Tag Archives: roller derby fresh meat

Roller derby information session – February, 2019

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Skater Kitty SlamHer in a "Shut up and skate" tank top

Have you been watching Whip It? Did you cheer on Australia in the Roller Derby World Cup? If you’d like to experience roller derby from beyond the sidelines and you’re in the Penrith or wider Western Sydney region, Western Sydney Rollers (WSR) is the roller derby league for you!

WSR has a variety of roles for roller derby enthusiasts and newbies to get involved in. Members can be a Freshie Skater, learn to be a skating official, become a player and be a non-skating official.

We welcome everyone – those who can skate and those who who want to learn how to skate; and all genders, sexualities, body types and levels of athleticism. Everyone can find a derby home at WSR – even artistic skaters and speed skaters!

Do you have an interest in the roller derby community and would like to find out more? We’re hosting an information session.

Roll up at 3:30pm on Sunday 10 February, 2019 to Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre (30 Herbert Street, Cambridge Park, NSW 2747). Come along, meet the league members and get involved in roller derby through a fun and inclusive roller derby league.

To ask more questions, send an email to: newmembers@westernsydneyrollers.com.au or post on our Facebook event page.

Learn more about Western Sydney Rollers through our Facebook and Instagram pages

Skater with session info and motivational quote shirt

Meet WSR’s Rookie Liaison!

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Meanie Queenie is Western Sydney Rollers’ (WSR) Rookie Liaison. Debuting in the league’s new role in 2018, Meanie (aka Charlie), is on hand to help freshies settle into the league.

Don’t let her name intimidate you, Meanie is a big softy at heart and is well-versed in all things roller derby – especially when it comes to WSR!

Having been involved in roller derby for three years, Meanie became involved in the sport as a way of getting fit and escaping a high pressure workplace environment for a few hours each week. Little did she imagine how much of a difference derby would make to her world!

“My favourite thing about derby is the empowerment and change of perspective,” Meanie says. My original focus was to become skinny; now my goal is to be strong and reliable for my team, and I work hard to achieve those goals.”

“The league and wider derby community have been a big part of forming a healthier perspective.”

How Meanie helps out the newest members of WSR!

“I’m here to help! I’m your personal cheer squad, your support and who you can come to for advice if you have any problems or planning goals. Basically, I’m an objective person, separate from the trainers, that the rookies can come to for anything derby-related.”

Meanie’s tips and advice for new skaters

“Everyone has derby idols –I love Biceptual and Sarge together, when they’re on the same team derby magic happens thanks to Biceptual’s offensive moves and Sarge’s amazing jammer skills! They have been in derby for a long time and have the amazing abilities to match!”

“That said, during your Derby journey you should never compare yourself to others. Everybody’s journey is different and has different bumps, and ups and downs.”

“You can only compare yourself to where you were a week before, the progress you make and the goals you achieve.”

One last word

“I’m really excited to have this role. Don’t be afraid to come up and say ‘hi’ or ask me a question!”

Learn more about fresh meet.

Join WSR!

P.S. We don’t have a photo of Meanie (she’s a bit shy) so you’ll just have to meet her in person!

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Rollers ready to rumble!

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Some of our fabulous league members recently starred in the Penrith Press, showcasing the league and its 10 year anniversary.

Looking fierce on the front page (!!) is one of the league’s founding members, Major Dil-Emma. Major Dil-Emma has been a source of inspiration throughout her time with WSR, tackling everything from training and bouting through to reffing and assisting on committees. Don’t be fooled by her war paint, Major Dil-Emma is super loyal when it comes to her team and her league.

Cut to the back page and you can meet more of our enthusiastic members and see why the sport of roller derby is so popular. With options for women, men, youngsters, skaters and officials; there is something for everyone in the sport of roller derby.

“It was always an inclusive sport for women; now it’s an inclusive sport for everyone,” – Major Dil-Emma

WSR is now recruiting… Take a chance, be fierce and join the family!

Special thanks to the Penrith Press for a rolling good article on WSR!

       

 

The Freshie Files

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By Betty Machete

As I sit here half way through my second week of fresh meat training covered in bruises (honestly, who knew you could bruise the palm of your hand), I am just starting to understand the amount of work I have in front of me and surprisingly how keen and excited I am to take it on.

I was never an athletic kid, I preferred to read over run and if someone would ask me to play outside my response would always be “why?”. This didn’t really change in my teenage years. Compulsory sport at school – netball was my reluctantly chosen pursuit – was always more of a social event for me. I was put into the C grade teams, not much was ever expected so not much was ever attempted.

By the time I hit 20 I figured I would never be athletic nor did I want to be. I believed a chubby kid (or adult) had no place on the sporting field and I was fine with that, they didn’t want me and I didn’t want them. I headed to uni, studied and thought that beside the odd fitness kick or diet, sports and I were done. Until one afternoon when my husband bounded in and waved tickets to Roller Derby in front of my face. “Sure why the hell not, I’ve seen Whip It” I replied and we went off to see our first bout.

There was something missing for me at that time, I was facing graduation with a BA major in Theater and Film (i.e. no real job prospects) and life was getting very real, and very heavy. That night was the first time I noticed I was missing something, a challenge, a release or maybe just some fun. But as I sat at Sydney Boys High and watched a Sydney Roller Derby League bout (I think it was against Geelong) I knew one thing… I had to do that.

The next weekend my husband and I were wobbling our selves around the Penrith Skatel looking equal parts terrified and uncoordinated but we stuck with it. The next weekend we were back and a little more steady. I brought my own skates and every Friday night we were down at the rink skating. Every time there was a bout we were there. I read books and watched bouts on YouTube, followed the pages on Facebook and little by little I began to understand this game.

When I started this I was scared, scared of what will happen after uni, scared for my health and scared for my sanity if everything didn’t work out. But even after only a few months of teaching myself to skate, learning about Derby, going to bouts and finally signing up to a league something has changed. I feel stronger and that is not something I want to let go.

Until Next time,

Betty Machete.