|
Serious and Ready
Roller Girls first competitive bout
Story and photos by Mary Kiesau
 Methow Valley's Lex Luther, Mob Narley and Poco Huntress (from left to right wearing green) battle for a better blocking position.
On Saturday, August 4th, the Methow Valley Roller Girls proved they were serious and ready for competition. The team that just began taking shape in January of this year competed in its first bout against a neighboring team at the Apple City Skate Down, a triple header at the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee.
The Methow Valley Roller Girls were paired against the more experienced but still young Wenatchee’s Apple City Roller Derby team, in what became a very evenly matched nail-biter of a bout. The final score of 132 for the Apple City Rollery Derby to 130 for the Methow Valley Roller Girls mirrors how close the match was from beginning to end, and how well the Methow Valley Roller Girls did in their debut bout.
“I’m really proud of them,” beamed coach Hurtus Kurtus (Kurt Meacham) after their bout. “They showed everyone how much they’ve put into this sport,” he added.
What the Methow Valley Roller Girls lacked in experience and numbers, they made up in enthusiasm and team spirit. Already seen as the under-dogs, matters were made worse when they were forced to pull two players out of the bout part way through the match because of a technicality with the roster. The team lost one player to a broken ankle just two days before the bout, and were already “skating short” with a smaller roster of players than the other teams. Yet, they came out with palpable energy and communicated well, leading to vocal accolades from the two official bout commentators and a first half lead of 62-61.
The second half seemed to take a toll on the Methow Valley Roller Girls. More often than not, anywhere from one to three of their players were sitting in the penalty box (teams only field five players at a time, and a variety of offenses, such as using elbows, back-blocking, and illegal moves, can land a skater in the penalty box for one minute, during which time the team will skate without a skater in that position, just like in hockey). Apple City took advantage of the Methow’s foul trouble and kept a 10 point or so lead most of the second half.
 Two jammers, Mob Narley (Melissa Lanza) for Methow Valley on the right, and Riot Maker (Madeline Praye) for Apple City, get in position to start a jam. Jammers wear stars on their helmets and are the only players who can score points. Certain players switch in and out of being jammers throughout a bout. Mob is the newest member of the Methow Valley Roller Girls and one of only two who has played roller derby before joining the team.
“It got intense, and things started to fall apart a little bit,” Captain Brass Chuckles (Rose Norton) admitted. Rose is a founding member of the team and is one of just two players who have competed in the sport before the Methow Valley Roller Girls formed.
Still, a 10-point lead is not much in roller derby, and Apple City was spending some time in the penalty box as well. Both teams gave it all they had in the final minutes of the match with brutal, brawling jams putting both teams’ jammers (the only player who can score) in the penalty box at one point. Apple City’s lead was cut to one as the roar from the crowd, which included a respectable contingent from the Methow, went up a few notches.
The tension and anxiety was high when a time-out was called. Brass Chuckles used the opportunity to lighten her team’s mood with some dance moves as music blared over stadium speakers.
“We threw a little dance party and remembered it was just a game and we were here to have fun, and that fixed everything,” she said.
The Methow Valley Roller Girls finished their debut bout two points down, losing to Apple City, but feeling like winners all the same. “For our first bout, we were really tight. It’s just incredible how we played,” said Chuckles.
The remainder of the triple header saw Rodeo City Roller Girls (Ellensburg) playing Bellingham’s Roller Betties, and Apple City competing again against the Rolling Hills Derby Dames (Paulouse area).
The Methow Valley Roller Girls first non-competitive bout was held on July 6th at the Okanogan Agri-Plex. The bout was part of a weekend-long skills clinic involving many coaches and three other teams. All the skaters combined and split into two teams to play a bout to a packed arena. (See this eariler Grist article for photos and details)
For more information about the Methow Valley Roller Girls and the sport of flat-track roller derby, including terminology and rules, go to www.methowvalleyrollergirls.com
8/7/2012
|
