Jacqueline Fieldhouse
Board of Directors East Kootenay Roller Derby League
The East Kootenay Roller Derby League is excited to announce, the much anticipated phenomenon that is Roller Derby, is coming to our area…and is here to stay.
On Saturday 27 August 2011, Roller girls from all over the East Kootenays will travel to Marysville, BC for an evening of hard hitting, heavy bruising and tactical prowess, competing in the first ever Roller Derby event to be held in the area.
The event, named “Sucker Punch”, will see four local teams compete in an epic double header at the Marysville Arena, in downtown Marysville, BC. This night will surely not disappoint, with the first to bout being: Fernie’s Avalanche City Roller Girls versus Kimberley’s Bavarian Barbarians in a half hour show bout, followed by the main event, a full hour game featuring Invermere’s Killer Rollbots and Cranbrook’s Mountain Town Maulers.
If you want some high octane action, then “Sucker Punch” will be a perfect event to get “down and derby”. Doors will open at 6pm and the non-stop action begins at 7 p.m. Tickets for the bout are $10 for adults, children under 12, two dollars, and are available locally in each community or by contacting ekrdl@hotmail.com. Separate beer garden area open for 19 and older. The sport of Roller Derby is currently experiencing a huge resurgence in North America, most notably here in Canada, becoming the new phenomenon in the extreme sport world.
This full contact, rough and tumble sport appeals to strong, perhaps slightly crazed women of all ages. Women not faint of heart, looking for a challenging, athletic, empowering team sport. The East Kootenay Roller Derby League was formed in 2011 and is run by an enthusiastic group of volunteers: for the skaters, for the love of derby.
The league currently consists of four teams including over 60 derby girls registered with our governing national body: Canadian Women’s Roller Derby Association (CWRDA). With months of practice to prepare, the skaters are now ready to meet on the track and bout for the first time.
This legitimate sport is played according to the standards and strict rule set developed by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the international governing organisation for the sport. The game is played on a flat, oval track, with five players from each team skating on the track at any one time.
The object is for the “jammer” to get through the pack of four opposing “blockers” as many times as possible, collecting points for their team in a short period of two minutes called a “jam”. The game is fast and boisterous, much like the players themselves, dressed in colorful and inventive derby gear, providing exhilarating entertainment for all.
