The third game of the Habs v. Bruins playoff series came to a pitiful close just a few minutes ago. To be honest, I kind of can’t wait for this embarrassment to be over—we ain’t winning this year, so please release this city from the madness of playoff hockey fever. Anyway…
In the handful of months hockey doesn’t completely dominate in this city, my other favourite sport goes into full swing. Roller derby, that is—an all-female contact sport that’s as fast-paced as it is hard-partying. I’ve covered the Montreal league in a newspaper or two, but I am also just a fan who likes to go and sit trackside in the suicide seating area, while drinking 2-for-$5 PBRs and watching beer pyramids crop up as the game goes on.
It’s the simple things in life, you know?
Roller derby is awesome. It’s organized by the players, who are women from all walks of life—hardly anyone comes from a pro-athlete background, and there isn’t just one kind of woman who can play derby. There are skinny girls, some uhhh… un-skinny girls, some girls who used to be boys, and lots and lots of lesbians. So many lesbians. Or maybe that’s just the Montreal league—I don’t really know much about the popular choice for sexual orientation of other teams or leagues. Anyway, the point is that roller derby is open to all women, and nothing’s shocking.
But most people who attend roller derby games aren’t really in it ’cause it’s such an inclusive sport. They go because it’s hot ladies in fishnets and short skirts pushing each other around. I don’t think I could possibly see more panties anywhere else—not even at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. A lot of the ladies who play the sport wear just panties on the bottom portion, or booty shorts so tight and short they may as well be panties. And it’s hot, even for the decidedly straight ladies such as myself, because women who exude that much confidence are admirable (even if they can be somewhat obnoxious, especially at the after-parties).
In defense of roller derby
Today’s rollergirl is a beer-swillin’, fishnet-wearing, mean cursin’ mama who pays league dues and foots the bill for most, if not all, equipment and travel expenses, and doesn’t earn a dime off their derby playing. Most players are working women, or at least students, and derby eats through their personal budgets, so it’s no wonder most players are in it for the long haul. Those unable or unwilling to cover those expenses and commit to a rigorous training schedule get out fairly quickly.
Yet so many of the sport’s detractors say it’s just a bunch of silly girls engaging in WWE-style sports entertainment. It’s simply not true, though—if anything dramatic happens during a match, you can be certain it’s completely spontaneous and unrehearsed. It’s hard to control 10 girls on a track, much less contrive storylines and execute them on cue. Besides that, as a former ref I saw firsthand how dedicated most rollergirls are to the sport and their commitment to it. I even lost a very good friend to roller derby because she got completely absorbed into the sport and lost her pre-derby identity (and her pre-derby friends). And even though that kinda sucked, I still love me some derby. I’ll be sure to be trackside this weekend at Beast of the East II, drinkin’ PBRs in the suicide section.
5 Comments
April 21, 2009 at 11:20 am
I want to go see roller derby.
April 27, 2009 at 5:50 am
Just did a search to see if there’s any derby going on in Japan while I’m here. Came across this site:
http://www.baycitybombers.com/japan_news1.htm
Apparently it’s more common for dudes to play here.
April 27, 2009 at 11:36 am
Hmm. Roller derby is really not a dude sport here, but for some reason it doesn’t surprise me that dudes play derby in Japan.
To me, a big part of the fun of roller derby is that it IS an all-female DIY sport. Guys, you have all the other sports. Let the ladies have this one.
April 27, 2009 at 12:15 pm
We don’t have field hockey.
April 27, 2009 at 4:05 pm
but you’ve got everything else!