Category Archives: BAD Skater of the Month

To be a successful teammate you need to exhibit hard work on the derby track, both at practice and on game day. To hold successful sporting events for thousands of fans you need a creative mind, strong organization and even more HARD WORK. Pomba is known by her team and league as on of the hardest of workers in her roles skating with the Berkeley Resistance and as Events Co-Manager and for that, we recognize her awesomeness and dedication from November 2015.

Photo cropped to feature Pomba. Original photo credit: Mark Nockleby

Name: Pomba

Number: 242

Team: Berkeley Resistance

B.A.D. League Involvement: Events Co-Manager and Insurance Liaison. I also help coordinate inter-league games for Berkeley.

What’s the story behind your derby name?

Pomba is my last name. In my competitive softball days my teammates and high school classmates always called me Pomba, so it seemed to make the most sense.

How long have you been playing roller derby?

About 2 years.

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

I’ve been with BAD for two-ish years. I started out as a huge fan, one day the offered a “learn to skate” bootcamp and took the dive from fan to skater.

What’s your skate set-up?

Bont Hybrid Carbons, that used to be white but now too dirty to tell. Reactor Pro Plates. Rollerbones Turbos.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?

I have a personal trainer who has been pretty life changing and I really enjoy working hard with. For fun, I play softball on Friday nights with some of my Berkeley teammates. We’re also in the process of creating a champion speed walking team with our league-mates.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Berkeley Winning Champs.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Can you smell what the rock is cookin’?!” -Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

From July 2015, we'd like to recognize this BAD skater . . .

Mary Prankster is no joke when it comes to BAD finances. She’s been whipping the Finance Committee into to all-star shape by streamlining processes, compiling excellent reports so we can all see where the league is financially, and generally rocking things all around. Also, in her arsenal is an array of valuable architectural knowledge as BAD continues searching for a new practice space. From drawing up track dimensions and then helping us maintain our budget – BAD is lucky to have Pranks keeping us from too much mayhem.

Photo credit: Lucas Saugen

Name: Mary Prankster

Number: 64

Team: Oakland Outlaws

B.A.D. League Involvement: Finance Manager and also involved with the Space Search

What’s the story behind your derby name?

The Merry Pranksters are an infamous group that traveled around the States in the 60’s causing general delight and mayhem. They were chronicled in the book the Electric Cool-Aid Acid Test. This is a play on their name by changing Merry to Mary, which also happens to be my paternal grandmother’s name. I supposedly take after her, though I never met her.

How long have you been playing roller derby?

Two years.

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

Also two years since I started at B.A.D.! I wore my old speed skates from the 80’s as part of a Halloween costume a few years ago. A friend said to me, “You should play roller derby!” They were right . . . a few months later I found B.A.D. and signed up for a pre-Reckless class.

What’s your skate set-up?

Antiks. I’m a fan of ankle support.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?

Trail running with my pup, Harvey! And backpacking when I can get away for a weekend in the Sierras.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

In our game against the Belles this year, in the last few minutes of the game the score was very close – within a few points. Our coach, Huck Sinn, called a timeout and we huddled for a regroup. Huck pulled out a passionate motivational speech and declared, “I won’t lose by three points again!” (The Outlaws have lost to the Belles by three points twice in recent years.) And sure enough, the Outlaws came together for a win . . . by four points.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

From a woman who will always be my inspiration, my Mom, “What’s the worst that could happen? They say no. But they might say yes and you won’t know unless you ask.”

For many roller derby fans,  the spectacle of a tenacious jammer attacking a wall of defenders well represents the intensity of the modern flat track game. Out on the track, size doesn’t matter nearly as much as agility and craftiness; and Bay Area Derby Skater of the Month for January, Frightmare, is all the proof you need!

Transferring to BAD at the end of 2014, Fright was drafted to the Berkeley Resistance and quickly fell into their primary jammer rotation, playing a part in the team’s overall success and 2015 Championship victory. Additionally, she joined the Bay Area All-Stars in 2015 and put up points as a jammer all season, helping the team in their fight at WFTDA Playoffs and Championships. Fright’s dedication to roller derby is also evident off the track; she is the head of our PR Committee and has a wheel in a few other committees – all of which benefit from her amazing focus and thoroughness.

Photo credit: Ryan Quick || Quick ‘N’ Derby

Name: Frightmare

Number: 31

Team: All-Stars, Berkeley Resistance

BAD League Involvement: PR Manager, WFTDA rep, Berkeley Coach, Travel Team Boot Camp Coordinator . . . I do a few things here and there.

What’s the story behind your derby name?

I’m really into horror movies – A Nightmare on Elm Street series with Robert Englund as the ever cheeky and incredibly diabolical Freddy Krueger being some of my favorites. Frightmare sounded like a cool spin on it. And I can’t leave my number out when I talk about my name as it was originally 31M st. for some added geekiness. Now, I’m 31 but it still works because the best holiday is on October 31.

How long have you been playing roller derby?

This year I’m going into my 5th season.

How long have you been with BAD? What brought you to BAD?

Life adventures brought me to the Bay Area. I wanted to keep playing this crazy sport on quad skates and transferred into BAD last year as soon as I possibly could.

What’s your skate set-up?

Chaya Pearl with a Chaya Shiva Clip Axle 45° degree plate and Juice wheels.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?

Towards the end of last season I got into weightlifting and other fun-torture cross-training activities with a  rockin’ personal trainer. But dancing is definitely the most enjoyable and exhilarating!

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2016 (so far).

Well, the season has only just started and there’s not much going on besides league practice. However, I’m currently in the midst of a mini UK tour of coaching four different leagues. Traveling, meeting these various skaters, and sharing derby knowledge has been an amazing and inspiring way to kick-off the season!

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down.

This month's Bad Girl of the Month is Berkeley's own Jambee! #43 in your programs, #1 in your hearts, Jambee is most recognizable by her mass of curls spilling out from under her helmet, her bright, engaging smile, and the devastating hits she quietly dishes out on the track. But her teammates also know her as an agile, versatile athlete – she frequently turns cartwheels WHILE WEARING HER SKATES – and an amazingly positive person. “Jambee has a way of calming people down after a trip to the box or a particularly hard jam,” says one Resistance skater. “She doesn't have a mean bone in her body, even when she's blocking and dropping other skaters, which is frequent.”

One story I heard that sums up Jambee to those who know her well relates when she tried to teach a stranger how to ride a unicycle ('cause naturally, Jambee knows how to ride a unicycle….and juggle…). He held on to her head and she ran along side, holding him up. Because that's what you do.

Ladies and gentlemen, Bay Area Derby Girl of the Month, JAMBEE!

Photo By: DonnaLee

What’s your gubmint name (the one on your birth certificate)?
Jessica Little

How did you get your derby name?
It was my husband’s nickname for me. But I also took it, because I like to do jam (dance) skating

What do you do for non-derby work?
I do sales, marketing and management of various computer hardware sites. Nothing too exciting, but I mostly work at home, which is cool. This allows me to randomly do handstands all day or go skateboarding outside whenever I feel like it.

How did you become involved with our league? How long have you been with us?
I think I started in April of 2011. I was bored one day and went under community activities on Craig’s List and found this new group forming called Peninsula Roller Girls. I only skated with them for a few weeks, when I found out about B.A.D. I saw one of their games and was hooked. Also I live in Berkeley, so it was meant to be.

Do you have a favorite derby moment or one thing you are most proud of?
Humm that’s a tough one, lots of good moments and memories. I can think of three that stand out: When I was still in the Pool in 2012 (Bay Area’s name for the group for skaters eligible to be drafted up to B.A.D. home teams), I played my first game with Richmond against Monterey and than that same night was picked up by Berkeley. In 2013 I went through a lot of personal growth and was humbled when I won most improved skater of the year award. Third would have to be the love and support I got from my team and league when my husband passed away suddenly in August. I can’t put into words, how appreciative I was during that time of need.

If you had one super power what would it be? Would you use it for good or evil?
If I had the ability to heal people, I think that would be special. Or if I could teleport like in the movie ‘Jumper’ I would be down with that. I would like to travel and see more of the world, so being able to teleport would certainly come in handy.

Where would you love to live, if not in the Bay Area?
Venice Beach, CA or Tokyo, Japan. I took off four months of work and traveled recently. I loved Venice. They have a group of skaters that get together every weekend and dance to music in a popular area near the skatepark. I hung out there for weeks, talked with locals and vendors and enjoyed the vibe. Reminded me of Berkeley, except people wear less clothing.

What’s your personal goal for 2015 (derby or otherwise)?
For derby I plan to continue to work hard and have fun! Viva! Outside of derby I’ve sorta made it my goal to get to know my neighbors more. And not just my neighbors but anyone I meet, I like to spend a little more time getting to know them.

Don’t mind us as we play catch-up and give recognition to our April BAD Skater of the Month!

Since transferring to BAD from Central California Area Derby in Fresno, KillA Beezy’s been a tremendous asset to BAD both on and off wheels. She’s always eager to learn, willing to help, and will take on just about any challenge put in front of her. A member of the Berkeley Resistance, Beezy’s dedication to growing her skills set and being a supportive teammate is apparent. She’s always got a smile on her face, is happy to do whatever her team needs in the moment and has no qualms about putting her head down and just doing WORK.

If you’re a follower on Bay Area Derby’s Facebook and Instagram pages, you can credit Beezy for the steady stream of info, pictures and derby fun. If that isn’t enough, she’s also been instrumental within our Merchandising Committee.

She’s smart, works hard and is very much a positive addition to the continued stream of skaters transferring into BAD. In fewer words: we’re glad you’re here, Beezy!

Photo credit: Into the Void Photography

What’s the story behind your derby name?: It’s a multi-fold story. My “real” name is Betsy and I had a good friend in college who nicknamed me Beezy. When I went to choose a derby name I was watching a lot of this anime called Naruto which features a ninja named Killer B, who is an 8-tailed beast with extraordinary powers who raps in an obvious homage to the Wu-Tang Clan. Things just kinda came together.

How long have you been playing roller derby? : Almost 4 years.

How long have you been with BAD? What brought you to BAD? : Just under a year. I was recruited for a job in the south bay and when I made the move I wanted to put myself in a position where I would be able to improve in my sport, so I transferred to BAD.

What league jobs do you currently hold? What committees are you involved with?: I am the social media coordinator of the PR/Marketing committee and I work on the the merchandise committee.

What’s your skate set-up?: Riedell 495 & Powerdyne Revenge plates.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?: Power lifting and spinning.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment of 2016 (so far).: Traveling to Los Angeles with Berkeley to play in the Tinseltown Showdown and winning all the games!

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.: Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. -Vince Lombardi

Your heroines in World history. Kathleen Hanna, Margaret Heafield

Your favorite food and drink. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, chips, and fresh salsa (preferably made from homegrown tomatoes). I mostly drink water but if I had to choose one alternate beverage forever it would be hard cider.

Your favorite heroes/heroines in fiction. Right now Arya Stark and Brienne of Tarth (I’m currently reading A Storm of Swords, that’s the third book so no spoilers you HBO watchers!!)

Who you think is the most despicable fictional villain? I can honestly only think in terms of what I’m reading right now so it’s got to be Joffrey and Cersei Lannister. Let’s be honest – there are more despicable real life villains out there than fictional ones because they are just as sick or sicker and they are REAL.

If you weren’t doing your current occupation, what would you want to do? Something to help tackle real world problems that affect everyday life, especially impoverished and/or homeless youth. I could probably do more about that no matter what occupation I have, so that’s a goal for me to find a way to do that.

May’s BAD Skater of the Month is an individual who has gone above and beyond since she joined the league.

Pomba #242 (the skater formerly known as Hakunama Pomba) could be BAD Skater of the Month every month of the year! Pomba is the epitome of a team player whose hard work on and off the track help keep BAD rolling strong. As a blocker/pivot for Berkeley and a 2016 travel team skater, she clocks in nearly as many hours as a full-time job with her Insurance Liaison and co-Events Manager positions — along with other league tasks she picks up throughout the month. Often one of the first skaters to arrive and last to leave when volunteering at BAD’s games and outreach events, you can give her a fist bump when she reps Berkeley’s hippies July 23rd at the Craneway Pavilion in their game against the San Francisco ShEvil Dead.

Name: Pomba

What’s the story behind your derby name?: It’s my last name.

How long have you been playing roller derby? : About 3 years

How long have you been with BAD? What brought you to BAD? : 3 kick-ass years. Started as a fan, then signed up for a BAD led “learn-to-skate” clinic and the rest is history.

What league jobs do you currently hold? What committees are you involved with?: CM of Events, WFTDA Insurance Liaison, Team Gold Captain, part time league trainer, and I help out wherever possible.

What’s your skate set-up?: Custom carbon Bonts with the Infinity plate, and Bont FXX wheels. Best setup I’ve ever had.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?: I sweat hard with my Personal Trainer (who is a retired BAD All-Star) a couple times a week. She keeps me strong, focused, and reminds me to have fun.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment of 2016 (so far).: When I found out I was selected to be on Team Gold. I am constantly humbled and reminded of the hard work that has been put in by my teammates both past and present each time I step on the track. The Gold Helmet represents so much, including years of work and I am grateful each day to have been given the opportunity to wear it.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.: “I am building a fire, and every day I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.” – Mia Hamm

Name your favorite heroines in World history. I’ve got too many to list.

Your favorite food and drink?  Pizza with a Brotein shake on the side.

Who are your favorite heroes/heroines in fiction?  Right now, Lyanna Mormont in Game of Thrones. She’s like 6 years old and already shutting down the mansplaining.

Who you think is the most despicable fictional villain?  Can I say Donald Drumpf? I like to pretend he’s not real. 

If you weren’t doing your current occupation, what would you want to do?  I’d be a Gastroenterologist who specializes in inflammatory diseases of the bowels.

In 2015 New York City’s own Sweet Sherry Pie packed up her skates (and her family) to venture across the country with one mission — to skate with Bay Area Derby. Maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but in the year BAD welcomed Pie into our league she has become an outstanding addition to our skating community. Not only does she manage zombies on skates as this season’s co-coach of the ShEvil Dead, she also stepped up into league leadership as BAD’s Advertising and Marketing Manager.

When Pie isn’t skating or herding creative and marketing cats, you can find her at Dogtown Athletics boxing or sweating it out in a HIIT class.

Read on to hear more from February’s BAD Skater of the Month, Sweet Sherry Pie!

Photo credit: Juan Montalvo

Name: Sweet Sherry Pie

Number: 201

Team: San Francisco ShEvil Dead

BAD League Involvement:  Advertising and Marketing Manager. 2016 ShEvil Dead Coach.

What’s the story behind your derby name?:

I’m a sucker for bad 80s hair bands and baked goods; Sherry’s my real name.
Plus, when it was time for me to choose a skater name, Béyonslay told me if I didn’t pick Sweet Sherry Pie she was going to hit me, so obviously I listened.

How long have you been playing roller derby?:

I joined Gotham Girls Roller Derby through their first ever tryouts in 2005. I skated there (plus a season where I just managed) until I moved to the bay area in 2014, so that makes 2016 my 11th season involved in roller derby. Whew!

How long have you been with BAD? What brought you to BAD?:

2015 was my first season with BAD. I moved here from NYC with my husband, two cats, one dog and a plant crammed in a pickup truck. Sadly, the plant didn’t make it. We chose the bay area because it had an amazing derby league and no snow.

What’s your skate set-up?:

I skate on Bont Hybrids with two right-foot Powerdyne Reactor plates. It’s a trade secret . . . just kidding. I have no idea what happened but changing my one toe stop sucks because I can’t reach the nut. And I usually use Atom aluminum hub Juke wheels.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?: 

Weight training has always been a constant in my cross training. Recently I’ve also been really into the boxing and HIIT training at Dogtown Athletic in Oakland. Super awesome classes and instructors!

Share your favorite derby memory/moment of 2016 (so far).:

It’s too early to choose! I have a feeling the BAD home season is going to be reeeeaaally competitive and exciting so I can’t wait to see what happens!

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.:

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.”

– Buddha paraphrase

Time to give October's BGOTM recognition . . .

Dual’s sense of humor and lighthearted attitude is appreciated by her league mates and volunteers alike. Her dedication to B.A.D. is evident in all that she does for the league. She’s a fantastic teammate who encourages everyone around her to enjoy life and reminds us all that roller derby is meant to be fun. She’s no stranger to hard work; off the track, this half French, half American, often steps up to help with activities outside of the Events committee and always with the best attitude and a positive perspective.

Photo credit: Photography by D.E.sign

Name: Dual Hitizen

Number: 29

Team: Oakland Outlaws, All-Stars

B.A.D. League Involvement: Events Co-Manager

What’s the story behind your derby name?

I am a dual citizen – both French and American. After much thought and brainstorming, Grizzly Addam from Pioneer Valley Roller Derby in Western Mass., came up with Dual Hitizenship. I loved it but shortened it to Dual Hitizen in order to keep some sanity while sharpie-ing my name onto the back of a shirt.

How long have you been playing roller derby?

Since September 2010. 5 years now. Time rolls by when you’re having fun!

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

I moved to the Bay Area from D.C. for work in July of 2014 and started skating with B.A.D. that very month.
What’s your skate set-up?

White plate and purple wheels.

Just kidding (kind of). I believe I have Riedell boots (it has a number in the name. . . pretty sure there’s a 5 involved). I really love my boots! They feel like slippers. Plate-wise, I’m using Avengers. Then the wheels are Omegas. They absolutely have a specific hardness to them.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity?

I love judo! It’s great for balance and upper body strength.

I also love handball and badminton. Unfortunately, handball is pretty far away and all the available badminton places seem to only cater to 12 year old Asian boy demographic. I probably can’t compete with 12 year old Asian boys . . .

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Matching Smarty Pants’ footwork while I was blocking her when B.A.D. All-Stars played the Texecutioners earlier this year!

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Live fast, Have Fun, Be a bit Mischievous.”

And our BAD Girl of the Month who merits recognition from May 2015. . .

Not only does she run the coaching committee like a boss, but Dirty Lil’ Trick (aka Sasha Fierce) gives a 100% on the track.  And you can usually find her perfecting handstands after every practice – a nicer trick than her usual hard hits that regularly take opponents out of bounds. Read more about how our resident BAD bro has gone from disco skates to derby fierce.

Photo Credit: IGP Photo

Name: Dirty Lil’ Trick

Number: 405

Team: Berkeley Resistance, All-Stars

B.A.D. League Involvement: Executive Director of Personnel – works with Coaching, Officiating and HR, which basically means attending a lot of derby related meetings.

What’s the story behind your derby name? Just thought it up one day I guess. I skated as Sasha Fierce this season, and watch out for Broseph next season. ?

How long have you been playing roller derby? 5 years.

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.? 5 years. I was rolling around the city in old fashioned disco skates when I saw a flyer for a bout and knew immediately that derby was in my future.  I made it through tryouts and have been hooked ever since.

What’s your skate set-up? My boots are Bonts, but I think the rest of my set up is made up of leftovers from the lost and found.

What is your favorite non-derby sport or cross-training activity? Dodge ball and 4-square.  I’m the reigning 4-square champion of the Berkeley resistance.  

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015. Winning home team championships with the Berkeley Resistance! And  playing with Team Gold at Full Metal Bracket, the B team championship, in Austin.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us. “Be humble,  hungry,  and always the hardest worker in the room.” – Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson

Bella Bomber and hubby DJ ODB have been a part of the B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls family for quite some time. Bomber is frequently the first to volunteer, the last one standing at clean up and the girl with the biggest smile. Her love for all things B.A.D. is as infectious as her laugh. Continue reading →