Curious about derby? like good music? dancing? winning prizes? sweet baked goods? or maybe win a date with a hellion?
Then you should come out and spend a night with the Hellions Of Troy!

We will be having a silent auction with awesome prizes including

+ gift certificates to some rad places in the capital region!

+ yummy baked goods!

+ Tickets to our future bouts!

Come out and party with us!

no cover for 21+ but donations appreciated

$5 donation for 18+

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/261709507223324/

This is an exciting, cumulative event for the Hellions, who have been working towards inclusion in the Association since their inception in 2008. Says Hellions League Manager Marcie Pry, aka Short Temper, “This was our goal from the beginning. After three years of working on our business organization, skating skills, and understanding of the sport, we are taking our League to the next level. After a successful 2011 Season with 10 wins, only two losses, and a third place finish at the NYS Roller Derby Tournament, we can only imagine the kinds of success our participation in the WFTDA Apprentice Program will bring. We thought 2011 was our year, but the best is yet to come.”

As an Apprentice affiliate of the WFTDA, the Hellions of Troy join the ranks of more than 100 all-female, skater-owned-and-operated leagues nationwide that have united to lead the growing sport of women’s flat track roller derby.

WFTDA apprentice leagues are matched with veteran member leagues who guide them in the processes and requirements necessary to become a full member of the Association. Additionally, the mentor offers advice and information related to the management and development of the apprentice league. WFTDA Apprentice leagues are considered “pre-members” of the WFTDA and have access to many of the resources and benefits of full WFTDA membership.

About the WFTDA

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association is the governing body for women’s flat-track roller derby, and a membership organization for the leagues to collaborate and network. The organization created and maintained the first standardized ruleset for the flat-track game, now in its fourth edition. The WFTDA also serves as the sanctioning body for games, hosts tournaments, sets safety standards and provides insurance to athletes and leagues. There are currently 124 WFTDA member leagues and 76 apprentice leagues in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.

After ten wins, two losses, and a third place finish at the Empire Skate Showdown (NYS) tournament this year, the Hellions will roll into their off season until Spring 2012. During this time they will focus on recruitment efforts, training, and their organizational operations. The full 2012 season schedule is being finalized and will be announced shortly. Interested skaters, volunteers and business partners can find recruiting and sponsorship information on the league’s website.

All bouts are held at Rollarama Skating Center, 2710 Hamburg St, Rotterdam, NY. Tickets for all summer season bouts are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and $3 for kids under 12. Tickets are available through www.brownpapertickets.com or from your favorite roller girl. Fans can also bring their own chairs and sit on the side lines, known for the best views in the house. Beware the crash zone, however – you might end up with a derby girl in your lap. Following the bout, spectators are invited to join the teams at the after party for food and drinks.

The event will not be your standard roller derby bout but rather will be an exciting intraleague event in which the rules and ways of play will be determined by the spectators. Along with collecting donations at the door, we will also be inviting audience members to donate a small amount to control the game (e.g., $1 buys your favorite team a point, $3 allows you to put a player in the penalty box, etc.), making it a fun interactive experience.

Members from other leagues, including Capital District Men’s Roller Derby, will also join us in this charitable night of shenanigans.

All profits raised will be donated to TruJoy, a local organization dedicated to raising breast cancer awareness within the Capital Region, and The Avon Breast Cancer Walk. Our announcer Heidi Davis AKA Eloda Sarcasm has walked for the past four years (NYC, Boston, Chicago and Houston) and will do so again on September 22-23, 2012 in Santa Barbara, CA.

The Hellions are also hoping that their fans will lend a hand to those affected by Hurricane Irene by bringing and donating the following items:

• non-perishable food items
• personal hygiene items
• baby items
• cleaning supplies

Fans bringing items to donate will receive $2 off door ticket price.

Pay $12 (regularly $24) for two adult tickets or $3 (regularly $6) for two kids’ tickets.

We have three final bouts to wrap up our 2011 season:
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011

As you can see, the LivingSocial offer is good for one year from this date. Our initial 2012 dates will be announced during the winter, so check back here for more information. We bout approximately once a month (at home) over the course of the late winter through the fall. So grab this deal while you can!

Is roller derby family friendly? Definitely! We’ve found that kids LOVE the exciting action on the track. It’s sort of unbelievable to them (and maybe you) to see women tumbling around the track like we do. This article from geekmom.com suggestions that roller girls make great role models!

An excerpt from the article…

The next match, between the Traitors and Hellions, was more lopsided, with a final score of Traitors 115, Hellions 25, however, looks can be deceiving; for the Hellions, who came in last place at the 2010 Empire Skate Showdown, achieving a third-place finish in the tournament represented a huge step forward. Furthermore, the Traitors were last year’s victors. The Hellions put up a good fight, but couldn’t hold back the Traitors’ team of fast jammers including Pippi Strongstocking, Double Clutch, and Brazilian Nut.

The Hellions scored their first win over the Hudson Valley Horrors (Kingston, NY) with a score of 67 – 40. Their next match was against Roc City Roller Derby of Rochester, NY. The Hellions took a strong lead in the first 15 minutes, but after calling a team time out, Rochester rallied to shorten the gap to under 10 points. The Hellions held strong in the remaining minutes and held onto the lead with a final score of 74-71.

Two wins secured a spot in the quarter finals, where the Hellions faced Central New York Roller Derby (CNYRD), from Utica, NY. The Hellions have worked closely with CNYRD in the past two years, making it a meaningful bout for both leagues. CNYRD opened the bout strong by scoring over 25 in the initial minutes of the game, which the Hellions were not able to make up for over the remainder of bout. The game ended with a final score of 86 – 32 and hugs shared between both teams. Their first loss of the tournament sent the Hellions down to the lower bracket, where they would face the Wall Street Traitors (New York, NY), who had faced one loss earlier in the tournament, to the Ithaca League of Women Rollers (Ithaca, NY).

The Traitors, who ended on top at last year’s tournament, are part of New York’s premier roller derby league, the Gotham Girls, who are currently ranked number one in the eastern region of the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA). Hellions vs. Traitors was the fifteenth game of the day, the fourth for the both teams, taking place eight hours after the first game of the tournament. It was apparent that both leagues were fatigued, but the Hellions opened strong to keep pace with their opponents in the initial minutes of the game. Never giving up, the Hellions continued to push themselves harder than ever, but were unable to keep up with the might of the Wall Street Traitors. The final score of the game was 23 Hellions to 115 Traitors. This loss placed the Hellions in third place of the tournament overall. The Traitors went on to face Central New York in the final match up of the day, where they ultimately secured the win. Central New York placed second in the tournament overall.

After placing last in the 2010 tournament, the Hellions are proud to have earned a space at the top this year. So far in 2011, the Hellions have a record of 8 wins and 4 losses to various teams in the eastern United States and Canada. They attribute their success this year to quality recruiting and training efforts, the hard work of their coaching staff, and the dedication of their players.

The Hellions are winding down their 2011 season, with a game against Maine Roller Derby on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at Rollarama Skating Center in Schenectady, NY at 7:00pm. Check the website for details on the final bouts of the season.

Individuals interested in joining the Hellions and playing roller derby can attend an informational recruitment night on Sunday, October 9 at Rollarama Skating Center at 7:00pm.

***OUR NEXT RECRUITMENT EVENT IS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9^th, 2011. THIS WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL SESSION- NO EQUIPMENT NECESSARY.

All potential skaters will be expected to have basic skating skills before trying out. It is essential that you begin practicing your skating at local roller rinks before attending our recruitment events. Feel free to email us at hellionsrecruitment@gmail.com for tips on skating, or to schedule a time to visit a practice!

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO JOIN?
Women over the age of 18 can join the Hellions of Troy as skaters for our teams. We welcome both men and women skaters and non-skaters to be players (women only), referees, coaches, and volunteers. Anyone is welcome to come and observe our practices before attending our recruitment events. All potential recruits must have basic skating skills before they can begin their initial roller derby training. “Basic skating skills” means that you can:

• Skate ten laps around our track without falling down
• Stop (without dragging your toestop)
• Do crossovers

Some of the other things we look for in potential skaters include:

• A positive attitude
• Basic knowledge of the sport (the Hellions play by the rules of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, which can be found on the WFTDA website at wftda.com)
• Time commitment

All of these skills will be explained and demonstrated at the recruitment events. Potential skaters are then free to practice on their own at local roller rinks during the week after the recruitment event (Guptill’s www.guptillsarena.com and Rollarama www.rollarama.com).Tryouts will be held one week after the recruitment event. During tryouts, you will be evaluated by our coaching staff to make sure you can perform these skills. We are not expecting you to be perfect- we just want to make sure you will be safe on the track and that you are prepared to play an aggressive sport. We will teach you everything about playing derby, as long as you are willing to give it your all and learn!

Once you join, you will be part of a “Fresh Meat” class comprised of all the new skaters who participated in the same recruitment event. After you pay your first monthly dues, you will receive your “Fresh Meat” name and begin your 3-month vesting period. During this time, you will receive training from out coaching staff, learn the rules of roller derby, and see how the league is run. After the 3-month period, you will submit your “derby name” and become eligible to be placed on a bout roster, as long as you pass the list of WFTDA minimum skills (which will be provided by our coaches).

WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED?
Every skater is required to wear a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, kneepads, mouth guard, and quad roller skates. Everything but the skates can be found at sports equipment stores, such as Dick’s Sporting Goods or Sports Authority. Before purchasing any gear, it is highly recommended that you discuss your options with experienced skaters! They can help you choose between different brands and styles, and tell you the best places to get skates and other equipment. There are also numerous online stores you can check out including Wicked Skatewear (http://wickedskatewear.com/) and Bruised Boutique (www.bruisedboutique.com).

WHAT IF I HAVEN’T SKATED SINCE SECOND GRADE? DO I NEED A BACKGROUND IN SKATING TO BE A ROLLERGIRL?
While some skaters on our team do have years of experience, most of us had not skated for decades (if at all) until we joined roller derby. Even those who have skating experience still need to learn how to skate “derby style”. We teach you everything about derby, from the basics of falling correctly to advanced skills (like whips!). But, we do ask that you build your skating abilities at the local rinks so that you are comfortable on skates before you join. Many Hellions skate locally at open skates, so look for us there!

HOW MUCH OF MY TIME WILL IT TAKE UP? WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH JOINING THE HELLIONS?
Roller derby is a big commitment, in terms of both money and time. In regards to financial cost, there are the initial costs which include your first month’s dues ($40), and USARS fee ($40 annually). Each skater must also purchase the equipment necessary to play derby: skates, pads, helmets, etc (see the last page of this packet for equipment suggestions). There are also continuous costs, which include equipment upgrades/replacements, travel to away bouts, and monthly dues payments ($40).

You will also invest a substantial amount of time in the league. You will be expected to attend practices on a regular basis (2-3 times a week), because your fellow skaters will depend on you to learn to play the game and work towards