![]() In the metaphorical wee morning hours of 2007, a group of local women strapped on old-school quad skates and started turning-left-with-purpose at the Santa Cruz Roller Palladium, learning the ins and outs, ups and downs (literally) of this re-born sport. Translation: Start a roller derby league. Covey for his highly effective insight (and manageable number of bullet points), I offer you the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Roller Derby:ġ. So in that spirit, and with a grateful nod (and perhaps an apology) to author Stephen R. My internal process finally narrowed my passion down to its core, most clearly stated thusly: Derby girls get it done. James (“Fifty Shades of Black and Blue” maybe?) resulted in more treacle and sap. I tried in vain to write semi-objectively about roller derby, but each attempt landed squarely in the Elizabeth Barrett Browning category, “How do I Love Thee, Let me Count the Ways.” The ways I counted sickened even me (really, how can I love the smell of a skate bag?) Futile attempts to take on an edgier, sexier voice a la E.L. And, along with everyone else, falling in love with the process of watching a burgeoning sport take root, grow and flourish, not only here in Santa Cruz, but world-wide.ĭoes this sound like a love letter? Guilty. Falling deeply in love with the sport, the skaters, teams, fellow-fans and culture. My answer aligns closely with “What has Santa Cruz been doing for the last five years?” Falling in love with roller derby. A sweaty, hi-octane, competition-based non-profit organization. I could say, “skating and stuff,” which doesn’t come close to inferring what is entailed in full immersion in a volunteer-driven non-profit organization. Everything I say here may be used against me in a court of “What have you been doing for the last five years?” My answer is murky, like that of a weekend bender survivor, piecing together the cloudy events of the previous night. Got it?įull disclosure: I am a derby girl. The Santa Cruz Derby Girls are one of those select leagues. ![]() One hundred seventy two of those leagues are members of WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) and play sanctioned bouts for rankings and championships. Today there are more than 1,500 leagues-worldwide. In 2002 there was one league-in Austin, Texas. Ask any fan and he or she will immediately draw an oval on the nearest café napkin, sand dune, or bar counter and dive into the positions and rules con mucho gusto.) (That is possibly the shortest and driest description you’ll ever hear. It is a fast-paced, aggressive, full-contact game played on an oval track by teams of five players on roller skates, with points scored by passing opposing players. Still feeling out of the loop? Here’s the elevator speech: Womens Flat Track Roller Derby is the fastest growing sport in the world. Ask anyone: Do you know a derby girl? The answer will start to be: 1 ) No, but my sister’s friend … 2 ) Yes, my accountant … 3 ) Me! This local version of the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” is “Two Degrees of Roller Derby.” Try it. If you are personally unfamiliar with this thing called flat track roller derby, if you don’t know a jammer from a shortstop, or if you think a CoraZone is a delightful Italian lunch … simply turn to your neighbor and he or she will set you straight. Five seasons of derby at sold-out bouts Saturday after Saturday adds up to approximately 40 bouts in front of roughly 40,000 seats, all filled with screaming fans. Modern roller derby needs no introduction in Santa Cruz. A provocative look inside the new season of the Derby Girls, the league’s addictive charm and how these gals embody a fierce spirit of accomplishment. Santa Cruz’s powerful parade of estrogen is ready to roll-again.
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