Akron Roller Derby Report

NEO is finally WFTDA!!!

2010-09-02T15:20:00.002-04:00

Akron, Oh (9-1-2010) – NEO Roller Derby is officially a full member of WFTDA! The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association began accepting new leagues to participate in its Apprentice Program that is designed as a learning platform for leagues that want to join the ranks of the governing body of modern flat track roller derby. To complete the program generally takes a year and the apprentice league must work closely with a current full WFTDA member league to ensure that the league has what it takes to handle the rigors of being a WFTDA league.
Part of the process is bouting full WFTDA leagues which means NEO had to step up its game this season and go up against leagues that compete nationally. NEO has clearly completed all the necessary requirements and is now part of a proud group of women that can say they own and operate one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
NEO began its journey to WFTDA status officially last August, but the goal to be a WFTDA league was a founding principle when the league formed in May of 2007. NEO is the premier roller derby league in Akron and is now the only WFTDA league in the area as well. Thank you to Ohio Roller Girls, NEO's mentor league as well as Burning River Roller Girls for all their undying support and guidance over the years.
Congrats to all the women of NEO both present and past that made this journey a success!

Akron Roller Girls skate Rings around the ROSI

2010-09-01T17:18:00.002-04:00

In Double Header NEO brings home a win and a loss
Tallmadge, Ohio (8-21-2010) – “Fight Up Your Life” instead of the similarly named Spice Girls album must have been the mantra of the NEO Rock n Rollers as they bested the Rollergirls Of Southern Indiana, or ROSI, bringing a second win to their home season. Not so victorious were the Audio Assault, NEO’s B team, that received a metaphoric spanking from sister league Burning River Roller Girls’ B team the Hazmat Crew. Rock n’ Rollers: 101-42; Audio Assault: 32-90.
The Audio Assault gave a good effort against a team that fielded some very strong players assembled from the ranks of BRRG’s 4 home teams. Some of those players are tried and true veterans of the sport and know how to put the hurt on as well as some rookies that are already showing promise as A team prospects. The short story is that the Hazmat was a better team. They were able to skate around AA’s defense and showed no mercy in sending score hungry Cupquake to the jammer line to show AA just how good a jammer can be in her first year. However, Monty Pipebomb and Rosa Mariposa from AA were not going down without a fight and Pipebomb looked to have skated probably her best game of the season having also played in the A game that followed.
The Main Event:
The Rock n Roller Girls went into this game perhaps overestimating ROSI’s skill. They did their research the results of which were making them sweat. ROSI had appeared to have an unwavering season so far and NEO was already down some key players due to injury. But they went into the game determined to show their hometown fans exactly why they are the best roller derby team in Akron. They came out guns ablazin’ and took control of the game early on.
Clearly the NEO’s favorite jammer for the night, Twin Pistol led the scoring with 32 points in 12 turns on the line. She’s certainly doing well this season and could very well earn the Triple Threat title at the end of the year. Not far behind her were Phantom Fox with 23 points in 8 turns as well as newcomer Holley Car Brader with 22 points in 6 jams. What tends to be forgotten when looking at the amazing abilities of a jammer is that she has to rely on her teammates to fight for her and defend her so she can pile up those points. Watching these skaters work together is sometimes more rewarding than any other individual’s feats.
In a relatively clean game, penalty wise, Chrissie B. Hynde was able to keep her Tsk Tsk Tiara as Queen of the Penalty Box, but with a modest two trips to the cheater’s chair.
The entire event raised money and awareness for the American Red Cross so in all (insert corny cliché here:) Everyone was a winner.
Tune in this month on September 18th to watch NEO take on Killamazoo in the bout titled: Skate Outta Akron. Yeah, Boiiiieee!!

Akron's NEO Roller Girls Disassemble Detroit

2010-07-29T13:33:00.002-04:00

Rock 'n' Roller Girls bring home first win of season in double header

Tallmadge, Ohio (7-10-2010) – The bout was titled “Skate Factory,” a spin on Akron’s own The Black Keys’ Rubber Factory. The action during the game suggested much of the same theme: The NEO Roller Derby clocked in with two shifts; B team Audio Assault taking on the Skee Town Skirts and losing 71 – 29; and A team Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls besting the Detroit team Motor City Disassembly Line 156 – 79. While the B team’s shift was slacking in its production numbers, the A team certainly pulled some strength from their team building seminars and effectively saved the company from ruin. Enough of the factory theme…? Yeah, probably. Let’s get to the recap.

The Audio Assault, NEO’s B team, is in its debut season. Not to sound like a cop out, but this is a learning year for NEO seeing as how they’ve introduced a B team and are working to bring it up to speed. That’s not to say that these girls are complete neophytes. The team has some seasoned players on the roster to help guide the newbies as well as some newbies that are skilled enough to play on the A team. So it’s safe to say that this team just needs some more time learning the ins and outs of the game as well as some strong team building strategies.

That said, they put up a commendable fight to the Skee Town Skirts hailing from Muskegon, Michigan. The Skee Town girls definitely played as a team and that might have been the deciding factor in the game.

The Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls took on a team from Detroit Roller Derby that’s assembled from a variety of their 4 home team skaters that are looking to keep gaming after their regular season is over. I don’t know that you can call this a B team or a C team or anything other than a hodgepodge travel team that’s not their league’s chartered team. Regardless of how they were assembled, the RnR’s took them apart. Detroit is known in the region as being an extremely well oiled derby machine and only the best of initiates makes it to a roster. They are a seasoned league that draws on some of the sport’s best players. It just so happens that NEO’s RnR’s brought their A game (literally) and played its best game of the season due in large part to its teamwork and manipulation of the rules to its advantage. That’s not to say that NEO got away with murder; they just used to their advantage certain elements of the WFTDA ruelset such as drawing a 20’ violation, forcing skaters to re-enter play behind the blocker that put them out of play etc.

Topping the list of point princesses was NEO’s Phantom Fox, a Jammer who knows how to find holes, please the crowd and smile throughout it all. Her 84 points in 13 jams led NEO’s way to victory giving her an average of 6.46 points per jam. Also gaining some tiara time was Twin Pistol. With her 37 points in 6 jams averaging 6.16 points per jam, as well as clocking in as Pivot and Blocker throughout the game, she’s well on her way to winning the Triple Threat award.

Taking home the coveted crown of the “Queen of the Penalty Box” is Chrissie B. Hynde. Her 3 trips to the box were slightly offset by her 4 Jammer Take Outs. But none the less, she’ll be receiving a fresh off the presses copy of the current WFTDA ruleset.

This weekend sees NEO Roller Derby hosting the Corndogs and Carnage exposition at the Summit County Fair. This second annual event brings in skaters from all over Ohio and some from outside its borders to mix and match teams and spread the word and interest of the sport of Flat Track Roller Derby.

Stay tuned for next month’s bout as well as some much delayed recaps of the 2010 season to bring you up to speed. Until then true believers....

Your New Life is Waiting. Join NEO Roller Derby!

2009-10-20T11:12:00.003-04:00

A winning team that gives back is holding tryouts

Tallmadge, Ohio (10-21-2009) - NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls of Akron will be hosting an open recruitment for its 2010 season this Wednesday at the Summit County Fairgrounds Arena Complex from 7-10pm. This is open recruitment is for anyone interested in becoming a part of Akron’s most accomplished league.

This first round of recruitment is targeted at anyone who may not have any previous experience on skates or knowledge of the game, but certainly more skilled skaters are welcome. In January, the league will host tryouts which will ultimately be targeted toward those that have the skills to participate in a rigorous training schedule as well as compete with WFTDA leagues.

If you have no knowledge of current flat track roller derby, let me give you the low-down. Skaters skate in quad speed skates and are required to wear regulation protective gear. This isn’t the old days of fake fighting. There are numerous rules to abide by and safety is the number one concern.

NEO is a WFTDA Apprentice league, which means we adhere to the WFTDA guidelines and rule-set (WFTDA stands for Women’s Flat Track Derby Association). This is a very aggressive sport that requires a lot of athleticism. We practice three times a week and many of us augment that with strength training outside of practice.

We are a league ran 100% by women.
We follow the motto of “for the skaters, by the skaters,” so that means not only do we get to skate, but it’s up to us to plan everything else as well. We get to decide what events we do and how we do them. So not only are you joining a sports team, but you’re joining an organization that strives to give back to the community by donating proceeds as well as volunteering for worthy causes. That doesn’t mean, however, that if you’re not a skater you can’t get involved. Because this is a “do it yourself” sport, we always need volunteers including referees, track officials, merchandise people etc.

If you’ve been interested, curious or have been dreaming of this your whole life, come out and show the world what you’re made of. We believe in you, now it’s your turn.

For more information visit us at NEORollerDerby.com or send us your contact information to newrecruits@nrrgirls.com

Akron’s NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls Pour Assault into the Wound

2009-10-20T11:02:00.002-04:00

NEO Roller Derby finishes its 2009 season by dominating Syracuse team

Tallmadge, Ohio (10-17-2009) – The bout was aptly named “Learning to Brawl.” Although the name was intended to hint at the classic Pretenders album, It can safely be said that Akron’s NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls taught the Assault City Roller Derby a thing or two about the game of roller derby. ACRD, from Syracuse, NY lost the game 166-72, but not without a fight. The event’s proceeds will be donated to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio.

I knew nothing about ACRD prior to the game other than they had to borrow some skaters from nearby Ithaca to fill out their roster due to injury and the sort. I even predicted to an avid fan that this was going to be a tight game after watching them warm up. But for all my confidence in them, they just didn’t match up to NEO’s well trained machine. Beginning their 4 game away season in January and finishing with 5 home games, NEO walks away with 5 wins, 4 losses for the year; 4 of those wins at home.

The first jam of the night saw NEO’s Scarlet GoDancin up against Golden Diapers, on loan from Ithaca. Diapers got lead and scored 4-3 over Scarlet. That was the last time ACRD would have the lead in the game. With her 24 total points for the night, Golden Diapers was ACRD’s top scorer. She also spent 4 minutes in the penalty box for majors. ACRD’s other high scorer with 15 was Amber Chaos, also on loan, who managed to get 3 majors and the subsequent time in the penalty box. ACRD’s best player is quite possibly Blaze who took to the jammer line in about a third of the game. She is aggressive, fast and a smart player. She only scored 14 points, but also only spent one minute in the penalty box. NEO awarded her an MVP for the game and she will definitely be one to watch in future games.

But the glory and glamour that is being the jammer in this game goes to NEO rookie sensation Amy Warhol N. She’s been steadily growing in ability and has put forth an almost animalistic effort in every game. She is the kind of skater that doesn’t think about what just happened but keeps looking ahead to what’s about to happen. She can get knocked around left and right, but pops right back up and into action. I’ll reiterate my prediction that she’ll get the rookie of the year award. In this game she earned 47 points in her 6 turns at jammer. That’s 7.83 points per jam, getting lead jammer 67% of the time. Next season, she’ll certainly be a leader on this team.

Twin Pistol, a NEO vet and all around badass, scored 41 points in her 11 turns at jammer getting lead 64% of the time. I’ve seen Pistol get banged around the track like the patsy in a demolition derby, but she always winds up out front. She’s resilient and full of fire. Like most of the girls on this team, she’ll skate through recent injuries without the slightest sign of acquiescence to pain. Scarlet GoDancin, Teeny Houdini and Chrissie B. Hynde rounded out the high scoring jammer rotation of the night with 29, 24 and 18 respectively.

It’s clear that this team is jammer-centric with a healthy rotation of quality jammers. But attention must also be paid to the healthy stock of blockers and it should also be noted that many of the best blockers can, and often do, take roles as jammer. Such players as captain Taking Names and Chrissie B. Hynde (who was awarded the MVP from ACRD) seem to take as much joy in scoring points as they do knocking down the opposing jammer. To watch them is like watching a competition between wrecking balls to see who can topple the most opponents.

Ultimately, it is the team effort of these women that win games. They understand that it’s the strength of the whole and not the flair of a few stars. They should all take pride in their winning second season, but knowing these women; they’ll be focused on what’s still to come. The league is a proud new member of the WFTDA Apprentice Program which means that next year they’ll be battling other WFTDA leagues and that comes with a whole new set of challenges. The teams will be stronger, perhaps more prepared, but this team will no doubt rise to the challenge with eager determination to prove what Akron Roller Derby is capable of.

Congratulations to NEO and thank you all for supporting one of the best sports around. See you again next year for Akron’s ONLY all women owned and operated, for the skaters by the skaters roller derby!

For more information log onto NEORollerDerby.com

NEO Roller Derby Hits Back

2009-09-28T11:51:00.003-04:00

Akron Roller Girls send Burning River down in flames
Tallmadge, Ohio – September 19, 2009 – The NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls hosted the Burning River Roller Girl’s B-Team, Hazmat Crew, in a bout that donated money to the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties. NEO beat Hazmat 163-53 in the bout titled “No More Hits,” a spoof of the INXS album.
When NEO first hanged out their shingle, Burning River Roller Girls from Cleveland loaned them the nail. I realize that’s an obscure analogy, but it couldn’t be more true. As a fledgling league coming of age in the rapidly growing sea of new roller derby, NEO needed someone to look up to. The most logical choice was the league to the North. It proved to be a wonderful relationship where both leagues prospered from having things to learn and teach as well as sharing resources. But all love and hugs aside, when roller girls skate onto the track, there’s no mercy.
Last season, NEO hosted the BRRG B-Team and lost 145-90. Understandable considering that BRRG as a league has been bouting since 2007 and the B-Team included some very good players. To say that NEO has come a long way since them is an understatement. They have played four away games (with only one win) and the game against Hazmat was their 4th of their ’09 home season. Mix in with that some intense training and “boot camps” and you’ve got a team that is determined to play their hearts out from the first whistle to the last.
The game started with Scarlet GoDancin on the Jammer line against Punk’d Pixie. These two women have worked with and against each other off and on for over a year, and their abilities are evenly matched. But that first jam set the tone of what was to become a Hazmat struggle the whole night. Scarlet scored 4 and called it; holding Pixie to 0. Hazmat was able to put one point on the board in jam 3, but didn’t score again until jam 11 where the score had stretched to 55-9. NEO has a good pool of jammers to rotate including powerhouses: Chrissie B. Hynde, Scarlet GoDancin, Phantom Fox, Taking Names, Teeny Houdini, Twin Pistol and rookie Amy Warhol N. And although each of those skaters also works in at blocking, the rotation helps to keep each jammer fresh. Hazmat seemed to be limited in their jammer pool relying mostly on Pixie and Rainbow Fright with some help from Slambassador and Syren VanDahl. But the end of the first period saw NEO in a 87-25 lead.
Scarlet and Pixie started the second period off as well, holding each other to an even 4 point jam. Twin Pistol showed some amazing resilience as she was knocked around like a pinball, forced into one-footers around turns and clinging to teammates for stability, but still triumphed her way into lead jammer and scored 9 points. Chrissie B. Hynde had a similar scene when she was knocked down and around, but with Clydesdale like grace still managed to come out on top. Amy Warhol N. has proved to be a rookie sensation with her ability to adjust to fast paced derby. She’s as tall and graceful as Phantom with the aggression of Chrissie and in her 7 turns at jammer managed to put 18 points on the board. She has a good shot at being named “Rookie of the Year.” Oddly enough, she also had the most trips to the box from NEO with 3; rookie mistakes apparently. Chelle Shock, a BRRG rookie, who despite being an aggressive and effective blocker managed to earn the Penalty Princess crown for the most time spent in the Cheater’s Chair with 5, although she had some stiff competition from her teammates. Team Captain, Punk’d Pixie, was ejected from the second half due to an excessive amount of trips to the penalty box in a period. Clearly, the amount of penalties, both major and minor, committed by Hazmat Crew proves how desperate they were to stop NEO’s scoring train. It was to no avail. NEO ended the game with 163-53. Top scorer of the evening was Scarlet GoDancin with 51 in her 8 turns at jammer followed closely by the rest of her jammer teammates.
It must feel bitter sweet to beat your sister league; a league that helped to nurture and pave your road to success. But in derby, when the game’s over, the friendships are still there; perhaps even stronger for the wear.
Next month NEO will host Assault City Roller Derby from Syracuse, NY in a bout called “Learning to Brawl,” a spoof of the classic Pretender’s album. The proceeds of that event will benefit the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio.

For more information about the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls visit NEORollerDerby.com

WFTDA, Here We GO!

2009-09-28T11:43:00.002-04:00

The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls are Ohio's newest addition to WFTDA's Apprentice Program. What this means is that having been teamed up with a Mentor League, NEO is on track to become a full fledged member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association and all the wonder that comes with it, such as competing for national ranking. WFTDA is the governing body of present day flat track roller derby. There are leagues popping up everyday and enjoying the sport of roller derby, but not all leagues are WFTDA. To help preserve the integrity of the sport, WFTDA seeks to ensure that member leagues are of a certain quality and caliber. Through this program, NEO will get the chance to prove its mettle.
Stay tuned...

NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls’ Game a Total Bust

2009-09-04T14:22:00.002-04:00

Akron Roller Derby Team Loses Yet Wins
Tallmadge, Ohio – August 29, 2009 – The NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls, Akron’s premier roller derby league, hosted Columbus’ OHRG B Team “Gang Green” in a bout to raise money for breast cancer survivors. The event, dubbed Bustapalooza, was a two parter: a game with an art auction at half-time. Gang Green narrowly won the game 118-101, and the art auction was a glowing success. Here is how it all went down:

The Game

When the sport of roller derby first came to Ohio it landed in Columbus. The Ohio Roller Girls, or OHRG, ultimately set the standard for what NEO would strive to accomplish. So it was with great honor to have OHRG’s B Team up for a battle of skills and spills. Being a B Team doesn’t imply inability. Quite the opposite; Gang Green has some amazing players that have played on the league’s charter A team and done well. This team works amazingly well together showcasing some great defensive communication and phenomenal offensive drive. The first jam of the night saw Teeny Houdini (NEO) on the jammer line facing off against Hellion Boi (GG). Teeny was sent to the penalty box for cutting the track allowing Hellion Boi to score 14 uncontested points. The second jam went the other way. Scarlet GoDancin (NEO) lined up against Anna Chist (GG) and scored an uncontested 10 points. At this point it was clear to both teams as well as the nearly 1,000 in attendance that this was going to be a full on fight to the finish.
By jam 7 NEO was at a 25 point deficit. But by jam 10, with a 13 point uncontested scoring turn as jammer, team captain Taking Names (NEO) jumpstarted a recovery effort that by the end of the first half saw NEO leading 55-52.
Hellion Boi continued her persistent scoring in the second half but NEO did not back down. The game was wrought with penalties on both sides which opened the door to many power play situations. NEO didn’t always capitalize on those advantages, however, which clearly hurt the team in the long run. The scoring gap started to widen in the last four jams where NEO went three jams in a row without scoring a point. Chrissie B. Hynde (NEO) started the last jam in the penalty box, but due to her team’s defensive efforts was able to get lead jammer status and score two uncontested points. Alas, it just wasn’t enough to close in on Gang Green’s lead, leaving the final score at 118-101. The crowd had anticipated a good game, but was treated to an exemplary display of dynamic Roller Derby.
Hellion Boi was clearly the night’s highest scorer with 77 points earned in 14 jams. Scarlet GoDancin was next with 37 points in 7 jams. NEO’s Chrissie B. Hynde and Phantom Fox in their 8 turns as well as Gang Green’s Foxy Force in her 9 turns came in at 20 points each. NEO’s Rowdy Cougar and Suicide Blonde tied for their trips to the penalty box with three, but were well outshined by Gang Green’s Anna Chist and team captain Handle Barz with their 5 trips to the box. Overall Gang Green accumulated 29 trips to the Cheater’s Chair to NEO’s 18.

The Auction

Breast Impressions is an organization that provides women undergoing mastectomy the opportunity to preserve an impression of their former shapes. The company has been teaming up with roller derby leagues throughout the nation to raise money for those dealing with breast cancer. To do this Breast Impressions does a plaster cast of volunteer skaters’ breasts. Those casts are then given to local artists who reinterpret them as art. These finished works are then auctioned off during a bout to raise money for a selected charity that provides services in some way or another to people dealing with breast cancer.
NEO was the first league in Ohio to do such an event. Some of the artists that were chosen include world renowned Cleveland artist Derek Hess and Akron’s own Leandra Drumm. The total proceeds of the auction will go to Stewart’s Caring Place of Akron who provides relief services to people going through cancer treatment. The works were displayed throughout the month of August at local art galleries and attracted the attention of art enthusiasts and collectors alike. Those people showed up to the bout in hopes of taking home some one-of-a-kind works. That’s when the fun began.
On average the busts sold for $200-$300; some to collectors others to the derby girls themselves who had grown attached to the art. The night’s highlight came when a bidding war broke out between two art collectors over the Leandra Drumm piece. The price quickly escalated toward the $700 range and the crowd who had been somewhat despondent about the bidding really began to cheer the bidding on. At some point a representative of Scarlet GoDancin, who modeled for the bust and served as its inspiration, joined the fray and the price continued to climb. Scarlet’s representative won the auction for a record setting $925 and was joined by the crowd in a cathartic cheer. As for auctioning off roller derby girl busts, Judi Grove of Breast Impressions said Scarlet’s won the highest price to date. Another high dollar piece was the bust of Suicide Blonde done by Jessica Kinsinger. A bidding war ensued between Suicide’s representative and an unknown bidder. The unknown bidder won the auction for $700 and turned around and gave the bust to Suicide Blonde. As it turns out, the bidder recently lost a spouse to cancer and had used Stewart’s Caring Place as a resource during the treatments.
In all NEO was able to raise $4,385 for Stewart’s Caring Place. Many thanks to those that came out to support a great cause and especially the bidders and winners of the art work. Next month will see NEO hosting the Burning River Roller Girls’ B Team of Cleveland in a bout called “No More Hits” spoofing an INXS album and raising money for the Akron Battered Women’s Shelter.

For more information about the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls visit NEORollerDerby.com

Blood Sweet Blood

2009-06-26T21:29:00.002-04:00

Akron roller derby league draws blood
Akron, Ohio – June 25, 2009 – The NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls, Akron’s premier roller derby league, presented Chalan Geul, Events Manager for the Summit and Portage County chapters of the American Red Cross, with a check for $704.44. The donation is the proceeds of NEO’s second game at the Summit County Fairgrounds. The event, dubbed Blood, Sugar, Skates, Magik, also was preceded by a blood drive which allowed donors to get into the event at a discounted rate.
“We feel really good about being able to do this,” said Meredith “Suicide Blonde” McGrew of the NEO Roller Derby. “Blood is something that you just can’t buy and yet so many people rely on blood donations and the services of the Red Cross. You can actually save three lives with one donation, so we have such a great sense of pride right now that not only were we able to raise money and blood donations, but also awareness to a very worthwhile cause.”
The non-profit league of skaters will also be volunteering for the Red Cross by signing up participants for the 7th annual Ride for the Red event on September 13th.
The next home game on August 29th will feature an auction of local artist renderings of roller girl busts; the proceeds of which will be given to Stewart’s Caring Place of Akron in honor of breast cancer survivors.

For more information about the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls visit NEORollerDerby.com

Akron’s NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls Swat Fort Wayne’s SWAT

2009-06-17T15:14:00.004-04:00

Roller Derby Team Beats Indiana B Team in a Benefit Bout for the Red Cross

Tallmadge, Ohio (6-13-2009) - Fort Wayne Indiana’s Roller Derby League is a fantastic league. The players are phenomenal and as their record shows, they are a formidable force of skaters. Fort Wayne’s B team S.W.A.T. may honestly be a better team than the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls, but Akron’s first and finest had fire in their hearts and played a textbook game of roller derby. NEO beat S.W.A.T. 92-47 in a blood drive bout aptly named Blood, Sugar, Skates, Magik; a spoof of the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s album and a charity drive for the American Red Cross.

At the start of the game it appeared as though the teams were evenly matched. With slow packs, low scoring and few penalties, it was clear from the beginning that this game was to be played out in the trenches of roller derby a.k.a ‘The Pack.’ The teamwork from both teams was impressive as they built and busted through blocker walls and kept the jammers at bay resulting in low scoring jams and plenty of single scoring passes. The overall strategy both teams were displaying was to get four points and call it and try to control any scoring outbreaks. That was in effect for the entire first period which ended with S.W.A.T. taking the lead 31-25.

The second period was a completely different beast. S.W.A.T. was determined to keep their lead and NEO, who has displayed second half heroics throughout their season, was hell bent on adding a win to their record. NEO’s Twin Pistol started racking up points in the second half then Chrissie B. Hynde and Teeny Houdini added to the steadily growing lead over S.W.A.T. The penalties were starting to fly and the packs sped up. The game took on an intensity that left the crowd realizing what derby should be: an even fight to the finish full of frenzied females.

S.W.A.T.’s Sweet Avenger tied for high scorer for the game accruing 26 of her team’s 42 points and her teammate Kiki U. Skullzen with only 11 of those points showed such determination and skill that one would have expected her total to be more. Her problem was the penalty box and the NEO blockers imagining a target pinned to her hips. The general strategy for blockers is to take down the biggest threat. Kiki appeared to be such a threat that NEO made sure to keep her from scoring. NEO’s top scorer was Twin Pistol with 26 followed by Scarlet GoDancin with 20. Scarlet, however, also receives the Queen of the Penalty Box tiara with three minutes spent in the Cheater’s Chair.

Other very notable performances were turned in by Suicide Blonde and Chrissie B. Hynde with their personal quests to out do the other with Jammer Take Outs (they tied), and team captain Taking Names who earned 11 points as jammer and as a blocker proved to be such a bee in S.W.A.T.’s bonnet that they awarded her the MVP for the game.

As for the Red Cross, there was a Blood Mobile parked outside and anyone who donated blood got into the bout for $5 (plus the obligatory tin can of pineapple juice and snack pack of Oreos to up the blood sugar). NEO will also be donating the proceeds of the bout to the American Red Cross.
Congratulations to both teams and all players for a wonderful game for a terrific cause. In August NEO is hosting Gang Green from Columbus’ Ohio Roller Girls in a charity bout that will raise money for Stewart’s Caring Place; an organization that provides relief and rehabilitation for those battling and surviving cancer. The bout will be called Bust-a-Palooza and will feature a half-time auction of rollergirl busts that were casted then redesigned by area artists including Leandra Drumm and Derek Hess. As always, keep your bearings pointing toward the Akropolis and stay tuned to the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls.

For more information log onto NEORollerDerby.com

NEO Roller Derby Donates to Children’s

2009-05-21T16:32:00.002-04:00

Akron roller derby league gives bout proceeds to Akron Children’s Hospital
Akron, Ohio - May 21, 2009 – The NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls, Akron’s premier roller derby league, presented Sarah Lundenberger, Special Events Coordinator for the Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation, with a check for $1,005.05. The donation is the proceeds of NEO’s home opener at the Summit County Fairgrounds.
The roller derby league has the aim of not only providing great entertainment, but also giving back to the community. For each home game this season they’ve selected an organization to receive a donation. Most of them are organizations that specifically help women and children. “We chose Children’s Hospital because many of us have children and we know how great of a hospital it is and we wanted to contribute to the great things that they do,” says Kim “Scarlet GoDancin” Shuman.
“Our games are 100% DIY, so we spend the money up front, and make that money back with ticket sales. The money that’s left over after paying the venue and the visiting teams etc., we donate,” explains Shuman. Why the $.05? “Well, we thought about rounding it down just because it looked silly to add it in there, but then we thought, ‘no, we’re giving them 100% of what we made!’”
Lundenberger was elated to receive the donation and gushed when she was told she could keep the ceremonial check. Next month’s charity is the American Red Cross and the league is not only donating money, but arranging for bout goers to donate blood as well at the bout dubbed “Blood, Sugar, Skates, Majik.”
For more information about the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls visit NEORollerDerby.com

Akron’s NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls Buffalo Buffalo

2009-05-07T15:58:00.003-04:00

Roller Derby Team Beats Buffalo Team in a Game Benefiting Children’s Hospital

Tallmadge, Ohio (5-2-2009)- George Harrison was right: there is something in the way she moves and that something came together to award the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls with a 115-76 victory in the home opener of their second season. The league hosted the Suicidal Saucies, a B team from Queen City Roller Girls, in the bout called Derby Road; a spoof of the classic Beatles album.

In a new venue, the Summit County Fairgrounds Arena, with ample seating and beer sales, NEO was poised for a win and determined to show the Akron area some sensational Roller Derby. The Saucies weren’t going to make it easy, however, having come into the game with an undefeated record. On the jammer line to start the game were NEO’s Teeny Houdini, and representing the Saucies, Mexicali Bruise. Teeny had an amazing game scoring a total of 27 points in six turns at jammer. Mexicali matched Teeny’s total in her 10 turns as jammer.

B’Kini Whacks from the Saucies, who nearly traded off the entire game with Mexicali with periodic help from Sissy Fit and Alley Oops, was the game’s highest scorer with 40 points in 11 turns as jammer. Close behind was Scarlet GoDancin with 34 points in 6 turns at jamming. Scarlet comes back to NEO’s lineup after having spent 6 months rehabilitating after back surgery at the close of last season.

Other high scorers for the evening were the makes-it-look-easy Phantom Fox with 15, and Chrissie B. Hynde who with 19 points and 8 jams as a multi-task blocker went on to win the MVP awarded her by the Suicidal Saucies.

The crown for most trips to the penalty box goes to Twin Pistol who also scored high with 14 points. Amber Vendetta also made a return to the NEO lineup after rehabbing a broken ankle after the last game of last season. It was obvious she didn’t lose a bit of her game earning 14 defensive blocks, 4 assists and 3 Jammer Take Outs. However Taking Names answered Vendetta’s challenge and showed the crowd why she won the title of Most Feared skater last year with 15 defensive blocks, 5 assists and 6 Jammer Take Outs.

It’s nearly impossible to qualify individual plays throughout the night, but one play that had the crowd amazed and the refs astonished was a team maneuver where Scarlet pushed Kwik Kyra up into the path of the Saucies’ Alley Oops resulting in a power block that sent Alley down and into a backward summersault. Alley didn’t stay down for even a beat and was on her feet in no time and skating like nothing happened; truly a moment in derby where one realizes that these women are every bit an athlete.

Check back next month when NEO hosts S.W.A.T. from Fort Wayne Derby Girls June 13th in what’s been dubbed Blood, Sugar, Skates, Magik.

So Sweet and Calamitous

2009-05-07T15:52:00.001-04:00

The B Team from Maine beats Akron’s NEO Roller Derby

Portland, Maine (4-11-2009)- While the Easter Bunny was busy coloring eggs, The NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls were getting theirs fried. NRRG made the long trip to Portland to take on Maine Roller Derby’s B-Team the Calamity Janes, but did not come home victorious. The Janes pummeled NRRG 121-25, but they did it so sweetly that it was hard to feel defeated.

Teeny Houdini started on the jammer line and pulled in 5 points in the first jam, but NRRG was not able to keep that party going ending the first period with only 11 points. It was evident in the second period that NEO’s plan was to at least close the ever growing gap and made a gallant effort, but just were not able to best the solid defense of the Janes.

The Janes’ defense was matched by great offense, most notably Grim D. Mise who has the feet and agility of a jack rabbit. She went on to receive the MVP for the Janes and rightfully so. Other Jane juggernauts were Jenni Vicious who standing tall was perfect for knocking girls down hard; a relentless skater who had her fair share of trips to the penalty box.

As for the standard fighting spirit of the NEO Roller Girls, team captain Taking Names proved to be a formidable foe to the Janes; so much so that they awarded her with the MVP for NEO. Her hits were devastating and her endurance was amazing. Chrissie B. Hynde showed the determination of a pit bull especially in a power play jam where NEO only had two blockers and the jammer in the penalty box. Chrissie managed to corral the Janes’ jammer and keep her from breaking through her initial pass until NEO’s jammer was loose from the box. It is that kind of determination and unrelenting drive that characterizes the NEO team.

NEO finishes their official away season with 3 losses and one win.

NEO Roller Derby says "Come Together"

2009-04-23T16:41:00.003-04:00

Akron roller derby league bouts for Children’s Hospital

Tallmadge, Ohio - May 2, 2009 – The NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls, Akron’s premier roller derby league, is hosting a team from the Queen City Roller Girls in Buffalo, NY. The proceeds from the event held at the Summit County Fairgrounds will be given to the Akron Children’s Hospital. This is the home opener for NEO Roller Derby and the bout is titled “Derby Road,” a spoof of the classic Beatles album Abbey Road.
“We are so excited for this season,” said Meredith McGrew, a.k.a. Suicide Blonde. “We’re at a new venue, the Fairgrounds, which gives us much more seating capacity; we’re closer to our fan base and to boot, we have beer sales.”
The league has five home bouts this season, all at the Fairgrounds, and for each bout they have selected a charity to receive a donation. That donation is the would-be profit from the ticket sales. “We are a non-profit organization. We’ve never taken home a profit; in fact, we’ve all spent a lot of money to put these events on,” McGrew explained. “We just want to be able to continue putting on events and any money that would have been a profit will be donated to a worthy cause.”
That worthy cause for the home opener is the Akron Children’s Hospital. “The mantra we had when we were researching charities is that we want them to be organizations that specifically benefit women and children. There are men involved in roller derby, but it’s a women’s run and operated sport. We want to give back to our peers,” said Kim Shuman a.k.a. Scarlet GoDancin.
“Another thing that I personally think is awesome is that this year we’re hosting not only other derby teams, but DIY crafters,” said Shuman. “I’m a crafter myself and I’ve gone to some really great craft shows and a lot of them remind me of that derby mentality. Derby is a do-it-yourself type of thing right now, so why not partner up with some craft shows?”
NEO has partnered up with the Bizarre Bazaar, a craft show organization with roots in Cleveland, to provide up to 40 craft exhibitors for the roller derby patrons to experience and shop before and after the game.
“We really wanted to raise the bar for ourselves this year,” said McGrew. “We had a great time last year, but this season we wanted to make our events more of a holistic experience. We want there to be something for everyone and we want people to have so much fun that they have to come back for more!”
For more information about the NEO Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls visit NEORollerDerby.com

Déjà Vu: NEO Demolishes Demolition City

2009-03-12T15:32:00.004-04:00

Evansville, Indiana (3-7-2009)- The first game of the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls' first season last year was an away game in Evansville against Demolition City Roller Derby. That was such an amazing first game, for both new leagues, that it set the paradigm for what DCRD would strive for the rest of their home season. They won the game in an overtime jam by three points. The intensity was so overpowering that everyone thought it'd be impossible to recreate, but hoped to make happen again. Well, lightning did strike twice, although this time with different results. NEO beat DCRD in regulation play by two points: 102-100 in the bout dubbed Repeat Offender.
Last year both leagues were brand spankin' new and had never played a real game against another team. In the eleven months between the bouts, both teams have matured remarkably. The wet behind the ears, wobbly packs of yesteryear were replaced with machines of Swiss precision. The jammers were faster and stronger. The hits were harder and more strategically placed. In short, this was storybook roller derby.
The event was a double header with DCRD's B team, the Destruction Dames taking on the Circle City Socialites of Indianapolis. By comparison, this was watching a peewee football game open up for the SuperBowl. Neither team was amazing, but each team had its moments and players that show promise. The Destruction Dames had a couple of players from last year's A team on the roster to lead the newbies. This has to be the underlying reason the score was a washout. The scoreboard didn't even have the technology to extend past 199, and the Destruction Dames went well past that mark. The Socialites stayed in the lower double digits and after awhile the crowd was growing numb to the slaughter. The Socialites have a great coach, but they need a lot of practice to be able to compete and hold their own against any formidable foe.
And now the main event. From the first jam to the last, these girls were on fire. Shelby N. Pain from DCRD was as instumental this year as last. She was given an MVP by NEO as the player that gave them the most trouble offensively and defensively. She is a scoring machine that is fun to watch. Jetsy Rockette was versatile as well and having won the game for DCRD last year, she would have surely done the same this year given the chance. Clara Plegic was not to be outdone in the competition of "who can land the hardest hit" and from seeing her last year to this year, I'd have to say she's the most improved skater.
NEO's Phantom Fox, the sweetest girl you'll ever meet, demonstrated how a smile can be deceiving. She racked up 33 points for the evening and set the pace of the game by getting 23 of those in the first six jams. Chrissie B. Hynde did her best to match Phantom's prowess with her 27 point contribution and continues to be a veritable force in any position on the track. Taking Names had the most jammer take-outs, and even without a complete stat sheet to look at, I'd have to say she had the most penalties for NEO. As for DCRD, it's hard to say. Maully Olly Oxenfree did her best to make the refs earn their stripes. She was ejected from the first period for excessive trips to the penalty box and didn't slow down for the second period. She may commit a lot of penalties, but she also hits like 808 beats: consistant and hard.
NEO skated into the last jam with a 12 point lead and almost blew it by calling a time out. Under the current rule-set, if there is less than 30 seconds on the period clock before a jam, another jam will not start, i.e. game's over. Had NEO let the clock run out, the game would have been 98-86. But team captain Taking Names called a time-out for team regrouping and that forced one last jam (the period clock won't start again until the whistle that starts the pack). DCRD, much like they did last year, pulled it together and did phenomenally in the crunch. Shelby N. Pain scored 14 points, but NEO's Twin Pistol , despite DCRD's strong defense, managed to get 4 points in there as well, keeping NEO just 2 points ahead. When the tally was reported, only about 14 girls cheered, everyone else felt wronged in some way. But in my opinion (which most often doesn't count) it only sets the stage for next year. Will there be a rematch? And if so, who will come out on top? We can only wait and see. But rest assured that I'll be there to report the story to you. Keep rolling true believers!

Cold, maybe, but Hungry No More!

2009-03-12T14:37:00.007-04:00

Akron, Ohio (2-21-2009)- The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls took the plunge, literally. For years, the Portage Lakes Polar Bear Jump has raised money for worthy causes. As the NEO girls aim to positively participate in their community, it seemed like a no brainer: let's jump into freezing cold water! Sounds easy, but breaking that ice was no picnic.
This year's charitable donation went to the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank. For every dollar donated, 7 people can eat. Not bad, especially considering the jump raised over $22,000. Over two hundred jumpers bathed in the icy drink of Portage Lakes and we were there. Six of us to be exact. We raised just under $700, but the true dedication came when we had to line up on that pier. I say we because I was there in all my freezing-why-do-I-live-in-Ohio glory shivering on that platform waiting my turn to show the world that what I lack in common sense, I make up for in goose bumps.
As the jumpers registered they were given a number (mine was 117) and then we waited; huddled around the smoky warmth of the ad hoc camp fires and fleece blankets to keep even the tinniest shred of warmth about us. The DJ (a mentally twisted bloke) insisted on playing music that convinced your mind what you were about to do was nothing short of insanity. Songs like "Ice Ice Baby," and "You're as Cold as Ice," when all I wanted was the Beach Boys and "Heat Wave;" not that it would have helped. As families, friends and curious onlookers gathered around the boat launch, we the jumpers began to line up. Our crew, B.F. Goodbytch, Chrissie B. Hynde, Rowdy Cougar, Pepper Insult, Taking Names and I, had to wait until after the intermission, but it wasn't long until they were rounding 110 and we were being called up to "walk the plank."
Now to help you understand the scene, the jump took place between two boat docks roughly 15 feet apart. The workers had to cut a rectangle out of the ice and continue to move the ice that kept migrating back into the jump zone. For safety there were two dry-suited men, one bobbing continuously in the water while senseless people jumped around him. There was a ladder on the exiting platform for the jumper to climb out of the water and a gang plank that led to the "heated" tents where one would try to regain any concept of non-shivering.
B.F. went first. She made it look easy. She swam like Gertrude Ederle swam the English Channel. Chrissie went next and she made it look fun. Cougar was in front of me and she did the fake out "I can't go" but turned and made it look valliant. I was next. I tried not to think too much about the cold (which by now had increased exponentially with the hurricane like wind) and just focused on my exit strategy. I had to do Rodney Dangerfield a solid and performed the prep of the Triple Lindy, then did my best to splash those that weren't jumping. That's the last thing I remember for about 5 minutes. I've seen the video and it shows me going under and resurfacing in less than 2 seconds. I then swim to the ladder with ease and up and out I go off to enjoy the rest of the day. But in my mind it was much more tragic. I was sinking to the bottom of the lake. I didn't actually feel the cold. I didn't feel anything. It was just me and a greenish blue light that was slowly ebbing into black. There was soft music playing or maybe it was a whale song. All I know is that I was ready and I was at peace. Some force must have pushed me back toward the light as I blinked the icicles away from my eyelids and saw the afore mentioned rescue man bobbing away like a buoy. Why wasn't he helping me? Why is he telling me I'm fine? Clearly he can see that none of my mental powers over my body's actions were working. The cold clearly had interrupted all communication and the body was working on reflex. I swam with heavy stiff arms. I climbed with non-responsive legs that didn't stop clicking together. I was a cartoon version of myself with some creepy frozen smile on my face (I was trying to cry, but I'm sure I looked like I was overjoyed). I remember thinking that there were too many people between me and my father in-law who was holding my bag of dry clothes out to me (Virgil, you may have saved my life, if not my dignity). I scurried to the tent in dreams of walking into a sauna like bath house. Not so. There were more shivering naked men than... well, I'll keep this clean. Suffice it to say that there were a lot of shivering naked men and I was just trying to find a little corner where I could change (like a 10 year old at the beach; in complete cover of the towel) and get the ice out of my butt crack.
My son was completely impressed and awe-struck. My wife vowed never to mention being cold around me again. My derby family was that much closer and now the question on everyone's chapped lips: would I do it again?
Come out next year and find out.

Naptown: The Boobs Won... and so did Naptown

2009-03-12T13:51:00.003-04:00

Indianapolis, Indiana (2-14-2009)- Ok, so I've been waiting to get some solid statistics from the game to put together a comprehensive recap, but those stats are lost in the void. My titanium trap of a mind will have to suffice.
The bout, Kick Start My Heart, was played on Valentine's Day and what better way to express love than to watch a bunch of bad-ass women knocking each other around? This event was also a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness and research, but we'll get to that later.
Naptown Roller Girls' B team the Warning Belles, hosted the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls to a crowd of approximately 2,500; something NEO had only dreamed of up to that point. The Belles certainly had a hometown cheer in their favor and the sound at the venue was deafening to say the least. The first period definitely belonged to the Belles as they demonstrated the tough love they held for NEO. The NEO girls just couldn't seem to pull their teamwork together long enough to keep the Belles from scoring; notably Noxious Donna and Katya Lookin. At the end of the first half the Belles held a lead of 40-12 over NEO. Now in derby, that's not a big spread of points and it's not unheard of for a jammer to rack up fifteen points in a single jam. But that's not how things happened for NEO.
The second period, however, did belong to NEO. Whether it was the rumored zen meditative breathing during the break or the sheer determination not to go home bloodied and bashed on Valentine's, we'll never know. What was evident was the teamwork that NEO pulled together in that second and final period. Chrissie B. Hynde had some amazing scoring runs as did team captain Taking Names who proves to be affective regardless of what position she's playing. Names, as a jammer, seems to find some sadistic joy in taunting the opposing jammer outside of the pack. At one point she drew some jeers from the hometown crowd when she dropped Katya Lookin to the cement before taking back off to attack the pack in a scoring run.
The final score was 63-41 in favor of the Belles, which shows the strong second half NEO had. They were able to hold the game off from being a Valentine's Massacre. Instead it was akin to a bad date with no kiss at the end of the night.
This brings us back to boobs. Breasts. There's no doubting the seriousness of breast cancer and the struggle and glory of its survivors. So to help the cause the Naptown Roller Girls held an auction with the proceeds, over $5,000, going to the Young Survivor's Coalition. What can you auction to get that kind of payoff? Live-casted roller girls. A variety of the Naptown girls volunteered to have their torso from boob to belly button be cast in plaster. Those molds then went to artists of choice who interpreted the cast in their own way. Those works of art will no doubt be proudly displayed on walls, mantles or coffee tables and the story that goes with them will surely include that great game of derby. The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls will be the first roller derby league in Ohio to take part in this unique fundraising experience. For more information check out www.breastimpressions.com

NEO Announces Home Season

2009-02-19T14:55:00.004-05:00

Akron, Ohio (2/14/2009) - The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls, Akron's premier roller derby league has announced its home season. The league is currently traveling bouting teams from the Midwest to New England. But their home town has been itching to hear who they will be playing at their 2009 bout venue the Summit County Fair Grounds. That list has been released. Starting off the season on May 2nd, they will be standing up to the Suicidal Saucies, a B team from Queen City Roller Girls in Buffalo, New York. Then they will be setting off alarms to attract the S.W.A.T from Fort Wayne Derby Girls in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 13th.
The Summit County Fair takes place during the month of July so there is no scheduled bout for that month, however rumors have been circulating about an exposition bout to be held as part of the fair's regularly scheduled programming. This means if you have paid for entrance to the fair, you can see the bout for "free."
On August 29th, there will be the first of two rematches. This one is against Gang Green, the B team from the Ohio Roller Girls in Columbus. This bout is also going to feature an auction to raise money for Breast Cancer research and education.
September 19th sees the rematch against the B team from the Burning River Roller Girls in Cleveland. Then to end the 2009 home season we'll see our home town heroines take on the girls from Assault City Roller Derby from Syracuse, New York on October 17th.
Naturally, there is always the possibility of late additions, but it would appear that these girls will have their skates on for the majority of the year as it is.
Incidentally, if you happen to be on your way to see the butter cow sculpture at the Ohio State Fair in August, stop by to watch the Roller Derby Expo that will include all of the established roller derby leagues from the state including your very own NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls.
Stay tuned derby fans...

Steal City Steels Glory from Akron Roller Derby League

2009-02-19T14:51:00.006-05:00

Pittsburgh, PA (1/24/2009) - The Steel City Derby Demons of Pittsburgh beat both of their invited guest leagues in the bout titled "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Bouts" on January 24th.
The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls, Akron's premier roller derby league, battled Pittsburgh's B-Unit and lost 97-49. As you derby fans well know, 48 points isn't a big spread in a bout and considering it was NEO's first bout of the season with some vet's on the injured list and some newbies getting their first taste of blood, this isn't a bad score at all. The Rock 'n' Rollers fought hard, showing excellent team work, but alas, the B-Unit was just a better team. This is not difficult to understand seeing the strength of SCDD's A team Steel Hurtin'. It should also be noted that as a non-WFTDA bout the opener was only two 20 minute periods instead of the full two 30's; but with a double-header, total time is an important factor.
Bringing us to the main event: Steel Hurtin' vs. the Stepford Sabotage from Connecticut's CT Rollergirls. Steel City kept striking with the hottest iron they could find beating CT Rollergirls 149-33. CTR, plagued by some sick players and a couple of injuries during the game, fought so hard that it was incredulous to see the final score. Pearl Jammer from CTR had some memorable momments as jammer, but it was Hurricane Heather that twisted the fans into a frenzy. If you get the chance, watch this woman skate.
Up next for NRRG is the Naptown Roller Girls in Indianapolis on Valentine's Day. Stay tuned, derby disciples...
For more information check out www.neorocknrollergirls.com

NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls 2009 Season

2009-02-19T14:51:00.005-05:00

The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls, Akron's Premier Roller Derby League, has just released its 2009 season schedule and it promises to rock the knee socks off of the Akron area.
The league, a fully functioning all-female ran frenzy of fishnets and fiercely dedicated skaters will spend the first four months of the year traveling to locations far and wide. First up is the Steel City Derby Demons in Pittsburgh, January 24th. Then they bounce to Ohio's west coast to Indianapolis where they take on the Naptown Roller Girls on Valentine's Day (February 14th).
Any scientist will tell you that it is nearly impossible for lightning to strike the same place twice, but NRRG and the Demolition City Roller Derby will attempt to penetrate into the impervious womb of Mother Nature and recreate the edge-of-your-seat home opener of DCRD's first ever bout last year. That bout was just about as intense as they get; complete with a star-pass and overtime. But when the points were tallied at the end of the sudden death jam, DCRD had won. This means two things: DCRD will be hoping to recreate the fanatic atmosphere that propelled their first season into a successful venture and NRRG will be out to exact their pound of flesh. This bout will take place in Evansville, Indiana on March 7th.
With the traveling bug nipping at their wheels, NRRG will head to Portland to take on the Maine Roller Derby on April 11th. MRD along with SCDD and NRG are all leagues sanctioned by the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, although NRRG will be bouting against their B teams. DCRD will be fielding their A team and understandably so.
Then the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls will be returning home to open their second home season. This year, Akron's sweethearts will be bouting at the Summit County Fair Grounds which will increase the attendance capacity as well as provide a better environment for derby. The Fair Grounds also allow for beer sales, which goes well with cheering on your favorite derby girls. The home season dates are May 5th, June 14th, August 29th, September 19th and October 17th. NRRG will not host a bout during July due to the annual Summit County Fair, but they have hinted that there may be exhibition bouts tied into the planned fair events which, of course, would be free to anyone attending the fair.
The list of teams coming in to bout the NRRG has yet to be released, but cross your fingers. We may see the B teams from the Ohio Roller Girls of Columbus, as well as the Burning River Roller Girls of Cleveland, as they did last year.
Keep your eyes opened and your ears tuned to the Rock 'n' Roll scream of the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls as their 2009 season gets underway.

Bout: August 2008

2009-02-19T14:49:00.004-05:00

Medina, Oh (August 9, 2008) - The LeHigh Valley Roller Girls from Pennsylvania were toppled by Akron's own NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls in a terrifically tense 105-104 game whose name takes a twist on a Rolling Stones' album: FearSome Girls.

The LVRG were ahead the whole game although NRRG were never that far behind. Team captain Minerva Steel and the Killustrator from LVRG were high scorers with 28 a piece. But it was Phantom Fox of the NRRG that took home the tiara for total points scored at 32 with an average of 3.75 points per jam. "I couldn't have done it without all those girls on the other team for me to pass," said Fox, modestly, tongue planted firmly in cheek.

The NRRG had to borrow a couple of girls from the Burning River Roller Girls in Cleveland to help fill out their roster and with them came the derby dynamo Hannah Bull.
Bull kept her reputation in high standing as a frequent flier to the penalty box, but NRRG team captain Amber Vendetta managed to match her in trips to penalty prison.
Bull also had glory in winning the final jam which placed the NRRG one point ahead and into their second home victory. Bull started the jam alone on the jammer line and with the attentive teamwork of her pack was able to cause an out of play situation on the last three opposing blockers. Moving unopposed past them (per derby rule) she earned her Grand Slam which was just enough and just in time for the final buzzer.

The NRRG now sits on a two and two home record and with a roster that has no guest skaters they take on the Girls from Hammer City in Canada. This final bout of the season titled ...And Derby For All, a playful take on the album by Metallica, rolls into town September 13th at Pinnacle Sports in Medina.

Bout: September 2008

2009-02-19T14:49:00.003-05:00

Medina, Oh (9/13/2008) - In the final bout of their inaugural season, the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls blasted their opponents from Hamilton, Ontario the Hammer City Roller Girls, in an emotional 178-27 win in the game titled after a Metallica album ...And Derby For All. For the at-home season, this makes for a winning record of 3-2, but including an away game in April against the league in Evansville, Indiana, they roll away from this season with a 3-3 record.

Going up against a B-team from Hammer City, the NRRG took a deceptive approach to their roster; a roster that was composed entirely of NRRG skaters, something we haven't seen since June when they played the Xanadon'ts, a B-travel team from the Burning River Roller Girls in Cleveland.
NRRG started speed demon Teeny Houdini on the jammer line more than they had all season, as well as Phantom Fox and Chrissie B. Hynde. They reserved Scarlet GoDancin for the entire first period then added her to the jammer list. A healthy rotation of jammers proved effective seeing the point distribution. But this was not a jammer centric game. The teamwork of the NRRG was the best we have seen all season. With the return of two injured skaters, Suicide Blonde and Taking Names, and some relatively 'new' skaters like Sass E. Wench and Kwik Kyra, one would expect a rookie feel to the pack, and yet the pack was one of the most exciting elements of the game. We saw many whips, assists, jammer take outs and unity out of the NRRG all the while the jammers were raking up points.

Not to say that the HCRG didn't have their moments. The B-Team was definitely fresh, but was assisted expertly by some seasoned skaters like Ivy Rupted and Torinado who were a dynamic team of veritable pit bulls.

Top scorers for the evening were Phantom Fox and Scarlet GoDancin and the highly coveted crown of queen of the penalty box goes to Beverlee Crusher of HCRG who apparently was not even aware that WFTDA created a rule-set much less read them in detail.

The NRRG will be celebrating this season at an end of year wrap party at the LockView in Akron and looking forward to next season which already includes some away games in Pittsburgh, Evansville, Maine and Indianapolis. Stay tuned Derby Disciples and keep your ears rivoted to the roar of the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls!

Bout: July 2008

2009-02-19T14:46:00.003-05:00

Medina, Oh (July 12, 2008) - The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls from Akron hosted the "B" travel team from Columbus' Ohio Roller Girls Gang Green and succumbed to the fortitude of the flesh eaters in a 98-51 game in the bout that took its name from KISS DestroyHer.

After the second period Gang Green had a 16 point lead and one could safely have said it was anyone's game and in Roller Derby that kind of gap can be closed in one good jam. But that's not what happened. The NRRG managed to go down valiantly, but still fell to the mightier team. Had it not been for the fact that NRRG borrowed some players from their sisters in Cleveland, the Burning River Roller Girls, they would have certainly been beaten to within inches of their ego. That being the case, the NRRG team was impressive in that they managed to hold fast against a travel team that has been practicing and bouting together for some time, whereas the NRRG team had maybe one solid scrimmage practice together with the on-loan skaters.

Hannah Bull, on loan from BRRG, was the top scoring skater for the NRRG with 20, which is amazing considering that she had 15 penalties and spent 6 jams in the penalty box. Chrissie B. Hynde was scoring impressively as well with 9, but also appeared to feel at home in the penalty box.
But the high scorer for the evening was Wendra Woman from Gang Green with a whopping 49. With her small frame one would expect that she'd be knocked around like a rag doll, but this skater comes to the jammer line with what appears to be a runner's stance and training. She's fast to say the least and impressive to watch. All but for the jam in the third period where she was blocked to the inside and grabbed hold of visiting ref Great Scott's jersey to help keep her from making a cut track violation, she demonstrated the speed and agility that is expected of a jammer.

Next month the NRRG will take on the HissyFits from Lehigh Valley, PA in the bout that would make Mick Jagger proud: FearSome Girls on August 9th at Pinnacle Sports in Medina.

Bout: June 2008

2009-02-19T14:37:00.002-05:00

Medina, Oh (June 6, 2008) - The NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls, Akron/Canton's premier roller derby league, got their fishnets handed to them by the Burning River Roller Girls' B Team, the Xanadon'ts, in the bout headlined WhipHer (a spoof of the DEVO album). Although the NRRG put forth an admirable last period push, it wasn't enough to take down the BRRG who won a decisive 145-90 game.

The NRRG have been plagued by a series of injuries and were only able to field a 9 girl roster compared to the Xanadon'ts full roster with alternates. Is that a cop out for losing the game? Yes. From this zebra's point of view, the NRRG were bested by team effort and not numbers. The Cleveland girls just had better team work and game mentality. Many of the Cleveland girls were seasoned players and coming from a league of 80(+-) skaters, they had perhaps more practice and preparation. The NRRG are still a fledgling flock in their first season and needed this kind of whipping to get focused on improving their practices and stepping up their effort to contend with the big girls.

Among BRRG's finest in the event was rookie Ida Bitter and don't let her frenchfry frame fool you, she hits like a freight train and is a quick footed jammer. She had the most points scored for the evening with 41 and had an astonishing take-out as she leveled NRRG's B.F. Goodbytch which is no easy task.. Following closely behind was Pain Austen, the Xanadon'ts team captain who scored 36 points.

For the NRRG, Scarlet GoDancin was again their top scorer with 31, but what was more impressive was the triangle of doom that was Scarlet along with Chrissie B. Hynde and Phantom Fox. As the NRRG didn't have the luxury of rest in between jams, these three powerhoused through the whole game. Scarlet scored the most, but she also played that position more. Chrissie had more points per jam average with 3.25 with Phantom and Scarlet getting 2.8 and 2.6 respectively. It should also be mentioned that Scarlet and Chrissie appeared to have a side competition going to see who could spend more time in the penalty box.

All things being equal, the event was a smashing success. There were no serious injuries and the teams have such mutual respect and love that NRRG was happy to be spanked publicly by their derby sisters to the north. The NRRG are hosting Columbus' OHRG B team, Gang Green, on July 12 again at Pinnacle Sports in Medina in what's being called DestroyHer.