The Terminal City Rollergirls recently released their 2013 season schedule for their flat-track roller derby bouts at Kerrisdale and Minoru arenas. Almost everyone I know either wants to attend a bout or get into roller derby, is completely addicted to it or thinks it’s the coolest thing ever. For this reason, I followed up with the Terminal City Rollergirls to see if they could contribute a piece for my site explaining the allure of their sport. They kindly obliged and the following has been compiled and contributed by Erin “Miss E. Masculator” Morrisette:
5 Reasons to Love Roller Derby
You’ve seen the posters on the Drive. You’ve overheard discussions on the Skytrain. You’ve even seen the skaters fly by on the seawall…and you still haven’t been to a roller derby bout? Don’t worry; there has never been a better time than now to check out the Terminal City Rollergirls, Vancouver’s first female roller derby league. Need convincing? Here are five reasons why we’re sure you will love roller derby:
1) The sport: Fast-paced and hard hitting, flat-track roller derby is the fastest growing women’s sport in the world. Since the first modern day women’s leagues formed in Texas and Arizona in 2002, there are now about 1400 active teams worldwide, including over 100 in Canada. And it’s no wonder. You won’t find balls, stunts or alligator pits; modern roller derby is not fake or pre-determined. With four blockers from each team trying to stop the opposition’s point-scoring jammer while also helping their own jammer score, roller derby is a highly strategic game where offense and defence happen at the same time. Teamwork is essential, but huge hits and breakneck speed play their part, too. Sit in the front row and you just might find yourself a part of the action – at your own risk, of course.
2) The event: The Terminal City Rollergirls host big, lively events that look and sound great. Of course, the 2000 or so fans are treated to an action-packed sports event, but their appetites are also pleased with offerings from the beer garden and food trucks on site. During breaks in the action, DJ Shawn LaRock spins booty-bumping tunes, and there is half-time entertainment by the likes of the Vancouver Dodgeball League, EastVan Pillowfight League, Vancouver Bike Polo and more. After the bouts, little fans can collect autographs from their favorite players, and grown-up fans can buy their favorites a victory beer at the after-parties. Et tu, Canucks?
3) The crowd: Diverse and hilarious, people-watching at a roller derby bout is almost as fun as watching the sport itself. From families with bouncing kids to raucous bachelorette parties, roller derby events draw a wide range of people. The tattooed and mohawked sit next to hardcore sports fans and diminutive grandmas – everyone’s a roller derby fan once the whistle blows.
4) The players: Terminal City Rollergirls are hyper-competitive, strong and colourful women from all different backgrounds. Everyone has heard the old story of the shy-librarian-by-day-fierce-derby-girl-by-night – and the TCRG does have a couple of those – but the players represent so much more. From bank managers to architects, video game designers to elementary school teachers, these women take their sport very seriously and train hard to be the best players they can be. Their incredible athleticism and big personalities will make it difficult to pick a favourite player, but you’ll try.
5) The league: TCRG is a member-run league that has been around since 2006. They have four house teams (the Bad Reputations, Faster Pussycats, Public Frenemy and the Riot Girls) with rabid local fan followings, and the TCRG All-Stars rep team that plays internationally. The All-Stars made history last year, making the biggest rankings jump in the history of WFTDA (the NHL of roller derby). The league has a reputation to uphold and a lot of fantastic neighbouring leagues to challenge. They’ll be holding one bout per month from April through September, so Vancouver fans will have ample opportunity to catch the rollergirls in action. More information on the upcoming season can be found on their website at terminalcityrollergirls.com.
Follow the Terminal City Rollergirls on Twitter and Facebook for more league and event information.
Gordie Howe – Mr. Hockey – is celebrating his 85th birthday with the Vancouver Giants on Friday, March 1, 2013. The Giants will take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes wearing Howe tribute jerseys while the crowd is treated to special guest appearances, giveaways, and plenty of activities.
Photo courtesy of the Vancouver Giants
Gordie Howe is the only player to have competed in the NHL in five different decades (1940s through 1980s). A four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings, he won six Hart Trophies as the league’s most valuable player and six Art Ross Trophies as the leading scorer. He was the inaugural recipient of the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He is also part owner of the Vancouver Giants.
VIP guests include legendary NHL brother act Bobby and Dennis Hull who will join Marcel Dionne, Orland Kurtenbach, and Johnny Bower onfor a special pre-game ceremony to celebrate Gordie Howe’s birthday. 500 randomly selected fans will also get to meet Gordie Howe and the legends during the game.
I’ve partnered with the Vancouver Giants a few times this season and we’re very excited for this particularly awesome giveaway. I have a pair of tickets up for grabs as well as a guaranteed meet & greet with the birthday boy himself, Gordie Howe! Here’s how you can enter to win this fantastic opportunity:
- Leave a quick comment here about why you want to meet Gordie Howe (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
This contest will end quickly as the event is fast-approaching. I’ll draw one winner at random from all entries at 2:00pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013. Follow the Vancouver Giants on Facebook and Twitter for more giveaways, events, team information, schedules, scores, and more from our local WHL team.
Update The winner is Greg!
The Vancouver Heritage Foundation has partnered with JJ Bean Coffee Roasters for an informative workshop focusing on the Marine Building, one of Vancouver’s most well-loved structures. As one of the building’s most recent tenants, JJ Bean will host Sunday Morning at the Marine and shine a spotlight on this art deco gem.
Construction began March 13, 1929 with a ceremony attended by Mayor W.H. Malkin who blew a golden whistle to start the excavators in motion. The building formally opened October 7, 1930 with 21 floors at a height of 321 feet – it defined Vancouver’s skyline.
Where: JJ Bean at the Marine Building (355 Burrard)
When: Sunday, March 10, 2013 from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Tickets: Available online for $25 or call (604) 246-9642.
Sunday Morning at the Marine includes JJ Bean specialty coffee and baked goods, a coffee tasting with John Neate founder and owner of JJ Bean, a talk from Joost Bakker, Dialog, the Architect behind the renovation, and a guided tour of the historic Marine Building lobby.
Follow the Vancouver Heritage Foundation on Facebook or Twitter for more information about this event, workshops, tours, and Places That Matter plaque presentations.
On Thursday afternoon I was flying between 1,000 and 1,300 feet above the Lower Mainland with News1130 Radio‘s Kim Seale as she put in her afternoon shift from her “office in the sky”. Kim takes off twice a day, for about three hours each time, during the morning and afternoon rush hours. She spots stalls, accidents, and delivers traffic updates from the best vantage point possible.
I had initially reached out to News1130 to see if I could do a ride-along with Kim after seeing some of her aerial photos pop up on their Twitter account. Things worked out and soon I found myself driving down a quiet Delta road by the sea with eagles circling overhead. I arrived at the airport, Kim loaded me up with gravol (as previous passengers have been unable to keep from turning green in the air) and I received a security briefing of the station’s Cessna before we took off from Boundary Bay.
It wasn’t the best day for flying with strong winds, low clouds, and hail in some parts (which we avoided) but our pilot Parker navigated the airspace above Metro Vancouver with ease. I managed to snap a few hundred aerial photos with two different cameras and have picked out some of my favourite shots:
South Fraser Perimeter Road
Massey Tunnel
Alex Fraser Bridge
Burnaby Lake
Downtown Vancouver
Granville Island
We circled the major routes and bridges, and when Kim got a report of traffic activity we were on the scene (well, above it) within minutes.
Surrey
After doing this for the last 10 years, Kim Seale knows her landmarks, intersections, and can spot everything from Grey Whales off Point Roberts to the names of ferries docked in Tsawwassen. She takes photos and video with her iPad and beams it down to the newsroom so that they can get up-to-the-minute information out to their listeners and web readers. When a new map book comes out, she studies it. When a downed bird gets stuck on the windy runways at Boundary Bay, she rescues it.
Golden Ears & Pitt River Bridges
Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal
View my full set of photos on Flickr and follow me on Instagram for some mobile shots as well.
A big thanks to News1130 for making my ride-along possible and to Kim and Parker for letting me experience a small part of their workday.
Tonight is the News1130 Tweetup at The Sandbar on Granville Island so if you’re into food, prizes, and meeting other radio listeners then post an update on Twitter including #1130TU and follow @News1130Radio to win your way in.
The 9th annual Diversity Health Fair is coming up on the weekend with over 50 health and wellness exhibitors and resources provided in at least half a dozen languages. It is the largest event of its kind in Canada and has evolved into one of the most exciting and dynamic multicultural events in the Lower Mainland.
Where Croatian Cultural Centre (3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver)
When Saturday, March 9, 2013 from 10:00am to 3:00pm
The Fair aims to provide newcomers, immigrants and ethno-cultural communities with access to a wide range of health and wellness resources, presented in a number of languages including Cantonese, French, Korean, Mandarin, Persian/Farsi, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Last year over 3,500 people attended this free and family-friendly event. The theme of this year’s Fair is “Chronic Disease Prevention” and there will be interactive culinary demonstrations, health screenings and onsite tests, multicultural entertainment and children’s activities. View the full event program online.
Guests on the Healthy Cooking Stage include Chef Victor Bongo (Super Chefs of the Universe), Chef Gerry Kasten (Vancouver Coastal Health), Chef Vikram Baja (Ace Curries To Go), and Chef Chantale Roy (UBC Culinary Arts Instructor & Rawsta Flora Organics). You can a live stream of the stage during the show and download a Healthy CooKing Recipe Guide online in advance. New this year is a Food Truck Cafe that includes an assortment of local vendors offering up an array of tasty ethnic eats.
The first 1,000 visitors will get tote bags and other prizes and getaway giveaways will be handed out at the event. As a proud media sponsor again this year, I am giving away lunch for two at the Salvadorian food truck Guanaco Truck, which will be on-site. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, March 4, 2013. The winner is to claim their prize at the Diversity Health Fair on Saturday, March 9th. Follow the Diversity Health Fair on Twitter and Facebook for more event information.
The Diversity Health Fair is presented by AAMSA (Affiliation of Multicultural Societies and Services Agencies of BC): AMSSA facilitates collaborative leadership, knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement to support member agencies that serve immigrants and build culturally inclusive communities
Update The winner is Jacqueline!
