How to Get Better At Roller Derby Part 2

Earlier this year I wrote about how to get better at roller derby. Considering the rules of the sport and the interpretation of those rules are constantly evolving its easy to be quickly phased out of the game if you don't push yourself to improve. Hopefully I can give you some inspiration to step up your game.

People say practice makes perfect and in Roller Derby it's also true.  There is no other way to get better at the game. If like my league you only get a few opportunities to train each week don't waste your time when on skates.  To seriously improve you must practice with the same intensity as on game day. Guns a blazing! Each jam will only ever go for 2 minutes so you should push yourself to skate faster, jump around, duck and contort your body into fluid unblockable shapes.

Im a huge fan of messing around on your wheels. Jumping. Street skates. Walking on your edges. Spins. Jump twirls. Cart wheels. Dancing. All of these things are super fun and they massively improve your balance and agility skills without you even knowing. I came back one summer able to transition after spending my time spinning around and twirling in the off-season.

One skill that seems to be super important (and often gets overlooked) is being able to change your speed instantly. Befriend your wheel edges. Use your toe stops for a burst of speed. Being able to juggle your speed will keep you a moment ahead of the opposition, able to drop back instantly to help a jammer or even burst through a pack.

To learn a new skill and be able to automatically execute it during a bout takes a lot of practice. Its not just going to magically happen in your next bout. Force yourself to trial new ideas in jams at training. Its the best place to improve your technique. Don't hate on yourself if  it's not working. I learnt a long time ago that just before you nail something new you will feel super awkward and fall over a lot. Falling over shows you are pushing your limits and once you adjust you will soon get better. You are meant to hit the concrete, get knocked out of bounds and sent to the penalty box when trying something new so no self pity. In no time you'll be automatically doing that new move on track.

Finally let your team mates know what you are up to. If you feel yourself stalling and your body just can't figure out what your brain keeps telling it to do enlist a friend or team mate to watch your technique. They might be able to see what your doing wrong!

So get out there. Happy skating!

Photo taken on my recent adventures to Rollercon 2013. 

Feel Good Friday

A slow yawn of reality is hitting me. I realised today there is no more Roller Derby for a little while*. The Roller Derby Grand Final is behind me (Salty's won) and we are now officially in the off-season. It has been an abrupt segway from intense training, team strategy sessions and tingling nerves of excitement to nothing. Initially I noticed the small things. A huge decline in the volume of washing. Do I really own this much training gear? What is this thing you call Free-to-air Television? A sneaky drop of alcohol on a training night. Just plain unheard of! 

I'm slowly finding my rhythm again returning to my normal Derby-free life. Reconnecting with my music. Befriending my running shoes. Showering love and attention on my friends outside of Roller Derby. Going out seeing shows and art exhibitions on school nights just because I can. Building fun dreams for the future.

Change is always a little unsettling being caught somewhere between the excitement of the future and melancholy of losing the past. So this is just a reminder to myself to be present in the now as truly this is all we ever have.

winter melts from treeofenlight on 8tracks Radio.

*Technically the League season is over however there are still some Bouting opportunities on the distant horizon. Just not soon enough!

The photograph taken by Molly Strohl. You can find more of her work on Flickr. 

Feel Good Friday

How is everyone this fine Friday? With my holidays firmly behind me I'm trying to stay focussed looking ahead. So that I don't crash and burn upon immediate re-entry into the country I arrange a return-to-normal-life soft landing by making sure I've got something fun in my future and this weekend I've got that covered.

My league, Adelaide Roller Derby are hosting our Grand Final Double Header Extravaganza on Sunday. Lots of serious preparation has gone into the event. I've been focussed on increasing my fitness, cleaning my skates and learning the retro dance moves for the skate out. Tickets can still be purchased online if you want to come along.

Music has inspired me the last few weeks and I have had certain songs stuck on repeat. I just can't shake them from my mind. I've embedded a few of those songs into my latest music mix for your listening pleasure. (If you are curious I took the QR photo art photo whilst I was in New York recently.)



Happy Friday everyone!

How I survived Rollercon

I'm back from my American holiday and slowly processing all of my experiences. Over the coming weeks I will share more of my photos and fun memories from the States. One of the highlights from my time away was Rollercon.

For aspiring Roller Derby skaters Rollercon is Derby Mecca. Rollercon truly does cater to all parts of the Roller Derby experience with a plethora of opportunities to skate, shop and socialise. At times I found the event overwhelming as there is just so much to do and 5,000 skaters all confidently swaggering their formidable stuff was daunting. Here is how I survived my Rollercon experience.

Look after yourself. 
Sleep. Hydration. Down time. Eat right. It's easy to get caught up in challenge bout after bout after bout. It's easy to go sit by the pool and then accidentally party to the wee hours in the morning. You honestly wont make it through the week if you don't respect your body and give it some rest and recuperation. I found myself craving a giant steak by the end. I took naps whenever I needed them and walked around with a massive water bottle at all times. If all else fails relax and recuperate with a day by the pool with your sole mission to just people watch.

Fear of missing out. 
With stuff happening 24/7 you really have to get over your fear of missing out. You can't do everything and be everywhere. It just is not possible to do everything no matter how hard you may try. If you do you will definitely burn-out and not enjoy yourself. It's your Rollercon experience and no-one else's so just do what you can and don't beat yourself up if you don't fit everything in (there's always next year).

Be spontaneous.
You will be incredibly disappointed if you plan your time at Rollercon out to the minute. You will end up sitting in lots of queues for classes - boring! Be flexible. Don't let golden opportunities slip past you because you had your heart set on a particular Smarty Pants class at a specific time. They usually repeat the good classes over and over again. Go on a group street skate. Attend at least one of the scheduled parties. Derby girls from all over the world are a happy fun-loving bunch and they come with their own fun time guarantee. Don't miss out on meeting these wonderful people and taking a treasured memory home with you. If in doubt, just say yes as often as possible. You never know what crazy adventure will be around the casino corner.

Be brave. 
Do attend classes (as they are great) but honestly the best way to learn is to play against better skaters. It will tie your stomach up in giant knots worrying about it but its the best experience you can get. I got the opportunity to play against Rocky Mountain League as part of Team Australia. My heart jumped up into my throat and only dislodged once I skated my first jam. It was a tough bout but I learnt so much about game play and how I play with different skaters. (Oh yeah and we won!) Cant wait to take back some of my learning's to my home league.

Rollercon was a blast and I hope to be able to go back again in future. Some of my personal highlights included getting to meet and skate with many Australian skaters who my league normally play against like Mad Mel Arena and Cookie Cutter. Skating against a league who I secretly have a crush on. Hanging sporadically with my Derby wives, Val Capone and Amanda Jamitinya. Meeting so many lovely Americans who are super passionate and crazy about Roller Derby. Being distracted by the pretty Las Vegas lights. Being thrown in the pool during the Black and Blue Ball. Making my drinks more fancy by drinking out of a pineapple.

Rollercon made me realise that even though Australian Roller Derby is on the other side of the world we are actually pretty rad athletes too. I also learned that the Roller Derby community around the world is an eclectic and beautiful bunch. If you bring an open mind and a warm smile with you cannot be more better prepared for Rollercon. Happy skating!

If you are keen to check out Rollercon in 2014 I recommend buying tickets here. In the meantime look up some of the fun vicariously through instagram snaps here.

Dreaming of Rollercon

Two more sleeps until I madly rush to the airport for my flight to America. Normally my travel adventures are just that a rambling adventure exploring the world. This time however there is a purpose to my travel plans other than satisfying my wanderlust - I've packed my roller skates and am heading to Rollercon!




I have been involved in with Adelaide Roller Derby since 2008 and Rollercon has been one of those dream 'must-do' events high on my list. To help you imagine it: Roller Derby + 2000 excited skaters + 1 week in Las Vegas. It's one hell of a mix and the butterflies have officially set in.

I see myself doing a lot of sightseeing in between novelty challenge bouts, serious classes and afternoon cool downs by the pool. But honestly what I'm most excited about is getting the opportunity to meet, possibly play against and definitely party with some of the best Roller Derby athletes in the world.







My friends Velvet Thunderground and Dutch Oven went over to America a few years ago and their photos of their experience inspired me to one day go chase down my dreams of skating internationally. I've borrowed some of their photos from their time away. Thank you Dutch Oven for letting me share some of your beautiful photography.



Seeing all of these wonderful memories just has me itching to create some of my own. Have you ever incorporated your sport or your passion into your holiday?

Dreaming of New York

Next week I will be bouncing-off-the-walls excited as I will be boarding a plane and heading off to the US. It is my first trip to the States and I have no true idea what to expect. The city I'm most excited to visit is of course New York.

New York has been hiding in my dreams forever. It has felt like an angry itch that has been exponentially amplified. It was never should I visit but when and the time has finally arrived.

I find myself drawn to unique and non-touristy experiences usually when I am away. I am curious to see if I can find those though as New York looks to be quite the cliche. Here are some of the places and experiences that I am most looking forward to.


I am a huge art fan so of course, MoMA is high on my must-do list. I might not be able to visit the Rain Room Exhibition as the wait seems to make it not worth the effort but it is still MoMA and there will still be a mountain of work to see.

A walk through Barney's Shoe Department.

To find a secret in the city.

A Skate Party in Central Park. I have packed my roller skates!

A cocktail on a Manhattan Rooftop.

A stroll along the Highline.

I usually set myself a challenge for each new travel adventure and as yet I haven't found an appropriate one for New York. Maybe I will just commit myself to saying yes if a wonderful strange opportunity appears. Have you been? Is there something that a really should 'must do' whilst there?

Feel Good Friday

This weekend I'm preparing to fly to Melbourne to watch The Radeladies take on the Melbourne Northside Rollers in an epic Roller Derby battle not previously seen in this known Universe. The Radeladies are nice girls no longer. They have been training hard these past few months channelling their inner dark side & sinister booty blocks and have become the Radalliance.




Definition of Radalliance. (As confirmed by Urban Dictionary)

Rad An abbreviation of 'radical'--a term made popular by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Alliance People or groups that work together.

If you are in Melbourne this weekend come on down & check out some fun Roller Derby action. Tickets sold here. In the meantime enjoy this cheeky Star Wars inspired music mix to put some beats into your Friday.

May the Fourth be with you.

How to Get Better At Roller Derby

Today, I'm putting my helmet on to talk about ways in which you can improve playing Roller Derby.

Lately I have been asked often by team mates for feedback. Roller Derby is a DIY Community run sport so sometimes it can be hard to get honest & constructive feedback on how you are travelling from your team mates. A lot of people who are involved in the sport haven't come from traditional sporting backgrounds and find it hard to articulate more than 'You are great!'. Which lets be honest, isn't really helping anyone. If you haven't found yourself a Derby Sister who will help you on your Derby journey or you are finding you aren't getting any decent constructive feedback then I'm afraid its up to to figure it out for yourself. It can be tricky to do so here are some ideas on how you can improve.

This is really important. Don't compare yourself with anyone else. Our bodies and minds are all different. Some skaters are really quick to understand a skill whilst others could take years to figure out that same skill. It might take a few skaters explaining a skill in a new way then suddenly you will have that 'Aha!' moment where you realise that is all you've been waiting for. Or it might take a whole year practicing that particular move before it finally sinks in. Please be patient with yourself. We all can't be superstars overnight. It unfortunately does take a lot of work and practice to get there.

To be a a well rounded Roller Derby player you need the following components: fitness, skills, derby brains & a determined positive attitude.

Lets talk fitness. This is the easy one to talk about. Roller Derby requires quick reflexes, a strong core & the endurance to keep you going strong until the end of the bout. I highly recommend doing additional fitness activities outside of Roller Derby training to help you improve. A combination of strength & cardio workouts is all you need and can be as simple as riding your bike to work & completing a resistance/weights session. Keeping your body flexible & limber is also really important so factor in stretching or a Yoga class (if you are that way inclined). There are lots of websites these days focusing on this topic. I highly recommend Roller Derby Athletics and BodyRock Tv if you are interested.

Derby Skills. Put on your skates & lets get started. There are a million videos and websites out there talking about skating skills so I recommend if you want to perfect that particular move you need to just get on your skates and practice. I'm not going to focus on that here. When you first start out with a league they are happy for you to understand the basics. How to skate, fall & stop. Very quickly you need to understand some Roller Derby basics like how to yield, block and build a wall. What I've noticed is the slow evolution of many young skaters from thinking solely about their own skills to figuring out that their team skills are vitally if not more important. To really advance you need to improve your communication & listening on the track, jammer awareness and the ability to use your team mates to foil the oppositions plans. As your confidence grows you should seek to challenge yourself by trying to read the game play & place not only yourself but the blockers close to you where you need to be. The more confident you become with your own abilities the more you need to start thinking of how well you integrate with your team.

Derby Brains. This is one component of Roller Derby that a lot of skaters ignore. I'd argue that for your Derby skills to increase this step is vital. Read the Rules. Think about the strategies your team mates are asking you to understand. Don't just memorise things, question everything. Watch footage online & try to figure out why a Jammer or Blocker did what they did. Ask questions of your leagues referees. Ask questions of skaters you look up to. The more you question and interpret the rules the more you will understand how to manipulate the game to your advantage.

Finally, stay positive and be persistent. You can only ever get better if you are trying so don't ever give up. Take the small victories along with the big ones. In many ways being a part of a loosing team gives you so many chances to figure out what you are doing wrong. You & your team instantly have a goal in mind. You rely so much of your learning & enjoyment on the skaters within your team and league so please be respectful, be caring and considerate. Being in a state of growth can be frustrating at times but don't take it out on the people around you. These are the wonderful people who challenge, teach and inspire you week to week so they deserve hugs, thank yous and smiles in their direction. Suddenly all of those persistent baby steps of improvement will add up and you will look back and realise that you are a kick ass Derby Girl after all.

When it comes to Roller Derby never give up

I've been swept back up again in the swirling tornado called Roller Derby. Our season has started and this year I'm taking on a Captain role. The responsibility has made me reflect on what is important and try to articulate to my new team mates how they can best help. 

When playing Roller Derby it is best to take things jam by jam. Make your 2 minutes on track count. Play smart, play clean and put 110% into every jam. So how can you be most effective?

Things to keep in the back of your mind at practice and on game day:

Dont take yourself out of the game.

Big blocks especially when you are new aren't effective - you usually get majors if it isn't executed correctly. Being in the penalty box is a waste! Being down or out of bounds means one less skater on track. Practice playing clean - fast recoveries, evading blocks, deflecting blocks, positional blocking & pocket blocking. They are a smart way of using your skills to keep you inbound & available to help your team. Your 2 minutes is precious make sure you are using yours wisely.

Be aware

I cannot stress enough how important awareness is. Help your team by checking where the opposition Jammer is and telling team mates nearby. Is she in the box? Let your team know! Is she 1/4 of the track away from the pack? Let your team know! Is your Jammer stuck at the back? Let your team know! Jammers should be aware of the opposition Jammer  Is it her first or second pass through the pack? Has she gone to the box? Knowing when to call off the jam is becoming an incredibly crucial part of Roller Derby and can be the difference between a 5 and a 35 point jam.

The Track

Learn to love her dimensions. She can be your friend or worse enemy. Coming into and out of corners is where the magic happens. If you see the inside line has been left wide open & a Jammer is approaching you make it your mission to get in front of her and hold that line. Don’t be tempted to hit the Jammer you just stay in front of her. Your team mates will find you and help you. Practice yielding when being knocked out of bounds. Never, ever skate out of bounds– block or be blocked out of bounds only.

Team Mates

Roller Derby teams don’t win games by the strength of their best player. Games are won by the team that works most cohesively. Look to your team mates, are they telling you something? Sometimes watching your team mate you'll notice they are blocking & holding a player. If you aren't doing anything go help them. Listen to your team mates. Did you hear them talking to you on track? Get used to hearing what they say and reacting to what they need on track. If in doubt find a buddy. Two skaters working together are more deadly than one. Imagine if all five are working together in unison?

Take out the biggest threat

Sometimes the biggest threat - that scary blocker - needs to be distracted from taking out our Jammer  No-one else is stopping her as they are busy doing their own important task. In that case it’s up to you to do the dirty job. Taking on the scary blocker doesn't have to be a smashy affair you just have to be an annoying buzzing mosquito! You don’t have to take her out or knock her over (bonus points) but you do have to think about when is the best time to distract her. Put your body in between hers and our Jammer so she'll have to hit you instead of our girl. Your Jammer will love you for it & give you lots of high 5's.

Never give up

Your job is not over until the 4th whistle blows. Re-engage. Form a wall. What next? Help a buddy. Storm a path through the pack for your Jammer  Take the hit so your Jammer doesn't have to. If the opposition Jammer gets past you... RE-ENGAGE. Race to the front and block her again and again to stop her passing other team mates. Protect each other’s points like they are sacred. If that scary blocker knocks our Jammer out of bounds, knock her out of bounds then give our Jammer a whip. When you hear the whistles start blowing skate as fast as you can so the opposition Jammer doesn't get your point.

No stinking thinking

The past is the past. Don't get hung up on what you did or didn't do in the last jam. We can't change it but you can learn from it. Everyone in Roller Derby is still learning. 5 year veterans are still finding new things out about the game. Don't beat yourself up on one itty bitty thing that you could have done better. Let it go. Breathe in. Breathe out. We need your head clear, calm and in control. Focus on what you are going to do next.

Stay clean. Stay in-bounds.  Be aware. Practice like you play on game day. Look to your team mates. Re-engage. Never give up. If you try to always think of the above your team will love you & give you lots of high 5's and hugs. 

by day but by night...

I might as well get it out of the way, yes I play Roller Derby and I love it. It is a huge part of my life so expect to hear a little about it from time to time. Lets be honest it was always going to appear on Pineapple Dazzle. 

For those who might have some preconceptions of the sport:

No I don't wear fishnets.
No I do not have any tattoos.
No I am not a lesbian. (Why does this matter anyway?)
Yes I am passionate about how physical & skillful the sport is.
Yes Roller Derby is widely stereotyped & overly sexualised in the media.
Yes the injuries & bruises are real.
Yes it's lots of fun to be involved & play!

I am one of the truly lucky ones to be apart of a fun-loving, supportive & nurturing league. I am inspired daily by the wonderful people that I have met since the beginning. It's these people who have grown to not only be my league mates but my closest friends. In saying that I have met even more truly incredible (men and) ladies around the world who have come to mean a lot to me too.

Shout-out to my lovely Derby wives around the world! *waves*

Roller Derby is a huge commitment of time (trainings, committee meetings, camps, public bouts, socials events, personal fitness) & does slowly take over your life. But the more you pour yourself into the sport, the more you engage & work hard for your league and team it has always in my opinion been worth it. 110%.

 

My league Adelaide Roller Derby, is currently going through its Fresh meat Program (aka recruits) and there are 60+ girls trying out who are honestly all really brave, tenacious, strong & really nice. Like beauty pageant nice. I wish we could bring them all into our league but that's just not possible.

So looking forward to the season beginning soon when I'm back on my skates full time. Until then I'll just have to make do with summer time outdoor adventure skates will my pals. 

Thank you Matt Walker for use of your photo.