April 12-14 – Flat Track Fever at the Olympic Oval! June 8 – Double Header 1 July 6 – Double Header 2 August 10 – Double Header 3 August 24 – Double Header 4
Featuring women’s, men’s, co-ed, and junior derby!
This season we are pleased to have the Acadia Recreation Complex (240 90 Avenue Southeast, Calgary) as our home venue. Save the dates and stay tuned for more information on opponents, entertainment, tickets, and after-parties!
Glenmore Reservoir Dogs: Poppa Chubby
Name: Cal Jesky aka Poppa Chubby Number: 7 1/2 Position: Skilled in all positions, but this is a derby questionnaire, so I mostly play pivot or blocker. I do jam on occasion as well. Age: My body reminds me I’m 41 but my mind tells me I’m in my twenties!
“Was that as good for you as it was for me?”
Off the track, he’s a doddering old man. On the track, Poppa Chubby laughs while he lays you out. A gifted blocker, this agile menace brings hard hits, booty blocks, and smart strategy against his opponents. Poppa Chubby is one of the Dogs’ most dangerous veterans.
How did you get involved with roller derby? A friend was always inviting me out to Lloyd’s Roller Rink. So I dusted off the old suede roller skates that I’ve had since I was 15 and went skating. He approached me after and said that I never told him I could skate. He then told me about roller derby and the men’s team.
What do you love about the sport? What’s not to love about the sport? Amazing people, great times and a physical challenge.
How long have you been playing? I have been playing for almost 2 years.
Did you have any athletic experience before roller derby? Back in the day when it got too cold for chariot races I would strap on the blades and play hockey.
What do you do for a living? I am the owner of CJ’s Towing here in Calgary. Seriously, people go break your vehicles. I need new plates for my skates!
Tell us a little bit about your derby name. It has a nice double meaning. It came about one night while hanging out with some great derby people. They were teasing me about being old and I was saying I’m too chubby to play derby. Thus Poppa Chubby was born. I’ll leave it up to you, dear reader, to figure out the other meaning.
What’s it like to be a Glenmore Reservoir Dog? Take all of your emotions, throw them into a blender and leave the lid off. Fire that thing up and on any given day all of them will fly out. Really, it’s amazing. Every guy brings something unique to the team. Bradass and Riceball with amazing jamming skills. Flustercluck with his small stature but amazing heart and drive. Hollywood, Dev Null and Buttons with punishing hits. The rest of the guys who never give up always inspire me to step up my game.
Do you have a derby hero? My son, Skin and Bones. Watching him evolve and grow as a player into a future leader of the sport is a privilege.
What are your strengths as a player? The amazing La Hussy Endya describes it as “tiny wide”. I am pretty good at getting in front of jammers and making myself as wide as possible to give my line mates a chance to engage the jammer.
What skills are you working on right now? All of them. Balance, agility, speed, endurance and most of all patience.
How do you like to prepare for a bout? For legal reasons my agent has advised me to go with this standard answer: I relax and focus on the goals I have set out for that bout.
If you had to describe your style of play using one song, which song would it be? Cocaine Blues by Johnny Cash. Wild and crazy at the start. Manage to shoot down the jammer but always seem to get caught by the law!
What advice would you give to someone considering roller derby? Go to Lloyd’s on a Wednesday night. Skate with derby people and ask questions. Have fun. Go to Nerd Skates and get your gear. Come to our Fresh Meat practices and fall in love with our family. Play derby.
Want to block, jump and jive like Poppa Chubby? Give roller derby a try! Check out our website to get involved!
No skater profile this week, but here are some photos of the Glenmore Reservoir Dogs playing the River City Riot!
Grate Scot is back from the future with a big bag of derby tricks. He’s a man with a plan, always looking at the game with a cool strategic eye. When Grate Scot is on the track, his teammates receive a +1 morale bonus from his ability to inspire courage.
How did you get involved with roller derby? My roommate, who plays for the Reservoir Dogs, invited me to a women’s game. I knew after the first jam that I wanted to play, and the rest is history in the making.
How long have you been playing? Since January 2012.
What do you love about the sport? The camaraderie, derby community, skating, game strategy, after parties, travel and the awesome ridiculousness of it all.
Did you have any athletic experience before roller derby? As a teenager I played soccer, baseball, and basketball. As an adult I play roller derby.
What do you do for a living? It would be cool to say I’m a full time derby bum, like some peeps I know, but during the day I’m working for the man as a Network Analyst.
Tell us a little bit about your derby name. It was given to me by the boys and girls of CCRD.
What’s it like to be a Glenmore Reservoir Dog? It’s fun, haha!!! Seriously though, I’m still trying to figure out what it’s like to be a guy in roller derby.
Do you have a derby hero? No heroes, but I think we are all superstars.
What are your strengths as a player? I find that staying mentally relaxed allows me better focus on what I’m doing.
What skills are you working on right now? Team communication and quicker response times in regards to offensive and defensive game play.
How do you like to prepare for a bout? I have a hearty breakfast and show up early to scope out the venue.
If you had to describe your style of play using one song, which song would it be? Take No Prisoners by Megadeth.
What advice would you give to someone considering roller derby? Relax, stay loose and have fun.
Want to inspire courage like Grate Scot? Give roller derby a try! Check out our website to get involved!
Bonus Fun Fact: Grate Scot is the Man Trap creature in human disguise. He steals derby skills by feeding on his opponents.
Glenmore Reservoir Dogs: Iron Manson
Name: Iron Manson Number: 3 Position: Blocker Age: 52
“All you can do is pray for a quick death, which you ain’t gonna get.” Iron Manson is a fearless fighter. Opponents flinch when they see Manson on the track, because this mad blocker will take out anyone who gets in his way.
How did you get involved with roller derby? I’ve been skating recreationally for many, many years. I’ve been going to women’s derby games since 2007. While in Toronto I learned about men’s leagues and wanted to join. There were none in Toronto at that time, but I had a chance to move to Vancouver and I joined the men’s team there.
How long have you been playing? 2.5 years
What do you love about the sport? The combined aspects of skating, hitting, and positional blocking.
Did you have any athletic experience before roller derby? None
What do you do for a living? Filmmaker
Tell us a little bit about your derby name. Iron comes from thinking of myself as a piece of iron. Manson comes from Charles Manson. Insane.
What’s it like to be a Glenmore Reservoir Dog? It’s like being on a school sports team. Hanging out with great friends while learning the sport and striving towards being the best roller derby player I can be.
Do you have a derby hero? Nicolean Dynamite was my first derby coach and taught me so many skills. I like her teaching style and the fact that she’s easy to talk to. She was a really good friend while I was in Vancouver and remains a great friend here in Alberta. Inspirational!
What are your strengths as a player? Positional blocking, giving/taking hits, and working in walls.
What skills are you working on right now? Staying in bounds after hitting someone out, and cutting around the other team’s blockers in order to reform walls.
How do you like to prepare for a bout? I eat a moderate amount of carbs the night before and protein the day of. I like to conserve my energy for the game, so I’ll be quiet and cooperative until the game gets going.
If you had to describe your style of play using one song, which song would it be? “Helter Skelter” by the Beatles.
What advice would you give to someone considering roller derby? 1. Drop in on a fresh meat practice at a local league and get lots of advice. 2. Learn to skate properly. Practice outdoor, indoor, anywhere. 3. Get at least a basic understanding of how skate boots, wheels, plates, and everything else about the skate itself works. 4. Learn the rules of roller derby and how the game is played.
Want to block like Iron Manson? Give roller derby a try! Check out our website to get involved!
“So, you guys like to tell jokes, huh?” Hollywood Bright Lights will have you laughing, right up until he has you in stitches. Mess with his team and this city enforcer will knock you out into the country, and he’ll block you from ever coming back.
How did you get involved with roller derby? I became involved with derby because my friend Buttons McBoomBoom was playing and keep hounding me to try it. I got tired of making fun of him for doing it so I strapped on a pair of skates at Lloyds Roller Rink and decided to try it. I got on the floor, took two strides and went horizontal in the air and landed on the floor with a thud! Buttons calmly reminded me that wearing pads while I skated was a good thing. It evolved from there. I showed up at a Dogs practice without knowing how to stop or even balance properly, and was lucky enough to line up with Dev for a hitting drill which still hurts in my shoulder to this day. After that I set goals for myself and worked hard to strive towards reaching them.
How long have you been playing? I have been playing for a year and a half with the Dogs and I have competed in six bouts, two of them at Flat Track Fever and the rest on the road, with one recent match in Calgary.
What do you love about the sport? The thing I love about Derby is that it takes time and practice. We all strive to be the best player we can. The sport allows us to start off at a basic entry level, and once in we want to learn everything all at once, but it takes time to develop your skills and learn how to properly play. We as players grow and so does our skill set. So what I am saying is that you cannot rush derby, you can only get better at it with practice.
Did you have any athletic experience before roller derby? I have always been active in my life. I played soccer and ice hockey, I have logged hours in the gym and I have always tried to push myself as much as I can while I still can. And maybe if I am lucky I will be as active as Riceball is at his age, except taller.
What do you do for a living? I am a employee for a American Company called Stuart and Stevens in which I play the part of the heroic welder who tries to show up every day with a coffee and a look like do not ask me anything until ten. It is harder than it looks but the pay out is worth it.
Tell us a little bit about your derby name. Hollywood is a nickname given to me when I worked on a golf course because of my personality and it grew into Hollywood Bright Lights because when you look up from the floor while seeing stars and you struggle to remember what happened, you see me skate away and all you remember are the lights!
What’s it like to be a Glenmore Reservoir Dog? Well it has its perks for sure. The cats that make up the Dogs are not your average church going type, though after hearing some of Poppa’s stories I felt a need to visit Sunday mass. As a team member I enjoy the ritual of beating each other up at practice so that we can beat other people up when it is game time. The team has the dynamics of many different types of personalities, which gives it a body of purpose when used together.
Do you have a derby hero? Buttons McBoomBoom is my derby hero. He has the heart of a lion and is not one to be messed with on the track. He started me out and supported me throughout my learning process, and is one of the best friends I ever had.
What are your strengths as a player? I believe that when you play as a team and not as an individual you can become a more complete piece of the team. When you can let that big hit go and focus on blocking and staying in your lane you do the job better, and at the end of the match it makes a difference. I stay focused on what matters most for the team.
What skills are you working on right now? I am working currently on adding a cape to my outfit, though I cannot decide on white or black. You be the judge.
How do you like to prepare for a bout? My pregame warm up consists of trying to guess what wheels Fluster and Riot are going to wear for the game and also what type and colour of tight pants Bradass will show up in. I have been surprised and right on a few occasions.
If you had to describe your style of play using one song, which song would it be? Tough one, but I will have to go with AC DC and the song title is Shoot to Thrill!
What advice would you give to someone considering roller derby? Hey hope you know it’s a contact sport, just saying!
Want to be a team player like Hollywood? Give roller derby a try! Check out our website to get involved!
Period 2, Glenmore Reservoir Dogs vs River City Riot on August 18, 2012. Video from Bruised Lee’s helmet cam.
Chinook City’s Glenmore Reservoir Dogs vs River City Riot first period, August 18 2012!
Glenmore Reservoir Dogs versus River City Riot on August 18, 2012. The Dogs took the game 268-73! All photos by Tony Field.
I saw the Reservoir Dogs recruitment booth at the Calgary Tattoo and Art Festival in 2010. The girls I was with were very excited and strongly suggested I play.
How long have you been playing?
1.5 years
What do you love about the sport?
The derby community. Everybody is so awesome.
Did you have any athletic experience before roller derby?
Hockey and volleyball.
What do you do for a living?
Automotive service tech.
Tell us a little bit about your derby name.
Demolition Herbie thought of it for me. I guess it suits me.
What’s it like to be a Glenmore Reservoir Dog?
Good.
Do you have a derby hero?
Duchess Von Doom. She tries her hardest and never quits.
What are your strengths as a player?
I can jump because of volleyball.
What skills are you working on right now?
Teamwork. It’s more effective than skating skill alone.
How do you like to prepare for a bout?
I’ve never been prepared for a bout. I’m either sick, worked the day of, or am tired from lack of sleep from other derby activities. Right before a bout I usually would rather take a nap than play but that goes away after the first jam.
If you had to describe your style of play using one song, which song would it be?
What advice would you give to someone considering roller derby?
If you don’t quit you will not fail.
Want to master agility like Quiet Riot? Give roller derby a try! Check out our website to get involved!
Chinook City Roller Derby includes women's, men's, co-ed and junior roller derby in Calgary, Alberta! We welcome skaters, refs and support staff of any fitness or experience level. For more information check out chinookcity.ca
