Lessons from RollerCon, Part 2

Tips for a RollerCon-er

This year was my second RollerCon experience, and although I felt prepared for it this year, I was wrong. I was completely unprepared and wished there was a check sheet with tips that I could print out. So, I decided to take it upon myself to make one after my second RollerCon.

• Start saving. Now. You are going to spend way too much money, and it will never be enough.

• Buy your pass on Black Friday; it’s the cheapest they will ever be.

• Bring a rolling bag, but not one that’s big. It should be JUST large enough to fit your gear.

• Bring or be prepared to buy a Fanny Pack. Useful and hip as shit in the derby world right now.

• Get lots of tattoos and dye/cut your hair crazy. I have tattoos and an alternative haircut and still felt tame.

• Chest tattoos are the new tramp stamp. Don’t get one of those.

Figure out what kind of planner you are.

• There is a line for everything. Account for that if you’re a planner.

o If you are good at organization, don't like to party, and hate sleeping in;

You are crazy, but you'll be able to take lots of classes. Look at the schedule before you get to RollerCon and make a list/schedule.

o If you are like most people and like to sleep;

DO NOT make a schedule for yourself, you will only feel guilty when you don’t end up making it to classes. Instead, look at the schedule each morning when you get up and see what you feel like doing.

• No matter what kind of planner you are, you MUST make time to watch the Vagine Regime vs. Caulksuckers bout. It’s the best bout of RollerCon!

• If you find a class that you really want to take, DO IT! It may be offered multiple times but as RollerCon gets down to the last day people get tired and classes start to get canceled.

• Don’t be afraid to admit you have a Derby Crush (it WILL happen)

• Only bring shirts/tanks with your name and number on it. Also, bring a few shirts that say your league affiliation.

• Only pack derby clothes. You won’t wear anything else. Ok, maybe ONE real outfit.

• Bring a hoodie. It’s FREEZING indoors.

• Show up a day early and/ or stay a day later. Gives you a chance to get settled/packed up without having to miss any action.

• DO attend open scrimmages. They give you a chance to try out the new techniques you learned and play with or against some really great players.

• Be prepared to take everything you are going to need all day with you when you leave your hotel room in the morning.

• They hand out tickets for classes 2 hours early, get them then. Do not wait.

• Lastly, have fun! Attend the parties, even if you want to get to bed early. RollerCon is about skating, but the parties are a great extra!!

Hopefully this helps you on your trip to RollerCon 2013!
Suga Smaxxx

Lessons from RollerCon

Derby Crushes- From Rollercon 2012
Derby Crush Definition (according to Suga Smaxx): A skater (usually from another league) that you look up to, want to be, are completely fascinated and/or enamored by. Not specifically romantic but could blossom to become so (if you swing that way). Check out a great article here.
Derby Crushes are an interesting beast. Sometimes they're on skaters you have known about for awhile or could be someone that you have never heard of. RollerCon is a catalyst for a Derby Crush like no other. You watch great skaters play, take classes from those people, and get to know them.

Last RollerCon, I left with one ground shaking, can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t live without crush:

Smarty Pants

She was 2011’s WFTDA Newbie of the Year although she has skated bank track for quite some time. Smarty Pants is in her second season with TXRD, but previously skated with TXRG (the league credited with the reincarnation of Roller Derby back in 2001, and featured in the movie Whip It) for 8 years. She’s a world renowned trainer and coach, and in her first season on the bank track Smarty and her team took 3rd place at the 2011 WFTDA Championships. Smarty is also a skater for the first ever Team USA. This crush is still cemented in my derby heart, but I will be leaving RollerCon 2012 with so many more. I love them all differently, but with the same fervour.

Jackie Daniels
Plays for Windy City Rollers All Stars, Team Vagine Regime, Team Chupacrabra Peligroso (formerly Team Awesome). Built like a Pit Bull (ALL MUSCLE), a great teacher and rocks white jean shorts like you wouldn’t believe.

Fifi Nomenom
Plays for Angel City, Team Vagine and almost every 3-4 level bout during RollerCon 2012. I didn’t know Fifi before RollerCon, but her sheer determination during one POWER JAM to get some huge dude's last point made my heart go pitter-patter. Fifi is also one of the only openly transgendered skaters on a WFTDA team.

And last, but not least….

Teflon Donna
Skates for the Philadelphia Liberty Belles and Team USA. My derby crush on Teflon Donna was definitely the most intense crush I got at RollerCon. I even gave her my “Hey, you’re my derby crush!” card that came in my welcome kit. Tef is a great teacher, amazing skater with extreme resilience and all around cool person (She took the “Crush” card well). She also had the most adorable poster plastered all over RollerCon. I forgot to get a picture with her, but I got one with the poster!

So, there you have it, the loves of my derby life! Sorry, Mary Poppin’ Caps (my derby wife- that’s a whole other topic). Don’t be afraid to let your derby love blossom!

Live, Love, Skate!
Suga Smaxxx

FOCO’S THROWBACK & THROW DOWN ROLLER DERBY BOUT

DEATHROW DOLLS VS. CHANEL CARTEL
7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 18
Rollerland, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins

FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s home teams will skate down memory lane Saturday, Aug. 18, for a throwback bout as the league’s original home teams, the Deathrow Dolls and Chanel Cartel. Just when you thought you would never again see the teams’ trademark orange jumpsuit dresses and gold booty shorts, they are getting a reprieve from the recesses of the closet for this retro event. Doors open at 7, bout begins at 7:30, at Rollerland.

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. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby skater or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.

FOCO MICRO BRUISERS VS.
BIG EASY ROLLERGIRLS ALLSTARS
HANGOVER BOUT
11 a.m. Sunday, June 10
The Kill Floor, 237 22nd Street, Greeley

Visiting roller derby team the Big Easy Rollergirls Allstars are down for a hangover bout against Fort Collins’ Micro Bruisers at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 10, following a Saturday night bout against another league. The New Orleans’ natives know as well as the Micro Bruisers that the best cure for a hangover – or a hard-fought roller derby competition – is the hair of the dog that bit you.

FoCo thanks the Slaughterhouse Derby Girls for graciously offering their track for use by FoCo’s travel team. Purchase tickets for $5 at the door of the Kill Floor, 237 22nd Street, Greeley.

FOCO’S HEROES VS. VILLAINS BOUT

FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s home teams will face off as Heroes vs. Villains on Saturday, May 19, at Rollerland. Doors open at 7, bout begins at 7:30, with FoCo’s junior derby team, the Spartan Babes, warming up the track at 7:15. These little ladies are the league’s prodigy skaters. Join us for an epic battle of good vs. evil – on skates. Fans are encouraged to come dressed as heroes or villains, and a prize will be awarded to the best-dressed do-gooder or fiend. A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to Animal House, a Fort Collins nonprofit whose mission is to save animals from euthanasia. Donations for the shelter will be collected at the bout. Needed items include blankets, sheets, towels, paper towels, bleach, Nylabones and canned dog food. 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. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby skater or online at www.brownpapertickets.com.

FOCO’S PUNCHY BREWSTERS VS. WRECKIN’ ROLLER REBELS

7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21
Rollerland, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins

FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s Punchy Brewsters will take on Denver’s Wreckin’ Roller Rebels on FoCo’s home turf at Rollerland Skate Center on Saturday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7. The Roller Rebels may be tough, but the Punchy Brewsters are feisty and ready to rumble. Come show support for your local skaters, and feel free to sport a sideways ponytail and slouch socks or any 80s high fashion.

A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to Animal House, a Fort Collins nonprofit whose mission is to save animals from euthanasia. Read more about the organization by visiting their website at www.animalhousehelp.org.

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. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased through the Rollerland Skate Center ticket booth, from any FoCo derby skater or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.

FoCoGGD’s most recent bout, on March 24, pitted its two home teams against each other. The exciting back-and-forth bout came down to the final jam in which Raven Luna C scored the four points that tipped the scale in her team’s favor. Thanks to Coloradosports.tv, you can watch the bout here: www.coloradosports.tv/sports/foco-girls-gone-derby/bouts/2012-03-24/.

FoCo’s A-string travel team, the FoCo Micro Bruisers, is gearing up for the Mayday Mayhem tournament hosted by the Slaughterhouse Derby Girls. See the Micro Bruisers in action May 5 and 6 at the Kill Floor, 237 22nd St., Greeley.

FoCo’S home teams: Barbies vs. G.I. Janes

7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 24
Rollerland, 324 S. Link Lane, Fort Collins

There’s room for every type of woman in roller derby, from Barbies to G.I. Janes, and FoCo Girls Gone Derby’s home teams will be skating as exactly those personas in their season opening bout Saturday, March 24, at Rollerland. Break out your pink or camo green and cheer on your favorite local skaters. The bout will pay tribute to firefighters, police officers and members of the military. Junior derby teams the FoCo Spartan Babes and Greeley’s Butcher Babes will bout at halftime.

A portion of the proceeds from this bout will go to Animal House, a Fort Collins nonprofit whose mission is to save animals from euthanasia. Read more about the organization by visiting their website at www.animalhousehelp.org.

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 skater or online at www.brownpapertickets.com or www.focogirlsgonederby.com. Purchases also can be processed by phone at 800-838-3006.

FoCo Girls Gone Derby roller derby league is comprised of two home teams and two travel teams. FoCo’s A-string travel team, the FoCo Micro Bruisers, recently competed in the Wild West Showdown in Bremerton, Wash. By winning two bouts at this tournament – including one against No. 19-ranked Sin City of Las Vegas – FoCo jumped 16 points to its current ranking of 26 in the western region, according to W.F.T.D.A. (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association), the sport’s governing body. See the Micro Bruisers in action May 5 and 6 at the Mayday Mayhem tournament in Greeley.