Roller Derby - Not the Group of Misfits You May Expect

It may surprise you who the real identities behind somethings about my decision to join derby is the fact that I
of your favorite derby personalities are. The ladiesam once again apart of a team. I love the feeling of
who make up the Silicon Valley Roller Girls are just likebeing a part of something bigger than myself, and
the ladies of any other derby team, an eclectic mix ofwhen you join derby, you join your league and you join
women from many backgrounds and professions.Women's All Flat Track Derby, the reigning national
SVRG is made up of teachers, mothers, fitnessregulator of the sport.
trainers, corporate employees and more. They are theIn addition to spending time with teammates at
girls-next-door by day and hard-hitting derby womenpractice, most roller derby women are involved in
by night. However one of the biggest draws to thisderby extra-curriculars like league meetings,
sport, which has seen a huge rebirth in the past fewfundraisers, craft nights, community service and more.
years, isn't the draw of derby stardom or theSoon, the women of SVRG will be doing community
guaranteed hard-hitting action. For many girls, one ofservice at Happy Hallow, a park and zoo in San Jose,
the main reasons they join roller derby is for theCalifornia. Recently after much planning and hard work,
camaraderie of team play.we recently raised $1,400 at a mud wrestling
I know that this is especially true for me. After afundraiser. Selling merchandise, raffle tickets, the
difficult decision to move back to my hometown in theopportunity to see derby girls mud wrestling and
Bay Area, I was really down about being away fromspankings, the proceeds will go towards our first home
all of my friends that I left behind in New Orleans. Iturf bout during Labor Day weekend.
wanted to do something where I'd meet people,All of these events are the result of the women of
especially girls, that I would actually like, and afterSVRG working hard to keep the dream of derby in
playing sports almost my entire life, I really missed thethe Silicon Valley alive. Working together to put on all
fun and comradery of team play. I had toyed with thethese various events brings the team closer. Derby
idea of joining a derby team while living out in the Bigwomen do have the desire to knock some girls around
Easy, but I never really found the time. My movingon the rink, but what makes a great derby team is the
blues were swiftly alleviated when I attended my firstcloseness that comes from all the work they do
roller derby practice with SVRG at the end of March.together off the rink.
Three months later, I can still say that one of the best