If you're not familiar with the work Thomas Gerbasi's done for GGRD, here's a link to the league skater profiles he's written over the last couple of years:
One of my many personal derby pet peeves is skater "interviews" presented as:
"Q: Blah blah?"
"A: blah blah!"
Third-graders can write that stuff. Thomas Gerbasi takes the time to turn interviews into STORIES with actual editorial angles and actual narratives, with actual 'hooks' and actual reasons to care.
Mr. Gerbasi was inducted into GGRD's "Order of the Brass Knuckles" in 2011, which is our league's equivalent of the Presidential Medal of Honor.
I think it's the other way around. Mantracker is a reality show where people run off into the woods and this cowboy bounty hunter has to find them before they reach a goal. So if I'm reading this correctly, the ToRD girls are taking off the skates and putting on some camo!
Or doing it on skates. Which would certainly make it more of a challenge. Do any DerbyLife sponsors make an offroad skate wheel?
yep - we've had some more debate about that since I wrote this. Even had a few girls time a few different options. We have an awesome speed skater on our team who taught us the diamond that I drew, I guess the speed skate laps are alot bigger though so that would make it more useful. We found in the end that different skaters prefer different shapes around the track. For me when I was initially trying for my 25 my crossovers were good but not really good enough to sustain all around the track anyway so it was probably best for me then.
Thanks for this article, pretty much every person I know has struggled with this. Another thing that helps is to have some film you doing laps for about two minutes. That is a little longer than most people can sprint out laps that are fast enough and you settle into your pace. It has been very helpful to see what my crossovers look like after I get into my pace.
Well I guess every league's diamond looks a bit different? Mine certainly doesn't look like that. Sorry I can't stick a drawing in here but our diamond is basically tight on the corners and wide in the straights....
Couldn't have said it better. I'm involved peripherally but the same great feelings hit me as well. Derby world is like NO other - I love being even a small part of the family.
How do you do this, exactly? Every time I've had a background check for a job, I sign a waiver and provide them with my social security number and driver's license. Plus, how much does it cost?
Thanks for this, it's very helpfull to read about other skaters experience with injuries.
I just had my operation a month ago, after waiting around for 7 months while the doctors tried to figure out wtf the problem with my leg was - 8 months with no real skating and in pain! I promise you when Im allowed back on skates, I'll give them hell. When I'm good and ready, I'll be faster, stronger and a cleaner player!
You should also do background checks routinely. We had a guy come to want to ref and he seemed "off" so we ran a check and he was a sex offender. Especially important if you have junior leagues! Now we will do this for everyone in the future.
Honestly, I don't advocate themes. I think for the general population (many of whom are still caught up in the televised fake derby of yore) it adds unnecessary spectacle to the sport and confuses people about whether or not derby is "real" or even what it is. I can't count the number of bout posters I see where I can't figure out what the hell it's promoting because there is no imagery of athletes playing the sport (or, worse, the images are awful, objectified, highly sexualized, cat-fighting cartoon girls as if it's foxy boxing night at the local strip club. Note to everyone: STOP IT.) Given that we're still struggling with identifying ourselves as a competitive sport, I don't think we need to distract from that image with unclear marketing.
I also think that, while some people find theming bouts fun, it is not the best use of a league's (typically limited) time, money, and resources. I would rather have skaters spending more time at practice becoming better skaters than spending hours brainstorming/arguing/voting on themes, purchasing and planning decor, booking entertainment, getting elaborate promo materials made, making their own costumes/accessories to fit the team, decorating the venue on bout day, etc. It's a lot of extra work and I don't think it pulls in any more fans than it deters. I have been at both a high-production/theme-promoting league and a low-production/themeless league and don't feel fan engagement is different because of themes--but I do know that during a home bout week, there is a lot less stress and more competition-focus in the themeless league as a whole because there is less to worry about, production-wise.
Rather than spending league time/money on themes, invest that in a free merch give away (e.g., giving away a couple of t-shirts, using the decor budget to give free Your League keychains, stickers, or bottle openers to the first 100 fans) that will make fans happy at the bout and work to advertise/promote your league outside of the bout.
If you're not familiar with the work Thomas Gerbasi's done for GGRD, here's a link to the league skater profiles he's written over the last couple of years:
http://www.gothamgirlsrollerderby.com/news/listings/skater-profiles
One of my many personal derby pet peeves is skater "interviews" presented as:
"Q: Blah blah?"
"A: blah blah!"
Third-graders can write that stuff. Thomas Gerbasi takes the time to turn interviews into STORIES with actual editorial angles and actual narratives, with actual 'hooks' and actual reasons to care.
Mr. Gerbasi was inducted into GGRD's "Order of the Brass Knuckles" in 2011, which is our league's equivalent of the Presidential Medal of Honor.
I think it's the other way around. Mantracker is a reality show where people run off into the woods and this cowboy bounty hunter has to find them before they reach a goal. So if I'm reading this correctly, the ToRD girls are taking off the skates and putting on some camo!
Or doing it on skates. Which would certainly make it more of a challenge. Do any DerbyLife sponsors make an offroad skate wheel?
that is a great idea thanks!
yep - we've had some more debate about that since I wrote this. Even had a few girls time a few different options. We have an awesome speed skater on our team who taught us the diamond that I drew, I guess the speed skate laps are alot bigger though so that would make it more useful. We found in the end that different skaters prefer different shapes around the track. For me when I was initially trying for my 25 my crossovers were good but not really good enough to sustain all around the track anyway so it was probably best for me then.
Thanks for this article, pretty much every person I know has struggled with this. Another thing that helps is to have some film you doing laps for about two minutes. That is a little longer than most people can sprint out laps that are fast enough and you settle into your pace. It has been very helpful to see what my crossovers look like after I get into my pace.
And we do that so you can crossover the ENTIRE time.
Well I guess every league's diamond looks a bit different? Mine certainly doesn't look like that. Sorry I can't stick a drawing in here but our diamond is basically tight on the corners and wide in the straights....
Couldn't have said it better. I'm involved peripherally but the same great feelings hit me as well. Derby world is like NO other - I love being even a small part of the family.
How do you do this, exactly? Every time I've had a background check for a job, I sign a waiver and provide them with my social security number and driver's license. Plus, how much does it cost?
please share.
Respect our sport and others. Thank you UJM I really love the parent point of view. Even cooler is I have a 12 yr old boy and 7 year old girl.
Thanks for this, it's very helpfull to read about other skaters experience with injuries.
I just had my operation a month ago, after waiting around for 7 months while the doctors tried to figure out wtf the problem with my leg was - 8 months with no real skating and in pain! I promise you when Im allowed back on skates, I'll give them hell. When I'm good and ready, I'll be faster, stronger and a cleaner player!
Thank
You should also do background checks routinely. We had a guy come to want to ref and he seemed "off" so we ran a check and he was a sex offender. Especially important if you have junior leagues! Now we will do this for everyone in the future.
*beaUtiful* analogy.
That was very nicely written and poignant. Well done.
Honestly, I don't advocate themes. I think for the general population (many of whom are still caught up in the televised fake derby of yore) it adds unnecessary spectacle to the sport and confuses people about whether or not derby is "real" or even what it is. I can't count the number of bout posters I see where I can't figure out what the hell it's promoting because there is no imagery of athletes playing the sport (or, worse, the images are awful, objectified, highly sexualized, cat-fighting cartoon girls as if it's foxy boxing night at the local strip club. Note to everyone: STOP IT.) Given that we're still struggling with identifying ourselves as a competitive sport, I don't think we need to distract from that image with unclear marketing.
I also think that, while some people find theming bouts fun, it is not the best use of a league's (typically limited) time, money, and resources. I would rather have skaters spending more time at practice becoming better skaters than spending hours brainstorming/arguing/voting on themes, purchasing and planning decor, booking entertainment, getting elaborate promo materials made, making their own costumes/accessories to fit the team, decorating the venue on bout day, etc. It's a lot of extra work and I don't think it pulls in any more fans than it deters. I have been at both a high-production/theme-promoting league and a low-production/themeless league and don't feel fan engagement is different because of themes--but I do know that during a home bout week, there is a lot less stress and more competition-focus in the themeless league as a whole because there is less to worry about, production-wise.
Rather than spending league time/money on themes, invest that in a free merch give away (e.g., giving away a couple of t-shirts, using the decor budget to give free Your League keychains, stickers, or bottle openers to the first 100 fans) that will make fans happy at the bout and work to advertise/promote your league outside of the bout.
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