If anyone ever says they are bored or that there is nothing to do around Prince George, they are nuts!
After 19 plus years, my Jo and I did something last Saturday night that we not only have never done, but never entertained the thought to try.
On the advice of a good friend, Jo and I went to a roller derby fun(d) raiser at the Roll-A-Dome.
All I can say is WOW! Talk about the empowerment of women in a resurgent sport of brawn and agility!
Women's roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of up to 14 members each.
Five team members skate around an oval track that is slightly smaller than an NHL sized hockey rink.
Play consists of a series of short match ups called jams in which both teams designate a jammer who is recognizable by wearing a helmet cover with a star. The other four are blockers who try to prevent the jammer from passing them.
Points are scored by lapping members of the opposing team.
Teams can block the opposing jammer using body parts above the mid-thigh, except it is illegal to use elbows, forearms, hands and head. Each game consists of two 30-minute rounds. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Penalties are given to skaters who block illegally, fight, or behave in an unsporting manner.
Because of that, there are seven skating referees, hopefully with eyes everywhere.
Penalties usually result in 30 seconds in the penalty box, but may also result in expulsion from the game for serious transgressions.
Promoter Leo Seltzer started roller derby as a flat track skating marathon in Chicago in the 20s.
Newspaperman Damon Runyon came along in the 30s and convinced Seltzer to turn it into a full-blown sport with physical contact, stressing the importance of teamwork.
After several decades of inactivity, roller derby was redefined into a legitimate sport resulting in a rebirth of the game.
In 2004, the Woman's Flat Race Track Derby Association (WFTDA) was created as a governing body to set standards and membership requirements.
There are now over 1,000 amateur leagues all over the world.
In Prince George, the Rated PG Roller Derby League has three teams. The North Stars, members of the WFTDA, are ranked 17th of over 300 teams in Canada. They travel all over to represent Prince George. The PG Roller Girls are the "home" team that competes mostly in Prince George.
The third team is for the nine to eighteen age group, known as the Spruce City Roller Brats.
With names like Ruthless Red, Amy Grindhouse and Faye Tality, these gals of all shapes and sizes race around the oval track. There is even a granny or two on the teams.
The costumes they wore on Saturday night were fun and extremely creative.
Surprisingly, these tough, strong and brave athletes lead very different lives when they are off the track. Talk about diversity!
They come from all walks of life such as nurses, archeologists, different types of engineers, EMTs, a massage therapist and a tattoo artist to name a few.
All you need to participate is a helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads, a mouth guard, skates, a passion for an active sport and a lot of gumption. Oh, I almost forgot, it also helps if you know how to roller skate.
Prince George has so many entertainment and sport options.
You owe it to yourself to experience the excitement, the sport and the fortitude of the women.
These athletes are amazing women.
Watch them in action at the dome on April 22 from 9 a.m. and April 23 from 8:30 a.m. against several out-of-town teams.
For more information visit the website ratedpgrollergirls.com.
Jo and I were thoroughly entertained and got a kick out of the sport.
We both gained a tremendous respect for the gals that were the stars of the event.
One observer summed it up well: "It's American Gladiator, meets PGARA, meets Xena the Warrior Princess."
