We are back on NSO watch this month, as we take some time to recognise our amazing NSO, Blind Io!
Io has been with us for nearly 18 months, and has really cemented himself as a huge ARRG brick. He’s dedicated, meticulous and keen, and is always ready and willing to lend a hand to NSO’s in training. He’s our first ever UKRDA affiliated NSO and we couldn’t have ARRG without him.
Joined ARRG in: I started NSOing for ARRG last year in January, and became a full member several months later.
Role in ARRG: I’m a Non-Skating Official! Keep those skates away from me.
Favourite Position to Officiate: I’ve always liked Penalty Wrangling, although it’s an endangered role across most of Europe. As a Penalty Wrangler it’s your job to make sure the Penalty Tracker records every penalty that the referees (and NSOs!) hand out, which means you have to work closely with all of the referees and constantly be on your toes during the game. It’s busy work but so very satisfying when it goes well.
Your Derby Story - Why Are You Here?: I saw my first roller derby game during the Fringe Festival in 2012: I wanted to see if it was as fun a sport as ‘Whip It’ made it out to be! After that I watched as many local games as I could, when during ARRG’s last game of 2013 someone handed out forms to the crowd to ask if anyone wanted to NSO. I said yes because frankly I needed a new hobby, and wanted to see as much derby as possible. But after a few months of NSOing Friday scrims and Home Season I was *hooked*, and have been a devoted NSO ever since!
Best Official-Related Advice: It’s very easy to get pigeon-holed into doing the same one or two NSO roles every game, because that’s all you have experience in! To break out of it you need the confidence to say “let me try this role, I’ve read up on it, practiced it at scrims, I can do this”.
What You Do For the League Aside From Officiating: Anything I can to help ARRGies (ARRGers, ARRGos?) become good NSOs! I’m on the NSO sub-committee and I help out at Friday scrim practices.
Any Funny/Embarrassing Officiating Stories: I almost drunkenly fell into a giant road works pit outside the bar at the West Track Story after party! One step backwards and my foot went slipping down this steep gravelly slope… luckily I recovered quickly and everyone else was drunk enough to not notice. I then had the joy of 4 hours’ sleep and 10 hangover hours to get back to Edinburgh, well worth it though 
Derby Hero: Andy Clockwise! It’s thanks to him that I’ve made it this far as an NSO. Also ‘I am Groot’: a Dutch NSO who gave me the idea of printing out a copy of the WFTDA rules and giving it a permanent place in my bag, because you never know when you might need it 
What Do You Do Outside of Derby: Between my job working for a radar company and NSOing most weekends, I just about have enough time to cook dinner and sleep.
Fun Fact About You: I used to have shoulder-length hair until just a few years ago, and I always keep a photo on me to prove it!
Twitter
Facebook
Flickr
