Iler derby
t of
om
one
vot
ave
ion
hes
like the originals. "What is so exciting about the latest version of roller derby is that no one is trying to make money off it," one of Kansas City's Roller Warriors and 2004 graduate, Annie Mergenmeier says. "Today's version came along because a bunch of women wanted to play the sport. That's cool," she says.
eur,
ital
the
and
the
was
by
ces
ten
en
act
rby
the
ites
en
ing
The current revival began
The girls
six years ago in Austin, Texas, with teams forming across the country ever since. The Kansas City Roller Warriors, started when two librarians, Brooke Leavitt and Mandy Durham, tied on their skates and began competing in 2004, but the league only had enough people for two teams. Now, the league has about 45 current members and
is split into four separate teams:Dreadnought Dorothyys, Black-eye Susans, Knock-Outs and Victory Vixens. They systematically divide the teams so that each team has a fair combination of new and experienced skaters.
Kem Elliott, 24-year-old Kansas City,Mo.,resident,looks a little like
Hilary Duff. Her shift at Starbucks just ended so she's sitting at a small table sipping a large pink drink and scanning a newspaper. She's sporting a black Kansas City Roller Warriors hoodie and her chin-length blonde hair is in minipigtails.
Blocker — determines the position of the pack and plays the defensive role for the team. She tries to limit the progress of the opposing team's jainmer while offering protection and defense for her own team's jammer.
ROLLER DERBY POSITIONS
Pivot — wears a striped helmet cover and determines the pace of the pack. She is the last line
of defense for the team because while acting as a blocker, she tries to prevent the opposing jammer from leaving the pack.
Jammer — sports a helmet cover with two stars and scores points for the team. She lines up 20 feet behind the pack, has to catch up to the pack, maneuver through them and lap them as many times as she
can, scoring points each time around.
I just saw a group of really strong women who were encouraging to each other and encouraging to themselves,"she says.
Lead jammer — the first jammer to "break the pack" passing all blockers and pivots on both teams while remaining in bounds. The lead jammer is the only player who can call off the jam before the two minutes expire. She does so by placing her hands on her hips.
Elliott joined the Kansas City league in Feb. 2006 and recently took over as co-director. She moved to Kansas City from Springfield, Mo, with her husband Tim and felt a little lost and little lonely not knowing anyone, she says. She heard about the league through a blurb in the newspaper so she decided to watch a practice. Elliot enjoyed roller-skating as a kid but never to a professional extent. However, she has always loved sports and has always been very athletic so she quickly gained interest, she says.
Elliott isn't the only one to find empowerment through roller derby.
The gauntlet
When she joined she made 45 new best friends and a little family who supports each other. Elliott says the sport also keeps her in shape and has offered empowerment."At my first try-out
Rachael Trader, Overland Park sophomore, had been battling severe depression when she read about the Kansas City league in the newspaper and decided it was the right thing for her. The physical and mental challenges of the sport help her almost therapeutically. "I love the diversity of the people and how I can get out my anger and aggression in a positive way," she says. Although Trader joined after the season had already begun in April 2006, she continues practicing with the team three nights a week. "This is the right thing for me," she says.
The women, for the most part joined the league because they either enjoyed skating to begin with or longed for a physically and mentally empowering life change.
The bout heightens and a jam is in session. A blocker from one team successfully prevents the opposing team's blocker from attacking the jammer. In doing so, both blockers fall out of bounds. One stands up and limps to the team bench clutching her arm to her chest. She's out for the rest of the bout.
Preparing for roller derby is a sport in itself and injuries are plentiful. Because of the blockers' tactics on the defense and the intense skating methods, bumps, bruises and burns are an every day occurrence. More serious injuries also occur.
Although fights break out on the track and injuries set some of the women back, roller derby is about friendly competition; what happens on the track stays on the track. "You can spend the day punching girls in the face," Elliot says, "and then when the day is done you buy them a beer and laugh about it."
PHOTOS/KIT LEFFLER
In the August bout, the Kansas City Roller Warriors skated against the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls from Denver.
The Kansas City Roller Wariors skate in costume in the June bout.
Costumed roller girls shove each other on the track.
Roller derby bouts are routinely rough, even when in costume.
---
10.05.2006 JAYPLAY <09