I haven’t done much skating since my childhood days as a leisurely skater at local roller rinks. Recently, I ended that hiatus – by getting thrust into my very first roller derby practice, here in Eau Claire.

As I laced up my skates – strapped on my knee pads and wrist guards – I sheepishly asked my fellow team member, “TNTina,” for some help. She quickly skated over to me and pointed out that nearly everything I had on was backward – from my loose skates to forgetting that my helmet must always be worn whenever my skates are on.

With a kind and empathetic approach, TNTina safely guided me – just as she would any other newcomer – onto the rink. All around me, skaters of various ages and abilities laughed and shared updates on their busy week, their children and how practice provided a sanctuary from the outside world.

Since 2009, the Chippewa Valley Roller Derby (CVRD) has been gliding through our pocket of Western Wisconsin. In celebration of year one, Volume One documented this fresh start for those original derby players and the passion which would lead the future of our region’s first league.

When the CVRD team first met, only six people attended, according to our article in 2010. Now, the team has grown to over a dozen skaters, paired with a collection of board members, Non-Skating Officials (NSOs) and many new players eager to begin a new skater program this summer.

Recently, we caught up with the local derby crew, to remind ourselves of the CVRD’s enduring spirit and ongoing search for a permanent home in the Chippewa Valley.

Watch The Video 👇

See Volume One Associate Editor, Evelyn Nelson, in action at her very first Chippewa Valley Roller Derby practice.

More Than A Game

The CVRD is Eau Claire’s first flat track roller derby league; an entity which is operated and managed entirely by the skaters themselves, according to the nonprofit’s mission statement.

As members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the CVRD participates in regional bouts as well as their two annual local derby bouts: Bruise-A-Thon and Spring Thaw.

All players collaborate on these efforts, which are coordinated by an elected board of directors, skater-led committees and volunteers.

Sarah Nix, the CVRD league vice president – known as “Joan Thrett” on the track – said while roller derby is a full-contact sport, many rules continue to be implemented for safety and gameplay.

“When I tell people I play roller derby, their eyes go wide and they say they remember watching it on TV with their grandma,” Joan Thrett said. “But that’s not the roller derby that most commonly exists today.

“Derby has so much love and positivity and we truly want each other to do well,” Joan Thrett continued.

In each bout, there are two teams, each made up of five skaters. Those five skaters include jammers, blockers and pivots; players make their way through “the pack” in attempts to score points for every opponent they pass.

Christina Barnum or “TNTina” (pictured above), the board president of the CVRD, skates as a “jammer” during a recent Bruise-A-Thon bout at Hobbs Municipal Ice Center in Eau Claire. (Photo by Mark Oliver)

Beyond bouts, it’s the weekly practices which shape the sport’s camaraderie and adoration of the game, for new and veteran players alike.

Sam Smith or “Screw Burymore,” a new skater this season with CVRD, initially was drawn to the league as a means to put her $10 thrift store skates to use. More importantly, however, she was looking for a sense of community and new friendships in the area.

Ahead of this year’s season, Screw Burymore took part in the new skater program, a baseline standard for each new derby member. The CVRD season typically runs from September to June; the summer months are when new skaters complete the program and learn at their own pace.

“In my experience this season, the skaters who have been around the league for a while do an excellent job of building up the new skaters,” Screw Burymore said. “I think one of the most significant changes I’ve noticed for myself since joining CVRD has been a massive boost in personal confidence – both on and off the track.”

The skaters’ monikers – Screw Burymore, Cowboy Bones and ScuttleButt JibberJabber, to name some of the current CVRD players – are key to fostering confidence and ensuring each team member’s identity are included.

“Folks typically choose their own derby name and the reasonings for them vary widely,” Joan Thrett, whose name pays homage to her idol, punk, rock-and-roll activist, Joan Jett, said. “Everyone in the derby community has a derby name – not just skaters! Our officials, Non-Skating Officials, volunteers and even some photographers have derby names.”

Rigorous weeks of training – learning skills such as knee taps for safer falling, double plow stops and pack skating – culminate in the removal of a player’s “X” on their helmet. This symbolic act signifies they are ready to join the rest of the team in future bouts.

“It was such a monumental moment in my roller derby journey that I know I will never forget,” Screw Burymore said of their “X” removal. “When I got into the car after practice that evening I started driving home with tears running down my cheeks.

“As the adrenaline faded, I was filled with a deep sense of pride and belonging in my newfound community,” she continued.

In a CVRD season, the league practices three times a week and participate in one or two bouts per month. During its off-season in the summer months, CVRD focuses on recruitment, fundraising events and skills training for new members. (Photo by Mark Oliver)

Rolling Forward

The core values from CVRD’s early days remain central to the organization today, players believe. “Keep rolling. Be heard. Be intentional and persistence will pay off,” Kimm Schroeder – also known as “Stunt Double” – a founding member of the 2009 CVRD team, said.

Stunt Double’s favorite part of the sport often happens before spectators arrive at their bouts: the pre-game time. She’s known to be the first one at the venue, a solitude she uses to start her manifestation process.

“I snap a pic every time. I watch us win in my mind. Lap after lap; super imposed on an empty track,” Stunt Double said.

Yet, following the COVID-19 pandemic, CVRD has experienced continued shifts and losses of their “home base” for both practices and bouts. Despite rising recruitment numbers between the CVRD’s subdivided teams – Bad Axe Brawlers and the Sawdust City Rollers – the league still faces a lack of public awareness and misconceptions about the sport’s reputation outside of its fan base.

“We lost a lot of members. We lost our venue. We lost a lot of time,” Stunt Double shared of the COVID-19 era in the league. “When we were able to start socializing again… the league recruited hard and started getting the membership back up. Derby lives in Eau Claire (and) you can’t stop our wheels!”

“Having our own dedicated track and facility for practices and games would be life changing for our league,” Joan Thrett said. “This doesn’t seem like much, but it is very difficult for a sport to grow a local fan base if there isn’t a local place to host a game!”

Currently, High Roller Skating Center of Eau Claire (3120 Melby St.) has partnered with CVRD by providing a primary practice space – with the occasional bout or two outside of the bi-annual offerings at Hobbs Municipal Ice Center (915 Menomonie St., Eau Claire).

With the prospects of a permanent home venue still undetermined, Joan Thrett and others intend to share the benefits which CVRD can provide to the Chippewa Valley.

At its core, the organization upholds its values and operations through fundraising efforts and by having its members, NSOs and local supporters offer their time and effort to meaningful causes.

“We are completely run by our members volunteering their time and talents to make CVRD what it is,” Joan Thrett said. “The more known and supported CVRD is, the more CVRD can support other local 501(c)3 nonprofits.”

Sarah Hewitt, known as “Louise Butcher” by their teammates – and the head NSO of the CVRD – has appeared in the wings of bouts and practices since 2022. Some of their best work in the league, they said, is done “when no one is looking” – this includes timing each jam, penalty tracking, scorekeeping and much more.

“While skating officials are pretty clearly out there in the stripes and blowing their whistles – and we love them for it – the NSOs are keeping the bout accurate, fair and safe,” Louise Butcher said. “I have always found comfort and confidence in the role of support staff; I love that I can use my particular skills to support this amazing team.”

Spectators who regularly attend the bi-annual bouts have witnessed the CVRD team’s growth firsthand; when they truly understand the game of derby, it enhances the experience overall – something first-time attendees may not recognize.

Evelyn Nelson (right), practices her crossovers – a skating technique used to generate speed, maneuver corners  and maintain stability. (Photo by Alex Barber)

“There are probably about 10-15 roller derby leagues throughout Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota,” Joan Thrett said. “CVRD is a solid team hanging out at the median – but still in its infancy of potential.”

With CVRD’s home double-header – the Spring Thaw Derby Brawl – scheduled for May 16 at Hobbs Ice Arena, the team will soon reignite its pre-preparation tradition of “build ups.”

I saw this kinship unfold in real time at practice; players sat in a circle, praising each other’s bad-assery and the skills they have developed.

“I am powerful and will take up space,” Stunt Double shared. “Win or lose, (we are) coming together to celebrate the sport of roller derby and all the people who step up to make it happen,” Screw Burymore added.

CVRD – in all of its DIY and volunteer efforts – makes the most of the available resources, yet still urges for greater awareness and acceptance of this full-contact sport.

Though my time with the CVRD team was short, I left practice with a renewed sense of joy and the realization that anyone, regardless of their identity, is welcome.

The Valley’s league has long been ready to take the lead. All they need now is members of their community to rally around them.

Chippewa Valley Roller Derby is now recruiting for its next season and new skater summer programming; anyone 18 years or older can join, with both on- or off-skates positions. Visit cvrderby.com to learn more. (Photo by Mark Oliver)

The Chippewa Valley Roller Derby’s Spring Thaw Derby Brawl will be held at 4:30pm on May 16 at Hobbs Municipal Ice Center (915 Menomonie St., Eau Claire). To purchase tickets online ($10/person), visit volumeonetickets.org.