October 22, 2011
Saturday, Nov. 5, at Rollerland Skate Center, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
With the Villains out to prove bad girls have more fun, and the Heroes ready to roll to the rescue, FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s season closer is guaranteed to be an epic battle of good versus evil. FoCo’s skaters were recently drafted for next season, and home teams have been scrambled and reassembled. Attend this 2011 season finale bout Saturday, Nov. 5, to find out whether your favorite skaters are using their powers for good or if they have joined the dark side.
For a dose of derby every day, purchase FoCo’s 2012 pin-up calendar, available for $10 at the bout. The calendar features 12 skaters chosen by fans through a Facebook poll, along with lots of great action shots and candid photos from the 2011 season.
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to the Fort Collins Bike Co-op, an organization that promotes bicycle riding and safety, and refurbishes bikes for those who can’t afford them.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students and members of the military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.
October 15, 2011
Umm...OUCH!
October 11, 2011
That's my little Skank!
Let me explain. During my first practice as a new recruit I made a really good friend. You may have seen her this past Saturday at our Annual Black & Blue Ball, The Original Skankster. This was her Derby debut and I was so very proud of her! She worked her little butt off and she rocked her first bout! It was her goal to make it through the ranks and bout before the season ended. I'm pretty sure she only missed 1 or 2 practices since we started in March! That's pretty impressive! If you could have seen my face during her first jam....I was like a proud mama watching her baby walk for the first time. I swear to you...my eyes were welling up a little bit! So happy for my little Skank!
I'm also super pumped for finally making it to Thursday night scrimmages! This is my last step to debuting in my first bout after I get my bearings and hopefully show all the ladies, coaches, and team captains that I'll be an asset on the track! That makes it sound like I have to prove myself to everyone, that's not entirely true. I have to prove myself to only me...and I'm the harshest judge! The ladies and coaches only want me, and the rest of the recruits, to succeed on the track and they do everything in their power to help me reach my goal. And my goal is to skate in the November 5th bout!
Hopefully I'll reach that goal before the end of the 2011 season. If not, then you can bet you'll see me in 2012!
September 28, 2011
Black and Blue and Dressed to Thrill
cordially invites you to attend the
Sixth Annual Black and Blue Ball
Saturday, Oct. 8
Rollerland Skate Center, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
Time to break out the taffeta and sequins. FoCo Girls Gone Derby, Northern Colorado’s original roller derby league, is throwing its sixth annual Black and Blue Ball at Rollerland Skate Center on Saturday, Oct. 8.
FoCo’s skaters will be dressed to dazzle as home team Chanel Cartel, in black evening gowns, faces off against home team rivals the Deathrow Dolls, decked out in their finest blue formalwear. This is no choreographed dance, however. Roller derby is a serious sport played according to rules determined by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.
The annual Black and Blue Ball is a chance for skaters to get glamorous, while still playing the rough-and-tumble sport they love. Appropriate attire takes on a different meaning in roller derby, and fans are encouraged to get involved in the pageantry by voting for the skaters they feel are the ugliest-dressed, hottest-dressed and an overall Belle of the Ball. Voting is unlimited at $1 per vote. Ballots must be cast by the end of halftime, with the winners announced during the second half. Prizes will be awarded, and winners will be available for photos with fans following the bout.
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to the Fort Collins Bike Co-op, an organization that promotes bicycle riding and safety, and refurbishes bikes for those who can’t afford them.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Reduced rate of $10 with a valid student or military ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.
September 7, 2011
Who We Are
August 31, 2011
FoCo Punchy Brewsters vs. Cheyenne Capidolls
FoCoGGD also is proud to celebrate league founder Jerica “Urrk’n Jerk’n” Martin, who has been selected to compete on Team USA for the Roller Derby World Cup! Martin skates with Denver’s Rocky Mountain Roller Girls and is a national champion from last year’s ultimate derby competition. The tournament will be held Dec. 1-4 in Toronto and is the first of its kind. Seven skaters from Colorado were chosen – more than from any other state – proving once again that Colorado is home to some of the best derby players in the world.
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to the Fort Collins Bike Co-op, an organization that promotes bicycle riding and safety, and refurbishes bikes for those who can’t afford them.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students and members of the military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.
August 30, 2011
The Best
Like I said before, the only requirement for FCGGD is that you have the passion for derby. All new recruits go through the same steps of training so it doesn't matter if you've never skated, haven't skated since the 2nd grade, or think you have the wrong body type (Boloney!). Basic skating skills will be your first 4 weeks of training. If you need more training with skating than you get more! There's no pressure except the pressure that comes from yourself.
Bottom line: there is no reason for you to be sitting there reading this blog when you could be skating with FoCo Girls Gone Derby!
August 23, 2011
Derbyholic
I'm not a doctor, but I am a nurse and I have your diagnosis. Sorry, but it's deep and it's terminal....you are an ADDICT! Trust me, only another addict can recognize it in others and it's true, all signs point to total addiction. Case in point, I recently had surgery and ended up pouting in front of the surgeon and convincing her that one week off from skating would be plenty of time for healing instead of the two weeks she was recommending. She conceded to my vicious rhetoric with strict warnings, of course, but I won! What's a little bleeding for skating with some of the coolest ladies I know?!
Now, with that said, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't have surgery or an injury and skate against medical advice. Seriously, we nurses are the worst role models when it comes to our own health. But my diagnosis still stands for you and you'll be better for it!
So, if you are already a member of a league, you will have days when it feels like your legs and feet will just not cooperate, but then you'll have a beautiful hit or an awesome booty block and your addiction's voracious appetite will be fed. Now, if you haven't joined a league yet, particularly FoCo Girls Gone Derby (what are you waiting for?), and you have been diagnosed by yours truly as a Derbyholic, then I had better see your little addicted face at our next recruitment meeting!
August 17, 2011
The First
In honor of the new recruits that started derby practice last night here’s my recollection of my first practice and maybe some of the newbies will agree.
First, I ate too much at dinner before practice. Mistake. Second I felt like my whole body was shaking! I was so nervous to lace up my skates! What if I totally sucked?! What if I wasn’t in good enough shape? God, please don’t let me fall! And what’s the first thing I did once I hit the track? Yep, I fell. Right on my butt. The embarrassing thing about that was that I wasn’t even moving! I was just standing there! And flip! There go my feet over my head. It wasn’t pretty, but I got a round of applause for the first fall of the night, got up, and shook it off.
Next were static exercises. Um…..ouch! Mimicking skating movements while static on the carpet really gets those leg muscles burning! Little do you know how important those muscles will be later as you advance through practices. Then come the dreaded toe stop exercises! Jumping jacks, running man, high knees! All on a one square inch piece of rubber attached to my toes! After that we finally got on the track to skate! We did right foot push, scissors, snow plows. My feet were numb the entire time because I had laced my skates too tight. At the end of practice I had Elvis legs. You know, where you take a step and your leg does a little shake and your knee feels like it will just buckle. The next day I was sore, but super psyched that I had finally started and couldn’t wait until the next practice! To this day I am still sore after every practice and my mantra during practices is if my lower back isn’t on fire, I’m not in good skater position!
August 14, 2011
Chanel Cartel vs DeathRow Dolls
If you were anywhere else other than Rollerland last night you missed an awesome bout! The Deathrow Dolls faced Chanel Cartel and it was a scrapping fight for points with Chanel Cartel ultimately besting the Dolls. A scary moment during the last five minutes of the bout occurred when Rox Yorr Soxov took a tumble and found herself at the bottom of a pile of skaters. The bout stopped, the spectators were silent, and all skaters created a wall around Rox allowing her privacy with the coaches and EMT. As an emergency RN, it was extremely difficult for me to stay on the sidelines and not go help Rox and the EMT. And in truth, if Rox hadn’t gotten up within the countdown in my head, I would have hit the track running. But, in true athletic form, Rox stood up under her own power and skated off the track to applause and relieved sighs. Rox even took the victory lap with the teams, although with a slight limp.
This is just one bit of proof that these women are in fact true athletes. They subject themselves to the pain of bruises, sprains, concussions, and broken bones for the love of Roller Derby. Speaking of the love of roller derby, the bout rookies definitely had their cherries popped last night. The veteran ladies certainly had their fun with the (excuse the term) debutants. To their credit, with each hit and fall, those ladies got back up on their skates and pushed harder to get through that pack or stop that jammer. My congratulations to you debutants! You all should be proud of yourselves!
If you missed this bout, no worries! Come see our next bout on September 10th!
August 13, 2011
August 10, 2011
Newbie!
Hello Fervent FCGGD Readers! You don’t know me……yet! My name is Cassius Foul Play, but most just call me Cash, and I am a new recruit. For those that are younger than me, Google Cassius Clay and my name will make a lot more sense. (It’s weird to me that Google is both a noun and a verb.) I attended the information session to join FCGGD in March, 2011 and once I made the decision to commit to the time, effort, and bruises I was excited, but had just one problem. I had no idea how my future as a new recruit would look! I was terrified on my first real practice!
So, for all the ladies out there pondering your future in derby or you’ve already joined and are a new recruit as well…..this blog is for you! My plan is to chronicle my experiences through the ranks of derby and hopefully give an insight into the mysteries of FCGGD!
Stay tuned for recollections of The First Practice…dundunduuun
“If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?” ~ Joe Namath
July 26, 2011
FoCo Girls Gone Derby
Roller Derby Bout
Deathrow Dolls vs. Chanel Cartel
Saturday, Aug. 13
Rollerland, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s home teams, the Deathrow Dolls and Chanel Cartel, have added some new skaters to their ranks and will face off Saturday, Aug. 13, at Rollerland. These ladies are your friends, your neighbors and your co-workers who happen to lace up old-school roller skates and knock each other down for fun. This is an authentic athletic competition, and there will be a winner. Will it be the inmates on skates in their orange jumpsuits or the gold hot pants-wearing Chanel Cartel that triumphs in the battle over home turf? Come to the bout to find out!
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to WomenGive, a partnership between United Way of Larimer County and the Women's Foundation of Colorado that seeks to empower women and girls and help women in Larimer County achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students and members of the military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.
June 9, 2011
May 26, 2011
FoCo “Roll” Reversal: Refs vs. Skaters
ROLLER DERBY BOUT
Saturday, June 11
Rollerland Skate Center, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
FoCo Girls Gone Derby skaters will have the opportunity to knock down the ones who usually call their penalties, and derby referees will see what it’s like to skate between the lines in FoCo’s first-ever refs and skaters mix-it-up bout.
Refs will take to the track instead of laying down the law. Skaters will be forced to skate both with and against the sport’s authority figures. However, just because some brave refs have turned players for this bout, that doesn’t mean the rules have been tossed out. This bout will be officiated the same as any other. But with the “zebras” (as derby refs are called) in on the action, it will be entertaining to see which group commits the most penalties – the skaters or the refs!
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to WomenGive, a partnership between United Way of Larimer County and the Women's Foundation of Colorado that seeks to empower women and girls and help women in Larimer County achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students and members of the military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.
May 13, 2011
May 4, 2011
ROLLER DERBY BOUT
Saturday, May 14
Rollerland Skate Center, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
FoCo Girls Gone Derby team the Punchy Brewsters will take on the High City Derby Divas on Saturday, May 14, at Rollerland. Come show support for your hometown skaters as these sassy lasses roll against the visiting team from Aurora.
Named for the city’s passion for brewing beer, FoCo Girls Gone Derby, Northern Colorado’s original roller derby league, fields two travel teams: the MicroBruisers and Punchy Brewsters. FoCo’s MicroBruisers bouted and beat the Durango Roller Girls on April 9. Now the Punchies are ready to take their turn on the track.
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to WomenGive, a partnership between United Way of Larimer County and the Women's Foundation of Colorado that seeks to empower women and girls and help women in Larimer County achieve economic self-sufficiency. Visit http://www.uwaylc.org/womengive.html for details.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students and members of the military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com.
April 14, 2011
April 9th Bout Recap: Foco Micro Bruisers vs. Durango Roller Girl Derailers
March 30, 2011
ROLLER DERBY SHOWDOWN
Saturday, April 9
Rollerland Skate Center, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s travel team the Micro Bruisers return from the Dust Devil Tournament in Tucson on April 2-3 just in time to face off against the Durango Roller Girls on FoCo’s home turf. Come show your support for your hometown badasses on roller skates on Saturday, April 9, at Rollerland.
You may have seen FoCo’s home teams, the Deathrow Dolls and Chanel Cartel, skate at Rollerland, but this is the Micro Bruisers’ first home bout against another league this season. The Micro Bruisers is FoCo’s team of skaters culled from the home teams who tried out and were selected to skate competitively in order to earn a WFTDA ranking for the league. WFTDA – the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association – is the sport’s international governing body.
Twelve leagues from throughout the Western region will compete in Tucson, Ariz., April 2-3, with FoCo’s Micro Bruisers kicking off their tournament run against the Bellingham Roller Betties. Visit www.dustdeviltournament.com for more information.
A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program. Visit www.fortcollinshabitat.org/index.php?pr=Women_Build for details.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students and members of the military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com.
March 3, 2011
Bout Recap: Saturday, February 26th, FoCo MicroBruisers vs. Slaughterhouse Prime Cuts
Perhaps because of the high running emotion, it was a particularly dirty game on both sides. Back-blocking, forearms and cutting were the most common penalties committed by both teams. Slaughterhouse with a whopping 57 minors and 29 majors, along with FoCo's 54 minors and 21 majors kept the penalty boxes full and the fans looking to see the new line-ups with every jam.
The pandemonium made it difficult to tell what exactly happened to our strategy, but by the end of the first half we knew one thing-- it wasn't working. Misty Skull-Krippler, our player who jammed the most in this bout and a jammer we're used to seeing high scores from, only managed 3 points in the first half. Aimee Armalite, the game's big scorer for FoCo, managed 24, but it just wasn't enough as we came to half time with the score standing: Slaughterhouse, 69 to FoCo, 40.
FoCo is famous for playing harder in the second half, sometimes making a comeback, so I looked forward to the next period. It was a mixture of hope and heartbreak, as FoCo cleaned up their game, committing less than half the penalties as in the first half (in spite of Slaughterhouse stepping up their penalties) and began serious scoring. Chocolate Milfshake, Raven Luna C (one of our new girls in her first bout), and Rox Yorr Soxov put on the gas. FoCo scored more points than Slaughterhouse in the second half and it looked like we were not only going to catch up, but overtake them.
There was a good chance we would have won the game, if it wasn't for a few key mishaps, not just affecting scoring ability, but overall morale. LA's Finest, also playing her first bout, played a penalty heavy game from start to finish and was expelled in the 5th jam of the second half for too many trips to the box. Adding insult and injury, Rox Yorr Soxov, who was scoring big in the last half, was taken out of the game in the 11th jam due to injury by what looked like a barely legal hit. Mary Poppin' Caps was also sent out for injury in the second to last jam of the bout.
Final score sat Slaughterhouse at 143 to FoCo's 119. Victory or defeat, the first bout of the season is always an exciting one. In victory we celebrate our hard work that got us there and in defeat we learn what we need to do better. I'm excited to see what new strategies lay ahead and our new girls in our first home bout on March 12th and hope to see you all there!
Your Humble Announcer,
~Evil I. McVillain
March 1, 2011
GAME ON!
FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s Season Opener
Roller Derby bout, Saturday, March 12
Rollerland Skate Center, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins
Doors open at 7 p.m., bout begins at 7:30
FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s home teams Chanel Cartel and Deathrow Dolls are ready to roll for the 2011 season. Brand-spankin’-new skaters, who have been training hard since last season and have earned their uniforms, will join their teams on the track for the first time on Saturday, March 12.
The league has improved literally by leaps and bounds over the past several months, with skaters practicing through the one-month “off-season” instead of taking a break. The 2011 season promises more strategy and athleticism along with the familiar thrills and spills that home crowds look forward to watching.
FoCo’s travel team, the Micro Bruisers, has begun its season and is heading to Pueblo March 19 and to the Dust Devil Tournament in Tucson April 1-3.
A portion of the proceeds from March 12’s season opener bout will go to Fort Collins Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program. Visit www.fortcollinshabitat.org/index.php?pr=Women_Build for details.
Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door. Students/military receive a reduced rate of $10 with a valid ID. Ages 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby girl or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.
February 25, 2011
January 23, 2011
Derby Passion
I love to ask every derby girl the same question:
Why did you join derby?
Whatever random way they heard about tryouts, or where they saw their first bout, the reason is always the same, they became INFECTED with the passion to play derby! I love that we all have that in common.
Having a group of 3 strong willed women doesn't always go so smooth, nevermind a group of 30 strong willed women!
But our common passion for derby, and the chance to play overcomes most adversity. That is why I love hanging out with derby girls.
Whatever your hobby, interest, or "thing" may be, I hope you become INFECTED with a passion for it!
My first bout was nearly 2 years ago. My husband and I took our family to a bout in Greeley for Easter. I had seen Roller Derby on T.V. when I was a kid, and was pretty excited, even though I knew it was fake and choreographed back in the 80's.
I watched FoCo Girls Gone Derby vs. Slaughterhouse Derby Girls, and WHOA!!!!! This was NOT fake, these were amazing women, playing for REAL! REAL HITS! REAL FALLS! REAL BADASS WOMEN!!!
I knew right away that I wanted to try to do this, but had not skated in nearly 20 years! (I will tell you about learning to skate next time.) I wished (and still do wish ) that I had found a way to play derby 10 years ago. I told my husband that I really wanted to play, but I thought I was too old (34).
This is what I love about my husband, he walked right up to the bench manager of FoCo, and asked her what it takes to play. He also told her that I thought I was too old. She came right over to me, told me about the next recruitment, and then said "And you are perfect just the way you are, there is a place for every shape and size in derby".
What????!!! I could feel good about my appearance, fit in, hit girls, get in better shape, and have fun?
And that is exactly what I have gotten to do while playing derby!
DERBY EVERY DAY!
~Slamma