Roller derby league seeking members

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This article was published 22/11/2018 (2718 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Roller skates, kneepads and helmets on, Dawn Dollof, Scarlett Fever member, is ready to race down the track with the Wheat City Roller Derby League, playing whatever position can help her team win.

Taking that passion outside the arena Dolloff is thrashing, fighting and pushing to help the League grow, hoping to see the sport take off in Westman.

“It’s really empowering and exhilarating,” Dolloff said. “It’s a lot of fun, I don’t feel scared about it anymore.”

Launching in 2010, she has been with the league since it’s inception.

Starting the league was a daunting experience, with derby members rising to the occasion and learning on the fly how to run the league, with some mentorship from experienced players in Saskatchewan.

The only other major leagues running in the province are in Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.

Over the last eight years, the league has experience ebbs and flows of participation, but Dolloff said it is continuing to make its mark on the community.

“I kind of liken it to a child growing up, when you first start off you don’t know what your doing and faking it until you figure it out. Then you start to sort of get into a groove of knowing what you’re doing,” Dolloff said.

There are more than 20 players expected to be in the league for this upcoming season, with the first game taking place sometime in March or April.

Needing 15 players to a team, two teams play in Westman, the Gang Green and Scarlett Fever, who will begin training in January.

With the league finding a permanent place in the community, one the biggest challenges they face is striking a balance between more experienced players and those new to the sport.

Roller derby is a full contact sport, and some do find it intimidating to enter the arena, Dolloff said.

One of the most difficult misconceptions the league faces are myths about the violence of the sport, however,these assumptions are unfair and misconstrue what the sport is about.

“Just because women play it, a full contact sport, it doesn’t mean that it’s violent, I mean men play hockey,” Dolloff said.

There is no tripping, elbowing or head shots in the sport, with the derby falling more in line with most contact sports. Only checking with shoulders or hips are allowed.

As an action packed “alternative” sport, it is as much fun to play as it is to watch, although it may not appeal to everyone.

Falling on cement on roller skates takes a certain kind of person, Dolloff said, and that fear of falling can keep some from joining in on the fun.

“It takes a certain amount of courage to do it,” Dolloff said. “It is dangerous to a certain extent … but the fun and excitement I get out of it is worth it.”

For those that come with little experience on skates, the derby offers a great opportunity for one to grow their skills while having a lot of fun, she said.

Dolloff has seen first hand the pride and confidence that grows in new players as they learn the sport, becoming star players on the team.

“It’s the people who think they aren’t going to be good that are often the best players,” Dolloff said, “I just think that it is really empowering to be to do it.”

Players on the team come from a diverse range of backgrounds, body and personality types, coming together and creating a team culture ready to embrace new players helping them to thrive.

Having the opportunity to play and conquer a sport like roller derby serves as an outlet for women, an especially important practice now a days, Dolloff said.

“It’s therapeutic,” Dolloff said, “if you’ve ever been made as a women to feel like you cant speak up, or that you don’t have power, this is a place where you are powerful because you’re doing something so hard that more people aren’t brave enough to try.”

With games featuring two 30 minute halves, the sport is an exhilarating experience for spectators.

Each team has five members on the cement rink, racing and fighting to score points to win the game. Each team has one jammer and four blockers, the jammers race to get a head to score points, while blockers try and prevent them. Blockers can also work to help there jammer get ahead.

Players score points in the “jam,” Dolloff likened the jam to a shift in hockey, with players racing in and out of the arena as they battle to win the game. Each jam is a maximum of two minutes, but can come to an end if a jammer gets out and ahead.

Roller Derby is not considered a sport by the province, and this has played a roll in limiting the leagues ability to blossom.

“We can’t get grants that are offered to other ‘actual’ sports that are registered with it, which is kind of irritating,” Dolloff said.

The sport is so new to the province, that at the moment it is growing and expanding into the rolls needed to secure recognition from the province. One of the key aspects is establishing a provincial board of governance for roller derby.

They also have a junior league, and this lack of funding is more frustrating because it limits the kids ability to get recognition, including credits in school.

To reach that recognition provincially, the league needs more members.

For the first time ever the Wheat City Roller Derby League will be hosting a meet and greet at the Double Decker on Thursday, Nov. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m.

The league is hoping to recruit new players, officials and volunteers for the upcoming 2019 season, and talk with anyone interested in the league.

Dolloff said the goal from there is to help the league grow adding more teams as more players sign up.

“We are desperately looking for referees right now,” Dolloff said, “We would love to see a lot of new faces this season.”

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