Local roller derby is alive and well. Women from Badfish Roller Derby met last Saturday for a member-only bout.
“Usually, our all-star team competes against other teams,” said a woman known as That’s My Jam, who is the Vice President for the Badfish League, does bout production, and serves as the event announcer. “Tonight we are competing against our own girls.”
Local roller derby is alive and well. Women from Badfish Roller Derby met last Saturday for a member-only bout.
“Usually, our all-star team competes against other teams,” said a woman known as That’s My Jam, who is the Vice President for the Badfish League, does bout production, and serves as the event announcer. “Tonight we are competing against our own girls.”
No one uses their real name. Instead, they are all known by their sports-moniker. Each is pretty creative, with a few highlights: Buster Chassis, Cap’N CruncHer, Catty Whompass, Mother Chucker, Nursie Knockout, Sweet D, Alaska Thunder Thighs, Anitta Bandade, Gnarlie Brown, Champaine, Manda Tori Beatdown, Salty Slaughter, and Slim Skatey.
Others, like Ducky, earned her name when someone called out “Becky” and someone thought she said “Ducky.” The name stuck.
The skaters are from Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Santa Ana, Bellflower, Lakewood, Lynwood, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Downey, La Mirada, Chino, and San Pedro. They meet three times each week in Cypress for practice, and compete multiple times throughout the year.
Saturday’s First Battle of the Home Teams Bout was held at their practice location, Arnold Cypress Park, located at 8611 Watson St. More than 150 family, friends, and roller derby enthusiasts filled the seats to cheer for their favorite athletes.
The women were divided into two home teams: the Saltwater Seahags in green shirts and the Killer Krakens in purple.
“The coaches tonight are team members recovering from injuries,” said Peppermint Splatty, coach for the night for the Killer Krakens.
Roller derby is played locally on a cement flat track that is a roller hockey rink. An oval track is taped down to delineate the roller derby skating boundaries.
Five athletes from each team play at one time. One from each team fills the role of Jammer, wearing a helmet cover displaying a star. There is a Pivot on each team, identified with a helmet cover showing a wide stripe. The rest of the players are Blockers.
The object is for the Jammer to get through the Blockers, earning points for each time they pass the group of blockers from the opposing team. Referees follow the action, documenting points and sending players to the penalty box for offenses.
Scorekeepers and penalty box monitors support the fast action. Each bout is broken into two 30- minute halves, and each half is filled with jams, or periods of action.
“I always leave here in a better mood,” said Gnarlie Brown, member of the Saltwater Seahags. “It helps get the stress out. It’s a good mental game, too.”
“I teach the ‘fresh meat’ program for beginners,” said Ducky. “It’s called the Guppy Program. I teach stops, skating, staying low, how to protect yourself, how to hit and take a hit. After that program, I do an assessment to determine whether the skater can move on to School, as in school of fish, like our name, Badfish. In School, they learn game play, strategy, and more. We are always open to new players, age 18 and over. No experience is needed. I’ve never met a group that is more supportive. On or off the track, we have each other’s back.”
“I’ve been with Badfish for four years,” said Sweet D, a Los Alamitos resident. “I’m a mom of two kids, ages one and five years old, and I’m going to school to be a radiologist. I had friends doing it and it seemed like a fun time. It was my first time on skates when I started, but they taught me. It’s just great; I love it. I get to have a good time and lose weight. I like that it’s competitive.”
Members of Badfish are moms, an apartment manager, nurses, oil refinery workers, teachers, a mail carrier, restaurant manager, hair stylist, scientist, and a dentist. They range in age from 24 to 48.
“I have been in roller derby for eight years,” said Buster Chassis of Long Beach. “My husband saw a team and told me about it since I skate in rinks. I read an article about it and a roller derby shop opened in Long Beach. I’m 42 and have two kids, ages 15 and 13. I can’t imagine not doing it. My family and some friends from work are here to watch tonight. I talk about roller derby all the time at the oil refinery where I work. I’m not a spring chicken, but I love the girls. It’s great exercise and I love hitting people.”
The final score was Saltwater Sea Hags 217, Killer Krakens 166.
Those interested in more information about Badfish can find them online at badfishrollerderby.com, or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
This article appeared in the July 19, 2017 print edition of the News Enterprise.