The Rocky View Rollers wrecked the Bow Valley Lady Macs in roller derby's return to the valley on Saturday (July 27) as the Airdrie-based team won by 123 points in the competition bout.
"It felt good," said Meaghan 'Mad Beets' Fenton, president of the Rocky View Rollers. "Rocky View has come a long way and we are really proud."
The Bow Valley's first bout in three years got off to a rocky start at Banff Fenlands arena, as an accident on the Trans-Canada Highway delayed travelling players and pushed the junior and adult bouts back by half an hour. But once players arrived at the arena, got their skates on and put their mouth guards in, they were ready to rumble.
With two 30-minute periods in each bout, the teams have five players teams skate around a track where the 'jammers' of each team scores points by passing members of the opposing team.
Meanwhile the remaining players on the team, the blockers and a pivot, attempt to block the opposing jammer while helping their own teammate by playing offence and defence simultaneously through legal hits and blocking.
With a mix of rookie and experienced players, the Lady Macs started the bout strong, but after 15 minutes were already behind almost double the points when the Rocky View Rollers led 40-25.
By the end of the first half, the Rocky View Rollers had a substantial lead with 126 points to the Lady Macs' 48.
The rocky theme carried into the second half as the bout was paused for 30 minutes after a Rocky View Roller player suffered an ankle injury. She was taken away on a stretcher as the teams gave supportive cheers for their fallen teammate and competitor before returning to action.
The second half continued with high energy as Lady Mac Sarah 'Bad to the' Jones lapped the track with a couple eight-nothing rounds, but it wasn't enough to even out the score as the Lady Macs lost 214-91.
"It feels great – it was a big production to put this together but we had a lot of help and the teams came together really well ... We had a lot of fun and we are really sweaty now," 'Bad to the' Jones said with a laugh after the bout.
The Rollers, while excited with the win, gave a nod to their western competitors.
"They were good – it was a close game and I think they played really well considering their team is smaller and made up of a lot of rookie skaters," 'Mad Beets' Fenton said. "They really held their own and we're really proud of them."
And while the Lady Macs acknowledged having their butts kicked, the president said she was happy to bring the sport back into the spotlight, just in time to recruit for August. The Bow Valley Lady Macs are accepting junior and adult player, of all genders.
"You don't need any experience, we teach you all of that," Jones said.
"The fall is basically devoted to learning how to skate and we have people to help, then there is a minimum skills test in the spring to pass to play in the games."
Hopeful to keep the roller derby competition bouts an annual event, 'Bad to the' Jones said the Lady Macs have an average of six players that show up regularly but wants to increase that number to 12 to 14.
To join the team or for more information visit the Facebook page, Bow Valley Roller Derby.
