Gritty and Glamorous: Sacramento girls know how to roll
Posted by admin on Apr 13, 2012
Roller derby may not be synonymous with "American pastime" but it’s a growing national and international sport that’s been entertaining rowdy fans for decades. Exciting and athletic, it’s a contact-sport on roller skates — and while there are no official rules about uniforms, it’s become de rigeur to wear some pretty fly outfits. Players adopt intimidating pseudonyms and colorful alter-egos, adding further theatrics to this aggressive and physically jarring sport.
Since their inception in 2006, the Sac City Rollers — Sacramento’s first all-female roller derby league — have gained popularity and grown to include interleague traveling teams (the Capital Punishers and the Folsom Prison Bruisers), intraleague teams (the Sweaty Betties, the Rude Girls, and the Notorious Knockouts), and the Bad Apples, a junior league team for girls ages 10-17. They began their season this spring and will play monthly home "bouts" and several traveling games through the end of December. The next home bout is May 19; check their website for information about tickets.
In 2011 the Sacramento News & Review named the Sac City Rollers the best "unsung" local sports team, and the same could be said of the sport in general. Few people know the history or rules of the game, but it’s an all-American sport (in terms of it’s origin) that dates back to the 1930s and has a special association with female athletes.
Today roller derby can be a co-ed, all-male, or junior team sport, but it was originally played by women only. Two teams of five members each race around a track; each team has a designated "jammer," the one player who can score points by lapping members of the opposing team. The most challenging aspect of roller derby is that the teams simultaneously assist their jammer while trying to hinder the efforts of the opposing jammer, effectively playing offense and defense at the same time.
An "indie" sport with a culture all its own, roller derby has blended with elements of feminism in the 21st century to create a counter-culture phenomenon with strong DIY and grassroots support. It’s not something you can see just anywhere, so check it out next time you visit Sacramento. The Sac City Rollers play at The Rink, 11 miles from the Sacramento Hostel and advance tickets are $10.