Home Bout #1

Our first home team bout is next weekend where my team the Pulp Vixens will take on the Sisters of Anarchy in our season opener for 2013. Below is the awesome bout poster for it!!

Sin Amen Whip for the Sisters is the happiest Jammer you’ll ever meet, and our Vixen Captain Spink! 182 is our little Demanda Riot!! High Five Team Purple!!

For more information join the Facebook event page HERE.

Vixens FTW!

 

Last night was our last bout for the year.  It was the last bout we’ll play under the current WFTDA ruleset and my team the Pulp Vixens took away with our second win!! Woot woot!

It was a really hot day yesterday, it was 37 degrees when we got to the stadium *vomit* and just walking around and helping with bump-in I was sweating up a storm! This bout felt a little different leading in to it then the last. I think everyone’s head was just in it a bit more (from both sides). I knew the Sisters were going to come out strong this time and they sure did. It was a fiercely fought game.

The scores were close the entire time. We had a slight lead coming in to the second half, but the Sisters got back up and were winning at one point. We focussed a lot more with our walls and recycling to the front, successfully forcing a fast pack and switching our plays in to gear in the second half of the second half, ending the bout strong.

Final score was 131 v 91.

Highlights of the bout for me were:

• We had some team goals set for this bout, and I really think we achieved them really well on the night! Especially holding that inside line like a bawws!
• Having some great moments on the track with certain Sisters. Double winking with Donna Slay and telling Sin Amen Whip that I love her when we was lining up to jam for the Sisters.
• Our Captains also asked us to set some personal goals for this bout. I wanted to concentrate on hitting a lot more, being a strong communicator on the track and holding back their jammer. I felt like I achieved that on the night, and really felt like I worked hard for my team.
• Hitting Suzz Spender out whilst she was jammer, as I stayed in, then Donna Slay caught me off guard and hit me out too. It was an epic hit, it was really fricken Awesome! Well played Slay, well played.
• Having a little moment in the second half where I may have lost my shit a little on the bench, so I physically turned my back to the track to have Zombattleli Screamatoma standing there. I told her I need her to pull me up if I do that, to make me calm down and refocus. To which she put that massive smile on her face and told me to calm down and go out there and hit some bitches! Thanks Nat, you were ace for me last night!! Vixens pride ourselves in keeping our Zen on the bench, we look to each other to help focus and calm down, and I love that that support is there.
• Celebrating our win in the changerooms afterwards and having a dance off with Bliss Star (my wifey!!) to Gangnam Style!! Our Captain’s (Anna Conned Her) daughter, Mila, joined in too, it was the cutest!
• Oh yeah, and getting MVP. Yeah. Woah! I was just talking to Miss Hellfire and Little Piece not 10 minutes before they announced MVPs for the game, discussing the fact that I’d never get MVP. I’m not a jammer, I just block. Blockers don’t get MVP. That’s my experience. That wasn’t me being negative about it all, just commenting on the fact that usually it’s given to an all rounder – someone that shines as a jammer/blocker, someone that’s consistent as both. Well that threw me when the Sisters gave it to me! Thanks ladies, I’m honoured and truly grateful for you noticing little ol’ me on the track getting all up in your biz 😉

What an epic end to our year!! That bout was fantastic to play and you ladies rock my World! Looking forward to our AGM and Christmas party next weekend and the well deserved break over the Summer!

High Five Vixens. High Five Sisters of Anarchy. High Five Northside Rollers!! Bring on 2013 I say!

 

1 Year Blogiversary!

Today I turn 32 and my Blog turns 1.

One year ago today I launched this blog on my birthday! Last year I wrote about the 5 moments in my year that deserved a high five. I thought I would keep the tradition going and sum up my year just gone packaging them up nicely in 3 easy to use sub-headings.

The Roller Derby

To be honest this should have its own complete chapter of high fives, because really, my life pretty much revolves around this ridiculous sport and there have been SO many moments worth mentioning… so I’m just going to rattle a few of them off.

Attended 2 VRDL bootcamps  | Joining Northside Rollers and obtaining an instant family | Passing my Green Star | Easter Scrimmage Extravaganza | Meeting Bonnie D’Stroir and attending her bootcamp | Playing with EVRD in the Debutante Brawl in my first bout in Victoria | Getting drafted to the Death Stars | Playing (and winning) my first bout as a Death Star against Bendigo’s Chiko Rollers | The Great Southern Slam | Playing my old league at TGSS – Murder City Roller Girls | Winning both games at TGSS | TGSS after party | Joining our Executive Committee as League Secretary | Travelling to Wollongong to play Steel City Derby Dolls | Planking | Being voted in as Alternate Captain of our newly formed league team the Pulp Vixens | Getting my mug in the paper | Winning our first home team bout against the Sisters of Anarchy | Winning the after party | Being voted in as Alternate Captain of our travel team the Death Stars | Having a Derby Photoshoot | Playing against the VRDL Gold Lions (as Alt Capt) in Rosebud | Getting a new derby wife | Playing against SSRD The Banshees and WINNING (as Alt Capt) | Watching a banked track game between LA Derby Dolls and Gotham!! and High fiving ALL of the skaters: Suzy Hotrod!! and Bonnie Thunders!! | Bootcamp with Jackie Daniels and hanging out with her and Demanda Riot | Plenty of bouts watched and many derby laughs had!

Ok… that was more then a few… but C’MON!! if you read this blog at all, 95% of the time derby is all I write about, because the other 5% of the time I am squeezing in work, sleep and time with the Civilian. This year has been an epic one. So many really REALLY awesome things, even more then what I listed above!

I think the main thing I will take away from this year is that I do still love this sport. Even with it’s disappointing, stressful, hukling-out moments (yes, there were also plenty of those this year!). I am very thankful I started skating with my league, they are my family now! I have made some really amazing (lifelong) friends. It might be a ridiculous sport, but it’s still one that’s pretty fucking awesome!

The Family + The Friends

Oh Gosh I have an awesome family! My nephew turned 1 back in March so we went across to South Australia to celebrate. He’s growing up so fast, and I’m bummed that I’m not super close (geographically) to my sister to get extra cuddle-time with him! But man he’s a cool little dude!

We were back over there again in October for my mum’s 60th! I hadn’t laughed so hard in ages at that party! We’re such a hilarious bunch (even if we I do say myself!!). My parents also came and visited us prior to that to see a bit of where we’ve moved too. Wasn’t the best weather when they were here, but they went to a couple of footy games and we even met up with some old 70s rockers!

We had quite a few friends come visit us from Adelaide. At the start of the year I had a house full of derby girls all visiting at once. Also my buddies Darren and Kylie came over from Tasmania. UK Emma came for a visit TWICE! before she headed back home from her stint working in Sydney. Highlight of her visit was us attending the Neighbours Night down at St Kilda  and meeting Dr Karl. Yes, THE Dr Karl!… read about all the shenanigans of that night HERE!

The Spirit of Adventure.

I had sporadic work this year so we didn’t plan too many vacations. But we did head to the Falls Creek for a week in the snow. That was a blast! It was such an intense week. I struggled to maintain the momentum of skiing everyday, and quite enjoyed sitting in the spa (or bar!) instead and just relaxing. It definitely was a workout for the muscles and I probably took a week to recover from it. Also, hot tip, ALWAYS remember that you are not wearing knee-pads when “taking a knee” on tightly packed ice, it just ain’t cool bro! 🙂

Other than that, trying to fit in a free day between all my derby commitments is sometimes tricky. We went for a few bike (push bike AND motor bike) rides at the start of the year when the weather was still sunny. Hopefully we can get out a few more times before the year is out. I predict we’ll be spending quite a few more days down in Mornington at the beach… especially because there is a new jet ski in the mix that all the Outlaws want a turn on.

I don’t think we have many big trips planned for next year… I think it’ll be 2014 before we hit the skies for another overseas adventure.

So yes, was quite a ride this year adjusting to my new life in Melbourne, it did fly by pretty quick. Soon the calendar will turn over to the new year (I call your bluff Mayans!!) and hopefully some new, exciting adventures will come my way!

High five to that!