The women’s Blackpool Roller Derby League 2014 anticipates a magnificent roller derby bout where the Blackpool Roller Coasters team will play Preston’s Roller Girls, on Saturday 6 December at Preston College. This game is the second public game to be played by the Blackpool Roller Coaster team so the girls appreciate all the cheering they can get and tickets can be bought for £5 on the door or for £4.50 online by visiting www.prg.bigcartel.com.
The whistle is due to kick off the Jingle Bell Block at 16.00 and doors open at 15.15. The two rivalling town’s teams are promising a fast-paced match to battle it out on the track, so anyone who has ever had a pair of roller boots, leg warmers, brightly coloured socks, and even day – glo laces, is bound to get excited about this event.
The Roller Derby League began its journey from a humble beginning in a community hall two years ago, where a group of enthusiastic roller skating ladies got together. Today, the Roller Derby has more than sixty members, with ages ranging between nineteen and mid-forties. There are some male skaters in this number too and they are working hard to establish the men’s team.
The Blackpool Roller Coasters also have a successful newbies programme, a recreational team, a team of referees, and non-skating officials and to the girls it is not just about skating, it is a way of life. The impact that Roller Derby has had on the well-being of the team is immense and it has improved the health and fitness of the team. The skating has also provided them with confidence on and off the track and provided good volunteering skills too.
Roller Derby is a fast-paced contact sport, played by two teams of fourteen players who skate on quad skates in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a sequence of short matches (jams) in which both teams assign a scoring player (the ‘jammer’) who picks up points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to assist their own jammer past the opposing team whilst preventing the opposing jammer from passing them. You can find out more on the Blackpool Roller Derby website.
Roller Derby originated from the banked track roller-skating marathons of the 1930s, but it quickly became more popular in the 1940s and carried on growing. If you have never seen a bout (game) or watched any YouTube videos of modern roller derby online – shame on you! However, when you do check out this awesome sport you will be surprised to see that it is played on a flat floor surface rather than the traditional banked track. So why not come along, and give the girls a cheer!
Featured image courtesy of 2 Old Birds With Cameras. You can read the review of ‘Bout & Proud’ from earlier in the year and view the full gallery by clicking right here.
