Gapland’s junior team, the Smalltown Smashers, need your help raising money for their next team trip! Members aged 5 to 17 will be travelling to Edmonton, Alberta next August, to attend the Greater Edmonton Boot Camp.
How can you help them out: by purchasing items from their Meat and More Drive!
What kind of items can you buy: there’s an incredible variety of products at reasonable prices.
Familiarize yourself with Gapland’s very own la reine français: Renée Tremblay. Born and raised in Saint-Lazare, this 38-year-old now calls Rocanville home. Previously a high school teacher, Madame Ren Dogger is currently a stay at home maman to her two youngest darlings. She plans to return to teaching once they are settled into school (and yes, they are fluent in French).
Ren Dog put a lot of thought into choosing her derby name. She really wanted to show her quirky personality, along with her die-hard French heritage. Those who spend time with her know that she is always trying to stick some French in, wherever she can. After mulling over a few options with ‘REN’ in them (stemming from the word French), she finally came to the conclusion to use a nickname her high school students gave her. With that, fRENch Kiss of Death and fRENch Onion Soup were discarded, and Madame REN Dogger was born. Her derby number also has special meaning, in that 683 are the first three digits in Saint-Lazare phone numbers.
Unknown to Gapland, Ren Dog had been toying with the idea of trying derby for some time. She claims that she had wanted to join for a while, but was too chicken to show up to a bunch of strange women. How does one say ‘stranger danger’ en français? Thankfully, the lure proved irresistible along with some encouragement from her friend Ta Mere.
Madame turned out to be quite the derby phénomène. Not only did she receive the ‘Fast Learning Matha Fakka’ award for the 2012 season, but she also rightfully received the 2012 Most Improved Player. Hold on, is that first one even a real award? When you are Ren Dog and you have trademarked the phrase ‘madarfarcars’ it sure is! The highlight of her derby career to-date was the Harvest Haymaker scrimmage in September of 2012. Her game sense and ability clicked into place, she was in the best shape of her life, and she succeeded in winning lead jam on a very tough opponent FOUR times! For the 2013 season, she wants to continue to work on her skating skills and endurance, as well as understand the game better. Off the track, she plans to become friends with other derby gals (instead of just acquaintances) and get every derby kid saying ‘madarfacars’ just like hers.
Ren Dog divulges that, “joining the derby team has saved me from a boring life [we all doubt this]. I admit that sometimes my kids don’t seem completely human, so derby lets me spend time with some real ones.” She is unsure of how many seasons she will be able to participate in on the track, but vows to maintain the rediscovery of her that derby prompted. “She always shows sheer determination, has a positive attitude, and encouraging words for other gals,” says her teammate Bone Voyage. Gapland is proud to call her our own and we hope her derby journey is a long one. Cheers madarfarcars!
In non-derby life, you can call this Smalltown Smasher Paighton Cozens. She got some help choosing her derby name from one of our league founders, Knucklebones. “My favorite band is Avenged Sevenfold and their guitarist’s name is Synyster Gates,” she says. Seems like fate. As for her number, Synyster says that it took her exactly 6.61 minutes to realize she wanted to play derby.
Synyster has grown up in Rocanville and works part-time at one of our platinum sponsors, Borderland Co-op. Lucky for us, she’s only in grade 10 at Rocanville High School, meaning there are many derby years left in her career.
What brought her to Gapland? “Echo Chase (Sweet Poison) pretty much forced my butt out onto the track. I’m so glad she did, derby has changed my life a lot.” Synyster loves all positions and yes, she really is that positive, all the time. For the upcoming season, she wants to work on all of her skills and be the best that she possibly can. Off the track, she wants to maintain great relationships with all the derby girls. Synyster also wants to bring more attention to GRDL and get our name out there. Did I mention she’s also on the art committee? This gal is overflowing with different talents!
Synyster is always willing to help out wherever she is needed. In the 2012 season she received the ‘Momma Duck Award’. She always has time to mentor the younger (or older!) girls and lend her experience. “The very first practice I went to, Synyster helped teach me all the basics,” says Farm Fatale. “I don’t think I would have been so hooked if it hadn’t been for her.” Gapland is more than excited for her involvement on and off the track in the years to come.
You can see Synyster Skates #6.61 at the Spring Showdown on Saturday, May 25. The Smalltown Smashers take the track at 5:00 p.m. See you there!
Make sure to get your advance tickets for the Spring Showdown for only $10!! You can email gaplandrollers@gmail.com, write on the Facebook event wall, leave a comment on here, or talk to any Gapland skater!
Want to get into the Spring Showdown bouts for free?? Let us know if you are interested in volunteering during the day! There are lots of different jobs to do including selling our fabulous Gapland merchandise, working the door, or being a non-skating official.
Commonly known as Ellie Reid, this Gapland Roller was born, raised, and resides in Rocanville, SK. Her derby name stemmed from the Brooks & Dunn song ‘Hillbilly Deluxe’. “This is a great song,” she says. “It’s all about having a good time in a small town.” She then put her own spin on it, working in her first name.
How did she come to call the Gapland Rollers home? It was mostly curiosity. She was looking for a new summer sport (since drinking beer and hitting a ball now and then at slowpitch can’t really be considered a sport). Lucky for us, roller derby seemed interesting to her and was something new in the community for women.
hELLbilly’s on-track goal for the upcoming season is to increase her speed and agility, as well as to feel comfortable jamming if the team needs her. Her off-track goal is to increase roller derby awareness in the surrounding area. “It’s here, come and see!” She does an excellent job of this, serving as the Gapland Roller Derby League President.
The biggest highlight in her derby career happened two years ago. ‘Doom Cookie’ referred to her as being a one woman wrecking crew and ‘Kitty Militia’ found her after a game to compliment her on her blocking skills. Words of praise from these veteran players of the Pile O’ Bones Derby Club are definitely well deserved by our hELLbilly. She is an irreplaceable force on the Gapland Rollers.
hELL is a mother to 1 year old ‘hELL Baby’ and is also a travel counselor for Tourism Saskatchewan. Bored and want to know where to explore in this province? She is your go-to gal. Feel free to drop in on her at the Visitor Reception Center on the #1 Hwy at the Manitoba border.
“Derby has changed my life. I’m a happier, more confident person since I found derby. I’m thankful every day that I can be involved in a sport that makes me feel good about myself.”
Gapland’s junior team, the Smalltown Smashers, need your help raising money for their next team trip! Members aged 5 to 17 will be travelling to Edmonton, Alberta next August, to attend the Greater Edmonton Boot Camp.
Gapland Rollers 