Roller derby is like a wild mixture of speed skating, American football, and burlesque. It's also one of the strangest sports I've ever witnessed. The audience is even stranger, with punks and disco-feminists rubbing shoulders with older folk and little kids selling whistles. Roller derby used to be underground, and in many ways it still is. Maybe you haven't heard of it before? I wouldn't be surprised. Maybe you have, but don't consider it a "real" sport? On behalf of derby girls everywhere: fuck you. Roller derby is past the fishnets.
Roller derby started in North America in the 1920's as a girls-only sport. Over the following years it died off to rise again from its sexy ashes in the 1970's. The real revival happened in Texas at the turn of the millennium, as a show-sport where attitude was more important than athletics. Today it has evolved from mere spectacle. There are international leagues and rankings, a world cup, and girls skating across the globe. In Finland, where derby has only been around for the last five years, there are more than 20 active leagues and an estimated 700 skaters. It's growing phenomenally.
At first glance it's hard to work out what in spandex-wearing girl-Jesus is going on. The aim of the game is to get your team's jammer (the speedy one) past the other team's blockers (the aggressive ones) as you skate within the boundaries of an oval circuit. The sports hall has its own "suicide seating" for supporters who don't mind being crushed by a group of scantily-clad ladies. A (wet) dream for some, and at first I was surprised there weren't more takers, but 20 minutes into Finland versus Sweden it all began to make sense.
"I began when I was 23, at an age when I was too old to start any other sport. I fell off a bike one day and it hurt... In a nice way. It made me feel alive so I thought, yeah, roller derby, that could be my thing. I need to be hurt. It reminds me that I am alive", explains one girl when asked what brought her to derby. It is a young sport, still finding its feet. Girls can start quite late and still make it among the top players within few years.
"Would you call it an extreme sport?" I ask another who is still sweating from an intensive bout. "Yeah, it's quite dangerous. Insurance companies see us as a very extreme sport. Loads of concussions, bruised everything: broken hips, ankles, fingers, arms, torn CCL – injuries are inevitable. I know I will get injured badly one day, but it's worth it and I am prepared for it," she chuckles.
It's hard to say how much feminism there is in roller derby today. Of course there is a feminist aspect to it, as in any sport for women. These girls are empowered and empowering, but perhaps quite rightly, this is more of a side-effect than a purpose. "We see many new girls coming in being very shy, not talking much, and within a year they're totally different people. They blossom," I am told. "In its early days it used to be more flirty and playful. Those elements are still there, but competition and technique have begun to take precedence."
So women feel stronger and more independent. But what about the roller derby boys? They come either in the form of referees, or as a strange breed of pioneer players. "We have a lot of male referees because they cannot join the teams. Initially boyfriends came to do it," says one girl from Team Finland. Male roller derby is still in its infancy, and is far less developed than its curvy counter-part. There are a few female-friendly techniques that need some working out for the lads, such as booty-blocking (which involves a devious amount of crotch-to-bum action). "When it comes to watch men play it is still a bit hilarious, but they will eventually find their own techniques. Now they have more of the brutal force and less of the strategy compared to women."
It's clear that one of the main draws to the sport, for players and spectators alike, is its visuals. It is also what makes roller derby stand out, and is where most derby-girls start off. "Of course some people come for the fishnets. They think it looks cool and you can be the roller-girl. "For me, the visuals are just an additional thing, but if you feel like dressing up that’s not a problem. It can be a nice ritual for some, to dress up and put some make-up on." At a more competitive level the dress code is less eccentric, but the top-level players still remember their tutu-days fondly. "The little bit of cheekiness brings people's curiosity in. That's where we came from, and that's how people know us. There are a lot of people going on about how you'd expect someone to take this as a serious sport when they see us skating in ninja turtles leggings. I think I can still be a kick-ass athletic woman and wear my ninja turtles leggings."
Derby girls love the way their sport is a little bit eccentric, and are clearly not afraid to be themselves. Many are outrageous, but they don't have to be. A lot of the flashy, hippie or punk girls covered in tattoos come because this sport is more accepting. "No one really cares how you dress or look, where you come from, what you study, etcetera. That's why you can see all those tattoos, dreadlocks, piercings, crazily colored hair, overweight... Maybe they wouldn't feel so well accepted in other sports."
There are no ideal proportions required. All body types are welcome in roller derby. "If you are bigger you can be a good blocker and if you are skinny you can get through easier as a jammer. But you have to be in good condition anyhow, which is sometimes an issue with fresh meat who assume they will start playing immediately. It leads to many injuries."
Perhaps roller derby is too cool to be considered a "real" sport. I asked Team Finland what they thought about this apparent disparity. "Well it's getting more professional all the time. I hope it will be recognised in the future as more of a professional sport, not necessarily to earn money, but so we could be in the sports news. Currently if we're on TV, we're always in the fun section. I wouldn't have to explain what it's about or listen to stupid questions such as 'is it that thing for girls to be aggressive?' or 'where is the ball?' But if it becomes more of a sport I am afraid we will loose all the spectacle, because people come to see girls in fishnets. And if it's not there anymore, will they still come? I don't see any spectators in floorball. They don't get spectators, they get relatives and a couple of friends, and that's it. We get a lot of people. A lot."
It seems to me there is a lot of hope for the future of roller derby, seeing so many young kids in the audience. Many players are mothers, or will be in the future, and their passion is infectious. It's heart-warming to see the camaraderie between teammates and rivals alike, and it's clear that many of these girls have found something in roller derby that they haven't got elsewhere. There are elements of the sport, such as being in full contact, and that it's aimed primarily at women, that make it stand out regardless of what the players are wearing.
Sweden versus Finland was a tight game from start to finish, and by the end my voice was hoarse and my beer had been spilt. In the last few minutes, Finland took and held the lead, and when the final minutes ran out there was much rejoicing and boob-slams galore. Roller derby is equal parts competitive sass and sexy athleticism, and is coming to a town near you. Does it deserve to be considered a real sport? In my opinion, and in the opinion of the girls, it already is.