The Derby Wife Phenomenon

From: Starry Starry Fight #88 @ http://flattrack.blogspot.com

Nov. 28, 2009

I cannot count the number of times I have heard women say that they cannot have lasting female friendships. Sometimes, my very own own friends claim that female friendships are catty and superficial (ouch!) Other times, some of my most vocal female students argue that friendships between two women are doomed because women are just too competitive.

After hearing the endless claims that women cannot have meaningful friendships, I was perplexed when, two years ago, I found myself surrounded by roller derby women who had very intense friendships with each other and who were not afraid to admit it. Almost every girl involved with the league had formed a close friendship with another skater, and they kept referring to one another as "derby wives." Apparently, the derby wife trend is something that happens in leagues all around the nation.

After a little research, the best definition for a derby wife I have read is the girl who "reminds you of all the things you ever liked in anyone else." Your derby wife is the girl who will always talk to you about anything both on and off the track. Your derby wife is your competitor, but she still appreciates your talents and skills. And your derby wife never judges you, even when you get drunk and fall off of a bar stool while laughing maniacally (true story!).

I guess what surprises me most about the derby wife phenomenon taking place is how vocal we are about our the relationships we have formed with these partners. Instead of claiming that friendship is impossible, we openly claim that we cannot live without each other. We recognize that a blend of competitiveness and rivalry actually helps to cultivate the relationships we have with these women. There is even a book being published about derby wives called Derby Wives: Skate and Scandal by Dale. H. West (more on that book later, but the title alone makes me very skeptical and leads me to believe we are going to read yet another book about hot women sabotaging each other)....

Anyways, we have taken this word (which started off as a term meaning "whore" and since then has taken on so many heterosexual and capitalist connotations) and made it our own. This new language gives all of us a fresh way to think about the possibilities of female friendship and marriage.

P.S. Let it be known that I am a derby polygamist. I have 4 (four!) derby wives and am proud of it. I cannot live with out my Rioter's Block from BAD, Enya Nightmare and Danikka Doom from ARRG, and Sarah who has started as the best fan in the world but is gonna be a force on the track one day! Derby wives are so awesome that I cannot settle for just one and really, I shouldn't have to.

Posted by Starry Starry Fight #88

The Ettes Tour Diary: "...strong support of roller derby"

From: www.magnetmagazine.com

...

Madison, Wisc., October 4
We haul ass from New York to Wisconsin to catch up with the tour with Juliette Lewis and American Bang, and it is fun to be on the road again. By this point, we are officially zombies, which just adds to that lawless feeling you get when you’re on the road, playing rock ‘n’ roll music. So we are quite giddy, actually. The Madison roller girls come out to the show: the Reservoir Dolls, if you want to look them up. The Ettes are in such strong support of roller derby, and Poni and I would rock that shiz so hardcore if we weren’t always on the road. Not that we don’t roller skate and hit each other. Poni says her roller-derby name is Helen Of Destroy. I think I’d still be Coco Motion. Git, git, git gone. I’m fuckin’ fast on skates.
...

Los Angeles, September 29
We’re in Los Angeles for the premiere of Whip It, the lovely and talented Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut featuring Ellen Page, Zoe Bell and Juliette Lewis, among others. It is really fun. The premiere is held at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. I dress up like a roller-derby referee (total fashion-fart coincidence, I just choke when there’s a red carpet involved), and the movie is great! The after-party is a star-studded affair (Judd Apatow! Ed Norton! Steven Spielberg!), and I make only a moderate ass of myself running up to Andrew Wilson to say how much I like him. And he is really nice and says, “You’re not from around here, are you?” because I have a Southern accent, and the smartest thing I can come up with? “I’m from space!!” and grabbing Poni’s arm and running away. Smooooooth.

I go back to the hotel, but Poni takes a taxi to her friend’s house and notices the meter is at $50. Poni is from Queens. She says, “No, sir, I don’t think that’s correct.” It starts that simply. It ends with her getting thrown up against the wall and her purse being stolen. By the cab driver. We know where you park your car, middle-aged Armenian cab-driver man on the east side of Los Angeles. It is a matter of time before we return, stake you out and fuck you up.

To cosmically make up for that, the next morning we get word that we are to perform on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Friday, so we fly back to Orlando, get our van down from the repair rafters and drive straight up to New York City!





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Mountain Derby Girls First Scrimmage @ High Country Sports Arena - Nov 22

The Mountain Derby Girls would like to thank all the SiNtral Valley Derby Girls and the Port City Roller Girls for coming up to Sonora for our first scrimmage. We appreciate all the assistance that you've given us, thank you!

Also, thank you to all of our friends and families who came out to cheer and support us.  Great fun and a great scrimmage which ended in an (unofficial) tie score of 94-94!

Here's a video of the Last Woman Standing at the end of the scrimmage

"Roller derby and MBA? No way!" Nice article about BTrain and Suzy Strychnine from Wicked Skatewear/OC Roller Girls

[Article from Jan Norman @ http://jan.freedomblogging.com OC Register interesting comments.]

November 14th, 209, 12:00 pm
7 Comments · posted by Jan Norman, small-business columnist

Here’s a combination you don’t find every day: MBA student and roller derby skater.

Suzy Dancisin, left, and Bethany Semeiks

That’s Bethany Semeiks who skates under the name “B-Train” for the Orange County Roller Girls and who expects to complete her masters at UCI in the spring.

She and Suzy “Strychnine” Dancisin own Wicked Skatewear in Costa Mesa. The company supplies clothing and accessories for — you guessed it - roller derby skaters. They team up with Iron Doll Clothing to provide custom uniforms for entire teams.

In fact she has used the business for some of her MBA work. Semeiks gives new meaning to the phrase “skating through college.”

“There are six people in my small group,” Semeiks says. “They actually present the project to me as the business owner, which is cute.”

With Wicked Skatewear and their membership on roller derby teams, the pair are doing what they love with both their leisure and work time.

Apparently a growing number of derby skaters are doing the same.  The web site Derby Owned lists businesses from graphic design to promotional products that are owned by “derby girls.”

Semeiks is in Philadelphia this weekend for the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s National Championships, not as a competitor but a vendor. She said in a phone interview she is seeing more competition in this niche market “but competition makes me stronger, it makes me think strategically.”

Wicked Skatewear sets itself apart from other uniform and gear suppliers by sponsoring women’s amateur roller derby leagues. It sponsors 175 of the 300 (and growing) leagues and ships products all over the world. Here’s a sampling of the product line (click on an image for a larger view):

“These leagues are growing because there’s not much for women after college whee they can work their corporate life by day and be who they really are on the track on weekends,” Semeiks says.

Semeiks and Dancisin get along well in business even though they smack each other around on the track.

“We hit each other for fun,” Semeiks says. In business, “I handle sales and marketing and Suzy is vendor relations, accounting and finance. I don’t know how I’d do without her.”

Both are 29 and figure they can skate until they’re 40. “the business will continue regardless of whether we skate,” Semeiks adds.

They’re all ready thinking about moving into uniforms and accessories for other sports under the Wicked brand.

Declaration of Derby - WFTDA National Finals Weekend!

Download the Hi-Res TV Spot!

With the 2009 Regional Tournaments out of the way, we now know the seedings for the Declaration Of Derby! The teams are listed below, along with their division and rank.  The particulars of the event schedule such as bout times and intermission details will be announced shortly.

Click bracket graphic above to enlarge

Day 1 starts at 2PM and features four bouts: ^{[Buy Tickets!]}

• 2:00  Doors Open
• 2:30  Opening Ceremonies
• 3:30 - 4:45  Black Game 1 (Madison/NC2 vs. Boston/E3)
• 4:45 - 5:15  Jon Goff (AKA Eddie Spaghetti)
• 5:15 - 6:30  Black Game 2 (Rocky Mountain/W2 vs. Houston/SC3)
• 6:30 - 7:00  Gregg Gethard
• 7:00 - 8:15  Pink Game 1 (Kansas City/SC2 vs. Denver/W3)
• 8:15 - 8:45  Brendan Kennedy
• 8:45 - 10:15  Pink Game 2 (Gotham Girls/E2 vs. Detroit/NC3)

Day 2 starts at 9AM and features six bouts: ^{[Buy Tickets!]}

• 9:00  Doors Open
• 10:00 - 11:45  Black Game 3 (Texas/SC1 vs. Black Game 1 winner)
• 11:45 - 1:00  Black Game 4 (Philly/E1 vs. Black Game 2 winner)
• 1:00 - 1:30  Joey Dougherty
• 1:30 - 2:45  Pink Game 3 (Windy City/NC1 vs. Pink Game 1 winner)
• 2:45 - 3:15  Wizards On Wheels
• 3:15 - 4:30  Pink Game 4 (Oly/W1 vs. Pink Game 2 winner)
• 4:30 - 6:00  Dinner Break - Sony Air Guitar & AC/DC Name That Tune!
• 6:00 - 7:15  Black Game 5 (Black Game 3 winner vs. Black Game 4 winner)
• 7:15 - 7:45  Doogie Horner
• 7:45 - 9:15  Pink Game 5 (Pink Game 3 winner vs. Pink Game 4 winner)

Day 3 starts at 12 noon and features the Championship and Runner-Up Bouts: ^{[Buy Tickets!]}

• 12:00  Doors Open
• 12:30 - 1:30  Championship Bouts Ceremony, Philadelphia Suns
• 1:30 - 2:45  Green Game 1 (Pink Game 5 loser vs. Black Game 5 loser) to determine 3rd and 4th place
• 2:45 - 4:00  WFTDA Speeches, LaSalle Step Team, Meredith Choral/Dance
• 4:00 - 5:30  Green Game 2 (Pink Game 5 winner vs. Black Game 5 winner) to determine National Champion and 2nd place!
• 5:30 - 6:00  Awards Ceremony

Last Updated on Thursday, 05 November 2009

Examiner Bio Sacramento rivals to face off for the first time

www.examiner.com

When the New York Yankees play the Mets, they call it "The Subway Series." Similarly, when the Oakland A's match up against the San Francisco Giants, it's nicknamed "The Bay Bridge Series." So what do we call a roller derby bout against two teams in Sacramento? Perhaps "The State Capital Series?"

On Saturday November 7th, two longtime cross-town rivals will meet for an official bout for the first time since both leagues were founded in 2006.  The Sacred City Derby Girls will be playing the Sac City Rollers at Sac's home rink, Foothill Skate Inn. Sacred will be sending their secondary travel team, The Disciples, and Sac will be playing their secondary team, the Folsom Prison Bruisers.  Though the two teams have competed simultaneously in tournaments around the state, they have yet to meet head to head until this weekend.

The Folsom City Bruisers are fresh off a close victory (118 - 114) against the Harbor Hellcats of the Santa Cruz Derby Girls just two weeks ago. The Disciples will be looking for a win as they recently lost their two last bouts against CarnEvil of the Jet City Roller Girls (109 - 55) and against the Rocket Queens of the Angel City Derby Girls (73 - 60). However, earlier in the season they notched wins against the Silicon Valley Roller Girls secondary team, the Killabytes (148 - 44), and against the Battle Born Derby Demons (121 - 52).

The Disciples are fielding just thirteen skaters but will be bench-coached by the experienced veteran skaters Cash Money and Daddy's Girl. Sacred is looking to be a serious threat with their jammer line-up consisting of rookie phenom The 4 Closer, recent Port City transfer Razor Grrl, and team captain Pink Devil.

The Bruisers are sporting some new faces to their team as they acquired a transfer from the Ventura County Derby Darlins', Dr. Gyn O'Might and new skaters Ima MASHeen and Madame Chaos who just joined the team in August.  The Bruisers roster also includes longtime member, Regulator, who will lead the team with her years of experience as a blocker.

It has been rumored for years that the relationship between these two Sacramento teams is less than friendly. Sacred City was founded when some Sac City Rollers grew frustrated with the team management and split to create their own league. Over the years, they've socialized and occasionally participated in events together. As time is apt to do, hard feelings have slowly given way to a derby sisterhood and friendship. Regardless of who wins this bout, it is nice to see these two teams finally come together and their collective Sacramento fans will surely be pleased to see more events between these two teams in
the future.

Tickets for this bout are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Children under 6 years old get in for free and kids from ages 7 - 12 get in for half price at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the Sac City Rollers website.

Disciples Roster:   Aly Sylum  /  Atilla the Honey  /   Boom Boom Booty  /  Cha Cha Picante  /  DefVon1  /  Hook N Sink Her  /  Judy Jettison  /  La Locahontas  /   Pink Devil  /  Razor Grrl  /  Starr Scandalous  /  The 4 Closer  /  Vicious Token

Folsom Prison Bruisers Roster:   Aleithal Weapon  /   BiPolar Roller  /   Boob-A-Licious  /   Dr. Gyn O'Might  /  Ima MASHeen  /  Ivory Bones  /  Lipstick Librarian /   Madame Chaos  /   No Holds Barb  /  Pity da Foo  /   Regulator  /   Sha-Naughty  /   Tiny Bubbles  /   Tripping Billie

Roller Derby on Oprah today, need I say more?

Roller Derby Divas Video

Ali Wentworth and four perfect strangers are banding together to step out of their boxes. Watch as Ali's Daredevils take on the L.A. Derby Dolls in a fierce roller derby competition.