Charlotte Roller Girls » News

June 9 Home Bout Team & Time Change

CLTRG — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:42:01 +0000

Although we take care to plan our season well in advance so our fans know exactly who we are playing when, sometimes plans change. On Saturday June 9th, the next double header home bout, the B Dazzlers will not be playing The New River Valley Roller Girls B Team as originally scheduled, but instead will take on a familiar, and formidable, opponent: the Lowcountry Highrollers Bruisin’ Betties. The B Dazzlers have already met the Bruisin’ Betties on the track this year in February and came away with a loss after battling them in Charleston. The B Dazzlers will be trying to use their home turf advantage and will surely be out to grab a win and even the score. The All-Stars will still be playing against the The New River Valley Roller Girls though, so you will get to see them in action. It’s a diverse mix-up of teams, and sure to be an exciting day!

Due to the team change, there is an additional time change for the bouts. The Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars bout will begin at 6:00pm, playing first on the day, and the B Dazzlers will start their bout at 7:30pm to finish off the double header.

On Being A Roller Derby Mother

CLTRG — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:24:02 +0000

It’s no secret that Charlotte Roller Girls are tough. Grueling practices multiple times a week, constantly dealing with scrapes and bruises, going head to head with other fierce teams throughout the region . . . Don’t get us wrong, we love derby! But it requires a ton of dedication and hard work! And all on top of work, school, family, and everything else life has to offer!

But we can think of one job in particular that’s particularly tough to do on top of being a roller girl: mother!

And we’ve got quite a few of them participating in our league! We spent some time talking to some of these mothers, to figure out how they balance family and derby.

MzBehavin' Mama

We first asked the skaters to tell us about why they wanted to join the Charlotte Roller Girls. Skater MzBehavin’ Mama, a Project Manager at Bank of America and mother of Ethan, 7, and Jaxson, 2, told us “I think it was a combination of many things. I wanted to be a part of something unique; to do something that no one thought I could/would and prove them wrong. I spent most of my 20’s being a mom and I missed having something that was just “mine.” Turning 30 really had a big impact on me, as I know it does for many people, and it made me realize that if I don’t do the things that I want to now, I never will.”

Mugger Teresa

B Dazzler skater, Mugger Teresa, whose 3 year old daughter, Abigail, loves Scooby Doo, going to the zoo and running through the grass with bare feet, also echoes Mama’s sentiment. “I am a military wife”, she states “but when he went for his third deployment, I decided I needed something for myself.” Mugger is currently experiencing her husband’s third deployment.

Ms Guided Angel

CLTRG All-Star skater, Ms. Guided Angel, added “I think of roller derby as my gym membership and therapy all in one!”. We have no doubt of the truth of that statement, as Angel, in addition to being a single mother, also works two jobs, as a pre-school teacher and a Crew Member at Trader Joe’s. She describes her son Tyler, age 6, as “an intelligent, energetic and sometimes challenging little boy.”

Nita Beer

When asked what their kids think about roller derby, the answers from these Moms varied little. Skater Nita Beer, a housekeeper and mother to 16 year old Devin tell us “My son thinks it’s pretty cool. He once made the comment, “Mom you’re about the same age as most of my friend’s mom’s but you’re not as old as them””.

Mugger’s daughter, although still a toddler, is able to find the fun in roller derby as well. “Abbey has asked for her fourth birthday for a pair of pink roller skates. I often find her going through my derby bag looking for wheels, pads and of course my helmet. She will put on my elbow pads over her knees and while wearing my helmet pretend to be playing derby.” She adds, “The latest thing is her setting up a skate shop with items from in my derby bag up for sale. I have played along a couple of times and she drives a hard bargain. $1000 for wheels! Yikes!” she exclaims.

Devlin Syder

Devlin Syder, a retail manager at Men’s Warehouse and mother to 4 children, including Kaelyn, 15, Trevor, 8, Auren, 6, and Koen, 2, explains the downside. “I often sacrifice family time for practice time, and that really brings them down. Sometimes we have heated discussions about the amount of time I spend at practice, but I try to compromise by spending equal or greater amounts of time hanging with them.”

Conine the Barbarian, a teacher and mother to Sarah, 9, and Carl, 5, says “sometime my son tell me he wishes I could stay home on practice nights. I do question if I’m doing the right thing every now and then”.

Conine the Barbarian

Continuing on this theme, we asked the skaters what is the hardest part of playing derby and being a mother. The skater’s answers vary a little on this question, depending on the age of their children, but there is one common thread, best summed up by Devlin Syder: “The hardest part of being a derby mom is the balancing act”. Devlin continues, “I would say that I never really achieve true balance, but I do try to make compromises when possible. I try to make everyone happy without making myself crazy.”

When asking Mama this question, she laughs, and says, “I wish I knew! It’s so easy to get completely engulfed with derby that you forget your entire other life before. I finally realized I had to set some limits on what I could and could not do.”

Despite the multiple challenges facing these women and mothers on a daily basis, they all find the inspiration to keep going from their teammates and the knowledge that they are a part of something unique.

Angel tells us that she is inspired by “the people on my team who work hard and my love of the sport”. “My teammates inspire me, the league inspired me. My kids motivate me,” says Conine, simply. Mugger also points out that “the amount of time and resources to run a derby league is immense. The fact that we all do this on a volunteer level is inspiring. They motivate me to work harder.” Devlin Syder explains, “Everyone in the league has made sacrifices and put forth a lot of hard work to get us to where we are today. We built this league from a few girls at a skating rink who could barely skate into a group of strong, devoted, competitive women of all skill levels who are competing with other teams around the country. I am proud to be a part of it. I get excited about skating for Charlotte Roller Girls every day.”

The Charlotte Roller Girls are very proud of each and every one of these women as well and want to wish them, and all the mothers, a very happy Mother’s Day.

Gifts for Mom

CLTRG — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:44:40 +0000

With Mother’s Day this Sunday, time is running out to get your mom something special to show her your appreciation. The Charlotte Observer posted some gift ideas from various Charlotte folks, including our very own Conine the Barbarian. As a roller girl who takes some hard hits (and gives them back just as hard), it is no surprise to see that Conine suggested a little pampering gift in the form of a massage, or manicure and pedicure. For other ideas, read the full article at CharlotteObserver.com.

If you are looking for ways to spoil your mom, consider treating her to a yoga class at Be Yoga! Help her relieve her tension and stretch those sore muscles. Turn it into an opportunity for quality bonding time by signing yourself up, too. You may even see a few Charlotte Roller Girls at the Sunday deep stretch class.

Looking for something a little more adventurous to do instead? Consider signing up for PaddleFIT with Dr. Tony Peters. This is a great way to get active, have fun, and spend some time with your mom outdoors.

Whatever you decide to do on Mother’s day, we want to wish all our fans who are moms a very happy day on Sunday. We hope you are pampered by your family.

Charlotte Roller Girls Urge You To Vote AGAINST Amendment 1 on May 8th

CLTRG — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:19:31 +0000

The Charlotte Roller Girls, as an organization, honors and encourages diversity and self-expression; and as a league, we have striven to create a safe space for women to compete at the highest athletic levels of roller derby, while seeking to be a better version of themselves- stronger, fitter, more confident.

We believe Amendment 1 has no place in our state or our Constitution. As a sports league, we have relished being an open and inclusive organization. Our league welcomes people from all walks of life including single moms, teachers, bankers, punk rockers, straight, gay, transgendered, married, divorced, etc. Amendment 1 does not reflect our values of welcoming diversity and valuing inclusion. As human beings and citizens of North Carolina, we think it wrong, discriminatory, and mean-spirited to amend our Constitution to marginalize any group of individuals, creating a “sub-citizen” status, especially when that amendment demonstrates anti-gay hate.

Here are the facts:

North Carolina already has a law outlawing same-sex marriage, passed in 1996.
The Amendment will affect more than just same-sex couples. The amendment states that a marriage between one man and one woman will be the only domestic legal union recognized by the state. This means that domestic partnerships, gay or straight, would be invalidated, putting at risk: health benefits for partners, health benefits for children, custody rights, and even rights of visitation at hospitals. All of these revocations happened after a similar amendment passed in Ohio.
The Amendment may limit the benefits and incentives that employers will be able to offer to attract employees to state.
The last time our state’s Constitution was amended to define marriage it banned African-Americans and Caucasians from being able to marry.
Lawmakers who wrote this bill have said it will be obsolete and overturned in 20 years. We think it is misguided and financially irresponsible to invalidate existing domestic partnerships and rewrite local codes and laws for an amendment that will be socially obsolete fairly soon.
Because there is a law on the books banning gay marriage, we can only conclude that this Amendment is motivated by anti-gay bias and we believe that bias and exclusion have no place in our state.

As an organization, we don’t often become politically involved. We exist to play and promote the sport of women’s flat track roller derby. But this amendment is so damaging to our league-mates and our friends that we feel it is necessary to take a stand and add our voice to the conversation. This is a human rights issue above all else. We urge you to take a stand with us and vote AGAINST this flawed amendment on May 8.

FOR MORE INFO: http://www.protectncfamilies.org/

The Charlotte Roller Girls Help Young Women of Charlotte Prepare For Prom Night

CLTRG — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:54:07 +0000

Serving as positive female role models in the local community is an important part of the mission of the Charlotte Roller Girls. On Saturday April 7th, they got the opportunity to do just that by contributing to the 10th annual Prom Project, hosted by Girl Talk and Imaginon.

In the weeks leading up to the event, Charlotte Roller Girl skater and Director of Events, Bashionista, organized the collection of dresses, shoes, accessories, and unused makeup straight from the closets of other skaters in the league. Their donations were part of over 1300 dresses collected for the occasion.

This year there were 600 applicants to come to the event, with more than 400 actually participating. Prom Project allows girls to shop for their perfect prom dress without having to worry about the price tag, since all dresses are available for free. This year was the first year that the girls could also shop for accessories such as shoes, bags, and jewelry that was also donated.

The girl’s day began with a class on beauty, etiquette, and prom safety. Then they were allowed shop for a dress and choose two accessories. “The experience was amazing. I loved getting a chance to interact with the girls and hear their stories” says CLTRG skater Margaret Snatch’Her. Fellow skater Hellin Felon agreed. “It was truly touching and worth all the work to help make sure these girls get to have a prom night to remember” she added.

Fans of the Charlotte Roller Girls will continue to be able to see the skaters out and about in the community over the next few weeks. Their next event is this Saturday April 14th at the Sleepy Poet Antique Mall.

If you are interested in having the Charlotte Roller Girls participating in your next event Contact Us!

Help the Charlotte Roller Girls Save Lives This Saturday

CLTRG — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:00:47 +0000

Saturday, April 14th the Charlotte Roller Girls will be participating in the annual Spring Yard Sale and Blood Drive with longtime sponsor, Sleepy Poet Antique Mall. Twice a year, Sleepy Poet partners with the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas and Loaves and Fishes to collect blood and raise money for a good cause. The Community Blood Center is a blood bank which keeps all of it donations within the Carolinas. They will have a truck and qualified staff available to accept your donation. Loaves and Fishes is a local food bank that provides nutritious meals for a week to individuals and families in need. They will be out front of the antique mall selling barbeque plates to raise money for their organization. There will also be a yard sale on the front lawn if you are looking for a bargain on records, books, or other unique items.

While the All-Stars will be out of town battling the Rocktown Rollers, the other league members will be on hand, donating their own blood and selling you barbeque. You will also have the opportunity to pick up some official CLTRG merchandise to show your support for the league.

The Charlotte Roller Girls’ participation in the fall event last November was their most successful to date, with 18 pints of blood and over $300 in donations being collected. Help us set an even higher record this year. So come out and enjoy the spring weather with us. We hope to see you there!

Rock ‘n Roll CLTRG All-Stars!

CLTRG — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:15:29 +0000

This weekend the Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars will travel to Harrisonburg, Virginia to take the track against the Rocktown Rollers. This will be the first time these two teams have played each other. The Rocktown Rollers, established in 2008, were accepted as a full WFTDA league in July of 2010, around the same time as the Charlotte Roller Girls. In the pursuit of WFTDA rankings, both teams have scheduled more challenging seasons for themselves in 2012. Neither the Rocktown Rollers nor the All-Stars have brought home a victory so far this season – one of these teams will break their streak this Saturday.

“Derby is a very fast paced sport and strategies are constantly changing and evolving”, says Rosie Cheeks, co-captain of the CLTRG All-Stars. “Each game we play is a learning experience. Our team grows and get better with each game, whether it results in a win or a loss”. “We’ve been working on new strategies and fine-tuning our ability to play as a unit”, adds the other co-captain and fan favorite, Shawn Shank Redemption. “We are prepared for this bout and very much looking forward to it”.

The bout will take place at Funky’s Skate Center in Harrisonburg, VA. The game will start at 5:30 PM.

Congratulations to the following skaters for making the roster for this game:

S0ME	Do U Juana
003	Agent Cherry Maim’her
6	Rosie Cheeks
07	Foxy Pound
13	Hellin Felon
38	Vibrant Thing
40	Shawn Shank Redemption
88	StarSpangled BanGRR
416	Ms Guided Angel
617	Amy Fister
919	Katch Her in the Rye
444	Double Deck’her
1000hz	Emmylou Harass

We’re Getting Excited!

CLTRG — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:29:46 +0000

Here’s just a little taste of what you can enjoy at tomorrow’s first home bout of the season! Join us at Grady Cole Center on Saturday March 17, 2012 (St. Patty’s Day) for a double header. The B Dazzlers will be facing the Camel City Thrashers and the All-Stars will take on the Tallahassee Rollergirls Capital Punishment. Get your tickets now, or at the door ($10 in advance/$14 at the door). If you’ve never been to one of our bouts and you’re curious about what to expect, read more about attending a bout.

Special thanks to the Junior Astronomers who provided the song “Fancy Talkers”.

Purple is the New Green: Join CLTRG for the Parade and Home Season Opener This St. Patrick’s Day

CLTRG — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 18:25:11 +0000

Show your support for the Charlotte Roller Girls and consider wearing purple this St. Patrick’s Day, rather than green. You can have a derby filled day when you join the Charlotte Roller Girls in the AM for the Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade starts at 11 am at Tryon and 9th and ends at Tryon and 3rd. Later, you can head over to the Grady Cole Center later in the evening to catch up with the girls at the first home bout of the 2012 season. In the first game of this double header event, the B-Dazzlers will be facing off against Greensboro’s Camel City Thrashers. The All-Stars are taking on the Tallahassee Rollergirls Capital Punishment in the second bout.

Both teams are gaining steam after tough losses in Charleston, SC. The B-Dazzlers have never faced off against Camel City, but the off the track rivalry has already begun. This is sure to be a thrilling game when nearby teams go toe-to-toe. The Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars have previously faced off against Capital Punishment, in May of last year. They lost a hard-fought away game, and will have the home field advantage this go-round. But Tallahassee have demonstrated they will be a formidable opponent, after recently pulling off an upset win over Green Country Roller Girls of Oklahoma.

Halftime entertainment will be provided by local band Evelynn Rose. Season tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased online. Single game tickets can be purchased from the Common Market (either location), the Sleepy Poet Antiques Mall, or from your favorite Charlotte Roller Girl! Tickets are $10 adult/$6 child in advance and $14 adult/$8 child on the day of. This bout is sure to be a popular one, so get your tickets early to be assured a seat! Doors open at 4:30 pm, B-Dazzlers bout starts at 5:00 pm.

Grady Cole Center is located at 310 N. Kings Drive. Access to the official after-party, located at the Mellow Mushroom 2820 Selwyn Ave Ste. 100 is included with the purchase of every adult ticket.

Charlotte Roller Girls 2012 Home Season Tickets On Sale Now!

CLTRG — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:15:54 +0000

The Charlotte Roller Girls are pleased to inform you that 2012 season tickets are now available for online purchase. For the truly dedicated fan, we are offering a 2012 Season Ticket pass, which gives you access to all 7 CLTRG home bouts. With 5 double header events scheduled this season, you get 12 hard-hitting, action-packed games for the price of 6! Season tickets are available for a limited time only, so buy yours today! Individual game tickets are also available for advanced purchase.

Single Game Tickets

Single game tickets can be purchased in advance for any Charlotte Roller Girl home game online. Single game tickets will also be available at one of our approved vendors, including The Common Market, Sleepy Poet Antique Mall, The Last Word, and Tutti, or from your favorite CLTRG skater in the weeks leading up to each individual game. Advanced ticket prices are $6 for children (age 6-12) and $10 for adults. Group rates are also available when purchasing 10 or more tickets at a time.

2012 Season Tickets

Season passes are sold exclusively online for $60 each and will be available until March 15th.

We want to show our appreciation to our most loyal fans by offering you more when you purchase your season tickets. Each season ticket holder will receive:

admittance to all 7 CLTRG home bouts- 12 games for the price of 6!
an official CLTRG lanyard designating you as a season ticket holder
reserved seating on the upper or lower levels of the Grady Cole Center, to be selected at time of purchase
a dedicated “Ask me about derby” girl for each reserved seating section to answer all of your questions about the game
a free CLTRG 2012 Season Schedule T-Shirt*

*Available while supplies last. Size availability not guaranteed.

2012 Home Season

This season CLTRG will also host their first scrimmage-a-thon, and most importantly, their first international bout. The home season will begin on March 17th and run through September 22nd. CLTRG will hit the track against opponents from Tallahassee (FL), Greensboro (NC), Johnson City (TN), Roanoke (VA), Christiansburg (VA), Atlanta (GA), Asheville (NC), Harrisonburg (VA) and Cardiff (Wales, United Kingdom).

Explained President Sin Plicity:

“This is going to be the most exciting season in Charlotte Roller Girls history. Not only are we hosting our first all-weekend derby extravaganza in September, but we will also be competing in our first international bout that same weekend against the Cardiff Roller Girls, who are gracious enough to travel all the way from Wales to play us.”