I have been asked by many inside and outside of the derby community about the things I am doing to and for the BRRG All-Stars. Many are stunned by what they hear, for me, I am just getting started. Yesterday was an exciting example of how fast they have come in such a short time. A quick switch of the workout, last minute, brought a sudden smile to me when someone at my work asked what the All Stars did last night. Their response…… You made them do all that!?

I didn’t make them do anything, they did it all themselves!

Here is last nights results,

Eddie – 443 RX’d

Morbid – 460 F.K. and J.S. subs

Scarrie – 420 F.K. Sub

Killy -  482 RX’d Nice! Just shy of breaking parallel though.

Rainbow – 528 RX’d Congrats new All Star, need to get you to break parallel too!

Dagney – 379 F.K. Sub

Halo – 372 Crunch Sub

Eartha – 391 RX’d

TO – 520 RX’d Getting you to break parallel is my new goal!

Destroya – 436 RX’d

Eva – 467 RX’d

You all kicked ass yesterday, be proud of yourselves. Rich and I sure are!

I have updated the travel team page to present day, all may check their progress, spout out some braggin’ rights and have fun!

This year at the Wolstein Center, Black and Blue 5 packed the arena!
It was exciting to see that the league chose The Cleveland Animal Protective League to receive the benefits.  It’s been way to long since the last bout so Turn Two was definitely ready to witness some carnage. Rainbow Fright started the night by singing the Star Spangled Banner.  Rainbow Fright has one hell of a voice!  The lineups were stacked and Turn Two was expecting a close bout.  In the first half, the Black Alley Cats took a quick lead over the Blue Bloodhounds.
Turn Two knew it wouldn’t be that easy and shortly after, we started to see what team blue was made of.  The jammers were evenly matched throughout the first half until Eva Lucien plowed through the pack over and over again.  This put team blue further into the lead until team black struck back with some great jams.  Jams from Punk’d Pixie, Ivanna Destroya, Soul Eater, and Buddhalicious closed the gap making the half time score 60-57 team blue.
The second half was exciting but it wasn’t as close as the first one.
Team blue was very overpowering in this half which brought team black to their knees.  Turn two was disappointed to see team black stop doing what worked for them in the first half.  A timeout was called during the second half which caused team black to pick up the pace but it was too late.  CoCo Sparx, Eva, Take out, and Killustrator were smart on the jam line which prevented team black to close the gap again.  With excellent tail blocking, team blue held their own. During this time, team black suffered some major penalties which also could have made a difference.  It’s really hard to score points under a power jam situation.  With a final score of 120-95, the blue bloodhounds were victorious.
This was one of the most exciting bouts Turn Two has ever seen!  We thought it was amazing that the first half was so competitive.  Team black would gain the lead and soon after team blue would be right back on top.  It was also nice to see Destroya do some jamming!  It will be an interesting season if this keeps up.  At the beginning of the bout we felt that the refs could have done a better job with some of the calls.  Win or lose, both teams did excellent in our opinion and were able to benefit a great charity.

It’s a sport with a pendulum-like past—one that rose from virtual
obscurity to popularity, only to be driven back underground over matters
of rebellion, sexism and general political incorrectness.

Yes, even the term “roller derby”
is a loaded one, synonymous with images of women in roller skates,
helmets and pads cross-checking each other with aplomb, B-movie kitsch
and mid-1970s pop culture.

Perhaps that’s what makes the success of Cleveland’s Burning River Roller Girls such a triumph.

read the rest HERE

Who was the first roller derby girl you met?

-I wish I could remember exactly who it was. Dagney asked me this not too long ago and I really wasn’t sure. I know that the first three I really remember coming in were Mommy’s Little Monster, Concrete Blondie and Vix Smackey. It was those three that really opened my eyes to what these ladies had going.

How has things changed for you since your first roller derby encounter?

-Hell, derby has changed my life. To hear some of the things that not only the BRRG went through when starting out but, every league I deal with made me adjust all I do. How some of these leagues were and still are treated by rinks, stores and websites was an eye opener to me. Hardly anybody took them seriously. The girls would just say, “thank you” and continue working for their league. And the work that goes into any league. It is like a second job for most girls in any given league to keep it running smoothly. Though I can’t fully appreciate how much they actually do, I do know more than most. This being the case, I do absolutely everything I can on my end for them. This leads to long hours and a hell of a lot of traveling. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think derby has been treated poorly. I decided long ago that not one derby girl I deal with was going to go without the service and attention to detail they rightfully deserve. If they are willing to put so much work in voluntarily then, I am willing to put as much work in as I possibly can. They raised the bar because, I do not want to let one of them down. Before derby, I had many customers in my store. With derby I have not gained customers but, friends. They have taught me more than they will ever know. They have made me a better person just by being themselves and that is really how my life has changed since my first derby encounter.

Are you a really good roller skater?

-I played hockey for about twenty years on some of the better open travel teams to come out of Cleveland. I had been on ice skates and inlines my whole life until I shattered my leg in my early twenties. When someone finally convinced me to try a pair of quads and come out to skate, I was hesitant. After two or three times to adjust, it was no different to me. Skating is skating. All of the basic principles are the same whether it is ice, inline or quad. Still, good is a relative term. I’m content to say I can handle myself on skates.

If you were forced to stay on a deserted island for one year, but you were allowed
to take one derby girl, who would you take and why?

-Ouch! There is no real right or safe answer here. I would have to say Eva though. Her scientific mind and understanding of plant life would be the only thing that would keep us alive I imagine.

How many leagues do you sponsor?

-BRRG, NEO, Grand Rapids, Fort Wayne, Columbus and Cincinnati I sponsor fully. I have small sponsorship arrangements with about thirteen other leagues as well.

Sponsorship to me was never about gaining business though. Sponsorship is about helping any league I can build, grow and have as little aggravation to deal with as possible. I can do that with skates.

How does it feel to be the equivalent of a medic, (for skates) during the bout?

-That is such the easy part for the BRRG. I’ve done skates every day of my life for almost twenty years and there really is not much I haven’t seen. I know the skates in the league pretty well and could probably list what every skater is wearing off the top of my head. It can be interesting though. When Pixie broke a truck during a bout this year, I indulged myself in a little bit of pride in the fact that she only had to miss one jam while I replaced it on the sideline for her. I’m happy to be able to be there for them.

I heard you were almost the bench manager for the Knockers as well, is that still
in the works?

-They asked last year and I would have loved to have done it. The ultimate decision on that had to come from the whole league though. I am responsible to the whole league on the sidelines as the “skate medic” if you will and that would have been a conflict. Had the whole league saw no conflict then, I would gladly have done it. It was an honor just to be asked. Though bench managing for the Knockers is not on the table right now, I’ll do anything the league thinks would be beneficial.

If you were to build a super derby girl, what attributes would you steal from which
skaters to create the ultimate skater?

-I’d start with Destroya’s track awareness and stride. I’d take Booty’s strength and stamina, Scarrie’s hitting ability, Eva’s lower body balance, Finnishher’s all around skating ability, Monster’s guts, Coco’s attitude, Halo’s Haloness (there’s really no way to explain it), Morbid’s ability in the pack, Killustrator’s elusiveness, Dagney’s heart, Erin’s speed, Stroker’s aloofness, Soul Eater’s effort and Take Out’s ability to see outside the box.

What are your thoughts for Season 5?

-I think it is as wide open as it was the first season. All four teams have a clear cut chance at winning the cup. If I was putting odds on it, I’d still take the Bombers as the favorite though. Even with the retirements of Stroker and Ego, they still seem to be the most experienced and tightest team to me. That is why they play the games though.

What are your thoughts about Season 3 reffing, to Season 4?

-No Primp, Damnasty or Cheddar are my immediate thoughts. Aside from that, I consider season 3 at the Sports Plant to be the equivalent of a minor league baseball game compared to the major league game that the Wolstein was with season 4. The skill level and play of the league also increased, just as it has every year. The game is a smoother, cleaner and much easier game to watch. The production and energy in the Wolstein surpassed my expectations.

How much has your business changed since roller derby?

-Without roller derby there would be no Skaters Edge on Lorain ave.. The majority of the business was and still is ice skating. The economic state in Cleveland and all over the country for that matter is not conducive to the high expense of competitive ice skating so, those numbers are down. Websites take their bit out of the apple as well. What I have done with derby is to try my best to give every girl I deal with the service they deserve with the price they can get on websites. I know they appreciate this. It isn’t really about money though. Derby helps keep the doors open and me working but, I do all I do for derby because I enjoy it and the people. I never imagined doing the traveling that I do now. Almost every weekend or during the week I’m driving to some league. I’ll go to Chicago, Grand Rapids, Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, Detroit and all spots in between. It can get tiring but, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t really have customers as far as derby is concerned, I have friends. That is probably why I am constantly approached about opening a store in this city, moving to that city or offered a territory from this or that company. If not for derby, I would have left the store a long time ago. As the saying goes, “Roller derby saved my soul.”

Who do you miss that is no longer in the league?

-I don’t think there is a skater that was in the league who I don’t miss. I miss Angel N Shadows the most I would think. She’s still around though. I miss Cheddar, Primp, Damnasty, Pain, Skellawhore, Killbasa, Full Throttle, The Validator, Doobie, Hannah Bull, Queen Cobra, She Rages, Starla and I’ll miss everyone who retires this year. It actually bothers me sometimes when I’m alone at the store thinking about the All Star team BRRG would have now if just Full Throttle, The Validator, Angel and Cheddar were still here and had been playing all this time. With the talent in this league and even just two of those four, I think we could play neck and neck with Windy City.

What do you do for fun, that is not derby related?

-There is really so little time. I used to be a dam good pool player but, I only get out to play maybe once a month anymore. My brother has about a 4 acre pond and I’m a member of a small sportsmen club that has about 120 acres of land and ponds about 2 hours from Cleveland so, I fish for largemouth bass a lot. One six pound 24 inch largemouth this year. I wish I had more time for that. I write a lot. I wrote a book years back called Man in Sheep’s Clothing that I’d like to redo a little and have it republished with some changes. I’d also like to write another book. I read quite a bit too. Mostly ancient history. The Greeks and Romans can keep you busy for a lifetime.

Do you have a favorite quote, or a motto that you live by?

-Not really. I hate to pin myself down to a certain mindset or way of living. I tend to believe that right and wrong are the same thing which, is probably how I tend to live. It is more or less a view that what is right for me is not necessarily right for someone else but, that does not make their way wrong. I think everyday and every minute is an opportunity to learn something. You don’t necessarily have to agree with or see something as “right” to learn from it. I used to be and still am “right” about so many things that I learn in time are “wrong.” Was I “wrong” when I believed them to be “right?” Absolutely not. Life is a journey and constant learning process. That is why I love derby so much. I have learned more from the ladies in derby than I have ever taught them.

What do you think will help propel derby to a more recognized level?

-I think when the day comes that individual leagues as well as a the WFTDA as a whole can afford to allow the association and each individual league to run by those who are not playing then, things will change. Derby has been treated so poorly that I think it is difficult for some to have a level of trust. If I were a member of a league, I’d be constantly worried about being exploited or ripped off.

It’s a fine line though. If derby is to move to a more recognized level then, you take away a certain amount of the grass roots effort and following which built the sport. That is a decision that can and only should be made by women who built the sport.

I think of something like the X games and say there are some strong athletes in those games. Still, derby played at it’s highest level makes the X games look like a Thursday night bowling league to me. If the women in each league only had to concentrate on skating then, you’d see a level everywhere that could sweep the country.

Right now, the sport is the skater’s. They do it for fun. They don’t get paid. They incur all expenses themselves. To jump to a more recognized level means they may not be able to keep the sport as theirs. To me, that would be a tragedy.

I was recently approached by CoCo Sparx about the idea of  becoming the Strength and Cardio Coach of  the BRRG All-Stars. I immediately jumped at the opportunity. I am so excited to see this adventure take shape. Two weeks ago, I evaluated the group, and on Tuesday I came in ready to put them through their first metcon session.

These women showed me that they have the heart, skill, and dedication needed to get the job done. Their desire and drive is something that has always kept me in love with the sport since April 6th, 2008. I can say without bias, that whoever stands next to these women this season, are in for an ass whooping! I am designing new ideas, strategical drills, and new levels of mayhem that is sure to build the attributes necessary to obtain victory.

The first session I put together was design to make them show me what they could give to me. Let me tell you something, not only did they step up to the plate, the knocked that shit out of the park. Even more beautiful were the individuals who came up and looked at the scores and said “I could have done better, I will do better next time”. I am in heaven!

Together with Rich, the team you saw last year, is to be transformed into the most fierce team in North Central! I will be working the strength and cardio, Rich will be developing new skill sets, and the two of us, powered by this team of incredible athletes are going to make this WFTDA region tremble in fear!

I have now created a new page on sk8intheface, Travel Team. This page will be primarily for keeping record of the workouts we have done, and the results you have achieved. Since I do not want any other leagues learning our new training concepts, I have password protected the page. All members of the travel team will be receiving the password shortly.

Those that are curious of the HELL that Rich and I are putting the travel team through, feel free to ask a travel team player how bad it is. I look forward to seeing you ladies next Tuesday!

Results:

Don’t know what these results mean…. GOOD! =P

Boy am I excited for some derby, it has been too long. I need to see some action! I keep on staring at these two teams, and on paper I just can’t even begin to think who has an edge. The lineups are going to be a key factor in edge, whom ever has the best idea at who needs to be where, and how to effectively and dynamically make changes on the fly when needed, will prevail.

Team Blue, how can I not love you, I mean my Baby Momma is back on skates! One thing that you need to be clever with is who you choose for your tail blockers.
Chelle Shock
CoCo Sparx
Death Proof
Dita von Bitch
Eva Lucien
Finnish-HER
Hidden Ajennda
Mad Chatter
Marion Razorwound
MILFinator
Molotov Hot-Tail
Mommy’s Little Monster
Patsy Blue Ribbon
Public Enema
Slaughterama Mama
Sweet Heart-Attack
Take-Out
The Killustrator
Thrash-Her
Vendetta Farfalle

Team Black, always bet on black, there is a lot of talent here, but it is heavily in one area, you need to be able to recognize this, play it as your strength, yet still keep your other areas strong.
B. Onya Guard
Bamm B. Hunt-Her
Buddhalicious
Dagney Taghurt
Eartha Hitt
Gonnolea
GrrAnimal
Halochic
Holly Huntress
Ivanna Destroya
Kiff
Morbid Cherub
Mosh Spice
Olive Bruises
Professor Booty
Punk’d Pixie
Rainbow Fright
Soul Eater
The Eduskater
Veruca Salty
x-tron-x

Side note: is it the same crap where you can only play All-Stars a limited amount, I sure as hell hope not!

Another big thing to not leave out is how much people have or have not been training during this off-season. Have you been eating more cookies, or have you been putting in work? Some rely on there status, and name to carry them, then start to slack off, then their prowess is gone, people that used to fear them, now find themselves running circles around them. So which one are you, the one with the target on your back, or the one picking targets? If you are not happy with your answer, you got 16 days to get your ass in gear!

Personally I want both teams to win, I know and almost everyone in this league, I wish you both could cheer at the end and hold you heads high. But this is a competition, and someone has got to lose! Don’t want it to be you, be hungry, be smart, and don’t hold back! In reality both teams are winners, because this is a charity event and there will be many puppies and kitties who will benefit from this event! Best of luck to both teams, we will be a Turn 2 doing what we do best, heckling and getting rowdy!

PS. Fresh Meat – If I don’t see blood during Musical Chairs, you didn’t fight hard enough!

All is fair in love, war, and derby!

Derby Name: Hidden Ajennda

Number: 303

Team(s): Rolling Pin-Ups, Burning River All-Stars

Position(s): Primarily Tail, but I’ve played each of the positions at some point this year.

How did you learn of the league? I spend (spent?) a lot of time roller-blading around Cleveland and ran into some BRRG members on quads promoting the league and an upcoming bout. In fact, I ran into them rolling around at a number of events, and I have always been interested in playing derby and joining the league due to my love for skating. However, things never really clicked for one reason or another until this past year. Now I’m thrilled to be here and can’t imagine my life without BRRG or derby in it!

All Star team first year is quite impressive, you were skating before derby, correct? I spent a decent amount of time on quads growing up. My aunt managed a roller rink, and skating is what my family did for fun. When I went away to college, I got a pair of Roller Blades and started skating on those quite a bit to get around since I didn’t have a car. I love having wheels under my feet scooting around. Part of the impressiveness can be contributed to the fact that I came into this knowing how to skate, even though I didn’t know a thing about derby.
Knowing how to skate allowed me to start focusing on the derby part sooner than others.

Who would you thank most for your derby success? That’s a tough one since there have been *so many* supportive, motivating people along the way. Anyone that has taken their time and been willing to give me feedback and show me a better or different way to do something. Also – the people that push me. Between the supporters and the motivators – I would be hard pressed not to succeed. Actually, there is one person that deserves a little more thanks, but I’ll get to that in a bit.

Tell us about your experience with the Pinups and winning the Hazard cup? I’m not sure it’s sunk in quite yet that we won the Hazard Cup, but I have had a blast skating with the Pin-Ups each and every game this season — they are a classy and super fun team. As Fresh Meat, it is said that getting picked to a team is like the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter – you end up where you belong. I really didn’t know what to expect when I was first drafted, but I have been so pleasantly surprised finding my place on the Pin-Ups team. I really can’t imagine myself anywhere else. As far as winning the Hazard cup – seeing the Wolstein Center festooned in a sea of green, with everyone on their feet cheering for the Pin-Ups comeback in the last minutes of the game still gives me goosebumps when I think about it. The Hellbombers played one hell of a game, and while the Pin-Ups trained hard and worked well together as we progressed through the season, the Hellbombers are an incredible team and played a hard game — which is why it probably still hasn’t sunk in.

What are your hobbies outside of roller derby? I have far too many hobbies and not enough time – but some of my current favorites include: biking (often to wineries), entertaining, making things in the kitchen, lifting weights, traveling, hanging out with friends, photography and being active. I’m a pretty adaptable – if it’s something fun, I probably like to do it!

So what does Aleks think of this whole roller derby ordeal? He puts up with both roller derby and me pretty well! 98% of it, he totally loves and is 100% supportive and therefore deserves the most thanks for my success. He enjoys the excitement and fun of bout nights, and he also (mostly) appreciates the time he gets home alone when I’m out at practice. I’m a lot more extraverted than he is – so while I’m out skating and feeding off the derby energy most nights of the week – he gets his down time at home where he makes music and does his own thing. I think derby brings things back to a balance that we both need in our life.

In what areas of the game are you striving to get better at? I would really like to see myself develop as a Jammer. So much of the game is mental, and I got pretty cold feet jamming in our first game against the Hellbombers this year. I’d like to get some confidence back on the jam line.

What are your thoughts/feelings on the state of Roller Derby? I am excited and proud to be part of a sport that empowers women and is exploding around the world exponentially as it is. Roller Derby has had it’s ups and downs, but I am fairly certain that it’s here to stay. If for no other reason – it’s by for the skaters, for the skaters. There is a lot of positive energy surrounding Roller Derby right now. Look at Cleveland, we have the four home teams (Cleveland Steamers, Hard Knockers, Hellbombers and the Rolling Pin-Ups), two travel teams (the All-Stars and HazMat Crew), a recreation league(wRECk) and a Junior Derby League (the Firestarters)! It’s hard to believe that the city of Cleveland supports that much derby, but we definitely do. In addition to all of the skaters, we have awesome fans who cheer us on at every turn! The fans really make the sport. I don’t mean to take away from the skaters – but the encouragement and cheers really push us that extra bit.

How has derby changed you life? It’s taken my pre-derby life for hostage and isn’t letting go! I am more confident, I get through crowds quicker, and as an added bonus, I have gotten to know lots of wonderful and really great people. While I can’t imagine myself on any team other than the Pin-Ups – each of the teams are made up of independent and strong women who juggle many things in their life to make this Roller Derby thing work. I am very proud to be a skater on this league and call so many of these amazing women my friends.

Do you have any hidden agendas? You’ll have to wait until Season 5 for that answer!

How did you become the Jell-o Shot Fairy? I have a habit of being an all or nothing sort of girl, plus I like to entertain. My friend and I threw a Flip Flops and Jello shots party a couple summers ago, and I bought the shot cups in bulk — 1500 of them! I didn’t make close to 1500 that night, so had cups left over. I randomly thought to bring them to the draft party – and made about 300 that night. I did finally run out of jello shot cups at the end of the season!

What skates/equipment are you using? Rich from Skater’s Edge has graciously put together a custom speed skate mount with the PowerDyne Reactor plate on Riedell’s 1065 boot for me, which I like quite a bit.
Two things I picked up since the end of last season that seem to be working well for me are the TSG All Terrain knee pads and Gumball toe stops. The knee pads have a smaller profile than anything I wore the first season – though I really needed the extra protection going through Fresh Meat August and the first season. I feel more comfortable on my skates and feel like I’m ready for that switch. The toe stops are a little bigger  and grippy, but aren’t wearing down super fast. I’m still trying to figure out my wheel configuration and I need a new helmet – but I generally feel comfortable, fast and safe
- so I’m pretty happy.

Who do you like to hit on the track? My preference is the skater from the other team with a star on her helmet! Actually, I’m an equal opportunity hitter, outside of the opposing Jammer, I don’t play favorites.

Tell us a little bit about an individual you are inspired by? Anyone and everyone that keeps getting up after being knocked down. I’m rather fond of the Chinese Proverb, “If you get up one more time than you fall, you will make it through.”

What can we expect from Hidden Ajennda in Season 5? One of the things I am going to focus on this year is awareness. So much of derby is strategy and understanding game play well enough to know what to do and when, like it is second nature. I am often amazed when one of my teammates repeats certain aspects or plays from the game after the fact, because it blows my mind that they could absorb so much of what was going on *and* play derby. I hope that by watching and playing more derby, I’ll pick more of that up. Additionally, I would like to develop my skills as both Jammer and Pivot this year, so I’ve got lots to work on!

That’s right ladies and gentlemen, sk8intheface has been renewed for another year! I have a few more interviews to pull of for this year, but shortly after Black and Blue I will take down the site for some much needed revamping! Look to see things back in order real soon!

much love

-R.E.

So how did you land one of the coolest jobs in the league?
Shortly after the formation of the league and before bouts were scheduled I was told by a friend (former BRRG skater, Justice) that they would need an announcer. I showed up, and continued to show up to practices to work the mic and the rest is history. So far I’ve never missed a home bout and travel out for the All-Stars whenever my schedule permits. Everyone else that expressed interest was all fluff and no stuff except Kent Smith. He’s grown leaps and bounds as an announcer and I’m glad to work with him.

Is there a downside to your job as a derby announcer?
I’ll only voice one complaint. I’ve only got to watch one derby bout as strictly a fan. People always say “at least you get to see all the bouts” but it’s different. I can’t yell and scream like every other fan and I technically could be fined for obscenities. The one bout I did attend off duty I intentionally sat in the bleacher with no children so I could just unload with the screaming. Several tasty beverages into the bout a lady came over with child and sat right in front of me. There was an entire row open on the other bleacher. This didn’t stop me from enjoying my fan experience. Shame on her. I do however watch boutcasts on DNN.com and yell at my screen a lot but it is not the same.

So you are an actual Reverend, correct?
Yes, I received ordination in 1996 from ULC. There is a interesting story behind how this came about actually…I only tell it in person if the mood is right. I’m seriously thinking about dropping the Rev from my derby moniker. You heard it here first.

Who has been your favorite person to co-announce a bout with?
I’ve learned something from everyone I’ve worked with and there are different favorites for different reasons. I’ll go with someone I don’t get work with on a regular basis for this answer. Overall out of the many revolving announcers I’ve worked with I’d have to go with Tank from Cincy. He’s been a derby mentor to me- we called the first ever Black & Blue as well all 3 previous BRRG championships together. He coached and announced for ORG in Columbus and he knows the game as well if not better than anyone calling today.

How did the Ref heckling start, and who is your favorite Ref to pick on?
It all started with my old intro tag-line for them- “graduates of the Ray Charles School of Refereeing”. The fans used to boo them so I just jokingly played off of that sentiment. There was very little ref heckling this season. I mostly only do it at home because I know our crew personally. I’m an equal opportunity destroyer when it comes to our foot locker crew. To their credit they have a rough job and I wouldn’t want to do what they do.

Tell us about a book you have recently been enjoying.
I’m currently trying to finish two books- Chaos: Making A New Science by James Gleick. It’s about the mathematical and meteorological origins of chaos theory. I won’t pretend to fully understand all of it but what I can grasp from the book is incredible. The other is Made By Hand – Searching for Meaning in a Throwaway World by Mark Frauenfelder. I  just started The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I love dystopian fiction!). It would most likely take a librarian to get me to give up my bachelorhood!

What do you think about the growth of the league from first season to present day?
The growth is a culmination of a lot of hard work and I attribute much of it to community involvement. The girls are out there making numerous appearances in various communities throughout the greater Cleveland area. They are involved in any number of charitable events and the passion they exude for the sport is contagious. There exists a great reciprocity between this city and the BRRG. Everything was taken to a greater level this season with the move to the Wolstein Center and things should only continue to get better.

Who do you miss the most that has left the league?
I’m never going to hear the end about these “favorite” questions. I miss former Hard Knocker standout The Validator the most. Val had a unique style and grace about her that was just awesome to watch. Her stall blocking technique was epic and she was a great jammer. She was a bit of a role model for what could be done while skating by the book without playing dirty. She’s just a sweetheart off the track. Does this sound like I have a crush on the Knockers bench manager? lol

The announcers location for the finals seemed perfect, thoughts?
In season 1  the table was in a crows nest type of position so far away from the action and the sound was horrible so it was rough. Season 2 we moved, per request, to turn 4 where we remained until the finals this year. I went to Toledo to call a mini-tournament and their table was set in a similar position; the main difference was height and the fact that there was no audience seating behind the table. The view of the penalty board and ref hand signals was the best I’ve ever had so I had to present the case for the move. I’m so glad they let us move, it improved our performance quite a bit.

Do you feel like you need to “bite your tongue” often, in your position?
Haha, are you trying to get me fired? Yes, absolutely. It’s not because of the politics or any of those drama-filled reasons. There are so many things we have to refrain from saying with the live mic brand of announcing we do in derby. What my esteemed announce partner Kent Smith and I do live for BRRG is known in our world as the “house” or “in-house” call.  This is a style of calling the action just after the fact. We have to be careful to not disclose jammer position in situations that may give a strategic advantage to either team. We also have to refrain from calling out someone you know is just going to lay someone out while it’s happening so we don’t blow their shot by tipping of the blocker that a hit is coming their way.

In a broadcast it would be OK to say something to the effect of “With only 45 seconds left Team X may want to end the jam and call a time out if they want to get another jam in during regulation. We can’t say this type of thing because it is considered coaching from the mic. Even though this scenario might be obvious to the Team X, Team Y can present the case that we gave X an advantage. The rules are what they are and the clock and scoreboard are visible to all but the reality is with house calls you need to pump the brakes quite a bit.

This may sound easy but it is counter intuitive in many respects to a broadcast type call that is not heard by skaters. When you are calling for a regular broadcast you can call action more closely as things unfold. The timing is closer to the action in broadcast. Both are essentially forms of storytelling, just at different paces.
I will say that my kill switch on my mic is my best friend. Broadcasters live by the infamous “cough” button.

Tell us about the worst autograph signing you have had to do?
Signing my drink tab receipt at the after party is never fun.

During your tenure, tell us about the top 5 BRRG skaters that have impressed you the most?

These aren’t in any specific order,  I’m just going to throw them out there:
Eva Lucien – I cannot stress how bummed I was when I found out she would miss playing time to recoup from an injury. Her skills as a jammer are legendary! I was surprised to see her return as a blocker; her play as a blocker were likewise nothing short amazing. When I asked her why she didn’t roll back to the jam line she said “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Talk about a class act! Most standouts would fight to get back to their spotlight but she was willing to play the game as the team needed her. This type of cohesion shows in every one of the Pin Ups smiling faces as it reflects off the Hazard Cup trophy.

Stroker Ace - if you see her wicked grin you are either about to get passed or knocked on your ass. Stroker was ahead of a lot of skaters in skating ability from Jump Street. She was pulling toe stop runs before anyone I can remember and she was just sadistic in her first two seasons! I’ve watched her hit so many times that I can telegraph her shots. She’s like a shark on skates.

Erin Gargiulo – Ego, in my opinion, had the greatest rookie season out of anyone I’ve watched in the BRRG. She is just a natural on skates. She reads a pack like few can when jamming and has blinding transition speed when in the mire of the pack. She’s also the first BRRG skater to use her real name, which I love.

Rogue Cheddar (former Hard Knocker and All-Star) – The first two seasons she was a force of nature. Who could forget that Cheshire smile flying around the track annihilating the pack? She was voted “Most Feared” for good reason.

Pain Austen (former Cleveland Steamer, Queen of the former Xanadont’s) – Her folks corrected my Engrish, and she didn’t shank me for missing her name in two intros. For the record, she was NOT printed on the roster that was verified by the team cap’t. She was the smallest skater in stature and she skated with the most heart. She survived hits that would make your head hurt just by watching them. Nobody made the crowd pop like she did. They would go nuts when she jammed and go dead silent when she would take a major hit. She owned it on the track like no other. Fearless and tenacious, I miss the sheriff of Paine-sville.

What can you tell us from your perspective, about the changes you seen in the league from beginning to present day?
Season one had a lot of Rock & Roll/Punk DIY vibe. It was a revolution. The outfits were skimpy and the attitudes were pure sass. The first couple of years were like the adolescent years. It was just as much about the wild skater personalities as it was the game. Over the past two years everything matured. Uniforms became more streamlined and the understanding of the game has grown amongst the fans. People are now taking the view of sport versus the view of a sports spectacle. I used to salivate when a skater would come up with a racy or raunchy name, now I cringe. I’m way more PC and PG than I ever was when I started.

Recommend one of your favorite songs that everyone should hear?
I’ll do one better, I’ll recommend a band: WEEN. Go buy all their albums!

What are you expectations for Season 5?
Awesome things! Season 4 was the most exciting yet and it should only continue get better next year.

what do you feel is essential to propel roller derby as a sport?
Word of mouth. Tell a friend and bring two of them to a bout. Our BRRG season is short in comparison to other sports so don’t wait around!