A local roller derby group, the Rum City Derby Dolls, will be skating for a cause when they compete in an annual charity tournament next month.
The team of 12 will be playing in the region’s two-day Skate Emergency Tournament, fundraising for the Angels Community Group.
Rum City Derby dolls: what is roller derby?
Roller derby is played by two teams of five skaters moving anticlockwise around an oval track on roller skates.
Teams designate one scoring player, known as the jammer, who scores points by lapping all members of the opposing team, called the blockers.
Each team assists their jammer while hindering the opposing jammer.
President Deanne Reeves, otherwise known as Demented Doll when in her skating form, said the tournament would feature six teams going head to head in a battle of epic proportions.
Deanne said roller derby was a full contact sport.
“The best way to describe it is gridiron on wheels,” she said.
“We don’t use balls or other equipment and the aim is to try to knock on another over.”
The name game
Deanne said a quirky aspect of the sport was the names each team member gives themselves as part of their player characters.
“There are definitely some quirky and unique names out there,” she said.
“From RumBelle Bee, Lacey Kitty, JTrain, Eraser and more…
“It just brings a very fun element to the sport.”
Deanne said what she loved most about the sport was the team bonding.
“Everyone pulls together and we are all there for each other,” she said.
“It’s also great for fitness, you don’t start out fit when you start but you certainly get very fit during each session.”
Deanne said the 7th annual Skate Emergency Tournament would be held on 13 July from 8 am to 9 pm and 14 July from 8 am to 5 pm at Shalom College and everyone was encouraged to head along and cheer on the teams.
“We will be fundraising for Angles Community Group because they are fantastic organisation that really looks out for the community,” she said.
To find out more about the Rum City Derby Dolls or the Skate Emergency Tournament, click here.
