the atmosphere. When someone does something good or racks up the points then of course I’ll cheer, but never boo another team or skater no matter what. That isn’t what the sport is for and it certainly doesn’t make you look cool.

As I've said before, it’s nice to be nice, that’s what it’s all about.

Sui-cider #7

The MRD FER IT ferrit :)

Dr. Sausage: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Line-Up

I have done Line-up for one game, our team won. I have no real idea how anyone else does line-ups. Thus, I have a 100% success rate and am completely justified in writing this little post.

This isn't a post about how to do be the best Line-up, this is a post about how I did the job given almost no experience and less than a week of notice. Hopefully it'll be of use to anyone doing Line-up for the first time. The below method would not have been possible without assistance and notes from Don Gingovanni.

“Don't worry, I got this.”

You don't have skates on, nobody sees your face, you don't watch the game and you have no idea what's happening on track. If you do your job perfectly, nobody notices you're there. After the game when you've done a good job, you feel immensely satisfied. Welcome to the wonderful world of counting to five under pressure.

Your job is to get a jammer and four blockers on the track when the jam start whistle blows. That's it. If anyone says you “have” to do anything else, they're making things too complicated.

I thought I had to do all sorts: field a perfectly balanced pack, keep track of who’s tired, check for penalties, ask who hasn't skated enough, pick the pivot, be firm and authoritarian, make sure people only skate with people they work best with etc. These are not essential. Important, perhaps, but certainly not vital.

People gave me a lot of advice at first, a lot of things to keep track of and think about. There was no way in hell I have enough brain capacity to fit most of what I was told in, so I prioritised. This is the only important skill you need as a Line-up.

You get a limited, and variable, amount of time in order to make your lines, so do the most important things first then work your way down a list of nice extras until you reach the bottom and have a perfect pack, or until the four whistles blow and you send your line on to the track.

For me, the order of priority went as follows:

1. Pick a jammer
2. Pick an assist
3. Pick three blockers
4. Give one of the blockers the pivot panty
5. Tell one blocker to stay sat down if we have somebody in the bin
6. Stand back, count how many people are sat down
7. Ask: Is this a strong pack? If not, can I swap people around?


Steps 1 through 3 need to be done fast, so I built a basic table to help me. There are four columns, ordered as such: Jammer (I did note how often each jammer wanted to jam, but never once used this info), Assist, Pivot and Wall. Under each heading is a list of names of people good for this role, and in approximate order of ability.

This makes it easy to get your line-up rocking. Just get a little from column A, a dash of column B, then pick three from everyone else, and hand somebody the pivot panty.

Top tip: If somebody has been held back or swapped out of a line, give them the party hat (pivot panty). It stops their potential feelings of “naww, I was left behind”, and also stems your guilt for the aforementioned potential sadness.

Some people like to have pre-made line-ups. Personally, I can't imagine anything worse than having 30 seconds to cross reference who is sat down and ready to skate with a massive list of pre-made line-ups. My brain ain't playing that game. Re-making a fresh line every time is faster, and makes reacting to changing situations a non-issue.

Saying that, I had a few line-ups pre-made, but these were only for special occasions. I had the first three line-ups of the game written down (which I repeated at the start of the second half). This takes the initial pressure off me, lets me make sure we have a strong start, and everyone skates at least once in the first few jams.

I also had some “power line-ups” written down. I had two for when we get a power jam, and two for when they get a power jam. This is the only thing I'll be changing for next time; don't bother with pre-made power line-ups listing P, B2, B3, B4. Just have a list of 6 power-blockers for our power jam, and 6 for them. You're just making mini versions of the table I described above for these special occasions.

And that's everything I had written down when I turned up.

“How are you feeling?”

As the game goes on you're going to want to do a few things. These are the non-essential extras to do when you're on top of the rest.

Aim to be two jams ahead with your planning. Most of the time during the game there were 5 skaters on the track behind me, 5 in front of me, and the remaining few in a row behind them. When the whistles go the first row move to the track, the rear few move to the front and I plug up the gaps with skaters coming off the track. The front row are your immediate priority, but that second row can be given your attention if you've sorted your next line-up.

Chat to the Bench to see if any skaters are going to have their roles changed. I started the game with 7 people on the list of jammers, and I ended the game with 4. Just cross people off your list if they're not on form or injured. If you have some blockers being awesome be sure you're listing them as Assists.

Penalties should have an eye kept on them. Be sure you know how they're being noted on the inside whiteboard. Keep a list of numbers and names in front of you and just mark when people are on 3 minors or 6 majors. Don't field more than one blocker on 3 minors if you can help it, and definitely don't field a jammer on 3 minors. Poodle jammers on 3 if you have to, and only if there's nobody in the bin.

One other thing with the penalty box; if you see two blockers in there be sure to tell a second blocker on the next line-up “If there's two people in the bin, you sit out”. If there's going to be confusion about who the pivot is, or if the pivot is in the bin, just don't field a pivot.

Before the game make sure your skaters know to tell you if they're getting tired, or injured, or loosing their mojo, and need to sit out for one or two. Always say yes if a skater needs a break. If you've backed yourself into a corner and have to jam a tired skater (for example you only have two jammers off the track, and both are tired), then it's up to you to help them by fielding power blockers to make things easier.

And that's it. Obviously you can tailor and add to your priorities as you like, but that's really the key; know what's important. Make your list, check it twice, and have fun.

Oh also, have a really awesome team. That's kind of a big deal too.

You will get to see me doing line-ups for the MRD Checker Broads at our next home bout on April 21st at the Armitage Centre, Fallowfield, Manchester. Get your tickets online here now.

Photo Copyright Shirlaine Forrest 2012 www.shirlainephotos.co.uk