The Fredericton City Rollers have brought roller derby back in the ring and are looking to re-build the age-old sport by developing the league and recruiting new players.
“Roller Derby is currently the fasted growing sport in the world,” said Team Captain of the Bazooka Janes Rachel Harvey. “This is the sport of the younger generation.”
Roller Derby started in the ’70s but encountered a break in popularity. Now there are currently 360 leagues in Canada and its growing said Harvey. “Older people come up to me and say I used to watch that back in the ’70s,” and according to Harvey, “It came back full circle.”
Each team is comprised of five skaters on the track at all time. You have your jammers who score all the points. The jammers wear a helmet cover with a star on it called the panty.
“It’s sort of funny. There is a strategy in the game where the jammer can pass the panty to the pivot and they call it a panty pass,” said Harvey. “Then the pivot can become the jammer and score points.”
Skaters use quad roller skates with four wheels, elbow pads, wrist guards, knee pads, and a helmet and mouth guards.
37-year-old Millie Watts has played roller derby for four years now, and says it’s a very tough game.
“It’s both physically demanding and mentally challenging at the same time. I have heard people say that it’s akin to playing chess while someone throws bricks at you, which is pretty accurate,” she said.
“It’s a full contact sport with a lot of last minute strategy decisions,” said Watts. “It’s what makes it so fun to play.”
Watts plays blocker and pivot on the track for the Daisy Cutters she said, “When you’re on the track, it’s so fast paced that at first it really just seems like a blur.”
“Roller Derby is one of the few games that I know of that players play offense and defense at the same time,” said Watts. “The same group of blockers is both trying to defend against the opposing jammer while also trying to help their own jammer get through the pack. Because of this, the plays on the track are fluid and can sometimes change in an instant.”
“It’s exhilarating to play a game with such strategic thinking, while at the same time giving and receiving some pretty amazing body checks.”
The Fredericton City Roller’s team began in 2010 by someone from another league. “It usually starts with girls who started elsewhere and wanted to start a team in their home town,” said Harvey.
Harvey got involved two years ago when she moved to Fredericton from New Jersey where she played roller derby since 2007.
“I wanted to get involved,” said Harvey, “so I emailed one of the girls and been with them for two years.”
“Our league only had one team two years ago, the Daisy Cutters. So we started drafting for the Bazooka Janes last summer, it was our first full season,” said Harvey.
To play for the Fredericton City Rollers on either the Daisy Cutters or Bazooka Janes you must be 18 years of age or older. The league will make exceptions with parental consent. The youngest player Harvey has seen play is 14 years old.
“Roller derby is fun, it’s addictive and it comes with a pretty amazing community. I encourage anyone to join roller derby—the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it,” said Watts.
Watts said she plans to play roller derby for a while.
“As long as I can juggle the responsibilities of life with roller derby. As long as my body will allow me to push and train hard, and for as long as my league will let me skate!”
Teams average 12-15 players over the course of a season. Some go on vacation, sustain injuries or illnesses and are replaced by players from another team.
The Fredericton City Rollers is a non-profit organization. To maintain their league they hold fundraisers, online auctions, car washes, and charge a six-dollar door entrance to their games. According to Harvey, “you get your bang for your buck.”
Although the game is not made for the weak of heart, concussions is the most reoccuring injury.
“Let’s not sugar coat it, it’s a full contact sport. Every sport has its dangers, but you do it because you love it,” said Harvey.
Watts said roller derby has adapted over time. “Roller derby is constantly changing. Since the resurgence of modern roller derby in Texas more than 10 years ago, it’s gone from fishnets and huge hits to compression leggings and a focus more on strategy.”
“I also know that soon we will start seeing more players who have been playing for years as juniors join the adult teams and the level of game play will increase exponentially. As a fan of the sport, I’m extremely excited about this.”
