Tag: upper peninsula

KRG Season Closer: Kingsford Krush

THE KEWEENAW ROLLER GIRLS 2017 HOME SEASON CAME TO A CLOSE LAST NIGHT WITH A MATCH AGAINST KINGSFORD KRUSH.

Saturday was hot! Temperatures were in the mid-80’s outside and the interior of the arena quickly warmed to something similar to a hot-yoga class. Unseasonable for certain, but made all the cold beverages that more thirst-quenching. The crowd was thick with seasoned fans and a healthy cheering section of Girl Scouts seated in the stands behind the benches. All were primed to close the season with a high level of excitement.

Keweenaw got off to a strong start with a multi-pass first jam and soon was far ahead in the first half. An unfortunate injury to one of Kingsford’s jammers resulted in a lengthy time out while the skater was assessed trackside. It was certainly a tenuous time for everyone in the arena as we awaited the return to play. We are thankful to report she is home and resting and wish her some swift healing.

With eight skaters remaining on Kingsford’s roster against Keweenaw’s thirteen, Kingsford couldn’t take a defensive hold. Endurance was the name of the game in the second half. Keweenaw has worked diligently the last few months on refining their offensive strategies and it showed with the breeze in which their jammers moved throughout the pack. That’s not to say it was all breezy; several Kingsford blocker’s sent KRG jammers flying on the outside with precision hip clips. In the end however, Kingsford fell to KRG in a score of 58 to 266.

The Upper Peninsula is fortunate to have Kingsford back and rolling after a few year hiatus. Returning with great number, great leadership, and fresh blood, this team is gaining strength. We suspect in a short time they will become quite a contender for Keweenaw and the surrounding leagues.

WFTDA Adds 17 Member Leagues

On December 23rd, the Keweenaw Roller Girls were given a fabulous gift. We were announced as one of the 17 additional leagues to be accepted into the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association following successful completion of the WFTDA Apprentice Program.

As new members we can now enjoy the benefits of full WFTDA membership, including competing in sanctioned games, attending the WFTDA Annual Meeting and becoming eligible for rankings. This group of new members includes leagues from Europe, North America, South America, and New Zealand.

The WFTDA now has 397 member leagues and 48 apprentice leagues world wide.

  • Kingston Derby Girls – Kingston, Ontario, Canada
  • Traverse City Roller Derby – Traverse City, Michigan, USA
  • Bogotá Bone Breakers – Bogotá, Colombia
  • Dunedin Derby – Dunedin, New Zealand
  • Keweenaw Roller Girls – Hancock, Michigan, USA
  • Free State Roller Derby – Rockville, Maryland, USA
  • Rocky View Roller Derby Association – Airdrie, Alberta, Canada
  • Roller Derby Caen – Caen, France
  • Cape Girardeau Roller Derby – Cape Girardeau, Missouri, USA
  • High Altitude Roller Derby – Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
  • York City Derby Dames – York, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls – Orlando, Florida, USA
  • Sitka Sound Slayers – Sitka, Alaska, USA
  • South Shore Roller Girls – Hammond, Indiana, USA
  • Twin State Derby – White River Junction, Vermont, USA
  • Dom City Dolls – Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Maui Roller Girls – Kahului, Hawaii, USA

The Keweenaw Roller Girls are absolutely ecstatic to be recognized as a full member league and are eager for the year ahead. We are so proud to be amongst those who have paved the way for the successes of this great sport.

Congratulations to our fellow graduates and especially to Traverse City Roller Derby! Roller derby in the state of Michigan is stronger than ever!

May all of our New Years be fruitful and bright!

KRG Does Mitten Kitten

mittenkitten2016logo

We’re going to the Mitten Kitten Tournament in Mackinaw City!

Mitten Kitten. We’ve heard about it, some of us have attended as spectators, but this year we’re doing it! Teams from all over Michigan will come to gather at the peak of fall for a weekend of D1 and D2  games at the Mitten Kitten Mash Up – MackinAwww. KRG takes off in the D2 bracket on Saturday morning against the Killamazoo Derby Darlins “Kill Squad” – how we fair determines whether we get to rest more hours before our next game. Will be play again that night, or the next morning? Will we make it to the finals? Only time will tell. What we do know is it’s going to be one of the best weekends in the Michigan, and the best people will be there.

Also attending from the far North (above the bridge) in the D1 bracket is Dead River Derby. Between DRD and KRG we’re representing a whole lot of land with our small leagues. We’re all proud to be representing the Upper Peninsula, and so thankful for the hosting league the River City Renegades .

See the bracket below and follow KRG updates during the weekend via facebook and instagram. Going to be in the area enjoying the fall colors? Stop by and watch some of the greatest roller derby in Michigan! 

October 14 – 16
Mackinaw City Creation Centermittenkittend2bracket

 

Keweenaw Path Fundraiser 2016

On Saturday, May 14th, individuals from all over our community made their way to Copper Harbor, MI for the 12th Annual Keweenaw Path Fundraiser. Keweenaw Path was started in order to raise funds and awareness for our local shelter which benefits those who have been affected by domestic violence.

Participants started their journey from all over the peninsula. Some biked from Houghton, some walked the entire length of the road that climbs and descends Brockway Mountain, and others ran and roller skated from Esrey Park along the lakeshore, all to join together in festivities at the Copper Harbor Community Center.

Keweenaw Peninsula Land

When everyone in the Keweenaw woke up on Saturday morning it was hovering around 30 degrees. The wind was taunting and a light dusting of snow attempted to intimidate those who were to be outside for the day. We’re Yoopers though, and born here or not, we’re resilient and prepared, it’s a part of the living.

We bundled in more protective gear that usual and we set off for what was to be a beautiful day. Mittens covering our wrist guards, and knit hats stuffed under our helmets we made our way along M-26 followed by a cool gal in a Chevy El Camino with a sign hanging off the back that read: CAUTION: Skaters Ahead!

KRG Keweenath Path 2016
Within a few strides we heated right up, the snow flurries looked no more intimidating than the down of a duck and the roaring waves of Lake Superior became our soundtrack for the next 9 miles.

We are so very fortunate to live in a place this beautiful and to be able to act to benefit our community in ways like this.  The Keweenaw is home to compassionate people and a community ethic second to none. Since its beginning Keweenaw Path has raised thousands of dollars for the shelter through the efforts of participants, organizers, and donations. Here’s to another successful year!

If you would like to donate – please make all checks payable to the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter and mail payment to:


Keweenaw Path Fundraiser
PO Box 164, Copper Harbor, Michigan, 49918

And we begin another revolution…

Revolution is what we know. It’s in our blood and is wired into our brains. We learn it as kids when we play; riding bikes, rolling a ball down a hill, hula-hooping. It’s more or less what makes the world happen. The Earth does it’s thing around the Sun, and everything else follows suit. It only makes sense that we find ourselves so familiar with the concept, and naturally attracted to roller derby, content to orbit in it’s atmosphere.

Revolution has many meanings, and most all apply to life in roller derby.
Merriam-Webster states:

Full Definition of REVOLUTION

1

a (1) :  the action by a celestial body of going round in an orbit or elliptical course; also :  apparent movement of such a body round the earth (2) :  the time taken by a celestial body to make a complete round in its orbit (3) :  the rotation of a celestial body on its axis

b :  completion of a course (as of years); also :  the period made by the regular succession of a measure of time or by a succession of similar events

c (1) :  a progressive motion of a body around an axis so that any line of the body parallel to the axis returns to its initial position while remaining parallel to the axis in transit and usually at a constant distance from it (2) :  motion of any figure about a center or axis <revolution of a right triangle about one of its legs generates a cone> (3) :  rotation 1b

2

a :  a sudden, radical, or complete change

b :  a fundamental change in political organization; especially :  the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the substitution of another by the governed

c :  activity or movement designed to effect fundamental changes in the socioeconomic situation

d :  a fundamental change in the way of thinking about or visualizing something :  a change of paradigm <the Copernican revolution>

e :  a changeover in use or preference especially in technology <the computer revolution> <the foreign car revolution>

Certain parts of this definition stand out to me, particularly the “change” aspect, “motion,” “completion,” and “returning.” Philosophical as it may be, these aspects are very much witnessed when you’ve been around the derby culture for awhile, long enough to see a revolution. Each season bring new components, new people, new life. We being another revolution every time. New skaters move forward, progress in physical skill, overcome ideas of themselves and what they’re capable of. As they move forward and complete their own revolutions, both literally and figuratively, they return back to the beginning, having been changed in the process.

And that’s where we are now; again. We’re now going in to our fifth rendition of our training program for new skaters. Some of us are still around from the beginning, some were rookies this last year, but all of us have completed our revolutions. We’ve grown individually and together, and now get to witness and guide the beginning of new revolutions. Tonight we will have the honor or introducing these new gals to the joy of this sport, what it means to be tried, and to be examples of what it means to prevail over ourselves and our previous conceptions. When we look back from one year from now, I hope we can all see our evolution in all the revolutions.

Wrath and Hoppe