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