April 19, 2010
BOSTON, MA - So a couple of weeks after my first foray into the world of women’s roller derby (read it here), I went back for a second viewing.
My goal was to gain further insight as to whether what I was watching was sport or some kind of voyeurism akin to mud-wrestling: mostly there just to amuse the audience that was mostly male. What I got was a blowout by the Cosmonaughties against the Nutcrackers, 168-61. I also found some answers to the questions I posed last time around.
To begin with, there is too much sheer athleticism to call this purely voyeurism. The ability to skate alone suggests as such, but the women of roller derby have to do far more than just skate. The jammers must navigate a pack of aggressive opponents and teammates, find the open seams, and accelerate through them. The pack must control its speed long enough to allow its jammer to get by, then react to whoever becomes the lead jammer by either accelerating or decelerating in an effort to make it easier on the leader (if they’re on the same team) or harder (if they’re on opposite teams). A fast pack will be harder for the lead jammer to catch up to, but it will cause the pack to space out, making it easier for the jammer to pass once she gets there. Meanwhile, a slow pack will be reached sooner by the jammer (who must complete a full lap before she can score), but it will remain tighter together, making penetration more difficult. If all of this sounds like strategy to you, it should.
For the full story, please visit http://www.sportsofboston.com/2010/04/19/boston-derby-dames-roller-derby-revisited/
Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.