May’s roller derby doings: Something for EVERYONE!

May 1, 2009

Derby fans, welcome to May. We’re at a point where two league’s seasons are starting to come to an end and one is very much in full swing. This is definitely a month where most of Arizona’s leagues have something going on I know it’s going to keep this Michi-chan very very very busy.

This month, there’s something for everyone, including those who are more artsy than sportsy and for those who want to strap on the quads and have a chance to bump hips with other dedicated women, you will have a chance.

If you can make it to one or more of these events, including the Tucson ones if you are so adventuresome, please do so and again, thank you for supporting your local roller derby and community sports in Arizona.

FRIDAY - MAY 1
ARIZONA DERBY DAMES
ROLLERGIRL BAKE SALE featuring the School Yard Scrappers
If you are looking for a tasty treat baked with some derby love or you just want to mix and mingle with the rollergirls, this is the place to be. Every First Friday, the AZDD holds a monthly bake sale fundraiser to help support the league (remember, rink rental is not cheap) as well as promote their upcoming bout. While it’s very early in the season, Rowdy’s Scrappers are currently #1 in AZDD and #8 in the derbydata.com Arizona Power Rankings. The plaid definitely have a good chance to go pretty high this year.

IF YOU GO:
Friday May 1 - 7:30PM to Midnight
Roosevelt Row Block Party (5th St. & Garfield, Downtown PHX)
Light Rail: Roosevelt/Central (ROCN)

SATURDAY - MAY 2
RENEGADE ROLLERGIRLS
FUNDRAISER
The Renegade Rollergirls present a 50/50 raffle and rollergirl arm wrestling with live performances by Bruised in Red and Runaway Phoenix.

IF YOU GO:
Saturday May 2 - doors at 8PM - $8 at the door
Alice Cooperstown - 101 E Jackson St - Phoenix
Light Rail: 3rd St/Washington (3WA) - 3rd St/Jefferson (3JF)

SATURDAY - MAY 9
TUCSON ROLLER DERBY
(9) IRON CURTAIN VS. (1) VICE SQUAD
The #9 Iron Curtain has had two very impressive performances, one off the record against Rage City in Alaska and then a major case of “skatercide” against the now #12 Furious Truckstop Waitresses. The Iron Curtain, a team that was in the cellar for many years will be up to the ultimate test, the number one team in Arizona, VICE Squad. VICE recently suffered their first loss in the past year last month to the Copper Queens. The problem here is that the wins that the IC have been getting have been to fairly rookie teams and hopefully this will not be a case of false confidence. The IC is being put up to it’s biggest test of the year, 60 minutes against Sami Automatic, Turkish Slammer and the rest of Arizona’s ultimate power team. Will the red army be ready for this? Perhaps, but I think VICE will prevail, VICE SQUAD by 40-60. If VICE wins, they will end the season at 5-1 and IC at 2-4. An IC win will give VICE 4-2 and IC 3-3. Either way, the matchups for the June 13 Championship Bout have been determined as all 4 TRD teams have clinched their playoff games (championship bout is 1st place vs. 2nd place and then 3rd place vs. 4th place will play for a consolation game).

IF YOU GO:
Saturday May 9 - doors at 6:30PM - bout at 7:00PM
Bladeworld - 1605 W Grant St - Tucson
Admission at door $10 - advance sale tickets available at tucsonrollerderby.com
michi-chan derby love tour

SATURDAY - MAY 9
ARIZONA DERBY DAMES - DOUBLEHEADER BOUT
(7) COFFIN DRAGGERS VS. (8) SCHOOL YARD SCRAPPERS
(5) RUNAWAY BRIDES VS. (11) BOMBSHELLS
You had a chance to see them at the Bake Sale and you get to see them in action. Rowdy and her naughty schoolgirls are going to give the prettiest girls in the morgue a little schooling while Dolly De Los Muertos and the Coffin Draggers will be pulling some new trix out of the book to assure a lot of hard hits and fast jamming. The #8 Scrappers had a very very easy win over the Bombshells so this bout will be the plaid’s first real test of Rowdy’s 2009 leadership. Meanwhile, the Draggers have had a little more experience this year by also taking an easy win over the #11 Bombshells and then had a challenge against the #3 Brutal Beauties which resulted in a loss due to a second half pink rally. Both of these teams have very hard hitting skaters and I see a very defensive game here. I love my Draggers but something tells me that this one will tilt a little more plaid. SCRAPPERS BY 10-30. Now for the other bout. We have the Bombshells, the #11 Bombshells, a team that was only saved from the cellar by a massive loss by a Tucson team. This team has not won a game since 2007, but they have really not had a headline skater since the days of Phenomenon and Rope Me Rhonda. These girls try. Please don’t think I am trashing the Bombshells here. I would love to see them win, especially against a powerhouse like the #5 Runaway Brides.. but something tells me the balance is still not there. I think this will be AZDD’s first true lopper of the year. BRIDES BY 60-80.

IF YOU GO:
Saturday, May 9 - Box office opens at 5PM - Doors at 6:30PM - Bout at 7:30PM
Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum - 19th Avenue & McDowell - PHX
$12 general admission - $12 floor admission (limit 200) - $20 VIP level admission
No advance tickets but see the AZ Derby Dames forum for information on how to sign up for the Arizona State Fair newsletter and get a $2 discount on general and floor admisison and $5 on VIP.

SATURDAY - MAY 9
NORTHERN ARIZONA ROLLER DERBY
SCRIMMAGE AT SMOKE OUT WEST - COTTONWOOD
A while ago, NAzRD has told REAL Derby that they plan to have a scrimmage at the Smoke Out West. The Smoke Out Rally website suggests that Arizona Derby Dames will be there (kind of tough since they have a game the same night). So all I can say is if you go, you may see some roller derby. If NAzRD is skating there, good luck and watch out for the road rash. You think rink rash is rough…

FRIDAY - MAY 15
ARIZONA ROLLER DERBY
WOMEN: SEX AND THE ARTS
As a part of thier Phoenix Third Friday series, the Heard Museum will present a viewing and discussion titled “Women: Sex and the Arts”. The event will include the work of local women as well as live sport demonstrations by members of Arizona Roller Derby as well as music and cocktails.

IF YOU GO:
Friday, May 15 - starting at 6PM - FREE!
Heard Museum - 2301 N Central Avenue - PHX
Derby demo will be in the Heard’s Steele Auditorium
LIGHT RAIL: Encanto/Central (ENCN)

SATURDAY - MAY 16
ARIZONA ROLLER DERBY
BATTLE ROYALE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND ROBIN
This format change for AZRD was planned prior to last month’s “rain-out” at the Castle Sports Club but apparently, instead of using the standings (which were eventually marred by the rain-out), AZRD has elected to literally give each team a clean slate and decide this season’s champion by a round robin. Each team will play three times in three rounds of 20 minute mini-bouts:
ROUND 1 - (U) Bruisers vs. (10) Surly Gurlies / (4) Bad News Beaters vs. (6) Brawlarinas
ROUND 2 - Bruisers vs. Bad News Beaters / Surly Gurlies vs. Brawlarinas
ROUND 3 - Bruisers vs. Brawlarinas / Surly Gurlies vs. Bad News Beaters
The champion will be the team with the most wins. If there is a two-way tie, a sudden death jam between the two teams will break the tie. For a three-way tie, there will be first a sudden death jam between the two of the teams and then the winner will take on “team 1″. Team 1 will be determined first based on points, then on point spread and if there’s still a tie, then a match race will determine Team 1. AZRD has also told REAL Derby that there will be no substitutions allowed for the round robin. As skaters have entered and left the league, we have seen a lot of roster substitutions throughout the season. Not tonight! This is not the first time that AZRD’s postseason has not been based on standings. Last season’s standings were marred by the split of the Arizona Bruisers/Phoenix City Rollers. This resulted in AZRD forming a new Bruisers team mid-season. They promoted the Brawlarinas from the #4 slot and they played against the Surly Gurlies in the Semi Finals. The Brawlas lost in a very close 74-60 bout. The Surlys would go on the play the Beaters and lost to the ballgirls 113-50.

IF YOU GO:
Saturday May 16 - Doors open at 7:00PM - Bout starts at 7:30PM (note: different times)
Castle Sports Club - 11420 N 19th Avenue, PHX
General admission $12 - discount tickets available at azrollerderby.com
Michi-chan Derby Love Tour

SATURDAY - MAY 30
TUCSON ROLLER DERBY
(12) FURIOUS TRUCKSTOP WAITRESSES VS. (2) COPPER QUEENS
This is TRD’s last regular season bout. This bout starts with the Furious Truckstop Waitresses, a team that was once THE dynasty in Arizona and was #1 in the Power Rankings but because of a very nasty loss to the team that was once Arizona’s long time cellar dweller has now sunk to the cellar. The FTW team that we grew up on is pretty much gone. This new FTW, mainly made up of rookie skaters has done their best but struggled throughout the year. They suffered two very wide defeats (VICE Squad by 152 points, Iron Cutain by 99) and in the last time they took on the Copper Queens, they were swept 35-5 in the mini bout round robin. The FTW has only scored 53 points this year. I surely hope that the FTW have not written off this season and hope they give everything against the Copper Queens. They will need it. The Copper Queens are coming in with a new dose of confidence after taking out the state’s number one team in April. Derby fans, even if you are not a FTW fan, please support this team. Let’s have a “pink-out” at Bladeworld on May 30 to show our love for the FTW. But with all of the support we can provide them, the statistics must unfortunately prevail, COPPER QUEENS BY 80-100.

IF YOU GO:
Saturday May 30 - doors at 6:30PM - bout at 7:00PM
Bladeworld - 1605 W Grant St - Tucson
Admission at door $10 - advance sale tickets available at tucsonrollerderby.com
michi-chan derby love tour

SUNDAY - MAY 31
HELL CITY ROLLERGIRLS
TRY-OUTS
Get on the ground floor of Arizona’s newest independent league. Holly Homicide’s HCRG is holding open tryouts for skaters to help build the league. If you want to give it a try or if you are a former area skater who wants to have an opportunity to come back and with a fresh new league witha fresh attitude, give Hell City a try!

IF YOU GO:
Sunday May 31 - 6PM to 7:30PM
The Great Skate - 10054 N 43rd Avenue - Glendale
$10 (includes skate rental) - remember to bring water!!!!!!!

So there you go, sometime for everyone! Come out and support these hard working women!