Reporting And Writing Class Fall 2010

Rolling into Bemidji

Paul and Babe Roller Derby comes to Bemidji

By Natalie Reque

The rush of adrenaline can be felt through the stomping of the feet and clapping of the hands from the audience in the stands. One girl goes flying out of the lap marks and crashes to the floor. More screaming and cheering ensue. One would think the men’s hockey team is beating our biggest rival. However, it is the women’s roller derby that came to town to show Bemidji some fun.

Each group rolled into Bemidji September 18 and started to fill the John Glas Fieldhouse around 4:30. The teams that came to Bemidji this time come out of Grand Forks, but they took on a very familiar name for each team. Babe represented the blue team and Paul for the red team. If one has never been to a roller derby before, they might not even pay attention to the flyers that the league posted all around Bemidji State University’s campus. But going to one would add adrenaline to anyone’s night.

“Derby is a nice good relief. It’s a good emotional relief, and it’s good physical. Just all around a lot of pluses,” said Rachelle from Grand Forks (she declined to have her last name given out). With her pink gear and drawn on cat whiskers, one could not tell that Rachelle (a.k.a Pink Panther), is an advocate for victims from domestic violence and sexual assault who has a social work degree from UND. Working for the Community Violence Intervention Center located in Grand Forks can be a very stressful job, but the roller derby is a great way to release some of that tension. “It’s good for physical health. It’s good for mental health. The sisterhood aspect is fantastic,” she said. “It’s run by women, it’s for women. It’s very empowering.”

The roller derby has been around for over a century. It can be dated all the way back to 1885, but back then it was men who were allowed to play. In this league it is for women. Women can range from mothers to professionals to young women. Even women older than fifty can join. However there is a test each woman must pass in order to be part of this league. One must be able to skate five laps in one minute and 25 laps in five minutes. Also, they must be able to jump with both skates off the ground by three inches repeatedly. After getting accepting to a team, the women must put hours of extra time for practice. Being part of the roller derby is no walk in the park.

However, it still is all about the fun and adrenaline that not only the players get but the onlookers too. As for one onlooker, Jeffery Snell, it’s just another family tradition. “Coming to these roller derbies are so much fun!” he said. “I never really paid much attention to them or really even heard about them until they came to Bemidji last year. I’m hooked.”

Even though they are part of the Women’s Flat Track Association and they do pay dues, all the beating and bruises that these women suffer is really just for the enjoyment of the game because it is all voluntary. Each team does do volunteer work for their communities. Also, the games have no trophies or money to give to their players. “If we win, we are very, very happy. If there is a trophy I don’t know about it but we will wait and see,” exclaimed a very excited Pink Panther. Her team, the Babes, ended winning a phenomenal game over the Paul team 147 to 38.

“It’s so fun to go see a rock-em-sock-em kind of sport that is composed of only women that I can go see in the community,” said single mother Vannessa Cookman who attends Northwest Tech for a nursing degree. “I like going to the derby because it’s an exciting, upbeat sport and it’s easy for the crowd to get into it.”

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