A glimpse into Gallatin Roller Derby

There’s mayhem on roller skates taking over the Gallatin Valley Fairgrounds. The culprit? Gallatin Roller Derby.

“It’s like playing chess on roller skates while someone throws a brick at your head.”

That’s according to Kelsey Clark, a member of the derby team and neuroscience professor at MSU.

Roller Derby is a competitive team sport played on roller skates usually in an indoor circuit. Competitions consist of two thirty-minute halves, during which there are subsequent two minute “jams,” or periods of action. Five players are on the track for each team, including four “blockers” and one “jammer”. Points are scored as the jammer passes or skates past the opposing team’s blockers.

At the same time, blockers attempt to hinder the advance of the opposing jammer while helping their own team at the same time.

“Instead of a race, you try to stop them from passing you by getting in their way. You’re always playing both offense and defense,” Clark said.

Gallatin Roller Derby (GRD) represents Bozeman in the Roller Derby world, competing under the governing body of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association. “[The] Team started in 2011, at first practicing outdoors,” Clark said. “Now we practice indoors at the fairgrounds. In the summer we host games at Haynes pavilion.”

Despite being locally based, GRD travels quite a bit and hosts teams from around the country. “We travel for games, we’ve been to Cheyenne, Pullman, Salt Lake City. Teams have come from California, Arizona,” Clark said. “We’re a good, competitive team.”

A hallmark of roller derby culture is the peculiar nicknames bestowed upon many athletes. Kelsey Clark, for example, is known as “Mauled Whiskey” on the track.

“That’s been a big part of modern derby culture is choosing your own ego, or nickname. They often involve violence and puns, like Elanor Broosevelt,” she said.“It involves your name and some pun on crashing or hitting. Puts you in the mindset to be a bit more violent than you would be in the grocery store.”.

Such a mindset is an integral part of the sport.

“Not a lot of sports for women to have that opportunity to be aggressive. It’s a chance to be assertive, let out some aggression that you wouldn’t be able to elsewhere,” Clark said.

Not to say that safety isn’t a concern. A number of rules and precautions are steadfastly held in place to ensure the well-being of the athletes.

Violence and roller skates are not usually associated with each other but Roller Derby serves as a fantastically entertaining way to bridge that gap. Women interested in dipping their toe, or even plunging headfirst into the world of Roller Derby can visit GRD’s website, https://www.grderby.com/, or reach out via social media. GRD is hosting a “learn to skate” program on Monday, Feb. 6 that requires pre-registration.