January 8th: Quad City Rollers Mixer Featuring Four Iowa Teams

The RiverCenter is located here...

MIR's Vyolent GriMm, Sin D. Rolla and Fanny Firestarter's Video Interview From DSM Business Journal

"We put our entire life lives into it, but we do it for free." -Fanny Firestarter, Mid Iowa Rollers.

And that is why Woman's Flat Track Roller Derby is the only sport that matters.

IRDD Covergirl Of The Month, January 2011: Lady Bowser of the Muddy River Nightmare

Real Name: Kaelee Bousman
Derby Name: Lady Bowzer
Team: The Muddy River Nightmares
Position: Jammer/Occasional Blocker
Age: 20
Current Town: Clinton, Iowa.
Hometown: Clinton Iowa.
College: Clinton Community College 2nd year (Elementary Education)
Family: Ed (Boyfriend), Margo (Mama), Troy (Dad), Sandy (My amazing Grandma), Matt and Josh (Older Brothers), Sierra (Baby sister), and Gir and Boo (My cats)
Employment: DM Services!


Were you athletic growing up? I’ve been involved in some sort of sport since I was 7 or 8 years old. I’ve played softball (7 to 18 years old), Basketball (middle school), Volleyball (Middle school), ran track (Middle school through senior year) and I ran cross country (All 4 years of High School). I also started bowling when I was 5 or 6 years old (if you would count that as a sport)

How did you get involved in Roller Derby? I heard about a team in Clinton when I was 17, obviously too young to play and still in high school, From the first time I heard about it I thought it would be so cool to play such a badass sport. The following June after I had turned 18 and began dating my boyfriend Ed, his sister Brandi was on the derby team after hearing stories and seeing the bruises, I had to try it out. She invited me to come to practice with her and from that day on I was hooked!

Describe the first time you practiced with a derby team? My first ever practice (actually hitting and what not) was so nerve racking I thought I was going to puke. I was so excited to learn more about this sport but nervous because I knew it was an aggressive/hard hitting sport and I did not want to get hurt. My first practice I was asked by the team captain at the time (Prrrfect Disaster) to try jamming, which I was totally against doing at the time. She finally talked me into trying and that’s been my main position from then on.

How has derby impacted your life? Derby has impacted my life in so many ways; it is a release for me, a way to express myself. Before I joined the derby team, I did not have many female friends, and it has been awesome to meet so many women from all different walks of life, and have something so amazing in common. I have gained a second family in the girls on my team, I’ve also gained great friends from other derby teams. Derby has also taught me that there are many different forms of beauty and that no matter what size or shape you are, you are beautiful and strong! Derby has made me into a stronger and better human being.

What is your favorite aspect of Derby? There are so many aspects of this sport that I absolutely love.
I love the fact that it is a team sport! I would not get anywhere in that pack if it was not for my blockers. I love the fact that I have 10+ women that I can look to for advice and support on and off the track. I love the fact that it is such a competitive sport, but after the bout is over the 2 teams are like sisters, we have a good time together. The screaming of the fans when something exciting happens, and having little girls come up to me and tell me they want to be a derby girl when they get older.

Least favorite? Injuries, I don’t want to get hurt, and don’t want to see any of my teammates hurt, but it is the risk we take to do what we love.

What are your goals for your team this season or next season? My goals for the team, is to just keep working hard and to keep improving. We have come so far in a short amount of time and it is so exciting to be a part of something so amazing. Since we are a relatively new team I can speak for everyone on the team when I say that we want to get our name out there more, and to have more and more people know who we are. There are great things in The Nightmares future and am so glad to be here for it. We’ve only just begun! Sleep with an eye open cause the Muddy River Nightmares are coming!

Mid Iowa Rollers Profiled In Business Record

Mid Iowa Rollers profiled in the latest Business Journal.

January 15th: Sioux City Roller Dames vs. Sioux Falls Killa Beez!

Long Lines Family Rec Center is located here...

Just Released MIR Recruitment Video

The Mid Iowa Rollers have released this informative recruitment video...

SCRD's Sum Mo Payne Writes of the New Men's Roller Derby Team, The Sioux City Korn Stalkers

Sioux City Roller Dames' Sum Mo Payne proves there’s a brain under all that helmet with her article on our brand-spankin-new merby team! She is the author of this piece.

Korn Stalkers founder, Rodney Residorph, known on his skates as “The Rodster”, has long been working on getting a men’s team started and in October of this year his dream came true. With great success the Korn Stalkers had their first practice Tuesday, December 6.

“It’s like American football with half the pads and on roller skates,” says The Rodster.

Roller derby is a contact sport played on quad roller skates on any flat smooth surface. A roller derby game is called a bout, and a bout lasts a total of one hour, broken up into a series of two-minute periods called jams. There are five players from each team on the track at one time. Each team has one jammer, who wears a star on their helmet, and four blockers. The jammer has the power to score points by legally passing opposing players. He/she is also able to call off the jam before the two-minute period expires. A jammer does this by repeatedly putting his hands on his hips.

“Mens roller derby consist of hard hits and fast packs,” says Korn Stalker ref Libby “PBR” Claeys, who is also an active player with the Roller Dames.

The Rodster and Joey Profera (AKA Skitch) came into the world of roller derby as refs for the Sioux City Roller Dames. This insight into the rules as a ref gives them a leg up on the track when playing men’s roller derby.

“We are just as awesome as women’s roller derby, but twice as hairy,” says Skitch.

There are many different reasons that people play roller derby: to stay physically fit, for competitiveness, and to just plain have fun and skate.

“We are going to put a whole new spin on derby and show everyone how fun this sport is,” says Skitch.

The Korn Stalkers are looking for men of all shapes and sizes. Roller derby is not just about bashing into other people on your skates, it is about fun, traveling and most importantly brotherhood. The Korn Stalkers are recruiting players, refs, non-skating officials, and volunteers. If you are interested, contact them at kornstalkers@hotmail.com

Recapping The Dakota City Mixer

Article from The Messenger here.

Videos Courtesy of MIR Camera Crew"

Part One:


Part Two:


Part Three:


Part Four:

When People Try To "Liven Up" Roller Derby

This is what happens.

Roller Derby Game Coming To WiiWare: Looks Like It Sucks.

I haven't seen the game yet, but I've read this article. I'm wondering why suits in the entertainment business always feel the need to "make" roller derby more exciting. Isn't it exciting enough as it is? Why then does Nintendo Wii thinks it needs to make our beloved sport look like Mario Kart with its Oh "secret shortcuts and power-ups all included to liven things up."?

Oh and it's WFTDA approved.

Maybe I am making a mountain out of a molehill, but would Major League Baseball allow the video game of their sport be "livened up" with trapped doors in the outfield or fastballs that explode when the video game batter connects?

I think we should pause and ask ourselves this: if WFTDA is willing to compromise the integrity of the sport to get a video game on the market, what are they willing to compromise to get TV coverage on ESPN or Fox Sports?

I realize that many will think this is great because it gets recognition for the sport, but if this is the end result, as a fan, I'll pass.

December 18th: Sioux City Roller Dames In Mixer In Norfolk, NE

The Sioux City Roller Dames will be among five teams participating in the "Season's Beatings" mixer hosted by the Norfolk Bruzin Betty's at 6:30 p.m. December 18th at Divots, 4200 W Norfolk Ave in Norfolk, NE.

Other teams featured at the event will be the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz, The Aces N Sk8s from Lead, SD and The Rushmore Rollers from Rapid City SD.

Halftime will feature a Co-Ed Scrimmage featuring the new men's derby team, the Sioux City Kornstalkers.

Tickets are $6 but you can save a dollar by bringing a can of dry goods for the food drive and save $1 on admission. Santa Claus will also be there for the kids. Doors open at 5:30

Divots is located here:

December 11: Mixer In Rock Island Featuring Cedar Rapids Rollergirls and the Old Capitol City Roller Girls

QCCA Center Is Located Here...


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Saturday Night: MIR, Cedar Valley and Dakota City In Benefit Scrimmage

A glimpse of the established and the up-and-coming await those attending a scrimmage featuring the Mid Iowa Rollers, undefeated in 2010, the Cedar Valley Derby Divas (Waterloo-Cedar Falls), who's season begins in February, and the Dakota City Demolition Crew (Humboldt-Dakota City) in Dakota City, Saturday night.

The event begins at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Roller Country Skating Rink, 403 Main Street, in Dakota City. Admission is $5 and goes towards the families of two convenience store workers who were shot.

While a couple of Cedar Valley Derby Divas (Wackadoo and Desmo DestroyHer) bouted with the Muddy River Nightmare against the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls: Bombshell Cartel) it is unknown to this blog whether Humboldt has officially sent a girl out to bout. This scrimmage will also be the first public bouting for the Mid Iowa Rollers since July.

Roller Country Skating Rink is located here...