Valerie Rossie
Trail Times
B.C.’s No. 1 sports town is about to get a taste of the fastest growing sport in the world when roller derby hits the Trail Arena Saturday.
“Miss Trial” will be the first West Kootenay Roller Derby league double header to grace Trail, an exciting opportunity quite possibly secured after the Rossland Trail Roller Girls (RTRG) successfully hosted its first independent bout against Cranbrook’s Mountain Town Maulers last year.
The fan base in Trail is still growing, according to RTRG assistant captain Christin Davis (aka Roll N Loki), and the next bout should bring in some first-time spectators who’ve never made the trek to other league venues.
“It’s infectious,” Davis said, “once you get the derby bug you get sucked in.”
Davis is speaking from experience. She’s been circling the track for the past four years through team growth and development and is now one of the veteran players on RTRG, an amalgamated team made up of Rossland’s former Gnarlie’s Angels and Trail’s former Bad News Betties.
The team made its mark last season with some nail biting wins and losses and has reinvented itself this season with new skaters full of fire in the belly. It’s remarkable how far the not-so “fresh meat” have come in a short time.
The action starts at 5 p.m. when RTRG face off against Valley Brutality, a temporary combined team made up of the league’s Slocan Valley Vendettas and Salmo’s Babes of Brutality.
Despite the distance between the two communities (Salmo and the Slocan Valley), Valley Brutality is gelling nicely together and turning heads while they’re at it.
“Skating with another team is awesome,” admits Shelly Grice Gold, a Salmo skater known as Hoar Frost. “We have such a great connection and everyone is so full of support and admiration for the other side we merged with.”
Grice Gold is responsible for bringing roller derby to the area back in 2009 when a small group of Salmo girls suited up and attempted to play the full-contact sport after learning what they could from yotube videos.
The league has made some serious strides since then and the second game of the night at 7 p.m. should prove to be the case. Castlegar’s Dam City Rollers look to be rising from their notorious third-place status and giving league champs, the Nelson Killjoys, a serious roll for the prestigious golden boot – bestowed onto the league team that takes the season.
The action starts at 5 p.m. (doors open at 4 p.m.) Saturday at the Trail Arena, where the night will also boast an entertaining half-time show, beer garden, 50/50 and prizes. The fun will carry on at the after party held at RTRG’s club house, the Arlington Bar and Grill, where Gary Morissette will be performing live.
RTRG will be on site at Ferraro Foods in Trail Friday between 3-6 p.m. Come by to purchase a ticket, pick up some new team merchandise or win one of 10 tickets by challenging your favourite derby girl to a plank off or arm wrestle.
Get your tickets in advance for $10 at Cedar Avenue Salon & Esthetiques or the Arlington Bar and Grill in Trail, the Flying Steamshovel General Store in Rossland or buy online at www.kootenayrollerderby.com . Tickets cost $15 at the door and $2 for kids 12 and under.
