Date Posted: June 15, 2011
Print Edition: June 10, 2011
By Joel Smart (The Cascade) – Email
Women in Fishnets and Rollerskates fill the lobby as I enter MSA Arena for a highly anticipated double-header. Abbotsford’s own Reign Valley Vixens were set to take on the Oil City Derby Girls to start things off; while the second bout of the night would see the Vixen’s Rookie team take on the Sunshine-Coast Roller Girls. As I enter the darkened arena, I can hear classic rock and roll tunes over the sounds of the excited crowd who are already filling up the stands. As much as Roller Derby has become a staple in local Abbotsford sports, this game is going to be something even more special. It is the second annual Battle For Boobs fundraiser for breast cancer research.
Like before every bout, the announcers give us a brief introduction to the players of each team, the referees, and the basic rules of the game. The national anthem is sung to great applause, and just when it seems as though the game might never start, it begins with a bang. The Vixens pull ahead early, but Oil City does a good job in each jam to keep anyone from feeling over confident. The pace is furious, the skating is top notch, and the hits are bone-crunching against the cold, grey cement floor.
The rules of the game aren’t actually that complicated. Four blockers from each team form a pack at one corner of the track, while one player from each team known as a jammer stands twenty feet behind them. One whistle signals the pack can start the race, and a few moments later a second whistle cues the jammers to take off. The goal is for the jammers to fight their way to the front of the pack. The first jammer to make it through becomes the “lead jammer” and is set to earn points for their team for each subsequent player from the opposing team’s pack that they can lap. The other team’s jammer can negate these points by lapping opponents as well, but the lead jammer has the ability to call off the “jam” at any point. After each jam, players head to the bench and are replaced by teammates, and the process begins again. Points earned in a single jam usually range from between two to 15, so few leads are ever safe.
Edmonton’s best jammer, Trucker, was able to steal lead jammer on numerous occasions, but ultimately could not match the pace set by Abbotsford’s own Sugah Bomb. Although the match ended in a convincing victory for the home team, 135-79, the Oil City Derby Girls were never out of it, thanks to the incredible efforts by Fyr’ S. Natch, Trauminatrix, and the rest of the Edmonton squad.
During the intermission between bouts, a couple of games are played, including a Frisbee toss from the stands to a bull’s-eye at the centre of the rink. But then came something even more inspirational than the game itself. Having pledged to shave her head to help raise money for cancer research, 9-year-old Jinaya Towson took the stage with her hair in numerous pony tails, each one to be cut off and donated to Locks of Love. Towson is the daughter of the Vixen’s team captain, Deathtrap Diva. “I’m so proud of my little angel,” said her mother with tears in her eyes. Towson alone raised over $400.
The last game featured the relatively new team, the Sunshine-Coast Roller Girls, playing the Vixen’s Rookies. The visitors were hard working and the audience had to respect the great efforts shown by Labiach, Bomb Marley, Sonik Kronik, and the rest of the Sunshine-Coast Roller Girls. Though the Vixens came out on top in the bout, 112-32, it was clear by the end that this team had a ton of potential. While the Edmonton bout was a blistering exercise in speed, the Sunshine-Coast girls were tough as nails, delivering some of the biggest hits I’ve ever seen in a derby match.
The Reign Valley Vixens will play again on June 25 at MSA Arena when West Kootney comes to take on Nazz T. Burn, Bear Paw, Roxy Roll-her, Eve Iserate, Deathrace Darby, Aunt JeMaimya, Iron Hydie, Snarley, Broadside Her, Thing One, and the rest of the Vixens.
