Derby Dolls May 5-6 Weekend UPDATED

Behold! Kristen’s guest blog. She didn’t want to showcase her super-talent for drawing so the pictures are true to Ottawa This Weekend style. They may, however, not reflect the actual events at the Capital City Derby Dolls’ Season Opener.

  

    I don’t know about you, but I know very little of the vicious, gladiatorial blood sport that is roller derby.  Except that there were roller skates, fishnets and violence involved.  And clever nicknames ironed on to Kelly green jerseys (such as Shutter Down, Violently Jill and of course, Delicate Plow’her).

Fishnets, right?! Probably.

  
   Well, several people know a heck of a lot about roller derby because Jack Cherron Arena in Kanata was packed on the evening of May 5^th.  It was the season opener for the Capital City Derby Dolls (CCDD) team, the Dolly Rogers. 

   Not only did people come in droves and practically throw their $10 admittance at the Dollys working the door, but many of them were decked out in supportive green.  The stands were crammed and close to a hundred people stood on the rink floor in the “beer garden,” sipping cheap brews and shouting encouragements.

   

   The rules are more complicated than I fully understand but this is what I know: five reps from each team hit the track, four from each team are blockers and they cluster together with the other team, jostling and generally crowding each other as they make their way around the track.  I’m told that hitting someone below the knees or above the elbows is a penalty offence. 

Which is good news for this young lady.

 
   To open their season, the Dolly Rogers took on Quebec’s Les Duchesses.  I’d heard while milling around with the crowd how closely matched that these two teams were in skill (or at least stamina) but I had no idea how true that was. 

   There were tons of slips, trips, falls and pile-ups.  Though the girls were all wearing helmets, knee and elbow pads, you just have to wince.  The picture was all the clearer when I noticed an injured Dolly Roger cheering her teammates on from a wheelchair on the sidelines.

   Les Duchesses lost their lead lady about mid-way through but that didn’t stop them from earning points.  The final score was 108 to 109 for the Dolly Rogers!  The place was charged and the team hoisted their colours for their victory lap, the crowd pushing in to the line to slap high fives as both teams skated past. 

   My verdict?  Everyone needs to check out these high-speed hellions.  The mood was light, competitive and hey, some people even won money during the half-time draw.  I picked up some merchandise on my way out the door to support the team.  Their next home game is June 12^th vs. Kingston’s Rogue Warriors.  I’ll be there in Dolly Roger green!

   Check out the  CCDD blog or like them on Facebook.

   A portion of the money raised at this event went to support the Ottawa Food Bank.

Catch up with Kristen over at LinkedIn  

UPDATE Les Duchesses actually won 111-109 after recounting. We'll get 'em next time!