Roller Derby Jams In Rockville [Updated]

The Jammer has a star on her helmet. Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths.

If you’ve seen the 2009 movie Whip It (the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore staring the ever intriguing Ellen Page), you know all about roller derby bouts. What you might not know is that Rockville has its own roller girls.

In November 2009 Keightasorass Rex formed Free State Roller Derby (FSRD) using her father’s Fast Pitch location in Rockville as a practice facility. Since then she’s left to work with the Park Service, but the team jams on. Update: she will be returning to scrimmage in December.

In case you’re wondering about this founder, derby skaters have alter-ego names and FSRD is no exception with Brusie Q, CINder BLOCK, Crum N’ Punishment, Evil Stitch, Melony Conviction, Psyche Drama, Scarlet Cleaver, Ta Ra Boom D A, Tawna Brixx, Tiffany Twisted, and Unablonder, Only a killer sport requires such epic handles.

Jammers start at the back. Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths.

Free State Roller Derby practices every Wednesday and Sunday on quad skates with sturdy knee pads. During a roller derby bout, a team tries to make it difficult for one skater from the other team (“the jammer”) to advance through the pack of skaters (“the blockers”) led by a “pivot” who sets the speed. The jammers from both teams score points for passing members of the opposing team. Since teams skate in a pack while the two jammers dodge and glide through the crowd at the same time, the sport involves extensive strategy by the inside, outside, and power blockers.

Jammers moving through the blockers. Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths.

A definite camaraderie has grown among the skaters who range from 20 to 50 years old. This spread in years proves age and experience don’t matter when you’re having fun. B-Knock-Ya is about to become a grandmother. Most haven’t skated since they were young girls. Some never skated in their lives before lacing on a pair to join Free State.

Mothra Stewart found the time to join and is glad she did:

I spent a long time thinking about doing derby and not doing anything about it. A friend of mine joined a drumming group called Batala which requires a lot of practice time and physical effort. I thought, “Well, if she can find the time for that then I can find time for derby.” Derby is amazingly fun and unlike anything else I’ve ever done. I feel like an athlete and part of a community. I only wish I had started playing earlier.

Co-Captain Slaughter Lily is also new to the sport without any experience skating:

I actually got started after watching Whip It five times and finally saying to myself that I have got to do that, no matter what it takes. I had no skating experience of any kind when I started, unless you count one miserable night in college of wobbling around an ice rink. I literally was unable to skate — I had to be held up to stay vertical for my first month of practices. It’s really hard to start from zero as an adult, and not a particularly athletic one, either. I’m still one of our weakest skaters, but I have made so much progress in the year I’ve been doing this and I’m pretty proud of myself. It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life.

I think I was elected as a co-captain because, though I am not a good skater yet(!), I have a single-minded obsession with derby. I really appreciate that people saw me as a person who’d commit the time and effort to keep the team thriving, and I hope that I’ve been living up to those expectations. And I could never have come this far without my teammates, who are all incredibly supportive and just great people. I feel really, really lucky to be a part of this team.

Jammer sizes up the situation. Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths.

Although Co-Captain Trips Ahoy was never on a roller derby team either before joining FSRD, she leads practice with the help of solid online resources and a committed roller derby community which is extremely supportive and encouraging to newcomers. Guest coaches, especially advanced skaters who have retired, stop by to teach others about the sport they love. Former FSRD member, Crowella De Vil, a very talented jammer who was chosen to join the Baltimore Charm City Roller Girls, also brings it back to coach her friends.

Besides Charm City, our area is home to several DC teams including the DC Rollergirls whose motto is “With Liberty And Justice To Brawl”. These teams compete as part of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.)

Although the roller derby scene has been described as “aggression on wheels”, FSRD concentrates on communication and strategy by leaning and blocking, although they do sometimes practice hip checking. After each scrimmage the group discusses what worked and what didn’t.

How'd we do? Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths

When asked about the aggressive reputation of roller derby, Slaughter Lily provided an overview of the current roller derby world:

Although we are just a small start-up league and not a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), we do play by their rules, as do most flat track leagues. Using elbows and hands is strictly prohibited — if you elbow someone, even accidentally, you will get called for a minor penalty; if you do it hard enough to affect their game play, that’s a major and you’re in the box for a minute. Tripping, kicking, and any blocking to or using the head are also not allowed. Punching will get you tossed from the game, no questions. There are several pages of rules detailing how to hit legally. The idea with the 2000s revival of roller derby is to combine a full-contact, fairly aggressive spectacle with real athleticism and camaraderie. I’ve heard that there are some teams in the West (where the sport was reborn) that still play derby the way it used to be on TV in the 1980s — brawling on the track and all — but that is definitely not what the vast majority of leagues are doing. As for Free State, we’re still learning a lot about how to play this sport, including the contact aspect of it and how to, say, control where our elbows go, but we are definitely interested in playing fair, playing safe, and playing hard.

The action comes from behind so communication is key. Photo by Cindy Cotte Griffiths.

For those who want to try recreational roller derby, Free State welcomes new skaters. Don’t worry, the first lessons include two extremely important skills (1.) how to stop and (2.) how to fall down. After the basics are out of the way, the fun is learning about this all-female, up-and-coming sport. Plus, they’ve found the training to be great exercise.

If you want to try the roller derby scene, e-mail Free State for the details: [email protected] or check out their Facebook page. All you need is a desire to learn and a pair of skates. Dues are minimal and not necessary until you’re really sure you want to commit and have bought your first pair of rad skates.

Rockville Express Urgently Needs Three Host Families

>We received this request from our friend Tina Campbell. Our own home town baseball team, the Rockville Express, urgently needs three more host families for the summer to provide living arrangements for its players. See below:

Urgent Request - 3 Host Families Needed for the Rockville Express Players

We are in urgent need of host families for 3 of our players this summer. If you are interested, or know of someone who may be interested, please contact us. More information on hosting is below.

Thank you!

Host Family Information

The Rockville Express Baseball team is currently searching for host families for the 2010 Season. This summertime wood bat league is a part of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate League and attracts some of the most talented college baseball players from across the nation. These players have been recommended by their college coaches and recruited to play by the Express, with many having the potential to succeed as professional baseball players.

A vital part of a successful season is to have host families provide housing for the players, giving them support and a family atmosphere for the summer.

When you host a player, you are not just taking on a guest for the summer. Your family will be embarking on an experience that will make you a part of an extended baseball family.

Host Family Responsibilities:

• Be available to host a player from June 1st – July 31st
• Provide a clean, safe, and pleasant environment for the player to stay
• Provide a private room or private area for the player to sleep
• Provide food and/or meals for the player
• Provide access to laundry equipment (players do their own laundry)
• Players provide their own transportation

Host Family Benefits:

• Free admittance to all home games
• You will become more involved with the community
• The player will be a positive role model for your children
• You have an opportunity to make a positive impact on a young man’s future
• You might be getting to know a future Major League star!

If you are interested in hosting a player, or would like more information, please contact Tina Campbell at 301-315-9008 or email: [email protected] or Brad Botwin at 240-447-1884 or [email protected]

Rockville Express home games are played on the Rockville campus of Montgomery College.

For more information about the Team, please see our website at www.rockvilleexpress.org

For information on the league, please visit: www.ripkensrcollegebaseball.org

Community Feeling At The Rockville Express Opener But Where's The Lights

>

Last Friday, June 4, 2010, the Rockville Express Collegiate Baseball team opened the 2010 season at their Montgomery College Rockville home field. My Cub Scout Pack 928 participated as the color guard.

Showing support for our community team, Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio threw out the first ball and Councilmember Mark Pierzchala also showed his support by attending. Mark and my Cub Scouts stayed for the whole game which went into extra innings.

During the first inning, the Southern Maryland Nationals scored one run. Their pitching was strong. The Rockville Express didn’t score until the 7th inning and as you can see, the run was close at home plate.

I can't believe I caught this shot!!

The 9th inning ended with a 1-1 tie after lots of action. Unfortunately, the Nationals quickly scored 4 runs and the Express was unable to come back during their last time at bat.

I heard more than one person agree that one of the Express hits was fair up the first bases line and not a foul, but as we saw on the professional level last week, the umpire call stands. The final score of 1-5 doesn’t indicate how close the game really was.

It's getting dark and there's no lights!

As you can see, the brand new lighting system is finally installed. Unfortunately the electricity has not been hooked up. If you check the schedule, there are no home field night games listed this summer and the latest they start is 5 PM. Unfortunately Pepco has not been able to dig the trenches and connect the new system. The 5 PM start time makes it difficult for fans and volunteers to arrive on time after work. Other teams are scheduled to instruct day camps so they’ve already had to start changing locations to accommodate the other team’s need for a later schedule. With the new lights waiting, the situation is frustrating for everyone involved. The Express website explains:

Rockville Community Baseball and the Rockville Express have made lots of progress in their major capital campaign for the installation of ball field lights at their home field at Montgomery College Rockville (Knight’s Field). The lighting equipment is up, but we still need your help to light them up! Please send your generous donation, made out to “Rockville Community Baseball, Inc.” and mail to “RCB Inc., P.O. Box 10188, Rockville, MD 20849″. Help make this important community project a reality!

The lights are a gift from Rockville Community Baseball to Montgomery College and will be used by many over the years. The partnership with the Cal Ripken Collegiate League benefits many.

If you would like to show your support, make a donation and attend a game. The schedule is here. Even after only one game, I’m already familiar with the players and certainly hope they have a great season.

Root, Root, Root For The Home Team!

>

The Rockville Express will open their season this Friday, June 4, 2010 on their Montgomery College Rockville home field. Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio will throw out the first pitch and my Cub Scout Pack 928 will be the color guard during the opening ceremony. We’re very excited and hope Channel 11 will cover the event.

The Rockville Express will take on the Southern Maryland Nationals for this Home Opener

Here are the details for Friday:

3:00 p.m. Gates open
4:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies
5:00 p.m. PLAY BALL!

Admission - Adults $3, Kids under 12 are free!

Come out and support our local Rockville team for some impressive collegiate baseball. These are the top players from all over the United States who come to play for the Rockville Express, which is a part of the Cal Ripken Summer Wood Bat League. Someday you may even see these players play professional baseball.

Check the RockvilleExpress.org website for more information on the team and summer schedule.

Thanks to Tina Campbell for sending along the announcement!

Be A Rockville Express Host Family This Summer!

It’s that time of year again! Our own local Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate League baseball team, the >Rockville Express, is seeking host families to house players for the season. I have friends who have done it and they say it is a terrific opportunity!

Here are the details:

Love Baseball? Have Kids who play Little League? Like the idea of sharing your home with a possible Major Leaguer?

The Rockville Express Baseball team is currently searching for host families for the 2010 Season. A vital part of a successful season is to have host families provide housing for the players, giving them support and a family atmosphere for the summer. When you host a player, you are not just taking on a guest for the summer, your family will be embarking on an experience that will make you a part of an extended baseball family.

Host Family Responsibilities:

Be available to host a player from June 1st – July 31st - Provide a clean, safe, and pleasant environment for the player to stay - Provide a private room or private area for the player to sleep - Provide food and/or meals for the player - Provide access to laundry equipment (players do their own laundry) - Players provide their own transportation

Host Family Benefits:

Free admittance to all home games - You will become more involved with the community - The player will be a positive role model for your children - You have an opportunity to make a positive impact on a young man’s future - You might be getting to know a future Major League star!

If you are interested in hosting a player, or would like more information, please contact Tina Campbell at 301-315-9008 or by email at tinacampbell-at-comcast-dot-net.

Gilchrist Fronts Washington Post

It’s probably not the way he wanted to make the front page of the >Washington Post, but it’s not bad: State Delegate Jim Gilchrist’s cheering face graces the front page of this morning’s Washington Post in the paper’s roundup of how fans (and the team itself) are looking forward after the Redskins’ dismal season.

The caption read: “Redskins fans Jim Gilchrist, left, and Jeff Walker react at Nellie’s Sports Bar in the District after a play against San Diego.”

Now, listen: No one give Jim guff just because he wasn’t at a Rockville sports bar, OK?

Jim is on the District 17 legislative team, which represents all of Rockville as well as parts of Gaithersburg and Garrett Park.

Congratulations Jim! Better luck next year . . .

Rockville Express No-Hitter Friday Night

Here’s a slightly belated recap (my fault) of our hometown ball club’s no-hitter Friday night:>

Joe Supple (Santa Clara) was pitching like he had somewhere to be Friday night, July 10, when the Rockville Express faced the Maryland Redbirds. After the Redbirds scored one run in the top of the first inning due to a walk and a few stolen bases, Supple held the Redbirds scoreless and hitless for the rest of the game, recording a no-hitter for the season. The game finished in just over two hours.

Kyle LaHonta (Gonzaga) drew a key lead-off walk in the first inning and Jeff Reynolds (Harvard) followed with a double to put the first two batters of the game on for the Express. Both would later come in to score off of walks by Redbirds pitching.

Along with giving up no hits, Supple recorded eight strikeouts mostly due to an unhittable breaking ball. “Joe was able to get ahead on most of the batters he faced and then finished them with big pitches,” said Express pitching coach Nick Puccio. “He has really come around and it’s mostly due to the fact that he is able to throw strikes.”

All games are at Knights Field on the Montgomery College Rockville campus. To learn more about the Express go here.

Rockville Express Beat Herndon Braves

We don’t always carry >Rockville Express baseball news, but they’ve got a new intern who has helpfully been supplying us good game recaps so here is a rundown on our hometown ball team’s win last night:

On Tuesday night, July 7^th, the Rockville Express defeated the Herndon Braves 9-4 in a game that was continued from a rain delay back in June. Dan Moller (Temple) started on the mound for the Express and threw 6 1/3 strong innings before Gary Levesque (Rhode Island) came in and closed it out.

Along with Moller and Levesque’s solid pitching, the offense came alive as well. Key hits by Justin and Ian Leisenheimer (Maine) and Ryan Geffert (So. Connecticut) along with Jeff Reynolds (Harvard) two run homerun in the 6^th inning provided the offense the Express needed to acquire the win.

“We were able to overcome our errors and get key hits when we needed them,” said head coach Jim Pereira. The win was a much needed one due to the Express’ recent struggles after starting off the season strong. With the win, Rockville improves to 7-16 on the season after having started off 4-0. The Express hope to use this win to gain momentum for the remainder of the season.

The next games are: Thursday July 9^th, Friday July 10^th, and Saturday July 11^th, against the Alexandria Aces, Maryland Redbirds and Youse’s Orioles.

All game are at 5:00 PM at Knights Field on the Montgomery College Rockville campus. To learn more about the Express go here.

Adult Flag Football For Rockville

I got a note this morning from Uy Hoang, who is co-founder of the Rockville Athletic Sports League. The note was informing me that flag football was coming to Rockville!

This sounds like a lot of fun to me. Here’s what Uy says: “We’re pretty excited to bring flag football here and think it’s going to be the start of something great.” Love to see that enthusiasm!

Anyway, leagues are beginning to form now and you need to be 18 or over to play. This looks like a great way to meet others, have fun, and mingle.

Go here for all the info you need.

Rockville Express Season Begins Saturday [UPDATED]

Our hometown baseball team’s season opener is this Saturday at 4pm at Knights Field at Montgomery College! The >Rockville Express will be facing the Maryland Redbirds.

Mayor Susan Hoffmann will throw out the first pitch in this, the opener for the Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League’s 2009 season.

[UPDATE: I have learned that Mayor Hoffmann had a schedule conflict, and Council Member Piotr Gajewski will be doing the honors.]

Admission is $3 and kids under 12 are free.

I think the rain shold be gone by then, so come on down!

Here are a few other upcoming home games:

• Monday, June 8 vs. SS-Takoma Thunderbolts, 5 pm
• Wednesday, June 10 vs. Herndon Braves, 5 pm
• Friday, June 12 vs. College Park Bombers, 5 pm

Rockville Express Seeking Host Families For 2009 Season . . . Now!

>Rockville Central friend Tina Campbell passed along a request from the Rockville Express baseball team: as they did last year, our home team is seeking host families for players this summer.

Here is what Tina sent:

Love Baseball? Have Kids who play Little League?
Like the idea of sharing your home with a possible Major Leaguer?

Host a College Baseball Player this Summer

The Rockville Express Baseball team is currently searching for host families for the 2009 Season. This summertime wood bat league is a part of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Collegiate League and attracts some of the most talented college baseball players from across the nation. These players have been recommended by their college coaches and recruited to play by the Express, with many having the potential to succeed as professional baseball players.

A vital part of a successful season is to have host families provide housing for the players, giving them support and a family atmosphere for the summer. When you host a player, you are not just taking on a guest for the summer. Your family will be embarking on an experience that will make you a part of an extended baseball family.

Host Family Responsibilities:

• Be available to host a player from June 1st – August 3rd
• Provide a clean, safe, and pleasant environment for the player to stay
• Provide a private room or private area for the player to sleep
• Provide food and/or meals for the player
• Provide access to laundry equipment (players do their own laundry)
• Players provide their own transportation

Host Family Benefits:

• Free admittance to all home games
• 50% discount on Rockville Express Summer Camps for host family children
• You will become more involved with the community
• The player will be a positive role model for your children
• You have an opportunity to make a positive impact on a young man’s future
• You might be getting to know a future Major League star!

If you are interested in hosting a player, or would like more information, please contact Tina Campbell at 301-315-9008 or by email.

Rockville Express home games are played on the Rockville campus of Montgomery College. For more information about the Team, please see our website.

Real Maryland Is Really In Rockville

>Last year the United Soccer League added Real Maryland FC to the USL Second Division for our area north of the nation’s capital. Although the team had to play elsewhere during its first season, the Monarchs are now home! This weekend this professional team will open the spring soccer season at our very own Richard Montgomery High School Lester Stadium.

A preseason game will be on Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 1:00 PM – Real Maryland FC vs. Rochester Rhinos (USL First Division). Admission is $5 at the gate. If a club team comes to the games in their game jerseys with 20 or more players, 10 players will get in free. The concession stand will be open.

Last year Victor Moran, the principle owner, said “We are going to create a REAL event, not just a soccer game, that’s why I named the club Real Maryland FC.”

After the game, you can stop by Austin Grill in the Rockville Town Center for a meet and greet with the players! Welcome our team to Rockville!

Here’s the season schedule.

The Real Maryland Monarch also want to form the first 2009 Monarch Dance Team! They are looking for approximately 8-10 members over 18 years of age (graduating high school seniors, college students, and professional dancers are welcome). The 2009 tryouts will be held April 5th at Richard Montgomery High School from 4-9 PM. Registration will begin at 4:00 PM and go until 4:45 PM.

Sledding Hills In Rockville

If you are of a mind to capitalize on today’s second-in-a-row snow day, you may be thinking about hitting the local sledding hills. Who wouldn’t?>

Email us with more, and I will add them.

You’re welcome!

Congratulations To Rockville Marine Corps Marathon Finishers!

[UPDATED]>

As my friends know, I ran in yesterday’s Marine Corps Marathon and was lucky enough to finish. What a fantastic experience.

Turns out there is a way to filter the race results by city, so I went ahead and looked at all the finishers from Our Fair City. We have some really strong marathoners in our town!!

Here is a link where you can look at the results for all 163 Rockville finshers.

Of special note is Jack Beaulieu, the fastest finisher in town. Age 65, he completed all 26.2 miles in 1:59:14, placing him 13th overall in the field and first in his division. Wow.

Way to go, Jack!

UPDATE: Neil points out in the comments that Jack is from a different Rockville. (Silly me.) And, Piotr Gajewski dropped me a note to point out that the world record for marathons is something like 2:04, so there must be some mistake — the standings on the site show 1:59 but there must be an error.

So, let me congratulate the NEW fastest Rockville (MD) Marine Corps Marathon finisher: Andrew Gunther, 33, with a time of 2:49:32, placing 71st overall and 20th in his division. Congratulations, Andrew!

The Millenium Trail Is Fun

As some >Rockville Central readers may know, I am training to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October. I’m running in connection with the Organization for Autism Research and raising money for them. This is the first marathon I’ve run since I ran the LA Marathon back in the early 1990′s.

So, I need to get in some better shape, and I have been increasing my run mileage. This weekend for the first time, I had the opportunity to run Our Fair City’s Millenium Trail, which is a bike 10.6 mile route that essentially runs around the perimeter of Rockville. It starts at the community center being built at Fallsgrove and runs around Gude, Norbeck, Wooton Parkway, and then back to Fallsgrove. Here’s a map.

It was a hoot! I know other readers are runners, including Cindy CG, and I am sure they know all about this. But I just wanted to pass along my experience.

The trail is more of a path, really, but you are out of traffic for the whole way. It’s 10.6 miles all the way ’round. It starts at the new community center being built in Fallsgrove, and is marked in half-mile increments (the markers are in the pavement). The numbers run clockwise, but I found it most pleasant to run counterclockwise (that is, I started running into Fallsgrove proper from the community center).

The route felt safe and manageable throughout, but there are some caveats. First of all, there are three or four major intersection crossings, with traffic signals . . . you will have to wait. If oyu are going for speed, you will have to figure out a way to take down time into account. Second, the final stretch, along Gude, is just a little bit, um, industrial. Lots of cars whizzing by (not right next to you) and lots of light-industrial buildings. It was hard to keep up my motivation along that stretch. Finally, it’s important to pay attention to the signs so you don’t get off-track. Some of them are a little confusing while in the throes of exercise (I don’t know about you, but I am not always thinking clearly when I am exhausted from running).

The route has a few gentle hills that are more of a psychological barrier than anything. There is nothing too steep.

Another local blogger, Don Libes, has posted a map at MapMyRun and it is excellent.

Overall, I found myself thinking as I ran that the Trail would be a good candidate for an informal “fun run” contest sponsored by some worthy organization. (Like the Twilight Run?) It would be a neat way to feature Our Fair City.

Let me know if you are ever interested in a weekend run to build mileage. I typically do my long run on Saturdays. If a group coalesces, maybe we can do it together!