Holiday Treats to Tempt You: The First Edition

So, it's the Holidays and though we here at POD have been trying to think healthy (at least once a month!), even we can fully admit that there is no better time to embrace the goodies than now.  As promised, here are some of OUR favorite goody recipes! Enjoy.


PANCAKES A LA REF (Submitted by Brian)

*Makes One*

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/2 Tbsp melted fat (butter, lard, bacon drippings)

Directions: 

1. Meanwhile, heat a skillet or sauté pan to medium (butter will sizzle but not brown)

2. Beat egg and milk together thoroughly
3. Gently whisk in flour
4. Stir in fat
5. Pour batter into pan after the butter stops sizzling
6. Flip when top of pancake becomes dry
7. Cook another few minutes on the other side

Serve with maple syrup, marmalade, lingonberries, or powdered sugar

Image and Recipe from The Gunny Sack

HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIE CUPS (Submitted by Sass)

Ingredients:

1 package Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons hot cocoa mix
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips
12 mini pretzels
1 cup Jet-Puffed Mallow Bits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Put 1 tablespoon of the sugar cookie dough into each of 24 greased mini muffin tins.
3. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan before gently removing them.
4. Make the chocolate ganache by bringing the whipping cream to a boil in a pan on top of the stove and then stirring in the hot cocoa mix.
5. Put the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a large bowl then pour the hot cream over them and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then, stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the ganache is smooth.
6. Break off the loops on some mini pretzels to use as handles.
7. Melt the white chocolate in a small pan on the stove and use it to attach the pretzel handles to the cookie cups.
8. Spoon the chocolate ganache into the cookie cups and top with mini marshmallows.
*For best results, store the hot chocolate cookie cups in the refrigerator until ready to serve* 

Rather than overload you with too many tempting recipes all at once, we're going to help you savor the sugary goodness by promising more recipes later.... stay tuned for Holiday Treats to Tempt You: The Second Edition, coming soon. 

Officials' Review: A New Rules’ Resolution - Official Discretion

A New Rules’ Resolution: Official Discretion

On Monday, December 1st, the WFTDA released an updated version of the Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby that will officially go into effect starting January 1st,  2015. The WFTDA Rules Committee developed the changes, with input from both WFTDA and MRDA member leagues, which include:

• increasing the visibility of the Official Score
• aligning Forearm/Hand penalties with the standard of impact
• allowing Official Reviews to be used in lieu of a Timeout
• clarifying the scoring of Jammer Lap Points and Not on the Track points in a single pass
• expanding Officiating Discretion to allow for the Head Referee to assign NSOs to call and enforce penalties.

That last change is the most dramatic, especially for NSOs. The WFTDA is planning on releasing updates to the Standard Practices and Hand Signals documents by January 1, 2015. Until that time we won’t know how these changes will look when applied during a game, but we have come up a few thoughts below.

8.3.7 - The Head Referee may designate NSOs to signal and enforce penalties in situations in which said NSOs are able to observe the penalty. This includes but is not limited to obscene, profane, or abusive language directed at themself or another Official (see Section 5.16.10); removal of safety equipment while in the Penalty Box (see Section 5.13.11); Penalty Box violations (see Sections 5.13.9, 5.13.10, 5.13.11, and 5.13.20); and Delay of Game penalties (see Section 5.15).

• For Penalty Box violations this will be a natural enhancement to the Pentaly Box Manager’s duties, and will most likely streamline Foul Out procedures.
• The Delay of Game penalty could either fall to the Jam Timer (who would be able to call a Timeout and assign the penalty most quickly) or the Line-up Trackers (whose paperwork would outlines which skaters were, and should be, on the track). It is possible the PB Manager (who keeps the queue of skaters who have not yet served for a previous penalty) could also call the Delay of Game, but this could be more complicated depending on venue layout.
• In both instances communication, including understanding of the Hand Signals and Verbal Cues, is going to be all the more important.

8.3.7.1 - The Head Referee may designate which NSOs are empowered to call penalties, as well as which penalties said NSOs are empowered to call, and the manner in which said penalties are enforced.

• While this subsection puts the change at the Head Referee’s discretion, it also puts an emphasis on the HR’s understanding of the responsibilities and functions of each of the NSO positions (which is included in the new Officiating Skills Guidelines and Assessment Forms for all Skating Officials).
• This may also start some conversations about staffing visiting or unvetted Officials, and makes the WFTDA’s Game History document an even more important tool.

8.3.7.1.2 - NSOs may only be designated to call penalties pursuant to their officiating role, to their person, or to those around them. For example, no NSO may be designated to call penalties that involve blocks or assists.

8.3.7.2 - NSOs who are empowered to call penalties in this manner are bound by the same requirements as Referees, per Section 8.3 - Officiating Discretion.

• These last two tie up the NSO additions to the Officiating Discretion section, focusing these new responsibilities and bringing them in line with the requirements of Referees.
• They also bring a greater emphasis on NSOs’ understanding of, and attention to, the different positions (which are also included in the new Officiating Skills Guidelines and Assessment Forms).

We won’t be sure how the WFTDA envisions this change being implemented until they release the updated Standard Practices and Hand Signals documents. In the meantime though, we can be sure, if our Officials Crews plan to have NSOs exercise this new responsibility, that training and understanding the rules will be even more important for Skating and Non-Skating Officials.

Speaking of training, we have a new drill in the works that should be fun for the whole league, check back on New Year’s Day for Sneaker Derby Charades!

Until then, have yourselves some happy holidays.

Be good,

if you can’t be good, be safe,

and if you can’t be safe, Ducky would be an adorable name... just sayin’.

-Ducky

POD's Healthy "Fuel" of the Month

In the interest of fun and nutrition - and showing that yes, you CAN combine the two sometimes - we are going to be featuring one healthy meal a month that can be used to help fuel up before a game or to recharge afterwards. Later this month, we'll also have a post with some fabulously tasty treats...because it's the Holidays and a Derby girl needs her treats!

This month, we're going to feature a simple recipe that you can really eat over an over...it's quick and easy to make. You can also cook a larger quantity of this recipe so that you have easy, healthy leftovers to reheat later. When it starts to feel too repetitive, you can season differently or switch vegetables and still enjoy the same basic meal several times a week. 

BAKED CHICKEN WITH VEGGIES 

Ingredients:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts 

(proper portion size is 3 oz. per breast)

Olive Oil 

Pepper

Green Beans 

Water

parchment paper

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

2. Lightly coat bottom of pan (you can use a baking sheet or a glass/ceramic baking dish) with olive oil to prevent chicken from sticking.

3. Place the chicken breasts into the pan, making sure to leave space between them, and season however you would like. I usually just add a little bit of pepper to the chicken. 

4. Take a piece of parchment paper, lightly coat one side with olive oil and place the paper (olive oil side down) over the chicken breasts. This acts as almost like the skin would on the chicken, sealing in the moisture as it cooks and preventing the chicken from drying out. 

5. Place in oven on center rack and bake for about 35 minutes. Chicken should look opaque when cooked, and if using a meat thermometer to check, the temperature should reach about 165 degrees F in the center of the chicken. 

6. As the chicken is cooking, bring a 1/2 inch salted water to boil in a large frying pan or saute pan.
7. Add green beans, cover, and cook until green beans are tender to the bite and water has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

This meal is actually super healthy and fuels you for exercise with a lot of lean protein.  Women, especially are supposed to eat about 5 1/2 oz. of protein rich foods a day (USDA recommendations) and this healthy chicken is an easy way to do so throughout the week.  You can switch things up and eat different veggies, like carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, or any mix you like! 

Don't forget to check in with us later this month for some fun, not-quite-so-healthy recipes! 

- Nikki Tesla #134

Skater of the Month: Astra Knot

Welcome to our monthly feature on the blog where we help you all get to know our players a little better! This month, we're featuring our 2014 team Chair:

Skater Name: Astra Knot

Number: 321 (Blast off, get it?! LOL)

Story Behind the Name: After thinking about a bunch of different things, I decided to combine two of my favorite things in life. I like space and knitting, hence Astra Knot.

Hometown: Duluth, MN

Derby Experience: I've been skating for several years now, and though I spend most of my time as a blocker, I'm having fun jamming at scrimamages, too.

*Just a side note for you all, too, Astra may be our outgoing team Chair, but she was just voted in as one of our 2015 Co-Captains and has also coached Freshmeat in the past. 

Sports background: I used to play on a volleyball team and loved it. I grew up in Minnesota so there's also been some skiing in my life, LOL... but now it's all Derby!

Why Derby: I was dragged to watch a game originally and realised as I was watching what a fun way it is to release aggression. The more I watched, the more I wanted to learn about derby and the more I figured out that I wanted to play! Plus, teammates are awesome and you get to knock girls down. What could be better?

Derby Style: Hmmm...aggressive? Hard blocking...knock 'em down! *grins* Also knowing and playing to the rules. That way I know what I'm talking about when I contest a call or try to strategize a big upcoming jam. 

Derby Goals: To play hard, but fair and to have fun whether we win or lose. 

Outside of Derby: I teach high school, which I love, but can ...let's just say drive me to find release in hitting girls at Derby, LOL. I love to curl up and knit, read mystery novels, and take naps whenever I can!

We Have Fresh Meat!!

This last week POD got back to the fundamentals at Interskate with a Fresh Meat crew. Both new faces and some old friends!

At POD, recruits are welcome at any level of skating experience. We all have to start somewhere! And these recruits started out doing some strength-building plyos with our vets.

Then we geared up and hit the track for some skating basics and, possibly the most important beginner lesson of all...falling.

But it didn't take long before everyone was crossing the rink up on their toe stops.

We are going to keep recruitment rolling this coming week (and we'd love to see YOU there):

Sunday the 16th 7-9pm

Tuesday the 18th 8-10pm

Thursday the 20th 8-10pm

If you want to know more about recruitment and the Fresh Meat processes check out Nikki Tesla's From Fresh Meat to Team Mate posts. If you want to know more or get in on the action drop us a line at skate4podcity@gmail.com.

Join Pair O' Dice City Roller Derby!

WE WANT YOU!

Pair O' Dice City Roller Derby is now recruiting. 

Have you ever wondered about Roller Derby? 

Want a place where you can get in shape and make great friends?

Come check POD out!!

We're looking for new skaters, refs, and NSOs (non-skating officials).

If you're at ALL curious about Roller Derby, come check us out!

Sunday from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m..

Thursday from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Interskate 91 South (2043 Boston Rd, Wilbraham, MA 01095)

For more information, you can email us at skate4podcity@gmail.com

Skater of the Month: Meryl Creep

Welcome to our monthly feature on the blog where we help you all get to know our players a little better! This month, we're featuring the other half of the Pair O' Dice City Rollers' awesome co-captain duo: 

Skater name: Meryl Creep

Number: 9

Story behind the name: Well, my husband found great joy in trying to find me a name. He wanted people to call me Fugly Motha because he figured people would just call me Fugly!!

Hometown: Springfield, MA. 

Derby Experience: I have been skating for a little over four years

Sports background: I did gymnastics for eighteen years.  I was the captain of my high school gymnastics team. I was on a team for a year in college and then coached in my 20's.  My coach died this summer and I reflected a lot on my childhood as an athlete. As a gymnast I competed under what used to be Classes. I was Class 2 - above that was Class 1 and then Elite.  My best event was the balance beam. I was fourth in the state on that event and fourth in Western Mass in that event, as well. After an injury, I had to leave gymnastics.  I was also a diver and a diving coach before I came to Derby. 

Why Derby:  One day, I watched the movie Whip It and then googled roller derby. I found a league in the area and went to their fresh meat night! I love derby because it gave me back something I was missing in my life. I am a mom, a teacher, a wife and I didn't feel I was me. I was always a jock! I was a gymnast for the majority of my youth. I played soccer, softball, and was a diver. I was a diving coach and a gymnastics coach. I missed being physical.

Derby Style: I think my derby style is aggressive, but I am also a team player. I have also become much more vocal in my playing these past two years. 

Derby Goals: To see how far I can get my body to go, what my body can learn, and to really get back into jamming. 

Favorite Players: Besides myself? LOL. I love watching the Gotham Girls. Philly is an awesome team to watch.  I really end up watching a lot of tournament play. 

Outside of Derby: In "real life," I am a Special Education teacher, teaching high school English to students with reading and language disabilities. Aside from Derby, I also love drinking (J/K!!), reading, watching movies, and motorcycle riding with my husband and friends. I want to get back into working out at the gym. Oh yeah, tattoos... but I don't know if that counts as a hobby? *grins* 

Things I Have Learned about Derby: I've learned that I have good days and bad, but that no matter what, I can be strong. 

POD's Healthy "Fuel" of the Month

In the interest of fun and nutrition - and showing that yes, you CAN combine the two sometimes - we are going to be featuring one healthy meal a month that can be used to help fuel up before a game or to recharge afterwards. Every once in a while, we'll probably also have a recipe or two for some fabulously tasty treats...because what Derby girl doesn't love treats??

This month, we're going to feature a simple recipe that can be modified in a lot of different ways to satisfy different tastes and to mix things up so that you can make it frequently and not get bored! All you really need is a blender...

GREEN SMOOTHIE

Raspberry Kale Smoothie
from Cooking Classy

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

10 cashews or plain almonds

1/2 cup frozen baby kale

1 cup fresh baby spinach 

1 medium banana

1 medium bartlett pear

6 frozen strawberries 

1/2 cup water

Directions: 

1. In blender, add ingredients in this order (for easiest blending) - yogurt, nuts, greens (kale and spinach), fruits (frozen first, then fresh), and lastly water

2. Place top on blender and puree ingredients. 

3. If necessary, pause blending and push ingredients to bottom of blender (BEFORE replacing top and restarting) if blender seems to be working too hard to puree. 

4. If consistency seems too thick, add a little more water and reblend. 

5. Pour into a cup and enjoy! 

The green smoothie I had for breakfast
this morning - yogurt, cashews, kale,
spinach, broccoli, blueberries,
strawberries, banana, and pear.

This is the quick recipe that I use for my morning breakfast shakes.  Really, though, you can use any combination of fruits and veggies to make a green smoothie.  What's important is that you start with some kind of liquidy base - you can use yogurt, milk, almond milk, cottage cheese, then add in the fruits and veggies, and some sort of healthy protein option - like peanut butter, nuts, chia or flax seeds. If you remember those three key components, you can use any multitude of options in your smoothies and still have a healthy meal replacement or "recovery" meal after a tough bout. A good smoothie will taste great and not only give you a burst of energy from some protein, but help keep your immune system up and running with all the vitamins and antioxidents you're intaking. 

AND...even though this shake looks green and like it should probably taste like a salad, let me tell you bananas and berries make it taste fruity! They're really delicious, I swear.

Let me know if you try this and what modifications you make...I'm always looking for new options!!

- Nikki Tesla #134

Highlights from the Oct. 26th Bout - Pair O' Dice City Rollers vs. Worcester Warheads

Starting off the line...

This past Sunday was POD's final game of the 2014 season.  Though we lost, we were playing against Worcester Roller Derby's Warheads and the Worcester Roller Derby Organization is a WFTDA League so they strive to play competitively at the national level.  POD as a team takes the attitude that we do our best in every game and if we can give these ladies a run for their money then we're doing just fine! As always, POD grew stronger as the game progressed and we showed WoRD in the end that we just won't quit.

In fact, during the game we built some beautiful walls!!

Vixen, Ballistic Miss L, and the Italian Assassin holding strong.

Suga Burn, Donny Brook, and Meryl Creep hold off the opposing jammer.

Astra Knot, Vicious Aloysuis, and Meryl Creep brace for impact. 

We gave and took some great hits!

Astra Knot (in her first game back since breaking her leg...)
gives it good to the opposing jammer.

Ballistic Miss L takes out the opposing jammer, while also making room
for Vixen, POD's jammer, to squeak through.

Haulin' Sass takes a lickin' and keeps on kickin' 

We worked to play strongly both offensively and defensively, utilizing strategies we've been working on for the last few months in practice.

Astra Knot sweeps their line to make a hole for jammer, Suga Burn, to sneak through.

The Italian Assassin helps to hold up one of WoRD's blockers
while POD jammer, Vixen, just edges past another player.   

While POD jammer, Killer Kush, fights to get by, the POD blockers
reform a solid wall, ready for the WoRD jammer to try to come through. 

After a successful star pass, one of PODs blockers,
Vicious Aloysius, becomes jammer and proves she can hold her own.

Though the final score doesn't necessarily reflect it, POD's jammers turned things up a notch in the second half, including one final jam by Vixen, who scored a whopping 25 points in that jam alone! 

Donny Brook holding off a blocker as she jams. 

Pandora catching her breath as she skates up to fight the pack again.

Vixen racing back to the pack, hoping to score again. 

Meryl Creep looking ahead for a clear path through the opposing wall.

FINAL SCORE: 

MVPs:

Congratulations to Ballistic Miss L and Vixen from POD
and Megzatron and Nikko from WoRD! 

Thank you to everyone who has attended one of our games this season.  

We hope to see you again next year! 

Special thanks to Eric Wallis Photography, one of our fabulous sponsors, for all the above photos!

We Discovered This Great Site for Lacing Methods!

Lacing your skates to fit your individual skating needs seems to be something that most Derby Girls (and Refs) learn over time.  It's usually a hit or miss "try it and see if it works" kind of process.  It can be difficult to take advice from team mates and friends because different skaters may be looking for different things in the way they lace their skates.

For me personally, I have to adjust the laces very tightly over the middle instep of my right foot when I know I'll be skating lots of laps or very intensely for a longer period because the boot is a little wide on my right skate and my foot tends to slide around in the boot as I skate. I know other team mates that need their skates to be loose in the toe box and tight around the ankle, or vice versa.

This site has 43 different ways to try lacing! With diagrams and feedback for each style.

Screen Capture from "Ian's Shoelace Site"

One team mate has already tried lacing her skates differently based on the tips and instructions given here. I plan to experiment soon! Let us know if you try and love any particular style of lacing...

- Nikki Tesla #134

VIDEO - Beat City Bedrockers Vs. Pair O'Dice City Roller Derby

Great match up between the Beat City Bedrockers and Pair O'Dice City Roller Derby.  The game was a close one and ended in the first win for POD for this season.

POD 144 -  Bedrockers - 111

MVP's - Beat City Bedrockers & the POD City Roller Derby

Congrats to the MVP's of the game.   Lolli  and Frisky for the Bedrockers and  Criminal Wrecker and MoJo for POD City.   This was MoJo's first MVP ever Woo Hoo  :)

See the  full game video Here!

HARD vs POD Pow Wowing

Team Pow-Wow   Also See the action packed video here.