Though I'm a big fan, I rarely bother to promote the Rat City Rollergirls' [1] bouts in this forum. There are two reasons for this: One, my girlfriend is part of the organization (she's on the Grave Danger squad) and we both tire of my having to say "In the interest of full disclosure..." And two: Tickets to the bouts sell out so quickly that promoting them is almost always a moot issue. The wheels are rolling, metaphorically-speaking, and more often than not I simply choose to stand aside and let the lead jammer pass [2].
However, that's not very fair to those of you who don't know what the hell a jammer is, or are unaware that Seattle has a flat-track roller derby league. The two-year-old Rat City Rollergirls are just one of many volunteer-run derby leagues sprouting up across the country, but even those who are passingly familiar with the recent roller derby revival are surprised by the scene that greets them at one of Rat City's Magnuson Park bouts. This isn't a half-baked organization, but a bustling, ever-expanding franchise with professional production values: concert-quality lighting and sound, expert commentators, great food and merchandise. And needless to say, the action is absolutely top-notch.
The Rat City Rollergirls are split into four internal teams: the Throttle Rockets, the Sockit Wenches, Grave Danger (hi, honey!) and last year's champs, the Derby Liberation Front. The league's monthly bouts find the teams pitted against each other, two by two, and the play is heated, to put it mildly. While the no-holds-barred derby of yesteryear is just a memory — even war has rules — this new breed of derby is every bit as fast, high-scoring, exciting and potentially dangerous. (If your heart is strong enough, check out the league's injuries page [3].) Though the entertainment factor is high —recent halftime shows have featured The Aerialistas [4] and a roll-bounce team, and the league mascots are always up to something — the competition is real. The speed is real. And yes, the bruises are real, and painful.
So, in the spirit of these women who give all for very little in return, I will put aside my personal hang-ups and tell you to go see the Rollergirls, already. The league's next bout is on June 24 [4], and as of this writing, tickets are still available [5]. Any seat is good, but if you're like me, you'll want to hunker down at rinkside, where the probability of receiving a fallen rollergirl in your lap is high. Anything else is significantly less than full commitment.
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