A sea of black and red swarmed Northeast Portland on Saturday afternoon. At 5pm, the gates of the Rose Garden Arena released thousands of Believers after the Trail Blazers pulled off a miraculous win again the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. In celebration, the clouds parted and the sun high-fived the pale skin of Portland locals, adding to the divine glow of an extraordinary victory. Hundreds of white people in Brandon Roy jerseys were slapping each other on the backs and filling the air with stale beer breath and slurred cheer. But, for hundreds of other fans, the real game had yet to begin. In a true display of sporting event equilibrium, the neighboring Memorial Coliseum inhaled the scent of adrenaline and drew hundreds of ticket holders into its small but mighty stadium. The sun had set on mainstream sports and risen on the fresh face of counterculture athletics: Roller Derby was in session.
The history of roller derby stretches back to the late nineteenth century and has entertained a variety of forms including endurance races (1880s-1920s), co-ed touring exhibitions (1930s) and staged theatrical plays (1950s-1970s). Due to a grassroots revival in the mid-2000s, roller derby reclaimed popularity and evolved yet again into what may be the sport’s most successful form. As seen in the 2009 film Whip It, contemporary roller derby has become an international sport with over 600 women’s leagues. As opposed to most traditional sports, roller derby caters to self-identified women of all levels of ability, ages, and body types. From doctors and lawyers to tattoo artists and anarchists, roller derby subscribes to a Do It Yourself (DIY) ethic with roots in punk, alternative, and feminist culture. While the sport still strives to provide entertainment with player pseudonyms (Beth Amphetamine, Georgia O’Grief, etc.) and flashy uniforms, roller derby has mostly outgrown its theatrical components and come of age as a competitive sport.
Last weekend’s match at the Memorial Coliseum featured an exhibition tournament between two of the Northwest’s largest leagues: Portland’s Rose City Rollers (RCR) and Seattle’s Rat City Rollergirls (RCRB). According to the RCR website, Portland’s league was founded in 2004 “by a small band of gritty, gutsy, nostalgic gals who decided to dust off their quad skates and hit the rink.” This effort birthed four home teams (Break Neck Betties, Guns N Rollers, Heartless Heathers, and the High Rollers), two travel teams, and a junior derby team (Rose Buds). All teams play on a flat track under the guidelines of a specific set of rules and regulations dictated by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). While the venue is known to change, all bouts take place on a flat track. Portland’s home teams generally compete at the Portland Expo Center and The Hangar at Oaks Park. Those hoping to join in on the local fun and savagery must first complete the Fresh Meat Training Program before being considered for a league draft. Men interested in competing in the Portland area can also compete in Stumptown Derby, a local men’s league.
Whether or not contact sports are your thing, the roller derby atmosphere is worth the price of admission. From awkward half-time shows featuring delightfully low-budget entertainment to the inebriated pink-haired pharmacist sitting to your left, you’re in for a unique experience. Check it out for yourself at Portland’s Semi-Finals Scramble on May 14th.