Friday the HURTeenth! Blitz Dames vs Team Canada

Canadians Coming to Brum for Roller Sporting Event

BIRMINGHAM - 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 have come together to compete against local rollers the Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames in what will prove to be the unluckiest day in Team Canada's skating career on Friday 13th June 2008.

The Canadian team has combined the best skaters from leagues across their country to come together to travel thousand of miles to make this the first ever intercontinental roller derby bout in Birmingham ever!

This is the finale of the Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames first season. League founder, Bee Bentley (known on the track as 'Bee Sting') comments: "starting up this league from scratch with just myself and seeing where it is now at the end of our first competitive season, well, I'm very proud of this achievement and for bringing roller derby to Birmingham".

Roller derby has a long and colurful history dating back to the 1930's in America. In the 1950's there was a international roller derby team which traveled and played in London and some European cities, but this is a first for Birmingham.

This all-women roller sport is set to cement it's worldwide popularity when Drew Barrymore's directorial debut 'Whip It' comes out early in 2009 starting 'a-lister' Ellen Page as the star rollergirl.

Tickets are £7.50 in advance available online at http://www.blitzdames.com/ or £8 at the door. Children under 5 are free and children under 14 are half price. Students can receive discounted entry with a valid NUS card at £5.

The event, aptly titled "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 B14 6ER

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Editor note: Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames are self managed, self funded, not for profit amateur sports league for women 18+. They practice weekly at Stockland Green Leisure Centre in Erdington. The Blitz Dames formed in October 2006. For more information on the league visit http://www.blitzdames.com/.

Press are invited to attend the event --- please reply with names for a press pass.

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.

What a Derby Day!

What an incredible derby day! It all began with the league meeting where we discussed many key issues and got loads agreed and organised. The new website development is really taking shape, the upcoming events are being planned meticulously and new headshots were taken by the wonderful Jenny from JHT.

There was no hesitation as we strapped on our skates and had an amazing session. With some very promising newcomers, newbies improving by the minute and advanced skaters working on various skills, the hall was filled with an electric, hard-working atmosphere.

After practise, a group of Dames headed for Central Backpackers for a sponsorship meeting, stopping on the way in Vintage to pick up some spangly shades for the upcoming Birmingham Pride parade.

The meeting went very well with Ian Randall of the Backpackers signing up for the ‘General of the Army’ level of sponsorship and kindly doubling the amount that he is offering to us in trade. What a guy! That was even after the extremely loud farting sound caused us all to erupt in fits of giggles- how professional! We still think it was you Skatrix!

So off the Dames skipped and jumped to Wokmania; the second leg of the all-you-can-eat tour. It’s not just about the skating you know! It gained a few marks for ambience and aesthetics, however, the serious health and safety issues with the slippery floor and the lack of a chocolate fountain put it well behind Big Wok in the rankings.

All in all, a derby day to remember. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- I love those Dames!

Kiki Kasplat

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