Eat Out for a Good Cause!

Today Houston Roller Derby will be participating in Dining Out for Life, a benefit for AIDS Foundation Houston. All day, participating restaurants will donate 33% of all food bills. That's huge! From 5-9pm, the HRD girls will be hosting at Niko Nikos, Barnaby's on West Gray or Shepherd, Pink's Plaza on 14th, or Dragon Bowl Asian Bistro. Come out and join us! If you want more info, check out the Dining Out for Life site.

posted by Kiki Mojo

HaRD KNOCKS Wants YOU!

There is nothing going on this Saturday that could possibly be cooler than THIS. Come out and support your Houston Roller Derby travel team as they continue their journey towards nationals by defeating Hotlanta!

posted by Kiki Mojo

Rule of the Week: Ending of the Period

If you were at the bout last weekend, you know that the Sirens' huge win over Austin's Hell Marys came down to the last thirty seconds of the last jam, which finished AFTER the clock ran out. Announcers and the crowd counted down with the clock to zero and yet the jam continued on, allowing Mistilla the Killa to secure the win. Confused? Here is a brief explanation of how the period ends in derby, based on the official Women's Flat Track Derby Association rules.

-The period ends when the last jam ends, NOT when the clock runs down. The jam ends when the referees blow the fourth whistle, either because the lead jammer called it off (hitting her hands on her hips), because the full two minutes of the jam elapsed, or because of injury/interference.

-If there is more than thirty seconds left on the clock, a new jam will begin. If there are less than thirty seconds left, there will ONLY be another jam if either one of the teams calls a time out. If neither team calls a time out, the clock will run down and the period will end.

So the next time you're sitting in Kicks waiting for the last jam of the game to end, don't just watch the clock. Watch the jam--it may change the outcome of the game!

posted by Kiki Mojo

Recap: Brawlers v. Bosses

How do I write a recap when the whole night was a blur of adrenaline and awesomeness? Let's see...

There was a little bit of this.
With a little bit of that.
And, of course, some of this.
Each team had several injured players from the get-go: Claudia Van Damage, Savage Rose, Major Mayhem and Scar Wars for the Brawlers and Goldie Bloxx, HellaBama and Holla-Pain-Yo for the Bosses. Private Been Jammin' went down in the first half with a shoulder injury, leaving the Brawlers hurting for jammers. Rookie Speed-O Racer did an amazing job racking up the points, pulling the Brawlers ahead. But by the end of the first half, the Bosses were back in the lead. Death by Chocolate and Miss Lead widened that gap in the second half with the help of rookie jammers like Tammityvillor Horror, who had a fifteen-point jam. The final score: Bosses 146 to Brawlers 67.

It was my first bout, so I'm probably not the best person to write a recap. From my perspective, it went by so fast! I loved every second of it, except when I was making stupid rookie mistakes. (Or just stupid mistakes.) Being on the winning team was great, but it sucked seeing the Brawlers skating short...and then shorter. Injuries, ugh!

Speaking of winning, did you see the Sirens whip the Hell Marys?? (Look for a recap shortly!) Next month with the Sirens and Bosses meeting up, I smell blood...

*Photos by Kerry McClain

posted by Kiki Mojo

$3 Goes a Long Way

In today's economy, the three-dollar difference between pre-sale tickets and at-the-door tickets to HRD's bouts can really go a long way. I've done some research, and here are ways you might spend that three dollars if you buy your next ticket online or from a skater.

$3 Will Buy You:
-a beer at Kick's concession stand
-an HRD sticker for your favorite team (with a dollar to spare!)
-an HRD coozie in pink or black to keep your beverage chilled
-most of a tall Starbucks frappuccino
-three items from the dollar store
-a grilled chicken wrap, small fries, and Frosty from Wendy's value menu
-this T-shirt from Old Navy

I think I've proved my point. Think smart. Buy your bout tickets online (until 5pm the night before the bout) or from your favorite derby girl.

posted by Kiki Mojo

It's 5:00 and That Means...

...you missed your chance to buy online tickets for tomorrow's bout! Don't worry--you can still buy tickets at the door. OR, try and catch your favorite derby girl today to buy a ticket direct.

Either way, don't miss tomorrow's bout at Kicks Indoor (611 Shepherd). Doors open at 6pm and the bout starts at 7!!

Saturday Night: Your Questions Answered

If you're reading this blog, chances are you're a fan of Houston Roller Derby. You have already purchased your tickets for this Saturday's bout. You will be at Kicks when the doors open at 6pm to park your folding chair right outside the crash zone, wearing your team shirt for support.

But just in case you're new to this whole derby world, I thought I'd post the top three questions I get asked when talking to people about roller derby.

Is there a ball? No. There is no ball of any kind in derby. Points are scored as each team's offensive player (known as the jammer) makes her way through the pack of defensive players. She scores a point for each player on the opposite team she passes legally.

Are there, like, fights? Hopefully not. Skaters who engage in fighting will be expelled from the remainder of the bout. Roller derby is a contact sport with hard hits and falls. But to keep its integrity as a sport, fights are strictly prohibited.

Do you have to have a tattoo? Um, no. You will find a wild cross-section of women on the derby track. There are a lot of tattoos out there, but having one is not a requirement for skating. And contrary to urban legend, tattoos do not make you skate faster.

Is there a banked track? Houston Roller Derby is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). This means that we skate on a flat track, which actually takes more athleticism, as you have to use your skill to stay on the track. It also keeps the skaters that much closer to the fans. If you want to really get up close and personal , sit in the crash zone where you might catch a derby girl in the lap!

Can I bring my kids? YES! Houston Roller Derby loves its younger fans. We are a little more of a PG-13 sport: there are short skirts and and you're sitting close to the track, you might hear some language. But are the skirts any shorter than those of your favorite football team's cheerleaders?? Probably not. As a testament to kid-friendliness, my one-year-old son will be there, sporting his Mini Mojo onesie.

To see these questions (and more!) answered in action, come out Saturday night, April 18th, at Kicks Indoor to see some genuine flat-track derby action! Doors open at 6pm and the bout starts at 7pm. Get your tickets from your favorite roller girl, at the door, or at the HRD website. See you there!

posted by Kiki Mojo

March recap

Wow, forgot to update after the last game... sorry!!

Just to recap-

March 21st bout
Our new venue, KICKS, was a little warm... I think they may have underestimated how hot roller derby really is! This was our first time running a full bout at our new venue, so there are some obvious kinks to be worked out, but we have taken note of the many suggestions and have a lot of improvements in the works. We're working on a trial-by-error basis here!

Kicks isn't as big and fancy (or expensive) as Verizon, but it really brought back that grassroots vibe we had during the first season at the Arabia Shrine. We had some great music from Beryl Grady, a funny corndog eating contest at halftime courtesy of Miramax's movie "Adventureland" and Moroch entertainment, and ESPN radio 97.5 "The Ticket" held a live broadcast from our after party, as they will for every game this season. All in all it was a good night.

Bayou City Bosses 269, Hurricane Alley (Corpus Christi TX) 8

• The Bosses, defending HRD champions, took on a relatively inexperienced all-star team from Corpus Christi and well, it was rough. But everyone learned something from that game- on both ends! New Bosses had some great opportunities to show they can hang with the rookies and even veterans got the opportunity to play positions they normally wouldn't. No major injuries- that's the best of all!

Psych Ward Sirens 161, Burlesque Brawlers 126

• The ladies in purple put up a hell of a fight, but the two-time HRD champion Sirens proved they want their title back. Unfortunately the only major injury of the game was sustained by Brawlers' captain Claudia Van Damage- who took a nasty spill, was carried off the floor and ended up with a minor concussion. She is recovering well and we can't wait to have her back on the track...
  

More to come, including photos, videos and other goodies from the first game... stay tuned!