I’m super excited for summer this year. Last year the summer was a time of changes for me and it was when my Derby career really got started. I can only hope this year will be better!

This summer will mean:

• Beach skates
• Battle on the Bank (my first time playing)
• Going to see my first Renagade game
• Work like crazy
• Make art for fun
• Practicing Hard
• Team building shennaningans
• RollerCon!!!! (Don’t forget to get your challenge bout shirt with the rollercon logo)
• Random Day trips to go to bouts and training camps

I can’t wait for all of these things but first things first:

MEMORIAL DAY! Time to celebrate everything our military men and women have done for us. Be sure to thank the troops in your life.

It is also time to check a few things off the summer check list: I’m going to see my first Renegade game tonight. I think its important to see all types of derby out there, including renegade.

Tomorrow is a scrimmage against our friends at LA Derby Dolls and San Fernando Valley Roller Girls. Then I’m off on a day trip with STLJ north of LA.

While all of this craziness is going on Progressive Derby Apparel has a sale going on! We are offering 15% off all merchandise on the website with code “REMEMBER” today through Monday, May 28th. The sale excludes RollerCon challenge bout merchandise. Everything else is on sale!! WOOT WOOT!

Whatever your weekend has in store for you. Be safe and pick up a pair of superhero shorts. They give you magical powers, or so I heard.

Captain Hook’er

I mentioned the hoodies a few entries back, I have also been posting sneaky pictures of this stuff on our FaceBook page and Tumblr. We have gotten really positive responses to the new merchandise we were testing so we decided to start offering it full time.

Lead Jammer Tank Top

This is our new tank top for summer time! Lead Jammer tank available here.

Don’t worry blockers!! We have something for you coming too! Jammers are only as good as their blockers. Definitely can’t leave you guys out :]

Varsity style lettering Blocker zip up

Until we get your tank top up, we have this rad Blocker jacket. Each jacket’s lettering is embroidered on with a process called tackle twill.

Rollergirl!

Are you all over the floor, you’ll play any position asked? Then the Rollergirl hoodie is for you. The right arm on every jacket has the PDA text logo on it so you don’t forget who helped you look soooo rad!

Did I mention these are all available in different colors

All of our varsity style zip up hoodies are available in a variety of lettering and outline colors and combos. This Jammer hooded sweatshirt is available here. It will go great over your Lead Jammer tank.

We don’t want to forget about our ref friends

Sweep the Leg would be upset with me if I didn’t have something for him to wear every once in a while. So we are offering up this Zeeb sweater for all of our Ref friends out there. Without them we couldn’t play this game!!

The $55.00 price tag includes adding your name and number to the other sleeve of the hoodie. All of our sweaters are available in unisex sizing from small – 3XL. Ms. Pinky is wearing a small in the pictures.

Lounge capri sweatpants

These pants are perfect for wearing over your uniform before a game/practice or just for lounging around the house. We will also have a blocker option for the blockers out there.

Did you purchase any of our new items at the events we were at? Send us pictures of you in them! Maybe we will run a contest and send something special to a randomly selected customer. Send pictures to progressivederbyapparel@gmail.com

XOXO

Captain Hook’er

Nehi Nightmare 4’8″ from Grave Danger, Rat City!

Rat City Roller Girls is a flat track league in Seattle, WA. Grave Danger is one of their 4 home teams. Recently Grave Danger has started playing banked track including the Phoenix Invitational.

Enough from me, lets move on to hear what Nehi has to say for herself.

PDA) How long have you been playing roller derby?

Nehi Nightmare) good question, I tried out three times for Rat City and on the third one I was placed on the Rat lab which is a training program that started in 2011 and I haven’t stopped so all in all  two years but with GD since Sept @2011

PDA)When not derbying it up what do you do for a profession (companies can
remain anonymous)?

NN)I am a hiring coordinator and manager at a popular grocery chain

PDA)What are your non-derby hobbies/activities/hidden talents?

NN)I love anything outdoors(softball,hiking,lounging) I have three kids so they keep me really busy and I do anything really that they want to do since they let me go do what makes me happy (derby). Hidden talents(hahaha) I use to break dance, I have danced all my life and can really get down if need be LMAO

PDA)What is something you are super embarrassed about your teenage years?

NN)that was all just embarrassing. boys didn’t like me because I was one of the guys and I think being super short wasn’t attractive.

PDA)Do you have Tattoos? If so what, where, and why?

NN)I have some tattoos I have a martini glass on my foot that two of my best friends in the world have also, we met bartending and we thought it was a perfect symbol of our friendship. I have a tramp stamp (classy I know) of a butterfly that I got right after I had my daughter to represent beauty and freedom. then there is a zombie chick on my right side of my rib cage, I have two sparrows one alive on my right wrist and then a dead one on my left wrist and when I put my hands together it represents the circle of life. cherry blossom tree on my left shoulder it has four flowers on the tree to represent my family and how they will never leave me and then falling petals and flowers to represent how others come and go….there are others but I am getting a new one a fighting rooster on my left thigh I was born in the year of the cock so I thought it would be good and now I can just say “i have a bigger cock than yours”

PDA)What is your favorite movie (top 5 if you can’t choose)?

NN)wow that’s tough but I love “the neverending story” it has always been my favorite and since I can choose five all of the Nightmare on Elm street movies I freaking loved those as a kid couldn’t get enough of them

PDA) What advice or words of wisdom do you have for other women that may want to play roller derby but feel like something is stopping them?

NN)IF IT IS SOMETHING YOU WANT NEVER QUESTION IT. FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND LIVE A LITTLE. HAVE NO FEAR OF WHAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN ON THAT TRACK, NEVER QUESTION IF YOUR GOOD ENOUGH NEVER DOUBT YOUR SKILLS. NONE OF US WHO SKATE NOW WERE PERFECT WHEN WE FIRST TOOK THE TRACK NOR ARE WE PERFECT NOW. JUST TRY IT AT LEAST ONCE AND THEN MAKE YOUR DECISION!!

PDA)What article of clothing could you wear every day?

NN)UHMMMM…..YOGA PANTS THERE SO COMFY

PDA)What is your favorite type of accessory to wear?

NN)i wear a specific necklace everyday no matter what and I love wearing bandannas there my fav

PDA)What is the most comfortable thing to wear during a bout for you?

NN)I have to have my bandanna its like a security blanket

PDA) Any last words or anything you want to say?

NN)thanks for noticing me and honoring me with skater of the month. when I started this wild adventure of derby I never thought I would even make it this far or even have people know my name. thanks for all the support

blllleeeeeehhhhh

Captain Hook’er

This weekend we were at Battle for the Coast in Ventura. Like any other tournament, there were vendors, people I can buy things from!!! The problem is I don’t really need anything…

But my wristguards are pretty ripped up, and I hate how they always manage to smell worse than anything else in my bag (why is this?). I also am always interested in knee pads, once you’ve had knee problems/surgery once you will always be a little sensitive to them.

I am coming to you looking for personal reviews/thoughts/opinions on a couple of things I have been looking at and decided to inspect a little closer while in Ventura.

Triple Eight RD Wristsavers

These wristguard were released earlier this year. I am interested in them because I manage to always rip the mesh on my triple 8 wristguards within a few weeks of having them, these are not mesh on the side so hopefully that won’t happen with these. There is also a wide spoon on the palm area, that sounds like it protects better. Does it?

Atom Gear Elite Knee Pad 2.0

These are the Atom Elite knee pads 2.0. I was pretty excited, as many were, when Atom announced they were coming out with protective gear specifically for roller derby. Then it came out and it seemed… foreign, people started saying it wasn’t good for anybody but the very elite of players. I was still interested but concerned that the knee pad didn’t have a plastic protective cap. The extra padding on the sides seemed really nice and as someone with a prior injury I was glad to see it. It seemed I wasn’t the only one concerned about knee pads and they released the above bad boy after getting back some feedback from early users of the knee pads. I am much more interested this time around but I don’t know anyone who has tested this version out.

I want to buy stuff, help me buy stuff!!!

Captain Hook’er

It could have totally been more fun if Kalamity and I weren’t feeling sick the whole time. I don’t know about you but I personally hate travelling when I don’t feel well. No hotel bed will feel the same as your own bed, even if it is more comfortable and has nicer pillows.

Not sick in the beginning of this trip!

I had started out with a scratchy throat at the beginning of the week. I did what any derby girl does; take lots of Emergence C then continue with my planning of having a great time in Phoenix hoping that it goes away.

Since Kalamity didn’t have any room for me with all of our merch in her car I patiently waited for STLJ to get home and then we took off!

Blythe getting schooled in Derby101

Once I got there poor Kalamity looked like she got hit by a truck. Great, we were both feeling crappy. At least there is makeup!!!

Now where the tournament was is NO WHERE near where I grew up. The tournament was in Glendale which is kind of like living on the edge of civilization. there isn’t much there but what is there is all brand new. Luckily it was lots of bars, alcohol makes everything better

There is also cotton candy the size of your HEAD! Literally.

We brought a bunch of NEW shiny merchandise with us see customers reactions and it can get kind of boring for us to have to keep offering the same stuff. Check out some of our new merchandise that we just did a photoshoot for. These things will hopefully be up on the website before the end of the month!

Occupy: Pivot Line! Available in men and women

Tab Waist Blue with Black Mesh Short

Close up of one of the color options for our new Varsity Sweaters!

Lead Jammer!! *said with English accent*

New Off the Shoulder Crop Sweater and Lead Jammer Tank

ooooohhhhhhh Shinny!

Even with all these rad offerings we still were sick, so we decided tequila, vodka and taking turns sleeping in the empty seat behind our booth would be the only way to stop it. Turns out Kalamity also needed allergy medication but we didn’t find that out until the last day….oops.

While manning our awesome booth, putting name and numbers on shirts and trying to look normal we also managed to catch some of the action!

View from the Vendor Area

Much better view from the spectator seating

The best part of the whole trip was getting to meet skaters we haven’t met yet. Everyone was super rad!!

After Party for the WIN!!!

We managed to survive the crazyness of the ProRollerDerby Invitational to make it back to California. Only to start getting ready for Battle for the Coast, April 21-22 in Ventura.

If you are there, stop by our booth, check out the new merchandise we debuted in Phoenix and wish me happy birthday!!!

Captain Hook’er

One of the ladies we met was Irate Penguin, already I liked her because of my love of penguins (they are so dapper) then I saw her jam. She was really working to get through the pack and doing a good job of it. I was even more impressed by all of this because she is deaf.

Roller Derby is hard for the most ambitious, type A girl, you see many girls come and go because they can’t hang. I was so excited to see someone that people may not consider a typical derby girl playing and being effective. Roller Derby is a sport that I feel is welcoming to all types and it is great to truly see that in action.

Irate Penguin getting around

PDA)How long have you been playing roller derby?

A little over a year

PDA)What league(s) are you/have you been affiliated with?

I first started with ACDG as Fresh Meat then transferred to SFV, for whom I played my first bout.

PDA)How did you discover roller derby?

I constantly skated on inline skates growing up, and just eventually wanted more out of it than skating around town.

PDA) What was your family and friends reaction to you playing roller derby?

At first, my mother was hesitant about it, but my father was elated saying he loved watching roller derby growing up. All of my friends thought it was “fucking cool” 

PDA) How do your friends and family feel now about your decision to play?

My friends still think it’s awesome and my mother has warmed up to the idea of me playing

PDA)Who is a skater that you admire?

I honestly think everyone who plays roller derby deserves to be admired; it is a sport that forces you to challenge yourself. I have met too many amazing women it’s hard to pick just one I admire.

PDA) What has been the most challenging part of learning to play roller derby being hearing impaired?

 (I do not consider myself hearing-impaired and if it has to be, then it’d be fair to consider hearing people sign-impaired or Deaf-impaired. I am a Deaf person, it is my identity. I was born Deaf, and it is not something I am ashamed of or makes me less of a person, which being impaired implies. Being Deaf is not a disability, but rather a linguistic minority with its own language and culture. Please do not put me or anyone Deaf and hearing-impaired in the same sentence, it is an offensive word to Deaf people. Do not worry, this is just a common mistake people make.) 

(PDA: please note I left this part in here because I felt it was important and while I didn’t mean any offense to her or anyone else in the deaf community I do appreciate learning the correct way to refer to a deaf person. Now onto the rest of the interview!)

The most challenging part was making friends and showing up to practice knowing I would be the only Deaf skater out there, but I love skating enough to face that challenge to play derby. 

PDA)How did you select your derby name and number? 

I love penguins, and I love the number 13. I did not want a vicious name, but something fluffy and cute….like a penguin.

PDA)When not derbying it up what do you do for a profession (companies can
remain anonymous)?

By day, I am a typical college student trying to finish homework on time.

PDA)What are your non-derby hobbies/activities/hidden talents?

I love to read and write, it is my passion and I could spend days just reading and writing. Also, I spend my free time learning foreign sign languages such as Japanese Sign Language and British Sign Language. I also am on a decathlon team for my college practicing for a competition at the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) biannual conference.

PDA) What do you do to communicate with your teammates in the pack or to let them know what you need as a jammer?(i.e, verbally, hand signals, psychic powers)

I lip-read my teammates, and they do understand me… sometimes. My teammates and I came up with some signs and we use them, they also ask me the sign for various words in American Sign Language so I’d say it’s a little bit of everything except for psychic powers (I wish!).

PDA) Do you intend to teach your teammates how to sign or have they started learning?

I am always willing to teach sign language, they know that and some of them have some knowledge of sign language. It’s a slow process, but it’s getting easier to communicate with them as time passes.

PDA) Do you feel that there are advantages to being deaf while playing roller derby?

I do not think it makes me play any differently, maybe I am more used to looking around me than others but it doesn’t make that much of a difference.

PDA)What is something you are super embarrassed about your teenage years?

I was late to Latin class once and knocked over the money box as I was getting in, spilling the money all over the front of the class so I had to pick it all up and put it back in before I even got to my seat.

PDA)Do you have Tattoos? If so what, where, and why?

No tattoos

PDA)What is your favorite movie (top 5 if you can’t choose)?

V for Vendetta,

PDA) What advice or words of wisdom do you have for other women that may want to play roller derby but feel like something is stopping them?

Just do it, and if you don’t like it you can at least brag you actually showed up to a derby practice.

PDA)What article of clothing could you wear every day?

My tie-dye jacket

PDA)What is your favorite type of accessory to wear?

I do not have a purse or anything, I just use my pockets 

PDA)What is the most comfortable thing to wear during a bout for you?

My lucky rainbow socks

PDA) Any last words or anything you want to say?

Playing roller derby has been an amazing experience, and I don’t regret it because it opened up my world. Before, all of my friends were just students but now I know people from different walks of life, it’s broadened my view on the world. I love it.

Rainbow Socks in Action!

After I got back Irate Penguins answers I felt like I made a new friend, maybe it was the penguin thing, the rainbow socks, wanting psychic powers (who doesn’t??) or the decathlon thing.

I am super stoked to see her go far in her Derby career, you should keep an eye out for her. I know I’m going to be!!

Captain Hook’er

This is a great way to get that I’m Sorry gift for your derby wife after you accidentally rock blocked her in the face last week at practice while saving on shipping!

But anyways!!

Last week our name of the week was Donna Matrix. 

57% said Roller Girl

16% said Drag Queen

26% said Both

Those 26% who said it was both are CORRECT!! It was a trick question because I’m sneaky like that. Also, in case you were wondering Donna Matrix is also a comic.

Donna Matrix the roller girl is a skater with New York’s Gotham Girls.

Donna Matrix the drag queen is missing a picture from the internet, if you can find it please send it to me.

LET’S PLAY!

DRAG QUEEN OR ROLLER GIRL?!

Drag Queen?

OR

Rollergirl?

What do you think Sister Boom Boom is? A Drag Queen or a Roller Girl?

If there is a drag queen or roller girl you would like to see us feature then please email me at progressivederbyapparel@gmail.com.

Happy Friday!

Captain Hook’er

I am extremely lucky in that when I thought everything was falling apart in my life around me and I lost my real world job I didn’t panic. I was able to parlay my hobby, roller derby, into a career and a really great life. I am willing to argue that the people I have met in roller derby and through Progressive Derby Apparel are some of the most supportive, caring and genuine people in my life. However, as with any situation there are good days and bad days, there are also always going to be people that may not care for you or something you do. It is my feeling that if you try to be a positive person with good intentions, people will respect you regardless of differences.

Recently, we’ve noticed some conversations on Facebook related to PDA’s women’s ref side-panel tank top, comparing our top with a similar offering by IronDoll Clothing. PDA tries to maintain the highest integrity in both business and design. In addition, we have great respect for IronDoll and other derby apparel companies, particularly since IronDoll has been a pioneer in this market. PDA did not knowingly design a product to be similar to – or based on – designs by IronDoll.

That being said, we believe that our design is distinct enough from IronDoll’s that it would be a shame to scrap a product borne of our own efforts. When we heard about the comparison, we checked IronDoll’s website to see what the talk was about. We were not able to find a similar product in the company’s catalog and it wasn’t until we searched a reseller’s site that we found an item that could be considered similar. The only similarities, from what we can tell, are the stripes (it IS a ref jersey) and the black side-panels (which we feature on many uniform designs). Otherwise, our overall cut and design are different from IronDoll’s and consistent with PDA’s other offerings (e.g., sleeves, neckline, panels, etc.).

We welcome any questions, comments, or complaints – including those that come from our “competitors,” like IronDoll. PDA strives to be a conscientious competitor. Quality products from companies that care to create variety and selection for skaters. IronDoll provides a quality product and we regard the comparison as a compliment!

Since I mentioned earlier that we were discussing our new products this morning I would like to show off our new ref hoodie, available for men and women!

Zeeb Zip Up Hoodie

And Pinky P Okerface is modeling her new custom hoodie, with her league colors and specially requested star on her birthday today.

Have a good night!

Some people enjoy the crappy weather

While we are bundling up we starting thinking, “Hey we aren’t the only people who are cold! We bet our customer are cold too (it is winter after all!) let’s help them keep warm too!”

So we decided we need to make HOODIES!

We are super stoke to start offering hoodies! The attendees of the San Diego Wildfires vs OCRG Blockwork game go a sneak peak of what we have planned.

We will now be offering zip up and pull over hoodie sweaters in several different colors: black, navy blue, grey and white with more to come. The sweaters will feature fun varsity style tackle twill lettering with your name and number down the sleeve included in the price. The lettering will come in several different stock color ways with the ability to customize for your favorite colors or league colors! We will also be offering these to leagues as part of a warm up suit with customize-able lettering and sleeves.

I bet your interested in seeing what we have been up to, without further ado onto the pictures!!!

Jammer with white on white lettering

Derby on grey pullover & red & white lettering

For every Rollergirl!

We put whatever you want on the other sleeve!

We have already started customizing them for our customers!

Pink with silver lettering for the lovely Dude!

Her name and number

Other side with logo

These are just some of what we have. We are also doing Blocker hoodies and Zeeb hoodies. We are bringing these with us to the Pro Roller Derby Invitational and Battle for the Coast so be sure to stop by our booths and try one of our new hoodies on. Pictures should be up on the website for online ordering before the Pro Invitational. In the meantime you can contact us to place an order via progressivederbyapparel@gmail.com.

What do you think of these sweet hoodies?? Is there something you would love to see or colors you think we should carry it in?? Don’t hesitate to let us know either here in the comments or via email!!

Stay Warm!

Captain Hook’er