Behind the Scenes and Giving Thanks

On game day you see the skaters on the track and you root and cheer for your favorite Roller, but some of our favorite team mates aren't the ones that have all eights on the floor.  Rather they are the ones who help things run smoothly, get things coordinated and ensure that everyone, skaters and fans alike, have a great game day.

First, let's shout out to Slam.  She started with RTR as freshmeat and unfortunately couldn't continue on that route with us, thankfully derby is a wonderful all inclusive sport that needs people of all traits to make it work.  So, ever seen one of our posters hanging around or the cover of our programs, that's all Slam's work!  She has also coordinated jacket and jersey and shirt printing for us, and the amazing bowling shirts we had for Bowl for Kids Sake, her design!  She has gotten us on the air and in the papers and been amazing at getting our website updated, helping to keep your timline spammed with RTR posts and keeping you updated during bouts via facebook and twitter.

So thank you Slam!!  You are greatly appreciated for all that you do and just for being you!











We have been fortunate to manage to rope in spouses to help with various tasks with Rocktown.  Smarmy Stinson was kind enough to be an amazing supporter of his wife Rosie while she skated with Rocktown and agreed to come out and help announce the bouts.  Then unfortunately at the end of last season Rosie retired from skating.

On the plus side, she is still an awesome supporter of the team and agreed to come and announce with her hubby.  And this is no easy job, regardless of what anyone may think or try to tell you.  First, it's public speaking, for me that's all it would take to talk me out of it, lol.  Additionally, add in making sure that you pronounce names right, say what is happening when, keep track of who is doing what, oh and don't say something that will tip off the other team.  Yeah, there are 'rules' to this crazy announcing stuff, as if all the rest wasn't enough to stress anyone out.

So thank you to Smarmy and Rosie for being an integral part of the Rocktown family and doing an amazing job at keeping fans informed and updated!








Another spouse who got roped in, and is now being drug in further than I think they ever thought would happen; Shok Trauma.  Shok volunteered to fill in as an EMT at one of our games and it was all downhill from there.  He became our every game go to EMT, and then this crazy thing happened at an away scrimmage.  He helped bench coach.  He called out who was going in, who was on deck and even made a few crazy calls on the fly.  And it worked, well.  Now, Shok Trauma carries the hyphenated title of Bench Coach - EMT.
                                                                                                                                         *yes, this picture will stay with you always Trauma! 





Thanks Trauma for loving Rocktown and  this sport as much as we do.                        
And for giving your time and efforts and helping keep us crazy stressed women straight on game day!
















Hoova Dayum, another spouse on the team that helps run things smoothly.  Dayum played for DC and recently retired, she has continued to be an amazing supporter of Rocktown and has guest coached practices, yelled out advice from turn 3 at games and ran the bench at game day.  Plus much more I am sure I am forgetting.

Thank you Dayum for being a pair of fresh eyes when we need it, providing feedback and thoughts that we may not have thought of and keeping us all motivated constantly!










Our awesome freshmeat work hard on practice days in order to be able to train and learn and then on bout days they go above and beyond to help us run the bouts.  Whether it is taking tickets and money at the door, running merch or helping NSO our girls are truly thrown in to learn every part of derby! Sadly, I don't have pics of them all, but here's to you Blair, Lisa, Melissa, Nikki, and Rhonda!  Thank you for everything and working so hard!


NSO's, there are many of you who show up on bout day and help track penalties, run the score board, man the penalty box and so much more.  Thank you each and everyone of you who have ever helped out!



Refs, the ones we love to hate and hate to love, but only on game day, haha.  You have a difficult job, you are expected to be practically omniscient, see all the penalties, know exactly who committed each penalty and call all of that perfectly while skating, avoiding one another AND skaters who get knocked off the track and either fall or roll right into your way.  I do not envy you this job.  I am super grateful to you for doing it though, you help keep us safe on game days and provide feedback to rules related questions at practice.  And as if that wasn't enough, you guys have become papa bears in helping coach our current freshies!



Talk about some awesome guys!  Thank you Art, Sanity, Rocktimus and ref in training Moose!























Thank you to everyone who helps make Rocktown the great family that it is!  Though you may not (all) be on the track with us, your hard work and time and effort is equally vital to the running of this sport and your work does not go unnoticed by any of us!!!!!!