The weekend in Chicago was a good opportunity to give all the veteran skaters of OCCRG some time on the track. The Saturday bout was minus 5 familiar faces; Bat R Up, Fannysaurus Wrex, Left 4 Deadwards, GLADi8HER, and Ophelia Fracture, but was the debut of Krussia Bones and C-Tal Fatal. These two transfer skaters (both accomplished jammers) lit up the track, and aided OCCRG to a 158-123 victory.  It was a physical, strategic bout–the Shade Brigade’s skaters were strong and smart, and held OCCRG off until early in the second half, where four big jams from OCCRG swept them into the lead, shifting the momentum.  Among them, an 8-point jam from Krussia Bonez, a 14-point jam from Triple D. Zaster, and two powerhouse jams from Outlaw Jessie Pains at 14 and 19 points. A deep jammer bench, complimented by powerful blocking was a good combination for OCCRG that night.

Photo by Stearns Images

The next morning, the All-Stars were faced with a serious foe, the #5-ranked team in the North Central Region and unofficially 24th in the nation, Chicago Outfit Syndicate.  A strong first jam sat both teams at 1-1, with both teams varying between the jam-line scrum starts and the traditional pivot-line starts.  It seemed in the first 5 minutes that OCCRG had not only a chance, but a good chance of bringing the outfit down, and had the lead briefly six minutes into the game.  The OCCRG penalties began to roll in, and the momentum changed drastically with a big power jam by the Outfit.  The OCC All-Stars rode into halftime with a 70 point deficit, however, were still playing hard and were not tired.  The Syndicate has had the benefit of higher-level play for a year and a half over OCC, and it shone through in their effortless defense and teamwork.  Each OCC All-Star skater played her hardest, including Bat R Up who took the star more than we’ve seen in seasons past, scoring 15 of OCC’s 59 points.  Hard-working jammers Left 4 Deadwards and Ophelia Fracture scored 20 and 11 points respectively.  Old Cap learned a lot from the Outfit, both strategy and skill.  Final Score: 230-59.

Old Capitol barely had time to catch their breath before whisking up to Michigan to take on the Killamazoo Derby Darlin’s on May 5th.  The bout started off evenly matched–with Killamazoo and OCC scoring point for point– until OCC jammer C-Tal Fatal whipped through on a power jam, starting the All-Star momentum, kicking the score up to 22-5.  The rest of the first half was reletively neck-and-neck, teams trading off power jams, with a lead change in favor of Kalamazoo two minutes before the end of the first period, leaving for halftime with a score of 66-57.  Several power jams in favor of Kalamazoo early in the second half gave them the opportunity to run up the score, 136-76.  Bat R Up took the star again, and, complete with an incredible apex jump, ran OCCRG up 12 points.  The game was very physical, and the penalty trouble started to take its toll.  The OCC All-Stars scrambled and busted out 20 more points in the last 10 minutes, but the damage was done.  Killamazoo took the victory, 182-107.

Photo by Cathy Kovach Photography

The OCC All-Stars are taking a break from bouting while they rest, refresh, and revive before they play the Des Moines Derby Dames on June 9th, right here in Coralville.  This is the grudge-match that you can not miss!  Three times these teams have come together, and three times OCC has been victorious.  Come cheer on your All-Stars to victory!

Check back next week for a preview of the first OCC Rockstar bout against the Cedar Valley Push-Up Brawlers on May 26th!

The weekend of April 28th and 29th is a big one for OCCRG.  They will travel to Chicago to take on the Chicago Outfit Shade Brigade on Saturday night, followed by a Sunday morning closed bout with the Chicago Outfit WFTDA-chartered team, the Syndicate.  The weekend will be a test of endurance for OCCRG–both physically and mentally.  The flexible, fast teamwork that led them to victory in Sioux City will help them again for these two bouts, as well as hardline defense, and agile offense. OCCRG’s rosters for the weekend will be a little different with Saturday night’s bout missing some familiar faces as they save their legs for the next day’s sanctioned bout. Instead, you will see the debut of some skaters new to the black and red jersey, but veterans of the track, Krussia Bonez and Ctal Fatal.

As part of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, once a league has played two ranked WFTDA teams, they may qualify for ranking in their region. The February 4th bout against the MNRG All-Stars was the first for the OCC All-Stars, and this Sunday’s sanctioned bout will get them on the map within the upper-tier of the flat track world. The Syndicate had an exciting 2011 season as they entered the first quarter ranked 9th in North Central, and ended regional tournaments with 5th place. With the recent transfer of the Outfit’s top skaters Sweet Mary Pain and Gaygun to Rocky Mountain, this weekend will be a good glimpse as to where the Syndicate stands now, and what the OCC All-Stars can do against a highly ranked team.

If you’re not road tripping with us to Chi-town then you can catch Satruday’s action online! OCC’s bout vs the Shade Brigade starts at 7pm, with the headline bout of the Syndicate vs Houston to follow. Always keep an eye on our Twitter (@OCCRG) for updates and scores!

This is a busy spring for OCCRG!  On May 5th, the All-Stars will travel to Kalamazoo, Michigan to play the Killamazoo Derby Darlins (currently ranked #20 in North Central).  The end of May will then see the debut of our B-Team, the Rockstars, who will take on the Cedar Valley Derby Divas on the 26th at the Marriott.

June 9th will be another home bout with the All-Stars taking on the Des Moines Derby Dames in another clash of Iowa WFTDA teams.  OCCRG have played D3 three times in the past two seasons, and won each time–so this will be a grudge match that is not to miss!

The first half was fraught mostly with OCC All-Star penalties, causing the SCRD lead to build during power jams in their favor.  However, the second half showed an increase in SCRD penalties, while most of the OCC All-Stars stayed on the track.  All-Star jammers Ophelia Fracture and Left 4 Deadwards led point totals with 77 and 49 respectively.  The second half power jams for the All-Stars saw a 22-point jam by Ophelia Fracture, a 19-point jam from captain Bat R Up, and a 14-point jam by Left 4 Deadwards.

From the beginning of the bout, the Old Cap All-Stars played their own game.  After cutting their teeth on the jam-line start strategy early in the season, the All-Stars showed finesse and flexability while keeping Sioux City scrambling for most of the bout.  The jam-line starts give the jammers almost no room to pick up speed before they are forced to duck, dodge, and wiggle through the pack that is only an inch in front of them at the start of the jam.  This creates a slower game, but a more physical, strategic game, where position and teamwork are allowed to shine.  The OCC All-Stars kept their cool through the whole bout, using smart strategy, and relying on every single player to do her job.  Jam by jam, the All-Stars played harder and smarter, and built up an unstoppable momentum–one that hopefully will stick with them the rest of the season.

The Old Capitol All-Stars’ next bout is in Chicago against the Chicago Outfit Shade Brigade on April 28th, followed by a closed bout the following morning with their WFTDA-sanctioned team, the Syndicate.  The first weekend in May will see the All-Stars traveling to Kalamazoo, Michigan to play the Killamazoo Derby Dames.  The next home bout is May 26th, and will be the debut of the Old Capitol City B-Team, the Rockstars, as they take on the Cedar Valley Derby Divas.  More information about the OCC Rockstars and more bouting dates coming soon! Come cheer on the next generation of derby in Iowa City!

All pictures are from the awesome album by Jim Lee, the Sioux City Roller Dames photographer.
Missed the bout, view it in full right here!

The Old Capitol City All-Stars will travel to Sioux City on April 7th to take on one of the newest members of the WFTDA, the Sioux City Roller Dames.  OCCRG fans will recognize SCRD from last year’s May 28th nail-biter–OCCRG was down nearly 50 points going into halftime, and pulled out a last-minute 141-127 victory in the last six jams.  Sioux City boasts powerhouse triple threats PBR and Sum Mo Payne, as well as jammers Anita Spur and Funsize, who, despite their diminutive frames, pack powerful hits, and effortless agility.  The SCRD are students of the game, incorporating smart strategy as well as physical power to their play.

The Sioux City Roller Dames website is advertising this as not only the most exciting bout of their season, but the MOST EXCITING BOUT EVER.  If you can’t make it, stay connected via our Twitter (@OCCRG) to get real-time updates, or join us on what is to be a fully exciting road trip.  Check out the Sioux City Roller Dames facebook page for all the info.

Cover photo byKORfan.

This was Toxic Sugar’s first time back on the home track after nearly a year and a half off skates. Photo by Cathy Kovach

The Old Capitol City Roller Girls lost to the Minnesota Rockits 96-167 on March 10th.  After a nail-biting first half, where the teams scored point for point, leaving the score as good as tied going into halftime, OCCRG got into some serious penalty trouble in the second half, while the Rockits began playing a cleaner, tighter game.

Ophelia Fracture scored 36 of OCCRG’s points, with Left 4 Deadwards, Gladi8her, and Bat R Up scoring 18, 16, and 15 respectively.  The jams were short–few reaching a second scoring pass–with each team scoring 3 or 4 points and calling off the jam.  The Rockits had a solid line-up of jammers, including Minnesota All-Stars Harmony Killerbruise and Scarmen Hellectra, both of whom scored almost 60 points each for their team.

OCCRG lost control in the second half with penalties, leaving Minnesota to score an unanswered 63 points between jams 10 and 13.  Even though OCCRG came back roaring, the damage was done.  The game was hard-hitting, fast, and fun–a great season opener for the 2012 season.

Already excited for more derby?  OCCRG travels to Sioux City on April 7th for a re-match with the Sioux City Roller Dames.  If you can’t make it in person, be sure to follow updates on our twitter @OCCRG.  We will also be traveling to Chicago to play the Chicago Outfit Shade Brigade on April 28th, and then traveling to Kalamazoo, Michigan to play the following weekend, May 5th.  Our next home bout isn’t until May 26th, but we’ll be out in the community–so keep and eye out for us, and help us get excited for our season!

Picture by Patrick Bloom.
Cover picture by KORfan. 

Outlaw Jessie Pains was one to notice in her fresh meat pack last year, as she worked tirelessly to perfect her skills… on day two. She quickly hopped up the ranks from joining the team in January 2011 to bouting in June of the same year.  This season she not only continues to push herself and her versatility on the track, but has taken on an added responsibility as a board member. You might recognize her as the poster girl from our last bout, or just remember the chaps… 

Where did your derby name come from?  
I’m an outlaw…if I told you, I’d have to kill you.

Although Old Capitol City got a taste of the highest-level play in Minnesota early in February, the Rockits are not the All-Star team, (although you’ll see a few familiar faces from the February 4th game) they are a team that is a cross-section of their entire league, a team of smart, strong athletes that play hard–and still have a lot of fun.

What can you expect as a fan?  You’ll see a lot of new strategies, new ways of skating, and plenty of excitement.  The Old Capitol All-Stars have been pushing themselves hard in this season to be stronger, faster, and smarter.  You’ll see a deep rotation of jammers with Left 4 Deadwards, Ophelia Fracture, Triple D. Zaster, Outlaw Jessie Pains, and Jenna JamISon all taking the star.  You’ll see big hits, and controlled, strategic moves.  You’ll see teamwork like you’ve never seen it before.  There will be fast-paced starts near the jam line and quick packs that are ever-changing and yelling instructions to each other.  This will be a new kind of game for the OCCRG home audience.

One major difference you’ll see as a fan in this game, is a lot of different faces on the track.  The Minnesota Rockits are bringing their whole roster of 20 skaters, and OCCRG is tapping their whole all-star roster of 17 skaters, so there will be a lot of changing and a lot of fresh faces on the track throughout the night.  Since this bout isn’t WFTDA-sanctioned, the teams will be trying new strategies, different line ups, and most of all, having a lot of fun with each other.  This is a not-to-be-missed season opener, and we hope you’re as excited as we are!

The fun doesn’t stop on the track! Join OCCRG and the Rockits down the street at Tailgators afterwards for drinks, music and fun.

Doors open at 6:30pm and the bout starts at 7pm at the Coralville Marriott. Tickets are $10 in advance or $13 at the door. (Kids 10 and under are free!) Buy tickets in advance at the Jell-o Shot Night at IC Ugli’s on March 2nd, or grab them online at Brown Paper Tickets. Keep your eyes peeled for raffles, new merch, a half-time contest and more! See you on the track, and remember– Don’t Stop Believing.

RSVP on facebook!

Jell-o shot nights at Ugli’s are always fun!  We’ll be there about 8pm, and we’ll be there until the jello shots run out.  There will be prizes and dancing (of course!).  We’re planning to raffle off tickets to the March 10th bout, as well as some awesome OCCRG merchandise, as well as season tickets–get them while the price is right!  We’re excited to see you there!

RSVP on facebook!

You might be wondering to yourself right about now, “Why does Old Capitol City suck this year?  What happened?”  The answer to that question is easy–we’re playing more experienced teams.  Now that we are officially members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, we are going to be playing many more experienced teams, challenging ourselves, and not always coming out victorious.  What this means for you, as a fan, is you’ll see more athletic, strategic games, closer scores, and more intense competition.  We were so thrilled to start out our season playing Minnesota, a well-respected, highly-trained team who have taught us so much, and have set the bar high for the integrity and longevity of the sport.

The Minnesota Roller Girls went into this bout believing that they could shut us out completely–that is, not let us score any points at all.  By the second jam, they realized that that wasn’t going to be possible.  They’d improved since we last met them on the track last June, but so have we.  Old Capitol City’s All-Stars fought a hard battle–not giving up until the final four whistles.  Left 4 Deadwards scored the lion’s share of OCC’s points with 35, with the hard-working Ophelia Fracture scoring 15.  The OCC blocking team worked hard against the new “rugby scrum” start, where all the players line up directly in front of the jammer line, ensuring the jammers are  immediately in the pack.  There was a lot of strategy and a lot of gameplay that we worked on and evolved just in those 60 minutes.  The rest of the season is going to be a lot of changing strategies and working hard, but Old Capitol City is up to the task.

Can’t wait to see what this season has in store?  We have our first home bout on March 10th, against the Minnesota Rockits, a hometeam division of the Minnesota Roller Girls.  We’re also opening our practice for a scrimmage with Cedar Rapids’s Iowa Rollin’ Aces on February 19th at 2pm at the Coralville Marriott.  Bring a lawn chair and watch the action for just $5.  We couldn’t be more thrilled about this season, and we hope that you’re excited too.

Photos from this bout!

by Photodog
(more added as posted)

The Minnesota RollerGirls are a team of top players in the sport who play aggressively and intelligently. This bout will be sanctioned by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Assocition, which means that it will count towards regional and national ranking, and possible positions in tournaments. The Old Capitol City Roller Girls have been training hard, physically and mentally to be prepared for the bout, thanks in part to their new sponsor, Fit2Live. This bout starts a series of several away bouts lined up for this spring and summer against challenging teams from all across the Midwest.

The first chance to catch OCCRG at home will be February 19th, against the Iowa Rollin’ Aces. The Old Capitol City Roller Girls are opening their practice to the public for a low-key scrimmage at 2pm at the Coralville Marriott. Admission will be $5 at the door (kids 10 and under free) and bring your own chair for a fun afternoon of derby. This will prelude their first official home bout on March 10th, against the Minnesota RollerGirls Rockits, a home team division of the Minnesota RollerGirls.

There’s still time to sponsor OCCRG for the coming season. Email ofx911@yahoo.com or oldcapitolcityrollergirls@gmail.com for more information on how to join the family. You can also sign up for season tickets by emailing ofx911@yahoo.com.