The Jet City Rollergirls all-star travel team, the Bombers, hosts its annual training camp Aug. 7-9, 2015. Read about one skater’s journey from her first time at BomberCon in 2013 to making the Terminal City All-Stars charter this season:
Terminal City All-Star Red Sonja has come a long way since her first trip to BomberCon in 2013. Photo by Diz Ruptive Photography.
I am really sad I don’t have time for BomberCon this year. It’s been a two-year love affair which I would love to continue! Here is how it began… I came to my first BomberCon in 2013 with a few Raw Meat (pre-Fresh Meat) friends. Without having passed my minimum skills at that point, my expectation was that, maybe, I would break in my new skates, build some skills, have a fun weekend, and make new friends. I mean, you can’t go wrong with a weekend of skating and camping, two of the better things in life combined…. Little did I know! Within those 2 days, my skating progressed by leaps and bounds! The approachable, friendly, patient, and just allover wonderful coaches put on amazing workshops for all skill levels, with a high skater to coach/assistant coach ratio. I had lots of 1 on 1 feedback that weekend, and am still using many of the tips I got at my first BomberCon (hello crossovers). The absolute highlight of the weekend were the scrimmages at the end of each day- I got to play REAL roller derby for the very first time! I jammed, and blocked, and played my not-yet-fresh-meat heart out (positional blocking only, of course – the amazing Bombers on the line were there to make sure we all were safe and knew what to do) This first ever bootcamp exceeded my expectations by far, and boosted my confidence level immensely, just in time to enter my league’s Fresh Meat program a few weeks later. Of course I couldn’t miss the next BomberCon in 2014, and enrolled on the day the dates were announced!
Fast forward: I received the great honor to be the 2014 TCRG rookie of the year. And -I still pinch myself- although I continuously work on improving, and trying to be the best skater I can be, it seems beyond my wildest dreams, that at the beginning of 2015 I was drafted to the WFTDA charter roster for the Terminal City All-Stars. My two BomberCon bootcamps were definitely important milestones to helping me get there.
And, even more importantly, I made amazing friends. Thanks Jet City Bombers!
xx-
Red Sonja #101
BomberCon is a 3-day derby weekend filled with scrimmages, skating classes, and workshops for beginning to advanced skaters taught by the Jet City Rollergirls’ travel team, the Bombers. You will receive lots of individual feedback to improve your game, no matter what your level! This is open to everyone (gender non-specific) 18 and over. Your registration includes a free Friday night BBQ and free onsite tent camping with bathrooms and showers. domain owner Free (limited) registration for NSOs and Referees.
For more information or to register: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1382271 (Early bird registration pricing until June 1). If you have questions, please email ivanahercha@jetcityrollergirls.com.
