“That’s the most people there have ever been in the Rossland Arena in the last 30 years!” Rossland was buzzing after their first ever roller derby game. Rossland’s Gnarlie’s Angels played Salmo’s Babes of Brutality and it was the highlight of Golden City Days… People were lined up down the street and many disappointed fans could not even get in to the sold-out (~800 seat) event!

When I first heard my wife, talking about wanting to play ‘derby’, I kinda laughed, not thinking that she was serious. But, a few months later, Gnarlies Angel’s team of nurses, teachers, bankers, child-care workers, housewives & Realtors, were passionately practicing for their first bout! Our kids were officially ‘derby rink rats’ & I was scrambling to design the bout program & get it to the printer by the deadline. >>View Bout Program<<

Red Rocks & Beretta Lynch

The ladies did awesome! It was a surprisingly close match and an exhilarating game! Salmo is led by a national-level derby player (who even knew there was such a thing) and had been practicing twice as long as the Rossland team, but the game was extremely close and Rossland even led at times.  The atmosphere was loud & festive complete with costumes, cow bells & cheering  fans!! Here is the >>Telegraph Story<<

Australian Press – Roller derby, the full contact sport is making a global comeback. In the US, thousands flock to watch teams of women in helmets, kneepads and armpads racing around rinks at top speed.

Roller derby began in the 1930s and reached its peak in the ’50s and ’60s. By the ’80s, the sport had descended into self-parody, & began to resemble WWF matches.

In 2001 the sport was revived by a group of women in Texas. “They had a real punk rock ethos,” says Ms Polson, “and that really shaped the current image of the sport.” That image is often the tattoos and fishnets of the burlesque aesthetic: “The people who are probably in the press and photographed the most are the ones that look a certain way, because they’re the most eye-catching.”
But it’s not fashion that has attracted women to the sport: “It’s very do-it-yourself, there is no real structure and no hierarchy and no antiquated sports stars.”

“It’s about things that people are discovering they can learn, which possibly held them back from doing stuff in the past. It doesn’t matter what size or shape you are. You don’t have to be a particular build. As long as they’re the kind of girl who can fall down and get back up, they can skate roller derby.”

“And it’s quite empowering for women to go and make this sport all by themselves.”

Here’s a short video that explains:

Don’t miss out… get your tickets early for the REMATCH!!

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