Gapers Block

Windy City Rollers All-Stars Take on Pittsburgh 

A month after closing their 2011 home season, the Windy City Rollers are back at it -- but this time, they're taking on derby leagues nationwide. So far WCR's travel team, the All-Stars, have enjoyed a slammin' season, winning all four previous games against the likes of Charm City, Montreal, Boston, and Houston. Currently the All-Stars are ranked number 1 in the North Central division and number 10 in the nation.

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Time Out Chicago

This week in Chicago 

The Windy City Rollers have been selected to compete during travel season. Squads are a little different; butt-kicking remains the same. This doubleheader features WCR Second Wind versus the Gotham Girls' Wall Street Traitors, followed by WCR All-Stars against the Steel City Derby Demons at 7:30pm.

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Chicago 3 Media

Windy City All-Stars And Second Wind First Home Interleague Bout

The Windy City All-Stars will take to their home track here in Chicago at their stomping ground, UIC Pavilion. Join them as they attempt to further their victorious streak against the determined Steel City Derby Demons, as they are hot off of several recent victories against Charm City, Montreal, Boston and Houston. The future All-Stars can be found on the Second Wind.  Come see these ladies face off against long time rivals – Gotham Girls Wall Street Traitors.  The action guarantees to be hot while the seats are certainly cool.

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Beyond the Game

Chicago roller derby on a roll

Not only are these women strong athletes, but they don’t practice all day like many athletes are expected to. They have careers, families and other issues to deal with, on top of professional roller derby.

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Before the bout started, the WCR Chorus, made of derby skaters and officials from within the league, sang our National Anthem.  Fanfare aside, it was by and large the most beautiful version of the Star-Spangled Banner to date.

Both teams came out with some heavy-hitting action.  For a charity bout, it was obvious there was plenty of leftover frustration from the season being let out during the first half.  Both teams were up and down and hitting hard.  Jammer selection from both guest coaches was spot-on and an excellent combination for both the athletes and the fans to get into.

Some highlights from the bout included killer blocking and hitting on both sides from Sunshine N Painbows skating as Tutti Frutti, Dinah Party skating as Chai Alert, Hoosier Mama skating as Badonk and Joanie Utah.  These ladies weren’t leaving anything out when it came to defense, and for a scrimmage, there was some serious pain being dished out.  Still though, when it all comes out in the wash, these ladies love and respect each other to the highest degree.

Shocka Conduit, Unicoroner skating as Unicorona, Deb Autry skating as Dawn of the Deb and Varla Vendetta were putting up some major points for the White Zombies III.  Both teams were going back and forth on scoring for the majority of the bout.  D Force had Athena DeCrime skating as Amber Lamps, Abbey skating as ABBEY!!!!! and for the first time in two years – Riley Coyote putting up points for them with reckless abandon.  All of the ladies, coaches and captains from each team did a great job on the track and the end of the bout was the icing on the cake.

Dawn of the Deb took to the jammer line against Amber Lamps for the final jam, and she skirted the inside track and got Lead Jammer.  As Dawn of the Deb came around to turn two, Badonk tackled her to the ground and the D Force team cleared the bench sparking a “brawl.”  Both teams erupted into a mock hockey-style finish, the only difference being there were hugs and congratulations instead of punches and expletives.  Both Dawn of the Deb and Badonk received Player of the Game and Coach Joe ended the night 3-0 as a guest coach for the Black and White Scrimmage.

The Hell’s Belles and The Fury squared off on May 21st at UIC Pavilion with high stakes on the line for both teams.  The Fury, coming off a 131-93 victory over the Manic Attackers, looked to continue their dominant march to the Ivy King Cup and, in the process, to match the all-time win WCR win streak held by the Belles.  The resurgent Belles, fresh off a 171-89 win over the Double Crossers, were looking for a big win and a possible spot in the Championship, as well as to protect their win streak record from the relentless Fury.  Not since the opening bout of the 2010 season had the Fury lost a bout, but the Belles looked to remind them of the taste of defeat.  Despite a valiant effort from the Belles, when the hard hitting action came to a close, The Fury were victorious and claimed a share of the all-time win streak.

Both teams played intense defense to start the bout, but standout Fury jammer Kola Loka drew first blood with a four points in the first jam.  Not to be outdone, Belles captain Shocka Conduit tied the score in the second jam.  Behind the blocking prowess of Deb Autry, Dinah Party, Yameet Ur Doom, Brawla Poundstone, Hermione Danger, and Mya Ssault; and the jamming of Unicoroner, Pominatrix, Hermione Danger, Luxe Capacitor, and Shocka Conduit, the Belles kept it close through the first seven jams and were down by only seven points with the score at 18-11.

Keeping the pressure on in the ninth jam, Belles jammer Hermione Danger sped around the outside, despite a 4-2 Fury pack advantage, and picked up lead, but a jammer knock-down by Sargentina limited the damage to only 1 point.  Leading up to the end of the first period, suffocating defense led by Ol’ Drrrty Go-Go, Sargentina, and Tori Adore  limited the Belles to 16 points, while they opened holes for Fury jammers Kola Loka, Ska Face, and Jackie Daniels to build a lead of 68-28 heading into the break.

In the second period, The Fury gradually built on their lead to almost 60 points but the Belles kept the pressure on and charged back in the tenth on a 20-point jam from Hermione Danger.  With Fury jammer Ol’ Drrrty Go-Go in the box to start the next jam, it looked like Belles jammer Unicoroner would have a chance to bring the Belles within striking distance, but a hard hit sent Uni to the floor and Go-Go was able to score three points before Uni called off the jam.  The Belles refused to back down with Pominatrix picking up a hard-fought four points in the twelfth jam to cut The Fury lead to 33 at 100-73.  But over the next several jams The Fury pack reasserted control and jammers Kola Loka and Ska Face extended the lead to 122-79.  Still, the Belles were not finished and Pominatrix and Shocka Conduit cut the lead to 122-93 over the next two jams to set up a final showdown between Kola Loka and Hermione Danger with a 3-2 pack advantage for The Fury.  Player of the Game Kola Loka got lead jammer and Hermione Danger was sent to the box on a major blocking to the back.  Nevertheless, once again showing the never say die attitude they displayed throughout the bout, Hermione was released when Kola was sent to the box and scored the final two points of the bout before time expired, leaving The Fury victorious by the score of 131-95.

The second bout of the evening was very much like the first in the fact that both teams were dishing out punishment in massive quantities.  Hell’s Belles blockers Pominatrix, Mya Ssault and Dinah Party were throwing hits like it was a football hitting practice.  The Double Crossers weren’t slouching in the hit department at all either.  Team captain Georgia on Yer Behind rallied Sunshine N Painbows, Tina Flay, Joanie Utah and Norma Lee Wright to hand out blow after blow to the Hell’s Belles’ offense.

Team captain for the Double Crossers, Julia Rosenwinkel, was still out due to injury, so Double Crosser jammers had to give that extra push just to keep the team alive.  The Hell’s Belles were jamming Shocka Conduit, Zombea Arthur, Unicoroner and Deb Autry regularly with excellent yields.  In the first jam alone, Zombea Arthur scored 14 points and got the ball rolling for the Hell’s Belles.  Though Dame Over answered back with an impressive grand slam two jams later, all the momentum shifted in the Hell’s Belles favor.

Karmageddon and Indycent were both working hard to keep the pressure on the Belles and were looking good early on in the bout.  The Double Crossers also jammed rookie Dani Get Your Guns, but she just couldn’t get anything going past Hermoine Danger and Yameet Ur Doom’s blocking prowess.  Tina Flay was closing out a number of the Hell’s Belles jammers as well, dropping the hammer on Zombea Arthur and allowing Double Crosser jammers to chip away at the lead.

As the half was drawing to an end, the emotions were running high for the Hell’s Belles and they were steamrolling the Double Crossers at every turn.  Captain Shocka Conduit was impressive during the last jam of the half scoring 23 points and setting the score at 96-27 in favor of the Hell’s Belles.  If the Double Crossers were going to get a win, they would need to bring their A-game into the second half.

As the whistle started the second half, both teams were throwing hits feverishly.  Pominatrix scored seven points early on and brought her team over the century mark.  The score was 106-27 for the Hell’s Belles and the game turned into a run-away for them.  The Double Crossers were throwing everything they had at the Hell’s Belles.  Jamming Sunshine N Painbows, Abbey and Dani Get Your Guns on a steady rotation still wasn’t enough to pull them out of the hole they were in.

Zombea Arthur and Pominatrix were impressive throughout the second half.  Zombea Arthur proved why she’s a speed skating champion and navigated through the pack almost effortlessly.  Pominatrix was as agile as a leopard.  She leapt over a falling Sunshine N Painbows to get a second grand slam and continue to push her team’s score over the edge.

Abbey, Dani Get Your Guns and Sunshine N Painbows were working overtime to get points for the Double Crossers.  Between the three of them, they were able to keep the scoring steady for their team, but just couldn’t mount enough to have a good run for the lead.  Indycent, Joanie Utah and Miss D. Meaner were working the pack hard and helping keep their team afloat but Shocka Conduit and Deb Autry were pivotal in the last few jams of the bout.  Both ladies scored grand slams and took the wind out of the Double Crossers’ sails.  In the final jam, Luxe Capacitor got it up to 88 m.p.h. and racked up an impressive, high-speed 13 points that solidified the Hell’s Belles win of 171-89.

Deb Autry was named Player of the Game.  Though both teams fought well, the Hell’s Belles were on a scoring frenzy that just couldn’t be answered.  They face off against the undefeated Fury on May 21 in hopes for a third win and shot at second place.  The Double Crossers are taking on the Manic Attackers and looking for a chance to tally a win before the end of the home season.  Both bouts are shaping up to be pivotal for all teams.  If The Fury wins against the Hell’s Belles, they will be one game away from having the longest win streak.  If the Hell’s Belles beat The Fury, not only will they knock The Fury off their winning streak, but could potentially tie for second place with the Manic Attackers, if the Manic Attackers lose to the Double Crossers.  If the Manic Attackers win against the Double Crossers, they solidify their spot in second place and have a shot at the Ivy King Cup.  If the Double Crossers can tally a win in the next bout, they would affect the Manic Attackers’ chance at a finals shot, and give themselves a chance at redemption and a win before the season’s out.

The Daily Northwestern

Roll Rage: Windy City Rollers offers derby dames double lives

In real life, MouthShut is a 27-year old school teacher. She said she likes teaching students in kindergarten through eighth grade on Chicago's south side how to use computers, but has been assuming a new persona during Saturday night bouts since she was 21. Many women in the Windy City Rollers lead double lives like MouthShut does, Dadabo said.

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Time Out Chicago

This Week in Chicago

Butt-kicking action features a doubleheader: Manic Attackers vs. The Fury, followed by Hell's Belles vs. the Double Crossers.

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Do312

Giants on the Make

Roller Derby isn’t just a bumper-car pinball of a game with Tommy like execution and ho-hum exuberance. This is a league comprised of educators, scientists, businesswomen, and other intellectuals as brash as the participants on any given Sunday. The sport is a combination of teamwork, individualism, brute-force, and precision.

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Early in the bout saw an Amazonian jam between Ruth Enasia and the towering inferno, Deb Autry.  Both ladies brought their A-game to the table but Deb Autry came out on top, scoring three points.  With these two giants setting a precedent for their teams, both the Hell’s Belles and the Manic Attackers were going to make a run of it.

If the Chicago Bears had their Monsters of the Midway, the Manic Attackers have an equally aggressive and dominant entity behind Bork Bork Bork, AliSin Chains and Mo Vengeance.  They were mashing up the track and leaving a red streak of Hell’s Belles carnage.  Their hitting didn’t go unanswered, though, and Hermoine Danger, Dinah Party and Yameet Ur Doom were drawing hits in for the Belles.  Halfway into the first half, the bout was turning into a blocking practice as both teams’ blockers and jammers were laying waste to each other as they mangled their way through the pack.  It was as if there was no sacred ground and no team member untouched.  Even with Val Capone's hairline fracture, she made short work of the Hell’s Belles’ jammers and blockers alike.

Both sides of the benches had a number of excellent jams through the melee of hits.  The Manic Attackers stood on top of Zoe Trocious, Beth Amphetamine, Ruth Enasia and Wreck N Shrew as the Hell’s Belles were relying heavily on Zombea Arthur, Shocka Conduit, Deb Autry and Pominatrix.

As the half drew to an end the Manic Attackers’ hard-hitting slowed the Hell’s Belles, but didn’t stop them.  Behind excellent blocking on both sides of the scoreboard, both teams had a chance of walking away with a win.  Halftime came with the Manic Attackers up 64-38.

The ladies from both sides came out slugging after the half with Shocka Conduit scoring a grand slam for the Hell’s Belles and Zoe Trocious answering right back.  The hard hitting continued and Bork Bork Bork was making mince meat of the Hell’s Belles blocking crew.  The Hell’s Belles proved their second half stamina with Zombea Arthur skating as though she was beginning-of-the-game fresh.  The Manic Attackers were answering back with strong jams from Ruth Enasia who was employing the “hit it and quit it” technique.

As the second half wore on, it was evident that the Manic Attackers were running out of gas and the Hell’s Belle’s were trying to capitalize on their low energy.  Pitting Ruth Enasia and Zombea Arthur against each other, it was as though David was facing Goliath again, only this time with serious sass.  Zombea Arthur brought four points against Ruth Enasia and the Hell’s Belles were off on mounting a serious comeback.

Both teams were feeding off the fever pitch swirling inside the walls of UIC Pavilion.  Hermoine Danger and Yameet Ur Doom were working well together, helping to combine a one-two blow to the Manic Attackers and geting their own jammers through the pack.  Within the last ten minutes of the bout, the energy was shifting between both teams and you could almost hear the breath of the true fans in the stands.  While the Hell’s Belles were dishing out punishment, their fans were raising the roof, and as the Manic Attackers mounted their fight, their fan base was peeling the paint with their exuberance.

Deb Autry managed a 15-point jam with less than three minutes to go and the intensity reached a near-breaking point.  The crowd wasn’t going to let this bout go without a powerful rally behind their troops.   Shocka Conduit backed Deb Autry with a grand slam, bringing the Hell’s Belles to within eight points with enough time for one last jam.

The crowd was on fire with the Hell’s Belles on the cusp of tallying their second win for the season.  The Manic Attackers lined up Beth Amphetamine against Deb Autry.  Beth Amphetamine took the field and got lead jammer, blowing through the pack like a wraith and almost immediately calling it off.  The Manic Attackers won 103-95, but not without a strong showing by the Hell’s Belles.  For all that it’s worth, the bout was an excellent show of physical prowess on both sides.  The Manic Attackers stand against The Fury in the next bout while the Hell’s Belles look to add a second win against the Double Crossers in the second bout.

Fury jammers, Kola Loka, Ska Face and Jackie Daniels all came out swinging, tallying five grand slams between the three of them in the first three jams.  The Fury would score 32 points before the Hell’s Belles were able to get a score on the board.  The Fury worked the pack behind 'Ol Drrrty Go-Go, Red Zeppelin, Poppy Spock and Sargentina.  Rookie Janicide Joplin added to the blocking power of The Fury as they kept the Hell’s Belles busy trying to clear the pack for their jammer.

Shocka Conduit was the first to score for the Hell’s Belles, doing it in style and tallying 14 points.  The Hell’s Belles were working to keep their team alive in the first half, putting Unicoroner, Zombea Arthur, Hermione Danger, and Deb Autry to jam against The Fury.  Most of the Hell’s Belles jammers were pulling double duty on the track and were working overtime to keep the pace with The Fury.

There was no shortage of action with T.S. Helliot racking up big hits against the Hell’s Belles even as Pominatrix, Nancy Pagan and Brawla Poundstone were working tirelessly to stave off the salvo of Fury blows.  As the half was drawing to a close, The Fury was picking up the recycling and laying down grand slam after grand slam.  It was an up and down half for both teams, but solid recycling and strong skating helped The Fury maintain the lead.  The Hell’s Belles were working hard to get that second win of the season and skated an excellent half but were still short at the close with a score of 82-44.

When the second half started, The Fury maintained their momentum and sent their score over 100 just three jams in.  When the third jam of the half started, Jackie Daniels got Lead Jammer, winning free shots from the Boiler Room for the entire section 105.

The Fury defense was still working their recycling, but the Hell’s Belles weren’t going to take the second half lying down.  Their jammer pool worked to chip away at the Fury lead one jam at a time.  A rash of penalties called on The Fury allowed Shocka Conduit and Unicoroner to maintain the effort to gain the lead.  There was lots of excellent hitting from Hermione Danger on the Fury defense and though she fouled out, her presence was felt through the majority of the bout.  She was a sniper on the track, looking over the smaller players on her team like a guardian angel (from hell).

The Fury kept the pace up and the Hell’s Belles were nipping right at their heels.  As the bout was drawing to an end, the score started to grow closer and closer.  Kola Loka and Ska Face were still racking up big points for the Fury to keep them in the lead, but in a last-ditch effort, Shocka Conduit launched a full-on assault and scored 12 big points in the last jam.  Though their efforts toward the end were epic, it wasn’t enough to take the lead and the Fury came out winning 145-101.  The Hell’s Belles worked in an amazing comeback at the end, but couldn’t quite pull the trigger and so The Fury remains unstoppable.

As the action was beginning to break at the UIC Pavilion, the Double Crossers were looking to tally their first win of 2011 and the Hell’s Belles were determined to pull their team together and give their fans a night to remember.

Both teams were running rookies through the meat grinder as the Hell’s Belles introduced Miss Ill Annoy, Lupe Libre and Phoebe Fi Fo Fum, while the Double Crossers brought in Dani Get Your Guns and Sunshine N Painbows, to name a few.

The Double Crossers got on the board early scoring ten unanswered points in the first three jams behind the excellent jamming of Indy Cent and Captain, Julia Rosenwinkel.   But it didn’t take long for the Hell’s Belles to catch up and after Deb Autry scored nine points, the Belles were mounting an early comeback.

As the first half wore on, both the Belles and the Crossers were creating a blocker smorgasbord on the track, making each jammer work tirelessly for position.  As Georgia on Yer Behind, Norma Lee Wright and Karmageddon from the Crossers were working over Belles jammers, Yameet Ur Doom and Deb Autry were working double shifts and landing some serious punishment on the Crossers’ jammer line-up.

Belles jammers Shocka Conduit and Pominatrix were helping their team pull ahead scoring grand slam after grand slam at will until Julia Rosenwinkel tallied three impressive grand slams to bring the Double Crossers to within 14 points.  Deb Autry answered back with a double-fisted grand slam punch and the Belles were back on the upswing with six minutes left in the first half of play.

With only a handful of minutes left in the half, Indy Cent pulled a massive triple grand slam jam and got the Crossers to within striking distance, setting the score at 66-55 with the Belles still in the lead.  Dame Over was able to score four more points for the Double Crossers before both teams went to the locker rooms for halftime.  The Hell’s Belles were up 66-59 and looking to put a win on the board for the first time in a long time.

As the teams started the second half, the Hell’s Belles wanted to prove that they had the stamina to go the distance.  Zombea Arthur, Pominatrix and Unicoroner came out shooting for the Hell’s Belles and these three ladies in red were able to score 11 points before the black wall of death created by Georgia on Yer Behind , Norma Lee Wright and rookie badass Sunshine N Painbows started dishing out some punishment and allowing their jammers to tally some much-needed points.

Joannie Utah was able to round up 15 points on three grand slams for the Double Crossers, and the rally train left the station.  The Crossers were closing the gap and the score was 81-74 in favor of the Hell’s Belles.

The Belles tore out on another scoring run, coupled with the solid blocking of Mya Ssault and Nancy Pagan.  Jammers Zombea Arthur, Unicoroner and Shocka Conduit were stretching the Belles lead and the nail-biting began.

The hits from both teams were brutal.  Double Crosser hard-nosed hitter Abbey was taking as many shots at Zombea Arthur as she could and Nancy Pagan was decimating Double Crosser jammers the more they attempted to glide through the pack.

Both teams were putting up a valiant fight in the dwindling minutes of the bout.  There was a lot at stake and both teams knew the outcome could shape the rest of the season for them.  It was the stalwart, take-no-prisoners attitude of the Hell’s Belles that ultimately brought home the prize at the end of the bout, and they skated away with their first win in two seasons.

Elated team members from the Hell’s Belles were hugging ecstatically as the final whistle sounded and the many Belles fans were showering them with cheers and praise.  The best play of the game came before the beginning of the last bout as Dame Over from the Double Crossers reached out and shook Deb Autry’s hand as they waited on the jammer line for their final run through the gauntlet.  It was a show of sportsmanship that can only be described as classy to no end.  Though the Crossers remain winless this season, it appears they know a good fight when they see one.

Pominatrix of the Hell’s Belles was elected Player of the Game.

Next month, the Hell’s Belles line up against the Ivy King Cup champions, The Fury, and the Double Crossers take on the Manic Attackers as the home season tears on through yet another remarkable doubleheader.

Gapers Block

Fury, Manic Take First 2011 WCR Bout

It was an exciting opening night Saturday, Jan. 15, for the Windy City Rollers, as the league began their 2011 home season with an intraleague double header. The turnout was good at the UIC Pavilion, where fans, family, and fresh meat (new skaters) filled the stands.

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The Columbia Chronicle

Windy City Rollers take it to the tracks

In a blur of spandex, fishnet tights, shin-high socks and helmets, the Windy City Rollers raced around the track fighting for position and points. The organization began its sixth year at the home opener on Jan. 15 at the University of Illinois at Chicago Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., for a crowd of more than 4,000 people.

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As the night progressed on, the skaters gave the fans what they came looking for:  the best flat track derby in the nation and a night of high scores and hard hits.  These ladies all came into the UIC Pavilion ready for combat.

Windy City’s eclectic dames of destruction duked it out with the devil’s love children in a season opener for the record books.  Looking to pull off their first victory in two seasons, the Hell’s Belles were hungry to put an “X” in the win column, but couldn’t hit their mark in a decisive 137-71 loss to the Manic Attackers.

Both teams were making a mad dash for a win behind some excellent blocking and lightning-quick jamming.  The Belles’ Deb Autry scored first blood on the Manics with a Grand Slam in the second jam after Beth Amphetamine took a trip to the box on a major penalty that was later scratched as an error. Deb Autry’s long legs and grace through the pack were incredible.  Every time she was on the track, she was able to clear the pack in three steps, making jamming look easy.  Though the Belles came out swinging first, it was hard for them to keep the scoring train running once the Manic Attackers started mounting points.

The Manic’s Zoe Trocious had an amazing night and put up seven points in the next jam, and that’s when the steam-rolling began.  Altogether, the Manics put up 14 points in seven jams before the Belles would score again.  Ying O’Fire and Ruth Enasia played both sides of the track for the Manics proving they could block just as well as they score.  With the help of Bork Bork Bork, Mo Vengeance, AliSin Chains and rookie Boo Meringue all in the pack making trouble for the Belles, the Manics ran away in the first half.

The Belles weren’t giving up without a fight, though.  Jammers Deb Autry, Shocka Conduit, Pominatrix, Mya Ssault, and Indiana’s Bleeding Heartland transfer Unicoroner were slowly but surely chipping away at the Manics lead.  When the smoke cleared, the Belles went into the locker room at the half down 52-25.  The Manic’s lead wasn’t insurmountable, but the Belles definitely had their work cut out for them.

The Manics didn’t let up at the beginning of the second half.  Their jammers increased the lead 65-25 before Deb Autry - behind excellent blocking from Shocka Conduit, Mya Ssault and Zombea Arthur – scored two Grand Slams and brought the Belles to within striking distance of the lead.  This was like blood in the water for the Manics, though, as they turned up the heat and rallied to score 43 more points before the Belles could get back on the board again.

Pominatrix and Deb Autry were two standout jammers for the Belles and tried to get the team and the crowd revved up for a come-from-behind win, but the Manics were quick to take the wind out of their sails.  Belles team captain, Hermoine Danger, was making her mark as well, scoring eight points with less than four minutes in the bout.  This was the tipping point for the second half and the Manics ran off with the lead and didn’t look back.  Tamikaze, Boo Meringue, Bork Bork Bork and Mo Vengeance man(ic) handled the young Hell’s Belles and exploded with a commanding victory over the still winless team with a final score of 137-71.  Zoe Trocious was named player of the game and contributed 57 points to her team’s victory over the Hell’s Belles.  The Manics face off against the Ivy King Cup champions, The Fury, while the Belles take a shot at the second place Double Crossers at the UIC Pavilion on Feb 13.