Takobazooka!

Who is Takobazooka?!?

Along with cosplay, I have another awesome hobby: skating Roller Derby. Yes, you heard that right, Roller Derby. It's fast paced, violent, a great workout and a lot of fun.

Rather than get into the history of the sport (you can find that here), I'll tell you the basics about what it's like for me, someone who is still pretty new to the game.

I'm a part of the Sin City Rollergirls in Las Vegas, Nevada, a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association. You see, there's a minimum set of skills that need to be mastered before I can skate full force with the Vegas team, a bunch of lovably surly cave women known as the Neander Dolls. What I'm doing right now is practicing a few times a week to get to the point where I can practice all the time with those Neander Doll badasses and eventually be a full fledged, orange tiger skirted member of the team. They are TOUGH, but you all know that I'm gonna work my hardest and never give up!

Besides skating my rear off and getting slammed into (and slamming back) all the time, everyone on the team helps out using the skills they have to offer. Being a seamstress and business owner, I'm very good at sewing and selling. Until you see me out there with the team at one of the BIG games, you'll see me working the Merch Booth or behind the scenes making sure everyone has a snazzy tiger striped skirt that all the girls from the other team can admire the workmanship on as the Neander Dolls skate in front of them.

This doesn't mean I don't get to play, though! As soon as I get through my skills test, I'll be able to scrimmage with the team, which means playing full games and refining the position(s) I'm going to play. Hard work? Yes! Insane amounts of fun? Definitely! You'll see me in an orange tiger skirt in no time, so watch for it!

What else is fun about Roller Derby is the names- every girl who skates picks one! These names and personas can be evocative of professional wrestling and can range from the nerdy to the nasty.My name is Tako Bazooka. See, you all know I'm a crazy fan of Takarazuka (say it: Takarazuka... takobazooka...) and I like octopuses (Octopi?), hence #8 for the number of legs. Bazookas (both gum and gun) are pretty awesome, as well. All that failing, Tacos are my favorite Mexican food and Luchadores are cute. Even without knowing those things, when I tell people my skate name, it gets a chuckle because the point is to HAVE FUN.

Most of all, it's great to have such a supportive team in Las Vegas. There's an awesome skate store right here in town you should check out if you are interested in anything Roller Derby, Sin City Skates. They are so helpful and awesome to advanced and noob skaters alike. I trust them enough to let them put eight speed wheels on my feet and shove me down a ramp at mach 5.

It's definitely something to check out if you want a challenge, great friends and the workout of a lifetime. When you do, let me know so we can skate together sometime!