Skater of the Month! C-Murder #86

C-Murder first made her way from Greeley, Colorado in 2009 to attend HSU. She has a degree in Child Development with a minor in Art and currently works at Garfield Elementary School. In the past she has worked at Freshwater School and Jack’s Seafood. Besides derby, she played Ultimate Frisbee throughout college and still loves to play in her free time!

C is one of the most patient, caring people we have met! She speaks with a calm demeanor and powerful attitude. Her stance is fierce and has a hit that will sends jammers flying!

Her favorite position is pivot, for the reason of psyching out the other packs, and being able to switch between jamming and blocking. Murder is also the captain and bench coach for our North Jetty Bettys. She not only cares for our teammates, but mothers baby chicks and ducklings (and possibly a turkey) in her backyard!

Murder first heard about HRD from one of our past skaters, Ole Chole, who she met through a good friend. Once school was done, she decided to take the leap into our training camp! Excelling quickly, she soon after had her first bout in March 2015.

Her favorite part about HRD is the family we have created on and off the track. She enjoys that we empower one another to be the best that we can and keeps coming back for the love of the game and overall community of the sport. She is a big part of that community, and always does her part in caring for her league.

Murder began derby with the hopes of challenging herself to the sport and stepping out of her comfort zone with playing in front of an audience, which she has clearly done!

Thank you for sticking with us, Murder!! We love you!

Volunteer of the month – Rollin’ Numbuzz

HRD takes pride in introducing our volunteer of the month, Rollin’ Numbuzz. Rollin’ is the head of HRD’s Treasury Department where she oversees 8 assistant treasurers. This group takes care of sponsorships, bills, dues, inventory, banking, keeping our books balanced and up to date, and so much more! A keen eye may even catch Numbuzz out on the track, participating in our training camp! In addition to being the mother of the lovely and talented Redwood Roller Luna Lovebad, Numbuzz is also the chief number cruncher for Stimson Small Business Services, one of our much appreciated local sponsors!

Thank you for sharing your talent and hard work to keep HRD rollin, Rollin’!! We’re so very lucky to have you as part of our crew!

Skater of the Month! Tone Cold #316

Roller derby was love at first sight for Tone as she watched the Sin City Rollers skate around her town, and for us it was too when we she decided to join our team! Tone is a very talented skater, and an overall sweetheart. Some of what she brings to the table is her athletic skills from years playing soccer, softball and volleyball. Her main position is blocker, but she enjoys being a pivot as well. She is persistent and dedicated to finding new ways to improve her skills, not to mention helping others improve theirs!

She was a Widow Maker most of her derby life, beginning in 2013, and now skates with the Redwood Rollers! Her first game was in 2013, and skated in the Spud Town Knockdown tournament in Boise, Idaho, of that year. She injured her knee in 2014, and took a break from derby to heal, returning in 2015 to skate her first game post-injury in August 2015.

Tone moved to Humboldt in 2010 from Las Vegas, where she grew up, to see what life was all about out here behind the Redwood Curtain. She spent time in Eugene, Oregon, and enjoyed a beautiful time in Montana for a summer as well. She’s worked everywhere from Italian fine dining to taco shops, and as a waitress and bartender for many years.

Tone is well on her way to becoming an RN, and will be moving back to Vegas this summer to attend a nursing program. No wonder her advice and encouragement uplift us from our doubts and worries! (We’re going to miss you, lady!!)

Her dream is to become a traveling nurse, and do emergency relief and education in third world countries. Tone has the experience, already having travelled and worked as a volunteer in Central America, Southeast Asia and Hawaii. She’s a healer at heart! In her time outside of derby, just to keep her healing chops up, she volunteers her time at St. Joe’s Hospital. She and her baby, Weechee the shiatzu hike, travel and adventure as much as possible.

Tone’s love of roller derby shows through her dedication to the team, even after recently re-injuring her knee. She’s healing quickly, and still has plans for her derby future, all the while helping others with their skills and confidence from a non-skating position. She recently organized a local concussion test for our skaters to attend in case of injury!

Tone didn’t think the skills she’s learned from roller derby were possible, and has gained more confidence, purpose and passion in life since joining. We’re so thankful to have such a talented, dedicated member of our league! Thank you Tone!!

Volunteer of the Month – Justin Nadigoo, aka Sassy Sasquatch!

Our volunteer of the month is the man behind the suit, Justin Nadigoo, aka Sassy Sasquatch!

Justin was introduced to the idea of mascotting for HRD at Praxis Fitness, by one of our 5 coaches, Cici. He first began sassying it up in January 2015, and soon after met his lovely (badass) girlfriend, one of our very own skaters, I’ma Slaya! He has attended every game since 2015, including many community pr events.

Besides making people happy with the entertainment of Sassy, Justin always has a smile on his face that will brighten up anyone’s day!

Justin moved to Humboldt in 2000 from San Fernando Valley to attend HSU, where he graduated with a degree in studio art. After owning his own business in the Bayshore Mall, he also helped start Humboldt Motor Sports!

As you might already be able to tell by Sassy’s saucy moves, Justin is a salsa dancer, and serves on the USA Dance board of directors. In his free time, Justin is not only a dancer, but a surfer too!

We appreciate you keeping our spirits high, and smiles on our faces even while being thrown to the ground!!

Skater of the Month, Meowlotov #16!

Meow began skating with us in 2014, after attending nearly every HRD game for 4 years. She joined level one training camp a week after her birthday in July of 2014. With determination and strength, she made the team in December of the very same year, making derby a 25th birthday present to herself! About six months before beginning level one, she took up skating, not having worn a pair of skates since she was a child. Her first game was was against Southern Oregon Roller Girls in March 2015.

Meow is a sweetie, which makes it even more surprising when she boulders through the pack as a jammer with such strength and persistence! Complete chaos breaks loose when trying to keep our walls solid and in tact while trying to hold her back.

Blocking is her favorite position, though she enjoys taking pivot status to challenge herself to the balance of both jamming and blocking.

Meow is a local, originally from Mckinleyville and now resides in Arcata. She attends every Humboldt Crabs game that doesn’t interfere with a bout or practice, and enjoys watching Giants baseball. She briefly lived in their hometown, while attending San Francisco State University.

Before making it back to Humboldt County, she lived in Portland, Oregon as well.

We’re so thankful she’s here and has become a part of HRD!!

Meow loves derby because being a part of a team and using the aggression that was frowned upon when she played soccer as a kid is liberating. Derby has shown her that she’s stronger mentally and physically than she thought she ever was, and loves the solidarity that HRD provides. She tore a ligament in her ankle while in training camp and had it surgically repaired this past November, along with a minor knee injury in the beginning of our 2015 season that kept her off skates for 2 weeks. She’s healing quickly and will be back on skates soon! (We’re so excited!!) Nothing can keep her away, and it’s inspiring to see such strength and determination from one person.

She does a wide variety of behind-the-scene work for HRD, and is a big part of keeping our league running smoothly.

Meow is a classy lady from head to toe! You may even see her bench coaching the North Jetty Bettys during our display games against the Widow Makers. Her mother, Sue Nami and boyfriend are also volunteers with HRD.

Outside of derby, Meow is the assistant to a nurse practitioner, and in the past was a bread shaper at an artisan bakery and a pesto/hummus maker. She loves being in the garden, running, traveling, spending her time at the beach and is a cat mom, to two lucky kitties, Junebug and Otis!

Thank you Meow for all of the work you do for HRD and being such a strong, supportive teammate!!

Skater of the Month! Jesstroyer #64

Jesstroyer is a true rock in our league. She has wits, a lovely heart and a great attitude. Her journey to Humboldt County from Berkeley began in 1997, where she graduated with a degree in Recreation Administration and soon after made her way to Alaska to work as a river guide for five years. She spent her time on the river in the summer, and in the mountains in the winter.

Before we got our Jesstroyer, she journeyed through other places such as Colorado, Texas, Oregon and full circle back to little Humboldt County next to the sea to start a family.

She not only is a mother of the cutest little tot Jackson, that you may see running up to her during her penalty box times to give her kisses, she’s on her second season with the HRD family.

This isn’t her first time on a derby league! She started out in Oregon with the Gorge Roller Girls, and after just three months of playing (and learning to skate) had her first bout against the Hermiston Melon Smashers. She was hooked! A few months later, she joined HRD boot camp, and we’re so happy to have snatched this talented lady up. The reason she joined derby in the first place was because she missed playing team sports that she grew up with like soccer, track and field, softball, and rugby, where her sportsmanship shines through!

Her favorite position is blocking, where she’s always focused and one step ahead of the game, tossing jammers to the ground, tumbling out of bounds! Once they’re back around the track, she’ll already be guiding her pack through the next challenge.

It’s always lucky to score her as a blocker!

Besides the job of being a mother, she has also worked as a bakery manager, baker, lift operations supervisor, burrito maker, house keeper, mountain host/shuttle driver, construction worker, vegan jerky maker, natural foods clerk, and ski school photographer and on top of all of that, she’s great at crafts!

Jess also stepped up this season and worked behind the scenes on sponsorship tasks that called for a load of dedication and time.

HRD is proud to have such a talented and strong teammate on and off the track!! Thank you Jesstroyer for all of your hard work and dedication!

Skater of the Month! 2 Legit # 222

This southern Cali girl is a caring, hard working, and understanding part of the HRD family. Her teammates call her legs cause she’s got an awesome set and knows how to use them to her advantage on the track. Her long and strong legs aren’t the only advantage she has though, her determination and overall strength have helped her rise to the place she is today. Legs played her first game in January of 2015, and by the end of the season she had made the roster for one of our A team games. A feat which is rare for most skaters in HRD.

Legs first strapped on a pair of plastic Playschool skates before the age of 3. She continued skating in her tweens with an oh so cool pair of rollerblades. She got back to the quads when she first joined HRDs training camp in 2013. After getting married to her awesome husband, Legs took a break from the crazy derby world, and returned to make the team in July 2014. All of her previous experience on skates is very apparent to her coaches and teammates. Legs is able to progress faster than most, and looks like having 8 wheels beneath her comes naturally.

Off the track, Legs is just as dedicated and awesome of a person as she is on. She spends most of her time being a mother, homemaker, baker, artist, and athlete. She also has a part time job making the most awesome vegan jerky. A bunny, a saint bernard, and a mastiff are all a part of her lucky family. Legs daughter, Riptide is a very talented skater in our Saplings program. Like her mother, she seems to be a natural on skates, and progresses very quickly. Legs and Riptide both skated their first games the same night in a double header hosted by HRD. It was a very proud moment for both mother and daughter.

“We work so hard physically and mentally; trying to keep ourselves agile and strong, together and doing the jobs to keep this league running and make a successful and positive impact on our community. We inspire other women and girls and we give back so much. It fills my heart with pride when I think of my sisters, that’s what I call them, of HRD. A huge group of talented, passionate, caring, women and I get to be part of that.” -Great words from Legs!

Legs is such a great sister in the HRD family, and is appreciated by all. Her nurturing spirit is valued by her teammates on and off the track. Her unwavering determination to be great is beneficial to everyone in the league. We are all lucky to have such an awesome woman in our lives and on our team. Legs, you are loved and treasured by your fellow sisters, and we look forward to many more years making memories with you on and off the track.

Skater of the Month! Haught Baux #420

Humboldt Roller Derby first experienced this Haught Baux back in 2010. After going through about 8 months of training camp, she made it onto the Widow Maker’s roster just in time to travel to Eugene to play in her very first derby bout. Shortly after, Haught Baux got hit hard with the nine month injury. She had to hang up her skates in exchange for lamaze and prenatal yoga. After bouncing back from the pain and discomfort of pregnancy and labour, this mother of two was ready to get back into the game. Haught Baux moved quickly through our training camp this time, and made it back onto the team to compete in our 2015 season.

This woman’s determination and love of the sport is apparent to all of her teammates. Haught Baux comes an hour early to practice almost every day and skates hard to improve her skills on the track. This has paid off for her as well as her teammates. After playing a few games with the Widow Makers the coaches noticed her rapidly improving talents, and moved her up to play with the Redwood Rollers. Her jammer skills have been an asset to the Rollers, and have helped to secure our last two home game wins. She was voted by her teammates as the most valuable jammer on the Widow Makers for the 2015 season.

Haught Baux is not only a mother to her two boys, she is also like the team mother to the 40 plus members of HRD. She has a caring personality and the desire to heal others comes naturally to her. This is probably why she decided to attend massage school in 1998, and currently works as a massage therapist at Soul to Soul spa in Arcata. After an alarming fire in her home in 1999 Haught Baux decided to help others by becoming an EMT. She attended the New Mexico State Fire Academy in 2001, as well as paramedic school in 2003. Her desire to help others and for more education has led her to CR where she is completing her prerequisite for the paramedic to RN program. Even though Haught Baux is not currently working as an EMT or paramedic, she is always the first on the scene when there is an injury at practice.

HRD is lucky to have such a caring teammate and dedicated skater. She has a great attitude on the track, and is always encouraging to others. Haught Baux is always looking out for her teammates on and off the track. We love her enthusiasm, and hope she will be with us for many years to come!

 

 

 

 

Volunteer Spotlight! Saplings Coordinators & Coaches

 

The Saplings program started with Founding skater Thunder Muffin, aka Whitney Wirt. She created and began coaching for the Saplings in 2009. Thank you for creating such an inspiring and strong program! Many of us wish we had something so amazing when we were young!!

Sissy Junior is one of the many skaters who has taken part in leading the Saplings program over the years and is finally back skating with HRD!

Knotty Vinter and Momma Popper, parents of Sapling turned coach Snap Crackle Popper, and Dr. Mullet, dad of Insania, are all amazing parent coordinators.  Knotty and Dr. Mullet are also a part on the Board of Directors; they’re at every bout, from setup to cleanup. Thank you for all of your dedication and hard work!!

Tiffany Reynolds, mom of Saplings Predatori and Hail Storm, began with the leadership and coaching of the Saplings program in 2014. Current and past skaters such as Connie Bon-Bons, Zombie Stardust, Harley San Quenntin, Tenacious C, and Screaming Mimi, and Castastrophe, also help coach the Saplings.

Stef Leppard, the Saplings Officials coordinator became interested in volunteering in 2009, inspired by her daughter, a graduated Sapling. Will Tillit , dad of B-Crazy, and Denise Witte, mother of Natural Disaster, are parent volunteers who have been trained in multiple NSO positions and volunteer for both Sapling and HRD bouts.

We also want to thank Bill Reynolds our Saplings EMT, dad of Predatori and Hail Storm and husband of Coach Tiff! Not only is he there for the Saplings in keeping them safe, but the Battalion Chief for Humboldt Bay Fire District.

Thank you all for being such a big part of the team!

The Sapling’s fall skate skills class will begin in late September and is now accepting sign ups.  If you know a girl aged 7-17 who may want to be a part of the Sapling’s family, check out http://humboldtrollerderby.com/how-join  or email saplings@humboldtrollerderby.com for more information.

 

 

Humboldt Roller Derby Double Header! 8/8/2015

WHAT: Final Game of 2015! Double Header!

HRD Widow Makers Vs The Damned and HRD Redwood Rollers Vs The Undead Bettys

WHERE: Redwood Acres Fairgrounds

WHEN: Saturday, August 8th, 2015 

Doors open at 5pm, First whistle at 6pm ~ Second Game at 7:30 ish

 

On August 8th, Humboldt Roller Derby will be hosting the seventh and final game of the 2015 season at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in Eureka.  HRD’s Widow Makers & Redwood Rollers will be taking on the The Damned and The Undead Bettys in a double header! The visiting team will be traveling from Contra Costa to behind the Redwood Curtain to see just how strong the Redwood Rollers can be.

This is a Bonus Game and all season passes will be valid for entry.

Humboldt Roller Derby events are truly a sporting spectacle like none you have ever seen before.  The strength, agility and athletic prowess of these ladies is sure to knock your socks off.  This is the final game of Humboldt Roller Derby’s 8th season and they are ready to tear up the track.  Come on out and cheer them on! They are Humboldt and they are Redwood Strong!

The doors open at 5p.m. and the first whistle is at 6p.m.  The second game will begin around 7:30.  Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.  Buy your tickets online at humboldtrollerderby.com or locally at Wildberries Marketplace, People’s Records, S.T.I.L., and The Works.   This is a family friendly event, and children under 10 are always free.

Did you hear we were always sold out?  Don’t worry, we will hold some tickets for all y’all last minute planners at the gate.  And Come hungry because we are serving up pizza from Paul’s Live from New York, burritos from Carmela’s and tasty microbrews.

Humboldt Roller Derby is committed to promoting Athletics, Empowerment, and Community here in Humboldt County.  If you would like to learn more about Humboldt Roller Derby and our athletic programs, please visit humboldtrollerderby.com.