New Skids vs Queen City

The Hamtrealto Superfriends

The New Skids on the Block or known today as the Hamtrealto Superfriends played a game against the Queen City Roller Derby Girls today in Buffalo, make that North Tonawanda. After playing against Hamilton yesterday some of the Skids had to head back to Montreal. So in order to fill up the roster some girls from Hammer City and Rebel Rock-it from Toronto donned the New Skids uniform for the day.

The Hammer City contingent consisted of Eduskating Rita, Perky Set, and Big Tickets. Us non-skaters (at least for today) and the entire cheering section for Hamtrealto were Jett Girl, Son of a Bitch, and me sitting right in the middle of the room between corners two and three. The rest of the venue was packed with Queen City fans. Loud, crazy, fun, fans!


Queen City Roller Derby Girls

It was times like this where I wished we grabbed Paul Bearer from singing karoake this morning to go with us. His set of lungs would have been great here. The game was close with Queen City trailing Hamtrealto after the first period by only 6 points. While in the lead the cheering Queen City fans muffled us considerably. Once Hamtrealto pulled ahead the venue was silent with the exception of Jett Girl, Son of a Bitch, and I screaming our heads off that is.

There were some really good plays. At one point Jess Bandit and Nameless Whorror were the only two Hamtrealto skaters on the track, they sped up making it difficult for the Queen City jammer to score. Jett Girl and I shouted "go, go, go!!! SKATE FASTER!!!", "Yay Skids!"


Tommy Toxic, Null Ptr Ref, and Pat Smear


Perky Set (pi)


Ninja Simone (23)


Ace Bandage, her last game as a ref.


Lip Service (360) speeds around the track as lead jammer

During the game Eduskate wowed us with two jams where she scored the whole four points in each jam. “Go Rita!!” we yelled as she skated by. My voice was starting to go. I should stick to using noise makers or the duck whistle.

Despite the pain of losing my voice both Jett Girl and I were screaming at the top of our lungs for most of the second period. “go, go, GO!!!”, "Go Eduskate!!", “Go Perky!!”, “Go Tush!!!”. I don't think I've ever cheered louder at any other game. There were only three of us and we had to make up for all of Hamilton, Montreal and Toronto that were missing the game. Channelling that I yelled my last "GO MONTreaaaaah...". My voice died.

The turning point in the game was while the jammer for Queen City was in the penalty box. Georgia W. Tush was jamming and scored 15 points. 15 points with her bad knee and after recovering from the party the night before. 15 points with her jamming most of the game because Hamtrealto only had 9 players to Queen City's 14.


The Hamtrealto wall


Perky Set (pi) makes her way through the pack


Eduskating Rita (2009), lead jammer


Lip Service (360) manoeuvres around Rebel Rock-it (7)


Georgia W. Tush (40 oz) skates like a machine





Georgia W Tush attempting to pass on the outside

Final Score
Queen City Roller Girls 69
New Skids on the Block 85

"Yea!!!!!". I think I started to tear up.


The Hamtrealto SuperFriends and the Queen City Roller Derby Girls


Same as above but with with refs and the cool announcers!


Icing the injured leg. "I'm surprised it didn't fall off."

Post game celebrations were held at the after party in the same venue. This was nice and convenient as the Hamtrealto skaters were tired and had a long trip back to Montreal, Hamilton and Toronto. Any time saving measures getting to the after party was appreciated.

The Queen City Roller Derby girls had a nice buffet type style spread of salad, pasta and meatballs. I was impressed that they let the visiting team, us, have first crack at it. They were great hosts.


Yummy eats courtesy of the Queen City Roller Derby Girls.


Refuelling for the long trip back to Montreal


The drink counter









After chowing down it was back on the road. We said good bye to the Montrealers who had a seven hour trip ahead of them, got in the pick up truck and returned to Toronto.


Fireworks at the US/Canada border


We are here.

On the Road to the Rainbow Rink

Got up at 6am this morning. My hour long limited amount of sleep was made even shorter by hearing people downstairs singing to rock band. Specifically the song “Lean on me” with the main vocals being thrown around by Paul Bearer. His voice resonated around the upper floors of the house with the help of backup vocals from a bunch of the other sloshed and musically unidentifiable guests.

Surprisingly I actually felt like I had good sleep. The bed helped. For someone that slept from 5am to 6am, I was alert, could see clearly, and had a schedule to adhere to. The next step was to see if Rebel Rock-it would wake up. This task was given to Charlotte Bruise-a-lot who was still awake, she offered to go into the room where Rebel was sleeping to see if she could get her out of bed.

Rebel and I had to make the journey back to Toronto and double back to go to Buffalo. Why? Because I left my passport at home and because Rebel left her skates and gear in Toronto not knowing she was going to skate in with the Skids. Personally, I should glue the passport to me for future cross border excursions.

Everything went like clock work. Rebel woke up, we said our good byes, got into a cab, and were waiting on the front steps of Jett Girl and Perky’s house in record time. This is where we would meet up with some of the Montreal roller girls who were going back to Montreal via Toronto and catch a lift. We were early.

We didn’t want to wake them up before the assigned time of meeting so we sat on the porch and waited. 20 minutes went by before we heard their alarm go off. Then there was a bit of mumbling, then nothing, then groggy mummers of tired skaters. At precisely 6:45am, the time we agreed to meet, I knocked on the door. They were surprised that we made it on time. Actually, I think they were surprised that we made it at all.


Wrath Poutine amazed that we showed up... and on time.


Walking toward the car


Making room for the Toronto travellers




Chips for breakfast?




Making calls trying to track down clothing and skate gear

Wrath Poutine, had realized she left her clothing and skate gear in a trunk of a car which had made it’s way to Toronto. What luck. This would be another reason for the Montreal girls to make a small detour into Toronto other than to just drop us off.


Back seat


Front seat


Dropping Rebel off


Got the goods




"Bye and thanks!"

After dropping off Rebel in her neighbourhood and picking up Poutine’s skates and clothing, I was driven over to Castlefrank station (in Toronto), the TTC stop just before the Don Valley Parkway on ramp and the route toward Montreal. It was 8:30am. It was Sunday. The doors of the station were locked. The trains were not operating until 9:00am on Sunday. Whoops. A small oversight.

The alternative to the train were the two buses that were going east across the street. D'oh! I just missed them. I ended up hailing a cab.

15 minutes and eleven dollars later I was at home. I packed stuff for the trip to the States, my passport, GPS, extra camera batteries, and my zip lock bag of American money. It would be a few hours before Rebel dropped by with her pickup truck so I took a nap.

At 12:30pm, I woke up to text directions to the house so Rebel could meet me. At 1pm she arrived with the truck.


Stupid hair! later fixed with brand new white sunglasses

The trip to the rink had only two hiccups. This first being pulled over by the border guard. He told us “It’s your lucky day.”. I wonder if he thought that comment was funny? I also wondered how many people he would use that line on for the rest of the day. We spent about 20 minutes in a waiting room while they were outside checking the truck. They came in and let us go. Overall it wasn't that bad.


Food stop on our way to Buffalo


Some car on the side of the highway

As for the second hiccup, I had entered the address wrong into the GPS. Instead of "101 Oliver street, North Tonawanda", I typed in "101 Oliver street north, Tonawanda", an address that didn't exist. So we went to 101 Oliver street in Buffalo which also didn't exist. FRAN¹, the GPS, took us to a swimming pool.

With the help from Tush and a few cell phone texts we figured out my mistake and arrived at the Rainbow Rink at 5:15pm. Fifteen minutes before the doors opened to the public.


The Rainbow Rink in North Tonawanda (not Buffalo)


Scott (the Montreal announcer), Pat (Montreal Ref), and Rebel Rock-it in the parking lot


J.P.


Charlotte Bruise-a-lot (in the car) feels ill.

¹ FRAN - a name given to my GPS by Ivy Rupted. I came up with the acronym "Find Restaurants And Navigate" later.

HCRG vs SKIDS after party

This ain't Hollywood.

The after party. Generally after every derby game there's an after party. A close by restaurant, bar, sports bar, multiple bars that are gotten to via shuttle bus, old theatre, there's a whole world of possibilities. The after party might even take place in the same venue. Move the derby rink, throw down a few chairs and tables, Viola!

The after party allows the teams (and sometimes fans) to interact and get to know each other, drink, and party their faces off. This is something that really makes derby the sport that it is. It shouldn't be taken lightly or brushed aside as a bunch of drunk people simply having fun.

A bunch of girls can take down the other team on the track but still have cheers and beers afterwards while admiring the other teams skills and skating abilities. The after party is part of the teams ability to extend the sportsmanship that is unique to derby. (If your derby teams wins in a visiting city do you have to worry about your car being on fire from the losing team? no? Then I rest my case)


What is this?

As an observer of this cross border partying over the years the two teams that seem to consistently win the after party (have the most fun, feature the most creative hijinks, stay up the latest, last longest, and function properly the next day - this last point is pretty important) in all of derby land have got to be the Hammer City Roller Girls and the Montreal Roller Derby.

Disclaimer: Now before someone from either city interjects that one is way more off the charts than the other or that there's no way Montreal or Hammer City can be the after party winners compared to city X with derby league Y, I have to say that this is solely based on my experience running from city to city along the various derby circuits. If there is another league boasting that they are the definitive winners, invite me over, and we'll compare.

So what's the secret ingredient that makes these two teams stand out over all else? A quick glance one might guess it's got something to do with the higher alcohol percentage in the beer north of the 49th parallel (American/Canadian border). It could be something based from living in Canada (like maybe free healthcare).

Whatever the X factor is, the fact remains that the two crazy teams were getting together in the same place for the same after party. Watch out! Crazy good times ahead!


The fun, the food.






The third of the series







Is this a Roller Derby only event or can anyone join?


We miss Scora Luchadora.




Derby life lesson "Don't cry over spilt beer, grab a straw and suck it up."






Hula hoop dance off






Jess Bandit and Ivy Rupted


A well liked Tommy Toxic

After partying it up at This ain't Hollywood, the party moved over to Danger Mouse and Paul Bearer's house. The after after party had begun. A combination of blabbing, rock party, drinking and eating went into the night.

It was before all the partying began, like right after the game, that Rebel Rock-it and I decided we'd follow the Montrealers to Buffalo the next day for the match against Queen City...

(to be continued)


Rock Band at the after after party


Still partying into the night...

Added Note:

This is a quote from Scott MacIver (the Montreal announcer) from this night...

"As I hear frantic screams from inside, which I assume are from Danger getting jumped by two drunken roller girls, in her own bed at 8AM, I go inside and find a good batch of sofa. I doze for a few minutes, maybe half an hour. Jett hops down the stairs, Boom Boom falls down the stairs. I wake up and give her a hand for style. We chat for a bit, and, I kid you not, they keep drinking. Hamilton wins this after party, like 87-12."