Providence’s new all-girl roller derby league

Meet the Mob Squad

A GROUP OF WOMEN gathers in a huddle. They wear matching pinstripe skirts and serious expressions. One of them holds a clipboard and gives instructions to the others. "They’re a little worried about violence," she warns. "So I mean if you’re falling and stuff that’s fine, but no pushing each other just yet. ’Cause it’s the beginning of the night and they’ll shut us down."

These women also happen to be on roller skates.

This is the Mob Squad, the first team in Providence’s all-new, all-girl roller derby league. The speaker is the team’s manager, Madame Donna Fukwitme, a.k.a. 27-year-old Marcella A. Kroll. The Mob Squad is gathered in East Providence at the United Skates of America, an indoor roller rink and entertainment park, complete with a ring of video games and a black light laser tag space station. A dozen little kids with skates slung over their shoulders empty out of the rink as strange eerie music wafts from loudspeakers in the laser tag area, and the Mob Squad prepares for speed trials. Tonight, team members will race one another in heats, competing for the title of Providence’s fastest roller girl. The event is a fundraiser, and a crowd of about 100 people — mostly art punks and hipster types — has amassed to watch them race.

The Mob Squad name is a nod to Providence’s mafioso heritage, and as is customary in derby, each girl has taken an alias. The racers tonight include the Godmother, Maria Goomatta, Cementa Boots, Tammy Guns, DaSilva Bullet, Amanda Hugandkill, and Rhoda Perdition. With the team’s tough name and bad-girl attitude, maybe the rink officials are right to be worried.

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tags:
rollergirls
roller derby
providence

Gotham Girls Roller Derby Logo Design Contest

The Gotham Girls Roller Derby are looking for a new logo. The logo will used on everything from posters and flyers to t-shirts and other merchandise.

Guidelines:

• Logo should work easily in any scale.
• All designs should have no more than four colors.
• If your design contains color, you must submit two versions: one in full color and one in black and white.
• All submissions should include a distinctive typeface (of your own design or a particular font) that we can use with or without the logo.
• Submissions should be e-mailed to annephetamean AT gothamgirlsrollerderby DOT com or mailed to Anne, 344 Grove St. Box 124, Jersey City, NJ 07302
• Include all contact information (full name, phone and/or e-mail) with submissions
• Deadline for all submissions is January 31, 2005

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Crowd Favorite Award Nominations

The Texas Rollergirls are accepting nominations for the Crowd Favorite Award to be presented at the Second Annual Whammy Awards. Last year I was proud to present this award to Anna Mosity.

To nominate a Texas Rollergirl for this award email :
devilgrrl AT txrollergirls Dot com by Saturday, January 8th.

The Awards cermony will be held on Saturday, February 12th.

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