By Imogen Whale
The Revelstoke Derailers crushed the Kamloops Wreckers 259-97 in roller derby action on May 14 at the Revelstoke Forum.
The Derailers went in high energy, if a little low on players. However, thanks to a tight blocking strategy led by team captain Red and solid coaching from Kansas, Derailer jammers Rein of Pain and Sprint Eastwood were able to consistently get lead jammer and score into the forties before The Wreckers were able to put a point on the board.
Power blocking team Moonshiner and The Wheel Deal played havoc with the opposing jammers with Bomb-chelle and Daisy Nuke running the opposing jammers back and exhausting them. Beattes Senseless and Red made life miserable for both opposing jammers and blockers. Several power jams (where the opposing jammer gets a penalty in an effort to get through the blockers) and the help of three pick-ups (players from other teams who fill out a short roster) helped The Derailers score 136 points in the first half.
The second half brought just over another hundred points to the board for The Derailers. Strong jamming continued with Red, Beattes Senseless and The Wheel Deal circulating in when they were not busy blocking.
Despite the team getting tired, the game stayed fairly clean and low on penalties. One of the wonderful things about derby is the camaraderie and that was on full display as both teams chatted between jams and cheered each other on. The Derailers next home bout against the Bavarian Barbarians is June 11 at the Forum. First whistle is at 7 pm, children under 12 are free and there is a beer garden to enjoy. Come on out and cheer them on!
Roller Derby action
While it may have a reputation for flashy tights and quirky names, roller derby is an athletic pursuit, so much so that a top level derby athlete was featured in the ESPN body issue. Local team The Derailers may be recreational, but players love their sport and the team is ranked nationally. Teams pay insurance and follow set rules of play. Team Canada competes internationally and competitive North American derby is televised regularly on ESPN 3 live. Derby is not just for women; there are men’s, mixed and junior derby leagues. Locally, The Derailers are hosting three games this 2016 season.
Here is a quick refresh for those not in the know. Roller derby consists of two teams with five players on the track at a time. Four are blockers; one is a jammer. The blockers, known as a pack, work together using defensive and offensive strategy to block the opposing players’ jammer, help their jammer, and mess with the opposing blockers. Jammers, who wear the star ‘panty’ on their helmet, score points, one for each player on the other team they pass in a two minute jam.
At the start of each jam, both jammers must make it through the blockers. The first jammer through is the ‘lead’ jammer and has the ability to call of the jam for strategic purposes. The more times the jammer passes the pack in a jam, the more points scored. In each group of four blockers, one may wear the stripe ‘panty’. This is the pivot, who can take a ‘panty pass.’ If the jammer can’t make it through the pack, she can pass her star to the pivot, who then becomes the jammer. While the game is full body contact, there are many rules and penalties. The most common penalties are ‘high block’ which is usually an elbow; low block, which is often a trip, and track cut. Track cut is called when a player is knocked out of the track and re-enters in front of the player who hit her out. The teams are run and organized by the bench coach. While audiences often watch the jammers, the best jammer in the world can’t score enough points to win a game if her own blockers don’t trap and hit out the opposing jammers while going against strong opposing blockers. The strongest teams have both amazing jammers and blockers and plenty of players who do both very well.
Back in Revelstoke, the local roller derby team, the Revelstoke Derailers, have a three to four month season. Limited by a lack of practice space (once the ice goes in at the forum, it’s game over) they have to make the most of the time they have practicing, training new recruits, and playing games. Supported by several local businesses and many amazing volunteers, a bevy of local women train twice a week getting ready to play their first bout of the season.
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