Roller derby mania is quickly catching fire

Haley is part of a fast-growing population of roller derby athletes who uses practices and bouts to let off a little steam.

This sport is not for the faint of heart, however, as after a two-hour bout, many of these derby mavens take their fair share of bumps and bruises, all for the love of the sport.

“It is a physical sport for sure,” said Haley, a six-year veteran. “You come out here knowing that you are going to be hit and maybe knocked down a few times, but you get back up and continue for your team. It is definitely an adrenaline rush and exciting time when you are out here. There’s no better feeling.”

According to Wikipedia, roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction (counter-clockwise) around a track.

Game play consists of a series of short match ups (jams) in which both teams designate a jammer who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team.

The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own jammer — in effect, playing both offense and defense, simultaneously.

Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, nearly half of them outside the United States.

As of 2018, the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), had 423 full member leagues and 46 Apprentice Leagues.

Although the early 2000s revival of roller derby was initially all-female, some leagues later introduced all-male teams and unisex games.

Modern roller derby is an international sport dominated by all-female amateur teams, in addition to a growing number of male, unisex, and junior teams, and was, as a roller sport. It is under consideration for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

“I think it is a great sport because you test yourself and see if you have what it takes to compete,” derby participant Vonnie Duffy, known as “Slamboni,” said. “It is very rewarding. All of us put so much time and energy into this. We practice a couple of days a week, you work out to stay in shape and you are always working to better yourself.”

Most players in these leagues skate under pseudonyms, also called “derby names” or “skater names,” many of which are creative examples of word play with satirical, mock-violent or sexual puns, alliterations and allusions to pop culture.

New players are often encouraged to check their name against an international roster to ensure novelty and uniqueness of the alias before officially using it.

Some players claim their names represent alter egos, which they adopt while skating. Referees may also choose to use derby names as well.

On the Gorge Roller Girls roster, some of the names represented include, “Pitbull,” “The Kesassin,” “Aftermath,” “Helda Contempt,” “Kung Fu Lou,” “Faye Spounder,” “Kimbo Slice,” “Nerder She Wrote,” and they are coached by Jocelyn Paris, also known as “J-Dizzle.”

“What’s cool is to the outside world you have your civilian name, but here, you have a name that represents your personality,” Haley said. “You have a lot of creative women here that come up with great aliases and they kind of evolve into that character, which kind of gives you a cult following from the fans, so that makes it fun.”

In high school, Duffy was heavily-involved in athletics and as she has gotten older, she plays adult league softball and roller derby.

The experience is fulfilling and makes her feel that she is part of something great that younger girls will want to play as they grow older.

Teams share a bond and a closeness that unbreakable, so words like sisters, family and lifelong friends are major draws.

“In our regular lives, we have daily issues that may come up and it can cause a little stress, so it so awesome to know that I go to any of my teammates and talk about anything and get their support,” Duffy said. “I know I can depend on any person out here for that and they know they can depend on me for the same.”

In bouts, the skaters share high-fives with fans and sign autographs, which make it a full-on positive experience for everyone involved.

There are raffles, merchandise giveaways and drawings during pregame and halftime with live music and a running commentary from Alex Ellison throughout the bout.

“When you hear the crowd cheering, or you see the little girls looking at you in amazement, you kind of feel like you have a fan for life. That’s how we want it to be,” Duffy said. “You take away the face paint and the pads, we are just regular people trying to find an outlet.

“It is empowering as a woman to be a part of this, because you see some women that are in this that you may feel cannot take the physicality of it, but they are here dominating. You want these young girls to feel that way, letting them know that anything is possible.”

Since this is a nonprofit organization, philanthropic activities are a major part of being a Gorge Roller Girl. The group competes in fundraisers across the Gorge area and conduct a kid’s camps to give aspiring athletes a taste of the sport early on.

Co-Ed roller derby camp for boys and girls from ages 7-12 in the third week of June (18-22) and the last week of June (25-29) is the camp for high school aged kids at Westside Elementary School in Hood River from 9 a.m. to noon and costs $80 for the week.

Skates will be provided, but camp attendees are responsible for purchasing pads and helmets.

If prospective athletes cannot gain access to pads or a helmet, the team will provide those.

For more information, go to www.gorgerollergirls.org or email Haley at skyrivernancy06@yahoo.com.

“That’s another part that I love. That we do give back to the community. It’s awesome,” Haley said. “We are out here having fun, but knowing that we can make a difference in the kids’ lives makes it all worthwhile.

“When you are out here doing it, it is one thing, but when you are out in the community getting involved, that is the icing on the cake.”

At the Big LeBOUTski Tournament on Feb. 17 in Ridgefield, Wash., the Gorge Roller Girls All Stars won their first tournament in program history and recently earned a spot on the WFTDA rankings at 178th overall.

This was GRG’s first tournament as a full Women’s Flat Track Derby Association team.

Prior to that, GRG was an Apprentice League squad.

GRG has broad community sponsorships, including long-time supporters, Double Mountain and Everybody’s Brewing, with the latest sponsor, Freebridge Brewing, hailing from The Dalles.

Freebridge live streams GRG’s bouts and even tapped a commemorative Black-N-Bruiseberry IPA.

The Blood ‘N Gorge Apprentice team and GRG All Stars host a doubleheader at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 at The Dalles Armory.

Tickets can be purchased from the team’s website.