Get your seasons-pass, because this season will totally ROCK!

Rat Citys Season starts on the 7th of February, and this year we will be playing at KeyArena so get a Season-pass and get pumped... Because is there anything better than live roller derby??

Merry Christmas

I am in Sweden, it is snowing lightly outside, dusting the world... I am delighted!

I am a Sockit Wench

Yes, I am now a Rat City Roller Girl... and I'm a SOCKIT WENCH!

Rat City Derby Prom

Me and my hot, hot, hot date Summer...

Help Roller Derby Make a Difference!

Roller Derby Supporter,

Help Gotham Girls Roller Derby assist the derby community with a $10,000 contribution from the new rock station 101.9 RXP -- "The New York Rock Experience!"

The new radio station 101.9 RXP "The New York Rock Experience" (101.9 FM) is hosting a special challenge for its listeners, and Gotham Girls Roller Derby could win $10,000 to help finance the continued production of national-quality roller derby competition for women in New York City, including training programs, local community outreach programs and skating workshops.

The Gotham Girls, should they win the grand prize, have additionally committed funds to assist the Tahirah Johnson Trust, benefitting the rehabilitation of Tequila Mockingbird, injured skater of Chicago's Windy City Rollers.

Help GGRD get the most votes and bring in $10,000 for derby!

All the details of the promotion are at:

http://www.gothamgirlsrollerderby.com/charityvote

Vote early, and vote often! You can vote once a day, every day, from December 15th through January 30th, 2009.

EVERY DAY COUNTS, SO SIGN UP FOR A DAILY REMINDER

GGRD has set up a special e-mail list just for this promotion where supporters can sign up to receive a brief daily reminder to vote. Please sign up for the daily reminder to take one minute a day to help Tequila and GGRD's community outreach programs. Submit your e-mail address at the bottom of http://www.gothamgirlsrollerderby.com/charityvote

SPREAD THE WORD!

Please tell friends to vote as well! Please forward them the text of this announcement and invite them to sign up for the daily voting reminder at http://www.gothamgirlsrollerderby.com/charityvote/

Every time you vote, or tell a friend to vote, you are making a huge difference for derby!

Flattered, flattered, flattered...

All Bout Derby  ranked me as number 20 on his list of NorthWests best 25 skaters of 2008... I am really flattered over the notion and ranking. I've come a long way from 10th of January of this year, when I skated my first scrimmage...

20. Swede Hurt (Jet City Rollergirls). Her progress this year has been both amazing and a ton of fun for me to watch. Early on in the season, she was just an average skater out there for Jet City…maybe even a tad below the average line. But you can tell she has something that anyone in the world of front office sports management wants; a desire to become the best she can be. And as the year rolled along, every time I would see Swede play she had become considerably better than the time before. And by the time the Jet City season was over with, you could make a good argument that she had become their best jammer. And not only that, but her blocking is now what I would consider to be well above average. And the great thing is that you can still see that she has plenty of room to improve. And the scary thing is she knows that and is determined to fill that room up

Four days left... and then Rat City try-outs

Yes, there are only FOUR days left until try-outs... SATURDAY (and thats RatCity prom night and I'm going with beloved Summer), SUNDAY (and that's last Makin' Bacon), MONDAY and then FINALLY TUESDAY - the day of DOOOOM...

The joy of funbeat.com keeping track of my life...

I log my workout hours in an online workout journal, and when something special happens I make a little note of it...
So this is what I just read, when I was going over the past year... the first time I ever scrimmaged was on my birthday 2008, and I got to jam. I was in two jams, and I loved it...
9 days later I played my first bout... I did not jam, ha ha ha

Soon I can buy christmas presents...

Yeah, after try-outs I will know what color of socks (because a derbygirl can never have too many socks) I can get for my friends that are trying out for Jet and Rat City...
Because I know... I know... I KNOW how it is...
Before I got on the Harem, I did not own a single orange piece of clothing... Ok, Ok... I did own ONE orange t-shirt... and now, after a year on the Harem, I don't even know how much orange I own... and maybe I get to continue wearing it or maybe I'll get to devote myself to another color...

I wish all of you friends good luck for try-outs next week, may the unicorn be with you...

Part of the weekend...

Born and raised in another place, so far from where I am today, I sometimes feel real lonely, how did I get here?

I went to Bremerton and watched the lovley Rat City ladies bout the equally lovley Slaughter county, it was good times, derby is always good times, despite the 2,5 h I spent in traffic to get to the penninsula and Skateland.

Afterwards we hit up the Throttle Rockets Christmas party at Funhouse, Maude palyed amazing music and the dance party could beigin! I heart dancing to fun music! In the courtyard usual derby related party activites were going on, some boob-grabbing, lot's of grinding, hipchecking and of course some bruise and scar showing... yeah, it was good times...

Still, loneliness sometimes overwhelm me, like fine dust, it comes over me, suddenly, and I just can't tell you how and when, and I drive on empty streets of Seattle and open my window to smell the distant winter, and I want to put my skates on and just leave everything behind.

Dance party with the teens and others that like to dress up.. that is what I do for fun Friday nights... Dont I look great with black curly hair!?

It's okay to be homogay...

Scrimmage at the Northwest Knockdown! YA YA A A AYAAAAA

My rookie year as a Derby Player is Over

It's a little less than a year since the Harem of JCRG decided to pick my swedish ass up and add me to their 2008 roster. I skated my first bout on January 19th, and I remember bing excited but really terrified, considering I had only done one or two scrimmages before. It wasn't until March 15 I got to do my debut as a jammer and by then I had the Rust Riot scrimmage and some JCRG scrimmages under my belt... at this time I think I also went to watch my first Rat City bout and started to go to Dockyard bouts...

I got to bout against the Bellingham Betties twice, once with the result of a separated shoulder, that I quickly made heal, hate to be hurt, and not only a separated shoulder but we also lost.... Grace so nicely telling me to toughen up and go out jam... I refused and held the line... I heart Grace. The second time we won went up against them we won, and we were a very happy go lucky team! YA YA YA ... I love the Bellingham girls, and I am excited that Sheeza is doing the Makin Bacon with me right now. .. she's quite a Brickhouse

Championships were a disapointment, since we lost to the Pistols, I still feel ike I did my best, but still we lost, and it is never fun loosing, but it also gives you something to work on. Jut have to think what went wrong and re-collect yourselves and go with it! I will always love the Camaro Harem, they were my first team ... and orange is an awfully amazing color!

I went to RollerCon and made friends with my Derby Crush Summer over beers and mysterious Mosses in hot tubs, and there were scrimmages, scrimmages, skating classes, skating classes and even a morning boot camp that I made it too once. There was also dancing, dancing and heat, heat and more scrimmages, I still regret not doing the Team Awesome class, I am quite positive I could have kept up. But watching it and thinking about the drills was quite rewarding as well.

We played Dockyards Femme Fiannas and I jammed the opening jam in my career, it was nervewrecking, but it went really well and the Harem played an amazing game and won, this was a very short but hella fun bout.

I got invited to go with the Travel Team and bout Treasure Valley (Boise) and managed to collect a good amount of points and have alot of fun with both the Bombers and the really nice girls out of Treasure Valley.

And to finish of the season JCRG decided to split our four teams into two mixed teams and bout Slaughter County, since I'm crazy and an overachiver I decided to do both teams, when one of the teams came up short. So I got the pleasure to be both on the winning and loosing side and have 2 hours of bouting time... ahhh... and I got amazing outfits...

In November JCRG voted me to Derby Girl of the month, and it almost made me cry, I love those girls so much and they are a tough bunch of lovable ladies!

Now it has been almost a year, and I am no longer a rookie, I am trying out for RCRG and hoping that I get to skate more, more and more and I love the sport of Roller Derby so much! This past year has been pone of the best in my life and I have to gotten to know so many interesting, lovley, funny, crazy and clearly insane but gentle women! AMAZINGNESS and KUDOS to DERBY!!

This is what I want for Christmas

Please bring my Carmen Getsome's new roller derby workout video.

Carmen Getsome of Seattle's original flat track roller derby league, the Rat City Rollergirls, has made an off skates roller derby workout video that will help skaters of all skill levels improve their game. The video includes multi-level workouts that range in duration from 40-55 minutes. So whether you are brand new or a seasoned rollergirl this video will help you to reach your skating and hitting potential!

The beginning level of the video focuses on strength training the muscles you need to skate without getting injured while the advanced level workout focuses on plyometrics and the core along with the strength training. This roller derby specific training will help you to prevent injury while enhancing your speed, strength and agility all from the comfort of your own living room!!

Only $25!! Buy one today in person at Fast Girl Skates. Online sales coming soon!

Roller Derby is a SPORT... WE KNOW THAT....

The Oregonian Paper had stated to a Derby League trying to get publicity that "Derby was not a Sport". After being bombarded by emails from Derby Girls, Guys, and Fans they retracted their statement and said "Derby is not a Sport we Cover..."

Now The Oregonian has put up a poll asking if roller derby belongs
in the sports section.

http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2008/11/poll_what_do_you_think_about_r.html

Please klick the link and vote YES!

Dance your pants of... NorthWest KnockDown

A year of Derby in Pictures and my Derby Girl of the Month interview... from present to last years try outs...

Swede Hurt

Number: 01146 (it's the area code to Sweden)

Team: Camaro Harem

Position: Jammer but I really want to be able to play any position; I think versatility is really important

Favorite drink: Carrot Juice - it's the most orange deliciousness in the world... I can spill it on my uniform and no one would know! I am also a huge fan of Guinness... It's a meal in a glass, God Bless the Irish for this!

Hobbies: Well, outside roller derby I love fashion, aerials, politics, reading, driving horses and frolicking with my friends. Oh, and I collect unicorns! I love Unicorns... are unicorns a hobby? I think Unicorns are a hobby!

JCRG: How did you come up with your derby name and what does it mean to you?
SH: Well, it was Suzie 9mm who came up with it when I was in Booty Camp. First I thought it was really silly and I wanted to be something like VIKING KILLING LADY OF THE NORTH, but realized that Swede Hurt was a better fit for me. I already had a bunch of friends that called me Swede, so it became natural to me real fast. And since I am born and raised in Sweden, I feel like it really symbolizes who I am.

JCRG: How long have you been skating?
SH: I started in August 2007, so by now it's about 15 months. My first skates were a pair of white pacer skates. I got them at a second hand store, because I thought they looked cool. Now, I have a pair of speed skates and I love every moment of it! I have even learned to love my bunion, blisters and calluses.

JCRG: What committee do you belong to, and what is your function?
SH: I was the Merch-lady of Camaro Harem; I brought our lovely merchandise into functions, set it up and made it look attractive and buyable. I also was on the PR and Bout Production; I am very great at setting up and tearing down our floor. I like to be where I can help.AND right when I became a Jet City skater they talked me into representing JCRG by entering the Harley Davidson Bikini Contest… my first and last. I did get second and won an entire year of tanning. (The things I do for derby)

JCRG: Why did you join derby?
SH: From the first time I heard about derby I knew I had to be a part of it: skating in cool quad skates, dress amazingly, hit each other and just get to meet a bunch of cool chicks. I could not resist a sport like that! I went to all open skates I could find around the Seattle area. I dragged my friends to early morning skates with the old ladies in dance dresses and organ music. I made friends get back on their roller blades and skate Greenlake with me. I was too shy to join PFM and one day I saw Big Poppa at Bellevue's Skate King and he had a JCRG sweater on. I googled JCRG and ended up in the first Booty camp. I was in it with Colt 45, Mona Agony, Vibe Raider, Casual Tease, Cheerbleedher, MissusUnshine and Lady Danger. I became a fierce berserk derby girl with the help of Angelica della Morte, Duke Spank-a-ho, Big Poppa and everyone else who helped to me keep upright. At try-outs the Camaro Harem thought I would be a good fit for them and I've been in love with orange ever since. From the beginning I really fell for the showing off part of it and I have really, really fallen in love with the athletic part of it. I have become so fit and it has been amazing to see my body get back to the same shape, as it was when I was 20 and competing in snowboarding.

JCRG: What is your favorite aspect of derby?
SH: That it is fun, fun, fun and that there is always a new aspect to it. It keeps me on my toes and constantly inspires me. I just love waking up in the morning and knowing I have practice with a bunch of amazing ladies that we can encourage each other, laugh and be silly. I love that it is full on competitive and aggressive play during a bout, but that you leave that on the track, and afterwards you can have a beer with the girl who separated you shoulder. I really have met a bunch of truly fun, loving, sensitive, bitchy, crazy, calm but overall athletic women. These are women that want to re-invent themselves, not particularly change themselves, but to find out who they are and how they fit in.

JCRG: Any other information we should know about you?
SH:

* I was a competitive half-pipe rider (snowboarding) for 7 years
* I love derby
* Did I mention I love to play derby?
* I'm really scared of the dark, but LOVE horror movies (I have never made a connection)
* Colt 45 is my derby wife
* I study fashion marketing
* I am totally silly and really shy
* Jamming makes me so nervous I want to throw up
* I LOVE UNICORNS I have a tame one I keep in my closet.

Nationals ROCKED!

I have set my goal, that's how I want to skate!
Nationals, on a team!
I want to win Nationals!
Bring it on!

I had a great time watching fantastic blocking by one of my new derby heroins Malice with Chains and some increadable never-stopping-jamming by Bonnie Thunders! The Championship bout was not as nailbiting as the Grudge bout, but still it was a display of AMAZING derby, I love this sport sooo much and I can't wait to get well from my cold so I can go skate again!

I can see the space-needle

I went out to grab my skates out of my car, and I had to stop and gaze down over the water, stare at Seattle, the city I have grown into being a part of. It was nothing but breath-taking. It was like a movie clische, I was just waiting for someone dark and tall to walk out of the shadows and swing me into the arms and kiss me passionatley. And right there and then my legs would go wobbley under the moon and I would drop my skates...
But in reality we all know that if some dark stranger came out from the alley trying to kiss me, I'd wack them over the head with my skates. Yikes, I guess I do lack some finesse and romantic imagination.

Apperently my height can say alot about me! I guess I'm almost a man...

What Your Height Says About You

You are a very vulnerable and spiritual person. Your emotions run deep. You have a philosophical and poetic soul. You think things through and are a bit of a skeptic. You tend to be very opinionated. You are a perfectionist with high standards. You prefer to work alone. You work hard, and you don't like interruptions. You are about as tall as the average Swedish man.

What Does Your Height Say About You?

Me and Anna at I <3 Rummage

So I attended my last Harem event, I made some hats and mingled around! It was bad weather and it was a low turnout! Hopefully there will be a better turn-out at the Urban Craf Uprising where the Harem once again will sell thier craft!
First weekend in December, you should be there and buy beutiful things that me and my lovley derbysisters have made!! Because it is soon Christmas, and what is nicer to get than something an amazing derby girl has made herself?

YAY!! DO it! And maybe I'll give you a kiss! Well, I can at least promise a hug!

Derby Girl Of the Month

No one loves derby like Swede. She skates when and where ever she can, be it inside, outside or in Sweden where people don't roller skate. She is friendly and welcoming to everyone - regardless of team association. Swede’s energy is contagious. She motivates others with her willingness to work hard and have fun with skating. She is ready for any derby event with the perfect derby outfit and her beautiful smile. Swede, we love you and we will miss you.

Read more about Swede Hurt.

Skate, skate, skate

School is killing me softly, I went to NYC for the weekend, got to skate, shop and dance... I even got a hickie.. (yikes) I think I have more game in NYC than in Seattle, maybe it is because I am well-behaved in Seattle.

Tonight I'm going to another of the Makin' Bacon Sessions, I am looking forward to some more skating... Two days of skating is already making me miss it...

I think a figureskating outfit would be AWESOME for roller derby

Ok, we all know I'm a little insane, but wouldn't it just be the funniest to skate in a figureskating dress. I have no clue why this is soo appealing to me... but considering I've scrimmaged in diapers and bouted in an 80's prom-dress... I guess a figureskating outfit is not that crazy... I'm not too sure of what my fashionmarketing teacher would think about this...

Thoughts later after that Obama got elected but california voted YES on prop 8

Society makes it real hard to be different, to take rights away because you are different. It takes one step forward just to skip two backwards. When love can't be recognized for being love and you have to hide who you really are, because it's not what you were taught to be.
What if you just don't want to be different, just to have the same rights as everyone else?

I cried when Obama spoke, because he did something that could not have happened in US 40 years ago, not because he's the first black president, because there been lots of black presidents and prime ministers, but he's the first black president of USA, and that is a whole different story. I see hope in a young generation of Americans, maybe a new beginning, we will see if he has what it takes, and I have HOPE in Obama.

But it also makes me cry thinking about all those people that has been voting yes on Prop 8 in California. Why would anyone want to take the right away from people to marry someone they love? Take that dream away that we grow up with, that we one day can walk down the isle with the person we want to spend our lives with.

Only 40 years ago, or even 10 years ago, inter-racial couples were looked upon with suspicion, and even hatred... And a couple of 100 years ago a man of nobless could never marry a peasant woman and the other way around. So I hope, hope that hope will bring change at that peole decide not to take steps backwards and go forward instead.

I am freezing...

Darn Seattle, it is cold, it is wet and finally both of the lights on my car are working. I have soooooo much to do, I donät even know where to begin. Another two midterms tomorrow, had two today and leaving for NYC tomorrow...

I am husteling myself over to Lynnwood in an hour to take laps around the rink, I like to just lap, jump, skip and hop and chat... I know Janice will be there, so an old team mate, always good to hang...

It's different to be different in different ways

Society makes it real hard to be different, to take rights away because you are different. It takes one step forward just to skip two backwards. When love can't be recognized for being love and you have to hide who you really are, because it's not what you were taught to be.
What if you just don't want to be different, just to have the same rights as everyone else?

I cried when Obama spoke, because he did something that could not have happened in US 40 years ago, not because he's the first black president, because there been lots of black presidents and prime ministers, but he's the first black president of USA, and that is a whole different story. I see hope in a young generation of Americans, maybe a new beginning, we will see if he has what it takes, and I have HOPE in Obama.

But it also makes me cry thinking about all those people that has been voting yes on Prop 8 in California. Why would anyone want to take the right away from people to marry someone they love? Take that dream away that we grow up with, that we one day can walk down the isle with the person we want to spend our lives with.

Only 40 years ago, or even 10 years ago, inter-racial couples were looked upon with suspicion, and even hatred... And a couple of 100 years ago a man of nobless could never marry a peasant woman and the other way around. So I hope, hope that hope will bring change at that peole decide not to take steps backwards and go forward instead.

Obama is on!

So congratulation Americans, you have a new president! I am excited and I think I'm in good company!

Derby Girl of the Month

I am Jet Citys Derby Girl of the month... November..

Such an honor... I love Jet City, you ladies are the best!

I suck

Sometimes I feel like that... just because I do...

The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated

I know, I know... I'm nothing like Mark Twain, but you never know. I just thought I should just put this out here, so it's clear and square.... and no, I am not planning on dying either!

I retired from Jet City this past Thursday to try out for Rat City in December, I want more practices and the closeness to Rat City was the deciding factor for me. I live in the heart of Seattle, and I have a desire to practice four or more times a week and really push my skating, I might be a little obsessed. Or very obsessed, you may be the judge of this!

I love JCRG to death, and especially my team Camaro Harem. I've had a blast running, skipping and jumping around on skates with those amazing ladies of a very loving community. I will be missing everyone to death, the private jokes, the special gestures, way some laugh and some skate, and how some love to put their butt in my face or just trip me (that one is for you Grace). But when I think of it, it's not like anyone of us are dying, and in derby, we will always meet again... multiple times!

This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever taken in my life, and I am so thankful for everyone supporting my decision and wishing me good luck.

I could never have asked for a better league full of just wonderful women (and a few men) than Jet City, but for now, I am entering into a new adventure. But Jet City will always be in my heart, and my first derby love ever.

Remember, derby is supposed to be fun, so let's have fun, fun, fun, fun!! and skate, skate, skate, skate and skate some more! And when you are not really sure, put your skates on and do something you never done on skates before. Like jump while going backwards, or maybe on one leg, or go backwards on one leg and try to jump... (I have never tried that, but know when I thought about it, I figured that I should try)

Hearts and unicorns

I love to skate

Come watch Junior Derby, it is just the most awesome ever!

New Adventures

I decided to retire from Jet City, not derby, I would never retire from derby. If I retired from derby I would have to tear my heart out.
I love Jet City and will always do, I will always be a Camaro Harem girl at heart and have a thing for orange.

I'm on my way for some off-skates practice and it's cold outside and inside. My space-heater just broke down and since I'm about as technical as a smurf (not the handy smurf) I think I have a very cold, cold winter infront of me!

Brrrrr

162 pounds and 6 feet tall

That is me!
How dare the society say that I am not skinny enough.
Its sort of laughable and crazy!
We live in a crazy world!

One night, two bouts, two outfits, two hours of derbyness!

Dear Roller Derby

I could never cheat on you, I love you deep and dearly. You bring me so much joy and pain, and I wish we could spend everyday together. But for the best of both of us, I think we need to limit out times together to no more than 5 days a week.

I know I am not perfect, but please Roller Derby, love me back, I am a real good kisser, even when my lips hurt from an elbow and my nose is swollen.

Roller Derby, I am sorry for the times I by accident end up in the penalty box, you know I would not try to play unsafe nor to hurt someone, but sometimes track is cut and sometimes I might push a little too hard, throw and elbow or just trip myself.

Please forgive me Roller Derby for the few times I have gone to the bar, and been too tired for practice the next day. Well, I guess this so far has not happened, but please forgive me if it would.

Yours truly

Swede Hurt

Jet City vs Treasure Valley by Elwood Bruise

There's that old saying "when life deals you lemons, make lemonade". Two weeks ago in Portland, I had a rock thrown off an overpass and land on my windshield, thus shattering the thing. And over the next few days, the (stupid) ordeal of me getting a new windshield for a 2002 Mustang caused me to miss so much work up in Seattle, that I couldn't possibly take anymore time off work to make it to Houston for the WFTDA Western Regional tournament.

That was the lemon. In fact, that lemon may very well still be sitting there off to the side of the road on eastbound Powell underneath the 17^th street overpass.

But the lemonade created out of all that was a tall, tasty, cold pitcher that was poured in Boise on Saturday night with a bout between the hometown Treasure Valley Rollergirls and the visiting Jet City Rollergirls out of Everett. The bout had drama, suspense, controversy and…most importantly of all…a GREAT finish!

Since there was only the one game in this bout, the teams played three 20 minute periods (really, I think this is a great idea for anyone playing an interleague bout all by itself on any given night. I think the extra intermission helps keep the skaters a little fresher during the later stages of the game).

Honestly…going into it I thought that Jet City would win this game comfortably. And even before the bout when I learned that (arguably) their two best jammers…Sierra Fist (separated shoulder) and Re-Animate Her (don't know why she wasn't there) weren't playing for the Jet City Bombers, I still thought they would win by a comfortable margin. And early on in the first period, it certainly looked like it was going to turn out that way. After Treasure Valley's star jammer, Jilldozer, ran off with a 7-3 victory in the first jam, the next five jams were all Jet City. The jamming combination of Connie Torturous (twice), Ivanna Hercha, Swede Hurt and Precious N' Metal along with solid, hard-hitting blocking by the Bombers pack resulted in a 33-4 run. However in the 7^th jam of the first period, Jilldozer came through once again and got TVRG back on track with a 7-0 run over Swede Hurt. And beginning at that point, Treasure Valley went on to outscore Jet City 21-15 to end the period. After one period of play, the Jet City Bombers held a 51-32 lead.

If there was one sticky point of the night, it had to do with all the penalties being called on both teams. Of course, during and after the bout both sides (players and refs) were coming up to me and complaining about each other. From my point of view, it was one of those situations where I think both sides had an argument. On one hand, the game was pretty chippy and I thought the refs were doing everything to keep it under control. But on the other hand, I also witnessed some awful calls that shouldn't have been made in the first place by the refs. I definitely saw two instances where the jammer was called for cutting the track that shouldn't have been called (correct me if I'm wrong here, but if a jammer is knocked out of bounds and the opposing blocker who put her there also winds up out of bounds along with her, isn't it legal at that point for the jammer to re-enter the pack immediately before the blocker in question gets back in bounds? Because I saw that happen twice right in front of me and the jammer was still sent to the penalty box. And this was well within the pack…not a "last line of defense" maneuver. And the jammer…outside of passing the blocker who took her there…didn't improve her position at all. In fact, she lost position in the pack both times).

I also have to say that the first 10 minutes or so weren't exactly the jam refs shining moment in this one. In the third jam, even though both jammers (TVRG's Cybill Dizorder and Jet City's Trixxxie's Trash'n Em) were eventually sent to the penalty box, they weren't credited with scoring any points even though each one of them clearly made a scoring pass (although this could also have been attributed to the scorekeepers or the scoreboard operator). Then in the 5^th jam of the second period, Jilldozer made a scoring pass before being sent off to the penalty box. Jet City's Swede Hurt took advantage of that and racked up 14 points of her own before being called off for a penalty herself. Both jammers were in the box for at least 5 seconds together. But with no whistle blowing, Jilldozer came screaming out of the box and picked up an easy 4 more points against a pack of confused blockers who all thought the jam was over. Add to that one other jam in which one of the jammers was given credit for 4 points on the initial pass, and it equaled a bad period for everyone involved.

Amidst all the chaos and confusion on the track (and off it with a guy sitting there trying to take notes and wondering what all was going so wrong out there), Jet City was continuing to build a sizable lead. In the jam right after the aforementioned one with Swede Hurt picking up her 14 points and Jilldozer coming back to score 4 more questionable points, the tall jammer from Stockholm re-entered the fray and promptly reeled-off another 14-0 run to make the score 83-50 in favor of Jet City. In jams 7 & 8, the TVRG duo of The Last Jammurai and Jilldozer picked up a point over Molly Python and Precious N' Metal by a 12-11 margin. But as the period was coming to a close over the last two jams, TVRG jammers B-Header (12 points in jam 9) and The Last Jammurai (10 points in the 10^th and final jam of the period) along with both Bomber jammers Precious N' Metal and Ivanna Hercha being shut-out and serving time in the box gave the Boise squad a much needed boost going into the third period. After 40 minutes of play, Jet City still led Treasure Valley 94-84.

The great thing about how the third period unfolded was how slowly, yet steadily, the drama built to it's climax. The crowd in Boise went nuts after the first jam when Jilldozer was able to take advantage of Bomber jammer Ivanna Hecha's time in the sin bin by racking up a 6-0 run to pull Treasure Valley back to within 4 points. But Precious N' Metal seemed to douse that flame awfully quick with a 12-0 answer in the second jam. The next four jams were hard fought runs. The Treasure Valley blockers shutout the JCRG jammers, while Bar Scar Sally (4 points in the fourth jam) and Skid N Nancy (4 more points in the 6^th) once again pulled the home team back to within striking distance at 106-98. However, with TVRG looking like they were about to make another comeback and Jet City in gobs of penalty trouble going into the 7^th jam (they had two blockers in the box and the penalty board was littered with the numbers of Bombers who had three minors on them), the team from Everett weathered a potentially devastating storm when Swede Hurt eeked out a 4-3 decision over lead jammer Jilldozer. Then after a scoreless jam in the 8^th, Treasure Valley made their move. With Jet City jammer Precious N' Metal sitting in the penalty box to start the 9^th jam, The Last Jammurai hit the track and picked up both lead jammer and a grand slam run to pull Treasure Valley back to within 4.

Then with just a little over two minutes to go in regulation, the crowd erupted when Jilldozer broke out of the pack first and claimed lead jammer. However, Precious N' Metal was hot on her heels. Then after her scoring pass, Jilldozer quickly called it off after picking up the four points to tie it and before Precious could pick up any points of her own. With time running out on the clock, Treasure Valley had fought their way back from a 33 point second period deficit to tie the game at 110-110.

With time running out, Treasure Valley put B-Header out on the jammers line opposite of Jet City's Molly Python. As both jammers entered the pack, Bomber blocker Trixxxie's Trash'n Em was there to stymie the Treasure Valley jammer at every turn almost throughout the entire jam. Python did break out of the pack first, but she didn't have lead jammer status. But with B-Header being bounced around by the tight Jet City defense, Python had no problem scoring points during her first pass. Then as she came around after that pass, she blew a kiss towards her bench before picking up a couple more points for a 6-0 decision that won the game for Jet City, 116-110.

Three Stars

3. Swede Hurt. She was the third leading scorer in the game, but she did have the highest average per jam out of everyone with 36 points in 5 runs.

2. Bar Scar Sally. For me, the most impressive stat was her 5 hole opening blocks. I'm pretty picky about handing those out. So when you get 5 in one game, that's a pretty awesome number. I also had her down with 7 blocked jammers. All this while only serving 2 minutes in the penalty box (a very low number in this game).

1. Nasty Nikki Nightstick. Ordinarily, she would have been eliminated from this discussion with her 6 minutes in penalty time. But not only did that not lead the game, there were so many penalty minutes in this game that I decided to throw that part of the criteria out. Her 13 jammer blocks and 8 big hits will come through for her in this one. I thought the coolest thing about her game on Saturday night was how…even though I'm sure most of them had never seen her before…the crowd in Boise pretty much pegged her as the villain. Every time she would knock a Treasure Valley skater to the ground, they would boo her. And later on in the game when she would go to the penalty box, they would cheer it. And you know…if you are in the other teams barn and the gallery is reacting to you like that, then you must be doing something right out there!

Key Jam of the Game

Of course, it has to be the final jam of the game when Molly Python picked up the winning points for Jet City. Games this close make this decision an easy one for me.

Bad Girl of the Game

There were plenty who would have gotten this award on most nights. But Jet City's Trixxxie's Trash'n Em was the rabbit everyone was chasing into the penalty box with a total of 7 minutes. I will also give a (perhaps not so special) shout-out to both Salma Highkick and another Treasure Valley skater (who it was, I can't remember. Someone told me at the bar afterwards) for each getting ejected from the game at one point or another. According to my stats, there were 64 minutes worth of penalty time in this one. I originally told people there were 63, but I realized I hadn't given Jilldozer credit for the penalty she served. That's how crazy it was. So there very well may have been even MORE than that which I didn't catch. No spotter + lot's of penalties = a very hard night for Elwood.

If you want to read more of Elwoods recaps of Amazing derby bouts in the Northwest read his Myspace blog and here is the link... CLICK HERE!

Jet City Rollergirls

Two more days of nothingness and family

And then back to Seattle, to the life I have chosen to live and live. Best friend and family are charging my batteries, I miss skating, very much and I have taken a break from work outs, taken walks and even gotten drunk one night.

It is different, a differnt kind of life, and I sure miss it and I miss Seattle, I am torn, where am I going. 

Tired but still not ready to sleepy sleep, because it's a frinedly night

The soup is on, tonight me and Em, my partner in crime, are making soup and having people over. People are brining wine, so it is a soup and wine night!
Not very vikinglike I guess, but it's hard to live up to the myth all the time!

The curse of Bikram Yoga

It is 90 min yoga in 90 degrees heat and I almost fainted four times, crazy heat. I will for sure use this as proof that I am not made for heat. I am a nordic gal, made for snow and ice. AND I lost a sock in the locker room, I think another yoga lady took it...
sneaky sneaky yoga ladies
So I had to skate around Stockholm with only one, read ONE sock for 3 hours, and when I finally made it home, I had a blister under my big toe!
So now I am nursing my big toe back to health, cursing yoga! Because we all know that skating could have NOTHING to do with it!

Skating randomly around Stockholm with one of the Stockholm Rollerderby girls was good fun, we ended up having to concur some cobblestones, climb some stairs and greatest of all run through some gravel... Oh joy!

How can you get tired when you do nothing but SIT SIT AND SIT SOME MORE??

Tiredness... but why?

How do you get so tired from traveling to Sweden, I mean I do nothing, virtually NOTHING! I sit, sit, sit and sit some more... the sitting get interupetd by some sleeping in awkward position, most of the time still sitting. And then I watch movies, get served food by woman in not so sexy uniform, and sit some more...

This goes on for about 9 hours, and then I get a sitting break to walk for about 30min, just to get on another fligtht to sit some more... And then all of a sudden I'm in Sweden and everyone does their best to stop me from falling asleep.

Yes, this is the hardship of traveling...

My one week of vacationing from derby has begun, I am just going to do some off skates excercises today... Just jump around, maybe even jog... who knows. I went to the doctor yesterday, and he confirmed that my hurting knees are the same as always, it's a hormonal problems, my hormons are threading the cartledge, nothing to do but to eat some painkillers when it gets to bad.

He told me that they are currently experimenting with drilling tiny holes in womens kneecaps, to see if it releases the pain, but that the effect didn't seem to be very satisfactiory. He also said that I should be happy I didn't live in the 50's, because apperently back then they used to surgecially remove the kneecap... (ouch)

A week of Derby vacation...

Swede going to Sweden to see her family... will be back soon to skate her little heart out in Boise, Idaho!

Carlies Angels or Charlies Angels... death on wheels

Rat Citys Championship

I went there and sat to watch some of US finest ladies battle it out, and so they did. Amazing skating, and I feel like I learn from just watching, I probably should have taken my little notebook, but I am a learning by doing person.

This was two tight and exciting bouts, but no big suprises, the Throttle Rockets beat Grave Danger and DLF ended up winning after a bout that could have gone either way. It was exciting to watch, a little too dirty at times, but that is life.

Lovley, lovley Harem

It has been a while

So the end of the season is coming up, I'm in hte shape of my life and finally feel confident in jamming again.
This season, my first season so many things has happened... About exactly a year ago I took my first strides in a pair of rollerskates. And I was hooked from day one..
I ended up buying the roller derby package from lowpriceskates.com. A week later my brand new R3 arrived and I started to drag my friends to open skates allover King and Pierce county. I skated to organ music with a bunch of old people and I stalked derby-looking girls around the Skate King. It was fun, even if my friends were a little skeptical to this whole rollerskating craze... They never spotted me at the bars anymore, because instead I went and fell among the kids at the Skate King on Saturday nights and I quit smoking and my wristguards made me smelly... so when I finally would turn up at the bars I wasn't the attractivley well smelling Swede anymore...

In November I ended up on Jet Citys first boot camp, I was too shy to ever make it to PFM, and Jet City seemed to like the clumsy, tall Swede and Camaro Harem picked me up in December. And ever since I've skated with Jet City, I've gotten to bout with the Harem five times this year and twice with out B-travel team, the B52's.

I went to Vegas for Rollercon and learned, learned, learned, I've gone to scrimmages and learned, learned, learned, I've become a better and better jammer, but my blocking still is not what it will become. I guess a year is not that long of a time and I have more time to work on it, and I will... timing is all, and I have to learn when and how more. I watch others, and i know that one day, after lots and lots of hard work, I can be there too, and I will for sure!

And don't miss our 3rd bout...

We will sell out, so get your ticket as soon as possible, it will be fantastic, amazing with some cream on top...

The crazy Carnevils, that just got defeted by the Pistols are going against my rocking, blazing orange team... the Camaro Harem, and the naughty reformschool girls of the Pink Pistols are going to try to beat some lovley Hula Honey ass... A couple of the earlier injured Hulas will hopefully be able to make it back on track (no pun intended) to show that they can do more than just hula dance...

You can find more info on Jet City Rollergirls webpage...

So sometimes a rollergirl gotta work...

Even if I'm a mighty rollergirl and quite obsessed with roller derby, it doesn't pay the bills. Being a unicorn hunting amazon viking from the North doesn't pay the bills either, so I acctually have a dayjob, or rather a morning job. I make people coffee, I am a lovley barista at one of the nicest coffee places in Seattle.
Fuel is a fantastic place to work at, and the owner is really kickass, she has managed to open a really nice coffee place at three locations. If I get to pick my favorite location it would be the one in Wallingford, it's mellow and busy at the same time, and less kids than in the one at Montlake.

I work mornings so I have time to squeeze in as much rolling as possible in the nights and days... You should come in and taste coffee that is made by people and not by mashines like a couple of big chains around... and don't forget to tip the barista, because this one need some money to support her roller addiction...

I went to California and I forgot to put flowers in my hair...

I went to Venice to see my mother and an old friend of mine, and guess what... I brought my skates... It was sunny and I skated along the beach, while the others biked... I got a tan and a sore ass, it is quite different not to skate on the track and always turning left. Now I could just go all out, my outdoor wheels are quite a work-out...

So our second bout came and went...

So our second bout ended up as a sucess, we raised a whole bunch of money for the March of Dimes, the Pistols kicked some Carnie ass and Harem took the win from the utterly exhausted Hulas.

I got to do my first bouting jams, and it was scary, very scary but also fun. I have much more to learn, but it felt that it was a good beginning. So in our next bout, I am up for some serious ass kicking...
(Pictures by Narra and Jules Douglas)

Roller Con

I am sooo going to roller con, how could I miss such a thing. Women from all over US, allover the world coming together for the love of ROLLER DERBY, can it get any more perfect? I will for sure be there, and when I am there, I will rock it, rock it... and I hope a whole bunch of fantastic ladies from JCRG are coming and myabe some of the amazing new girls that slowly are making up Stockholm Roller Derby will come out and check the American scene out.

Merby is not the new derby...

This past Saturday I ventured down to Tacoma to watch the first all male roller derby tournament, and no, it's not as fun as roller derby. There were dirtier play, some amazing hits and some whiney but quite entertaining boys. Best bout was the Dallas
I had a great time, but still the afterparty wast the best part of it... I was really impressed and proud of my coach Cory Pain, and some of the Dallas Deception boys had amazing skating skills... The Guiness at the afterparty was AMAZING and Suzie 9mm corsette and cleavage was quite entertaining.
I did straddle the Gym Class Hero guy for a bit... I think I might have scared him, but I tend to scare most people a whole lot. Must be the cute face of mine... not the dirty mouth at all... MOHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Today I am gonna go to the PFM practice

PFM has practice tonight, and since I missed the Thursday practice (I took a nap that extended to the whole night) I decided to make an appearance at the PFM practice...

I got my new skates, so I have to take it mellow while breaking those babies in...

Only a month left...

Morning practice

On my way to the Camaro Harem morning solo practice

New skates...

So I finally will get my new skates today or tomorrow... I have gone against my high vegan ideals and forced myself to buy leather skates! They simply are the best, and I heart skating more than animals. Well, except my cat, but I am not planning on making skates off her...

Fast Girl Skates are just great at helping out with finding exactly what you are looking for and what you need. I went by today after work, their store is located only five blocks from my job. I have a feeling that way to many tips can end up in the pockets of those fantastic derby knowledgble and loving ladies...

THIS SATURDAY... I WILL BE SELLING KISSES and so will the other gals as well...

Frustration and more frustration

I don't know why, but I just felt sooo frustrated leaving practice yesterday. I usually feel really light and happy, quite drained.... But yesterday we had scrimmage, and for soem reason I just felt like the crappiest skater ever. It was FRUSTRATING, very frustrating! I was doing okey jamming, except when I cut the track and Sassy was sneaky (great job) enough to get me into the penalty box. But my blocking was just terrible, the rest of hte team are as amazing as ever, but I was allover the place, letting myself getting bumped allover the place by stronger hitters. Not very cool I said to myself and wanted to cry...
I did realize, once again how much I have to work on! There is always more to learn, sometimes it get frustrating, but it's so worth it. But yesterday night was one of those nights, when my frustration just got to me, feeling like as if I never get better.

BUT on the lighter side, I dreamed about derby all night, and jamming, blocking, pivoting and loving it. I dreamed about all the fantastic people that makes JCRG the most wounderful place ever. I never want to do anything but go skate with those ladies, it makes me happy, sometimes frustrated, but I do learn a crazy amount every practice.

Swede went back to Sweden

So I did, but I got straight of the flight and went to practice, I must say I really heart Debbie Derringer (she's the one in pink not jamming) of the Pink Pistols, she makes me laugh soooo hard! We usually carpool up to Everett and share the dirbydirt and our own dirt. I think we just happen to be very dirty girls, but I mean what do you expect of a vikingprincess and a sharp-shooter like the two of us?

We did the JCRG Booty camp together and stayed friends even if we ended up on the teams bouting each other on the JCRG Inaugural Bout... I guess we only stayed friends because the Camaro Harem won over the Pink Pistols, and I am a sour loser and would not ever have spoken with her ever again if they would have won.

Just kidding, it is as they say, "What happens on the track, stays on the track" even if it's never fun to loose! Well, well...

Soon I actually really have to get out of bed and get dressed for another exciting day of training to become a barista!

Does this diaper make my ass look big??

So on Sunday after Rust Riot was scrimmage day, Barbalicious brought diapers for us to wear. It was Diapers (age 29 and below) vs. Depends (30 and up)... We did our best, but the Depends kicked our ass... I had hella good of a time, jammed and blocked and got knocked over on my ass.

An answer to how anti-feminist roller-derby is...

The other day I ran into a feminist blog that was anti-roller-derby, it was arguing that the way roller-derby girls dress was buying into the sexist exploitation of the female body. It drew parallels between cheerleading and Jell-O-wrestling… She did acknowledge the sisterhood within derby, that it is in many cases female run and women empowering, but then she had to go on and complain about the clothing. Why couldn’t roller-derby just be played in regular clothes? And this little rant is my thoughts and response to that blog:

It always amazes me why feminism has to attack things that they truly can own. I have been a feminist since I was born; I had screaming fights with my father as a teenager, when he tried to say a woman couldn’t do something because she’s a woman. I have been arrested for throwing stink bombs into porn-shops and I have arranged “take the night back” rallies. I make a point of telling my younger sisters that they can be anything that they want to be, anything they desire, and anything they wish. Even if it happens to be a plumber, doctor, fairytale princess or a wrestler.

Me for my part wish to wear short skirts, skate really fast, hit hard and play on a team with other wonderful women. I don’t expect anyone to wear fishnets if they don’t want to, I like it, and it’s like dress up for me. I'm like a six year old that gets to wear anything out of my mother’s closet. I can go out on the court and be my little fairytale giant berserk me. I like to wear snug clothes, they just happen to be easier to skate in. I don’t know what those feminists think we should come out and skate in, a burkha? Women in roller-derby come in all different sizes and shapes and they can all become valuable players. We go out there, skate and have a really good time, we hit each other, just to drink a beer or a soda afterwards, it can be a little sour, no one likes to loose, but in the long run, roller-derby brings women together rather than tear apart. I have made more friends those past 4 month doing roller-derby than I made during my 4 years in collage, and by friends I mean people I can talk to and that will listen. That will hug me when I need a hug and that will push me harder when I need to get pushed.

I am 29 years old, I know that most of the standards of society of today is normalized by men, I know that I will always have to fight a little harder than my male counterpart to do the same thing. I know that my short skirt might turn some dirty man on, but should I be ashamed of what I wear? There are dirty old men getting turned on by children, I rather say there is something wrong in the head of the dirty old man than in my choice of clothes. Should I be ashamed of being a woman? Should I have to act and dress in certain ways because it would be more feminists, I am sorry, I am proud to be a woman. I love other women, I find them attractive in short skirts does that make me sexist. I love being a woman, and I have no desire to change that. I love being a roller-derby girl, when I got picked on a team I almost started to cry. If I want to go out and skate in a thong or in a pair of board shorts, I will do it. There is no woman required to wear a short skirt or hot pants to skate on any of the Jet City teams, we all got to choose ourselves. People don’t come watch roller-derby because we wear short skirts, it might be the initial reason for some to come around, but most people stay around to watch the team play, the hitting, the extraordinary jammers, the excitement of two jammers taking each other out.

Roller-derby strengthened my self-esteem and I have heard so many other girls say the same. So if your girlfriend might not seem be the same after she joined a roller-derby league, she probably isn’t. All of a sudden she has a thousand sisters allover the US, even the world, to support, to talk and share with. Roller-derby is everything but sexist, I wear my short skirt with pride, and I am planning on keep doing it!

I hear males within derby saying, that there will be drama within derby because it’s so many women coming together at one place. Please women speak up for yourself, we are the ones that can own and run this, let us show those guys that a bunch of women getting together does not mean drama… and by the way… with a lot of men coming together at the same place tend to create war… at least drama doesn’t kill…

By the way mad props to all the males within derby, you guys that come out and help, you guys that ref, score keep, coach, set up, tear down, mascot, cheer us on and are just amazingly supportive!

I wrote all this on a flight between Amsterdam and Stockholm, going home to Sweden for a bit, I guess flights makes me really contemplative. And by the way, this is all my personal opinions and you are allowed to disagree, but please don’t disrespect!

Rust Riot kicked ass

The Rat City girls and the Rose City girls ended up in hte final, and was that final a nail-biter or was it a nailbiter. I just want to learn more, and more, and more... Great packwork... great jamming, fantastic blocking and just pure joy!

Everytime I get to go watch real good teams Bout, it makes me want to work so much harder, so I can be so much better! I want to skate better, faster, hit stronger, block more secute, i want to learn quicker feet, more sudden change in directions... I wanna learn, learn learn... I wanna grab everyone and tell them to teach me TEACH ME!!!

The story of Swede Hurt

Swede Hurt was born in the cold north during a blasting storm, her mother a giant and her father a warrior Viking. After giving birth her mother held up the child in the blasting storm speaking the little girls fate: Daughter of the North, you will become fast as the wind, hard as ice and beautiful as the Northern Light. Daughter of the North your fate is to beat evil that creeps upon the world, your trait will be to listen, to speak and to love. You will fight for the ones that have no armor and speak up for the mute. Your hand will touch gentle and strike hard, your smile will paralyze and love. You will be the two-edged sword that will unite evil and good into one force that will create the future. Daughter of the North, you have to hold your wickedness away, the curse of the Vikings that soars in your veins.

An arrow was fired, and her mother met a silent death by the side of her new born child, her father taken away and Swede was put out in the forest to be eaten by the wolves.

Swede was found by an old troll that in some way found some love for the abandoned child in her trollish heart. Swede grew up wrestling with the other little trolls. Trolls are known to play dirty and unfair, and so they did. Even if Swede were taller than them, they would find her weak point and bring her to a fall and then make fun of the golden hair that grew from her head, instead of the coarse black hair that the trolls had. Swede grew quicker and taller and one day she found herself drawn to the outside, towards the sun. The sun was the deadliest fear of all since if the sun caught a troll. the troll would burst.
Her stepmother grabbed the curious child and begged her not to go out in the rays of the furious and unforgiving sun. Swede had a brave heart inherited from her parents and walked out, and felt how the bleak winter sun of the North touched gently upon her face. She started to wander, determined to find the murderer of her mother, and where her father was held.

She wandered the north for many years, learned the magic sejd of the Sámi people, she rode among the Cossacks and was taken to tame her first unicorn. She would ride the taiga of Siberia screaming the warrior scream of the Cossacks to scare the beasts creeping into the villages during nighttime. She sat watch in the night, the blond hair glimmering in the light of the moon. She new from birth that there was an evil out there, and her mission were to force it away from her domains.

After many years of wandering around in the snow she found herself walking on ice and one day she entered a country full of stars and stripes, cowboy hats, a lust for money and she felt more lost than ever. Being used to riding fast as the wind on unicorns she soon learned to drive cars fast and to change her reliable ice-skates for roller-skates. One day in her daily search for her mothers murderer on the streets the Angel City she ran into Eva Lathart, after Swede had a giant beer or two she told Eva her story, of how she was trying to solve the mystery. And Eva told her about Carly and Swede Hurt became one of the Angels of the Camaro Harem…

How it all began!

I had no clue what roller derby was, well I sort it had to do with girls hitting each other and rollerskating. I just hadn't given it that much thought. I saw an episode of CSI where there was a roller girl that got killed, and I thought it looked really cool, but the on the other hand I saw an CSI show about the Suicide Girls, and thought that was cool.
Being a quite hardcore competative snowboarder in the past, I was luring around Seattle trying to find myself a new passion. One day a bunch of lesbians dragged me to the roller rink in Bellvue, and I tried rollerskating for the first time of my life. At this time I ws living down in Tacoma, totally unaware of how close I lived to a roller rink I kept on bugging the girls to bring me skating again. They never did, but I kept on thinking of skating, it just looked so darn kool and retro. I have to admitt that skating and short skirt totally flipped a switch inside me, and one day when I walked into a thrift store I found a pair of old derby skates... Since I really did not know was derby was, I was totally "those have to be mine. "And five minutes later they were mine...