WFTDA, Here We GO!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.