Derby Life

By Betty Schnockered

Roller Derby is a harsh mistress. Like any other sport, when the time comes to find out who gets to play and who doesn’t, feelings will be hurt and hearts will be broken. Since derby time makes everything seem like it happened both yesterday and forever ago, my first derby heartbreak feels both fresh and distant, but it was less than a year ago.

European Roller Derby Central is (and we are proud to say) THE central point of information about European Leagues, events and scores. Why? Because they make it work.

The core of ERDC is the list of leagues and a ranking system that allows you to find the best match when you are asking yourself which teams you should play against. If that league has a representative registered you can contact them directly by clicking on the league on the list.

Sounds awesome, doesn't it? But let us take you back:

How did it all start?

By Vicious VaGenda, River Valley Roller Girls, Ft. Smith, Arkansas

Didn’t sleep well last night, for the chanting of “endurance, focus, power” running through my head. I face the mirror tired, excited, and anxious. “You got this,” I tell myself over and over.

I drink my tea and start the day with a protein shake and toast, and draw strength from my inner chant. “Endurance, focus, power,” my brain repeats over and over again. The only thing that matters in this moment is “Endurance, focus, power.”

One of the most fabulous derby woman I know, Penny Slain, recently noted that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself about knowing all the ins and outs, dos and don'ts of derby until your second season. Nevertheless, at this last Saturday's bout, as I stood like a deer in the headlights after being called on yet another penalty of which I had no clue what I had done or how to proceed, I felt like a giant ass. You would think after a year of skating I would know which illegal procedure I was being called on or how I had a clockwise block or what the fuck just happened.

Reprinted with the permission of the Chicago Sun-Times and journalist Andy Frye.

by Andy Frye, Special Columnist

On March 31, 90-year-old Chicagoan Madelyn DeVincent was reacquainted with her old love.

The reel so great, it had to have an article of its own! This runs just short of half an hour, but is really worth watching. Producer Natalie Hinckley and her team at Hinckley Productions have been shooting live WFTDA Big 5 roller derby since 2008, but they began shooting derby as volunteers for their local league, Mad Rollin' Dolls years earlier.

By Violet Knockout

So you know how people like to account where they were and what they were doing during epic events in history? I believe being drafted onto a Gotham home team counts as one of these events.

By Herr Triggore

Reffing is hard.

Submitted Anonymously

So I drive a beater, I call her Lucille. I started driving this beat-down beauty at first to annoy and embarrass those that love me dearly, my family. It was part of my birthright to make my family second guess their convictions, and squirm in reaction to the decisions I made in my life. Lucille was just another loving f-u to them and to anyone else that bought into the product that I just could not consume. I loved her for that.