blue artichoke

Last night I went to a WFTDA match, aka Women's Flat Track Derby Association, aka Roller Derby! I was pretty excited about going, to see if it is as aggressive and brutal in real life as it is portrayed on tv. I saw the DC Rollergirls v. the Charm City All-Stars (whose website seems to be down at the moment). Though one girl did get tripped and injured her hand and another got smashed up in a collision, it was all very congenial and supportive.

The game seems rather complicated, but as I understand it, two girls ("jammers") start a few seconds after the rest of the team. The objective is for the jammers to make their way through the mass of skaters, being helped by their teammates and blocked by the opposing team, to lap the group. Once they lap the group, they try to make their way back through, earning points for each person they pass. They have two minutes to do this. I think there are other ways to get points, and there are lots of fouls that I didn't understand.

Roller derby is an interesting subculture, with clever code names (Ovary Action, Duchess of Torque, Free Radical, and, my favorite, Meatball) and a certain style of dress for players and spectators (shorts or short skirts with knee-high soccer-style socks and fishnets). It could become boring to watch a pack a girls roller skate around a track for an hour, but the players are very good at revving up the crowd and keeping it interesting. I must admit that it wasn't quite what I expected, but it was very cool and I'm very glad I went. And, it's #17 on my list of 31 New Things.

Getting to Know All About You: What would be your roller derby name?