So last Saturday night I attended my first bout of the 2017 season with my new home team – the Charlottesville Derby Dames.  Technically it was a doubleheader, but due to the location – about 45+ min away and my busy weekend, I didn’t stay for the second bout.  Still, I had a blast watching the Derby Dames All Stars crush Mother State Roller Derby 318 to 104.

Charlottesville Derby Dames

Apparently leaving early was a mistake though – it looks like the second match was a lot closer.  That comes as a bit of a surprise though because most of the matches I’ve attended have been fairly one-sided.  The scoring format tends to favor that – but it really depends on the teams too.

540 Roller Girls

A little more background is probably in order – all the teams I’ve followed have been members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) – which definitely seems to be the most common format these days (as opposed to the older tilted track).  I attended one multi-team bout in Honolulu, but most of my experience has been attending bouts of the Fredericksburg Roller Derby (formerly 540 Roller Girls) team the last couple of years.

Just the

Rather than trying to explain it all, I’ll let the graphic above break down the basics (more here).  Starting with what’s essentially a rolling scrum, it takes some effort to break through the inertial crush and get a good lead.  Then to actually score, you need to pass at least one member of the opposing team on your second time around the track.  And that gets to be a lot more complicated due to all the blocking and checking.  The Jammer (scorer) can also end the Jam (play) at any point once they’ve taken the initial lead by getting through the initial scrum – whether or not any points have been scored.  Generally, each team has 3 or 4 members that take turns as Jammers rotating on and off the track while the blockers stay on the track for extended periods of time.

Classy!

On the whole, though, it tends to be very entertaining.  I think for me it’s a combination of factors – between the overall athletic factor of amateur sports, the retro/vintage/pin-up crossover themes, the family-friendly entertainment and the general sense of humor involved (I also have a lot of nostalgia from rollerskating as a kid).  I’ve never been a big fan of sports in general (at UNC-CH I attended a grand total of 2 exhibition basketball games and 1/2 a football game – and those were free) – but as a form of entertainment, this appeals to my sensibilities a lot more.

Every bout is a mini-event in itself – lots of merch (I like to collect t-shirts and can cozies – the pin-up designs are always a draw).  Generally, there’s a variety of additional mini-events – pinball tournaments, raffles, giveaways and other family-friendly attractions – not to mention craft beer or local winery promotions along with the other sponsors – and after-parties (not that I’ve made it to one yet).

As I understand it, a lot of the recent cultural interest was reignited by Drew Barrymore’s 2009 film “Whip It“.  I’ve seen some references that call out 3rd Wave Feminism as being a major influence in Roller Derby, but I can’t say that I’ve really seen much of that in the sport from my limited experience (certainly nothing toxic).  I’d say it appears to be an empowering experience for the participants and entertaining for the audience, but it doesn’t have any of the negative side effects that come from some other cultural events – for one thing, there’s no competition with men (forced, implied or otherwise).  Of course, that’s based on my experiences – I know in some areas they allow men or trans participants as well – for the bouts I’ve seen, men are only coaches, referees or other non-skating officials.  From my perspective attending events in Hawaii and more frequently/recently in Virginia, these bouts have been far more “A League of Their Own” and far less “SJWs on Ice” – YMMV depending on region.

Unlike many sports (amateur or otherwise), there’s little to no barrier to entry – most teams host regular events for folks interesting in joining up.  All it takes is an interest and some energy – no prior experience required.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next double header on 3 June.  You’ll be able to recognize me in my new shirt.

If you’re interested in checking out local events, I’d start here.  Alternatively just googling “Roller Derby [your location here]” seems to have pretty good results.