After an absolute nightmare of a journey down for The Norfolk Brawds, we were starting to get worried that at 15mins to first whistle, there was a distinct lack of an opposing team. The idiot coach driver finally arrived with a team of stressed out girls in red who signed waivers and kitted up in super quick time. We put the time back (sorry audience) so that the Brawds had time to warm up properly before the first jam and then we were off!

The journey took it’s toll on The Brawds and they did not have a comfortable game. Several minor injuries were followed by a more serious knee injury that required a hospital visit. Thankfully, she’s fine and made it back in time to get the coach home.

Rebellion pulled together and worked well in their first outing as a team; after 2 years of skating with mixed teams and guest skating for other leagues it was awesome to be on the track all together.

Special thanks go to The Duchess of Milton Keynes Roller Derby for helping us to make up our numbers, and to the fabulous officiating crew- we couldn’t have done it without you!

Final score: Rebellion Roller Derby 170 The Norfolk Brawds 33

Pictures ©NearTheCoast.com

Rebellion Roller Derby are opening their 2011-12 season with a closed door bout with The Norfolk Brawds. With The End of the World Series on the horizon, this will be the Rebel girls first outing as a team and a perfect opportunity to put what we’ve learnt in practices onto the track.

5th November 2011 sees Remember Dismember coming to Bedfordshire. This is a closed door bout so no public are allowed unfortunately, but you don’t have long to wait, Rebellion are playing Oxford in February and we’ll have more details from The End of the World Series hot off the press as soon as we can.

We’re really pleased to have ex-Rebel SheGone coming over from Germany to skate with us, and also the hard hitting Duchess from Milton Keynes Roller Derby skating with us, there’s gonna be fireworks!

Goodwood was tough. It was tougher than I’d realised due to the sneakily large amount of uphill there was and the raging sun. While I’d put in for the 53 miles I had to stop at 26 due to a knee injury; that didn’t matter, the whole day was amazing. Everyone supported each other and stayed till the end, until all of the Rebels had finished skating. 26 miles is a lot and the most I’ve ever walked/skated in my life.

The day inspires you to get out there and train hard, to better yourself next year and raise some coin for charity. So if you’re thinking about it – DO IT! Get a team together and get out there!

There is no regular training at Flitwick on Sunday 14th or Sunday 21st August as we’re away at Goodwood Roller Marathon on the 14th and scrimmaging in Milton Keynes on the 21st.

Don’t forget to donate to Keech in the post below: every penny helps!

Normal training will resume Sunday 28th August.

On 14th August 2011, Rebellion Roller Derby will be getting their skates on; but not to play roller derby. This year we are taking part in the Goodwood Roller Marathon and raising money for two great charities. Our entrance fees go to the regular GRM charity- the NSPCC and we are also collecting sponsorship for our resident charity Keech Hospice Care (see our fundraising page for more details of this fabulous charity).

Please use the widget to sponsor us, every penny helps and goes directly to  Keech Hospice Care and will keep us strong over the 26 miles.

You can also donate by text message too: simply text the code ABVX75 followed by the amount you would like to sponsor us e.g. £5 to 70070. Donating by text is free of charge and 100% of your donation will go directly to Keech Hospice Care.

Thank you all, and dig deep!

Here are our gorgeous Rebels after their mixed team match yesterday. 8 Rebels hit the track as part of mixed teams alongside skaters from Bedfordshire Rollergirls, Milton Keynes Concrete Cows, Hells Belles Rollergirls and Northampton Shoetown Slayers.

Amongst their number was Gledos (top right), making her game début. She says “This bout was the chance to skate with previous team members, current team members and skaters completely new to me – everyone was pumped, we all supported each other and our bench manager gave us the best start we could possibly wish for as well as fantastic advice. Our Captain and Vice Captain boosted confidence levels – I couldn’t have asked for a better first bout!”

Also making their début were Pushy Galore and Kara-Saki Ninja who proved themselves on the track and gave their all. In support were Inky Minx, Dew DropHer, Beulah Ballbreaker, Sick Bubblegum and Sweeney Todd, all again skating brilliantly.

Rebellion Roller Derby would like to thank Bedfordshire Rollergirls for inviting us to be part of their first home bout. Thanks ladies!

by Beulah Ballbreaker

Every week I hear people talking about skates – what do you have? What do you think I should get? How much do they cost? – And the ultimate question – which are the best ones????

When you start skating you should be more concerned with getting your balance and falling correctly, and leave looking good and rocking some awesome wheels for later. But for those of you who have been skating for a while and want to graduate from your loan skates, here are some frequently asked questions and suggestions to help you find your skate heaven. Good luck!

1. What do you use? Do you think I should get some?

Skates – Yes! Seriously though, what suits my foot won’t necessarily suit yours. If you’ve got any specific foot issues you should go to a skate shop, get your foot measured and fitted into a skate boot to make sure you are not going to buy something that will cripple you. You don’t have to buy there if you don’t want to – but now you are armed with knowledge you can take onto the internet and shop away. Try other skater’s boots – they may not fit exactly but will give you an idea of what you do like and what you don’t. And finally, think about the whole cost – boot, toe guards and possibly a kit bag – not just the skates.

2. I’ve done my time on the loan skates but don’t want to spend a lot of money – what is an entry-level derby skate?

I will give you the two options that most people go for – it’s up to you which one suits you:

a)      Buy a very basic skate – Bullet, Cobra – that has no padding, basic wheels and a big conical toe-stop. These will cost you between £30.00-50.00. To get more use out of them, change the wheels to derby wheels (£30 upwards), buy a Riedell toe stop (£10) and put in some inner-soles for added padding and you can motor along for a bit quite happily. This is a good option for someone who likes to skate but isn’t so concerned with bouting at this stage.

b)      Buy a pair of specific derby skates – such as Riedell R3’s – as these come with derby wheels, a proper toe-stop and have padding around your foot to help with manoeuvrability and comfort. These will set you back between £60-£100.00 (depending on where you buy them).

You can debate which one is best for you, but if you want to pass your minimum skills and get bouting I would suggest considering the second option as those R3’s will improve your skating. After skating for a bit longer on a proper skate, you will then be able to play with different laces, wheels etc. Fun, fun, fun! All skaters consider buying new skates at some time so get advice from the rest of your league; however consider what you want – fit, cost, durability – and factor this in. The cheaper skates will not wear as well as your super-duper expensive leather skates, so will need replacing at a later date.

3.       Which wheels should I buy?

Aarrrrrrhhhhhh! The one question that we all ponder…but it’s so much fun to window shop! Right, here is a really short guide to wheels. For longer reading please visit Sin City Skates who have a guide on there for die-hard wheel science fans…

All surfaces are different. If you skate on a slippy surface, you want a wheel with grip but if you skate on a surface that is sticky, you want a wheel with slip/slide. Wheels come in ratings – from soft (88-90) to grippy (91-94) to hard (95-100). This is approximate as wheel ratings are down to the manufacturers to decide. If you are skating outside, you want a soft one, if you are on a slippy surface you want a grippy one, and if you are on a sticky surface, you want a….? You get it. Ask the other girls what they use- you’ll probably find they have their favourites and may let you try them out.

For a good all rounder, use a derby wheel that is around the middle – Fugitive blacks are good, or Radars, Demons, or if you have lots of money, some Atoms…nice.

If you want to put in an order for skates or any other equipment, please speak to Sick Bubblegum who will be able to help you.

Happy Shopping x

Liverpool held it’s first ever first roller derby bout “A Hard Day’s Fight” on Saturday 13th November and I was invited to partake in the event along with Beulah Ballbreaker, Inky Minx, Helena Hancart and Smakk Wylde. For us this meant a long drive and an overnight stay but it was all worth it to get on that track with both familiar and new faces.
The first teams up to bout were team White (which I was on) and team Black (which had Beulah). With many hits, shoves and an intense second half team Black came out victorious! There are no grudges after that final whistle blows and then all the shoves turn to hugs. I’m very proud of Beluah for putting up an amazing fight and the win was well deserved.
Next up to bout were The Yellow Shovemarines and the Thrilla Blacks (which had our Inky Minx). The bout was fast pace and no one was messing around. The Thrilla Blacks started off strong but sadly it was The Yellow Shovemarines that claimed the much sought after golden skate!
At the end of the event everyone retreated to the after party where all shared drinks, stories, and laughs. For me it was another unforgettable experience to add to my collection of ever growing derby memories. I made new friends, learned new skills, saw more of England and got to do something I love to do (play roller derby).