The night (you know) that I fell in love with a Roller Derby Queen
The meanest hunk o’ woman
That anybody ever seen
Down in the arena
She is a five foot six and two fifteen
A bleached-blonde mama with a streak of mean
She knew how to knuckle
And she knew how to scuffle and fight
And the roller derby program said
That she were built like a ‘fridgerator with a head
The fans called her “Tuffy”
But all her buddies called her “Spike”
- Jim Croce, Roller Derby Queen, 1972
“It’s not like the old roller derby,” said the MC of the May 12 “Cherry Cherry Bang Bang” roller derby event at McLaren Park arena in Penticton.
She was referring to the ‘70’s version of the sport, which took a hiatus over the past two decades or so.
Judging by the turnout at last Saturday’s event, roller derby appears to be making a comeback, as a reasonably sized crowd of 100 or so turned out to watch the local team Penticton Pistoleras skate against the Revelstoke Dereailers.
Saturday’s event was the inaugural bout for the South Okanagan Roller Derby Association, a skater-owned and operated all-girl, flat-track roller derby league based out of Penticton.The not for profit group states that its mission is “to create, promote and sustain a competitive Roller Derby league in Penticton and surrounding communities while promoting the sport of roller derby and the bad ass babes that play.”
The modern day version of roller derby requires seven or eight referees and a thorough knowledge of the rule book in order to excell. At McLaren Park, the oval “flat track”was placed in the centre of the rink, extending to about midway into each end of the rink’s offensive zones.
Perhaps the participants’ names best conjures up what one might expect to see at a roller derby - noting such monikers on the Penticton team as Bliss- Krieg, BlueBelle Bruise-Her, RuckusDoll and R Skullywag.
Saturday’s contest was a pleasing one for the home town crowd, as the Pistoleras prevailed after falling behind initially, coming back to win in the late stages of the bout.