Bazooka Joe: Top Best and Worst Things about Northampton

Name: Bazooka Joe
Hometown: Weymouth, Mass.
Derby number: 49
Team: Dirty Dozen

Top 5 best things about Northampton:

1. Liberal atmosphere
2. Eclectic locals
3. Exotic restaurants
4. Quaint downtown
5. Pedestrian-friendly streets

Top 5 worst things about Northampton:

1. Liberal atmosphere
2. Eclectic locals
3. Exotic restaurants
4. Quaint downtown
5. Pedestrian-friendly streets

My idea of a perfect derby day is to play a game without worrying about production.

My goals for this season are to have 1,500 people at each bout.

If the Hot Chocolate Run Finish Line was a Movie…

When they’re not perfecting their moves in practice or zooming around opponents in a bout, PVRD skaters look for opportunities to give back to the community.

For the past couple of years, the league has volunteered to hand out mugs to participants at the annual Hot Chocolate Run for Safe Passage, a benefit for a local shelter. This year, over 5,000 people—including some PVRDers—completed the 5K run and a 2 mile walk through downtown Northampton.

Skaters described the event as “a good cause” and “absolutely inspirational.” (See an interview of a couple of PVRDers on WWLP 22 and a gallery of photos from the day.)

What would the movie version of the volunteer effort look like? Take a look below to see one possible trailer option.

Meet the 2012 Board of Directors

In the annual changing of the guard, Pioneer Valley Roller Derby members elected a new board of directors on December 12.

The new board members range from skaters who’ve been with PVRD since the beginning to skaters with less than a season under their belts; from a head ref with a flair for pastries to a yarn-loving treasurer; from a critical care nurse captain to a social media manager.

So, just who are the league representatives this year?

Introducing the New Ask the Team Column

Lego derby by Bazooka Joe

It’s a common problem in roller derby. You’re into the sport—as a fan, an official or a player—and have a burning question. Who do you ask? Around the Bunker, there’s a simple answer: You ask other skaters.

As PVRDers gear up for practice, they often gather group wisdom on such topics as “What pads work best for you?” “How do those new gaskets feel?” “Where did you get those laces with bats on them?” “How much do nylon wheel nuts really cost?” and “Is it true that Honey Badger has strap-on mini-rockets for her skates?”

In the spirit of  such information sharing, the PVRD web team is pleased to introduce our new “Ask the Team” column. Every two weeks, we’ll select a particular question and post it on a whiteboard in our practice space. Skaters then have two weeks to add their answers. All of that collective knowledge then goes up on the blog for your reading pleasure.

Have a question you’ve always wanted to ask? Include it in a comment below!

What are your favorite wheels for skate court?

Roller Derby World Cup: A French-American Derby Adventure

Router Girl for Team France

By Router Girl

It’s still hard for me to believe that in about a week I leave for Toronto to join Team France and play in the first ever Roller Derby World Cup!

In fact, Team France will be playing the opening game of the world cup against Team Canada on Thursday, December 1st. We then play against Brazil and Sweden on Friday. After that we’ll see what the rankings bring…

Check out the bout schedule, player profiles and other Team France links in this handy PDF.

Thirteen countries are represented at the world cup: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden and the U.S.A.

There are many people to credit for how I found my way to Team France.

Bazooka Joe #49

Age: 35

Hometown: Weymouth, Mass.

PVRD team: Dirty Dozen
 

Bazooka Joe has a soft spot in his heart for any variation on the weaving drill: “Aside from being just plain fun, it was the first organized drill we attempted way back in the days when we were “practicing” at open skate sessions at local rinks.” (He also loves the channel drill).

Given the chance, Bazooka would change bouts from the  two periods of 30 minutes each to a structure with three periods of 20 minutes or even four periods of 15 minutes. “I think 30 minute periods are bad for the audience,” Bazooka says. “No popular sport in America has periods longer than 20 minutes.”

Bazooka is in training to get on the official Guinness recognized list of video game high scores for the 1982 game Moon Patrol. (No, seriously, he is.)

When people ask him why he plays roller derby, Bazooka responds “Why wouldn’t I?”

Find out where you can see Bazooka Joe in a bout or give him a big hello on Facebook.