BLOOD, SWEAT AND MASCARA: ROLLER DERBY 101

BLOOD, SWEAT AND MASCARA: ROLLER DERBY 101

Words & photos by Ambar Ramirez

The clatter of wheels on polished wood echoes through the rink, mingling with the chatter of excited spectators and the focused voices of teammates finalizing their game plans. Then, the referee’s whistle cuts through the noise, signaling the start of the first jam. While some things have changed since roller derby first took to the rinks in the 1930s, the strong sense of community and sisterhood it fosters remains unchanged. This is especially true for Jacksonville’s very own league.

The History

We have Leo Seltzer, a Chicago-based walkathon promoter from the ’30s to thank for the full-contact sport of roller derby. When Seltzer was looking for something a bit more exciting than endurance races to entertain the Depression-era crowd, he came across an article that stated that more than 90 percent of Americans had roller skated at least once in their life. That’s when the lightbulb went off, and Seltzer took his races on the track to races in the rink.

On Aug. 13, 1935 at the Chicago Coliseum, the first transcontinental derby race was held. According to Keith Coppage’s “Roller Derby to RollerJam: The Authorized Story of an Unauthorized Sport,” about 20,000 people filled the coliseum to watch two-person teams, each consisting of a man and a woman, skate 57,000 laps around a flat track. Naturally, the winner was determined by whichever team completed the race first. But around 1937, Seltzer, who was always looking for the next best thing, worried the endless laps were becoming monotonous. That is when he turned to sports writer Damon Runyon. Runyon, captivated by the fails and falls seen in the races, suggested that Seltzer lean into the more aggressive role of the sport. Thus, together they came up with what we know of roller derby today.

As most trends tend to ebb and flow in popularity, the same goes for roller derby. By 1949 the game had become a nationwide sensation. By 1953, interest dwindled. A couple of years later, in 1959, Seltzer put his son Jerry in charge to oversee the sport. With a younger hand at the reins, Jerry took roller derby to a new level and to a new stage — television stations. Slowly, the sport regained its popularity, and by 1971, the crowd reached heights similar to when it first entered the rink.

What about roller derby made it so popular, you may be asking. Well, according to “The New York Times” article “The Long and Surprising History of Roller Derby,” Seltzer “bragged about the equity of the sport from the beginning” and told the “Times” that “this is the only American sport ever created where men and women are equal … the women can see themselves in the roller derby.”

Under son Jerry’s roller derby reign, the sport leaned into theatrics and became more about entertaining the crowd than it was about the money. Jerry even sold the rights to the International Roller Derby League to Roller Games, in which they staged a bout at the Madison Square Garden. But by 1975 the beloved sport came to yet another screeching stop.

Despite meager attempts at bringing the sport back to its limelight throughout the ’80s and ’90s, it wasn’t until a group of women out of Austin, Texas rejuvenated the sport in 2001. This time, they kept the traditional aspects of the sport but added a feminist twist. To this day the sport continues to be known for its hand in women’s empowerment and creative, pun-filled names — a tradition that calls back to the Austin drag scene of that time.

The Game

So, what exactly is roller derby? If you’ve seen the 2009 film “Whip It,” throw out everything you think you learned from the film about the sport out the window. Well, not everything, there are some truths in the film, but one of the biggest misconceptions about the sport is how violent it is.

While it is a full-contact sport and was once as vicious as portrayed in the film, once the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) became the sports governing body in the early 2000s, new rules and regulations were implemented.

In simplest terms, the game is split into two 30-minute halves or matches called bouts that consist of two-minute jams. Each team fills the roles of one jammer and four blockers on the flat oval-shaped track. The jammer (marked by a star on their helmet) is the skater tasked with scoring points for the team. Blockers, as implied by the name, have the job of blocking the opposing team’s jammer from getting through. One of the blockers is known as the pivot (marked by a line on their helmet) and sets the pace and helps control the pack. The pivot also has the opportunity to wear the helmet with a star and play as the jammer.

Once the referee blows the whistle the jam begins and the jammer(s) begin jamming the pack. The initial pass dictates the lead jammer and the second jammer — no points are won in this initial pass. The lead jammer is the first jammer to legally get out of the pack and is allowed to call off the first jam at any time before the two minutes is up, indicated by hitting their hips with their hands repetitively. After the initial pass, jammers win a point for each opposing blocker they pass. Blockers can block opposing jammers by creating a wall, slowing them down positionally, leading them out of bounds or knocking them out of bounds. Roller derby is one of the only sports where one is playing both defense and offense at the same time.

Remember what I said about throwing everything you saw in “Whip It” out the window? This is especially true when it comes to what type of contact is and isn’t allowed. As a good base, no contact is allowed above the shoulders, below the knees or down the center of the back, meaning no punches to the head or tripping. Players are only allowed contact on the front of the body and the sides. While fights do happen, they are rare and typically result in the expulsion of any skaters involved.

The jam is up once either the lead jammer calls it off or the two minutes expire. The process is repeated for the next five jams with new line-ups. The team with the most points at the end of the hour wins.

Jacksonville’s Roller Derby League

Now what if I told you that not only does Jacksonville have their very own roller derby league but that our league is one of the top 20 in the world.

In March of 2006 the Jacksonville Roller Derby (JRD) league, the first and only of its kind in the Bold City, was founded. The league is made up of over 70 skaters and is split into three teams that compete on different skill levels. The travel teams are the J Villains (C team), River City Rat Pack (B team), and the New Jax City Rollers (WFTDA All Stars). The home teams consist of the Duval Derby Dames, First Coast Fatales and the Bold City Bombshells. All members are volunteers who play because they love the sport.

In 2010, JRD was accepted into WFTDA and has continued to rise in ranks and experience, reaching top 10 in the world in 2018.

Head coach Melissa Ludington (known as Deviant Behavior in the rink) has been a part of the league since its inception in 2006. After being asked if they would be interested to join the team at one of the after parties by a friend, Ludington showed up to the next practice and never looked back.

Being with the team for so long, it only makes sense that Ludington took on a coaching role.

“I have been with the league for so many years that I have seen the sport grow and evolve, and I love being a part of that growth. I believe my experience is valuable to the athletes in their training. I am motivated to coach when I witness a seasoned athlete learn a new skill or a new athlete conquer a skill that they have been working very hard towards,” Ludington shared. “It starts with the coach. You have to believe in what you are coaching and foster the environment you want to see. Remind the athletes they require each other to be successful in a team sport. My favorite quote is ‘Play for the name on the front of your jersey, not the name on the back.’”

Lizz Zieschang, known as Lil’ Lass Kicker in the rink, has been a part of the New Jax City Rollers All-Star team for about six seasons and, like most skaters, has had to learn how to balance having a taxing full-time job with making time for her passion.

“We all have complex lives. We’re mothers, daughters, nurses, teachers, and scientists. We even have a gold medal Olympian. We celebrate all of each other’s achievements, both on and off the track. We are unpaid and all have to balance this with our normal jobs and lives. We do it for the love of the sport and our love for each other,” Zieschang shared. “I am an archaeologist, conducting both terrestrial and underwater archaeology. I have to balance roller derby with my job, which can be demanding, but by traveling, I have the opportunity to skate with other leagues and make new friends. I have been playing roller derby for six seasons, so at this point, it really is a part of my lifestyle. I don’t think something is a hobby anymore if you think about it every day!”

Each skater and member has an important role to play within the league. As Ludington put it, “It is beautiful to be a part of a sport where people of all body shapes and sizes have a role. The various positions and strategies allow for the use of every athlete. Even people who do not play the sport are part of the family.” And the same goes for the role the community plays within the sport.

“Our community plays a crucial role in supporting our roller derby team. They show up to our games, cheer us on, and spread the word about our events, which boosts our morale and helps us grow,” New Jax City Roller team captain Stephanie Bratz, said.

“We also collaborate with local charities and organizations, using our platform to give back and strengthen our ties with the community.”

Every year the Jacksonville Roller Derby league participates in community-based charity events and is one of the top fundraisers for the city. Many of the games the league hosts, raises money for Movember’s Prostate Cancer Awareness, the Marine’s Toys 4 Tots drive, V for Victory and many more. The team strongly believes in giving back to the community that has continuously shown up for them.

But what I found to be the most touching aspect of roller derby and of our skaters here in Jacksonville was the overwhelming sense of camaraderie and friendship. Even while being a full-contact sport, the community fostered within the rink extends to relationships outside of the rink.

“Man, where do I start? I have so much admiration for Snot, Fancy, Deviant, Stephanie Bratz and Takia. They each bring something different to our league in different capacities, but all are an integral part of how Jax became Jax,” River City Rat Pack skater Savannah Wofford-Beaty (aka Snarly Quinn) expressed. “There has never been a practice or game I’ve regretted skating in, and that has everything to do with those I skate alongside with. My teammates are the best part of my Sundays (practice days).”

And in a male-dominated field, it’s always inspiring to see women lift eachother up and be held in the same regard as the opposite sex. It really is all about equality in and out of the rink. As Margot Atwell, the author of “Derby Life: A Crash Course in the Incredible Sport of Roller Derby,” shared with “The New York Times,” “Feminism is in the DNA of the sport. And having a space that centers female and gender-expansive aggression is really important.”

“I’m lucky enough to have my biggest role models on my own team,” Zieschang said. “Snot Rocket Science is a pillar in the roller derby community and has so much knowledge about the game. Jamsterella is one of the best jammers in the world. Baybee is a gold medal Olympian in speed [ice] skating and just all-around amazing athlete. Atomic Mel Down has incredible offense on the track. Murph and Izzy are amazing triple threats. Coco is one of the best blockers out there. I have so many teammates that are also role models and I’m so blessed to have that.”

Interested in catching the next bout? Head to jacksonvillerollerderby.com for the full schedule and more information.