Mad Rollin Dolls Profiles: Vaudeville Vixens Captain Sour Kraut

This Saturday the Mad Rollin' Dolls kick off season four of nail scratching, butt bumping, head hitting, people pushing, doll dodging, wheeling girl on wheeling girl action. And as for me, I can't wait.

Roughly three or four years ago a friend of mine repeatedly tried convincing me to attend a roller derby bout which occurred on Sunday nights at the time. I must admit, I was reluctant and skeptical and continually refused to go. My friend's fanaticism with wrestling didn't much help convince me to attend either. All I could picture were those cheesy, carefully choreographed roller derby TV shows that would air on Saturday afternoons in the 70's and 80's. You know, the ones you would watch when it was too rainy or cold to go outside and skate around yourself (my vice was with skateboarding and not actual roller skates though. Yup, I am a man of the 80's).

Finally, after much resistance, I was dragged to a bout by a few friends. I immediately fell in love with the spectacle of it all. My positive reaction made sense. After all, I'm a heterosexual sports fan that has a thing for sadists and silliness. It's the perfect sport for me. But of course, the main reason was the amount of raw, rough, brute talent that was involved in this league. It doesn't take long to discover while watching these women, that they are athletes...real, true, talented athletes. Just watch them move around on the court and you can't deny it. Dodging, jumping, tumbling, blocking, falling. It's a thing of beauty.

Monday night I sat down, via email, with Sour Kraut, Team Captain for The Vaudeville Vixens to ask a few questions. This is the first of a few interviews that will be posted about Saturday's bout.

What's your derby name and position? Sour Kraut, Blocker

What team are you captain for? The Vaudeville Vixens

What are the improvements your team has made from the previous year?

We're really gellin' this year on and off the rink...and it shows! Half of the Vixens were rostered Dariyland Dolls this summer, so they skated throughout the summer and started the pre-season stronger then ever. Every Vixen has grown leaps and bounds since last season...we're crazy excited and have our eyes set on a '08 Championship!

Who are some of the standout newcomers on your team?

We have 3 awesome, hard-hitting rookies this year: Meanie Cooper, Toxic Spice and Miss Sugar Paine. We love our new Vixens, they're super-strong blockers who will help us make the 2008 season the Year of the Vixens!

What new type of promotion or changes is the league planning or has made that you are excited about?

I'm super-duper excited about the WFTDA Eastern Regional Tournament that we'll be hosting here in Madison in October. Derby gals invading Madtown for a weekend of derby insanity....could life possibly get any better?!

Has "Snack" ever bitten you? Very, very fortunately NO!

Do you have a new outfit this year? Yes, sir...just ordered a new pair of hot pants today!

What's the worst injury you've had playing roller derby?

I almost broke my head playing with the Dairyland Dolls vs. Tuscon this summer...I got my first black eye! (My favorite moment of 2007.)

What team do you play against this Saturday? The Reservoir Dolls.

How exactly are you going to kick their ass on Saturday? Very. Hard.