If I wasn't so tired today, I'd be here. The Ottawa Roller Derby league had a roller disco night tonight. They have them every once in a while, and you should definitely go!

Ok, I've posted about linen, and I've posted about making things by hand. Now you're wondering what the heck the connection is to Roller Derby? Let me tell you!

Roller Derby - which is basically a contact sport on roller skates (think Nascar on skates) - has been around since about the 1920s. It goes through phases of popularity, and it's certainly enjoying a huge surge right, based mostly on things like Drew Barrymore's movie Whip It, and Pamela Ribon's book Going in Circles.  The current wave of participation also has a real do-it-yourself/punk/feministgrrl aspect to it. There are of course many people like myself, and my sister-in-law who participate just for the fun and athleticism of it (and additionally in my case, just for the fun of remembering how to roller skate for the first time in 30 years!)

For many women, there is an atmosphere of "a band of sisters" - a place women can go to to hang out unconditionally meet people with similar likes (jobs, hobbies, kids, backgrounds, pets, boyfriends/girlfriends). I joined this league recently because I was drawn to the fun, and the physicality of the sport. But also the power of feeling totally feminine in dress (super-funky knee-highs, froufrou miniskirts) and totally powerful in play (hip-checking not only allowed but encouraged). And the geek in me enjoys learning ALL the rules and referee calls.

And don't even start me on the names. The names! They are so cool! It's all about creating a persona - and that persona can be completely different than the you of your real life off the track. So, conservative Marion the librarian can be her own Maneater on the track. There's even an international list of names so you aren't put in the embarassing situation of being at a tournament and introducing yourself as Alice Inferno, and having the other person drop to a fight position, screaming: "What!? I'M Alice Inferno!" Or Angelina Rollie, or Strawberry Hellcake, or whoever you are.

Many of the leagues are formed independently. One of the leagues in Ottawa was started by a single women - the case is the same for other cities across Canada and the States. It often starts with someone who has heard about the sport, and gets up and takes action and just goes out and starts organizing a league! There are rules that all flat-track and banked-tracked leagues follow, but other than that, it's basically a deeply grassroots sport. I travel a lot for work and wanted to bring my skates to the city I was going to, to practice. A quick post to Facebook, and I was hooked up with someone in the league in that town who let me come to their own practice in the basement of an old department store. That's true spirit of community. The team was really friendly, and didn't think twice about someone they didn't know yelling at them about too much elbow use!

I'm excited about roller derby for lots of reasons. But the main one, I guess, and the one that leads me to talk about it here, is the fact that it's a great activity that is completely do-it-yourself if you want to. I bought my skates secondhand at Vallue Village, and sure, I look a bit like Dorothy Hamill when everyone else looks like Drew Barrymore, but hey they were cheap! And now I get to learn first hand about trucks and wheels and bearings and how to order the right accessories. And I get to start sewing cool derby clothes. And I get to meet other women who have way less fear than I do about everything, and are super cool and down to earth.

There are two leagues in Ottawa alone, with various teams on each - I bet if you look around, there's a roller derby league in your town too!