In a League of Their Own:
The Windy City Rollers
by Michael Kleen
Originally printed in Winter 2008 Black Oak Presents
What do you get when you take women with names like ‘Varla Vendetta’ and ‘Amber Waves of Pain’ and squeeze them into tight shorts and a pair of skates? Roller Derby of course―a sport in which the contestants proudly display their injuries and fight like wild valkyries to make it swiftly around a polished track.
There are roller derby leagues all across the country. Chicago’s league is known as the Windy City Rollers. Four teams make up the league: the Hell’s Belles, the Fury, the Double Crossers, and the Manic Attackers. Each team fields between fifteen and eighteen skaters.
Roller Derby takes place on a circuit track where two teams compete to outscore the other in jams. Jams are two-minute races between two players (called jammers) who attempt to pass four or six blockers and two pivots. The pivots set the pace for the pack and serve as a last line of defense. For every blocker belonging to the opposite team that the jammer passes, she scores a point. Blockers can use any body parts above their hips to impede the jammers except for their head and hands. There is no shoving allowed, but as any beginning skater knows, it is hard enough to stay on your feet as it is.
Many of the women who compete in roller derby have been skating their whole lives, while others love the competition and the individualism. “I think roller derby women tend to carry a common thread of appreciation, or at least acceptance, of unique personalities,” Michelle deLeon (aka Yvette YourMaker) explained. “I love the feeling of individuals pulling together through personal and group barriers for a common goal.”
Thia Penta (aka Wreck N Shrew) of the Manic Attackers had a similar experience. “I got sick with all the ‘this is what an athlete should look like’ and since I didn’t fit it, I felt that I didn’t fit in. Roller derby is not like that at all.”
The Windy City Rollers have become increasingly popular in recent years. That seems proper, since roller derby saw its creation right here in the Windy City. The first official roller derby match took place in 1935 at the Chicago Coliseum. It was billed as the Transcontinental Roller Derby and lasted for over a month. Twenty-five two-person teams circled the track for a total of over three thousand miles. The collisions that took place between the contestants attracted thousands of fans, so its creator, Leo Seltzer, colluded with a sportswriter named Damon Runyon to alter the rules to maximize physical contact. The sport peaked in the late 1940s and Leo retired in 1958. His son took over management of roller derby and, via the magic of television, revived it in the 1960s. Two television shows based on the sport, Roller Games and Roller Jams, attempted to capitalize on the more dramatic aspects of roller derby in 1989 and 1999, respectively. Rollergirls brought the lives of Texas competitors to reality TV in 2006 after several all-female leagues had been formed in that state.
The physical aspect of the sport remains its main draw. The Windy City Rollers even devote an entire section of their website to pictures of injuries its players sustain. Despite helmets, kneepads and elbow pads, injuries occur regularly and team members often spend weeks recuperating.
Carrie Ann Hilzley (aka Harmadillo) of the Hell’s Belles received a concussion after being rammed into a large fan and an industrial outlet. She recalled feeling funny but still remained in play. “I almost passed out,” she said, “but I kept my body going. No one knew anything was wrong with me. I knew I didn’t feel ‘right’ but continued to play the rest of the game with a moderate concussion.” Later, she was unable to tell the paramedics what day it was. “I found that ridiculously humorous,” she said. “I kept telling them, ‘I know what day it is!’ But the words would not come.”
Other injuries have been far more serious. On August 25, 2007 ‘Tequila Mockingbird’ of the Fury sustained a severe injury to her spinal cord after falling during a match. She was partially paralyzed in the accident but has made a slow recovery. She is currently wheelchair bound. Her teammates have created a website (www.helptequila.com) to solicit donations to help pay for her medical bills.
Many of the players would tell you that being in a roller derby competition is a lot like surviving a tornado. Every member of the team in any given jam is almost always in contact with someone else. Alice Gleason (aka Malice With Chains) of the Manic Attackers described the competition as “an absolute rush.”
“When I jam, I don’t see numbers on people’s backs and I don’t recognize their ponytails or helmets,” she explained. “I see the colors of the jerseys and the holes that I need to hit to get through the pack. I’m one of the more competitive people that you will ever come across, so I fight until the last whistle.”
“I have never tried crack, but I assume it’s like crack,” ‘Harmadillo’ concurred. “It is an amazing high. The bouts seem to go by way too fast, and each game you play leaves you wanting more.”
Erica Jones (aka Hoosier Mama) of the Double Crossers described the experience as fun and intense. “You don’t even notice that over a thousand people are watching until they start cheering your name or the team’s name,” she said. “You get all nervous and anxious before the bout but once your skates hit the floor―it’s time to have fun and kick butt while doing it!”
Elizabeth Gomez and Kelly Simmons created the Windy City Rollers in 2004. They originally held matches in Chicago’s Congress Theater, but after losing an inter-league bout in 2006, they decided to move to Cicero Stadium, which featured a regulation-sized track. Their All-Star team took second place in the WFTDA Eastern Regionals, which were dubbed the ‘Heartland Havoc,’ in 2007.
Although they have no qualms about working together to promote the league and roller derby in general, each of the four teams are fiercely competitive. The injuring of ‘Tequila Mockingbird’ has only strengthened those ties for members of the Fury. “I love my team with all my heart!” Lauren Villwock (aka Sonya MouthShut) insisted. “With the tragedy that has hit our team and league this season, we have all pulled together to help our fellow teammate. We have been by her side, kept her in light spirits, helped pull together benefits to aid in the financial situation, and most importantly been her family!”
While no one would dispute the dedication the Fury has shown their teammate, ‘Harmadillo’ pulled no punches when it came to her opinion of who is the best. “Not only do we [the Hell’s Belles] have big hearts,” she explained, “but our team is by far the best looking set of girls in the WCR. It’s hard to be the toughest, the cutest and the nicest. It doesn’t leave much else for the other teams to be, ya know? All the other teams will say they hate us, but that’s just because secretly in their hearts they just wish they were a Belle.”
“I think everyone thinks their team is the best one, and I am no different,” Nina Faile (aka Nina Millimeter) of the Double Crossers admitted. “I love my team’s heart and dedication. They understand what it takes to be a winner. We train to improve as individual skaters and players, and we train to improve as a team. We are a team of perfectionists.”
It takes a certain gravitas to become a Windy City Roller, but a love of roller skating helps as well. All of the women are extremely dedicated and encourage others to try out for the league. “It is certainly an experience of a lifetime,” Lauren Villwock said. “The commitment and time is hard, but it is well worth it. I have developed so many friendships and met some amazing people. Even if you’re not the most athletic person on the block, it doesn’t matter. As long as you have the heart, will, and determination you will thrive in this sport.”
“Do it!” Michelle deLeon added, but not without explaining that the sport requires a substantial commitment. “Since roller derby is still at a grass-roots level, it requires the members to give more of themselves than just practice and playing,” she said. “We pull from the talents of the members to make the organization run.”
Alice Gleason was drawn to the league after witnessing “the power of seeing what a few women could accomplish.”
The future of roller derby looks bright. A new generation of skaters has brought a no-holds-barred attitude to the sport that excites the fans and keeps them coming back for more. The symbol of the Windy City Rollers is a distinctive skull and crossbones featuring two pairs of wheels. Gone are the frilly skirts and sweaters of yesteryear.
The Windy City Rollers is organized from the bottom up. The players pay dues, coordinate events, run committees, and advertise for the events. Many of the support staff are volunteers. The league has engaged in community outreach and has donated substantially to local charities.
The first match of the new season will take place on January 26 at The Stadium (1909 S. Laramie in Chicago, IL) at 6pm. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.
For more information, please go to:
www.windycityrollers.com
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