Saturday 10/15 Bouts at San Jose Skate

Although I think every bout I've NSO'd in is an exhilarating experience, I have to say that the past double header bout is the epitome of what an intuitive and cohesive NSO team is like. Both bouts I was in the penalty team (on the inside track). The fluidity by which the penalty trackers, wranglers and referees worked together to cover for one another blew me out of the water.

Orange County Roller Girls did an amazing job on their officials team.

I just found an email that I had written to Juicy K. Tore of SVRG inquiring about joining as a skater. This was back in July 30, 2009.

Stats Team First-Timer

Working statistics sounded like a job that is high up there, higher than any NSO position. This past weekend, we literally were the highest volunteers - we were in the skybox of the Oakland Convention Center!

Working stats require your full attention and a good set of eyes with a good view at all times during a bout. With the help of my senior NSOs Bookslinger and TaraByte, I submitted a roller derby resume to the Bay Area Derby Girls as a candidate for NSOing for their three-day Golden Bowl Tournament against Windy City, Texas, and Detroit. I was not contacted, but I ended up being inducted into Allyaz Stoned's Golden Bowl Stats Team.

There are two statistics we take: Actions and Errors. I've only done actions once at a scrimmage, and I had no idea what I was doing except to follow the instructions of the spotter. Actions and Errors teams usually come in two's: a Spotter (the watcher of the rollergirls in a bout) and the Recorder (the... recorder with pencil and paper). Obviously with my experience, it is best that I take on the role of a Recorder.

Of all other officials, stats people get to watch the bout. For the first time in a while, I got to see the game while working. Usually all the other NSO positions require detail to a specific duty, and you would not be doing your job if you tried to watch the bout as a whole. All the bouts I've been to since this season have been as an NSO, never just watching for the fun of it. Don't get me wrong - NSOing is fun, but I miss a lot of the juicy stuff. We had unobstructed view of all the referees, NSOs, skaters, and coaches. I was able to pick up some do's and don't's from my colleagues, enhancing my roller derby experience.

The stats team was fun. I got to watch some high caliber roller derby as well as help out the sport as a whole. Too bad I missed obtaining some swag, especially the Golden Bowl tee, but there will be more tournies in the future.

Since figuring out that skating in a roller derby team is probably not best for my time and money commitment, I was led into the world of a Non-Skating Official (NSO). It was a way for me to still be involved in roller derby, yet without the hassles of attending practices several times a week and coming up with dues. Since I've been NSOing at the start of the Silicon Valley Roller Girls' 2011 season, I've expanded my horizons of what I had perceived roller derby to be, and have collected heroes who do not skate.