Category Archives: BAD Skater of the Month

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.

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 →

The B.A.D. Girl of the Month of May is one of our newer skaters, rolling out in the silver and pink of the Berkeley Resistance, Foxy Throwdown! #10 in your programs, #1 in your hearts, Foxy comes to us from colder and wetter Seattle, where she skated for Rat City. And what’s she done since she got here? Oh, only wrestled to the ground the vastly complex committee that is Bay Area Derby Girls PR. As someone said when she was nominated, Foxy is “THE BOSS. Killing it since jumping in to take over PR, flying by the seat of her pants and making awesome [stuff] happen. In addition to being very nice and a fantastic communicator.”

[Author’s note: the writer of the B.A.D. Girl of the Month posts is a member of the PR committee, and can agree wholeheartedly with those statements] But like all B.A.D. Girls, Foxy isn’t just about how she makes the league better off the track. There’s that pesky business of making her team better ON the track. She’s a fearsome presence on skates. As a teammate put it, “She’s extremely good at taking people down with her [butt]. Jammers try to hit her out of the way and basically bounce back off and end up on the ground.” She’s also “very into team camaraderie,” which is also evidenced in how well she’s fit in to the league at large. Congratulations to a warm and intelligent addition to the league, and this month’s Bad Girl of the Month, Foxy Throwdown!

What’s your gubmint name (the one on your birth certificate)? It’s a secret.

How did you get your derby name? When I started playing there were no African Americans on my league. I wanted a name that did three things: represented a strong black woman, was a fun, fairly-simple-to-figure-out pun, and could be shortened into something that I wanted to be called. Foxy Throwdown is a play on Pam Grier’s Foxy Brown character from the 70s Blaxploitation movie of the same name. Fun fact: my mom went to high school with Pam Grier.

What do you do for non-derby work? I’m a UX Optimization/Marketing Copywriter.

How did you become involved with our league? How long have you been with us? I took 2014 off, had moved to the Bay Area and realized I wasn’t finished playing roller derby and also needed a way to meet people and keep active. So, here I am again. I transferred to B.A.D. after playing for six years in Seattle with the Rat City Rollergirls.

Do you have a favorite derby moment or one thing you are most proud of? The thing that I’m most proud of is that in my seventh year I’m still growing as a skater and changing with the sport. I’m learning and utilizing new skills and becoming effective in different ways. I’ve learned so much from so many great people here at B.A.D; it keeps me from thinking “How much longer can I do this?”

If you had one super power what would it be? Would you use it for good or evil? Teleportation. Hands down. Seriously, why has no one invented this yet?

Where would you love to live, if not in the Bay Area? I’ve moved so much in my life I have no desire to think about moving anytime soon.

Who’s your derby crush? My crushes change and evolve as I meet and get to know more people. I couldn’t possibly name just one person.

What’s your personal goal for 2015 (derby or otherwise)? Generally speaking 2015’s going to be a great year for me. Things have been going fairly so far; so I’m cautiously optimistic. Derby wise, I’m just hoping to grow. A lot. Ideally, by the end of the season, I want people dreading seeing me on the track because they hate skating against me. There are only a few things that please me more than an opponent telling me that they think: “Oh no; not Foxy” when they see me in the lineup.

We're currently catching up on a backlog of BAD Girl of the Month articles that are overdue! From April 2015 . . .

She is instrumental in keeping BAD running behind the scenes by volunteering to run league practices as well as B&W scrimmages. With her positive attitude and great listening skills, Gretchen helped bring home the Berkeley Resistance's first league championship in 2015. Read more about what keeps this Libra’s seven-year derby career ticking below.

Photo credit: Mark Nockleby

Name: Gretchen Vomette

Number: 86

Team: Berkeley Resistance, All-Stars

B.A.D. League Involvement: Berkeley Resistance Coach

What’s the story behind your derby name?

I’m a puker . . .as a child, like every other day, as an adult much less so. I also wanted a name that wasn’t big and intimidating to live up to.

How long have you been playing roller derby?

Nearly 7 years!

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

5 seasons completed. A change of pace, a change of coasts and the desire to play for THE best team and league in a perfectly temperate and liberal environment!

What’s your skate set-up?

Antiks (fuchsia suede with gold and black trim) on Arius plates

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

I’m subbing on a rec softball team now with a teammate but I love a good dog-jog.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Winning Champers!!! Experiencing Berkeley come together in our best and most hard fought bout this past October. The cumulative team power, knowledge and prep we flaunted that night was beautiful to be a part of.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Ninety percent of this game is half mental.”  Yogi Berra