Roller skates and rinks might bring back memories of broken hearts and bad fashion in high school, but roller derby is now one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. With nearly 700 amateur leagues worldwide and more teams popping up every day, Milwaukee has had a successful women’s league since 2005.
The Brewcity Bruisers are a skater owned and operated roller derby league with four teams of 20 women: The Crazy 8’s, The Shevil Knevils, The Rushin’ Rollettes and Maiden Milwaukee. And yes, they all still wear the four-wheel, toe-brake, old-school skates. Player and mother of five, Melissa “Mayhem” Radtke got involved mostly on a dare. “Someone told me I couldn’t do it, so I decided I would show him that I could!” she says.
This year, 100 new women tried out for the league. Skaters of all shapes and sizes participate, and though they might get angry on the track, motives are ultimately altruistic. Each month the Brewcity Bruisers select a local charity, such as Arts @ Large, the Humane Society or Pearls for Girls, to donate a portion of proceeds from bouts.
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| Melissa “Mayhem” Radtke. |
And there are strict rules for the league, which is governed by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. Seven referees and an EMT preside over every bout, and no tripping, punching, pushing, hair pulling or any other catfight-like conduct is allowed. In fact, touching with your hands, except for your own team members, and back, low or head blocking are also prohibited.
Radtke says most are surprised to see how real roller derby is. It’s not the orchestrated WWF theatrics like some might expect. “We are actually playing a contact sport just like any other, and there are real injuries and real outcomes,” she explains.
On each team, there is a pivot who sets the pace and is the last line of defense, a jammer who tears through the pack and scores points, and the blockers, well, they block. The pack begins with a pivot in front, three blockers in the middle and a jammer far in the back. A player must pass an opposing team’s blockers and pivot to score. Additional points are scored each time a jammer passes members of the opposing team. Got it? You might just need to see for yourself.
A jam lasts a maximum of two minutes, and a bout is typically an hour, but the lead jammer has the right to call off each jam for strategic reasons at her discretion. The ref can give penalties for unsafe behavior and can also throw a player in the cage for one minute.
The Bruisers have two mandatory, two-hour practices a week and a 14-week training session to get on the team. Some women can barely skate when they start. Roller derby veterans encourage the newbies to wear skates everywhere, even around the house, to get used to it, and soon enough, it becomes second nature. All players are required to wear a helmet, mouth guard, knee, wrist and elbow pads, and a butt pad is also suggested.
“It’s my therapy. It’s a great stress reliever and a way to get out aggression,” Radtke says. “Once I start skating my mind goes blank, and I stop thinking about bills, hockey practice, homework. It’s my all-about-me time.”
See the Brew City Bruisers in action Saturday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Arena (400 W. Kilbourn Ave.). For tickets, click here.
And as for the boys and children? There’s a men’s roller derby league forming in Milwaukee called the Milwaukee Blitzdkrieg, as well as a Junior Derby league for kids ages 8-17. What are you waiting for? Dust off those skates and practice your figure eights.
One more not to miss: The Milwaukee Art Museum exhibit European Design Since 1985: Shaping the New Century is closing Jan. 9, 2011. If you own anything from IKEA, be sure to check this out. You’ll appreciate style.
