Roller derby name and number: Noam Bombsky, #12
Roller derby position – on the track (and why): Blocker, because let’s face it, putting your butt on people all day is fun.

Roller derby name and number: Block Buster #33

Roller derby position – on the track (and why): Block, so I can bust up the other Blockers.

Roller derby position – off the track (and why): Treasurer, just trying to do my part to help out.

How long have you been playing roller derby for GRR? I attended my first practice on 11/9/2010

How did you come up with your name and number? #13 is my favorite number but already taken so I figured the next best was #33. I owe my name to my fiance’s clever play on words.

Do you have any pre- or post-bout rituals? pre- bout: I try and take it easy and eat a big meal in the late afternoon. post- bout: party with my GRRs

What is your favorite thing about playing roller derby for GRR? skating

What is your most memorable GRR roller derby experience? The first time I won MVP at an away game in Tallahasse

If you had a theme song, what would it be? Sublime- Doin’ time/Summertime

Aside from roller derby, what are you passionate about? scuba diving, helping people, my dogs and my home life

What would GRR fans be surprised to know about you? I am a research technician for a UF laboratory.

What makes you a Rebel? Keep pushing myself until it hurts, and then push some more.

Likes: any sport that involves the ocean, gardening (fairly new to this one)

Dislikes: mean people

Guilty pleasures: dark chocolate

Learn more about Block Buster on her profile!

It’s our 2nd to last bout of the 2011 Season! Come watch the Gainesville Roller Rebels take on the Thunder City Derby Sirens from Deland, FL. Last time our leagues met, Thunder City played and won the Millhopper Devils in a hard fought match. They’ll be playing the Rebels now and the Rebels want revenge!!

Don’t miss out on the action!! Come out to Skate Station Funworks  on Sunday, October 23. Doors open at 6:15pm and the bout starts at 7pm. Get yout tickets from Sweet Dreams Ice Cream, Skate Station Funworks, and BrownPaper Tickets.com

A raffle with some great prizes from some of our sponsors such as BobbyK, Gainesville Detailing, Adam’s Rib Co, and Anthem Tattoos, to name a few,  will be held to help GRR’s Injured Skater Fund. This go round the proceeds will help the Jamburglar get back on her feet after a serious injury at our home bout vs. Ft. Myers Derby Girls.

See you there!!

So far this season, GRR has played primarily as the Gainesville Roller Rebels (A-team) and the Millhopper Devils (B-team). For the upcoming Orange and Blue bout, however, we are testing a new model! We are going to be mixing our A-team and B-teams to make two new home teams. While we still have several A-team and B-team bouts to finish up this season, our model for next season will be to have a travel team (the Gainesville Roller Rebel All-Stars) and two equally-matched home teams (the Swamp City Sirens and Millhopper Devils).

GRR is proud to have such a supportive fan base as we keep growing and improving!

Come cheer on your hometown GRRls at the Orange and Blue bout on September 24th! Or, if you happen to be in the Miami area next weekend, GRR’s All-Stars will be taking on the Gold Coast Derby Grrls at the Miami Bank United Center!

Join us as the Gainesville Roller Rebels take on the  on the Ft. Myers Derby Girls’ Palm City Punishers, Saturday, August 20th!

Doors open 8:15pm, bout begins 9:00pm

Tickets: $8 in advance, available at Sweet Dreams Ice Cream (3437 W. University Ave), Skate Station Funworks, and Brown Paper Tickets. $12 at the door, and as always 12-and-under get in free! We’ll also have $8 tickets at our booth at the Downtown Union Street Farmers’ Market, Weds. Aug 17th! Purchase a souvenir cup at the Farmers’ Market and get $1 off beer at Skate Station.

Low on cash? The LifeSouth Bloodmobile will be on-site starting at 8pm and first 10 donors get in free!

A fundraiser will be held to benefit Peaceful Paths.

Bring cash or plastic for awesome GRR merchandise like t-shirts, hats, coozies, calendars, and more!

July 9, 2011
Tonight the Gainesville Roller Rebels host the Atlanta Sake Tuyas, one of the Atlanta Roller Girls (a founding member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) home teams. Electricity and music are in the air tonight as the teams warm up prior to the bout. The Duppies are rockin’ out under the scoreboard and everyone is looking forward to a great match-up!
Starting off what is to be a hard fought first half, the Roller Rebels take to a quick lead. Slick moves and tremendous blocking put them up 11 to 0 over the Sake Tuyas. Mysteriously, now that I have scored some pen and paper and can take notes, Atlanta’s Hollicidal (#h864) returns fire to tie the score at 14 only to rack up a 19 point jam minutes later despite big blocks from Gainesville’s Grizzly Madams (#2nd Amendment). Gainesville rallies over the next 4 jams securing lead jammer each time and taking the lead 45 to 43 over Atlanta.
At this point, despite some good blocking by Atlanta’s Bella deRink (#007) the Sake Tuyas are unable to control the pack or score effectively, only putting up 11 more points in the half. Not so for the Roller Rebels who score another 45 points on the strength of their blockers, most notably Boston Massacre transfer, Killary Clinton (#2008), ending the half with 90. The Jamburglar (#15) scores an impressive 12 points in the final jam with the crowd cheering her on.
Halftime brings another quick set by The Duppies (I know the drummer!) and socializing as both teams plan their strategies for the second half. It’s been a crazy-hard fought bout so far, and it’s not over yet!
The second half starts with Gainesville’s jammer in the penalty box and Atlanta immediately taking lead jammer. Edna Vendetta (#511) puts up 9 points which swings the momentum back in favor of Atlanta. Regretta Garbo (#1905) graces the Gainesville jammers with her elegant blocking skills and so do Hollicidal and InSINerator (#1650), allowing only 6 points for GRR in the first half of the period. Meanwhile, Agent Maulder (#X13) and Ruby Chaos (#AK47) continue to put up solid numbers for Atlanta by executing well and calling off jams quickly. Even though Atomic Mel-Down (#U-235) and Dr. PopHer (#P450) threw some serious blocking at them, Atlanta was able to bring their score to 87, back in range of Gainesville’s 96.
Undeterred, The Jamburglar squeaks through the pack for a quick 3 points, reenergizing both the team and the crowd. Suzie Bonebreaker (#13) takes advantage of an Atlanta penalty to score 14 points going up 116 to their 89. Then, just as Atlanta rallies again and threatens to regain the lead, a break out jam for The Jamburglar nets 24 whopping points for Gainesville, extending their lead to 142 to 110. With time running out, Atlanta continues to work hard but is unable catch up, even as Ruby Chaos scores 10 points in the final jam. In the end, the Gainesville Roller Rebels defeat the Atlanta Sake Tuyas in a brilliantly skated bout by a score of 151 to 124.
Thanks to the Atlanta Roller Girls for a great bout! The crowd went absolutely nuts for this one! See you next time!

Gainesville Roller Rebels Bout Recap by Chris
Saturday, July 9th
Skate Station Funworks – Gainesville, FL

Tickets: $8 in advance, available at Sweet Dreams Ice Cream (3437 W. University Ave), Skate Station Funworks, and Brown Paper Tickets. $12 at the door; 12-and-under get in free! We will also have $8 tickets at our booth at the Downtown Union Street Farmers’ Market, Weds. June 15th! The LifeSouth Bloodmobile will be on-site starting at 8pm. Be one of the first 10 donors and get in free!

A fundraiser will be held to benefit Lori Aid:http://www.facebook.com/LoriAid

Thanks to our sponsors: Skate Station, Sweet Dreams, Paris Leaf, and Maude’s!

After losing their first bout of the season the Rebels have gone on a tear winning five straight. They have shut down the competition with tight blocking, and run up the score with quick jamming and minimal penalties. On the current winning streak, the Rebels have outscored their competition 70-335, and held their last four opponents to under 100 points. In the first half of this bout GRR had a commanding 111-12 lead on an undermanned Bomber Squad.

The Rebels took the lead on the first jam with Susie Bonebreaker (13) 3-2, and would never look back. The jamming foursome of Susie, Krispy Kreme-Her (0), LeBrawn Maimes (23) and newer jammer Noam Bombsky (12), kept the Bomber defense off track, racking up key grand slams early. Big hits and solid walls kept Bomber jammers from getting anywhere, leaving points few and far between. The formidable wall of Sarah Jean Russell (77), Eh-nihilator (49th parallel), Atomic Mel-Down (U-235), and the always hard-hitting Grizzly Madams (2nd Amendment), allowed the GRR jammers to get through gaping holes, and closing them up fast when Bomber jammers tried to make the same pass

A game plan coming in was neutralizing crafty veteran Blaque Jac (21) by keeping a body on her and not allowing her to put the big hit on the GRR jammers. The Bombers were at a disadvantage in this match up, having to borrow some players from Gold Coast and Tallahassee. They were never able to muster any offense, and some key cutting the track majors by Misterious (5), led to a 42 point swing in the first half that effectively put the bout away. The Bombers could only score 12 points in the first half which was a credit to the solid defense by the Rebels.

The second half saw much of the same play. The Bombers did come out with a little more energy, but the point deficit was too much to overcome. Some good jams by Maimes and Bombsky towards the end of the second period squashed any hope of a comeback, and as the final whistle sounded, GRR won 218-62.

News and Notes:

• Proceeds from the raffle went to the Wounded Warrior Project. The raffle rounded up a total of $200 for this very worthy cause.
• A hearty thanks to all the volunteers who work so hard to put this bout together, you’re effort is greatly appreciated.
• Congrats to Atomic Mel-Down for winning her first MVP, and to LeBrawn Maimes for winning MVP jammer.
• The next home bout for the Rebels is versus Tri-County on June 18th. Join us for the fun at Skate Station to see if Tri-County can get the win, or if the Rebels will continue their hot streak.

-Ferg