Roller derby is back! Yes, teams of women with cheeky names wearing short shorts as they skate around a loop, knocking each other over, are right here in the Capital Region, and watching them do their thing on a Saturday night is something you won't soon forget. Whether you're old enough to remember roller derby from bouts on late night television, or know it from movies such as Kansas City Bomber, starring Raquel Welch, or Whip It, starring Drew Barrymore, or you play "Jam City Rollergirls" (released January 2011) on a Wii, you cannot escape its resurgence — and now Capital Region residents can see it live.
What To Expect
The two main local teams are the Albany All Stars and the Troy Hellions. The All Stars began in 2006; the Hellions, in 2008. The Hellions have just been accepted as an apprentice affiliate of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, meaning the team can now play in regional, national and international bouts. The All Stars have regular intra-league bouts with the Capital City Legislayers, Department of Public Hurts, and Empire Skate Troopers.
As those team names suggest, word play is part of the roller derby game. Skaters boast names like Eloda Sarcasm and Isabella Bruisalini. And the women play to their characters. These tongue-in-cheek pseudonyms are meant to add entertainment to the sport; heavy on wordplay, some verge on double-entendres meant to go over children's heads. The uniforms consist of tight shirts, short skirts or shorts, stockings/leggings/fishnets, and lots of protective gear.
While the names and costumes are all part of the fun, don't think for a second roller derby isn't a real sport. It involves strategy, endurance, strength, athleticism ... and a solid chance many skaters will be knocked out of the oval and into the laps of spectators.
"The beauty of the sport is that any woman can play," says Karen Riley, aka Sin & Tonic of the Albany All Stars. Indeed, these women are all shapes and sizes, with day jobs ranging from librarian to state worker — and they're constantly holding recruitment nights.
The Rules
Each team has five players on the track at a time. Four are blockers; one is the jammer. "Jammers tend to be the fastest and often, most fearless," says Andrea Pagano Chen, aka Flexi Wheeler of the Hellions. The jammer's helmet has a cover with a star on it; the striped cover on one of the blocker's helmets signifies she's the pivot, who's "there to keep the pack together," Riley says. "She has the plan."
The pivot and three blockers for each team start at the pivot line while the jammer stands 30 feet back, behind a second line. When the whistle blows, the pack starts to move. Once all skaters have gotten past the pivot line, the jammer referee (each jammer has her own ref) blows a double whistle and the two jammers start skating as quickly and deftly as possible to catch up to the blockers; their objective is to get through the throng of people. Whichever team's jammer gets through first, without incurring any penalties, is designated lead jammer and she then gets points for each person on the other team that she passes, starting with her second loop around the track. Jams last two minutes at most, or until the lead jammer signals the jam is done by placing her hands at her hips. Then they line up and start again.