Lately, I have been having fantasies of what it must be like for those who love a roller girl. Oh, not those kind of fantasies.
I mean the kind where one of our local girls rolls in late at night from any one of the many evenings of practice that our team engages in each and every week. I imagine the tube of Biofreeze waiting next to a bag of ice, ready to apply to the muscles that a beating from this anything-goes sport.
What I am trying to paint here is a picture that many do not see -- the reality that is hidden away between the bouts, when our Grand Raggidy Roller Girls are not in the spotlight battling away for points and ranking on an ever-growing national stage, which now includes 149 teams in North America.
When our girls do hit the rink, as they will again for weekend's double-header in the hopes of defeating Ft. Wayne's Derby Girls, they will do so with the same professional approach other sports teams do, except our girls are creating local glory by doing it on wheels!
"Currently, Grand Raggidy is ranked 48 and Ft. Wayne is ranked 64," says Lucy Morals. "We are in a good spot to be invited to our division's regional competition in September, but we need to win Saturday night in order to stay where we are."
And while Ft. Wayne appears to be getting whipped more often, as evident by their recent loss to the Killamzoo squad, any loss for our team at this point, according to Morals, would really hurt our girls' rankings and chances of getting invited to compete. She reminds me that at this late point in the season, every win is critical.
If you have never attended, the matches are always wild, with an audience not unlike other sporting events. The girls make sure their fans are fueled by the very best in beer from New Holland Brewing Company and Schmohz, with beverage proceeds going to Carol's Ferals.
This Saturday will also be the debut of the Half-Time Wagon Derby, which is like an obstacle course, but played with wagons and roller girls. You have to see it to get it.
So let's take Women's history month out in style this weekend and support the home team. Later. we can dance into the night at The Rez (Rezervoir is formerly The Sazerac Lounge) with the team's very own DJ Crooked Leg Craig.
Admission:
$12 in advance or $15 at the door