The expansion of my Wisconsin experience continues.
My wife and I recently attended our first roller derby. Really.
A woman on my team plays, and invited us to attend the show. I was assured of beer and an unique experience, so how could I not be game?
While the players play under assumed aliases and costume up slightly, this was not to be confused with the "sports entertainment" roller derby we remember from late night TV. The plays were unscripted, the competition and athleticism clearly evident, and the hitting, injuries, and scoring real.
While it took a couple of minutes to understand the rules and the scoring, once I got it, it really became a fun spectator sport. One could clearly watch plays develop, strategy get employed, and then see all of it thrown out the window based on a great play on the other side. It was pretty impressive to see, and definitely not what I expected.
As for the crowd, it was a mix of players' friends and family, and blue collar families. For $10, folks got two 40 minute bouts, and had access to $3 beer. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night.
Hats off to the women of contemporary roller derby. Your display of athleticism, guts, and competition was fun to watch.
Sounds fantastic! I know a few roller derby-ers and they are a hard core bunch. Once you love the sport, you LOVE the sport! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJen, I agree with your take - thanks for stopping by posting up!
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