War on Roller Derby: Bus Cuts will Hurt
The roller derby community is just an example of one cross section of people who are negatively impacted by cuts to public transit, but there are certain to be many more pockets of people and communities who will be affected.
Derby Diary #6: Roller Derby vs. Pillow Fight League…
By Roadside BombShel Photograph by davidartimew photography 2010 Sadly, the Rollergettes’ off season is upon us. However, I know that there is really no such thing as an “off season.” There is cardio to do, muscle to gain, endurance to build, and many more laps at Scooters to be had to prepare for the games to come … Read more
The Derby Dish: Diary of a “fresh meat” derby dame Episode 5: Clean Bearings are the way, and the truth, and the light.
By: Roadside Bombshel #3165 Cleaning my bearings was a mind blowing experience. I knew I needed to clean my bearings from the angry squeaking sounds they were making and the fact that a bunch of my wheels weren’t spinning very well. But I avoided it because (a) I didn’t know how (b) I didn’t have … Read more
The Derby Dish: Diary of a “fresh meat” derby dame Episode 4: Scorched Earth
By: Emily Shelton Hitting is fun. But like the Black Bloc’s vandalism in the G20 has shown, rampages should only be used in a few very specific circumstances or shit will backfire. Even with four games under my belt, I still get those familiar but never comfortable dancing butterflies in my stomach on the jammer … Read more
Diary of a “fresh meat” Derby Dame: Episode 3: Rollergettes vs. Frenemies
By: Emily Shelton They call me “Road kill”. I am holding an icepack to a massive bruised and rink rashed, welt on my hip bone as I write this; just soaked in an epsom salt bath and popped my fourth Advil of the afternoon. It was the Rollergettes’ inaugural bout this past Saturday, and I … Read more
A roller derby experience: “battle of the hips and shoulder blades”
By: Adriana Rolston She rolls by clad in blue star-spangled booty shorts. Or rainbow socks. Or an ass that reads “sass.” But don’t let the fierce outfits distract you. For a derby girl, hips serve as weapons. So what used to resemble a couple of girlfriends bumping into each other now ends with one flying … Read more
The Derby Dish: Diary of a “fresh meat” Derby Dame / Episode 2
By: Emily Shelton Small Girl in a Big World “Sold out of your size” has been the common refrain from stores all around Toronto, from Hogtown, the Junction Skateshop, and even Cardinal Skate Co., the new mecca for derby in Toronto. Fresh meat season in Toronto seems to be at a peak, with dozens of … Read more
The Derby Dish: Diary of a “fresh meat” derby dame
By: Emily Shelton When I strapped on a pair of roller skates for the first time in about 10 years, I resembled something like Bambi on a frozen lake. Unlike the animated Disney fawn, I experienced both pain and embarrassment when my feet shot out in front of me and rocketed me onto my ass on … Read more
