It's been nearly a year since I wrote anything on here. Welcome back. This is probably going to become more of an opinion place than a "covering NW Jr derby" place. As I have transitioned away from running the leagues and my daughter has graduated to adult derby, I find myself doing a very different job. As the NW regional rep for the JRDA, I am more in the "how should Jr Derby look?" mode.
And here's the first thoughts.
There was an article on Hellarad recently about the new v old style roller derby. Not the strategy or rules or whatnot, but the old, edgy, punk rock style vs the new, athletic style. You can read it here:
No-skirt-no-justice
For all you new stylers? I get it. You like the athleticism. It's what you do sports for. The competition level needs to be high, the discipline needs to be there. Winning is important, and coming together as a team to win is paramount. The skills need to be constantly improving and the coaching has to be on point. Getting to the top of the heap shows success. The old paradigm didn't have that drive, so the old ways have to go.
You *like* that the old community is kind of dying. But that community, that edge, that joy in doing something just plain SO AWESOME was what attracted my daughter to the sport. It was a sport for the "rest of the people." Not the jocks, but for those more on the fringe of socially acceptable. It's what brought me to volunteer countless hours, to drive countless miles covering these kids and to volunteer my time as an NSO, as an announcer, as an administrator and to support this sport with everything I have.
There were kids who had not done ANY other sport. When they found roller derby, it helped them to enjoy the sport and competition. They bonded together hardcore. They were a family and a community. They bonded over the bruises and the bumps, they learned how to be powerful.
They expressed themselves in every way both on and off the track. they would wear whatever they wanted to along with their uniform. They would paint cool designs on their faces and rip their tights (just a little, young ladies) and a matching pair of brightly colored socks was nowhere to be seen. They trained pretty hard and they got pretty good. They chose derby names and they loved them.
And now those same individuals are being told to pack up their mismatched, colorful socks and to put away their face paint, because roller derby is SOOPER SERIAL. It's a sport, and sport means winning. Winning means team, and athletics and all looking the same so we're intimidating and professional. The new kids have soccer, swimming, softball and all manner of other sports they also do and they bring that discipline with them.
Has it improved the level of play? Yeah, I have to admit it has. But these players are more disciplined, less prone to dissolving into giggles, less likely to have dance-offs on the jammer line or sing-alongs during official times outs. In moving towards a higher level of athleticism, what are we leaving behind?
Derby used to be "edgy". Now, if it keeps on as it is, it might as well be Lacrosse.
