Okay, I admit the Grand Raggidy Roller Girls have me hooked! We attended last Friday night's bout against the The Sin City Neander Dolls of Las Vegas, my first live roller derby and WOW!! I AM IMPRESSED. I think I need season tickets.....NOW!
If you haven't attended a bout, you are missing quite a performance! Let me explain my new addiction.....
These gals come in all shapes, sizes, and skill levels but their hearts are all on the line. The Grand Raggidy Roller Girls teams, as all the Women's Flat Track Roller Derby Teams, are totally voluntary and unpaid in monetary terms. But I witnessed a tremendous love for the sport evidenced by their dare-devil speed racing, no holds barred blocking, cunning and skillful maneuvering on the track. The comraderie exhibited was heart-warming.
Not having attended a bout before , I was a little in the dark as to what was happening and how the scoring was accomplished, at first. It can be a tad intimidating, as there are almost as many referees in the middle following the action as skaters. By the way, the referees and all other participants are volunteers, also. There is a definite circus or "FUN FACTOR" built into the whole evening, exhibited by the costumes, tongue-in-cheek skaters' names, costumed Refs, costumed announcers, the Penalty Marm, and even a Mascot!
By the second bout, I had the basics figured out. This enabled me to stand up and scream my lungs out when I realized our "jammer" had made a circuit and was on her way to catching the "PACK" and scoring points. The jammers are not shy about stirring up the hometown crowd as they whiz by......and they have stiff competition to get through the pack. I was witness to more than one "OUCH" crash and fall. About this time, I was glad we had decided not to sit on the floor in the "Suicide Section". I was amazed there was only one injury that took a girl out of the game. She got a standing ovation and an ice bag as she was literally carted off the floor. I am sure there were many bruises Saturday morning. This game is not for the faint of heart!
I was continually impressed with the skill and speed which the players exhibited. The score tells the tale, Grand Raggidy Girls 115, Sin City 52 on the bout last Friday night, Oct 13. Las Vegas gave their best but the local team outranked them in stamina and skating prowess. That doesn't mean that both teams didn't have fun and enjoy themselves immensely. They brought the crowd along for the ride........and I don't want to miss the next bout on Nov 30, 7 pm at the Deltaplex, in Grand Rapids, Michigan which features our hometown teams of Blue Collar Broads vs The Roustabout Rollars. 
I have to warn you again, this sport is highly addictive.
In this case, an addiction is a good thing.
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Terry Westbrook's Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog
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