In the Merry Month of May, our B.A.D. Volunteer of the Month is another one of our officials, Red Card! Red is one of our newer NSOs, and has already demonstrated an
ability to quickly pick up a new skill, and is becoming one of our more reliable officials. A fellow official says of her, “She is super eager to learn about how the game works from every angle. Always willing to hop in and help with anything that the league needs.”

And what does the league need? Well, sometimes we need someone handy with metalworking tools. And as someone pointed out, Red “makes things with metal and fire, and that's pretty [darn] cool.” And that skill is what earned her this nomination, for her work leveling the floor in our practice space, spending hours grinding down various bits of metal that made our floor lumpy and adventuresome. Red has also worked with our Facilities manager on other livability projects, including pigeon mitigation. 'cause nothing makes skating more unpleasant that pigeons and…well, just, pigeons.  

For being willing, skilled, handy, and for seemingly always wanting “to learn a smarter, better, more efficient way to do a job if she see's that one of us has one,” we honor Red Card as this month's B.A.D. Volunteer of the Month!

What’s your gubmint name (the one on your birth certificate)?

Brittnee Jones

Do you have a derby name? How’d you get it?

Yes, Red Card.  I was always Red growing up in soccer camps as it was easy for

everyone to remember (given the red hair), so I was definitely using that.  And my

partner suggested “Red Card” as a tribute to soccer.   It immediately stuck.  Plus it’s fun

to be Red Card as an NSO.  

What do you do when you’re not supporting the Bay Area Derby Girls?  

Sciencey things for my day job. And I work on big crazy flaming metal art stuff in any

other free time. (Yes, for burning man but for other things too). I’ll throw a plug in for the

Flaming Lotus Girls!  I love ’em!

How did you become involved with our league? How long have you been with us? 

My partner got me to go to some bouts last season. I immediately realized these are my

people: highly motivated warehouse athletic types. I was enamored.  

Do you have a favorite derby moment or one thing you are most proud of? 

Um, not really. I’m a super newby, so I’m still earning my stripes. 🙂

If you had one super power what would it be? Would you use it for good or evil? 

Right now, I’d wanna be able to control the weather. Team California needs rain. 

Where would you love to live, if not in the Bay Area?

I’ve done my fair share of traveling for work, and it made me realize this is really home.  I

have no idea what’s next but there really isn’t a place I would love to live right now

except here.  When there is, I’ll move there.  

Who’s your derby crush?

Prolly (former ShEvil #52) Kid Ace.  She’s an amazing trainer and super great human all

around. And she somehow magically has that wind blown hair look after killing it in a

bout.  

What’s your personal goal for 2015 (derby or otherwise)?

Hopefully my knee will heal and I can make the league.  That’s the dream.

This BAD Volunteer of the Month may be given recognition from the league back in May 2015, but he continues to give many hours of his time and energy to BAD each month.

“SEXXXXXXXY BEAAAAAAAST” can be heard echoing across the track when the lovable, 6’4” Sexy Beast enters the room. From announcing, to reffing to producing some of the best boutfits this side of the Rockies, he’s an overall awesome person. Beast also helps keep our practice space up and running, from implementing a zero waste program to the ever glamorous light bulb changing. He’s got a heart of Gold and has been a great help with our Skater Tots program –  teaching local kids the love of skating.

Photo credit: Michael Dunn Photography

Name: Sexy Beast

If you have a derby name what is it & what’s the story behind it?

Sexy Beast. It’s from my favorite movie of the same title, a classic English crime film starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley. As something of an unorthodox participant in derby way back when I started (2007) I wanted the name to amuse, entertain as well as to challenge conventional taboos about what was ‘sexy’.

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

I was connected with the then Head Ref for B.A.D. by a mutual acquaintance. My first bout was 2007 B.A.D. Champs (Richmond vs.ShEvil at the San Jose Civic). I was a scorekeeper for Dirty D!  I knew immediately that this was something I had to be involved with.

It has been an amazing 8 seasons with no need nor intention of stopping!

What do you love about roller derby?

The Community: skaters, officials, volunteers and fans united in their love and appreciation of the sport and those who participate in it. The global reach of our community is evident daily and growing stronger every season.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Easily my favorite derby moment of 2015 was getting to announce the Championship Game between Berkeley and Oakland. It was a compelling rematch between the gritty Oakland Outlaws and the upstart Berkeley Resistance, a “no holds barred, adrenaline fueled thrill ride” of a contest culminating in a heart-stopping finish. It was super exciting to see our league put on an event of that caliber and it was a treat to see the Berkeley Resistance achieve their first B.A.D. Championship.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

My Father’s favorite analysis of a job well done was always:

“Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil Thereof.”

And my other most favorite quote, reflective of most of the fun I had as a younger man is from Earl Warren who said:

“Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile, I caught hell for.”

For July, we had two volunteers of the month voted in by our league members! First up . . .

You may have noticed many of our pictures credited to IGP Photo. Stunning images, taken by none other than Adina Butler, have graced the BAD website, posters, programs, and social media numerous times. She has an eye to capture priceless derby moments on and off the track and has been supporting BAD as a photographer, fan, and friend for years.

Photo credit: Unknown (from Adina’s phone)

Name: Adina Butler

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

I just wrapped up my 6th season with B.A.D. at the WFTDA Championship Tournament in St. Paul, MN.

Many years ago, a friend on a photography forum showed off some pics he’d taken at a Windy City bout. I thought they were so cool! About a year after that, I saw a flyer for a BAD bout at the Craneway Pavilion. I decided to go check it out; with my camera in hand, course. I think I got like 3-4 usable shots but I was so stoked I shared them with the league. A month later and i’m on the road to Paso Robles for the 2010 Big One tournament and Jane Hammer asks me if I want to shoot the rest of the season. And now, here we are.

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?

I’m a trained chef, so when I’m not focusing my energy on photography i’m whipping up something crazy/dangerous in the kitchen.  In addition to being a chef, I’m an amateur track cyclist at the Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose. Track cycling is a bit like roller derby; I go fast, turn left and have to deal with blockers and large packs.

What do you love about roller derby?

What’s not to love about roller derby? I love how inclusive and progressive roller derby is. Whatever your skill set, there’s a way you can contribute and be involved.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Ugh, so many memories and moments! Watching the growth of the new additions to the All-Stars roster was definitely one of my favorite things this year. Especially seeing Frightmare, Fluezy and Skrappie absolutely kill it at Champs.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

It doesn’t matter if you get it wrong, as long as you care enough to get it right.

For July, we had two volunteers of the month voted in by our league members! This dedicated volunteer used to be a skating league member . . .

Time and time again, Mae K. Haste has shown her incredible dedication to BAD. When she was a league member, she held the position of co-manager of Events in which she helped orchestrate and make the magic of bout day happen. The amazing quality of our Event production was a direct result of her passion, hard work, and organizational skills. We miss Mae as a skater but thrilled to still have her around as a BAD volunteer and fan!

Photo credit: Lucas Saugen

Name: Mae K. Haste

If you have a derby name what is it & what’s the story behind it?

Mae K. Haste – my middle name is Mae, and I do everything with haste!

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

Since March 2012 – started as a Reckless Roller, and also started officiating around that time.  Discovered Roller Derby in Santa Cruz, and after going to a few bouts there, realized that BAD existed, and started attending bouts in 2010.

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?

Spending time with family and friends, exploring the Bay Area, snuggling with my corgi.

What do you love about roller derby?

The culture – it’s a world all in its own.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Watching the Berkeley Resistance win the championship game.  When I first started watching BAD, I was a Resistance fan, so it was fantastic to be able to see them take the win!

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” – Albert Einstein

Yeah, we're still catching up on giving recognition to these rad folks. From August 2015 . . .

Easy Mode was bestowed with his derby name after perfecting his track setup technique while volunteering at BAD games — something he has done consistently since 2013. You’ll find him in the stands at just about every game flashing his enthusiastic smile and chatting up his neighbors about the idiosyncrasies of roller derby strategy. When asked for an inspirational quote, he replied “Carthago delenda est!” We’re not sure why he wants Carthage destroyed, but we are sure that we’re totally inspired to have such rad volunteers. Et tu, Easy Mode?

Photo credit: Shannon Woods

Name: Matthew “Easy Mode” Pecot

If you have a derby name, what is it & what’s the story behind it?

Easy Mode. It took a while for one to stick, about two years I think. I was Amazing Alfredo at Great America for two summers (“Guess your age, weight, or the month you were born!”), but it wasn’t until this season that someone came up with Easy Mode. I’d been helping set up the apex, I think I’d printed out my Excel map at that point, and someone mentioned that it was going really smoothly. Almost like playing on Easy Mode.

Like In-N-Out, the potential for innuendo is just a plus.

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

Just over two years. A friend of mine had come over from [Silicon Valley Roller Girls], and I’d gotten the derby bug watching her play there, finding ways to help with teardown when I could. I followed her to B.A.D, just in time for the second-to-last bout of 2013, at the Oakland Convention Center, I think it was.

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?

I’m a gamer, which makes sense because that’s my industry, and I’m also a big reader and a wannabe writer. My housemate and I are starting a comics podcast soon, so I live smack in the center of the Geeklands.

If scene tourism is a thing, I definitely do that. Every time I go out to drink with devs, or go to see The Birthday Massacre and Combichrist, I spend the next fifteen hours convinced those are the people and activities I’ll spend the rest of my life with. Warning: Contains dangerous amounts of enthusiasm.

What do you love about roller derby?

Three key things:

– The accessibility of the culture. When I wanted to get involved in roller derby, I volunteered; when I wanted to talk strategy, the other spectators were just as enthusiastic and ready to talk; when I thought the derby girls themselves were awesome, they invited us all to the afterparty.

– I love the rules set, and how much it’s willing to change. Baseball and football, even basketball, are calcified in some ways. I hate the last minute on the clock of an NBA game, and they’re never going to change it drastically, they might just make minor changes. When minor penalties made the game worse, derby threw them out.

– Derby ain’t perfect, but it’s a much safer space than most for women, LGBTQIA, and PoC folks. That’s a culture that I want to support, be a part of, and try to replicate pieces of in the other spaces I live in.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

This might be cheating, but I loved talking about the 2014 Championships and that final play. There’s something about shared memories and giant moments in sports that give everything that comes after it so much emotional weight. Whatever your opinion on that play, it was definitely worthy of talking about over and over again.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Carthago delenda est.”

Hey, I said I was a geek.

Chewie has been officiating roller derby and supporting BAD in various other volunteer roles since 2010. Her teaching experience in her professional life has brought her a generous helping of both patience and poise to the derby track, along with a studious understanding of the rules. While she is hanging up her stripes for the time being and will be sorely missed at game time, BAD is thankful for Chewie's continued contributions to the league with the Events and PR committees and super proud of her work with the Prison University Project.

Photo credit: Michael Dunn

Name: Big League Chew

If you have a derby name, what is it & what’s the story behind it?

I’ve been called “Chewie” since I was in middle school due to my last name and first initial (Chu, E.) When I joined roller derby, I wanted a more “formal” derby name since I figured Chewie was a common nickname. My housemate at the time liked making new puns on my name and “Big League Chew” stuck.

How long have you been with Bay Area Derby? What brought you to BAD?

I officiated with BAD for five years as both a skating referee and non-skating official (NSO). I just retired, but I am staying around to help out with tasks and projects to keep the league running.

I came to BAD after I went to a bout in 2010, decided to give this roller derby thing a shot, sent a few emails to BAD and showed up.

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?

My paying occupation is teaching general chemistry at local universities and colleges as an adjunct instructor. Despite how tiring it is, I really enjoy it and I hope to one day be a full-time instructor.

The main reason I retired from officiating recently was to devote more time to teaching math and biology at San Quentin Prison as a volunteer instructor for the Prison University Project. It’s one of the few programs in the US in which incarcerated individuals have opportunities to take in-person college credit classes. Many go on to earn their Associate Degrees, even while still in incarcerated.

Outside of teaching, I take yoga classes, I’ve started running and I have a subscription to the San Francisco Ballet. I’m really excited for Swan Lake and Coppelia this season.

What do you love about roller derby?

The community! That’s why I’m staying around to help out, even with my crazy schedule.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

I decided to step up and take on new and challenging tasks for the league. I’ve learned to be more effective at communication and organization.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

I’m not really into motivational quotes. Currently, “Live in the Present” is in my head, but I blame yoga for that.

Ranger stepped into a critical role his first season with BAD, joining the coaching staff of the Golden Girls All-Star team.  As a student of the sport, Ranger relishes the depth of strategy that roller derby provides, and brings that attitude to practice where his intensity is infectious. And when it comes to the big game, Ranger’s rock solid support on the bench helped laid the groundwork for his players to execute on the track. We recognize Ranger as Volunteer of the Month for November 2015.

Photo credit: IGP Photo

Name: Pink Ranger

If you have a derby name, what is it & what’s the story behind it?

My full derby name is Pink Ranger, which has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I served four tours overseas as an Army Ranger, which explains the Ranger part. The pink comes from the flamboyant outfits I would wear to Silicon Valley Roller Girls practices. And the coach at the time, Pandamonium, named me Pink Ranger

How long have you been with B.A.D.? What brought you to B.A.D.?

I just finished my first humbling, educational and amazing season with Bay Area Derby. I was introduced to derby about four years ago and began stalking B.A.D. immediately, I gained a lot of respect for B.A.D. as a league and once I was done with Silicon Valley Roller Girls it only made sense to inquire about coaching with all of these amazing people.

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?

I LOVE playing with my cats and hanging with my wonderful girlfriend Apryl-Joy Pascua. Complaining about technology and its effect on society, especially our youth, grabbing hold of every conspiracy there is and being a general curmudgeon.

What do you love about roller derby?

The game itself is incredibly organic, the situation on the track near fluid and the challenge the environment provides a coach is quite motivating. I know as a male amateur contact athlete my opportunities to compete after high school became seriously limited; contact sports for women are much more scarce. I respect the opportunity derby provides for the female warriors of our current society.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

My most memorable experience was beating Denver at Champs, quite gratifying beating a team who we had lost to previously. My favorite moments have been the feeling following a good practice, and experiencing the depths to which skaters are willing to push themselves. Practice is where the magic happens.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Perfection is not attainable, but if we (tirelessly) chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” – Vince Lombardi

Roller derby blood runs deep in the Coyote family. January’s Bad Volunteers of the Month are none other than Sandie and Emo Schuitema, aka, Mama and Papa Coyote. Starting off as awesome fans, this duo climbed the ranks to esteemed BAD volunteers. They helped our events committee with all aspects of bout set-up and tear-down for the past two years. Yea, that’s right, the floor doesn’t put itself down; it takes the time and effort of our amazing volunteer community to help us build our track and stock our venue for our fans. Read on to learn more about this awesome volunteer parental unit!

Photo Credit: Unknown – Picture Papa Coyote (Mama Coyote was too fast to be captured by mere mortal photography.)

Name(s): Sandie and Emo Schuitema

If you have a derby name, what is it & what’s the story behind it?

Vile E. Coyote is our daughter

How long have you been with BAD? What brought you to BAD?

Two years with our daughter

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?

Rebuilding antique clocks and classic muscle cars and riding my Harley.

What do you love about roller derby?

The camaraderie between all the girls and all the action.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment from 2015.

Berkeley Resistance winning the championship in 2015.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.

“Just get in there and do it!”

For February, we'd like to recognize a volunteer who is our silent guardian and watchful protector (of stats). BAD's very own Kate Crüsader. She is a precious gem of a volunteer who dedicates time throughout the week and during bouts as one of a like-minded team of hero-officials who refer to themselves as the ‘N-S-Os’. We suspect this may stand for ‘Network of Supreme Omniscients’ but the rest of the world interprets them as “Non-Skating Officials.” Her weapons of choice during a roller derby scrimmage or game are a pencil and clipboard’; she thrives as a pro interlocutor between what happens on the track and the stats that keep BAD on the map. Off the track she can be commonly found pumping iron and hanging out with her kitten. You know, standard superhero stuff.

Photo credit: Donalee Eiri of Photography by D.E.sign

Name: Kate Crüsader

If you have a derby name, what is it? What’s the story behind it?:

My derby name is Kate Crüsader. My name was given to me by a friend one night while watching the Dark Knight. I have always wanted to be a superhero and my nephews think my name is pretty cool.

How long have you been with BAD? What brought you to BAD?:

This is my 4th season with BAD. My friend Edith Shred (retired ShEvil skater) convinced me to check out Reckless Rollers. She went to my first practice with me. I found my derby tribe when Dream Queen (the Head Non-Skating Official at the time and a fellow Reckless skater) convinced me to give NSOing a try.

When you’re not supporting our league – what else do you enjoy doing?:

I love to sew, collect creepy art and skulls, skate outdoors, watch horror movies, lift weights (who knew?) and hang out with my family, friends and kitten.

What do you love about roller derby?:

I love the amazing people that have come into my life because of derby. There are people who I would have probably never met if it hadn’t been for derby, including my beautiful partner and one of my very best friends.

The game itself continues to inspire me. I may not be a skater but I am inspired every time I see what my league mates accomplish on the track, off the track, behind the scenes.
You have never met a more dedicated group of people than derby lovers.

Share your favorite derby memory/moment of 2016 (so far).:

Walking into Craneway Pavilion on Feb 27th to kick off the 2016 BAD Season for a full day of officiating derby. The calm before the storm, the beauty of the location and the anticipation of the games in front of you. There is nothing quite like it.

Share one of your favorite motivational quotes with us.:

Fate whispers to the warrior
You cannot withstand this storm
And the warrior whispers back
I am the storm
– Author Unknown

Rewind to April's BAD Volunteer of the Month!

The lifeblood of any sports league, the fuel that really keeps things pumping behind the scenes and helps our teams glitter with Gold, are the relationships we make and the sponsorship we receive through like-minded companies and individuals. Diana Caballero (Mama Hammer, to some) has been instrumental this season in helping BAD make some serious connections in the community.

Among her heroines are Rosa Parks, for her willingness to take a stand, and Roald Dahl’s sly genius Matilda, both role models that BAD can get behind! Thank you for giving us Jane Hammer and for all of your support, Diana.

Name one of your heroines from world history.  Ms. Rosa Parks because she stood up for her rights

What is your favorite food and drink? Ice Cream and Champagne

Name one of your favorite heroines from fiction. [Roald Dahl’s] Matilda is one of my favorite heroines because she embodies all of us with her passion for books; something I love about my daughter and her passion for reading.

If you weren’t doing your current occupation, what would you want to do? Interior Decorator