Jeremy Logan
The Communicator
Women between the ages of 18 and however long you can take a beating who are seeking fast thrills, comradare, good exercise, or just want to get some aggression out, need look no further than the Lilac city roller girls.
The Lilac City Roller Girls, is a flat track roller derby league that started here in spokane in 2006, according to their website, by “a group of women who wanted to make a difference through a sport that any woman could participate in.”
Former Lilac City Derby Girl, and current law student at Oregon State University, Rebekah (Smitey Mouse) Susan wants people to know that, “Derby is a real, and very difficult sport. You practice constantly, you bust your butt and often hurt your body. A lot of people still think of the 1970’s derby, with all the showboating. Or people will just look at the short spandex and write it off. Derby women are powerful women, they are empowered women, they are strong women. Derby women work very hard to do what they do.”
“Fundamentally it is rugby on skates,” says Tank, the girls all star head coach, and head of training. Where it’s dissimilar says Tank, is “ Their teams are not as behaviorally competitive. When they get on the track its only two minutes at a time, they have to communicate. It’s as close to combat as anything i’ve seen in sports.
And Tank would know. He was a Master Trainer, and Division Commander in the Navy with an organization training and tactical skills training background, before he joined the derby as a referee in 2010.
According to the website, the only requirements to become a member of derby are,
“*Must be 18 (if you are under 18, we do have Jr. Derby)
*Be able to attend at least 1 practice a week
*Be willing to devote time and energy to help the league run events. We are skater run and operated!
*Not be afraid to fall and have a good time!
*Previous skating experience is helpful but NOT required….”
Tank says, “This sport appeals to soccer moms. In roller derby we are exceptional at taking some or no athletic experience, women who are overweight and/or out of shape and we can turn any of them into derby players.” The Roller Girls have women from ages 18 all the way to 52 years old playing derby. “Our 52 year old can outskate most of our girls.” Says tank.
The women of derby live for derby. Tank says, “They become obsessed.” along with the great exercise and fun of competing, the obsession comes from the relationships they develop with the other women of derby.
When asked about the comradare in derby, Smitey Mouse says, “The friendships you make in derby are more like soul sisters. It’s kind of a hazing process to get in, but once you’re in, you’re in. For the period that you do derby, you do practically everything with those ladies.”
She continues, “Derby friendships and derby occupy a much bigger space in your life than just the sport. For a while, derby felt like real life and the rest of the world was the things I had to do for derby. I am happy I did it and wouldn’t trade it for the world.”