They rock. They roll. They are derby girls. With names like “D. Mented”, “Jennasaurus Rex”, and “Bad Ass Betty”, you might assume these teenagers belong to some sort of gang, and they do, to an extent. These girls are part of a junior roller derby team in Edmonton. The junior league is growing in popularity in the capital city, and participants say it’s because the sport offers more than just physical activity and competition.
“I love the family; the group of girls that play,” says 15-year old Adrianna Rangeloff (who also goes by the name ‘Bad Ass Betty’). “You really feel like a part of the family.” Her teammate 16-year-old Sabrina Fox (aka ‘D. Mented’) agrees. “It makes me feel really good that I can be around these girls, and play really hard, and still be friends with them after.”
Tricia Stefanuik (aka ‘Trailer Trish’) was playing in an adults league, and found younger skaters were showing up asking when a junior league would be created. “We started it basically out of necessity because so many girls wanted to play.” The Greater Edmonton Junior Roller Derby Association is just a year old, and it’s already doubled its members since it started. Now, as a coach, Stefanuik sees the positive influence of roller derby influencing girls as young as 5. “I’ve seen a lot of girls that come in and they’ve never played a sport or they don’t know how to skate, and within 6 months they’re playing in a game, and you can see how much it empowers them and builds up their self-esteem” she says. “It’s important to highlight individuality for girls, because in so many other ways in their regular life they have to fit into certain stereotypes and roles, and in derby they can be whoever they want, however they want.”
When asked how it helps young women embrace their own individuality, Fox says “I think they like being known for something… and something that’s not necessarily girly.” “We dress up and we do our makeup and you can adopt a certain persona, sort of like acting, but on the track. You can leave it all on the track,” she says.
For many players, it’s a physical activity that fits them to a tee, even if they’re not particularly fond of other sports. Rangeloff raves, “I love the intensity of it, it’s not like any sport I’ve ever done.”
It seems roller derby is filling an athletic niche, while helping strengthen girls’ self-esteem. “My goal as a coach is to develop strong girls and strong athletes,” says Stefanuik.
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