So my friend Amanda, from my NYU days and who has been hosting me in SF, competes in the Bay Area Derby League (BAD for short) and I finally got to see her play in a bout last night.
But first - the volunteering to set up the track! This is an entirely volunteer organization, so anything that needs doing they have to do themselves. The event was being held at Craneville Pavillion in Richmond but it was BYOT (bring your own track). So we loaded up the UHaul truck with the plastic tracking that the ladies use on such occasions (since there isn't a dedicated track in SF) and began the laborous process of putting it all together, literally piece by piece.
Laying out the floor
What can't these ladies do!?
Track is all laid out
Setting up the lines and barriers
The finished product in use
I could try to write up all the rules of bouts (the pack, the jammers trying to lap the pack, penalties, etc) but its probably best if a professional explains it. See the video below for a brief intro of how the game is played.
Amanda - excuse me, I mean Cass, as in Cass Warfare, her derby name; which is literally what all of the other players know her as. Anyway, Cass plays for the Oakland Outlaws.
Oakland Outlaws warming up
Enthusiastic crowds are the order of the evening at derby matches I've learned. And it is pretty common to come with homemade signs cheering your favorite players on. Below is the sign of one of Cass's teammate's boyfriend's (mouthful!)
Go Sinnocent!
It was like a giant party: there were food stalls, vendors of all sorts, merch, bar stands ... you name it. And I was really super impressed with how many very enthusiastic fans there were in the crowd (myself included).
The ladies in black, unfortunately, didn't win their bout, but they didn't go down without a fight.... quite literally in some cases
But, despite the loss, these women are all still friends (or maybe frienemies?). Yeah, emotions get riled during a game, but they all mix together in the all stars league or the traveling team. They are competitors and teammates... and maybe most importantly friends.
All smiles!
But honestly, that camaraderie really blew me away. We had been joking on our way to the bout that derby girls would have their own A League of Their Own style reunion 60 years from now and reminisce about the "old good days" --- but there is something truly remarkable, I think, about a bunch of women doing traditionally masculine things (hard-contact sports) but doing it in their own unique way. Maybe their more like the Greek Amazons, a tight knit collection of warriors.... It is very hard not to feel inspired by them as you see them racing around the track
Newest derby girl? Probably not......... yet?
That said, I'm probably not ready yet for the commitment to derby. Cass commits between 10-15 hours a week to practice, team meetings, setting up and helping at bouts, etc.... and I just don't think I have that time to commit right now. But it really makes me happy to see women making roller derby a fun and fascinating sport to watch.
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