Holly Buchanan Staff Writer
The competitive sport of roller derby is more than just a game to the women playing; “I can’t even see my life without roller derby,” said Kendra Morris, who played for the Trampires.
The two opposing leagues (the Trampires and the Riot Cats), played at Pierce in the HEC building on Saturday Oct 5th. Pierce’s math instructor, Melonie Rasmussen, competes with the Trampires as Eve Aftermath. However, in this last bout she was unable to play due to an arm injury that occurred in a previous bout. “I broke my arm in June during a bout, I’ll be out until December,” said Rasmussen.
Riot Cats is a two-league combination from Vancouver, Canada. Originally the leagues are Faster Pussycats and the Riot Girls. This was their first national bout in 2013. Audience members wouldn’t have been able to tell, with their winning bout against the five-time Dockyard Derby champions, the Trampires, and with having one of their players earn MVP.
MVP player Justine Timberskate highly encourages this sport to any and all women. “Many people can come in and learn it with a minimal sports background,” said Timberskate. She said that spending eight hours a week and having a bout each month creates a family in their team. Timberskate’s roller derby name was inspired by her love for music and Justin Timberlake. Off the track she’s a music teacher. Kendra Morris, who played for the Trampires explained roller derby as a way to “find somewhere to fit in everywhere I go.” Morris was “welcomed with open arms” and said she “fit in from the get go.”
Roller Derby is a contact sport that can lead to injuries. Ruby Ruckus, another Trampire league member, said she has “sprained my right medial collateral ligament during a practice and broke my right ankle, during a bout.” Injuries are not
intentional and are “just a part of the game,” said Ruckus. Timberskate said jokingly that she likes “the rubbing and the contact.” However, her favorite outcome of roller derby is “seeing the camaraderie” and meeting “so many different women with different backgrounds.”
Women involved in roller derby lead an inspiring role for many young girls. Riot Cat’s have a 13-year-old super fan, Amy Guinan-Browne, known as “Deb OwnCrusher.” Guinan-Browne goes to all of Riot Girl’s bouts and had her dad drive her from Canada to this tournament.
“I think it’s a very empowering sport,” said Guinan-Browne on roller derby. “You can be whoever you want to be on the track, kind of like an alter personality.”
Ruckus clarifies that there are “always charities at our bouts.” This past event raised money for breast cancer and collected Teddy Bears to be donated to Mary Bridge Children’s hospital in the sexual victim’s unit. Dockyard Derby Dames will continue to hold roller derby bouts in the college gym in the HEC building. Season eight games will continue until May 3.
