Recap of Feline Fest ((MEOW))

Pic by Liz S: Party Fowler, Sara G., Jane Wayne Gacy, Liz S., Glamthrax, Trixie Firecracker, and Anacringe Skywalker

True story: In high school, I wore cat ears as a fashion statement.
I’m a cat person.
It’s safe to say that in a few years’ time, you will find me standing outside my house in a cat pee-stained robe yelling at kids to get off my lawn while a chorus of fifty or so cats meow in the background.
I’m training myself in the ways of being the old crazy cat lady by fostering kittens for the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society. Sometimes kittens that come into the shelter need a bit more time to grow before they are ready for adoption, so that’s where I come in. I share my home with a couple little balls of fuzz for a few months, and then it’s time to say goodbye.
Normally I don’t get to see what happens once I say goodbye to my foster kittens. Then I was asked to bring along some roller derby friends to Feline Fest! The shelter is involved in a competition to adopt out 300% more animals over the next three months than they did last year. If they win, they will receive $100,000 from the ASPCA. Feline Fest was the grand kickoff to the Mohawk and Hudson shelter’s adoption push to win the competition. There was face painting, grilling, a rummage sale, and most importantly, roller derby girls! We skated around for awhile (well, some of us did, I’m personally not a fan of outdoor skating) selling tickets to a 50/50 raffle. We also got to talk about one of our favorite topics – our pets!


Glamthrax made a wicked awesome collage of some of the roller derby cats!

We all made several trips inside to pet the kitties and puppies (and bunnies!). Skater Jane Wayne Gacy took home a new friend for her cat. Sara G. found a new possible addition to her family in a dog named Doodle. And I tried several times to get my pair of foster kittens adopted. They didn’t find their forever home today, but I know someone will adopt them soon. Having a derby girl as a foster mom definitely makes them the coolest cats in the room!
The Feline Fest 50/50 raffle made $122 (so the winner got $61). That money, combined with other donations made that day, made the shelter over $425. And 29 kitties found their forever home on Saturday!
A big thanks to Trixie Firecracker, Party Fowler, Jane Wayne Gacy, Glamthrax, Liz S. and Sara G. for making it out today to support the shelter!

May the force (and kitties!) be with you.
-Anacringe Skywalker

5 Questions with Liz S.

Click here to see "freshie" Liz S. answer some questions for the Troy Record!

2010 Season Recap Part 2

Photo courtesy of Rob Gierthy

DPH Debut Number 1:

The Department of Public Hurts was pleased to present a new lineup on January 30th with rookies Joan of Arkham, Bada Bing King, Betty Blitzkrieg, Deck’em Beckham and Molly Apocolypse rounding out the roster. Up against the Green Mountain Derby Dames these ladies entered the first period with heart and enthusiasm. As they struggled to find their stride, Vermont was able to garner themselves a large lead, 50 to 9. Ignoring the annoyingly loud vuvuzela brought by our opponent’s fans, our determined jammers, BSide Blaze, Liv Dangerously, KD Bang and Betty Blitzkrieg, managed to squeak out a few more points in the second period thanks to some great walls from Deck’em and Liv as well as Elle Hathnofury and Glamthrax. The fierce hits of Arkham and Bing brought the opposing jammer to her knees more than once, helping to stymie Vermont’s quickly growing lead. Finally, in the third period, a 10 point jam from newcomer Betty Blitzkrieg brought the crowd to their feet. But it was too late and Vermont delivered a crushing defeat, 128 to 40, to some of our newest skaters.

Favorite Moment: Moe Cheezmo announcing the DPH roster as our fans cheered for the now trademark aviator glasses of Bada Bing King and the strange sight of Liv Dangerously in cut-off jean shorts.

Highest Scoring Jammer: Betty Blitzkrieg

Help Us Support Feline Fest!

Some of the derby girls will be there today. Below is some info from the website. You can click here to learn even more about it. Derby girls will give free hugs to anyone who donates!

Join Us for Feline Fest 2010!
The Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society is proud to announce its fourth annual Feline Fest on August 19 through 22. This festival is a four-day celebration of America's most popular pet. The Society's shelter and two PetSmart locations are filled with cats and kittens in urgent need of new homes!

During Feline Fest, adoption fees will be $50 for kittens, $35 for cats aged 6 months up to 3 years, and FREE for cats 3 years and over. The shelter's hours will be extended to 8pm on Thursday, August 19.

In addition, on Saturday, August 21 from 10am to 5pm, the Society will offer:

* Rabies vaccination clinic ($10 each, first-come first-serve)
* Food and beverages
* Rummage sale
* Bake sale
* 50/50 raffle
* Face painting

Scrimmage with CNYRD

Last night, 8/19, a few of us made it over to Rome, NY to scrimmage with the ladies of Central New York Roller Derby and some gentlemen from the Quadfathers. CNYRD’s Blue Collar Betties are prepping for an August 28th bout with the Jerzey Derby Brigade’s Corporal Punishers.

Four out of the five of us skaters that went are fairly new to scrimmaging other teams, but we held our own and had such an awesome time! Skating with people of varied abilities and styles is a great experience and can be beneficial when preparing for a bout. It’s often hard to anticipate how another team is going to skate or what type of competition they will bring, so being ready for anything is key.

The Betties are looking pretty nifty with strong blockers and speedy jammers. Check them out in Morristown, NJ on the 28th!

Thank you for your hospitality and good luck next Saturday!

Sponsor the AASRD as we walk for animals!

The AASRD will have a team of walkers participating in the Animal Protective Foundation Fireplug 500, Walk for Animals on Saturday September 11, 2010 in Central Park, Schenectady. If you are interested in sponsoring our team please visit this link and make a donation. All donations received go towards food, shelter, supplies, medical care and low cost spaying and neutering. In addition the funds collected help continue programs and classes that educate the community on animal issues.

The shelter finds permanent homes for hundreds of homeless pets a year. Please help us reach our goal of $1000 so we can help the APF continue their good work. Thank you for your support.

2010 Season Recap Part 1

****Over the next few weeks we will be doing individual posts recapping the 2010 season. Stay tuned for all the info, especially if you missed any of the bouts. The recap is courtesy of Black and Blue Jean.****

The Season Opener:

On January 9th the Empire Skate Troopers took on the Beasts of the Northeast, a compilation team consisting of players from the Hudson Valley Horrors, Assault City Roller Girls, Roc City Roller Derby, New Hampshire Roller Derby and the Boston Derby Dames. Newly promoted skaters Trixie Firecracker, Liv Dangerously and Black & Blue Jean, were thrilled at their debut as members of EST. Energy flowed from the crowd as their favorite jammers, Dottie Damage, Big Headed Honky, Scarlet O’Hackya, B-Side Blaze and Katastrophe, managed to leave us up by ten points at the end of the first period. In the second period, with big hits from KD Bang and Merry Pain, and great aggressive jamming the ladies found themselves with a 40 point lead (89 to 49). The third period, our jammers exhausted but our lead already so large, the team was rescued by the phenomenal booty blocking of Glamthrax and great defensive strategy as witnessed by tight walls. EST won, 106 to 82, and celebrated the beginning of the 2010 season with pride.

Favorite Moment: A huge whip from KD Bang to jammer Scarlet while simultaneously blocking a threatening opponent.

Highest Scoring Jammer: Dottie Damage

Not So Fresh Meat

Not So Fresh Meat
(A piece by freshie skater Jessica B.)

June 1st I joined and starting practicing with the Albany All Stars. I am still not quite sure what I was exactly thinking. I do remember having my butt handed to me that first practice - and all I did was some endurance drills and basics!! However, there is an odd sense of satisfaction having survived that AND continued to go back for more

Technically I am about 40 days into my 90 day probation period (we had a month break from mid June to mid July) and while I still have my "what did I get myself into moments" they are just that. Moments. I am 100% in love with roller derby (still). Physically this is the hardest thing I have ever done (having not been athletic to begin with, for some that may not be saying too much), mentally and emotionally it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. More so now that I have started to scrimmage.

Quick definition for fans who may not know....scrimmage is basically a practice jam. We have a pack. We have jammers. We try to score points and knock each other on our asses. At least that is how I see it.

My first scrimmage was the "fresh meat" group divided into black shirts and white shirts with Trixie Firecracker as the jammer for one team (she switched sides so each "team" could have the chance to "kill the jammer" (not her team) or get the jammer through the pack (that's her team!)

What a thrill!!!

There is an amazing rush of thoughts as you jam. Who do I need to hit? Who's gearing up to hit me? Where the eff is the jammer?? OMG!!! Almost fell!! OMG!!!! Just fell!!! GET UP GET UP GET UP!!!!! Rejoin pack! Where the eff is the jammer??? Who the hell is yelling at me and WTF are they telling me to do?!?!? Look back!! Look back again!!!! WHERE THE EFF IS THE JAMMER?!?!?!?!?!

While I didn't knock anyone down, I did get in some good shoves. Oh. And in case you didn't realize from my fairly accurate inner monologue, I fell. Hard. Twice actually. I am told I got back up quick. I personally think they are all liars. I felt like a flailing, flopping fish outta water as I tried to get back up. However, I did get back up. That is just what you have to do. Get up. Derby is life. You try hard. You keep trying. You get knocked down, but you get right back up and keep going.

A week later, scrimmaging again, I got to try being a jammer. Totally different inner monologue.

OMG OMG What was I thinking??? Ok, where are my teammates? Eff! She's gonna hit me! Push back! Grab teammate - get through!! YAY!!!!! Made it! Ok, let's start looping around. LOVE YOU CROSSOVERS!!! Damn.....the pack is moving pretty fast.... Must *gasp* catch *gasp* up *wheeze*!!!!!

I am now in awe and very jealous of those endurance levels of the other girls. More so of those that are jammers more often than not. But, I am glad I tried.

Now that I am not so fresh meat, and I am doing these scrimmages, more and more the reality of myself being able to bout one day is sinking in.....AND I LOVE IT!

I LOVE roller derby. It really does change you....how? Well, let me end with this.....

You know you play derby when.......

- You flash your butt to friends in public places to show them your bruise you got at the last practice/bout

- You are perfectly ok with going to public places in booty shorts, fishnets or tights, knee socks and covered in sweat after practice

- You own more pairs of knee socks and fishnets than you do regular socks and stockings

- You DO own a helmet and are damn proud of all the cool stickers on it

- You drive like you skate. Weaving in and out of traffic. Booty blocking tailgaters and sometimes, you give other drivers the signal for cutting the track when they piss you off as they cut you off.....

Come See Us In Windham NY

August 26-29 The Windham 2010 Mountain Bike World Cup Festival will take place in Windham, NY.

The night of the 27th there will be a block party in the town. Your very own Albany All Stars will be there to do a demo. Get out of the city for the night, head on out to Windham and see us do our thing.

Click here for more info about the Block Party.

Photographer Sebastien Barre Gives AASRD a Shout Out

(Photo: They Move - Salt Lake City, UT by Barre)

Click Here to read about him and see more of his work. Amazing stuff, don't miss it!

Learn A Few Things About The Great Merry Pain

(Photo by Walter Romero)

Check out "5 Questions with Merry Pain" in the Troy Record!

Derby Ladies At The Diamond Dance

(Erika, Helen, Elle & Mary Pat)

A few weeks ago a small group of us went to the Diamond Dance up in Saratoga. The Diamond Dance is the Northeast's largest monthly swing dance. It's put on by Saratoga Savoy. David Wolf from Saratoga Savoy invited us down and we got to dance the night away with one of our favorite bands...Slick Fitty!

This guy really wanted to teach Mary Pat to Waltz!

After the dance we went out for a drink on Caroline St. and Helen ran into this local man who likes to dress like the Hulk. Seriously! We should've invited him to tryout for men's derby....