Roller Derby season kicked off at the Sunshine Coast arena on Saturday, June 9 with the Sunshine Coast’s Red Tide Warning facing off against the Sea to Sky Sirens from Squamish.
One Coast player got injured and another was fouled out, putting the Red Tide Warning at a disadvantage against the Sirens, who rolled away champs with a score of 276 to 93.
“It was a hard game but it was lots of fun,” said Red Tide Warning’s Jeanette Stenzel, also known by her derby name, Napalm Nettie.
The team has acquired several new players this year, which Stenzel said added to the challenging season opener. The Sunshine Coast Roller Girls (SCRG) is a humble league, composed of one team. Stenzel, who has been a part of the league since it launched in 2010, said the SCRG has needed to make adjustments to keep going, including allowing younger competitors to participate, as well as men.
“It would be nice if we had more people out to play, because then we could have two teams … but it’s hard,” said Stenzel, adding it’s a problem several small-town leagues face, including Powell River and Squamish, which also has only one team in its league.
One more game is scheduled this season, which will take place at the Sunshine Coast Arena on Saturday, June 23. Red Tide Warning is also considering adding scrimmages and a tournament to the season.
Despite the two-bout season and one-team league, Stenzel said the fan support remains strong, with at least 100 people showing up for games. “The little ones always want our autographs,” she said. And the team is as dedicated to the sport as ever, practising all winter at what Stenzel calls “the church of derby,” known to the wider public as the Holy Family Catholic Church in Sechelt.
“We come from all walks of life and a lot of them haven’t played team sports. It’s a sisterhood or family, and playing the other girls, too… There’s real camaraderie,” she Stenzel said.
