This year’s roller derby season opened up on Saturday with the Season Opening Exhibition Bout, hosted by Derby City Roller Girls at Champs Rollerdome. The roller derby league, “Louisville’s Other Derby,” mashed up their existing teams – the Allstars and the Bourbon Brawlers – and created two new teams for the exhibition. The Black Betties and the White Storm Troopers drew in a crowd of over 600 for this friendly bout.
Skating together and dancing on the rink before getting down to business, the disappeared before their big team entrances. The crowds cheered as the Black Betties came out in pinup-inspired makeup and Darth Vader led out the White Storm Troopers.
While the Storm Troopers gained a hefty lead in the first half, the Black Betties worked to close the gap before half time. Coming back for the second half, both teams brought it in full force, the score going back and forth between the two.
The last jam of the night saw two Jammers come against each other. Black Bettie Shellnita Crutch and the White Storm Troopers’ Johnnie Knocks’em fought hard to get past strong walls, taking hip hits as they went. Johnnie broke out first and the two battled it out for two minutes before the whistle blew. The score was so close that each team had to wait for the official score to go up before celebrating – 198 – 189, with the Black Betties coming out victorious.
What a way to start the season for Derby City Roller Girls. You can find their schedule on their site. Don’t miss them taking part in this year’s Polar Bear Plunge!
Photo: Courtesy DCRG Facebook
