genuinegirly

Who wouldn't love a full-contact, punky women's sport?





I had lots of fun at a bout last night, even though the team I was rooting for lost. Northern Kentucky's Black-n-Bluegrass railed on the Lafayette Brawlin' Dolls. The score was ludicrous - something along the lines of 120 to 47. Every moment was an adventure. We sat on the skating rink, in what is termed "suicide seating" because we were often tackled when one of the skaters was thrown out of bounds.

Here's a description of how Roller Derby works:

The bout happens on a track. Everyone is wearing quad-wheel skates. Each bout is broken into two halves, which are 1/2 hour each. Within each half are several 2-minute jams. Each jam has two teams with 5 players: jammer, pivot, and blockers. After a jammer's first lap, points are earned each time the jammer passes a player on the opposing team. Here's a bit about each player:

1 pivot who wears a striped helmet:

The pivot sets the pace for the pack, but that's not all. They also...
Keep track of the other team
Call plays
Keep an eye on the jammers
Act as blockers

3 blockers wearing plain helmets:

The blockers are the ones who try to knock out the other team's jammer
Blockers are strong, hefty women who are mean as spit and ready to attack anyone who gets in the way.
Also help out jammers by giving them a push or pull to get ahead of the pack.

1 jammer with a starred helmet:

Jammers start a moment later than the pack
Work their way through the pack
Earn points for their team
Thin, lithe, but able to take a beating
Often the strongest speed-skater


So- yeah. Cheap pizza, cheap beer, loud music, riotous laughter, athletic punky women - Now that's a sport I enjoy!
Has anyone else been to a Roller Derby?
Or maybe there are some Derby Girls among us!

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Baraka_Guru

That's awesome. I'm glad you had fun.

Thanks for the rundown on how it all works. I didn't know there was so much to it!

I've always wanted to go to one of these events. There's a league here in Toronto. A woman I used to work with is on one of the teams. I'm pretty sure she'd be a blocker...

I should just go.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

squeeeb

i saw every match for two seasons of roller derby in tucson when i lived in arizona. i miss roller derby.

Tucson Roller Derby

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onward to mayhem!

Punk.of.Ages

I LOVE roller derby.

I mean, what's not to love?! Hot chicks pounding into each other for my entertainment.

It's kind of like hockey minus the bullshit and straight to the fighting... With chicks!

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"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion..." - Henry Steel Commager

"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

Bear Cub

Holy mother of god, Bear Cub is in love with Derby Girl in picture #2.

That aside, roller derby combines my two favorite things: racing, and women pummeling the living shit out of each other.

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Living in the United Socialist States of America.

CinnamonGirl

I recently found out that Dayton has a roller derby team, the Gem City Rollergirls. How much do I wanna be on the team? A really whole bunch.

Should probably practice a bit more, first, though. And come up with an awesome name

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"...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world."


"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Punk.of.Ages

CinnamonGirl, I would travel many, many miles to see you roller derby...

__________________
"The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real discretion..." - Henry Steel Commager

"Punk rock music is great music played by really bad, drunk musicians." -Fat Mike

The_Dunedan

Don't let Strange Famous see this...

LordEden

I will fight you to the death over that girl. Then your fur will become a rug for my study which I will make sweet, sweet, love to her on top of it.

***

I want to go to one of these, I've seen it on TV before but never in RL. I bet money that there is a league around here. Hope the girls are all like the girls from the Female Rugby team in college. The chicks that were cute were always surrounded by the scary ones that made hitting on them a contact sport.

*rimshot*

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Redlemon

The names are the best part. I was at the Children's Museum in Boston, and one of the helpers in the art room was wearing a roller derby jacket - her name was Ethyl Vermin. How can you not love that?

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cj2112

My wife has a friend who is on a team here. She has been invited to go practice with the team and see if she enjoys it. I am hoping she takes her friend up on the offer, as I know she'd love it.

fresnelly

Ahh, if doesn't have a pit of alligators in the middle during tie-breakers, it's just not worth watching.

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Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

CinnamonGirl

Sweet! If I get the nerve to actually join up, I'll let you know!

__________________
"...for though she was ordinary, she possessed health, wit, courage, charm, and cheerfulness. But because she was not beautiful, no one ever seemed to notice these other qualities, which is so often the way of the world."


"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Bear Cub

I would maul you so bad, the photos of your remnants would show up on E-Fukt.



That aside, I demand that CG become a roller derby queen and post video.

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Living in the United Socialist States of America.

LordEden

Why oh why did I highlight and click "Search google for E-Fukt"... you are a sick, sick, sick bear.

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Vice-President of the CinnamonGirl Fan Club - The Meat of the Zombiesquirrel and CinnamonGirl Sandwich

Bear Cub

Just spreading the good word.


-The Reverend Bear Cub

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Living in the United Socialist States of America.

ZombieSquirrel

If I could skate, I would LOVE to do this. Alas, I am a terrible skater.

Roller Derby Girls may be more intense than some of the Rugby girls I have come in contact with!