53 in 53 in 2014 – updated December 1, 2014

Round round get around I get around

Derby, the final frontier. Welcome to 2014 as we try boldly one more time for 52 in 52.

Keep checking my Flickr site at Midnight Matinee for the latest Derby photos and more!

As a brief intro: we are based in the city of Toronto, Ontario which happens to be in Canada. This particular province has more than 50 leagues and have the considerable pleasure of being able to consider many of the leagues as friends and have the privilege of shooting in their rinks or arenas. We endeavour to hit the road in all directions, and many times that includes south of the border. Last year for the first time we hit the WFTDA D1 and D2 playoffs and culminating in the WFTDA Championships themselves in Madison, Wisconsin.

Latest update as of October 14, 2014: Survived Team Ontario Bootcamp in Kingston, Ontario. Five classes of top notch players and coaches providing the drills, then a black and white scrimmage with Team Ontario dispersed with the attendees. Lots of learning and thinking.  

Latest update as of October 8, 2014: We’re back home again after our second WFTDA D1 playoffs of the year at Salt Lake City, Utah. Not quite safe and not quite sound. We endure. Next stop: somewhere in Kingston for the Team Ontario Bootcamp and Team Ontario vs. Team Ontario scrimmage.

R M R G Rocky Mountain Roller Girls at WFTDA D1 Salt Lake City, UTAH The home of Wasatch

Latest update as of August 12, 2014: Hello again! The road experience intensifies as we enjoyed a most memorable night amongst Detroit Derby Girls at their end of year Rollies Awards commemorating 9 years of existence. Way to go DDG! The overnight bus back to Toronto and then up to Elora, Ontario to witness the Fergus Feims engage the Border City Brawlers from Windsor, Ontario in a tough and tightly competitive bout falling 153-157 at the last jam.  Next up: Ohio.

The end of the longest weekend in Fergus

New Skids on the Block @ Quad City Chaos 2014

This derby nomad looks forward to visiting familiar and new friends and facing new adventures in newer territories. There might be an occasional break in the schedule to give the camera and lights a respite. However, we are still endeavouring to shoot derby every week if possible, so if you want to keep the streak going and have Derby happening in your league and if we can get there, feel free to drop me a line!

Team Ontario at The Bunker on February 8, 2014

 

1. Thursday, December 4 – Sunday December 7, 2014 – Blood and Thunder World Cup – Dallas, Texas
2. Saturday, November 15, 2014 – The ORG and TMRD vs. The World – Toronto Outrage vs. The World [co-ed] / Orangeville Pulp Affliction vs. Royal City Rollergirls The Brute-Leggers – Orangeville Agricultural Centre – Orangeville, Ontario
3. Saturday, November 8, 2014 – Hoser Closer 2 – [Alliston Jr. Roller Derby] Blister Sisters vs. [Niagara Junior Roller Derby] Midway Mayhem /Bombshell Battalion vs. South Simcoe – Alliston Memorial Arena – Alliston, Ontario
4. Friday, OCT. 31 – Sunday, NOV. 2: WFTDA Championships – NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA
5. Saturday, October 25, 2014 – NATIONAL GUARD Feat: Team Canada, Team Ontario, Misfit Militia, Bay Street Bruisers – Alliston, ONTARIO
6. Friday, October 24, 2014 – Camp Pivotstar Junior Eastern Jamboroee – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
7. Saturday, October 18, 2014 – BLOCKTOBERFEST – Orangeville Pulp Affliction vs. Kingston Rogue Warriors – Orangeville Agricultural Centre – Orangeville, ONTARIO
8. Saturday, October 11, 2014 – Team Ontario Bootcamp – Kingston, ONTARIO
9. Friday, September 26 to Sunday, September 28, 2014 – WFTDA 2014 Division 1 Playoffs – Salt Lake City, UT
10. Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21, 2014 – WFTDA 2014 Division 1 Playoffs – Evansville, IN
11. Sunday, September 14, 2014 – Death Track Dolls vs. Total Vicious Tramps #2 / Smoke City Betties vs. Total Vicious Tramps #1 – Moses Springer Arena, Kitchener, ONTARIO
12. Saturday, September 13, 2014 – D-VAS vs. Capital City Dollinquents / Bay Street Bruisers vs. Muddy River – The Bunker, Parc Downwview Park, ONTARIO
13. Saturday, September 6, 2014 – Orangeville Pulp Affliction vs. Durham Motor City Madames – Orangeville, ONTARIO
14. Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24, 2014 – WFTDA 2014 Division 2 Playoffs – Waterloo Memorial Arena, Kitchener-Waterloo, ONTARIO
15. Saturday, August 16, 2014 – Cincinnati Rollergirls vs. Ohio Roller Girls – Ohio Expo Centre – Columbus, OHIO
16. Saturday, August 9, 2014 – Fergus Feims [Home 153] vs. Border City Brawlers [Away 157] – Elora, ONTARIO
17. Friday, August 8, 2014 – Detroit Derby Girls Rollie Awards – Detroit, MI
18. Saturday, July 26, 2014 – 4th Annual Gibson’s  Cup – Atom Smashers vs. Motor City Madames / Juniors Scrimmage Black vs. White [Alliston Junior Roller

    Derby and Toronto Junior Roller Derby] – Ajax Memorial Arena – Ajax,ONTARIO

    

    4th Annual Gibson’s Cup – July 26, 2014

19. Saturday, July 19, 2014 – S*M*A*S*H – triple header – Fergus Feims [Fergus Roller Derby] vs. Luscious Lunch Ladies [Forest City Derby Girls] / Misfit Militia [Misfit Militia Roller Derby] vs. Timber Rollers [Forest City Derby Girls] / Crow City [Crow City Roller Girls] vs. Grey Bruce Highland Dames – Alliston Memorial Arena – Alliston, ONTARIO
20. Saturday, July 12, 2014 – Hammer City Harlots vs. Ithaca BlueStockings / HCRG Eh! vs. Ithaca SufferJets – Dave Andreychuk Arena – Hamilton, ONTARIO
21. Saturday, July 5, 2014 – JRDA North & Northeast Tournament – The Bunker, Parc Downwview Park, ONTARIO
22. Saturday, June 28, 2014 – Burning River vs. Lake Effect Furies / Ithaca League of Junior Derby vs. Queen City Junior Roller Girls – Rainbow Rink, North Tonawanda, NY
23. Friday, June 20 – Sunday, June 22,2014-ECDX2014-Feasterville,PAzzzzzzz
    

    The orange of Tiger Baby Brawlers at ECDX 2014

24. Saturday, June 7, 2014 – Queen City Roller Girls Championships – Rainbow Rink, North Tonawanda, NY
25. Saturday, May 31, 2014 – Crow City Roller Girls vs.TheDecapulettes – Stratford Allen Arena, Stratford, ONTARIO
    

    The Decapulettes vs. Crow City Roller Girls * last jam over

26. Saturday, May 24, 2014 – Tri-City Roller Derby doubleheader – Total Knock-Outs vs. Vicious Dishes / Kingston Disloyalists vs. Venus Fly Tramps – Waterloo Rec Centre, Waterloo,ONTARIO
    

    Lippy Wrongstocking – Vicious Dishes how do derby players recognize photos of themselves?

27. Sunday, May 18, 2014 – TMRD vs. Betties/Misfits/Orangeville – The Bunker – Downsview Park, ONTARIO
28. Saturday, May 17, 2014 – School of Hard Blocks – Area 705 Smooth Operators vs. Grey Bruce Highland Dames / Atom Smashers vs. Capital City Dollinquents – Douro Community Centre – Douro, Ontario
29. Saturday, May 10, 2014 – Mother of All Bouts – Rogue Warriors vs. Skateful Dead / Kingston Disloyalists vs. Les Duchesses – Kingston, Ontario
30. Saturday, May 3, 2014 – Brides vs. Grooms Coed Scrimmage – Mount Forest, ONTARIO
31. Saturday, May 3, 2014 – D-VAS vs. Fergus Feims – Centre Wellingston Sportsplex – Fergus, ONTARIO
32. Saturday, April 26 – Sunday, April 27, 2014 – Beast of the East, Arena St-Louis, Montréal, PQ
33. Friday, April 25, 2014 – CN Power vs. Montreal New Skids on the Block – Arena St-Louis, Montréal, PQ
34. Saturday, April 19, 2014 – Border City Brawlers vs. Fergus Feims / Canadian Clubbers vs. Orangeville Pulp Affliction – Windsor, ONTARIO
35. Sunday, April 13, 2014 – Toronto Roller Derby Fresh Meat – The Bunker, Downsview Park, ONTARIO
36. Saturday, April 12, 2014 – Tri-City Roller Derby Home Opener – Brandywine Belligerents vs. Tri-City Thunder / Brandywine Brawlers vs. Plan B – New Hamburg, ONTARIO
37. Sunday, March 30, 2014 – Freaks vs. Geeks Spring Scrimmage – New Hamburg Arena – New Hamburg, ONTARIO
38. Saturday, March 29, 2014 – Timber Rollers vs. G-stars, Los Coños vs. Thames Fatales – Western Fair Agriplex – London, ONTARIO
39. Saturday, March 22 – Sunday March 23,2014-QuadCityChaos-TheBunker-ParcDownsview Park,ONTARIO
    

    Quad City Chaos 2010 at The Hangar

40. Sunday, March 16, 2014 – CN Power vs.Killamazoo DerbyDarlins-TheBunker-ParcDownsview Park,ONTARIO
    

    CN Power vs. Killamazoo Derby Darlins at The Bunker
    March 16, 2014

41. Saturday, March 15, 2014 – Derby Debutantes vs. Orangeville Pulp Affliction – Orangeville, ONTARIO
42. Sunday, March 9, 2014 – CN Power vs. Tri-City Roller Girls – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
43. Sunday, March 9, 2014 – Toronto Men’s Roller Derby – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
44. Saturday, March 1, 2014 – Chicks Ahoy vs. Smoke City Betties / Death Track Dolls vs. Gore Gore Rollergirls – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
45. Sunday, February 25, 2014 – Toronto Men’s Roller Derby Toronto Outrage vs. Queen City Roller Girls Nickel City Knockouts – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
46. Saturday, February 24, 2014 – Beat the Winter Blues! Scrimmage and Training – Toronto Roller Derby – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
47. Sunday, February 16, 2014 – Bloody Valentine Co-ed Scrimmage – Orangeville, Ontario
48. Saturday, February 8, 2014 – CN Power vs. Team Ontario – The Bunker, Toronto, Ontario
49. Sunday, February 2, 2014 – NCKO practice / Suicidal Saucies practice / Alley Kats practice – Rainbow Rink, Queen City / Buffalo, NY
50. Saturday, February 1, 2014 – Alley Kats vs. Suicidal Saucies / Enchanted Mountain vs. Queen City Junior Roller Girls – Rainbow Rink, Queen City / North Tonawanda, NY
51. Saturday, January 25, 2014 – Alliston Blister Sisters vs. Torontosaurus Wrex / Chicks Ahoy! vs. Gore-Gore Rollergirls – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, Ontario
52. Saturday, January 18, 2014 – Devil’s Night Dames vs. Grand Prix Madonnas – Masonic Temple, Detroit, MI
53. Saturday, January 11, 2014 – Devil Dollies vs. Nickel City Knockouts – Rainbow Rink, Queen City Rollergirls / North Tonawanda, NY

---

Thank you to Pack It Up! for their lovely words and recognition. Click here.

photo credit: Meg Mckenna

Thanks Derby!

53 in 53 in 2014 – updated December 1, 2014

Round round get around I get around

Derby, the final frontier. Welcome to 2014 as we try boldly one more time for 52 in 52.

Keep checking my Flickr site at Midnight Matinee for the latest Derby photos and more!

As a brief intro: we are based in the city of Toronto, Ontario which happens to be in Canada. This particular province has more than 50 leagues and have the considerable pleasure of being able to consider many of the leagues as friends and have the privilege of shooting in their rinks or arenas. We endeavour to hit the road in all directions, and many times that includes south of the border. Last year for the first time we hit the WFTDA D1 and D2 playoffs and culminating in the WFTDA Championships themselves in Madison, Wisconsin.

Latest update as of October 14, 2014: Survived Team Ontario Bootcamp in Kingston, Ontario. Five classes of top notch players and coaches providing the drills, then a black and white scrimmage with Team Ontario dispersed with the attendees. Lots of learning and thinking.  

Latest update as of October 8, 2014: We’re back home again after our second WFTDA D1 playoffs of the year at Salt Lake City, Utah. Not quite safe and not quite sound. We endure. Next stop: somewhere in Kingston for the Team Ontario Bootcamp and Team Ontario vs. Team Ontario scrimmage.

R M R G Rocky Mountain Roller Girls at WFTDA D1 Salt Lake City, UTAH The home of Wasatch

Latest update as of August 12, 2014: Hello again! The road experience intensifies as we enjoyed a most memorable night amongst Detroit Derby Girls at their end of year Rollies Awards commemorating 9 years of existence. Way to go DDG! The overnight bus back to Toronto and then up to Elora, Ontario to witness the Fergus Feims engage the Border City Brawlers from Windsor, Ontario in a tough and tightly competitive bout falling 153-157 at the last jam.  Next up: Ohio.

The end of the longest weekend in Fergus

New Skids on the Block @ Quad City Chaos 2014

This derby nomad looks forward to visiting familiar and new friends and facing new adventures in newer territories. There might be an occasional break in the schedule to give the camera and lights a respite. However, we are still endeavouring to shoot derby every week if possible, so if you want to keep the streak going and have Derby happening in your league and if we can get there, feel free to drop me a line!

Team Ontario at The Bunker on February 8, 2014

 

1. Thursday, December 4 – Sunday December 7, 2014 – Blood and Thunder World Cup – Dallas, Texas
2. Saturday, November 15, 2014 – The ORG and TMRD vs. The World – Toronto Outrage vs. The World [co-ed] / Orangeville Pulp Affliction vs. Royal City Rollergirls The Brute-Leggers – Orangeville Agricultural Centre – Orangeville, Ontario
3. Saturday, November 8, 2014 – Hoser Closer 2 – [Alliston Jr. Roller Derby] Blister Sisters vs. [Niagara Junior Roller Derby] Midway Mayhem /Bombshell Battalion vs. South Simcoe – Alliston Memorial Arena – Alliston, Ontario
4. Friday, OCT. 31 – Sunday, NOV. 2: WFTDA Championships – NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA
5. Saturday, October 25, 2014 – NATIONAL GUARD Feat: Team Canada, Team Ontario, Misfit Militia, Bay Street Bruisers – Alliston, ONTARIO
6. Friday, October 24, 2014 – Camp Pivotstar Junior Eastern Jamboroee – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
7. Saturday, October 18, 2014 – BLOCKTOBERFEST – Orangeville Pulp Affliction vs. Kingston Rogue Warriors – Orangeville Agricultural Centre – Orangeville, ONTARIO
8. Saturday, October 11, 2014 – Team Ontario Bootcamp – Kingston, ONTARIO
9. Friday, September 26 to Sunday, September 28, 2014 – WFTDA 2014 Division 1 Playoffs – Salt Lake City, UT
10. Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September 21, 2014 – WFTDA 2014 Division 1 Playoffs – Evansville, IN
11. Sunday, September 14, 2014 – Death Track Dolls vs. Total Vicious Tramps #2 / Smoke City Betties vs. Total Vicious Tramps #1 – Moses Springer Arena, Kitchener, ONTARIO
12. Saturday, September 13, 2014 – D-VAS vs. Capital City Dollinquents / Bay Street Bruisers vs. Muddy River – The Bunker, Parc Downwview Park, ONTARIO
13. Saturday, September 6, 2014 – Orangeville Pulp Affliction vs. Durham Motor City Madames – Orangeville, ONTARIO
14. Friday, August 22 to Sunday, August 24, 2014 – WFTDA 2014 Division 2 Playoffs – Waterloo Memorial Arena, Kitchener-Waterloo, ONTARIO
15. Saturday, August 16, 2014 – Cincinnati Rollergirls vs. Ohio Roller Girls – Ohio Expo Centre – Columbus, OHIO
16. Saturday, August 9, 2014 – Fergus Feims [Home 153] vs. Border City Brawlers [Away 157] – Elora, ONTARIO
17. Friday, August 8, 2014 – Detroit Derby Girls Rollie Awards – Detroit, MI
18. Saturday, July 26, 2014 – 4th Annual Gibson’s  Cup – Atom Smashers vs. Motor City Madames / Juniors Scrimmage Black vs. White [Alliston Junior Roller
    Derby and Toronto Junior Roller Derby] – Ajax Memorial Arena – Ajax,ONTARIO

    

    4th Annual Gibson’s Cup – July 26, 2014

19. Saturday, July 19, 2014 – S*M*A*S*H – triple header – Fergus Feims [Fergus Roller Derby] vs. Luscious Lunch Ladies [Forest City Derby Girls] / Misfit Militia [Misfit Militia Roller Derby] vs. Timber Rollers [Forest City Derby Girls] / Crow City [Crow City Roller Girls] vs. Grey Bruce Highland Dames – Alliston Memorial Arena – Alliston, ONTARIO
20. Saturday, July 12, 2014 – Hammer City Harlots vs. Ithaca BlueStockings / HCRG Eh! vs. Ithaca SufferJets – Dave Andreychuk Arena – Hamilton, ONTARIO
21. Saturday, July 5, 2014 – JRDA North & Northeast Tournament – The Bunker, Parc Downwview Park, ONTARIO
22. Saturday, June 28, 2014 – Burning River vs. Lake Effect Furies / Ithaca League of Junior Derby vs. Queen City Junior Roller Girls – Rainbow Rink, North Tonawanda, NY
23. Friday, June 20 – Sunday, June 22,2014-ECDX2014-Feasterville,PAzzzzzzz

    

    The orange of Tiger Baby Brawlers at ECDX 2014

24. Saturday, June 7, 2014 – Queen City Roller Girls Championships – Rainbow Rink, North Tonawanda, NY
25. Saturday, May 31, 2014 – Crow City Roller Girls vs.TheDecapulettes – Stratford Allen Arena, Stratford, ONTARIO

    

    The Decapulettes vs. Crow City Roller Girls * last jam over

26. Saturday, May 24, 2014 – Tri-City Roller Derby doubleheader – Total Knock-Outs vs. Vicious Dishes / Kingston Disloyalists vs. Venus Fly Tramps – Waterloo Rec Centre, Waterloo,ONTARIO

    

    Lippy Wrongstocking – Vicious Dishes how do derby players recognize photos of themselves?

27. Sunday, May 18, 2014 – TMRD vs. Betties/Misfits/Orangeville – The Bunker – Downsview Park, ONTARIO
28. Saturday, May 17, 2014 – School of Hard Blocks – Area 705 Smooth Operators vs. Grey Bruce Highland Dames / Atom Smashers vs. Capital City Dollinquents – Douro Community Centre – Douro, Ontario
29. Saturday, May 10, 2014 – Mother of All Bouts – Rogue Warriors vs. Skateful Dead / Kingston Disloyalists vs. Les Duchesses – Kingston, Ontario
30. Saturday, May 3, 2014 – Brides vs. Grooms Coed Scrimmage – Mount Forest, ONTARIO
31. Saturday, May 3, 2014 – D-VAS vs. Fergus Feims – Centre Wellingston Sportsplex – Fergus, ONTARIO
32. Saturday, April 26 – Sunday, April 27, 2014 – Beast of the East, Arena St-Louis, Montréal, PQ
33. Friday, April 25, 2014 – CN Power vs. Montreal New Skids on the Block – Arena St-Louis, Montréal, PQ
34. Saturday, April 19, 2014 – Border City Brawlers vs. Fergus Feims / Canadian Clubbers vs. Orangeville Pulp Affliction – Windsor, ONTARIO
35. Sunday, April 13, 2014 – Toronto Roller Derby Fresh Meat – The Bunker, Downsview Park, ONTARIO
36. Saturday, April 12, 2014 – Tri-City Roller Derby Home Opener – Brandywine Belligerents vs. Tri-City Thunder / Brandywine Brawlers vs. Plan B – New Hamburg, ONTARIO
37. Sunday, March 30, 2014 – Freaks vs. Geeks Spring Scrimmage – New Hamburg Arena – New Hamburg, ONTARIO
38. Saturday, March 29, 2014 – Timber Rollers vs. G-stars, Los Coños vs. Thames Fatales – Western Fair Agriplex – London, ONTARIO
39. Saturday, March 22 – Sunday March 23,2014-QuadCityChaos-TheBunker-ParcDownsview Park,ONTARIO

    

    Quad City Chaos 2010 at The Hangar

40. Sunday, March 16, 2014 – CN Power vs.Killamazoo DerbyDarlins-TheBunker-ParcDownsview Park,ONTARIO

    

    CN Power vs. Killamazoo Derby Darlins at The Bunker
    March 16, 2014

41. Saturday, March 15, 2014 – Derby Debutantes vs. Orangeville Pulp Affliction – Orangeville, ONTARIO
42. Sunday, March 9, 2014 – CN Power vs. Tri-City Roller Girls – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
43. Sunday, March 9, 2014 – Toronto Men’s Roller Derby – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
44. Saturday, March 1, 2014 – Chicks Ahoy vs. Smoke City Betties / Death Track Dolls vs. Gore Gore Rollergirls – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
45. Sunday, February 25, 2014 – Toronto Men’s Roller Derby Toronto Outrage vs. Queen City Roller Girls Nickel City Knockouts – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
46. Saturday, February 24, 2014 – Beat the Winter Blues! Scrimmage and Training – Toronto Roller Derby – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, ONTARIO
47. Sunday, February 16, 2014 – Bloody Valentine Co-ed Scrimmage – Orangeville, Ontario
48. Saturday, February 8, 2014 – CN Power vs. Team Ontario – The Bunker, Toronto, Ontario
49. Sunday, February 2, 2014 – NCKO practice / Suicidal Saucies practice / Alley Kats practice – Rainbow Rink, Queen City / Buffalo, NY
50. Saturday, February 1, 2014 – Alley Kats vs. Suicidal Saucies / Enchanted Mountain vs. Queen City Junior Roller Girls – Rainbow Rink, Queen City / North Tonawanda, NY
51. Saturday, January 25, 2014 – Alliston Blister Sisters vs. Torontosaurus Wrex / Chicks Ahoy! vs. Gore-Gore Rollergirls – The Bunker, Parc Downsview Park, Ontario
52. Saturday, January 18, 2014 – Devil’s Night Dames vs. Grand Prix Madonnas – Masonic Temple, Detroit, MI
53. Saturday, January 11, 2014 – Devil Dollies vs. Nickel City Knockouts – Rainbow Rink, Queen City Rollergirls / North Tonawanda, NY

---

Thank you to Pack It Up! for their lovely words and recognition. Click here.
photo credit: Meg Mckenna

Thanks Derby!

Toronto LOCO set to roll on Friday

It was under the tightest of cloak and dagger secrecy that the heads buzzed and the mouths whispered. Then with blare and fanfare, Toronto LOCO came to light with the emergence of their facebook page Toronto LOCO Roller Derby.

Vanessa Vansterdamn Winters has been supplying the details of all things LOCO and provided the glimmer of a lede for the story which began like this:

“We are so excited to expand LOCO Roller Derby to Toronto, Ontario! Knuckle Slamwich is a LOCO original and knows how to keep the spirit of fun, fitness and friendship alive. It’s going to be an awesome new endeavour, and a chance for us to show even more people what low-contact derby is all about.”

Then there was silence and it was with bated breath that we awaited the rest.

Then in a flash, the rest of the story was delivered.

LOCO Roller Derby started in 2010 with about fifteen skaters in London, Ontario. Now there are six chapters across Ontario: London, Kitchener, Stratford, Brantford, and now Sarnia and Toronto! LOCO promotes low-contact roller derby which lets more women participate in the sport because it allows for diversity of athletic abilities, commitment levels and doesn’t cost as much to participate in.

Sarnia and Toronto have just opened their doors and are already getting a great response. The Toronto chapter kicks off this Friday under the supervision of President Knuckle Slamwich, who originally started skating with London LOCO.

“So many women want to come out and skate,” says Slamwich. “We’re really excited to bring LOCO’s message of fun, fitness and friendship to the GTA. People want to try low-contact derby. It gives them a chance to play when they might not be able to otherwise, because of time commitment, cost or even past injuries. I have so many people thanking us for getting this started. I know it’s going to be huge!”

Practices will be held on Fridays from 7 – 9 pm at Emmanuel Howard Park Church (214 Wright Ave @ Roncesvalles).

In Sarnia, LOCO chapter President Buffy Bodybag has also had a great turnout and promises to offer the flagship chapter in London some tough competition. “Vegas had better watch out,” says Buffy.

Their practices are starting next week, but the excited skaters already have tee shirts printed and represented the league in Sarnia’s Labour Day Parade. They are also getting a ton of support from the media, including some from Ms. Bad Manners, a London LOCO skater and member of the Violet Femmes, who co-hosts the morning show on Sarnia’s K106.3.

You can find out more about LOCO Sarnia at https://www.facebook.com/LocoSarnia and keep up with the Toronto chapter at https://www.facebook.com/torontoloco.

Many cheers and good luck to all. Another set of great expectations awaits a certain someone.

-30-

Beta testers face No Minors rules in Tri-City and LOCO ELLE GRANDE TOURNAMENT this weekend

Preamble: This is another chapter from this year as we try to catch up in our Derby sojourns. This is just a brief lookback at the No Minors open scrimmage at Tri-City. Many thanks again as always to Tri-City, Hammer City, Belle City, Royal City, Forest City, and everyone.

Sharks gotta swim or face extinction, so it goes with the evolution of Derby in its style of plays and rules.

What’s going on?

Loco for London LOCO – WIPE OUT sells out

If you are not headed east for Beast of the East this coming weekend then another worthy LOCO Derby event is happening up in London on Sunday May 1. Yeppirs, WIPE OUT = their first live bout initially SOLD OUT. But additional tickets have just been made available. So act accordingly.

The roller derby part is in support of the Sexual Assault Centre London [SACL] and LOCO were chosen to help support the SACL in raising money for their cause.

LOCO Rollerderby with Nia Capps

Derby
is a phenomenal sport that hoovers new players within its folds with welcome arms. However, there are those who say when asked if they want to get into Derby:
“And get knocked around by those amazons? Could be bad for one’s health.”

LOCO could be the way to go – whether it be where the chapters of LOCO are starting up in Tri-City and Forest City [ Kitchener and London ] – and maybe with an eye to the future to helping other cities who want to sprout a LOCO organization of their own or be shown how to start up. When I first heard about LOCO after meeting Pepper Assault up in Tri-City it sounded like a very exciting way to spread the sport.

While Roller Derby Lite is a type of workout in Windy City or recreational Derby is practiced in Montreal as a form of Derby lite, or in local recreational leagues or skating associations around the GTA, LOCO has been more assertive in organization and recruiting.

LOCO Roller Derby was founded in 2010 by Nia Capps and Vansterdamn in London, Ontario. While the concept is called LOCO in London and Kitchener, back in 2006, Nia Capps was one of the original 14 with Montreal Roller Derby until 2008 with the team Les Contrabanditas. She then played with FCDG in 2009. Now situated in the Tri-City area, LOCO is Nia Capp’s way to keep her love of the sport alive.

The intent of LOCO Roller Derby was to create recreational roller derby in Canada, to give women that for various reasons could not, cannot, or would not want to train for competitive WFTDA roller derby a place to learn, get fit, have fun, practice, and play roller derby in a low contact, all inclusive environment. It is not a league created as any dramatic split from a local league, nor was it created to compete with WFTDA-style leagues. This is like your local city-run women’s hockey recreational sports league, only it’s for playing roller derby.