Team Profile

Steel City Roller Derby (#29)

Team Name: Steel Hurtin’

Based in: Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Joined WFTDA: November 2006

Previous Playoffs and Championships Experience:

2014 8th Place, D1 Evansville
2013 5th Place, D1 Asheville
2012 9th Place, Eastern
2011 4th Place, Eastern
2010 5th Place, Eastern
2009 7th Place, Eastern

2015 Season Record: 7-7

Playoffs Charter

10 Ada Bloodlace
12 La Zorra
18 Sunny Slammer
204 Painsley Slays
22 Wreck Defy
235 Inga Knee’her
25 Ally Mckill
27 Snarkolepsy
3 Red Rumblur (C)
30 Tina Fray
32 Rock Hard Candy
5 Hurricane Heather
511 Shockratease
6 Snot Rocket Science
814 Leanne Groll
82 Bonecrusher
909 Poppin' Fresh
94 The Kraken
D34D Nick Rollfiliac
zer0 Dakota Slamming

Coaches: Coach Dad, Helen Fire

Q&A

Who is / are this year’s Captain(s) of your travel team?
Red RumBlur is our Captain. She's an inspiring leader who has brought our team closer together this year, which was especially important since we had a number of skaters new to the team. She instituted a lot of team-building activities including "I wear your shirt" (skaters switch and wear the shirts of their teammates during practice), and measuring our "unity scores" after each scrimmage and game. Another theme was "23 acting as one" (20 skaters + 3 coaches). These things have all brought us together and made us a stronger, more cohesive unit.

Has your league experienced any retirements, transfers or injuries in the past year that have made a substantial difference in your league’s play and performance?
Legendary blocker Athena retired from the Hurtin' after playoffs last season, leaving very big skates to fill. Additionally, last season's Captain, sMel U. retired for a new job. And finally, we lost powerful blocker Stark Raven to a broken ankle early in the season. Athena and Raven were the types of blockers who could take over a game on their own. To account for their absences, we really had to focus on teamwork and playing together. While initially difficult, we have adapted and this team-focused play has served us well. We also lost regular jammer River Kyx to the 9 month injury halfway through the season, but brought on Beamer jammer Snarkolepsy (who is unfortunately unable to make playoffs due to starting medical school!). Snark performed great for us and was a huge help in our late season games.

Does your league have a motto, or words that it lives by?
The whole league rallies behind "YINZ!" which is a uniquely Pittsburgh thing - it's our equivalent to "y'all" or "you guys." It doesn't have a deep meaning - we use it because it's so quintessentially Pittsburgh.