WFTDA Bracket Contest Winner Mosh Spice

We caught up with Burning River Roller Girl alumnus Mosh Spice to ask her some questions about her big win in last year’s Bracket Contest and her recent trip to North Central Playoffs. Here’s what she had to say:

So, what exactly is the WFTDA bracket? Last year the WFTDA started a Bracket Contest to try to get fans more involved with the Regional Playoff Tournaments. Each Region’s Playoffs consist of the top ten from that Region, playing against each other to determine rankings. The top 3 from each Region will go to Championships. You can pick who you think will win each match up and earn points for each day’s bouts – 1pt for the first day, 2pts for the second, 3pts for the third – as the competition heats up the points go up.

Can any fan fill out a bracket with a chance to win? Yes! You do not need to be a skater or actively involved in a League to play the Brackets and be eligible for valuable prizes! You can win t-shirts and other merchandise for individual tournaments or the overall prize, which last year was a trip for two to this year’s Championships in Atlanta. Just go to http://wftda.com/tournaments/brackets and sign up. You can also look up other player’s brackets so you can trash talk and taunt your friends. 

I hear you didn’t win any regional brackets, were you surprised when you won the Championship bracket? I actually didn’t win ANY individual Tournament brackets – not even Championships. However, I had the highest score overall, and that’s how I won. So, you don’t want to give up after doing poorly in any tournaments. The point structure can save you. Keep playing because there is always a chance.

Did you structure your picks around who you wanted to win, who had been playing well last year, or did you have a super-secret strategy for picking the winning teams? I’m just a little obsessed with derby at that level so I watch a lot, read a lot, and follow the stats and players carefully. So, I can sort of guess who is going to win based on that. It’s hard though when it’s a team you love. Last year I really wanted Ohio Roller Girls and Rat City to go further in their tournaments so I was a little generous in picking them for wins.

Mosh Spice being interviewed on WFTDA.tv!

How did you do on your bracket at this years North Central Regionals (held in Niagara Falls, September 14-16, 2012)? Absolutely awful. Then again, so did everyone else. By the game between Madison’s Mad Rollin’ Dolls and Detroit (only Game 12) there was only one perfect bracket left and that guy had picked Madison to win. They lost. He did go on to win the Bracket overall though. That was the only game he missed. (Grrrr!) I was EXTREMELY thrilled to see Ohio Roller Girls do so well. Having the whole stadium chanting “O-HI-O” after they lost a hard-fought battle against Windy City was pretty thrilling. OHRG worked Windy City over pretty good. I was hoping they’d ruin my bracket in that game.

Were there any upsets at NC Regionals that really screwed up your picks?  Major upsets by Brewcity (from Milwaukee) and surprise losses by The Chicago Outfit caused everyone trouble. The Brewcity game against St. Louis’ Arch Rival was won by 3 points – basically in the last jam. That game sent a lot of bracket players down the tubes.

Do you plan on filling out a bracket for each region and Championships this year? Or are you going to let someone else win? I’m going to play but I don’t think I’ll do as well this year. The teams have really stepped up, there have been some big changes on some of the rosters and some long-standing powerhouses are looking a little weak. It’s a difficult year to try to pick winners. I don’t feel as confident in my picks as I did last year. But then, the pressure is on, isn’t it?!

When you found out you won the national bracket did you suddenly have everyone vying for that second ticket? Who are you taking? My two main BRRG competitors, Ivanna Destroya and Hidden Ajennda were vying for that 2nd ticket because we’d all worked on our brackets together but in the end I had to take my husband, David Feck’em. He doesn’t get many chances to watch derby for fun because of his Reffing Addiction.

We all know you have a big soft spot in your derby heart for Gotham and Suzy Hotrod. Do you think they’ll take the Hydra this year? I am wondering. Last year they were sleeping in oxygen tents and prepping for playing at Denver’s high altitude. This year they seem like they’re all traveling around a lot playing separately. I would LOVE to be there to see them win. I really need an autograph on my Limited Edition Suzy Hotrod print that I got for my birthday from The Killustrator and Hidden Ajennda. An autograph from a 3-time Hydra winner would be pretty cool. I could gaze at the autographed print while drinking out of my Suzy Hotrod coffee mug with my cat, also named Suzy Hotrod, curled up in my lap. Yeah, that’s one big soft spot for Hotrod and Gotham alright.

For anyone interested in trying their hand at the Bracket Contest, here’s that link again – http://wftda.com/tournaments/brackets

Recruitment Event: Watch a BRRG Practice!

 

Are you looking to add some excitement and exercise to your routine? Are you looking for new friendships general do-goodery opportunities? Have you ever wondered if you can play roller derby?

This is a great place to start answering all those questions (and give you more to think about)! We are inviting women 18 years of age and older to come out and watch a practice. See what our league members do and what our practices are all about! Recruiting Director Soul Eater will be there to answer any questions about practice or joining the BRRG. This is only to watch, so no gear required. (We cannot allow you to skate with us, sadly, as league practice is only available to league members that skate under our league insurance.)

Date: Sunday 10/7/12
Time: 10 am to noon
Where: Pla-Mor Skating Rink
Street: 2246 Shore Center
City: Euclid, OH
Afterwards we will head to Paradise Bar and Restaurant for lunch and drinks.

For more details about joining the Burning River Roller Girls, please email recruiting@burningriverrollergirls.com

BRRG out and about

This was quite a busy weekend for the Burning River Roller Girls community.

First, several skaters attended the Race for the Cure opening ceremonies, while several skaters, refs, and NSO’s visited Niagara Falls to watch (and in some cases NSO for) the North Central Regional Playoffs!!!

 
For the past 2 years, Burning River Roller Girls has participated in opening ceremonies for the Cleveland Race for the Cure. We have found it to be a deeply moving way to honor the lives of breast cancer survivors and the memories of friends and family who have been lost to breast cancer. This year, we will be continuing our tradition of participating in the opening ceremonies of the Cleveland Race for the Cure.

BRRG values the perspectives of all women in our league, which includes a diversity of political viewpoints. While we encourage our skaters to be involved in their communities, as an organization, we remain neutral on topics of politics and ideology. Within the past year, there has been much discussion surrounding Susan G. Komen For the Cure’s financial support of Planned Parenthood. We recognize that our skaters and supporters may have strong feelings about this controversy. Our decision to participate in this year’s Cleveland Race for the Cure is not an endorsement of any political viewpoint but is intended as a message of support to those who have been affected by breast cancer.

If you have questions or comments about BRRG’s involvement in the Cleveland Race for the Cure, please feel free to contact our PR department at  pr@burningriverrollergirls.com.

Now onto the playoffs.  See how much fun these skaters are having?!!  Check out the WFTDA page on the Thrill of the Spill!                                                                                                                            

No worries – our skaters are safe and sound!!!  They just had a lot of fun!!!

Zebras and Roller Derby

Anyone out there interested in becoming a referee or non-skating official for BRRG?  Well, you are in luck!  Here are the details.   Also – ignore the beautiful skaters in this slideshow and focus on those in the black and white stripes and those standing on the inner ring of the track.  They are the ones who matter in this post!

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For referees:

This is a skating position, you will be expected to attend regular league practices and become a competent skater. Current policies are that you attend 4 practices a month (once a week), the monthly league meeting, and all scrimmages you can.

Practice times:

Sunday 10-noon

Wednesday evening 7:30-9:30

Thursday evening 6:30-8:30

Scrimmages would be a couple times a month during one of these practice times. You will also be required to attend league meetings which happen on
Gear:

quad skates or inline skates of a quality fit for regular athletic practice,

a helmet

knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and a pea-less whistle (Fox 40 recommended).

A mouth guard is also recommended if you want to get the full benefit from practice.

Primary health insurance is a requirement to practice with the league as well as purchase the leagues secondary insurance which is around $50 per year. We also require a copy of your identification and to have a signed waiver and medical form on file with us.
For non-skating officials:

These positions are the awesome people that assist with the running of a bout: scorekeepers, penalty trackers, and a host of other jobs that people who love sports statistics enjoy. We will have a crew that will be trained to handle the primary positions required that will need to attend the scrimmages mentioned above as well as the league meeting and a secondary crew of stats people for the bouts only. No other equipment is required, just your time and effort.

You can also read up on life as a non-skating official here.

Those interested should email headref@burningriverrollergirls.com