Booty shorts and body shots roller derby hit the Coast big time last Saturday afternoon.
The Sunshine Coast Roller Girls hosted their first home scrimmage against the Sea to Sky Sirens from Squamish, and with a score of 127-92, celebrated their win with an after party derby style at the Gibsons and Area Community Centre.
"You could tell the momentum of the amateur sport of roller derby is here by the size of the crowd in the stands," said Dorothy Raymond, president of the Sunshine Coast Roller Girls League. "The fanswinced when they heard the hits andgasped when they felt the crack of gear hitting the concrete. This sport is not for the weak of heart."
The Sunshine Coast Roller Girls have been training and practising since March 2010 and now have a full roster of players who've passed minimum skill requirements and are benchmarked to play. They also have a handful of girls who are very close to passing and are anxious to play with their team.
Earlier this year, the team participated inboot camps, playing in scrimmages and attending games to learn the sport and play against some of the 31 leagues throughout B.C. and Alberta.
The Sirens, who are a first-year franchise, said they gained some valuable time on the court against more experienced competition.
"Our practice scrimmage turned out to be more of an unofficial bout with refs [travelling all the way from the Reign Valley Vixens], announcers, tons of volunteers and a huge crowd which made a few of us derby gals a bit nervous, to say the least," said Sirens' member Kristi "Roxie Shocker" Anderson.
For Anderson, it was her first time in a bout atmosphere, and she said it was a thrilling experience.
"It was my very first scrimmage with the team, and I found it to be exhilarating," she said. "On the track the girls are unrelenting, and once it's done, it's hugs and high fives. The camaraderie between derby sisters is indescribable. I do have to admit that I am very sore on my upper half jammers do take a beating."
Sirens' team member Shannon "Mala Justed" Handley agreed with Anderson that it was a good first bout for the team.
"This weekend was awesome," she said. "The girls from Gibsons were amazing hosts and we drew 100-plus spectators not bad for something they threw together at the last minute."
The Sunshine Coast Roller Girls, riding a wave of success from Saturday's win, are off to Abbotsford May 28 to play the Reign Valley Vixens. The bout will also serve as a fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.
The Roller Girls would like to thank all their sponsors and the fans, who made donations to the Food Bank, which were collected at the door instead of a paid ticket.
If you are interested in playing, volunteering or officiating for this growing league, contact the S.C. Roller Girls at [email protected] or find them onFacebook on the Sunshine Coast Roller Girls Page.
With files from Ben Lypka/Squamish Chief
