Revisiting a Fond Childhood Memory -Roller Derby!

For some odd know reason, I have always had a fascination with roller derby.  Maybe it stems from as a kid watching roller derby on television. I would turn the channel (yes, an actual knob) to find one of the seven channels we had that carried women’s roller derby. I remember a team called the T-Birds I believe in their green and yellow striped socks. These women were confident, dominant, and interesting. I believe that’s why I enjoyed roller derby. But to be honest the mild violence was good too. It was like  WWF on wheels and I was a big fan of the WWF.

It was played on an elevated circle track with a railing along the outside. I can remember those women ramming each other into the rails while occasionally one would flip over the edge only later to come back for revenge. There would be the triple whip where they would hold hands and swing the jammer to the front.  And more than once, an elbow or straight arm would knock someone to their feet.

After starting to work on this blog, I decided to YouTube some 1980’s roller derby and had no problem finding video. Video that showed exactly what I remembered and a bit more.  The first clip I watched was a short two minute video of the T-Birds. I had forgotten how honest the commentators were. At one point they describe a derby girl as a “big, mean woman” – the infamous Queen Kong. And she was, but there was no hesitancy in saying it. In another clip a comment was made about the same woman, “How would you like a 6’4” 235 pound woman taking you out?” There was no sugar coating it but only calling it like it was.

But what I had forgotten about those games, and I’m not sure how I did, but once I saw HER, I was like “OMG!” That “her” is the one and only Georgia Hase – make that MIZZ Georgia Hase.  I don’t know how I had forgotten about this outspoken opinionated woman!  After remembering her, I had to go back and watch a few more YouTube videos featuring her.  She did not disappoint.

So with these fond memories of roller derby, I had added to my bucket list to attend a roller derby match.  I wanted to relive a bit of my childhood. You know, the innocence of childhood when you watch grown women skate in circles while throwing elbows or clotheslines all in the hopes of taking out other grown women.  

Each week I scour Facebook and other websites looking for interesting adventures in our area and share them with you through our weekly recommendations.  Some I have a strong interest in and others not so much, but know that someone else will. I wasn’t sure if anyone else would be interested in attending a roller derby match, but I found an event for the ArchCity Roller Derby in St. Louis and shared the event.  I shared with the intention of hoping to be able to attend and check it off my bucket list. But sometimes my wants and my realities don’t always align. But it just so happened in this case, things were going to work out.

Even better was that Aaron’s daughter Sam and a friend were going to be able to attend.  I posted my intentions on Facebook just to share my interest and see if anyone else wanted to go.  Of course Katie is usually game for just about anything and quickly responded to “sign her up.” Our group quickly began to grow, we had my four people, Katie and two of her boys, and then Katie’s mom, step-dad, and another family friend were added to the mix.  Who knew others would share in my interest of roller derby?

It just so happened that the weekend that worked out for us to go was also the weekend that the Girl Scouts were attending the roller derby.  It was going to be a packed house according to early predictions.

We set out on a Saturday afternoon with a few stops (the bookstore and dinner – Fuzzy Taco) before the main event.  I am usually an arrive-early-and-get-situated type of person, but because of other outlying factors, wrong directions and lack of parking being two, we arrived just as the lineups were being read.

Event organizers were not lying because it was a packed house.  Later we found out it was a record setting crowd. We were making history!

Katie’s crew and my crew were separated after dinner and before arriving to the rink (it’s a hockey rink). We made it in first and found a spot on the floor along the glass to begin watching.  We had a hard time staying in contact because the metal building was not providing the greatest cell phone service. I eventually found Katie on a trip to the bathroom and after seats began opening up we finally sat together.

Now as I mentioned, it was Girl Scout night but it was also youth roller derby exhibition night, so there was a large amount of young people sporting their own uniforms with unique names and accessories (think tutus and bunny ears).  I was surprised at the large amount of participants. It was a nice surprise.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Now roller derby names are an intriguing aspect of the game.  It is sort of like Halloween where people can shed their everyday personas and reinvent themselves.  The women’s match was between the Stunt Devils and the Fashionistas and include players such as, Vicious VanGoGo, Bolt Action, Cloak N’ Drag-Her, Smarty McFly, Rock Slobster, Spock N’ Roll, Professor Rumbledore, Birdsong, Hero-Shima, Holliver Fist, Poison Ivy, Girl Fawkes, Outlaw Josie Wheels, Bricktator, Psychokid D’ Freakout, Ultraviolet and Aggie Wartooth.

There were some unique referees, umpires, and coaches, but I did not see anyone near the likes of the MIZZ Haus.  I think she would be hard to live up to.  

So the match was underway and the action started.  There was action but not exactly the way I remembered it.  This roller derby is on a flat track so there isn’t the inclined track with the railings, so no flipping over it.  Also these are your average normal everyday people who have signed up for weekend roller derby. They aren’t going to clotheslining people.  Yes, there was some pushing and shoving and an occasional elbow, but not the bodyslamming from “a mean, old woman.” It took a little while for the kids to catch on to “the rules,” although Sam and Reese did watch Whip It before we went.  At one point we were even talking strategy and how we would approach the game.  I think it could release some pent-up aggression. I could understand how your average mom would enjoy this as a “leisurely” weekend activity.

I would say that main draw was the women’s match because after the event the crowd began to thin out considerably.  I’m not exactly sure why. Maybe the women were more into the characters they were developing and the men were just there to play.  We stayed and watched half of a men’s match and then decided to head on out because it was a long day and late night. From my short time to observe, I did notice a few harder hits and spills among the men.

Overall it was an enjoyable and different evening with wonderful people-watching opportunities within the game itself and the crowd.  I would attend some time again and would suggest everyone go at least once, so they can say that they did. I will be placing a big ole ✔️next to it on my bucket list!