“I am by no means an expert, just someone who wants to see this happen.” Little did Jessi Wright know that when she typed these words on Sept. 10, 2009, she would effectively start the Chippewa Valley Roller Girls.

Jessi was responding to a blog post on VolumeOne.org that noted how the similar-sized community of La Crosse has two established roller derby teams (plus regional ones in Minneapolis and Madison), so why not Eau Claire? In the flurry of conversation that resulted, Jessi created an e-mail address to act as a hub for people interested in making it happen. Fast-forward roughly one year later, and the Roller Girls league not only exists, but has a series of bouts scheduled for its first competitive season.

Shortly after Jessi publicized her desire to create a flat track derby team in Eau Claire, she was contacted by Natalie Matz. The two initiated contact with the LaCrosse teams (Mississippi Valley Mayhem and the La Crosse Skating Sirens) for guidance in the logistics of forming a league and they also made a lot of phone calls hoping to solidify a space that would be both big enough for WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) regulation bouts and not totally cost prohibitive. After a month, the Eau Claire Indoor Sports Center stepped forward to house the bouts and Hobbs agreed to serve as a practice arena. With a place to skate figured out, they now needed skaters.

At their first meeting in October 2009, there w    ere only six people in attendance. Gradually the numbers began to increase. Every month brought new faces to the “fresh meat” informational meetings where women could find out more about CVRG and roller derby in general, and get to meet the people who were making this happen in Eau Claire. By May 15, 2010, CVRG had scheduled their first actual bout with the La Crosse teams. This was essentially a test run that gave the newbies a taste of what real live derby was like. CVRG had to borrow a couple of skaters from the MVM team since they were just barely meeting the minimum number of skaters for a team – and some of those people were out with injuries.

      The experience, though humbling, lit a fire under the CVRG.

  “In June we decided to take a leap of faith and shoot for our first season this fall, even though we weren’t completely ready,” said Wright. Trusting that they would find a way to secure enough skaters, referees, sponsors, and a venue, they scheduled a series of upcoming bouts. “All of these things have been challenging, but we’re pulling it all together. We couldn’t be more excited to put on a good show for our fans. We want derby fever to hit the Chippewa Valley!”

The skaters on the team have now become like a family and are looking for ways to take this to the next level. “You’re excited about derby and you want everyone else to experience it and be excited about it, too,” says Coley Beekman (Hell O’Dolly). “The team just gets really excited when a new girl joins.”

When asked about the future, Wright says, “I think the ultimate goal is to be in the WFTDA, but I also believe it is important to start small and slowly build up to that.”

The Chippewa Valley Roller Girls is a league with one team. The next goal is to attract enough players so they can split into multiple teams and can have intra-league tournaments. “By following WFTDA standards over a period of time, we can be accepted into the apprentice program. A team then moves from apprentice to an official WFTDA team. This whole process takes quite a few seasons,” Beekman said, adding that Mississippi Valley Mayhem was just accepted into the apprentice program. “Once your team is a WFTDA team, you are qualified for rankings (regionally and nationally), WFTDA tournaments, and more.”

With enough support and turnout this fall, and considering how much they’ve done in such a short time, CVRG stands to become Eau Claire’s next big thing.

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HOW IT GOT ROLLIN'
the history of roller derby

Back in 1935, a guy named Leo Seltzer had an idea. After reading an article on the popularity of roller skating, he decided to combine it with the 1920s trend of dance marathons. Seltzer decided to trademark the name “Roller Derby” and in August of that year he organized the Transcontinental Roller Derby on a banked track at the Chicago Coliseum. The low quality of the skates and the banked track led to an increase of collisions and falls, which in turn increased the suspense and entertainment, drawing in more crowds. At that time, however, men in that era dismissed female athletes and regarded women’s roller derby as a sideshow and not a legitimate sport.

Roller derby gained popularity in the 1950s as television became more widespread. Even while women were encouraged to return to pre-WWII gender roles, women’s roller derby gained both a larger following and more participants. It was a setting in which women could be fast, aggressive, and athletic. As the century moved forward, the violence (throwing elbows, clotheslining, tripping, brawling) and theatricality (developed personas) of roller derby became popular with audiences and skaters began to play it up.

       In the 70s some of the edgier characteristics of roller derby were introduced, such as more overt sexuality (shorter skirts, more revealing uniforms) and a greater emphasis on a specific persona (very much tied to the growing feminism movement), but eventually the over-the-top aspect of the game – combined with the high cost of touring and building banked tracks – became prohibitive. Subsequently, people lost interest. Although some television-only performances like RollerJam and RollerGames hung on for a while, they eventually were phased out with the advent of inline skates.

In 2001, the new wave of roller derby burst onto the underground scene. It brought with it a DIY (do it yourself) ethic, favoring unpaid teams that were most often skater-owned and operated, and a punk rock attitude, focusing as much on athleticism as theatrics. The new derby was played on a flat track, which meant teams had lower start-up costs and more flexibility for choosing a bouting site. In 2005, the number of women’s derby teams in the U.S. hovered around 50, but by 2007 that number almost tripled. The phenomenon also began to get international attention with leagues starting up in other countries.

At present, women’s flat track roller derby is considered a legitimate sport that still retains some of its edgy aesthetic and performance sensibility. Skaters often still sport bold makeup (from bombshell to zombie) and outfit themselves in fishnets, multi-colored leggings, rock-n-roll inspired muscle tees, and patterned booty shorts. Skater names – all unique and run through an international database to ensure originality – are often clever puns and double entendres riffing on celebrity names or common phrases, infused with elements of physical intimidation, brash sexuality, or skater prowess (think Betty Rage or Shania Pain). While some leagues are more focused on the performance aspect and others favor the athleticism, this sport-of-many-phases has definitely made a comeback.

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WHAT'S THE SCORE?
the rules and gameplay of roller derby

Most women’s flat track roller derby teams adhere to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s conventions. WFTDA (pronounced WUHF-duh) has a 43-page document outlining all of its rules, but for those of you who just want to know when to cheer for points, there are a few simple things to know.

There are three positions in women’s flat track roller derby: the pivot, the blocker, and the jammer. The pivot is essentially the lead blocker, the jammer scores the points, and the blockers are sandwiched between the two, trying to keep the other team’s jammer from passing through the pack.

The pack is made up of one pivot and three blockers from each team. One jammer from each team is positioned at a line back behind the pack. You can tell the pivots by the striped coverings on their helmets (called panties). Likewise the jammers have star panties pulled over their helmets.

A bout is composed of two 30-minute halves consisting of jams lasting up to two minutes. The pack gets into position in front of the curve on the track. When the ref blows the whistle, the pivots take off and lead the pack around the track, setting the pace. Meanwhile, the jammers are positioned at a line behind the pack. A few seconds later, the ref blows the whistle again and they are off. Whichever jammer gets through the pack first is called the lead jammer. Once the jammers make a complete lap and come back around behind the pack, they can try to start earning points.        

As they work their way through the pack, they earn one point for each member of the opposing team they pass. This continues for each successive lap the jammers make, and goes on until two minutes have passed or the lead jammer strategically ends the jam by touching her hands to her hips several times.        

It is also worth noting that roller derby is no longer the WWF-style event. It is now an official sport and is played pretty cleanly. However, if a skater incurs a major penalty, she will be sent to the penalty box for one minute. If a skater receives four minor penalties, they will be treated as a major penalty. For full WFTDA rules, visit WFTDA.com/rules.

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GET YOUR SKATE ON
how to lace up and join the Roller Girls

So what’s holding you back? We’ve heard all the excuses: “I’m not athletic.” “I’m too old.” “I can’t hit someone else.” Lucky for you, none of those excuses holds water.

Women’s flat track roller derby pulls from all ages and experience levels. As a matter of fact, the Chippewa Valley Roller Girls team has a solid showing from women in their 30s and 40s. The skill sets range from those who previously could barely stand on their skates to those who skate like they were born with wheels on their feet.        

       Many women are also tentative about the physical contact – visions of 70s-style banked track derby in their heads. These days, while roller derby still retains its theatrical flair, it has very much become a legitimate sport with rules that prevent Whip It-style blocking and checking. Nonetheless, it is a very physical sport and even the most timid come to love the excuse to let loose in practices and bouts.

  “People take on these personas – you’ll see them with this crazy hair and fierce tattoos – and they’re just intimidating, but they turn out to be the nicest people,” said Coley Beekman (aka Hell O’Dolly).

  There are a couple of things you do need to become a Chippewa Valley Roller Girl. You do need to be a woman who is at least 21 years old, has her own health insurance, and can get all the necessary gear (helmet, mouth guard, wrist guards, elbow and knee pads, and quad skates). Roller girls are also required to attend two practices a week and pay monthly dues.

  “Our league is very open to all types of people. As long as you are willing to put in the effort, we want you on the team,” says Jessi Wright (aka Risky Biznitch). “We have a lot of different personalities – some are quiet, some are loud, some are straightforward and others hold back a bit, but when it comes down to it we make a pretty badass team.”

  For all of the details, check out ChippewaValleyRollerGirls.com and click on the icon for skater.

Other Ways to Get Involved

If being an actual roller girl is too time consuming or cost prohibitive, there are a bunch of ways to become involved with CVRG. The team is currently looking for volunteers to help make this first season run smoothly. Positions range from referees and officials to EMTs, merchandise salespeople, and seeing to bout production activities.

They’re also open to more showy roles, including cheerleaders, a mascot, announcers, bands, and variety acts.

To find more details or to contact them directly, check out ChippewaValleyRollerGirls.com and click on the icons for referee/volunteer.

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SOMETHING FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD

Roller derby has become increasingly popular for women ranging in age from 21 to their late 40s. It has provided a way for women to connect with other women in camaraderie, exercise, empowerment, and some serious fun. At one point, though, someone asked why it’s only for grown-ups, and has led to a growing number of junior leagues. Just to the west of us, the Twin Cities Junior Roller Derby had its first bout on Sept. 21 during halftime for the TC Terrors and Northstar Roller Girls bout. The junior league is actually co-ed for youth ages 3-17. While some leagues remain mixed, other leagues are for girls only. Appleton has already made an attempt to get a junior league going called The Wisconsin Roller PunkS for girls 6-17. Other junior leagues have popped up in 15 states in the U.S., as well as in Canada and the U.K. The Junior Roller Derby Association was also formed last year and currently recognizes about 40 international junior league programs, sometimes called “Derby Brats.” These leagues are specifically designed to focus on confidence, positive body image, and empowerment while providing a fun way to stay fit. Some of them are offshoots of adult roller derby teams while others operate independently, sometimes partnering with adult leagues for different events. When asked if her children have any interest in roller derby, CVRG League President Jessi Wright said, “My daughter does. She is the daredevil in the family. My son isn’t too interested in it, but we’ll see if that changes after our first season.”

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DERBY TERMS

Back Block
a penalty incurred when a player makes contact with an opponent’s back

C-Block
a powerful hit delivered by skating parallel to the target, then suddenly curving one’s skates (in a c-like path) toward the target, effectively connecting with the chest of the target’s body

Calling Off the Jam
the lead jammer can end a jam at any time by tapping her hands against her hips. This strategy can help prevent the other team’s jammer from scoring points if the lead loses the advantage.

Falling Small
trying to keep your body as small as possible when hitting the ground to prevent other skaters from tripping over you

Fishnet Burn
a form of rink rash that occurs when a skater is wearing fishnets and the burn has the distinct criss-cross pattern

Fresh Meat
a new derby player

Grand Slam
when a jammer succeeds in lapping the opposing team’s jammer

Hip Whip
a form of assist in which a player grabs her teammate’s hips to swing forward

Jam
a two-minute period during which the action happens

J-Block
a powerful hit that employs an upward trajectory of the blocker’s body. The blocker stays low, and when she’s ready to hit, gets in front of her target, swoops her body low and then upward in a J-motion, and throws her shoulder into the target’s chest.

Panty
a stretchy helmet cover that is used to designate the jammer (with a star) or a pivot (with a stripe)
 
Passing the Star
a strategic play in which the jammer removes her helmet cover (the star) and gives it to the pivot, enabling the pivot to become the new jammer and score points.

Power Jam
a situation wherein one team’s jammer has been sent to the penalty box, and thus only the team with a jammer on the track can score

Recycling or Waterfall
when a set of two or more blockers rotate in a circular motion, sending one blocker after another to issue continuous hits to an opponent

Snowplow
a technique for slowing down or stopping in which the stance is widened and the toes are turned inward to decrease momentum

T-Stop
a technique for slowing down or stopping in which one skate is dropped behind the other skate and turned perpendicularly, and the wheels of the back skate are dragged.

Taking a Knee
if a skater is seriously injured on the track and the jam is called, it is common practice for skaters to drop to one knee while the injured skater is treated

Truck and Trailer
when two teammates skate, one in front of the other, with the front (truck) pulling the back (trailer)

Turn Stop
a stopping technique in which a skater reverses the direction she is skating (from forward to backwards) before stopping, usually by going up on her toe stops

Wall
when two or more blockers skate side-by-side to create a multi-player block to contain another team’s player(s)

Zebra
referee
 

 

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THE BEST SHOW ON WHEELS
the audience experience of roller derby

  When you think of the production of a roller derby bout, the closest comparison is a cross between punk rock concert and wrestling showcase. Often there’s a live band performance, a DJ, vendors, tables of well-branded merch, and/or variety acts surrounding the bout, while the match itself sets the tone with lights, a colorful announcer, great uniforms, awesome skater names, and sometimes cheerleaders/mascots.

While the Chippewa Valley Roller Girls have focused most of their energy to this point on putting a competitive team together, they’ve also managed to add some of these elements for their home debut and hope to add more in the future.

“We’re featuring a local Jewish dance band that will rock your socks off as pre-bout entertainment,” Coley Beekman (Hell O’Dolly) said of Klezmer Band. “They will play from when the doors open at 5:30 until the bout begins at 6:30.”

      At a mere 15 minutes, a bout’s halftime leaves little time for entertainment, but Beekman said they’re hoping to line up a variety act like the Floor Dusters Crew – an awesome local breakdancing group you may have seen at International Fall Festival. “Otherwise halftime will be ‘Get yer beer and CVRG T-shirts’ time,” she added.

Other elements frankly need your help in order to happen.

“We do not have any (cheerleaders). Nor do we have a mascot,” Beekman said. “We’re open to both. Personally, I really would like someone to build a giant potato costume and be the Skato Potato.”

Some enthusiastic fans have come forward, like Mathew Stark, who under the stage name Mat Black hopes to become the announcer. (And he will reportedly co-announce with Sue’She Roller at the first bout.)

“We are open to other announcers. However, all candidates must understand all aspects of roller derby and be able to understand game situations, referee calls, penalties, etc. They must also know the team and be able to call them by name and comment on the specific characteristics of each player,” she said. “We are open to training and allowing potential announcers to attend practices. We would like to at some point hold auditions.”

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GETTING TO KNOW YOUR TEAM