Blitz Dames Defeat Glasgow 83-80!

photo credit: colin @ urbanpictures

Birmingham's Rollergirls Take Another Victory Against Scottish

BIRMINGHAM - The Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames have returned victorious with a 83-80 win in Scotland having defeated the Glasgow Rollergirls in a nail-biting grudge match hosted Saturday 21st February 2009 at the Arc Sports Centre in Glasgow. This grudge match is the second win for Birmingham over the Glasgow Rollergirls having defeated them 91-74 in April last year.

The next home bout is set against Middlesbrough Milk Rollers on 21st March 2009 which will take place at Cocks Moors Wood Leisure Centre, Kings Heath, Birmingham. Tickets will be on sale for home games a few weeks before the match through their website at http://www.blitzdames.com/

QUADrophenia Blitz Dames v GRG - the rematch!

BBDD have just returned from Glasgow where we participated in a hard, fast, furious bout against the formiddable Glasgow Roller Girls. Last year before I even started playing derby I watched BBDD v GRG in Birmingham, and it was this bout that got me hooked, so I was absolutely delighted to be involved in the rematch.

BBDD won by 83-80 yesterday, but Glasgow didn't make it easy for us. First one team was in the lead, then the other, then the first team took it back...and so on all night right up to the last jam! Jammers were sent off, injuries were sustained (get better soon Switchblade Sarah and Jaci Dodger), girls went flying all over the place... From a referee's point of view, this match was fantastic. And I'm reliably informed by the audience that it was exciting and fun to watch as well.

So, a big thank you to Glasgow for putting us on, and a big thank you to all the Blitz Dame fans for reading :) An extra special thanks to our two dedicated supporters who flew all the way up to Glasgow to watch us - you guys rock!

And as they say, there's no rest for the wicked - we're gearing up for our next bout already, on 21st March against the Middlesbrough Milk Rollers.

Until next time - take care
JCx

Dames in Stuttgart - our experience

Final Score 98 – 71: The Blitz Dames skate to victory in our first international away bout!

Well, the travel team are having a well-deserved rest after a fantastic weekend in Stuttgart, hosted by the fast, fierce and foxy Stuttgart Valley RollerGirlz at the Sport Stuttgart Arena.

It was the first time the Dames have travelled abroad for a bout and it was definitely well worth the air fare! We pulled ahead to a decisive lead early in the bout, but it was very evenly matched for the rest of the first half with Stuttgart giving as good as they got. The Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames led 68-39 at halftime.

In the second period, Stuttgart came out hitting hard and gained some ground on us, but they were no match in the end for the stunning jamming skills of Hilda Blizzhard, Tear E. Hatchet, Union Jack-U-Up and especially Violet Attack, who zipped through the pack again and again! Stuttgart were great hosts as well as great players.

They and their massive crowd of enthusiastic supporters couldn’t have given us a warmer reception, or a better afterparty! We partied till the wee hours at the Keller Klub, with badass music, a riotous burlesque show and the crazy band, Action Team (imagine Electric Six crossed with the 118 118 guys…), plus plenty of beer a-flowing.

Kudos also to the stripey ones. As well as SVRG’s own refs, and two of our lovely Blitz Dames (Justine Credible and Kiki Kasplat), we were lucky enough to be joined by LRG’s own Ballistic Whistle and Crash Test from Canada’s Terminal City RollerGirls. Crash Test congratulated us afterwards on skating well and playing ‘a good, clean game – for roller derby!’

Check out these videos & photos!

http://www.kay-dee.de/events/rd_svrg_0109/

Event Round-Up!

We've got some exciting things happening in Central England!

24/05/08 - 2pm

The Blitz Dames will be featured as skaters in this weekend's PRIDE Parade in Birmingham City Centre - from 2pm! Come and cheer us on!

31/05/08 - 7pm onward

Roller Blitz! Old Skool Roller Disco
Aston University Student's Guild Hall.
Aston University

Skaters from around the UK - from all disciplines will be skating to the funky disco beats in this 14+ event to raise funds for the league and Cancer Research UK!

Entry at door £6 / Skate Hire £4

Join Roller Blitz facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12624829210

13/06/08 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Friday the HURTeenth! Blitz Dames vs Team Canada!

History is being made for Birmingham's roller skating history as the best women roller warriors take to the track to bring more fast paced, furious blocks and jams of roller derby to family audiences!

Team Canada has come together to compete against Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames in what will prove to be the unluckiest day in Team Canada's skating career... Be there!

Tickets on sale NOW: http://www.blitzdames.com/

The Blitz Dames proudly present:

Friday the HURTeenth!

Blitz Dames vs Team Canada Friday 13, June 2008 Doors 6.30pm Bout 7.30pm
Cocks Moors Wood Leisure Centre Kings Heath, Birmingham

The Canadians are Coming! Friday the HURTeenth: Blitz Dames vs Team Canada!

The Canadians are Coming! Friday the HURTeenth: Blitz Dames vs Team Canada!

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! http://www.blitzdames.com/

History is being made for Birmingham's roller skating history as the best women roller warriors take to the track to bring more fast paced, furious blocks and jams of roller derby to family audiences!

Team Canada has come together to compete against Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames in what will prove to be the unluckiest day in Team Canada's skating career... Be there!

The Blitz Dames proudly present:

Friday the HURTeenth!

Blitz Dames vs Team Canada

Friday 13, June 2008

Doors 6.30pm Bout 7.30pm

Cocks Moors Wood Leisure Centre

Kings Heath, Birmingham

Roller Blitz is Coming to Birmingham!

Roller Blitz Attacks Brum’s Weekend Scene to Raise Money for Cancer Research UK

BIRMINGHAM - Crane-framed loves its modern cultural icons, having established an enviable prowess with institutions from a gleamingly extraterrestrial shopping complex to cheerful Christmas markets and emotionally moving Chinese buffets. Now our city at the heart of England is about to revitalize another icon of the retro-modern: the roller disco.

The group behind the mirror ball is the Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames roller derby league. These women typically approach roller-skating with a system of speed and full-contact manoeuvers, often sending opponents flying off their skates and towards the crowd.

But now the motivation is to promote a groovier side of the roller world. Not a group who deal in the subtle, the Blitz Dames are planning an authentic event with some of England's best known jam and freestyle roller skaters, many of whom have been at it since the eighties. All the elements of traditional roller disco will be there: coloured lights, huge wooden floor, raffle, and nonstop beats featuring disco, funk, and dance music.

As the league's Events Director, Helen Fury states, "This disco is run completely by skaters, who know what makes skating a life long passion. Besides, it was time to bring the fun of roller skating to those who might prefer not to be hit."

However, the league is equally keen to make use of their softer aspects - percentage of the profits from the roller disco will be donated to Cancer Research UK whilst also helping towards running costs of the league, which itself is a not-for-profit, volunteer organisation.

Tickets are £6 on the door with £4 for skate hire. With over 200 pairs of skates available for hire, they are sure to have your size!

The event aims to attract a wide age range from 14+, with a curfew-friendly start time of 7:00pm, but continuing long after the kids go home, until 1:00 in the morning.

"The roller disco will be a real alternative to a night in the bars, something for twenty and thirty-somethings who want to enjoy a night with their mates, and a wicked excuse to dust off your vintage clothes." says league member Bee Sting.

So where can you go to get your counterculture roller fix? The Roller Blitz takes place on the 31st of May at Aston University Students' Guild Hall. More information is available at www.myspace.com/rollerblitz.

Notes from a Newbie, by KiKi KaSPLAT

It's been quite an adventure... and I am just beginning. Roller derby has grabbed me, pulled me up by my ears and thrown me into a pool of fast, feisty, furious girls with attitude. However, instead of drowning, I am merrily bobbing along on the waves of their supporting hands like a successful stage dive.

I will never forget the fear of the first practise: Stockland Green Leisure Centre, December 15th 2007. Meeting everyone was a pleasure; they were all so welcoming. It was when I was presented with the hire skates. At that moment, I realised that I might fail. Failure is something that I don't take too lightly and this might be one of those moments. Slowly strapping them on to waste maximum practise time was my first tactic. My friend, Lorna, and I dropped into silence! Born to a protective mother, I had never had wheels on my feet before in my life. Cycling ten doors away and then turning back was all I ever managed. It took me forever to stand up and after a two hour practise I was harldy moving confidently. Did it put me off? No way!

It was the last practise before the Christmas break and all I wanted to do was get onto America and sling my money their way that evening. I was buzzing. But I had to wait until the next time so that I could try other rollergirls' skates on to make sure I got the sizing right. That was a painful few weeks! Christmas- pah- forget that, I wanted skates! For those about to embark on this journey, be warned. It is an addiction and should come with a warning sticker. There hasn't been a moment since that day that I haven't thought about derby.

I really started to skate in January 2008 and, whilst desperately trying to find that perfect derby name that no-one else had already registered, rushed to sign up for the London Rollergirls' bootcamp, where I fractured my thumb! Did THIS put me off? No way! Please don't take my tales of fear and fractures as a sign that this is a path that you do not wish to follow. It is a sport with risks. In my opinion, if you don't take risks, you don't have fun. Perhaps I will keep my next injury quiet....

Attending the London Rollergirls' bouts was incredibly exciting and memorable, although don't ask for details of each jam- that's all just a blur. Seeing this game in real-life is very different to watching it on DVD (or witnessing the horror of the US fights on youtube!) The crowd is unlike any other. Cradling a beer in one hand and a tattooed male in the other, the women are clad in fishnets and heels and are bopping their heads to the punk and fairy cakes being delivered. Aaaaah. You gotta love it.

Refereeing the Blitz Dames' second bout, against Glasgow Rollergirls, was a real honour and a great way for me to get involved with this sport. Scrutinising the rules on a nightly basis and bombarding the forum with questions became a routine. Treading the streets of Birmingham with my skates slung over my shoulders on a marketing push was just one more way for me to get involved. The bout day and night were amazing. Hard work.... but amazing.

The Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames took me under their wing from day one and were more than happy to listen to my views, include me with decision making, make me feel supported and go out of their way to ensure I felt part of the team. I couldn't have wished to have met a friendlier and happier group of girls.

It's raining outside. I am in here writing this. To be honest, I'd rather be skating!

Kiki Kasplat