Read as our very own Rainbow Frite pops her cherry!
As Bad Reputation by Joan Jett begins to play and The Harsmallow’s skate out begins it’s easy to forget I only met my team an hour ago. It’s easy to forget my nerves and the six bottles of water I’ve already drank because my mouth is so dry from saying “is anybody else nervous?” all the time. They call my name and number and I wave to the crowd, not much taller than the girls crouched around me even with my arms in the air.
I’m not up until the second jam, giving me time to completely freak out as I sit on the bench with my team-mates. When the whistles signal the first jam is over I head for the track. I spend approximately ninety percent of that jam stunned, watching other girls throwing hits and booty blocking like they’ve done this every day of their lives since birth. In reality both teams are equally matched but I feel like the odd one out.
Back at the bench Princess Crotchammer from says to our line-up manager, “Rainbow is a great jammer!” I should probably be flattered but my heart sinks in absolute terror and I’m a little bit sick in my mouth. There’s a feeling that I’m sure doesn’t go away with experience – that moment when you’re on the jammer line and the ref calls “five seconds.” The pack starts rolling and everything fades away. The jammer whistle blows and I take off.
After that I’m fielded as jammer every time I’m on the track and I get more and more confident. I try not to look at the score, convinced that if I find out we are winning I might relax and if we are losing I might panic.
Our opposition, The Smackjacks, have some hard hitters – particularly Dee Tsar Star of the Wakey Wheeled Cats – and they’re relentless. Every time I get knocked down I bounce back up. Or, at least, almost every time.
There’s not long left on the clock, this is the last jam. As I plant my toe stopper on the line the opposing jammer, Magic Beanz, shoulder checks me across the line. I panic as the ref blows his whistle, fearing a false start penalty, but he sends her to the sin bin for contact before the whistle.
It’s a power jam to The Harshmallows. We can win this, I just need to push myself. When the jammer whistle blows I break my way through the pack, twisting my ankle awkwardly. I need to keep going, to just score some more points and close the gap but it hurts. I call it off and stagger over to my bench as the ending whistle blows.
The cherry popper bout is over and my cherry has most definitely been popped. I limp around to hug everybody and I can’t stop smiling. The final score was Blackjacks 102 – Harshmallows 82 and I may run the risk of sounding cliché but it really didn’t matter who won, it was always about the experience. And besides, we didn’t lose – we came second!
The Pack is Here! NRG are hosting a rockin’ night of music and dancing in the heart of Newcastle, to raise funds for the team.
Being a roller girl is an expensive business! If you enjoy watching us skate come home bout days, why not come along and meet us in the flesh …and help us raise funds for away games! We are holding the event to help us pay for costs we incur while travelling round the country defending Newcastle’s name in the way you know us best for, HARD and FAST!
Roller Girls don’t get paid, we’re not footballers on inflated salaries, we pay for everything ourselves, being one of the few genuinely grass roots not for profit sports in the UK.
To celebrate Easter and the arrival of Spring, ANY order placed on the website with receive a FREE tote bag and NRG patch with our original logo. This offer is a limited time only, from now until April 13th. Click HERE to browse our merch!
Miss Wired escapes the pack - www.boutday.com
The second bout of the afternoon of Daylight Slayings brought us a tantalising prospect as the Canny Belters took on the Maiden Grrders of Glasgow. The girls of Glasgow boast an impressive line-up which includes the well-known names of Sarah McMillan, The Very Hungry Splatterkiller and Rogue Runner, the Belters knew that this was going to be one of their biggest challenges so far, and we certainly weren’t left wanting for entertainment.
The first period of the bout saw the Belters come flying out the traps, as Miss Wired burst through a tough, slow-moving pack, going on to rack up 20 points from the off. However, the tone of the majority of the bout was set in very next jam, with Überschnell and Rogue Runner sharing a small amount of points, thanks to an extremely competitive pack. The first real threat of the impressive Sarah McMillan began in the sixth jam, where, despite again having to cope with a congested pack, she eventually managed to break into the lead and snatch five more points for Glasgow, making the score 29-12.
NRG hold the back line, the tactic which dominated the game for both sides
Things started to get a bit tasty by the eighth jam, with NRG realising the threat posed by McMillan, captain Brie Larceny stepped up to deliver an eight point jam. The lead up to her total saw Glasgow’s Moxie Blitz sent to the bin in the initial pack scramble, and a vital – not to mention huge – hit from Kalamity James on the Maiden’s jammer. NRG’s tactics proved solid as Glasgow introduced The Very Hungry Splatter Killer to the game, the Belters played a rare, very fast pack, causing a no-scoring jam, keeping the points at 40-12. Glasgow’s Fighting Torque was the next victim of NRG’s tactical awareness, when blocker Gin + Sonic checked the jammer to the very back of the pack, allowing Marie Bayonet to pick an extra four points for the home side.
Von Sleaze jamming for NRG
A more physical element came into the match by the fifteenth jam, where, with the score at 56-16, NRG were determined to stamp their authority, where Glasgow were trying to push themselves back into the contest. It was also the first significant battle of many between the respective number sevens: Von Sleaze and McMillan. It was the latter who took advantage on this occasion, making the most of a powerjam, as well as Gin, Lone Danger and Kalamity being sent to the bin at different times, pulling the score back to 62-25.
One of the major talking points of the entire bout came to the fore in jam twenty, where confusion between lead jammers caused disruption for the Belters. The jam got off to a fiery start, with Missy Pow Pow seriously slowing Fighting Torque down, Miss Wired took lead jammer, racked up thirteen points, attempted to call the jam off, removing her helmet pantie, but all four whistles did not sound, therefore losing lead jammer status. Unfortunately for NRG, the confusion caused by the misunderstanding also allowed Torque to gain eleven points, and seriously put the pressure on the Belters.
Brie, Gin and Liz hold back Glasgow's jammer - www.boutday.com
Glasgow sought to take advantage, with Rogue Runner storming her way to a twenty point power jam. However, NRG did well in limiting her damage, as Brie, Gin and Bucks Liz defied the Glasgow outline to keep the jammer down to three passes, though the score ran up to 79-72. Yet again though, NRG bounced back, with the final jam of the period, Überschnell took advantage of McMillan being sent to the bin, circling the pack for her first two passes, before taking the outside with ease on her third, eventually bumping the score up to a healthy number for the home side once more.
Half time score: Canny Belters 104 – 75 Maiden Grrders.
Big Smack holds back Glasgow’s jammer
As the second half began, NRG were weary of Glasgow’s record of making comebacks in bouts like these, and did well to hold off their opponents for the first two jams, grabbing five more points of their own. But with the re-introduction of Fighting Torque, came a resurgence from Glasgow, as despite being wiped out in a four-player pile-up at the start of the third jam, the jammer recovered magnificently to claim twenty points, ultimately being forced to call off the jam by the persistence of Kalamity; 111-95. The next eleven jams all saw NRG build a slow, steady lead on Glasgow, with Big Smack and Fries consistently preventing extra Maiden points and Kalamity’s jamming eventually pulling the score to 129-116.
Uberschnell brings home the points for NRG However, the fifteenth jam saw the start of a truly remarkable turn around by Glasgow. The Maidens walled extremely well, disrupting the NRG blockers and allowing Torque to fly through, while Miss Wired was sent to the bin. And, with eleven minutes remaining, the Glasgow jamming stole a nineteen points effort, finally stopped by Bucks Liz; 129-135. This was quickly followed by a second impressive jam for Glasgow, with McMillan taking advantage of four of NRG’s line-up spending times in the bin, despite being slowed down by Kalamity and Bettie Basher, eventually pulling the Maidens further ahead at 129-153.
A tense few jams passed with neither team amassing more than eight points, meaning the final three jams saw the score at 137-162, and we were all set for a big finale. In the penultimate jam of the bout, NRG poured all their effort in bringing the game to Glasgow, epitomised by Missy Pow Pow’s thunderous check on Jess E Ska, sending the jammer flying to the suicide seats. Überschnell took serious advantage and flew round the track to gloriously close the gap to 155-163.
Kalamity goes up against Rogue Runner in the final jam
With only one minute left, the final jam saw Kalamity and Rogue Runner facing off to ensure victory for their teams, but the Glasgow blockers reacted phenomenally to the pressure. Although the NRG jammer burst her way through, the pack was slowed and congested well, preventing either jammer from grabbing more than a point a piece, bringing a tense showdown to a climax.
Final score: Canny Belters 156 – 164 Maiden Grrders.
