By Tom Rohrer
“Are you ready derby fans?”
The question from rink announcer Hunter S Stompson received a stirring response from the capacity crowd at Skateland off of South Bay Road in Olympia.
“It’s time to rumble!” Stompson’s voice declared to the roused audience.
On Saturday, June 9, Skateland was the site for the fourth annual Olympia’s Underground Derby League championships, featuring teams La Fembots, South Bay Bombers, Oly Outlaws, and Rolling Regulators.
With player names such as “Crash Star”, “Amsterdam Slam”, and “Hope I DruBlud”, and player numbers like 122112, it’s clear that roller derby does not follow the trends and traditions in other sports.
And that may be why the league, which was formed in 2009, has developed such a strong following in the Olympia and Thurston County area.
“Olympia isn’t necessarily your traditional town, and I think people like that about (roller derby),” said Desi Sordahl, the founder and general manager for the Underground Derby League who also plays on the Oly Outlaws. “We’ve always had a great following and a great group of players who like to express themselves differently. You could say it’s a perfect match.”
Clad in various styles of face paint, makeup, spankies and lingerie, the players in the all-female league come from all walks of life – there are state workers, lawyers, dental assistants and teachers, skating among and against one another for derby supremacy.
The various professions, attire, and general demeanor mirror the expression of the leagues players.
“What I enjoy, and a lot of other players do too, is that the sport is about female expression,” said Tiffany Lundy, a seventh year player for the Outlaws who heard about the sport through a co-worker. “There is competition, and that’s part of the expression.”
The physical nature of that competition, which leads to violent collisions, spills and regulated penalties, further breaks the un-substantiated stereotype of female physicality.
“For whatever reason, there is that thought that women shouldn’t be physical and shy away from contact,” said Kathryn Devine, a member of the Outlaws. “I think other sports break that stereotype as well, but derby takes it to another plateau.”
While there may be excessive physical contact, there is a reason for the controlled madness, as strategy and team familiarity leads to victory.
“People don’t realize how important strategy and trusting your teammates is in the sport,” said Lundy. “In fact they could be the most important things in terms of winning and losing.”
To build that trust, teams hold organized practices, which feature every member of the league, further bolstering the culture of the sport.
“We all practice together, learn the same strategies,” said Lundy. “Everyone is friends with everyone, regardless of the team.”
“We’re a family,” noted Sordahl. “We may beat each other up during a game, but we pick one another up, and share a laugh or a compliment. Families have differences and that’s what makes them families.”
The Underground Derby League features a no skater left behind policy, meaning that there is a team for anyone interested, regardless of skill or experience level.
“That’s a big part of what makes this league special,” said Sordahl. “Everyone who wants to play can play. Other leagues and teams are a little more hesitant to let novices play. We are proud to add whoever wants to try it and play to a team.”
That unity throughout the league and the local derby culture helps the players rally around one another on personal and more serious matters.
Devine has cystic fibrosis, and was diagnosed with the disease at a young age. The League Championships Saturday night featured several raffles for audience prizes, with all of the proceeds headed towards the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
“It’s special to see everyone rally around the cause,” said Devine, who goes by Cystic Ferocious on the rink. “It truly is like a family and I can’t thank everyone enough.”
Devine believes participating in Derby helps her physically as well as mentally. “The sport is great for me, and sure I get a little winded sometimes, but it’s helped me tremendously,” Devine said. “It’s the only sport that has allowed me to play at a high level and gain strength.”
As the night raged on at Skateland, with the crowd from the first ever Beer Garden at the venue gaining steam, it was clear that the sport of roller derby has a definite home and fanatical base in the area, coupled with replica jerseys and team signs being sported in the audience.
But what is the next step, to take the sport to a higher level in the area?
“I think a big key is the various traveling teams, and earning more regional and national recognition,” Lundy said. “That could be a big step.”
Lundy was referring to a pair of local traveling teams, The Death Dealers, which will feature twenty of the best skaters in the league, and also the Oly Rollers, formed in 2006, with around fifty participants that helped form the Underground Derby League.
The Death Dealers will travel to Bremerton on Saturday, June 23, before hosting the Port Scandalous at Skateland on Saturday, July 14, and then the Spokannibals at Skateland on Saturday August 18.
While winning and earning recognition is important, maintaining the culture and league characteristics will keep the Underground Derby League afloat for years to come.
“We’ve established a terrific fan base and expectation of what they will say and feel,” Sordahl said. “It’s the entertainment that features female expression, and that’s what the sport is all about.
For more information on the Underground Derby League, visit www.undergroundderby.com
