I remember watching roller derby as a kid on TV. It was a kitschy sport that never made a ton of sense to me. Of course, at the time, I had a wild appreciation for professional wrestling. So really, who was I to cast stones?
Roller derby has recently undergone a major revival. The Naptown Roller Girls have sparked local interest and drawn large crowds at the State Fairgrounds. It all sounded quite exciting. Still, I resisted. Then, a few things happened that pushed me over the edge. First, I was on vacation in Boone, North Carolina. I’m walking down the street with my family when a group of roller girls skate up to us with flyers promoting their next bout. My 6-year old was incredibly intrigued by these wildly dressed women in their fishnet stockings and elbow-pads. Still, I resisted.
Then, some friends called on Saturday and invited us to join them for the “Summer of Shove” event taking place at the Forum in Fishers. When I mentioned it to my daughter I realized that further resistance was futile. So, I went. Apparently, our city has TWO roller derby teams (there are seven clubs in Indiana). This event featured the Circle City Socialites against the Lafayette Brawlin’ Dolls. There was an opening event with some men’s teams, but I won’t waste time on them because it’s all about the ladies. With names like “Anya Booty” and “Faye Stunaway,” these ladies go all out to get into character. Music jams throughout the event, commentators keep you up to speed over the PA and they even had Upland Beers on tap for sale. The action was fast-paced and the hits were, at times, brutal.
For my daughter, it was the first time she saw how tough a lady can be. She is determined to join the team some day and even declared, “Dad, I won’t let them down.” For me, it was just plain fun. If you’ve resisted thus far it’s time to give in. This roller derby thing is just too fun to miss out on.
Photo courtesty of Junior Say-ow
