We went to see a roller derby match, and it was a blast! The Atlanta Rollergirls were phenomenal! We were excited to go and at the same time a little hesitant. Neither my husband nor I understood all the rules, or knew how long a match lasted, or what the crowd was like. It could not have been a more welcoming environment. It was fun, the crowd got involved, the people were friendly and helpful, and the competition was fierce.
When we picked up our tickets we had the option to wear a sticker that read ‘new to derby’; I wore one, my husband refused. There were people stationed throughout the crowd with signs that said ‘questions?’; they were the people who would tell you what was going on, how to understand the rules, and how teams scored. We sat in front of a group of loyal fans and they were more than willing to explain the entire sport.
There were tweenie girls serving as ‘line judge’, which meant they replaced the line of tape when it got malled. There were enthusiastic guys acting as cheerleaders, wearing baggy pants and disco shirts. And there were even t-shirt sales and refreshments. I loved watching the mothers breast feeding while selling t-shirts and magnets. I don’t think you would see that in the NBA. There were homemade baked goods, an 80s cover band, and face painted children throughout the crowd. The entire evening felt like a high school basketball game except that roller derby serves beer. It was fun, family friendly, and enthusiasm oozed out of each person in the bleachers. Like I said, we had an absolute blast! For the same price as a movie ticket it was the best game in town.
The women who rolled were amazing. All shapes and sizes, and I had fun trying to imagine their ‘day jobs’. The athleticism was extraordinary, the skill was incredible, and the sport was fun to watch. There was a different feel for victory in the arena. The players were serious about their sport, but they didn’t take themselves seriously. They had fun, they wooed the crowd, and they enjoyed being in the ring with their competitors, which looked more like their friends. When someone got bumped or fell out anyone nearby, no matter what team, helped them up and encouraged them back into the match.
Everyone in the place could not help but enjoy themselves, even if their team lost. The spirit in the room was palatable, like the smell of popcorn at the movies. It invaded your thoughts and reminded you what good, clean sports should look like. The competitors were out there for the love of the sport, not because they signed a contract and were paid so much to just show up. Their partner, husbands, children, and parents were in the crowd cheering them on and having a blast. It was infectious! It was an amazing, marvelous lesson in what sportsmanship should be; it was sports-woman-ship.
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