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Written by Heather Goodwin Friday, 09 October 2009 09:09
Rink Rash
First things first: This weekend is a huge BERG bout! Your hometeam favorites, The Big Easy Rollergirls, will be playing Hattiesburg, Mississippi's Southern Misfits tomorrow, October 10, at the UNO Human Performance Center. Tailgating in the parking lot starts at 5 p.m., doors open at 6, and the skating starts at 7. There will be a special half-time presentation of my official BERG name - you know, the one that you guys all helped create! - so come out and meet the genius behind the name "Vieux Careen"!
If you should happen to head to the movies tonight, you'll see girls dressed in derby gear selling tickets to the bout. BERGers will be stationed at the theatres to convince people in line for "Whip It!" that they should see some real derby action, too.
In preparation for the epic battle this weekend, I spent the evening with Balls-Out Betty learning how to clean my bearings. Every Thursday before a bout, Betty prepares herself by getting her wheels in tip-top shape. This week, she invited me to join her because, as she put it, my wheels sounded like they had rocks in them; I hadn't been able to skate well since assessments a few weeks ago, and now I know why.
To clean a bearing, first you take the wheels off your skates. Each wheel socket has two bearings that have to be poked and prodded 
at until they eventually fly across the room. Luckily, Betty has a bearing-cleaning kit that made the process much easier.
Once the bearings are out, you soak and shake them in mineral spirits for a Betty-recommended minimum of 20 minutes. By the end of the process, my water was completely black! Afterwards, you let them sit out overnight to dry before lubing them up and putting them back in your skates. I'm proud to say that now my skates are practically silent, and just in time for practice on the sports court we're laying down tomorrow before the big game!
If you haven't bought tickets already, keep your eyes peeled around town tonight (I'll be skating around Algiers Point!) for BERG girls selling tickets or head over here to buy some online. See you at the rink!
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| Heather Goodwin |
 Heather Goodwin is a local New Orleanian, graphic designer and fresh meat for the Big Easy Roller Girls. She has always been active since her youth in activities like gymnastics, cheerleading, track, volleyball and, of course, roller skating -- so making the jump into the derby scene seems the natural progression. Whether drawing or seeking the next thrill, she is always up for the challenge. Apparently, Heather’s thrill-seeking genes have been passed to her 10-year-old son Kyle who is seeking a career in professional skateboarding. |
