Rollergirls "fresh meat," (from left) Hit em Lo, Dead Eye HuntHer and Punisher Pixie. Photos courtesy timothykanephotography.com.
The Rubber City Rollergirls are more popular than ever. So much so, Akron’s derby squad has split up into two teams. The veteran rollers play for the A.K. Rowdy Rollers. That leaves the rookies for The Rubber City Renegades. Except, in derby, they’re known as fresh meat.
Rollergirls veteran Eighty-SixHer said the fresh meat comes in all sizes, ages and athletic abilities. In addition to participating in bouts, the Rollergirls practice six hours a week and take part in several community events.
“It is truly a year round commitment for everyone,” Eighty SixHer said. “And while we emphasize playing safely, there is always a risk of injury – at some point every player will get hurt, getting anything from a bruised tailbone or ribs, to a broken bone. Through natural attrition, we’ve lost players who have found the time commitment to be too much, or who have been injured and decided they aren’t willing to take the risk. So after we lose players to those two things, we end up with a group of very dedicated players.”
The Rollergirls close out their 2010 season on Saturday with a doubleheader at the John S. Knight Center. With the 2010 coming to an end, a few of this year’s fresh meat answered a some questions about their first season.
- Why did you decide to take part in roller derby, and the Rubber City squad in particular?
Dead Eye HuntHer: I basically grew up on skates. I spent countless hours at the Chagrin Valley Roller Rink, enough to be dubbed a “Rink Rat,” a title I was very proud of. As time went on a lot of us “rink rats” started getting pretty good on our skates and they decided to start up a speed skating team, the Piranhas. We were a small team but we did well and had a lot of fun! I really enjoyed competing but sadly that team folded after a few years and in my junior year of high school I moved to a team in Lorain, Buckeye Speed. That year on skates was amazing! I went from being third in the state to actually winning junior Olympic (amateur) nationals! It was an incredible feeling to work hard at something, at one point practicing up to six days a week (twice on Sundays) with a session skate on the seventh, and really making it. But I knew the reality of life was going to set in so during my senior year I took it easier because I knew I was going to college the next year and that my skating days were coming to an end.
During my five years, yes five, in college I tried skating some with a local team but it just wasn’t the same. I couldn’t devote the time needed to stay good. But every chance I got I would skate around campus, I just love the feeling of the wheels rolling under my feet. After college I got a job teaching and have been focusing on that the last 5 years. Through the wonders of the internet I became “friends” on Facebook with a skater (Sindi “sindinator”) I used to compete against when I was younger. Eventually I started seeing her posts come up in my feed about derby. Instantly I wanted in! It was a great chance to get back on my skates, get in shape and meet some great people.
Punisher Pixie: I had never heard of roller derby before I saw the Rubber City Rollergirls having fun in a parade. I looked them up on the Internet, and it looked like those ladies knew how to have a great time together while staying physically fit. I was looking for a hobby that would get me out of the housewife/mom mode. My Littles are now big enough (12, 6, and 4) to enjoy a couple of nights per week with Daddy.
Hit em Lo: I was beginning to feel restless and started exploring different activities, predominantly ones that required physical contact. I was looking into martial arts when roller derby started catching my eye. I was aware that Akron had a team and decided to look into it the sport of roller derby. I would like to say that I researched Rubber City and their organization is what drew me to this team, but really, it was about as random of a match up as one could imagine. I really knew nothing of the league other than what was on their website and some different local events they had participated in. The defining moment came when I went to their website for the gazillionth time and the question “Wanna be a rollergirl?” posted on the site stood out to me. After asking myself that question, with very little thought beyond that moment, I decided, yes, I did want to be a rollergirl. So I clicked on the button, sent off an email and that’s all she wrote.
- How much did a derby season push you physically?
Dead Eye HuntHer: It has definitely brought my tolerance for pain up another notch. It’s making me think more about how a take care of myself physically. If I neglect an injury I not only risk my ability to skate in the future but I let my team down.
Hit em Lo: Roller derby is such a unique sport. It’s just as much about physical fitness as it is about mental strength. On the track, you’re up against players, often ones twice as big as you, with the sole intention of sending you to the floor. Hard. There is the constant offense and defense aspect to the game. There are no taking turns, back and forth. It’s a constant roundabout of offensive and defensive playing. You’re simultaneously watching your players, watching the other players, absorbing hits, dishing them out and strategizing with your teammates; it’s a constant play of physical and mental strength. Thankfully I feel myself getting stronger with each practice and bout.
- Moments from season one that made you say “This is awesome!”
Punisher Pixie: I remember clearly thinking, “This is awesome!” when I played tag at practice for the first time (moments before my ribs were dislocated). We were playing so hard! The competition with these ladies is amazing. Even after my injury, I never thought it was miserable.
Another came when a girl came up to me at my first bout and asked for my autograph. I never expected so many people to attend a bout, and to have girls say, “I want to be like you when I grow up!”; it’s quite an honor. It makes me want to show them what women athletes can do. Most of the people that know I’m a derby girl think that it’s the coolest thing ever!
Hit em Lo: I thought doing this was awesome pretty much from the start. At first it was the physical challenge that I loved, but then quickly it was more about the sport itself. The strategy involved, the athleticism required, I love it all. And with derby, there is definitely a bond you form with the other girls. Even other teams you face, there is just a camaraderie that exists. Simply, you ‘get’ each other. It’s a pretty great support system. I never went into this sport thinking “Oh I’m going to make so many friends,” it was just a major bonus. Being a part of derby is a feeling that I don’t reckon you soon forget. Years from now, I know that I will always remember what being a part of this team feels like. It becomes a part of you.
I would liken it to how an ex-high school or college football player might feel. You know that guy that starts reminiscing about his glory days on the field while everyone around him is rolling their eyes? That will probably be me some years from now. Except, instead of touchdowns and tackles, I’ll be painting pictures of slamming girls onto the floor and double digit jams, all while my grand kids are whining “We’ve heard this story like a million times, Grandma!”
Tickets for Saturday’s bout is $9 in advance and $13 at the door for adults and $5 in advance and $6 at the door for kids 12 and under. Get more ticket information on the official Rollergirls site.
See more roller derby images from Timothy Kane at timothykanephotography.com.
