In 2001 modern day roller derby was born in Austin, TX and left roller derby of the seventies to eat its dust. Since its rebirth there are now 1307 roller derby leagues in 36 countries worldwide- it’s currently the fastest growing women’s sport in the world.
“One word: Badass,” says Nic Harbour of her beloved sport. By day this 30 year old PSU student is finishing up her last year as a graphic design major and is juggling being a mom and working. But by night, Harbour straps on her skates with Granite State Roller Derby’s, The Legislashers, and thus turns into her alter-ego, Whip-It Witch.
“In a nutshell, it’s nothing like Whip It,” describes Harbour, referring to the 2009 Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page movie. “Roller derby is a sport that consists of a team of women who don’t just beat the snot out of each other.There are real rules!”
For the average ESPN-watching American, the idea of roller derby is quite foreign, let alone the semantics of how it’s played. “There are 4 players on the track from each team, called blockers. There is also one skater from each team, called a jammer,” explained Harbour, “Jammers are fast, and are able to weasel their way through the pack of skaters ahead, who are trying to keep her from passing through the pack. Each player from the opposing team she passes she earns one point.”
But roller derby’s awesomeness is not just due to the fact that it is a full-contact female sport played on roller skates, but because the sport creates an amazing sense of self and sisterhood.
“When I decided to join a league,” explained Harbour, “I really needed to find my place in life to find myself again. I needed a sense of direction, and I needed my confidence and passion back.”
For Harbour, roller derby did just that, “It has helped me to be able to stand up for myself and what I believe in. It has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to. It taught me not to live my life for anyone but myself.”
Through roller derby, Harbour not only found herself, but her place within a close-knit subculture, “I not only gained a group of smart, beautiful, kick-ass women, but I also found some of my best friends I will have for the rest of my life. I found a place where I can be myself, and be accepted for who I am.”
Does roller derby have a place here at PSU? Are there enough women on campus who would be willing to throw on a pair of skates? Can a team possibly be started?
Jamie Perkins, a senior marketing major answered with a resounding affirmative, “I know they fought really hard for a rugby team so there’s a lot of girls who love sports, unfortunately I’m not one of them, my body wishes it was though.”
Although Jamie will not be found trying out for PSU’s potential roller derby team, junior Abigail Senerchia, a history major who played soccer in high school said, “Absolutely! It sounds like fun.” Senerchia also said that if for some reason she couldn’t play she would definitely attend games, “It sounds pretty intense to watch.”
Nic Harbour, A.K.A.Whip-It Witch, is one of several PSU students who travel the forty minutes to concord two to three times a week to practice with Granite State Roller Derby. So naturally she loves the idea of a team here at PSU, “This is a very exciting idea. I love the thought of having a team in the area.”
However, roller derby teams don’t just happen overnight, “Building a strong, independent league takes time and dedication,” said Harbour.
Harbour also recognized that there are many practical considerations involved as well, “There are a lot of things to think about if this were to happen-from training, to practice space, to skaters purchasing equipment, to bout production, to scheduling, to merchandise…all of these things behind the scenes make a league not only stick around, but grow.”
Ultimately, this type of team or club sport could great addition to campus life. From experience, Harbour said, “I feel like it would be a place for many women to make their name doing something they love.”