What is Fresh Meat REALLY Like?

If half of life is showing up, the other half must be getting through the front door.

At least, that's what I thought as I sat in my car like a kid on the first day of school, heart racing, nauseous, full of doubt, wondering if this whole roller derby thing was for me. What if I don't fit in? What if the others don't like me? What if I don't have what it takes?

You drove all this way, do not wimp out now.

Grabbing my gear I shuffled reluctantly into the crowded skating rink. Inside, a group of women were gathered together around tables, filling out paperwork and introducing themselves to each other. Finding a seat alone, I could feel the anxiety in the room. No one knew what to expect. But it was clear we were all there for the same thing: learn to play roller derby and make new friends.

This was especially true for me. I had never played derby before. And I had recently moved far from home.

When you leave the place you've lived for twenty-six years to start a new life and a new career in a new state, finding ways to keep yourself busy can be difficult. I left everything behind, including an active social life. So when I saw the flyer that Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby was starting a Fresh Meat training class in September 2012 I signed up immediately.

The family back home were skeptical. How could a 5'3'' waif who never played a sport in her life think she was remotely qualified to play Roller Derby? I didn't care. To me, singing up for Fresh Meat was about challenging myself in a way I'd never done before. I needed something new. And I was looking for camaraderie.

Over the twelve weeks of Fresh Meat training, that's exactly what I found.

That first night of practice was busy - we needed to pay dues, fill out liability and insurance forms, prove our ages, and read through official league paperwork. When we were through with the legalese, our trainers had us talk, ask questions, learn the basics, discussed our previous derby experiences, and get to know each other. It was a wonderful way to ease the tension.

When we were ready to go, our coaches got us on the rink in full-gear on, skates off, to teach us the first and most critical part of skating - Derby Stance.

Derby stance is all about getting low, feeling the burn in your thighs as you bend your knees, squatting down, ass out, shoulders back, and back straight. "Trust us," our trainers kept saying, "the more you practice your derby stance, the easier it is to skate. And it makes squatting over a public toilet so much better."

They weren't joking.

Over twelve weeks we began learning more: the proper ways to fall (so you don't hurt yourself), skating backwards, toe stops, t-stops, skating on one foot, cross-overs, transitions. Fresh Meat training can seems very repetitive, learning a new skill then working on it over and over again. But this goes along with another very important part of training - muscle memory. You are going to practice falling. You are going to work on your stops. You're going to skate in circles, working on crossovers. And you're going to do these a lot. Until they become second nature. That way, when you take a spill on the track and there's nothing you can do to stop it, you will find yourself falling the way the coaches taught. Injury free (hopefully).

Sarah R., a fellow Fresh Meater, said of her experience "I've never been one for team sports and always chose things that I could do alone or with other people but not teamed; cycling, skating, hiking, rock climbing, etc... Everyone has been so helpful, sweet, and just great that it really eased my anxieties about it."

Anna D., another first time derby player remarked that Fresh Meat was the "most fun/physically challenging endeavor I have been a part of! Lifelong friends made for sure. I loved that we had a variety of trainers as I thought they each could teach us the same skill in a variety of ways. It helped me find my own best way of doing things. and the encouragement from both trainers and FM was immeasurable... I love that we have been accepted so easily and supportively int this new derby family and am happy to have met all of you kick ass ladies!"

I won't lie - roller derby training is hard. For those interested in attending Fresh Meat training, here are some words of advice to help you get through:

• Skate! Skate a lot. As much as you can. And not just at practice.
• Buy good quality, roller derby specific gear.
• Repeat everything you learn over and over and over.
• Practice your stops. Especially on your non-dominate foot.
• LISTEN TO YOUR TRAINERS!
• Ask questions. Ask a lot of questions. Ask as many questions as you need.
• Ask for more time. If you feel weak in one area (say stops, or skating backwards), let the trainers know.
• NSO. Even if you're not required to for your league. Volunteering helps you see the sport from all perspectives.
• Talk to the veteran skaters. Get to know them. They don't bite.
• When you fall, get back up, no matter how much it hurts. That is, unless something is broken.
• If you're having an issue with someone in the league or in your class, even if it's a trainer, speak up about it.
• Don't compare yourself to the other skaters in your class when it comes to skill or progress.
• Don't compare yourself to your trainers.
• Don't compare yourself to anyone. We all learn at a difference pace.
• Go to every practice possible and make up the ones you miss.
• Show up on time, every time. Have your gear on and ready to go as soon as practice starts.
• Learn the rules of Roller Derby. You will be tested on it. Trust me.
• Pace yourself. If you're not ready to assess, don't feel like you have to. There will always another chance.
• Enjoy yourself. You will fall. You will get hurt. You will mess up. Take it in stride. It's part of what makes learning fun.

My experience training with the Bay State Brawlers was fantastic, and as of December 2012, the ladies of my class passed our Fresh Meat assessments. We are now Level 1 skaters! I could not have been prouder working and sweating alongside the incredible, encouraging women. I consider them all sisters. A coven of would-be Derby stars with more guts then most people I know.

Interested in joining Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby? We have a Fresh Meat class coming up on February 27th! Get to know our great league by skating with us at Roll On America on February 1st!

Stopping: Sounds so Easy

Previously, before children, I skated all the time for exercise.  However that was on rollerblades.  If you have never skated, there is a fundamental difference (besides the obvious quad vs. row of wheels.)  In rollerblading you stop by tilting your toe up because the stop is located behind the wheels.   On quad skates instead there is a toe stop.  If you tilt your skate up on quad skates you are going to land on your ass.  HARD.  So it is fitting that one of the first things they teach you is toe stops.  Every instinct in my body told me to lean back to stop and this made me a very wobbly stopper.  But once I figured out not to lift my toe to stop and lift my heel instead, then toe stops where pretty easy to master.  Especially when compared to the T stop.

To a new skater the T stop is daunting and feels very unnatural.  However, as you watch the veteran skaters it also looks (& sounds) very cool.   I will try to explain so you have a visual of a T stop if you have never had the opportunity to try one.  Since I am a righty I will use my right foot for this. As you are skating you essentially lift your right skate and turn your toes out at a 45 to 90 degree angle and push against the floor to bring yourself to stop.  If done effectively you will succeed in not only stopping but also making an offensive and most enjoyable grinding sound from the wheels friction on the floor.  If not executed correctly -you will only succeed in having an unattractive flopping leg look as you skate.  Kind of like you’re shaking off a leg spasm and you may possibly fall or hit the wall since you do not actually stop.   And it does not make that lovely grinding noise and instead sounds more like a thu-wump, thu-wump as a flat tire makes.  All in all, not a cool derby look.  Our fresh meat trainer, Hipburn, makes it look cool when she drags her leg, comparing it to a Zombie dragging their rear leg.  In roller derby, zombies are cool. I, however, am absolutely terrified of zombies.  I will probably have nightmares from thinking about them now.  Alas I digress, as this blog post is about stopping and not about zombies. Maybe someday I will write a blog about zombies and my imaginative plans for thwarting them for you. 

I would like to say I master the t stop quickly but I don’t.  However I don’t fall at all so that is a big plus.  It is many classes before I successfully master the T stop and many months before I successfully complete one with my left foot.  The trick for me ends up being when someone tells me to lift my inside two wheels higher and push those down after the back two touch the floor.  I can’t recall who taught me that but it is my little “aha” moment.  Once I figure that out I am the t-stopping master.  Not really, but I can at least stop instead of looking like a floppy legged zombie.

-        Knock Out Nelly

Exciting Time of Year

It is officially my favorite time of year - the end of summer, leading into fall is such a wonderful time. The colors start to change, the air gets crisper, you can buy pumpkin flavored things everywhere!, and school is back is session. It also means new fresh meat  and the Bay State Brawlers continuing to grow! We have a great group of skaters that started practice on Wednesday. Here they are after their first night of practice...still smiling.

September 2012 Fresh Meat Class

It also means that our bouting season is nearing its end. April seems so long ago and as a league we've grown in so many ways since then. Our first season bouting as the Bay State Brawlers has overall been a pretty successful one. We've had some ups and downs with all our teams - close wins, big losses, and everything in between. The Petticoat Punishers are looking forward to playing their 2nd team from a WFTDA league this weekend when they take on the Yankee Brutals of the Connecticut Roller Girls. We have played against leagues from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine so far this year!

Punishers showing great teamwork vs. MARD

The Brawlin' Broads are the only team that has ended their season. With a team of almost all brand new skaters they finished the season 3-0. It was a fun season that provided me an opportunity to try my hand at coaching. There is no way I could have done that without the fantastic Ashlee Juggz as Bench Manager. 

2012 Broads

Our 3 home teams have also had a great season playing each other throughout the season this year. The Switchblade Sallies are 2-0 on the season and have an automatic bid into the championship game on Oct. 27th. The Bluestocking Bombers and my team, the LumberJackies, will be competing on Oct. 12 for the opportunity to face the Sallies for the home team championships (and bragging rights for the whole off-season).

It has been an amazing first season as a league and we still have 3 bouts to go. Hope to see you in the stands for at least a one of the last bouts. Tickets are available online so get yours and come cheer on your favorite BSB team!

-Sandra Mean

Into the Meat of it

Practice two on an unseasonably warm November day I feel a little more like I am supposed to be here. I strap on my skates and pads with the other fresh meat, slightly segregated from the vets.   My legs, thighs and buns aware and prepared this time for the pain they soon will experience.  We are expected to warm up with the group which actually scares the bejesus out of me, and I join them skating slowly and cautiously on the outside.  I do not attempt any of the transitions, knee pops, butt kicks, knee raises as I struggle right now with simply staying upright.   After stretching and introductions we head to the coned off area at the end to practice our falls. 

For anyone thinking of joining a fresh meat class you are going to learn basic skating skills, how to stop and fall properly.  This is to get you ready for your level 1 assessment where you have to demonstrate all these skills before you are cleared to hit.  (I am mildly disappointed that I don’t get to hit people right away.)  Skating and hitting –that’s why I signed up for and you actually get to do very little of either to start. Katherine Hipburn, our esteemed trainer, is actually teaching her first fresh meat class.  We would be Hipburn’s first students. (Thank you Hipburn-you really taught me how to kick ass with attitude!)  I am not going to bore you with much detail YET but here are the basics.  We need to master single knee falls, double knee falls (also called rockstar), baseball slide, 180 slide, toe stops, tstops, sticky skate, crossovers, and gliding on one foot.

The first of 4 these all involve going to your knees while skating.  I feel like a fool of course but you can’t imagine how hard it is to throw yourself on the ground on skates.  You have to tip forward and literally force yourself to go to the knee.  It’s entirely mental at first.  Your mind does not want your body to pitch itself to the knees.  If I did this without pads I know this would be extremely painful and so does my brain.  Until you learn that your knee pads will protect you, your instinct is to resist that falling motion and you end up with an awkward bump to the floor. (And a sore back)   Overall I think the Rockstar slide is the easiest as it takes less balance than the one knee fall.  I also cannot imagine where I will ever use the baseball slide? I am certain it is illegal to kick someone with my skates even though I have not read the entire WFTDA rule book.  Yet I really feel like I am about to kick someone every time I attempt this slide.   The 180 is more like a 90 turn when you start out.   After practice, I spend a lot of time on YouTube watching videos of other derby girls fall with ease and wonder if I will ever get there?    

From a Fresh meat perspective- Jaime

How to Prepare for Your Next Fresh Meat Class

      Our next fresh meat class starts up on May 9^th!  If you ever thought about taking the plunge into roller derby-dom, here’s some tips on how to get prepared. 

1.     Do your homework.  Not just with gear or what’s the newest trend with knee socks, but with the game.  There are a lot of great websites that will teach you about the history and rules of this great game.  Here’s some examples:

·          www.wftda.com - Women’s Flat Track Derby Association website.  A lot of leagues follow this rule set and you can download the PDF rule book for your viewing pleasure along with practice tests.

·          www.derbynewsnetwork.com - DNN is your one-stop shop for all your derby news needs.  Even better is that they stream select bouts throughout the country for free.  They also have a schedule of Derby bouts happening in your area.  One of the main ways to understand Roller Derby is to watch Roller Derby.  Related: Their sister site www.derbylife.com, which feature columns and advice from fellow derbyists.

·          Read this book.  Roller Derby is a nice short book that will give you an overview of the history of Derby and basic rules. 

·          Get pumped up by watching movies about real Roller Derby (a.k.a. not “Whip It”).  If you have Netflix, “Brutal Beauty”, “Blood on the Flat Track” and “Hell on Wheels” are all available on streaming.

2.     Research your gear.  Online shopping is great for the convenience, but you never know what would actually work for you unless you try it on.  Lucky for us Bruised Boutique is a great derby shop right around the corner in Nashua, NH.  They have great knowledgeable staff and one of our very own skaters (say hi to BA!) there to help you with everything you need to start your Derby career right.

 3.     Skate as much as you can.  You can get a head start by going out to the park or rink and get comfortable on your skates (plus dodging little kids is sort of like Derby).  There are at least five skating rinks in the Boston area and we hold Meat and Greets at Roll-on America every month. 

4.     Reserve your spot for our next Fresh Meat class!  Our next class starts on May 9^th and is a 12-week program designed to help you become ready to skate and hit with the best of them!  For more info contact us at info@baystatebrawlers.com.

We’ll look forward to seeing you on the track!  Now go study up!

  

-       Scandinavian Flick Off (300hp)

Freshmeat Class begins… 

                So the entire month of waiting has brought me to the first fresh meat class with excessive trepidation and much hype in my own mind.   Of course I have only put on my brand new skates 2 times in the 3 weeks that I have owned them.  The first time was in my kitchen the very week I bought them, where I then fell and kicked my 3 year old, bringing her to tears.  She lectured me for days that “we are not allowed to wear skates in the house”.  The 2^nd time I put them on was right before driving to this class to pose for a photo in full derby gear for Facebook.  

Optimistic in my new gear!

So it is here I find myself walking into Roll On America for the first time ever, not having actually skated in 6 + years.   Open skate is happening and I stand around looking lost near the entrance with my neighbor until a roller girl finds us there and points us in the right direction.  We are taken to a dark, cold, crowded (slightly scary) back room where a group of girls & women are already gathered with paperwork.  And yes I am exaggerating but not for the last time I wonder if I am in the right place. 

                We, the fresh meat, are introduced to a few of the vet skaters, a Bad Ass Mama, a Juggz and a Meanie.  As someone who is psychotically organized I find the meeting mildly confusing with several folks chiming in with different opinions. (I later attribute this to recent changes in the league).  The girls around the table seem to regard each other with bewilderment or possibly this is my own reflection?  As I size them up, most appear to look much more badass than me and all look far cooler.  After introductions, in which one future skater introduces herself as having been shot recently (WHAT!?), I again wonder if I am in the right place.  But I join the rest of the group in strapping on my new pads and lacing up my skates. And try not to throw up on the floor.

                Cautiously we make our way onto the rink and I think possibly I will never be able to do this as I watch the leveled up derby girls. They race around the small track with such determination and turn in a blink to the whistle.  I am in awe of them as I struggle to just stay upright on my skates and learn about derby stance and using my toe stop to stand.   This is much harder than you would imagine, not using your hand to get up when on skates.  My thighs are not prepared for these any of these moves and protest in agony.   We learn basic moves that night, a variety of knee falls, toes stops and the impossible t-stop.  I will go into details later about learning these moves but the highlight of that class was stealing glances at the real practice.  I can’t imagine popping off me knees like they do, or sprinting and hitting.   But as my immature, weak legs find their derby balance, I yearn to let go and skate the track. And I know that in my heart I am in the right place.

From a Freshmeat perspective- Jaime

Derby Shopping...

So Roller Derby is actually an expensive sport.  But are any sports ever cheap?  Originally when Bad Ass said in her email about the fresh meat class that it was just monthly dues to sign up and annual insurance fee I was like, Score! This is cheaper than when I took yoga.  But her email also said that we needed a helmet, kneepads, elbow pads, wrist pads, and a mouth guard. (Oh and of course roller skates!)  We could borrow the equipment to start but my overactive imagination imagined the sweat of other past derby skaters that used that equipment and I chose to buy.   So one uneventful Saturday afternoon my neighbor and I, along with my 3 year old daughter drove the hour to the Bruised Boutique in Nashua, NH.  Of course we checked out the website but both thought it was best to actually try this stuff on since we had 0 experience with any of this gear.


I had done my homework ahead of time, checking out gear guides and recommendations online and knew where I wanted to spend my bucks.  I wanted better than good knee pads as I knew I would spend a lot of time falling on them.  And I also wanted a skate with a leather boot and a purple helmet.  Did I mention that I research things to death before I buy?  In the store we tried on helmets first.  And of course I have a giant melon and could only get an extra large helmet which meant – noooo purple! Boo!  It was white or black for me so armed with my new white helmet we tried on skates.  We tried on the base package skate first but my wide feet objected to my squished toes.  So I went with the next Rebel skate up which by no coincidence came in PURPLE!! At that moment, I decided Roller derby was definitely fate. 

My Purple Skates!!!

After that it was on to the pads where I settled on the basic Triple 8 elbow and wrist pads.  But for the knee pads I upgraded to the Scabs.  I embraced my inner derby and passed up the basic black for the Psycho pattern.  Then I picked up my least favorite accessory, the cumbersome but very necessary, mouth guard.  Tip on the mouth guard for other newbies- Buy a couple!!!  Heck by 3 or 4 once you find one you like.  This mouth guard and the one after would fall to tragedy quickly. After all the equipment was settled on, my daughter helped me pick out my first knee socks.  I am not yet ready to brave the tiny shorts and derby miniskirts just yet.  Knee socks, tights & equipment in hand, I slap down my visa debit– committing myself further to pursuing roller derby.   




From a Freshmeat Perspective - Nelly

An Incredible Year

One year ago, March 2^nd to be exact, I took the plunge and joined the Fresh Meat class offered by what was then CMRD. Wow has my life changed dramatically since then. In the past year I went from learning basic skills and struggling to pass my assessments, being teamed and my first bout, to being on the BSBRD board and being named to the Punishers, and making some of the most amazing friends a girl could have in her life. 

Let’s back up a little bit to the start of my “derby career”, I had known I wanted to derby since I was quite young – for me it was way before seeing “Whip It” or watching “Rollergirls” on A&E. I remember watching banked track derby on TV in the late 80’s when it would come on after American Gladiators. I would watch and think, that is a sport I could LOVE! I was never most athletic person–yes, I played sports in jr. high, threw shot put in high school, but no one was ever going to call me an athlete. Always in the back of my head was this crazy sport where being a “big girl” could actually be an advantage. 

The start of my derby career – at a BDD Clinic  

When I moved to Boston in 2006 I did some research and found the Boston Derby Dames. After a number of years of health issues, I finally felt ready to give this crazy sport a try in the fall of 2010. I went to a few BDD clinics, bought my gear at Bruised - fell a couple times just trying on my skates - and went to the BDD tryouts in October. I knew there was about zero chance I was going to make their league that year, but I wanted to at least give it a try. Once I didn’t make it and assumed that I would try again next year until my fabulous friend Arrow introduced me to BA and the new fresh meat program she was going to run. I decided to take the plunge and join the league.

 My fresh meat class

While some of my fresh meat mates sailed through the beginning of our class easily, I struggled a fair amount. I wanted it badly and worked my ass off (quite literally) at practice and open skates. It took me 2 times to pass my level 1 assessment which made me want it more. I knew that roller derby was something that I loved and was determined that I would be successful at it. I knew I would never be the best on the track, but I was going to be the best I could be for my team. After I passed my level 1 assessment I was able to move on to the “hitting” phase of our training my love for derby was reaffirmed. I’m not sure what it says about me, but I really love hitting and being hit by my friends on the track! I picked up some AWESOME bruises along the way and gave a few too. Again, a number of classmates assessed for their level 2s and passed while I still had work to do to be safe on the track. Luckily, I had Kenya going along at the same pace I was. While I cheered them I kept skating and working on my skills until I passed in late June. I was super pumped to be able to scrimmage, but even more so to officially make shirts with my name and number.

My name honors my late mother-in-law who would have loved this sport and my number is is my telephone prefix growing up in MN.

It was then time to start scrimmaging and have the opportunity to be drafted on to a home team before the 2011 season was over. I had no idea how quickly that would happen! I started scrimmaging and generally felt like a waste of space on the track. I often could see what was happening or going to happen, but couldn’t get myself to the spot I needed to be. It was very frustrating, but I could feel myself getting a little more helpful to my teammates with each scrimmage that went by. In mid-July I was informed I was drafted – I was officially a Bluestocking Bomber…and I would be playing in my first bout in a week! That meant a quick call to Derby Skinz to get my shiny gold skirt and thankfully not too much time to freak out.

 Pumped to be a Bomber!

I was able to bout with the Bombers twice in 2011 which apparently makes me a vet now. It is pretty crazy to think that other skaters in our league look at me like I looked at all those other skaters a year ago. Somehow, through this crazy journey of the last year, I’ve learned how to hold my own on the track, but still have a ton to learn about the game. Derby has given me one of the best years of my life – and I know this year is going to be even more incredible.

 

Look forward to seeing you on the track.

Sandra Mean

How Not to Skate Over Your Own Foot

Learning to skate after years of slothfulness on the athletic front can be very daunting . . . daunting but doable. No I wasn't a great skater before roller derby. I found my buttocks had a love affair with the floor and couldn't stay away from it. So why at the Fresh Meat-n-Great I decided to put on a pair of skates and give it a whirl is beyond me. I think I'm a tad crazy. Still I strapped on those sucky rentals and fell and wobbled and fell and wobbled. You get the picture. It wasn't pretty.

Fortunately, that was late September and Fresh Meat started in early November. I had some time to practice. More importantly I had Friday night skate with other members of the Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby who were more than willing to give their advice. Here is what I learned in brief:

1. Skate in a squatting position. If you look like you are going poop, you are in the right position to skate. This position will also allow you to fall forward on your pads and not backwards on your unprotected glutes no matter how attracted to the floor they seem to be.

2. Look straight forward. Never look down. Much like walking a tight rope over the Niagara. If you look up you won't fall. You will wobble but not fall. If you look down you're screwed.

3. Getting the actual skating motion can be a wee bit of a challenge. What worked for me was when Brian Barfield of Mass Malestrom told me to think of it like water rippling and flowing outward. It worked and then I had to pee.

4. If you have to fall backwards pick a cheek and stick to it. You can hurt your spine if you fall down flat but if you pick a cheek you only injure half your ass.

5. When learning crossovers lift that leg and make sure it crosses over the other foot and move it away from said foot. If you don't step over enough you step on your own foot. If you move your feet towards each other you clip your own wheels or roll your back skate into your front skate and, well, refer to number 4.

6. To stop try the t-stop. If you are having issues with the motion imitate the bad guy in horror movies by going forward with front foot while turning out the back foot and dragging it in behind you. Like in the movies you will catch up and kill it eventually. (Taught this way by Hipburn who reminded me it was her who taught it this way.)

Whatever you do don't give up. Remember persistence wins after a few long and loving nights with your new best friend, the ice pack.

Franki  W.  Level 1

Does Roller Derby Still Exist?

Prior to October 2011 - I didn’t think so. Then I saw this ad in my local news daily email: Join Central Mass Roller Derby for Fresh Meat Class. I was like whoa- roller derby????. I get to skate and possibly hit people? People really still do this? Turns out that they do still and they have been since it started in the 1930’s. While I think derby lost its popularity when I was in my tween years (or maybe earlier?) - I will borrow Wikipedia’s terminology and say that the 2000’s have brought about an “amateur revival”. And that day I thought maybe I could derby and in a spur of the moment decision I posted the news story to my neighbor’s Facebook page and asked if she would be up for joining with me.

Fast forward 3 days later and with that weekend’s Dutch courage in our system we are emailing the CMRD website (now Bay state Brawlers - woo hoo!!!) asking how to join. An email comes back from someone named Lisa, aka. BA, aka. BadAssMama and I get my first twinge of butterflies. Am I actually cool/strong/athletic/bad ass enough to do this? In a flurry of watching YouTube videos the last few days I am not sure, 1. - If I can even still roller skate and 2. Can I wear shorts that short? Never mind that I could possibly break something- where do I get knee socks and those cute little skirts? For better or worse a field trip is planned for several weeks later to the region’s local (1 hour from us) Roller Derby Store, the Bruised Boutique.

I should mention at this point that I have never in my life played a team sport besides occasional subs on my husband’s softball league years ago. And that it has been 6+ years since I strapped on my roller blades and probably 20 years since I was on actual roller skates. Also that although I have lost 35lbs this past year I am still not in great shape and need to lose at least 35lbs more. And that my husband (and rest of the family) thinks I am kidding and / or having some sort of midlife crisis. But I am serious and very motivated to be the next greatest a roller derby chick! Or at least to play in my local roller derby amateur league and not get killed….

This is me being mom & so not bad ass…

From a Fresh Meat perspective- Jaime

Welcome to the Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby Blog

Located at the Roll On America Skating Rink in Lancaster, MA the Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby empowers women throughout Central Massachusetts.  It gives women an athletic outlet and grueling yet fun training that builds their confidence while teaching them teamwork, sportsmanship and developing their inner tough girl.  The Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby is open to Fresh Meat trainees at specific times during the year and develops each member to have the ability to get on a roller derby team and bout in both intra and inter league competitions. 

We welcome you to this blog as skaters and fans.  Please follow us on this blog and on our Facebook fan page and of course at our bouts and fundraisers.  As we continue to develop this site you will be able to not only learn about the sport but get a feel of what it is like to be a derby girl as each blog will be written by a derby girl.  So put your big girl skins on and follow us or even better, join us.