Your Rainy City Roller Girls rocked up the Thunderdome in Oldham on Saturday, this time to meet the Amsterdam Derby Dames for some all-female, full-contact, European roller derby – the home team’s first international Roller Derby  bout since their victory over Stuttgart 2 years ago.

The event got off to a swinging start at the Thunderdome on King Street, with strong support from the home fans. A high octane bout was to follow, Rainy City starting strong, scoring 50 points in the first ten minutes while Amsterdam struggled to make their mark. However, when Rainy City’s Jammer was sent to the penalty box, Amsterdam leapt on the opportunity to put a dent in Rainy City’s lead. It wasn’t to last, and the half time score read Rainy City Roller Girls 176 – 35 Amsterdam Derby Dames.

The second half kicked off apace with Amsterdam determined to snatch the lead, and Rainy City just as determined to hang on to it. The smart gameplay and tactical manoeuvrings of the first half gave way to a more impact focused play, bigger hits, bigger falls and high-scoring jams had fans on the edge of their seats. Those watching from the high-risk “suicide line” got the best view of the action as skaters were knocked from the track, right at their feet. As the game progressed, Rainy City forged ahead and despite all attempts by Amsterdam attempts to stop them they took the day. Final score, Rainy City Roller Girls 390 – 55 Amsterdam Derby Dames.

Proceeds from our raffle will go to the Oldham Shaw Distress Fund, set up to help the families affected by last week’s disaster, in which two-year-old Jamie Heaton died and neighbour Andrew Partington, suffered serious burns. Tuesday’s explosion flattened their homes and damaged scores of other houses. Prizes were kindly donated by many awesome people, including  Into the Nightmare Clothing – catch their stall at our next bout!

Next Bout August 11th – RCRG vs Stockholm Roller Derby!

Visit, or write to us at: The Thunderdome, First Floor, 1 King Street, Oldham, OL8 1EU. For instructions on getting here, check out http://www.rcrg.co.uk/location/

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Rainy City Roller Girls enjoyed a full day of fun, as part of the celebrations from 10am-2pm in Oldham Town Centre. Many of you came to say Hi to us, to sign up for our New Skater Training, talk to us about our upcoming European bouts!

Check out this great moment, caught here on camera by one of our roller girls!

In January 2012  I passed my WTFDA Minimum Skills Assessment with Rainy City Roller Girls. I was now eligible to train with the Tender Hooligans and take part in the weekly scrimmage held every Sunday.  Knowing how hardcore the Rainy City skaters are from watching previous bouts, I’ve gotta say I was pretty terrified when I arrived at my first ever scrimmage! But when it was all over, all I wanted to do was do it again.

From the very beginning I wanted to be a jammer. I was inspired watching the likes of Missy Rascal, Cleo Fracture and Randi Razorlegs on the track. So as soon as I had the opportunity, and had plucked up enough courage, I attempted my first jam as a jammer. It was hard, as I was playing with and against some amazing skaters. But somehow, facing an opposition made up of far more experienced skaters  than me has just made me stronger each week.

What I love about roller derby is that feeling of knowing, with lots of hard work, that I can get physically and mentally strong. It’s also why I love jamming: It’s a big challenge, but if you’re passionate enough about something then you’ll work hard, and never give up.

Scrimmage provides a safe, supportive place to allow us to practise the skills we learn in our weekly team training session. Week after week, scrimmage has given me the opportunity to learn from the more experienced league members, and armed me with the knowledge and experience I need in order to face my first bout, a Rainy City Roller Girls Intraleague event, May 26^th.

After that, the Rainy City Roller Girls’ Tender Hooligans have landed the chance to play the Dublin Roller Girls in Dublin on Saturday June 2nd, and with determination, hard work and commitment, I believe we can win!

I’m preparing in other ways too. On Saturday May 5^th the Rainy City Roller Girls are hosting a bootcamp for skaters who are just passed Minimum Skills, but who are new to bouting. I’m attending the bootcamp to improve my jamming skills, and prepare for my first bouts, in a few weeks time. This is a great chance to work with experienced Rainy City A Team skaters who will be teaching vital skills and elements that I can take away and use on bout day. If you are a newly qualified skater from any league, or if you just need some extra help to prepare for a bout coming up, you should definitely consider attending a bootcamp like this.

It is just less than a year ago that I first attended the weekly New Skater Training Session, and since then I’ve never looked back. It was the best decision I ever made, and with such an enthusiastic, determined, supportive and all-round-amazing league like Rainy City I just wouldn’t want to be part of anything else!

Faye-tal Blonde #38%

So last time we covered kit. Today we try to cover you! By helping to answer that all-important question: What should I wear to play roller derby?

If you search “roller derby fashion” or other variants it’s all knee-high socks and hotpants, ruffled pants and Lycra, which is all very well but not exactly everyday wear is it? When I first started derby, my training wear consisted of a kilted mini skirt, striped socks and a band t-shirt, and I fitted right in with my team-mates. 3 years on it’s not just me who looks different. I believe there are 2 reasons for this:

1. Roller derby has evolved in the last 4 years, we have left a lot of the “cheesecake” factor behind in pursuit of greater recognition as a sport.
2. I’ve evolved too. Roller derby isn’t just something I do twice a week anymore, it’s become an all consuming passion, something that made me get over my gym phobia and my refusal to diet in pursuit of being, fitter, faster stronger.

So what advice would I give to new girls coming into the sport? Well first of all, don’t go overboard buying “fitness wear” I still wear my band t-shirts! Below is my guide to derby dressing.

T-shirt

Which ever style you feel most comfortable in, tight or baggy it really makes no difference. Long sleeves should be dodged as most elbow pads slide if you have material between the pads and your flesh.

Shorts

Long is best when you are starting out as you will be falling a lot, and trust me, you will value the extra protection the material will give you. Like myself, a lot of players train in long Capri-style leggings. If wearing long pants that go under your knee pads choose a close-cut style; baggy will cause your pads to move about when you skate, something which is definitely best avoided.

Socks

Striped socks are still in, they are brilliant as they can be pulled up to prevent scrapes on your shins. I also like padded trainer socks, they are great for long periods of skating as they reduce friction and thus blisters and other sore bits.

Underwear

Yup, you need to think about pants. When you are learnings it really doesn’t matter what type of underwear you choose, granny pants, thong, shorts, it’s irrelevant. However, once you start scrimmaging it suddenly becomes rather important. Allow me to enlighten you why…

When you scrimmage your team mates will push you, pull you and generally yank you around the track, especially if you are new to pack-work as you will often end up in the wrong place by sheer lack of experience. Your team mates will often do this by grabbing your waistband, sometimes this grabbing gets your undergarments too. This is why wearing thongs is a really bad idea. If your team mate grabs you by the waist band of your granny pants or hot pants its no big deal but if she grabs the waist of your thong and yanks, well….nobody wants that.

Sports Bra

In my opinion, a sports bra is an essential. Get fitted at a proper shop. Derby is a high-impact sport, it takes its toll on the ligaments supporting your gifts, the greater those gifts the more support they will need. Sports bras come in many types, colours and price-points these days, so you have no excuse for not defending those assets!

If you start skating with us, we can lend you skates, pads and a helmet, so you can get started straight away. However, when you catch the Derby bug, you’ll want to get yourself kitted out with your own gear. The list of things you need can be daunting, so this little article is designed to help.

Riedell Wicked Skates

To start your Derby career, here’s what you will need:

• Skates
• Wrist Guards
• Knee Pads
• Elbow Pads
• Helmet
• Mouth Guard (gum shield)

Skates

Lets start with your biggest expense…skates, what to look for where to get them and which ones to buy.

Most girls favour Riedell skates mainly because they are the most easily available and therefore cheaper and easier to buy replacement parts for.

The best value and most common starter skates are Riedell R3s. These appear to take a serious bashing before dying. Riedell Minx, She-Devils, Vixens and Wickeds are all great skates but its probably best to be certain you want to commit to derby before spending that sort of cash.

If however, your rich Uncle Ivor just popped his clogs, custom skates such as Bonts are a great way to guarantee you get what you need from your skates………..at a cost.

If you have the budget, aim for a skate with a metal plate (this is the bit that runs along the base of the boot that everything else bolts on to) they are much stronger and last longer than plastic plates. Check out second hand skates if cash is tight, ebay, Facebook and your leagues forums are great places to find these. Contact your league to see if they have any special deals with local retailers. Also, some skate shops do a 10% discount for derby leagues.

Skates can become pricey once you start upgrading the wheels, more on this later…

Protective Gear

187 Killer Pads

Knee Pads

This one is topic of hot debate. For starter gear, the Anarchy and Fox pads are good, but are only basic and will need to be replaced once you start bouting.

The most common pads are 187‘s Force III’s and Smith Scabs although we also like Protec Drop ins. All of these pads come in at around the same price bracket of £50-£90 of your English pounds, depending on your size and bartering skills.

If you have knee problems, or are concerned at all about the strength of your knees, then we highly recommend you consider spending more on your knee pads, as you only get one pair of knees.

SFR Wrist Guards

Elbow Pads

As above really, but you can get away with your basic ones much longer because they don’t take as much flak.

Wrist Guards

Most of our skaters use SFR or 187 wrist guards and they work very well.

Mouth Guards

Most girls opt for Shock Doctor or Protech mouthguards, but there are huge numbers of retailers offering custom gumshields and we are yet to find a dodgy one.

You’ll need to mould your mouthguard using hot water, to fit it to the shape of your mouth and teeth. Learning to speak with them in, is just one more skill you’ll learn when you’re training. Be prepared to deal with your own drool (and often that of others!)

Just remember to keep yours clean by dousing it in mouthwash from time to time!

Nutcase Helmets

Helmets

The derby world is dominated by two types, Nutcase and TSG. Both offer good protection won’t send your bank manager into a fit and come in pretty designs.

Basic models are fine when starting but the fit is crucial, a badly fitted helmet can actually do more harm than good. Make sure you get the right size and play around with the padding and straps till it feels right then get someone else to check the fit.

Upgrades

Once you’ve been skating long enough to figure out what kind of skater you are, and what you like to do on the track, you might be ready to upgrade your wheels, bearings or plates to give you more performance. Here’s a very brief run-down on the options – future articles will describe these in detail…

Atom Jukes

Wheels

There are so many variables to consider when choosing wheels: the floor, your skate style, your budget and personal preferences. The best way to figure out what will work best for you is to check out what other girls are using and ask if you can do a lap or two on them (most girls won’t mind).

Wheels come in different widths (38mm, 42mm) and heights (62mm, 58mm) and can have cores made from nylon or aluminium. Wheel hardness is given an A-rating such as 88A, 92A, 95A and so on. The lower the number, the softer the wheel. Softer wheels are grippier, but harder wheels give you more speed.

Some skaters have harder wheels on the right edge of each foot, and slightly softer ones on the left side, to give you a bit extra grip and underpush for your crossovers.

Narrower/shorter wheels give you more agility at the expense of stability. It’s up to you to work out if the trade-off is worth it, based on your skating style.

Bearings

Bearings

Each wheel is mounted on its axle via two bearings, which are small, circular pieces of hardware, that form the contact point between the wheel and the axle, so their properties influence how easily the wheel will spin.

Some bearing manufacturers state an ABEC rating, from 1 to 9. In theory, the higher the number the “quicker” the bearing will spin, although side-to-side movement is not taken into account. The bearings that come with the basic R3 skates are ABEC 5.

Many companies do not show the ABEC rating, such as Bones Bearings, which makes bearings specifically for skateboarding, often marketed as “Skate Rated”. The original Swiss Bones bearings are well-liked among derby skaters, as are the Bones Reds.

Plates

Powerdyne Revenge Plate

The plates are the part of the skate that attach the wheels to the boot. It’s made up of a flat plate structure, with a truck and axle assembly, which can be adjusted for different skating requirements.

Nylon plates are lighter, but not as strong as aluminium or other metal plates, so the trade-off here is between weight/agility and strength/stability. Metal plates come in different weights, so it’s worth doing a bit of homework before you choose a price point.

Most skate shops will fit plates for you, which is pretty awesome, as it’s a long and intensive job. If you’re brave enough to try it yourself, make sure you do the proper research and have the right tools.

Our Favourite Suppliers

Into the Nitemare are a roller derby store in Falkirk. They sell skates, protective gear, clothing and accessories. All their products are available to order online, and you can also catch them at our bouts, to browse their products in the flesh. They do free delivery and have some great offers on their Facebook page from time to time! Go Like!

Everglides are a great online shop that sell most basic quad skates, accessories and protective gear, with free next day delivery.

Skate Attack are a skater-run skate gear shop based in Enfield. They ship next day on most items and have a good range of gear in stock.

Billy’s Skate Shop have a great selection of wheels, and they do free delivery too.

So you’ve got the kit, you’ve got your first bout, so how the heck to you get everything from A to B… And what exactly should be in there? 3 and half years of derby has taught me a lot, and one if the things I’d like to share with you is how to be prepared for a bout without trying to carry the kitchen sink!

In my opinion, the kit bag, whether you go with a bag or a case, has to have wheels. Seriously, your kit weighs a tonne and the first time you have to carry it up hill you will wish, like you, your kit had wheels.

Your basic kit will of course consist of:

• Skates
• Pads
• Helmet
• Gum shield
• Water bottle

Other items I’d pack are:

• Spare gum shield They are by their nature small and can easily go walk about, as borrowing one is out of the question always have a cheap boil and bite one stashed in your bag. It’ll do until your proper one turns up or you can get to the shops.
• Skate tool
  Check regularly that is still in your bag, the designs for skate tools are all nearly identical and it is ridiculously easy to appropriate one that isn’t yours by accident. Marking them with nail polish is my favourite trick.
• Gaffer tape
  Used for so many things, taping up bout fits, securing pads, repairing skates.
• Spare laces
  Trust me you will curse the grass blue the first time you snap laces and have to sit out because you didn’t pack spares.
• Bearing cleaner
  Whatever your preference (I’m not even touching that debate or this article will come in hardback) have some in your bag! Fluff, dust and other goo can really mess up your day. It never fails to amaze me how quickly bearing can go from “a bit sluggish” to “too gooed to move”
• Sharpie
  For writing your numbers on, don’t assume someone else will bring one.
• A first aid kit
  It doesn’t have to be massive just a few essentials like sticky plasters for blisters and scratches, plus any medication you need or might need for an ongoing medical condition, asthma inhalers, antihistamines that sorta jazz. Remember to include painkillers – Ibuprofen is good bets as it helps keep down swelling too, and Sudocrem is the best thing for rink rash ever.
• Ice packs
  Yes they should always be available but this is not a perfect world.

Other really handy stuff:

• Baby wipes To remove make-up, numbers and really handy for when you whiff but showering isn’t possible.
• Spare wheels
  If your budget will stretch, have different sets for spares, or to account for different floor types.
• Vaseline
  Rub into the leather of your boots if they rub a good quick fix for new skates can also reduce the friction on blisters stopping them from getting worse
• Dextrose tablets
  A good emergency energy boost for those days you realise you skipped lunch only after you hit the track. They are also rather good for nausea, suck one whenever you feel queasy.

Away bouts…

Even if you aren’t intending to stay over you should have something for overnight with you, and a “ditch kit” just in case:

A ditch kit is basically a grab it and run bag with all the basic essentials you need to survive. Mine is a tiny purple one about the size of book. It should be small enough to occupy a corner of your kit bag but without getting in the way. Fling it in your handbag and off you go. Here’s what’s in mine

• Folding toothbrush
• Mini toothpaste
• Mini packet of wet wipes
• Mini body wash
• Dry shampoo
• Hair band
• Hair grip
• Clean pants
• Doe spray.
• Spare dosh for cab fares etc.
• Emergency phone charger

In your weekend bag:

• Both team colours
  In case of last min change of plan, it’s never happened to me, but you hear stories.
• Something to sleep in.
• Chargers for your phone/gadgets
• MP3 player- long bus journeys suck
• A book
  Insomnia in a strange city is a cruel form of torture.
• Ear plugs
  4 am is not a good time to find out your room mate snores
• Your make-up bag
• Pro plus
• Resolve
  Trust me on this one.
• Towel
  In the words of the late Douglas Adam “Always know where your towel is”. If you are staying in a youth hostel rather than a hotel they often don’t provide them.  In the words of Morgue-Anna “Sharing towels is icky”.
• The phone number of at least one member of the home team, so you can call for directions/help/a space to crash.
• The phone number if at least one member of your team, so you can let them know if you decide to bounce off anywhere without them.
• Clearasil or similar – Best stuff for getting sharpie out of your skin.
• Any toiletries that aren’t in your ditch kit.
• Change of clothes.
• Spare medication (if you are taking any).
• A photocopy of any vital documents ie hotel reservation, passport, directions to venue.
• Sanitary protection
  The last thing you need on bout day is a sneak attack from Aunt Flo, keep spares just in case you or your team buddies need them.