Archive for the ‘Party’ Category

ARRG’S “30n30″ – # 28 – IN THEIR OWN WORDS

WHAT TONIGHT AT CHAIFETZ MEANS FOR THE LEAGUE

“It’s a big deal for me for it’s the first time that the league has played at Chaifetz. It’s something that we’ve always dreamed about ever since we started playing.  We’ve been skating in a lot of different venues, especially on the road, and we’ve seen what works for different cities. We’ll have a venue that really allows people to experience derby the way that it should be experienced. People will be able to see well. It will do a lot for the city, as well as for our league.” South City Shiner - Jammer, Stunt Devils

“This is what we’ve inspired to do from the beginning so this is all about bring our dreams to fruition. This is going to be pretty amazing. I will be very nervous. I still get nervous coming to Queeny Park, so I’m going to be very nervous there.” The Educator – Jammer/Blocker, Smashinistas

“It’s going to be so many different things. It’s going to be culmination of a lot of dedication and hard work. It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m going to be nervous up until game time.  But when the game happens, that’s going to be my time to have fun.” Black Market Baby – Jammer, M-80s

“It’s going to be pretty great. It’s going to be the first game in the city and that’s pretty monumental and I hope that we have a really great turnout.  I’m going to be pretty nervous. It’s such a big venue.” Party Foul – Co-Captain, Rebel Skate Alliance

“It’s going to be the night that the Stunt Devils win the 2012 local season championship but it’s also going to be the first time that the Arch Rival Roller Girls are going to have a bout in the city of St. Louis. That’s really exciting for all of us.” Biohazard Betty – Blocker, Stunt Devils

“Personally, Chaifez is a year and a half of blood, sweat, and tears coming together for one great night of really fun derby. It’s my first championship and I feel so honored to be playing with the Smashies and against RSA. Derby has given me a confidence and competitiveness that I never knew was in me and I want to thank my team and the other players that have spent time coaching me by playing my heart out.” Harsha Punishment – Blocker, Smashinistas

“Personally, it’s going to be pretty huge for me because I’ve been around ARRG for a long time and it’s going to be the biggest thing that they have ever put on. It’s going to be one of the biggest venues that I’ve ever skated on. I hope that we can pack it full. It’s going to be a show and I’m going to be very proud to skate there.” Rhino-Might – Blocker/Jammer, M-80s

“As a city resident, I think this is where ARRG should be playing. I am extremely excited to play in such a great venue during my rookie season. I appreciate all of the hard work that all of the women in ARRG, past and present, have done to make this night of derby possible.” The Oregon Betrayal – Blocker, Rebel Skate Alliance

“I’m going to be nervous. I’m going to be going out for my third local championship in hopefully what will be thousands of people. It’s a really amazing day for us from where we started and all the work that we’ve gone through all through the years. It feels that we are on the map as a real legitimate sport in St. Louis and I’m really excited to see how many people we can get out.” Mayor Francis Slayer – Pivot, Stunt Devils

“I am stoked and so proud to be a member of ARRG as we play at Chaifetz. We are taking risks, the public is becoming more aware of derby culture, and it’s going to be one heck of a fun night. People are getting excited about roller derby! Skating with the Smashies at Chaifetz will be unforgettable!” Downtown Dallis – Co-Captain, Smashinistas

“Playing at Chaifetz will definitely be a highlight of my derby career. I started playing on a team around March of 2010 and I like the fact that I’ve gotten to experience the growth of this league from one venue to the next. Playing derby in the city limits of St. Louis is what this league has been waiting for. This is ARRG history in the making and I get to be a part of it!  Tonight, there’s going to be a million different emotions rushing over me. I already know that I’m going to be proud of my team, no matter the outcome. And I’m sure the entire league will feel a sense of accomplishment after our first two successful bouts at Chaifetz.” Munchausen by Foxy – Jammer, M-80s

“I’m excited about playing at Chaifetz, but it will be more like a throwback to my days in Chicago since the Windy City Rollers play at the UIC Pavilion. I imagine I’ll feel a little more “at home” at Chaifetz than at Queeny…. really looking forward to it!” Beaster Bunny, Rebel Skate Alliance

“Tonight is going to mean so much to me because as I am not a part of the travel team this season, this will be my last local game of 2012. That’s huge. I’ve never had a season where I didn’t skate both locally and on the travel team.” Artemischief – Jammer, Stunt Devils

“Party! Before the whistle it’s all nerves, but after that and after your first hit, it’s game on.” May Require Stitches – Blocker/Jammer, M-80s

“I have personally never been to Chaifetz Arena, but from what I understand, this is a really big venue. I am really stoked to be playing in such a large and popular place. Also, the competitive vibe between the local teams is just amazing. Being at Chaifetz is another milestone I can mark down on my roller derby ‘to do’ list and ARRG is graciously guiding me down the right avenues for success.” Eveready – Jammer/Blocker, Rebel Skate Alliance

“It is absolutely amazing to realize that I will be playing at Chaifetz. If I had decided to take up roller derby any later than I had, I would not have this opportunity. It is awesome to see how much it means to the ARRG players who have been around for years, too. I feel like I’m part of history-in-the-making!” Brickyard – Jammer, Smashinistas

“When I moved to St. Louis at the end of 2010, my Dad and I were driving around and he saw Chaifetz and asked me what it was and who played there. I, of course, responded in my RotN way, ‘How would I know. I just moved here.’ When I was drafted (earlier this year), I called my Dad and said ‘You remember that big dome building and you asked me about who played there?’ Of course he did and I said, “Well I play there, that is who!”  - Dollyrot N – Blocker, Stunt Devils

“Playing at Chaifetz will be a monumental point in my life. I will be retiring after the end of the home season, so this will be my last game. It will represent how far the league, and myself as an individual, have come. Making such a huge upgrade in venue will also mean that nobody knows what the future holds… and the possibilities are endless. It will also be the first home game without Fojammi, and that will be bittersweet.” Punches Pile-Up – Blocker, Smashinistas

“Playing at Chaifetz is huge to me. It feels like we’re taking it to the next level by bouting at a next level venue. It’s really exciting to be playing our championship bout there. Hopefully, we can get our fans excited to watch us play there and generate more fans to continue to keep St. Louis derby growing. Who knows how big we can grow enthusiasm for the sport?” Toe Stop Believin’ – Blocker, Stunt Devils

“Tonight is huge for the non-skating officials. Not only is it the local season Championship but it will be the first time working in a venue the size of Chaifetz Arena for most of the NSOs. It’s an opportunity for the NSOs to show how well they do their jobs in a big-event setting. I’m excited about working
a bout there and hopefully there will be a great turn out for the Championship, which could possibly lead to more bouts being held at Chaifetz in the future.” Scott Oblivious – ARRG Head Non-Skating Official

“As one of the ‘original’ Arch Rival Roller Girls, the championship at the Chaifetz is ridiculously exciting. I remember when we were excited to fill that little roller rink in Columbia for our first ‘pink and black bout’. I remember thinking, ‘Whoa. people are actually paying to see us play our sport.’ As the league progressed and we started playing games at the All-American, and now at Queeny Park, I didn’t doubt that we could play at a venue like the Chaifetz. But now that the day is here it is pretty surreal. The Jeerleaders cannot wait to perform at the Chaifetz. We are so happy to have the opportunity and we hope to make the rest of the league proud with our performance. I have no doubt the crowd will be wowed by our Jeertastic moves.” Miss Lippy – Retired skater & ARRG Jeerleader

“Playing at Chaifetz. What an opportunity for this league! We FINALLY have a bout within city limits, and we FINALLY have a big, flashy venue to play in (even if just once). I’m a little jealous of other leagues that have nicer venues with more seating (and sometimes more fans). Okay, more than a little. I’ve wanted ARRG to fill a place like Chaifetz all season long. I think getting our skate in the door is a major first step. For me personally, I am just so excited about the championship bouts! It’s going to be really awesome to be skating on the sweet, sweet concrete floor of Chaifetz Arena in front of tons of our fans. I am just super excited that we are able to pull this off for ourselves and for our fans.” Ginny Beastley - Blocker, Rebel Skate Alliance

“Chaifetz is kind of my baby. I’ve been dealing with a lot of the behind scenes planning and have put a lot of effort into making this event work. When we were selling out the All American, I could not grasp why we couldn’t play at a venue like Chaifetz. I was convinced it could be done. So I made some phone calls and sent many emails, and with a lot of work by a lot of dedicated league members, it’s on our schedule.

Being able to hold our Championship bout at Chaifetz Arena is a great accomplishment for the league. It shows that the sport of roller derby is only continuing to grow in spectatorship and showmanship. And, it’s a testament to the longevity of the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Most importantly, playing at Chaifetz, gives us the opportunity to finally play for the St. Louis community in a St. Louis City venue. Playing at Chaifetz feels like a homecoming of sorts.” Shimmy Hoffa – Co-captain, Smashinistas

Tickets for tonight’s championship are still available at the Chaifetz box office today from 10am – 2 pm. VIP FLOOR SEATING IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT. Bowl seating tickets are still available at $15 adults and $6 for children 10 and under. Box office re-opens at 6 pm tonight. At that time, tickets are $20 for bowl seating and $6 in bowl seating for children 10 and under.

For updates throughout the day, please go to ARRG’s Facebook Page.

A full recap of tonight’s bouts will be featured in this section of the website on Monday, April 30.

COMING UP TOMORROW AT 8 AM FOR ARRG’s “30n30”: Derby action continues next weekend for the league. The ARRG All-Stars – ranked sixth in the WFTDA North Central – returns to Midwest Sport Hockey to battle a hard-charging Indiana squad that looks to make a push towards the top ten. Plus, the Saint Lunachix looks to keep its perfect record intact in the undercard. We’ll preview both bouts. On Sunday, we preview ARRG’s bouts on Saturday, May 5 against Bleeding Heartland.

ARRG’s “30n30” is a daily feature that examines different aspects of the Arch Rival Roller Girls – St. Louis’ first female flat-track roller derby franchise. In this section every morning at 8 AM for the entire month of April, a new feature will be presented.

Other installments of ARRG’s “30n30″: PRE-SERIES SET-UP (1) EVOLUTION (2) THE DREAM TO PLAY AT CHAIFETZ (3) LOCAL SEASON RECAP (4) ARRG ALL-STARS (5) SAINT LUNACHIX (6) ROOKIE RIVALS (7) REFEREES & NSOs (8) PRE-BOUT RITUALS (9) POST-BOUT RITUALS (10) GUERILLA UNCAGED – NO MINORS (11) ARRG VS. MEMPHIS PREVIEW (12) CHARITY (13) CHAIFETZ PUBLICITY (14) McWHEELY PHOTOGRAPHY (15) GUERILLA UNCAGED – DERBY NAMES (16) ARRG ALL-STARS VS. MEMPHIS RECAP (17) JEERLEADERS (18) SKATING MOMS (19) LUNACHIX VS. SIRG PREVIEW (20) GUERILLA UNCAGED – DERBY INJURIES (21) CHAIFETZ ANTICIPATION (22) LUNACHIX VS. SIRG RECAP (23) REBEL SKATE ALLIANCE (24) THE SMASHINISTAS (25) THE-M-80s (26) THE STUNT DEVILS (27) CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

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ARRG’S “30n30″ – # 16: ARRG VS. MEMPHIS RECAP

BLISTERING START LEADS TO ALL-STARS’ 209-POINT WIN

by Muckety Muck, Derby News Network Contributing Writer – Photos by Bob Dunnell

(MEMPHIS, TN) For the Arch Rival Roller Girls’ All-Stars – the WFTDA’s North Central sixth-ranked team – a weekend roadtrip to the home of “The King of Rock-n-Roll” provided the perfect platform for a team that was looking to rebound after a loss to a lower-ranked squad last month.

41A win against the Memphis Hustlin’ Rollers Saturday would right the ship back on track. Conversely, a loss to South Central’s #16 would surely raise some red flags.

As Elvis himself would say…”It’s Now or Never.”

Extremely rare is the case that a bout’s winning jam is determined less than four minutes in, but that’s precisely what happened as St. Louis’ best on quads notched a 238-29 victory at the Memphis Fairgrounds’ Pipkin Building in front of 300.

“Losing was not an option,” said ARRG All-Star blocker Party Foul after the bout. “This was their turf, this was their house, this was their floor and this was their crowd. It was really important for us to come back home with a win and it was really awesome that we did.”

The win improved the All-Stars record to 3-1 and eliminated seeds of doubt following their 53-point loss to North Central #9 Ohio on March 11.

53“I think we needed a confidence booster,” Foul said. “A lot of us came back from the Ohio trip feeling a little confused because we did so well against (NC #8) Cincinnati the night before. A lot of us took the loss to Ohio really hard, so we needed to win this one.”

“We wanted to come into this game and prove that we could play better derby than that,” adds ARRG blocker Shimmy Hoffa. “It was a chance for us to really work on our teamwork and put it all back together again and start fresh.”

Little did anyone know how long – or in this case, short – it would take to claim victory.

Following a scoreless bout-opening jam, Black Market Baby posted a 30-point strike for Arch Rival at 26:30 to literally give the visitors the win.

Consider this.  It took less time for ARRG to get the bout’s winning points over Memphis than it does to hear “Suspicious Minds” in its entirety.

22“It’s always important for us to start with really high momentum,” said Hoffa of the fast sprint out of the gates. “We just wanted to get the game going and start putting points on the board. We started the game intense and wanted to maintain that intensity throughout the rest of the game.”

Following the 30-0 launch, Arch Rival proceeded with a baker’s dozen points unanswered. Downtown Dallis‘ four-pointer was followed by South City Shiner‘s five. Mighty Mighty Boston added another four to extend the lead to 43-0 at the 21:50 mark.

Memphis jammer Lil Cinner cracked open the goose egg with a two-point tally on the next jam, but St. Louis countered with another twelve straight to build a 55-2 lead midway through the period.

New Jersey Turndyke offered a glimmer of hope for Memphis by posting four with 14:50 left to cut the deficit to 55-6, but ARRG countered with another 22 points – capped by Boston 17-pointer – to stretch the lead to 77-6 with 12:00 left in the half.

91Arch Rival racked up multiple double-digit jams as the period’s final third progressed. Dallis’ 14-point power jam at 8:15 was followed by South City Shiner’s 15-pointer, extending ARRG’s advantage to 110-8.

Boston posted another 18 deep in the frame to help Arch Rival stretch its lead to 128-12 at intermission.

The dominance in the second half would continue as the St. Louisans netted the first four jams of the second half, which resulted in a 46-0 run. Black Market Baby’s dozen, Dallis’ nine, Boston’s 18 and another five by BMB extended ARRG’s lead to 174-12 with 20:00 left.

The workhorses of the Arch Rival blocking schematic, paced by Foul, Hoffa, Chewblocka, Science Friction, Grave Danger, The Educator, May Require Stitches and a host of others, kept  Memphis from barely breaking double digits in both halves.

“It provided a great safety net,” said Foul of her blocking sistren. “It gave us the chance to play the perfect derby that we could possibly play.”

81Dallis’ four-pointer scored with 9:00 remaining broke the 200-point barrier for ARRG, which now sat on a 200-18 lead.

A 26-0 ARRG run – punctuated by Shiner’s 18-point power jam with under six minutes left – extended the cushion to 230-20.

Outscoring Memphis 110-17 in the second half to collect the 209-point victory, four St. Louis jammers posted 40-plus points apiece in the bout, paced by Boston’s 68 followed by Black Market Baby’s 66.

“I saw things out of them tonight that I’ve never seen before,” said Chewblocka of the jamming quartet. “I saw a lot of aggression, a lot of tight footwork and I saw them seize a lot opportunities tonight.”

But don’t think that all was perfect in the assessment. Even though they held Memphis scoring to low numbers, ARRG’s internal constructive criticism still looks for cleaner play overall.

“We definitely ran into penalty issues near the end,” said Chewblocka. “Even though we were able to control situations when we had players in the penalty box, it would better to never have players in the box to begin with.”

62“There’s still a lot that we need to work on,” agrees Hoffa. “We still need to work on our penalties and tighten up some of the things that Memphis took advantage of towards the end. They started figuring out or strategies and adjusting. When a team starts adjusting, we need to still play our strongest game.”

And this will be important as Arch Rival returns to WFTDA North Central region action on Saturday, May 5 against NC #13 Bleeding Heartland at Midwest Sports Hockey.

“The first of bouts of the season are there to gauge and see where your strengths and weaknesses lie,” says Hoffa. “We get to see what works and what needs to get fixed. It makes the team stronger and it gives us a chance to train ourselves for what’s coming up ahead.”

UNOFFICIAL SCORING

ARCH RIVAL (238) – Mighty Mighty Boston 68, Black Market Baby 66, South City Shiner 56, Downtown Dallis 48

MEMPHIS (29) – Muse of Bruise 11, Tenacious B 10, Lil Cinner 4, New Jersey Turndyke 4

COMING UP TOMORROW AT 8 AM FOR ARRG’s “30n30″: They shake their poms, hold their signs and cheer on the skaters of the league. One rides a tricycle and another totes a really large pirate’s head. They don’t skate on bout night, but their involvement adds to the color of roller derby in St. Louis. They also give back with fundraisers and support events. On Tuesday, we look at the ARRG Jeerleaders.

ARRG’s “30n30″ is a daily feature that examines different aspects of the Arch Rival Roller Girls – St. Louis’ first female flat-track roller derby franchise. In this section every morning at 8 AM for the entire month of April, a new feature will be presented.

Other installments of ARRG’s “30n30″: PRE-SERIES SET-UP (1) EVOLUTION (2) THE DREAM TO PLAY AT CHAIFETZ (3) LOCAL SEASON RECAP (4) ARRG ALL-STARS (5) SAINT LUNACHIX (6) ROOKIE RIVALS (7) REFEREES & NSOs (8) PRE-BOUT RITUALS (9) POST-BOUT RITUALS (10) GUERILLA UNCAGED – NO MINORS (11) ARRG VS. MEMPHIS PREVIEW (12) CHARITY (13) CHAIFETZ PUBLICITY (14) McWHEELY PHOTOGRAPHY (15) GUERILLA UNCAGED – DERBY NAMES

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ARRG’S “30n30″ – # 13: CHAIFETZ PUBLICITY

LEAGUE SPREADS THE MESSAGE BY VARIOUS METHODS

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Bout Co-Announcer

In the guests’ waiting room of KPLR-TV, Channel 11, Arch Rival Roller Girls’ skater Black Market Baby patiently holds steady while a technician threads a clip-on microphone through her sleeveless M-80s’ jersey. It’s mere minutes before she’s set to appear live on the station’s “Sunday Sports Extra” program that evening.

In a major sports city that is – in this particular week – focused simultaneously on St. Louis Blues’ playoff hockey and the home opener of the St. Louis Cardinals, an opportunity for exposure by an “alternative sport” on broadcast television is a rarity.

ARRG's Black Market Baby and KPLR's Kurt LaBelle talk derby on "Sunday Sports Extra." Credit: KPLR-TV

ARRG's Black Market Baby and KPLR's Kurt LaBelle talk derby on "Sunday Sports Extra." Credit: KPLR-TV

On the producer’s meticulous rundown, the skater is scheduled for a five-minute interview to discuss and promote the 2012 ARRG Local Championships, held at Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, April 28.

When opportunities like this present itself, one has to take advantage of it.

So what if it was Easter Sunday? This is publicity by “any means necessary.”

The league knows promoting the sport through various media outlets is imperative. Exposure leads to interest and that leads to audience growth.

“Without publicity, our fan base would be minimal,” says ARRG Publicity Committee member Morgan LeFaetal. “It would be just the friends and family members each of us could entreat to come to each game.”

“The publicity committee exists to show St. Louis that ARRG roller derby is real, action packed sports entertainment,” she adds.

And seeing how media is so diversified these days, the areas of focus are broken down into three specific areas: Internet, print and radio/television.

Because of their importance individually, no area is greater than the other.

Under the parameters of “Internet” exists the league’s own website and its Facebook and Twitter accounts. “Print” handles newspaper and magazine interviews/requests, as well as external advertising such as newspaper ads and billboards. All things broadcasted are handled by the “tv/radio” subcategory.

With Black Market Baby’s interview on KPLR this evening, the league will hit two of these areas. However, they won’t occur simultaneously. Such is the way that effective publicity works.

“Okay, you’re up next,” says a voice in the KPLR studio’s background. The skater, showing no sign of nervousness, takes her place and awaits direction.

No time for a panic attack, there’s important points that she has to hit upon.

“Hey Boomba, thanks for coming on!” says the program’s host, KPLR sports anchor Kurt LaBelle, as she makes her way onto the set during the program’s two-minute commercial break.

Perhaps it’s because of familiarity that she seems relaxed. LaBelle has known the skater personally for close to four years and – as a flat-track derby skater himself – knows how to formulate questions that promote the sport to audiences unfamiliar.

“Standby,” says a technician, manning a hand-held camera.

And just like stepping up to the jammer line and awaiting a referee’s whistle, Boomba is all about business.

In this case, it’s the business of selling derby.

“All league members are considered to be members of publicity as it is everyone’s job to be the face of our league,” says LeFaetal of the league’s missive.

And although the participation is there, it’s still a bit of a challenge when the budget is much considerably smaller compared to other sporting franchises.

“We rely heavily on our Facebook page and the ‘woman power’ of flyering countless events throughout the season,” says LeFaetal. “We also are always grateful for the television and radio spotlights the local news sources are willing to offer us.”

Boomba talks ARRG derby on KPLR's "Sunday Sports Extra" - Credit: KPLR-TV

Boomba talks ARRG derby on KPLR's "Sunday Sports Extra" - Credit: KPLR-TV

And as the five-minute offer of generosity progresses on the KPLR “Sunday Sports Extra” set, Boomba hits upon the goals and accomplishments of the league and the importance of the league’s first regulation bout held inside the city limits.

“I’ve been playing derby for about three and a half-years now and this is something that (ARRG) has always dreamed about,” says the skater during the interview. “I’ve travelled to different cities and have seen large crowds in large arenas. Now we actually have the chance to have that dream come true.”

As time moves rapidly along, Boomba talks about her team’s preparation for the title tilt against the Stunt Devils and what unfamiliar fans could expect on April 28.

“Fun, fun, fun,” she says. “I expect hard hits. I expect everyone just going for it full blast. Everyone’s going to be dripping with sweat and just bust our…you know whats.”

When the segment is over, all seem satisfied with the end result. It might have not mattered at the time as to how many people got the message. Just the mere fact that the message was sent was good enough for ARRG.

The next morning, the league would find out just how effective it was.

According to the Nielsen Company, which measures television audiences, “Sunday Sports Extra” netted a rating of 2.25 locally, a number that surpassed the weekly program’s normal average. This resulted in a third-place finish for the program amongst six St. Louis broadcast television stations. This was a solid result considering the competition included first-run episodes of “The Amazing Race” on CBS and “Harry’s Law” on NBC.

Taken into consideration that one whole point recorded in the St. Louis television market equals about 12,500 households, ARRG was seen Sunday night in an estimated 28,000 households in the St. Louis television market.

Then the league got an additional boost later Monday afternoon via the station’s website, kplr11.com, which posted the interview as one of its featured stories on its main page.

“KPLR is traditionally known as an entertainment station,” says Joe Millitzer, KPLR/KTVI Acting Executive Producer of Interactive Content. “A lot of sports are entertainment, too. We love to feature sports like this on our website. We love roller derby and really like to show it off.

And show it off they did by featuring a link to the ARRG interview segment to its 42,000 friends on Facebook.

The league did its part by sharing the KPLR link to its 5,300 Facebook community as well.

“The roller derby community really glommed onto it real fast because of social networking,” says Millitzer of the rapid response. “Once we put it on our Facebook page, a lot of roller derby fans picked that up and spread it to their friends, who then spread it to their friends and so forth.”

The effort resulted in the story being listed as the one of the top five “most viewed” on the website for the next 48 hours.

“(KPLR) got a whole lot of traction because of it,” Millitzer says.

arrg-billboard-005-yesThe wheels of progress continue as the date of the ARRG’s event at Chaifetz Arena nears.

And just because two areas of publicity were effectively covered with Boomba’s KPLR appearance doesn’t mean that “print” is being neglected in the promotion of the event.

In February, ARRG rented a billboard – located near Chaifetz at I-40 and Compton – that promoted the league to mid-town commuters. Two-sided fliers were created and distributed at area events, which included a league-organized pub crawl in the Manchester Grove area of the city held last week.

And, according to LeFaetal, another large-scale form of publicity will take place at the site of the local season’s finale.

“On April 17, Chaifetz will begin showing the championship on their personal billboard outside the arena thanks to several sponsors who helped us make that purchase,” she says.

That means that when one drives by the arena next week, they’ll see a giant hanging banner outside the facility that will promote the event.

The league has additional publicity opportunities prior to the event. Appearances on KPLR, KTVI (Channel 2) and STLTV are tentatively scheduled for the week of the bout. Internet exposure will increase through various local websites. Public appearances by skaters are scheduled at local events.

The modest goal of ARRG at Chaifetz Arena is to double the crowd – typically 1,000 – that normally sees the league’s events at Midwest Sport Hockey.

“It would be amazing if we could reach this number,” says LeFaetal of the goal for 2,000.

But wouldn’t it make a statement if ARRG exceeded that amount?

After all, a sports city that “sees red” and “bleeds blue” could use a little splash of pink and black.

To see the story and interview with ARRG’s Black Market Baby on “Sunday Sports Extra” in its entirety, go to the KPLR official website by following THIS LINK RIGHT HERE.

Check ARRG’s Facebook page daily for information on upcoming media appearances prior to the April 28 Chaifetz Arena event.

COMING UP TOMORROW AT 8 AM FOR ARRG’s “30n30″: An important aspect of ARRG’s publicity efforts features the professional work of a dedicated volunteer. When he first engaged in photography, Bob Dunnell was merely trying to pick up a hobby to go against the routine. A love of roller derby cultivated into an art form that now effectively captures the true essence of the sport. We look at his nationally-recognized work and get feedback from a pair of his artistic peers.  On Saturday, we profile the photographer that’s affectionately known in derby circles as “Mr. McWheely.”

ARRG’s “30n30″ is a daily feature that examines different aspects of the Arch Rival Roller Girls – St. Louis’ first female flat-track roller derby franchise. In this section every morning at 8 AM for the entire month of April, a new feature will be presented.

Other installments of ARRG’s “30n30″: PRE-SERIES SET-UP (1) EVOLUTION (2) THE DREAM TO PLAY AT CHAIFETZ (3) LOCAL SEASON RECAP (4) ARRG ALL-STARS (5) SAINT LUNACHIX (6) ROOKIE RIVALS (7) REFEREES & NSOs (8) PRE-BOUT RITUALS (9) POST-BOUT RITUALS (10) GUERILLA UNCAGED – NO MINORS (11) ARRG VS. MEMPHIS PREVIEW (12) CHARITY

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ARRG’S “30n30″ – # 8: PRE-BOUT RITUALS

TRADITIONS RANGE FROM SLEEP TO DIET TO TUNES

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Bout Co-Announcer – Photos by Bob Dunnell

There are certain things that we do on a daily basis that one would classify as “routine.”

Whether it’s the mandatory cup of java upon wake up, the way we “make our face” to prepare ourselves in public or the systematic spreading of peanut butter prior to jelly, there are particular patterns in life that operate like clockwork.

There might be some alterations from time to time, but for the most part, they are our rituals.

For each of the four local teams of the Arch Rival Roller Girls, numerous hours of practice are dedicated weekly to help them prepare for upcoming battles on the flat-track.

Prior to bout night, the Smashinistas bond at the supper table!

Prior to bout night, the Smashinistas bond at the supper table!

But for each skater personally, certain rituals are followed days, and sometimes minutes, prior to the start of a bout.

They span the categories of diet, rest, paperwork and fellowship. And for one skater, it even includes a particular type of hosiery worn.

Some of these traditions have cultivated over time and perpetually change just like we internally do.

“I used to have a lot of pre-bout rituals and now I’ve made a lot of lifestyle changes that affect that,” says Smashinistas’ jammer The Educator.  “Now, I make sure that my rituals don’t veer off of my normal routine.”

“I’m a lot older than some of the people that skate, so as an athlete, I completely understand what I have to do the whole week before I have to skate on a Saturday night,” adds Stunt Devils’ jammer South City Shiner. “I gotta take care of myself a lot differently than someone who is ten years younger than I am because I don’t bounce back they way that they do.

“Every year it changes and I am still trying to figure it out right now,” says M-80s’ co-captain Black Market Baby. “Just relaxing right now is the important thing.”

And the amount of rest a skater gets the week of a bout is on the high end of the list. Clinical studies often show that the athlete needs an average seven to nine hours of sleep nightly the week prior to an athletic contest.

And that’s not easy to do if you are an ARRG skater, considering that one has to balance derby with daily personal commitments such as job, education and family.

Sometimes, a skater just has to hit the pillow whenever they can.

Harsha Punishment (r): Sleep and hydration are important!

Harsha Punishment (r): Sleep and hydration are important!

“The day of a bout, I sleep as late and as much as I can,” says Smashinistas’ blocker Harsha Punishment. “I always take a nap or at least lie down for 30 minutes before I get ready to leave. It’s a nice vacation from my head for a while.”

“I have to work the whole day when we’ve had games so I always have to make sure I get enough sleep,” says Rebel Skate Alliance co-captain Party Foul. “I usually try to sneak in a nap before I rush out for a game.”

“I like to get a lot of sleep the week before a bout,” adds Shiner. “I’m very conscious of what I eat and drink and how I sleep the whole week. ”

The Stunts' Mayor Francis Slayer: B-12s & Bananas are the norm!

The Stunts' Mayor Francis Slayer: B-12s & Bananas are the norm!

Shiner’s personal philosophy of bout-week diet is echoed by others. What one digests – either solid or liquid – earlier in the week can make a difference in athletic performance.

“I try to drink as much water as I can,” says Harsha Punshiment. “But sometimes work gets the best of me and I forget that I need to hydrate, which is funny, because I’m in charge of (hydration) for the teams at the bouts. I bring all of the water and Gatorade for the skaters.”

“The week before the game, I’m usually very careful about what I drink,” adds Foul. “I really don’t drink any alcohol.”

“I would have done this differently three years ago, but I don’t really drink anything now,” concurs Artemischief.

When it comes to food, discerning palates are going to make selective choices.

“The night before, the Smashies always meet up and have a team dinner at either a Thai or Vietnamese restaurant,” says Punishment. “I like that type of food because it’s not as heavy as tacos, pizza or burgers, so I feel better the next day.”

And on game day, the menu gets even more selective.

“My wife takes me to Local Harvest Café for a big breakfast,” says M-80s’ blocker Rhino Might of the weekend tradition.

“I try to make sure to go into that game fresh so I try to eat well,” says Stunt Devils’ co-captain Mayor Francis Slayer. “I take my B-12 (vitamins) and eat my bananas.”

The tropical fruit is also consumed by a teammate.

Artemischief: Fights to the finish because she eats her spinach!

Artemischief: Fights to the finish because she eats her spinach!

“On game days, I’m usually coming straight from work, so I grab a bunch of bananas,” says the Stunts’ Artemischief. “And I eat a bag of spinach on my way to Queeny Park.”

That may seem like an unusual combination. After all, one doesn’t recall Popeye sneaking in fruit while downing a can of the leafy greens.

“I’m a vegan and I normally don’t eat a lot of bread to begin with anyway,” she counters. “Among athletic people, I have kind of a weird diet.”

Upon further review, it’s not a weird diet at all, but it certainly is the polar opposite compared to another skater.

“I eat pasta at 12 pm and I eat a lot of candy,” says M-80s’ jammer/blocker May Require Stitches. “I need my sugar.”

Whether it’s vegan or ultra-carb, once all food stuffs are consumed, certain patterns of tradition continue as the day progresses.

“I relax as much as I can,” says Smashinistas co-captain Downtown Dallis. “And I call my mom for good luck.”

“I watch movies, clean my wheels, clean my bearings, don’t talk much, and go to the grocery store to grab all of the water stuff,” says Harsha Punishment.

“I double-check all the ‘things’ that I need to bring to the bout,” says Hi-Refinition, ARRG’s Head of Officiating. On the list includes skates, pads, a helmet, a referee’s uniform, bout paperwork, a jam clock, a battery for the penalty light board, referee video cameras and water bottles.

M-80s' Rhino Might: Hitting attack with socks of black.

M-80s' Rhino Might: Hitting attack with socks of black.

And for one skater, the laundry list has to include one particular clothing item.

“I have to wear black socks,” says the M-80s’ Rhino Might. “It started when I wrestled in high school. I typically cannot compete without black socks.”

An ankle injury to the sophomore skater earlier in the season potentially snuffed the long-time streak.

“Luckily, my black ankle brace has taken the place of one black sock,” says Rhino. Problem solved and tradition intact.

The organizational aspects continue once league members reach the venue on bout night.

“A lot of my pre-bout ritual involves the business end of the league,” says Stunt Devils’ blocker Biohazard Betty, who serves on the league’s Board of Directors. “It’s how I focus. I make sure that all the bout production stuff is going well.  I want to make sure that all that gets done, so I don’t really have time to focus on my own individual game.”

But inevitably it does become time to focus. And for some that means listening to particular artists through earbuds during the warm-up skate.

“I have my i-Pod pumping with Lil’ Wayne, some Eminem and some Atmosphere,” says Rhino Might.

And at the top of the charts for the bruising blocker?

“Prodigy’s ‘Smack My B*tch Up,’” she says. “I know that doesn’t sound correct, but that song keeps my blood pumping all the time.”

The Educator: Pre-bout song has been longtime favorite.

The Educator: Pre-bout song has been longtime favorite.

However, the Smashies’ Educator possesses a playlist that could rival Rhino’s.

“I listen to a lot of Slayer before a game,” she says.

And the overall preferred pick?

“‘Raining Blood,’” she beams. “It’s my ‘go-to’ song. It keeps me going.”

Then minutes before the first whistle blows, it’s time for a moment of pre-bout reflection.

“I find (RSA teammate) Deuce Bomber to do a quick prayer for safety and a nod of thanks for the league,” says Harsha Punishment. “Then I’ve got my game face on!”

The Arch Rival Roller Girls continue these and other pre-bout rituals prior to the 2012 ARRG Local Championships held Saturday, April 28 at Chaifetz Arena.

COMING UP TOMORROW AT 8 AM FOR ARRG’s “30n30″: Now that you’ve seen the before, let’s look at the after. The yin and yang, if you prefer. There has to be a release after the final whistle blows. Some prefer to keep the good times rolling with the after party, while others just want to call it a night because they’re simply wiped out. On Monday, we look at some post-bout rituals.

ARRG’s “30n30″ is a daily feature that examines different aspects of the Arch Rival Roller Girls – St. Louis’ first female flat-track roller derby franchise. In this section every morning at 8 AM for the entire month of April, a new feature will be presented.

Other installments of ARRG’s “30n30″: PRE-SERIES SET-UP (1) EVOLUTION (2) THE DREAM TO PLAY AT CHAIFETZ (3) LOCAL SEASON RECAP (4) ARRG ALL-STARS (5) SAINT LUNACHIX (6) ROOKIE RIVALS (7) OFFICIALS & NSOs.

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ARRG’S “30n30″ – # 3: THE ROAD TO CHAIFETZ

LOCAL SEASON PROVIDED FLAT-TRACK DERBY FRENZY

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Bout Co-announcer – Photos by Bob Dunnell

When the 2011-12 interleague season began for the Arch Rival Roller Girls last November, one expected that any one of the four local squads were capable of reaching the marquee event at Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, April 28.

Before the first whistle blew on November 5, 2011, league parity created no true frontrunner. Veteran skaters returned, a new crop of rookies showed plenty of promise and bench depth was deep.

introIn fact, the teams were so evenly matched that it was not out of the realm that each squad could have finished the three-game regular season set with identical 1-2 records, resulting in a four-way tie.

It was just too tough to pick favorites.

But as one expects from roller derby, the unexpected occurred. Teams surged and teams struggled. Playmakers returned and, conversely, playmakers sat out with injury. Bouts were won and lost off of key decisive jams.

It resulted in a four-team quest that was anything but easy, but was well-deserved for the victors when the dust had settled.

As we approach championship night at Chaifetz, let’s review the ARRG local regular season and playoff round.

NOVEMBER 5, 2011 – EVENT ONE

STUNT DEVILS 122   REBEL SKATE ALLIANCE 77

The season opener featuring last season’s title bout squads had plenty of intrigue on paper in the days prior, but last minute scratches to the defending league champions kept the Rebel Skate Alliance shorthanded. Meanwhile, the Stunts were fully stocked.

nov-stunts-rsaAfter RSA jumped ahead 11-3 after the first four jams, the Stunt Devils tied the score 11-11 at the 20:00 mark. The deadlock was short-lived as the Stunt Devils launched a 68-7 run in the final two-thirds of the period.  Punctuated by a South City Shiner 20-pointer in the streak, Stunt Devils entered intermission up 79-18.

The Stunt Devils posted points when necessary to keep RSA at bay in the second half, leading 100-44 midway through the frame. Debuting RSA jammer Pink Diamond netted a 26-point power jam as the half progressed to pull RSA to 112-70 late, but the insurmountable lead was too much for the defending champions to take. The Stunts would skate away with the 35-point win to grab a 1-0 record in the league standings.

“A lot of teams think that the second period is their strongest,” said Stunts’ co-captain Deathica Steele after the bout. “But we wanted to start strong from the beginning and let them know that we’re not gonna take it. We’re the evil team. No one is going to beat us.”

Artemischief paced the Stunts with 47 points while Diamond topped RSA scoring with 31 points.

M-80s 159   SMASHINISTAS 133

Lead changes – fourteen overall – earmarked the season opener for two teams looking to rebound from consolation seasons.

Trailing 7-1 early, the M-80s grabbed the lead at 24:54 with 17 non-lead points scored by Black Market Baby to give the firecrackers an 18-7 edge. The Educator retaliated on the next jam for the Smashies – posting 19 to give the camo-clad troops a 26-20 advantage.

nov-80-smashThe M-80s countered with a 17-0 run off the next three jams to build a 37-26 advantage. A 20-9 Smashies’ run tied the score 46-46 with 10:00 left in the period. The momentum swing continued with a 23-7 run to stretch the Smashies’ lead to 69-53 with 2:00 left in the first period.

M-80s’ jammer EnYa Nightmare punched out a 30-point monster jam as time wound down, resulting in another lead change and giving the ladies in red an 83-69 edge. The Smashies countered with four to draw the gap to a ten-point bout at intermission, 83-73.

Down 90-73 early in the second half, the Smashinistas’ Downtown Dallis capitalized on a power jam, hit a 29-point strike and helped her squad regain the lead, 102-90 at the 26:00 mark. One jam later, Black Market Baby countered for the M-80s and posted 14 points, resulting in another lead change as the red rollers now sported a 104-102 edge.

Three more lead changes ensued as the half progressed and following Boom Boom Pow’s nine-point jam with 18:00 left, the Smashies cautiously held onto a 113-112 lead. The M-80s tightened up the laces midway through the period, posting a 28-5 run off of the next four jams. Paced by Nightmare’s 11-point jam with 14:00 remaining, the M-80s built up a 140-118 lead.

The M-80s utilized effective clock management in the final ten minutes to finish with a 26-point win and nab its first victory of the season.

“I think what helped us was utilizing our size and just beating the snot out of people.” said M-80s’ co-captain Black Market Baby after the bout.  ”We’re going to regroup and focus on our strengths and weaknesses and find out what worked and what didn’t.”

Nightmare finished with 76 points to lead the M-80s while Dallis paced the Smashinistas with 69.

DECEMBER 3, 2011 – EVENT TWO

SMASHINISTAS 123   REBEL SKATE ALLIANCE 102

Once again, RSA was without team workhorse Smarty McFly and the Smashies utilized their advantages in depth and experience to post the victory – albeit worrisome for a good portion of the bout.

dec-smash-rsaThe Smashinistas grabbed a quick 8-0 lead two jams in. Up 10-2 two jams later, the Educator grabbed lead jammer for the Smashies and scored nine points before being sent off for a track cut. This enabled RSA’s Chewblocka to score 13 non-lead power jam points that whittled the Smashie lead to 19-15 at the 23:20 mark.

Down 21-18 with 20:00 left in the period, RSA’s Diamond posted a four-pointer to give the defending champs its first lead of the night, 22-21.

Ties of 26-26 at the 16:00 mark and 35-35 four minutes later kept the contest anyone’s for the taking. Pow notched five points with 9:00 left for the Smashinistas, who grabbed a 40-35 lead.

RSA tightened the laces and put up a defensive wall that kept the opposition scoreless for the remainder of the period. By capitalizing on a pair of power jams, RSA went on a 32-0 run. Propelled by Stabby McCutcha’s eight-point power jam at the 8:00 mark and Diamond’s 14-point tally two jams later, RSA methodically built a 61-40 lead, which was extended to 67-40 at intermission.

A 29-0 run for the Smashies started the second half. Pow connected with a 15-point power jam punch at 24:15 to give her troops a 69-67 lead. Later, Dallis collected 18 power jam points to extend the lead to 90-68 with 18:50 left.

Then following an exchange of points that made the game a 95-75 teaser, RSA would again hand the Smashies a power jam situation. The Educator posted 19 to stretch the lead to 114-75 with 13:15 left.

The Smashinistas outscored RSA 83-25 in the second half to grab the 21-point win and even its record to 1-1.

“We did not want to go 0-2,” said jammer Downtown Dallis following the bout. “We prepared for this. We wanted this.”

The Educator paced the victors with 48 points while McCutcha topped RSA scoring with 36.

STUNTS DEVILS 136   M-80s 132

If there wasn’t enough drama in the first bout, then this battle of unbeatens pushed the evening into overdrive. This one went the entire sixty minutes and beyond.

Up 14-10 in the first third of the period, the M-80s capitalized on a power jam at 20:30. Co-captain Science Friction powered out a 20-point tally and extended the M-80s’ lead to 34-10 with 19:00 remaining.

dec-80-stuntsThe Stunts retaliated with a power jam of their own. Artemischief’s 12-point counterstrike at 16:30 whittled the lead to a dozen points, 34-22. The M-80s methodically built a comfortable lead as the half progressed. A 36-18 run resulted in a 70-40 M-80s’ advantage with under 2:00 left in the half.

Or at least it was a comfortable lead, until the final jam of the first half.

In a rare moment of miscommunication, the M-80s failed to send a jammer out onto the track. Once the whistle blew to start the jam, the M-80s were forced to skate the entire jam jammerless. The omission gave a free jam to the Stunts which resulted in an 18-point mosh by Mighty Mighty Boston, which narrowed to the M-80s’ lead to 70-58 at intermission.

Five minutes into the second period, the Stunts had narrowed the margin to 74-69. The M-80s proceeded to barrel out a 15-0 run over the next two jams, extending the M-80s’ lead to 89-69 with 20:00 left.

Shiner countered for the Stunts and posted eight on the next jam to whittle the lead to a dozen points, 89-77 with 18:40 remaining. The M-80s used a 19-7 run to stretch the lead to 108-84 midway through the period.

Then with 11:00 remaining, the seeds were planted for a sprint to the finish, paced by the Stunts’ Artemischief. Utilizing the open holes created by her blockers, the ARRG veteran scored 23 unanswered points off the next two jams to make the bout a one-point affair, 108-107 with 7:15 remaining.

Black Market Baby’s 14-point power jam four minutes later finished a 22-4 run for the M-80s, who possessed a 130-111 lead at the two-minute warning.

After a 0-0 stalemate on the next jam, Artemischief gained lead jammer for the Stunts with under :30 remaining on the official period clock. Then a pair of M-80 skaters – including its jammer – was sent to the penalty box as the official period clock reached gooseeggs.

With 1:25 left on the jam clock, Artemischief proceeded to post five full grand slam laps. The end result was 25-point counter-clockwise clobber on the bout’s final jam. What was once a 19-point Stunt deficit transformed into a four-point Stunt victory that gave them sole possession of the standing’s lead.

“That was fun….I miss jamming!” beamed Artemischief, who paced the Stunts with 65 points.  ”Everything fell into place. This helps gives us the confidence that we need and it gives us a good idea of what we need to do going into training. We’re going to come out fighting.

Munchausen by Foxy paced the M-80s – who dropped to 1-1 – with 45 points.

JANUARY 14, 2012 – EVENT THREE

M-80s 153   REBEL SKATE ALLIANCE 94

Both teams would have to adjust rosters to start the new calendar year. The M-80s fielded a roster of ten while RSA lost stealth jammer Pink Diamond to injury.

Even with the adjustments, RSA gained the early advantage posted a 24-9 lead ten minutes in. The M-80s retaliated with a 24-0 rally during the next two jams to gain their first lead of the bout. The M-80s’ Black Market Baby capitalized on a power jam, scored 19 points ensued and helped the M-80s pull ahead to a 33-24 lead with 14:00 left in the first period.

jan-80-rsaThe ladies in red extended the lead as the half progressed and pounced on back-to-back power jams down the first half’s final minutes. BMB followed a 10-point power jam with a baker’s dozen two minutes later to give the M-80s a 67-43 lead with 4:30 left in the period.

Given the scrappy nature of RSA, a 72-51 M-80s’ lead at halftime was anything but safe. A second-half opening power jam by RSA’s Party Foul netted 14 points to cut the gap to 72-65.

Two jams later, Foul posted nine as lead jammer before being called off for a track cut. The M-80s’ May Require Stitches netted 13 non-lead power jam points as a result. When the dust had settled, the M-80s held onto a 10-point lead, 85-75 with 25:40 left.

After RSA’s Beaster Bunny posted seven with 23:00 left to whittle the M-80s’ lead to 85-82, the firecrackers rolled out a 27-0 rally off the next three jams.

The Siege collected eight off of a power jam to extend the lead to 93-82, BMB followed with nine to make the margin twenty and Rhino Might posted 10 power jam points to expand the margin to 30 points midway through the final frame. With 15:40 left in the bout, the M-80s had built a 112-82 lead.

The M-80s outscored RSA 81-43 in the second half to pick up the 59-point win and finish the regular season 2-1.

“Tonight, we came out guns a blazin’ and played our hardest,” said M-80s co-captain Science Friction of the win. “We really want to play for the championship at Chaifetz.”

Black Market Baby topped M-80s’ scoring with 78 points. Party Foul scored 42 for RSA, who finished the regular season with a 0-3 mark.

STUNT DEVILS 147  SMASHINISTAS 80

Feeling good about their come-from-behind win the month prior, the Stunts were in prime position to grab the top seed in the playoff round, but the stingy Smashies had other thoughts in mind.

After the Stunts raced out to a 14-3 lead five minutes in, the Smashinistas’ Boom Boom Pow and Downtown Dallis added four and five, respectively, whittling the lead down to 14-12 at the 22:16 mark.

jan-smash-stuntsBack-to-back five pointers from Shiner and Boston extended the Stunts’ lead to 24-12 two jams later. An 8-4 Smashies run off the next three jams reduced the gap to 28-20 Stunt Devils midway through the half.

The Stunt Devils proceeded to go on a 16-0 rally as the first period progressed. Highlighted by a nine-point jam by Shiner midway, the Stunts pulled out to a 44-20 lead with under ten left in the half. The Smashinistas went on a 10-4 run – propelled by Dallis’ non-lead eight-pointer – to draw the gap to twenty, 50-30, with 5:24 left in the half.

The Stunts countered the camo mini-surge with a 19-0 run down the stretch. Boston’s nine point strike was followed by Artemischief’s 10-point power jam, extending the Stunts’ lead to 69-30 and inevitably 76-35 at halftime.

A 12-3 Stunts’ run to start the frame extended the lead to fifty, 88-38. Dallis grabbed lead on the next jam and scored three for the Smashinistas at 24:35 to stop the surge.

Or at least for the moment. The Stunt Devils utilized another streak – a 19-3 run off the next three jams – to keep a Smashie comeback at bay. Propelled by Boston’s nine-pointer from a power jam, the Stunts found themselves in control with a 107-41 lead with 20:00 remaining.

The Stunts Devils outscored the Smashinistas 71-45 in the second half to pick up the 67-point victory and charge into the playoff round as the top seed with its 3-0 regular season finish.

“We focused on our walls, stayed together as a pack and kept our cool,”said the Stunts’ Steele after the bout. “We’re really grounded people. We’re not arrogant at all. We just really love what we love to do and that can go a long way.”

Boston finished with 57 for the Stunts while the Smashinistas ( 1-2) were paced by Dallis’ 48 points.

FEBRUARY 4, 2012 – PLAYOFF ROUND

#1 STUNT DEVILS 210  #4 REBEL SKATE ALLIANCE 60

The opening bout of the playoff round saw two teams experiencing polar opposites. The top seed had plenty of confidence and a full roster. Plagued by injuries, the fourth seed valiantly fielded a line-up utilizing draftees and unrostered one-time recruits. The result was not kind to the defending champs.

deb-rsa-stunts-betterThe Stunt Devils raced out to a 23-0 lead off the bout’s first five jams. RSA would get into the scoring column with eight points off the next three jams and keep the deficit within reach – 31-8 with 19:30 left in the first period.

The Stunts posted another scoring streak – a 29-0 rally paced by Morgan LeFaetal 19-pointer -extending the lead to 60-8 with 12:00 left.  Mighty Mighty Boston’s 37-point non-lead power jam – a flat-track rarity -pushed the Stunts’ lead to 108-24 with 2:45 left.

Shiner added nine to finish the half, which saw the Stunt Devils up 117-31 at intermission. The veteran posted 20 early in the second period to extend the Stunts’ advantage to triple digits, 137-35 at the 27:00 mark. This launched a 32-0 rally for the ladies in purple, which extended their lead 149-35 with 20:00 left.

The Stunt Devils outscored RSA 103-29 in the second period to coast to the 150-point win and a trip to the title bout at Chaifetz. The top seed’s total points scored marked the first time that a squad had broken the 200-point barrier in local play.

“We wanted to let the other teams know that we were serious,” said Stunt Devil pivot Mayor Francis Slayer of her squad’s dominance.  “We have amazing jammers, we have amazing blockers and our new skaters are working really hard and contributing to them team. Top to bottom, our roster is really great.”

Boston unofficially paced the Stunt Devils with 69 points while McFly topped RSA scoring with 26 points.

#2 M-80s 182  #3 SMASHINISTAS 127

The topsy-turvy bout experienced earlier in the season contained similar dramatics in the first half, yet the second seed utilized its depth to grab the other title tilt slot.

Tied 7-7 three jams in, the M-80s capitalized on a power jam at 24:15, enabling Black Market Baby to score 15 points and give the ladies in red a 22-7 advantage. The co-captain scored 14 points seven minutes later, extending the M-80s’ lead, 46-20.

feb-80-smashThe Smashinistas countered with the debuting Brickyard, who rolled out a 14-point power jam, cutting the deficit to 47-34 at 14:20. An 8-4 Smashies’ run on the next jam narrowed the gap to 51-42. The Educator netted eight at 10:44 to narrow the bout to a one-point affair, 51-50.

Up 55-52 with 3:18 left in the period, M-80s’ jammer May Require Stitches posted a 19-point punch, extending the firecrackers lead to 76-52.

Downtown Dallis collected a pair of four-pointers for the Smashinistas to finish the first half and cut the gap to 76-60 at intermission. Dallis scored nine to begin play to help the Smashies cut the deficit to 76-69. Stitches tacked on four for the M-80s on the next jam to push the lead back to double digits.

An 11-8 Smashie run off the next jam – paced by Brickyard – narrowed the gap to 88-80 with 25:15 left.

Unfortunately for the third seed, that would be closest they would come as the M-80s went on a 59-10 run during the next ten minutes. Stitches netted scoring strikes of 12 and 17 while BMB hit a 15 and 10-pointer to help the M-80s pull ahead 147-90 with 14:00 remaining.

Capitalizing on their fourth power jam of the half, the M-80s’ Black Market Baby scored 23 with 3:15 remaining to give the firecrackers a 178-117 cushion.

The second-seed outscored the Smashies 106-59 to earn their placement in the championship bout at Chaifetz.

“We are a team that gets more cohesive when we play together continuously,” said Black Market Baby, who finished with 96 points. “I think tonight helped us push that point higher and higher.”

The Smashinistas were paced by Dallis’ 47 points followed by Brickyard’s 43 in her ARRG debut.

When all was said and done after the February playoff round, the match-ups for the April doubleheader was set. The journey was anything but easy for the four squads.

And one can expect that at Chaifetz Arena in a few weeks, the competitive drive displayed during the local season will be raised to a whole level. This will be ARRG’s most viewed event in its six-plus year history. Every team wants to make an impressive showing.

And don’t be surprised that there are a few more surprises waiting in the wings.

ARRG INDIVIDUAL SCORING (THROUGH LOCAL SEASON)

RANK – SKATER – TEAM – POINTS (FROM FOUR BOUTS)

1. Black Market Baby (M-80s) 231

2. Downtown Dallis (Smashinistas) 210

3. Mighty Mighty Boston (Stunt Devils) 187

4. EnYa Nightmare (M-80s) 169

5. Artemischief (Stunt Devils) 164

6. The Educator (Smashinistas) 156

7. South City Shiner (Stunt Devils) 153

8. May Require Stitches (M-80s) 105

9. Morgan LeFaetal (Stunt Devils) 101

10. Stabby McCutcha (Rebel Skate Alliance) 88

Poobah’s take: The re-emergence of Black Market Baby as a prolific scorer was one of ARRG’s feel-good stories of the season. The 96 points collected in the playoff round – which leapfrogged her into the top slot -didn’t hurt, but overall this was a very solid rebound for ARRG’s 2010 Rookie of the Year after a season hampered by injuries.

Dallis once again played bridesmaid (at least in ARRG scoring) and finished second, but was the league’s most consistent scorer. Netting fifty points per bout has become a constant for the All-Star.

A healthy percentage of Boston’s points were accumulated as a non-lead. Her 37-point non-lead jam in the playoff round boosted her numbers down the stretch, yet ARRG’s quietest skater made a hard charge towards a league scoring title. Nightmare posted 76 in the season opener. The average dipped as the M-80s developed a five-skater jamming rotation, yet still managed to average 30 points per bout.

Artemischief showed again why, pound-for-pound, she might be the league’s best skater. Her 40-point average was reached while playing heavy percentages as blocker. The same can be said of The Educator, who complimented Dallis in the Smashies’ line-up. She hit a season high of 55 in event two.

Shiner became a workhorse of the Stunts’ rotation. Her 72 points in the playoff round once again showed her impact to the legacy squad. Stitches was held to two points in event two, yet posted strong numbers in the playoff to push her into the triple digits.

LeFaetal’s output added to a very dangerous Stunt jammer rotation this season and netted 48 in the playoff round.  She gets better with every bout. By necessity, McCutcha was inserted into the RSA jamming rotation and exceeded expectations. She scored a personal best of 40 at event three and gives the Rebs a solid contributor to the scoring column.

outroOf course, the aforementioned ten will immediately give credit where it is due for their season point accumulations. If not for the blockers and pivots that opened the holes that provided the lead and controlled the lanes that resulted in scoring passes, then points like these would never be achieved.

Any derby fan and jammer knows that the talented athletes in the blocking schematic are the workhorses (or should it be workphillies?) of the offensive output a squad achieves.

In a season that contained a high average of scoring, numerous blockers and pivots netted benchmarks in percentages of jams played. Numerous veterans averaged over 70% of the jams played this season.

And in one instance this season, one skater – the Stunt Devils’ Mayor Francis Slayer – played in every jam. When one considers that a normal bout averages forty jams in the span of sixty minutes, and the period of reset between each jam equals :30 seconds, then the total flat-track time accumulated by Slayer would be near forty minutes.

Think about it. Go out, compete full tilt and hit for forty minutes within the span of a bout. ‘Nuff said!

If anything, this shows the competitive drive that all the skaters have on a daily basis.

Expect the same thing around the corner. You can bet that that intensity will continue on April 28 at Chaifetz Arena.

We’ll have an individual look at each of the four squads with separate columns beginning Monday, April 23!

COMING UP TOMORROW AT 8 AM FOR ARRG’s “30n30″: Skaters not only compete against each other in the league’s four local squads. Three distinct ARRG travel squads also compete against other Midwestern leagues. The separate seasons for these interleague travel teams are already well underway. Its “A” squad has made significant jumps in the regional rankings in the past twelve months due to its increased play. Wednesday, we’ll look at ARRG’s primary travel squad, the ARRG All-Stars.

ARRG’s “30n30″ is a daily feature that examines different aspects of the Arch Rival Roller Girls – St. Louis’ first female flat-track roller derby franchise. In this section every morning at 8 AM for the entire month of April, a new feature will be presented.

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ARRG’S “30n30″ – # 2: THE DREAM TO PLAY IN THE CITY

FIRST BOUT IN THE CITY TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 28

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Bout Co-announcer

Yesterday, we reflected on the first public exhibition of the Arch Rival Roller Girls in April 2006, where the league made its debut in front of approximately 160 at a rented roller rink in Columbia, MO.

Without a doubt, the amount for the then-newly-formed franchise was deemed a success at the time. After all, the modern version of flat-track roller derby was a sport that seemed ripe for larger audiences.

But was it ready for St. Louis? At first, it seemed questionable. When the league began its 2006 local season later that September, the league held its bouts at the All-American Sports Mall in South County in front of audiences that equaled the Columbia attendance.

The line awaits ARRG action. Photo credit: Bob Dunnell

The line awaits ARRG action at All-American Sports Mall. Photo credit: Bob Dunnell

Over time, and as the popularity of ARRG attracted followers, the audiences began to grow. So much so that the facility could no longer house the league’s events, which resulted in a venue shift in April 2011 to ARRG’s current local home, the 1,000-person capacity Midwest Sport Hockey in Ballwin, MO.

The West County facility offered the league amenities that weren’t available at its prior home. Stadium seating for spectators to enjoy a better view of bout-play development. A climate-controlled environment that erased memories of the South County sweatbox. Most importantly for some, separate restrooms for men and women.

It was, and is still today, the perfect partnership….and both have benefitted greatly and will continue to benefit.

Yet the league saw the large audiences that enjoyed flat-track roller derby in other Midwestern markets. 2,500 in Kansas City. 3,000 in Cincinnati. 3,500 and up in Indianapolis.

ARRG savored what the other leagues of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association were experiencing.

ARRG in front of 3,500 in Indy. Photo credit: Bob Dunnell

ARRG in front of 3,500 in Indy. Photo credit: Bob Dunnell

“I’m a little jealous of the other leagues that have venues with more seating and sometimes more fans,” says ARRG skater Ginny Beastley, who serves on the league’s Board of Directors. “Okay, more than a little.”

For ARRG, that meant that it had to one day roll the dice and find a larger venue. And, in keeping with its Gateway City-related namesake, a venue within St. Louis city proper.

Skaters wanted it. Fans wanted it. Even the Mayor of St. Louis, Francis G. Slay, asked the league via Twitter as to when the league was going to hold a bout in the city?

That goal will be achieved as ARRG presents its 2012 Local Championships at Chaifetz Arena on Saturday, April 28 at 7 pm. In the main event, the Stunt Devils (4-0) face the M-80s (3-1) for the league title. Prior to that match-up, a third place bout between the Smashinistas (1-3) and Rebel Skate Alliance (0-4) takes place.

“It’s a big deal for us,” says Smashinistas’ skater Shimmy Hoffa. “We’re a roller derby league representing the city of St. Louis on a national level and now we’re getting to play in St. Louis City.

“Playing at Chaifetz feels like a homecoming of sorts.”

“We’ve been skating in a lot of different venues, especially on the road, and we’ve seen what works for different cities,” adds Stunt Devils’ jammer South City Shiner, a four-year skater of the league. “We’ll have a venue that really allows people to experience derby the way that it should be experienced.”

“It will do a lot for the city as well as for our league.”

Chaifetz Arena - Photo credit: SLU Athletics

Chaifetz Arena - Photo credit: SLU Athletics

“Personally, it’s going to be pretty huge for me because I’ve been around ARRG for a long time and it’s going to be the biggest thing that they have ever put on,” says M-80s’ blocker Rhino Might. “It’s going to be one of the biggest venues that I’ve ever skated on.

“I hope that we can pack it full. It’s going to be a show and I’m going to be very proud to skate there.”

When the league started researching local facilities to hold this season’s marquee event, the results varied. To paraphrase a fairy tale, some venues seemed too big, some venues seemed too small.

But Chaifetz Arena seemed just right for ARRG.

“I think ARRG had its eye on Chaifetz since it was built,” says Stunt Devils’ blocker Biohazard Betty, who also serves on the league’s Board of Directors. “It’s such a nice facility. It’s got the size to handle a larger crowd. It’s new and it’s nice and its location in the heart of the city is what we were looking for.

“There’s not a lot of places like that for us to play. It’s been on the radar for a long time. We just kind of said, ‘Okay, it’s all or nothing’ and we just went for it.”

Chaifetz Arena, located on the corner of Compton and Market in mid-town St. Louis, is the on-campus multi-purpose facility for St. Louis University. When ground was broken in August 2006, the facility would be the future home for SLU’s men’s and women’s basketball programs, its women’s volleyball program and its complex overall would serve the physical, educational and administrative needs for the university’s athletic department.

Chaifetz Arena - The Construction. Photo credit: SLU Athletics

Chaifetz Arena - The Construction in July 2007. Photo credit: SLU Athletics

According to the facility’s website, the Chaifetz Arena is named after Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, licensed neuropsychologist and founder, chairman and CEO of the Chicago-based ComPsych Corporation. The 1975 alum made a $12 million donation to the university in 2007 and the university reciprocated with the naming rights.

The first event at Chaifetz, held on April 11, 2008, featured a basketball exhibition with the Harlem Globetrotters versus the Washington Generals. The result of the contest is not on record, but one can assume that two things occurred: (1) the Globetrotters won and (2) a bucket of confetti was thrown.

The first concert at the facility – Barry Manilow – was held two weeks later. Since then, the arena has hosted approximately 100 events yearly, ranging from concerts from nationally-touring acts to commencement ceremonies to monster truck exhibitions.

For Hoffa, the quest for ARRG to play at the home of the Billikens would take on whole new personal level. She made the initial contact with the venue’s chain of command.

It’s kind of my baby,” says Hoffa. “When we were selling out the All-American, I could not grasp why we couldn’t play at a venue like Chaifetz. I was convinced it could be done.”

And it didn’t take much to convince others from within the league to jump at opportunity, given its past attendance success. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented few risks and potentially numerous rewards. The idea to pursue the mid-town venue was met with almost no resistance.

If ARRG was to make a splash in the city, then it would do it cannonball-style.

A packed house at Chaifetz. Photo credit: SLU University

A packed lower bowl at Chaifetz. Photo credit: SLU University

“So I made some phone calls (to Chaifetz) and sent many e-mails,” said Hoffa. “With a lot of work by a lot of dedicated league members, it’s now on our schedule.”

When ARRG makes its debut at Chaifetz on Saturday, April 28, the seating parameters will remain similar compared to its bouts at Midwest Sport Hockey. Fans will be able to either sit in elevated “bowl-style” seating for a better look at play development or they can sit trackside and experience the action up-close.

The league also has a few surprises up its sleeve to make the experience an enjoyable one, whether you’re a long-time fan or a first-time viewer.

In 26 days, the sport of women’s flat-track roller derby makes its in-city debut, which excites both veterans and rookies.

“It’s going to be really awesome to be skating on the sweet, sweet concrete floor in front of tons of our fans,” says Beastley, the third-year skater who will compete for Rebel Skate Alliance in the event’s third place bout against the Smashinisitas. “Oh, and the drive will be much shorter, which is always nice.”

“But mainly, I am just super excited that we are able to pull this off for ourselves and for our fans.”

“It is absolutely amazing to realize that I will be playing at Chaifetz,” adds Smashinistas rookie Brickyard. “If I had decided to take up roller derby any later than I had, I would not have this opportunity. It is awesome to see how much it means to the ARRG players who have been around for years.

“I feel like I’m part of history in the making!”

Indeed, it will be historical as attendance will easily set a new benchmark for an ARRG local event.

The seating chart for ARRG April 28 at Chaifetz Arena.

The seating chart for ARRG April 28 at Chaifetz Arena.

Prices for advance tickets for the double header are as follows:

$20 for VIP Trackside seating (adults only,) $15 for bowl seating and $6 bowl seating for children 10 and under.

Fans can purchase their tickets for the double header in the following ways:

- In advance in person at the Chaifetz Arena box office (Hours: Monday -Friday 9 am – 5 pm, Saturday 10 am – 2 pm. NOTE: SLU students can get $3 off tickets when purchased at the box office.

-  In advance online through Metrotix (additional fee applies) via the Chaifetz Arena website link RIGHT HERE.

-  In person on event night at the Chaifetz Arena box office. (NOTE: Adult ticket prices will increase to $25 floor & $20 bowl at the door on event night and seating may not be available in all sections depending on advance sales.)

And regardless of where one sits on title night, they’ll know that they are reaping the rewards of six-plus years of hard work by ARRG.

“Being able to hold our Championship bout at Chaifetz Arena is a great accomplishment for the league,” says Hoffa. “It shows that the sport of roller derby is only continuing to grow in spectatorship and showmanship.

“And it’s a testament to the longevity of the Arch Rival Roller Girls.”

And now for a PSA…Poobah’s Service Announcment. Some quickie facts about Chaifetz Arena for ARRG’s April 28 event:

DOORS: The Chaifetz Arena will open its doors at 6 pm on championship night and the third place bout will begin promptly at 7 pm. The title bout will immediately follow.

PARKING: ARRG recommends SLU’s Olive garage, located at North East corner of Olive and Compton. There will be signs in front of the covered, secure garage that will indicate that it is SLU-designated parking. Once you park inside the 1,800 vehicle garage, a mere 3-minute walk gets you inside Chaifetz. Handicap parking is available at this garage. Cost of parking at this garage will be $6.

DESIGNATED DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP: This area is located on Compton Avenue, moving south, which is located on the east side of Chaifetz Arena. This will be marked with orange cones.

CONCESSIONS – There are multiple stands located around the arena. Outside food and drink will not be allowed to be brought into Chaifetz.

ALCOHOLAlcohol and beer will be served to those 21 years and older, and everyone may be required to show proof of age.  No alcohol will be allowed to be brought in or out of the Arena.

PHOTOGRAPHY – Not only is photography allowed at the April 28 ARRG event, it is also encouraged. This is your chance to personally document local derby history.

MERCHANDISE – ARRG merchandise – both local team and league – will be available for purchase at Chaifetz. Complimentary programs featuring rosters and bout information will be available.

BANNER & SIGNS – Both are welcomed at Chaifetz Arena as long as it does not disrupt the view or experience of any other fan and the content is tasteful.  Banners and signs are subject to search and may be confiscated if messages are inappropriate.  Banner poles and sign sticks are not permitted.

BAG CHECK – All bags (camera bags, purses, backpacks, etc) will be subject to search upon entering Chaifetz Arena.  Please have your bag ready for search before you get to the gate to accelerate the process.

DRESS CODE – For all Chaifetz Arena events, there is no specific dress code.  However, any inappropriate clothing may be asked to be covered at any time.

For a complete look of FAQ about Chaifetz Arena, including guest services, go to the Chaifetz link RIGHT HERE!

COMING UP TOMORROW AT 8 AM FOR ARRG’S “30n30″: How did the double header bouts on title night come to be? The local season provided plenty of action and, simultaneously, intrigue and drama. Four teams began the schedule with a clean slate. What occurred during the local season resulted in the match-ups that will take place on April 28. Tuesday, we’ll recap the march to Championship night at Chaifetz.

ARRG’s “30n30″ is a daily feature that examines different aspects of the Arch Rival Roller Girls – St. Louis’ first female flat-track roller derby franchise. In this section every morning at 8 AM for the entire month of April, a new feature will be presented.

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GOOD CLEAN FUN…SORTA…THIS FRIDAY!

LIGHT-HEARTED GRAPPLIN’ TO HELP ARRG TRAVEL COSTS!

by the Grand Poobah, ARRG Announcer

ARRG Nation has participated in the trivia nights. They’ve had their pictures taken with skaters to raise funds.

This fundraiser literally takes the cake….or in this case, jello.

ARRG will host its first-ever “sports entertainment-style jello wrastlin’ event” THIS Friday, June 24 at FUBAR (3108 Locust, Downtown St. Louis).

OKAY, BEFORE ANYONE GETS A PRECONCEIVED NOTION, LET’S PUT A FEW RUMORS TO REST RIGHT NOW!

Although it says “jello wrastlin’” on the flyer, DO NOT expect the evening to be filled with skimpy lingerie and suggestive themes that one would come to find at a gentlemen’s club on the East Side.

I know what some of the men are thinking…”darn.”

I know what some of the women are thinking as well…”darn.”

This event is not designed to embarrass individuals and the league. It is not designed to denigrate. This event is not about T & A…it’s more in the style of WWE.

The action will feature outrageous characters such as luchadores, superheroes, science fiction parodies, villains – and perhaps with luck – a children’s cartoon character or two. Expect over-the-top whackiness, plenty of chicanery, and most importantly, a good-natured night of fun.

I would say it’ll good clean fun, but as the matches are taking place inside a jello pit, I can’t guarantee that.

There’s $2 PBRs and door prizes will be up for grabs. Music will be performed by Rowdie of MIXTAPE.

And officiating the bouts will be St. Louis’ hilariously funny and funky punkrockers The F*** Off and Dies, featuring Story of the Year frontman Dan Marsala (yes, THAT Story of the Year!)

Doors open at 7pm. Belltime is at 8 pm. Cleanup immediately follows. Tickets are $10 each, which does not include free dessert.

The event supports the ARRG travel teams for the remainder of 2011. And let’s face it, travel ain’t cheap these days.

Support ARRG in this good-humored night of grapplin’. After all…there’s always room for jello!

arrg-vs-graggidy-july1

The Grand Poobah (not THAT Grand Poobah!) and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest in ARRG news and information.

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Double Whammy!

arrg-xmas
Join the Arch Rival Roller Girls for the Fight Before Christmas on December 5th. Celebrate the holiday season and
get a sneak preview of the 2010 teams and get to mix and mingle with the ladies of ARRG! Break out those holiday sweaters and Santa suits!!

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