By Tom Rohrer
A winning culture has been established by one Thurston County area team, and their quest for another national championship is close to complete.
From Friday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 23, the Cosa Nostra Donnas of the Oly Rollers league took first place in the West Region Playoffs of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
By taking first in the event, which was held in Richmond, Calif., the team earned a spot in the WFTDA Championships, which will be held in Atlanta, GA., from November 2 to November 4.
This is familiar territory for the Cosa Nostra Donnas, as in 2009, they took home the national championship and followed up with a second place finish in 2010.
Intended Anger, who has participated in the Oly Rollers league since 2008, says having that experience is a contributing factor to the team’s success.
“The fact that we’ve been there, it helps,” Intended Anger said before the team’s practice at Skateland on Thursday, Oct. 4. “The game and the rules have changed a little bit, but we’ve been able to maneuver and adjust to it very quickly. We know what to expect.”
Playing in the sport’s premier championship is an exciting prospect for the newer members of the team.
“It’s very exciting because not a lot of people get to do it in a lifetime,” said second year player Decoda Sordahl. “It’s not like going to a regular meet or tournament. It’s what everyone trains for all year long.”
Training and practice has been an integral part to the team’s success, as the Cosa Nostra Donnas practice four times a week in addition to two weekly cross-fit training sessions. Sordahl, whose grandparents own Skateland and mother Desi Sordahl runs the Underground Derby League in Olympia, thinks the extra practice is paying off.
“I think it helps with the legs, it helps with the overall conditioning,” Sordahl said of the team’s cross fit training. “It’s a subtle change but you can notice it.”
The Oly Rollers league features two other teams, the Dropkick Donnas and the Bella Donnas, allowing for a deep talent pool for teams to practice against.
“There is a lot of talent not only in the league, but in this area,” Intended Anger said. “Being able to practice against this high level talent on a consistent basis really prepares us for the top teams at regionals or nationals. It makes a huge difference.”
This year, the Cosa Nostra Donnas have used an infusion of young talent to go along with the experienced players, to return to the national tournament.
“The difference between this year and last year, we have a lot of younger skaters, and we had to go back to the beginning, the basics a bit,” Sordahl said. “There is less experience, but everyone wants to be here and the more experienced individuals are helping out. Everyone has the same vision desires and I think we get along better than last year.”
How has the Thurston County area become such a hot-bed for the sport? For a few different reasons, according to members of the Cosa Nostra Donnas.
“In all honestly, I think the background of a lot of the girls is what brings this crowd of talented players,” Intended Anger said. “We’ve got a lot of speed skaters, hockey skaters. We’ve got a lot of talent.”
“A lot of the people here have had skating background and we keep teaching it to other people, and as the years go on, we learn,” Sordahl said. “My mom taught me, my grandma taught her, it just keeps going. If I learn a new skill, everyone else learns a new skill.”
All the players in the league are connected by a love of the sport.
“It’s just the competiveness,” Intended Anger said. “It’s great for stress relieving. It helps balance out my work life and my mom life. And that’s the case for most of the people in the league.”
For more information on the Oly Rollers and the Cosa Nostra Donnas, visit www.olyrollers.com. For more information on the Underground Derby league, click here.
