Hot Rollers Derby League

 

By Vicki Winger

 

The Whitecourt Hot Rollers Derby League hosted its first home scrimmage at the Scott Safety Centre last Saturday. The ladies typically travel to other towns and cities for games, so it was a real treat for residents to come and see what they are all about.  The Hot Rollers team not only organized to have the scrimmage played locally but had a section cordoned off for vendors who wanted to set up merchandise for the public to peruse and shop or head outside and grab a hot bite to eat from Penny’s BBQ Pit.

The support the Hot Rollers received was fantastic as spectators watched ] the excitement and cheered the team on as they went up against the G.I. Janes. After 30 minutes of game play, the Hot Rollers were down about 35 points; however, they managed to close the gap quickly in the second half . It was a close game, but the G.I. Janes managed to hold the lead and win the game by a mere one point.[

 

Roller Derby may be a relatively new sport to Whitecourt, but it began in the early 1900s. As it is a new sport locally, many have not quite grasped the concept of how the game is played. Roller Derby is a contact sport played by two teams that roller skate counter-clockwise around a track. As defined, the game play consists of a series of short matchups (jams) in which both teams designate a jammer (who wears a star on her helmet). The jammer scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their jammer. In essence, they play both offense and defense simultaneously.