SPORTS
12 The Observer • Nov. 3 - 9, 2011
Editor//Giancarlo Gonzalez
cwuobserversports@gmail.com
R E L L RO Y B R E D ROUGH MAKES IT H G U O t d n a EVAN SLACK
« HERE I COME BABY, COMIN’ TO GITCHA’ Mad Mina speeds around the track on the heels of the Rolling Hills’ jammer during the final bout of the season on October 29, 2011. The Rodeo City Roller girls slugged out the win 176-163. Photo by Katharine Lotze
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go in the first half. Mad Mina, a 40-yearold Ellensburg local, proved that age has little sway on playing this brutal sport. As the oldest player on the posse, Mina envelops the ideal of clean, fun sportsmanship. She enjoys the physical challenge presented by this one-of-a- kind sport, but also holds her experience very sentimentally. “There is a league in Seattle, The Rock City Rollergirls, they have been around since 2006 maybe longer, and they are early is more simple than it REAL people,” Mina said of her role models. sounds. If the lead jammer “They are so willing to teach other players, is ahead of the other by a long margin, the like let me show YOU something. Just like lead jammer can score her points and call off you might look up to a quarterback or an the jam before her opponent has a chance NFL coach, those girls are awesome, its alto score. It is the pack’s duty to block the op- most like we’re family.” posing jammer and keep her from scoring. The RCR managed to keep their heads The game is played in two, 30-minute halves above water with superior conditioning and and is one of the only games where the pen- well executed blocking schemes throughalties are called in real time. Nothing but a out the second half. The Dames felt the thrill timeout stops the clock, and if a player com- of taking the lead early on, but RCR made mits a penalty they are removed from the sure to keep them wanting, as they racked game for one minute. up more than 150 points. The bout began with a Dames jammer, .50 The final jam was similar to something Cal Killer, claiming the first lead. The Dames out of a ‘feel good’ movie as fans roared and kept the pressure on as cheered, rising to their feet Kraken the Whip claims in a near animalistic fashthe next lead as well. Afion. The jammers gave it They are so willing to all they had and sprinted ter the end of two jams, the Dames held a 20-10 teach other players, like let for the pack, with Rodeo point lead over the Rollme show YOU something. Just City claiming the lead. After ergirls, and they didn’t a few final points, like you might look up to a scoring stop there. The next few lead jammer Critical Erin, quarterback or an NFL coach, called off the jam as well as jams yielded a 40-28 point lead in favor of the those girls are awesome, its the game. The Rodeo City Dames girls cheered and took a almost like we’re family. Nearly half way victory lap as they celebrat-MAD MINA through the first period, ed their 176-163 point win the Rollergirls found their over the Derby Dames. Rollergal rhythm and began rackRoller derby, although ing up points. A clever a serious and competiblocking scheme allowed War Paint Wenda, tive sport, finds room for a little fun on the an Ellensburg native, to rack up quite a tally track as well. With music playing constantly of over 25 points. throughout the bout, players and referees “We need to work on switching from of- alike could be seen dancing and singing. fense to defense,” War Paint said. “Today we There was also a sense of camaraderie, even were a little slow on making the transition between opposing teams. and it led to a lot of unnecessary points “There is a large entertainment value that scored against us.” goes along with this sport, there’s nothing Rodeo City continues their onslaught and like it,” RCR’s Lucy Ballbuster said. “I mean racked up a respectable 30 point lead over its difficult but its really fun, people love to the Dames with less than three minutes to come watch.”
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he Ellensburg High School gymnasium was packed wall-to-wall Saturday evening, with fans eager for the roller derby to get under way. Quite a stunning sight was beheld, as players and fans alike dressed up in their Halloween best. Clowns, zombies, mad hatters, and a showstopping medieval chicken strutted for an entertaining costume contest. Introductions began with the visitors, the Rolling Hills Derby Dames, hailing from Pullman. Each skater had a unique persona, complete with a quirky derby name such as Mad Mina, or Hang Em Heidi. After the Dames were named off, the Rodeo City Rollergirls (RCR) made their chilling entrance. Dressed to match, the posse crawled and hobbled onto the floor as skating undead to making their introduction. As many spectators don’t fully understand the inner workings of roller derby, a short briefing on the sport is in order. The game is played with five players per side: eight blockers that make up “the pack” and two jammers. The pack is lined up on the frontline, several yards ahead of the two jammers, and on the first whistle, the pack begins moving. On the double whistle, the jammers then take off after the pack and fight for a leading position. The first jammer to make it through the pack without drawing a penalty, or getting knocked out of bounds becomes the lead jammer. Points are scored by jammers passing the pack after making it through the pack the first time. So essentially, points are scored for lapping opposing players. Both jammers can score points once they have cleared the pack the first time, but the lead jammer has control over the “jam”. A jam is a two-minute period, comparable to one series of football action. The jam is only over when either the two minutes are up, or the lead jammer touches her hips, ending the jam. The point of ending a jam