All’s fair in Love and Derby

Posted on 28 July, 2014

The thud of players bodies hitting the floor reassures you that you could only be at the roller derby, the sport that is growing in participation and fans.

It is no wonder with the sparkly costumes, short shorts, fancy names and rough and tumble of the sport.

On Saturday night, Canberra hosted a roller derby double header with the first co-ed bout between the Varsity Roller Derby men and women’s teams. Their team names for the night were Witches and Warlocks and the Big Bad Wolf. The Witches and Warlocks ended up winning the close encounter.

Watching the co-ed bout you could be forgiven for wincing as the men charged through blockers, some of them female, and knocking them over. But it is not harsh…they all know each other and are all friends, with a passion for Roller Derby.

Varsity Derby League DHR Sophomores player, Maleficent Mara says the men and women train together so it was nice to play against the men.

“It makes you tougher and you learn to deal with the harder hits and the bigger skaters, you do get some bigger and taller girls when you line up against them it makes it a lot easier because you are used to playing with the boys.”

Maleficent assured me that there is a no killing family rule, metaphorical speaking, everyone was safe and everyone looked after each other.

Another DHR Sophomores player, Cherrybomb was reffing during the co-ed game and said it was fun and entertaining to be a part of.

“The men play a really different game so when you chuck men in with the women’s game and make it co-ed it makes it really interesting.”

Some of the women backed up to take on the Port Macquarie Breakwall Brawlers, and Cherrybomb noticed a difference between the two games.

“Girls tend to get a bit catty at times, you just get revved up and you bounce off each other. So when someone on your team is revved up you get revved up and then everything on the track gets revved up that little bit more.”

It was an entertaining evening beginning with the co-ed game and then the main event, although it seemed very rough, I was assured everyone hugs after the game and tells each other what a great game they played.

the essentials

What: Varsity Derby League Information Evening
When: 7pm, Friday 8 August, 2014
Where: Digress Bar and Restaurant, Akuna Street, City
Web: varsityderbyleague.com