The roller derby resurgence in Canada has expanded to Northern Ontario with a newly established team in North Bay.
Consisting of both experienced and new skaters, the Nipissing Roller Derby team of the Northern Ontario Roller Derby league was founded by coach Crystal Larose, who is still in the process of recruiting more girls to join the 27 current players.
Larose, who goes by the derby nickname “Pinky N Da Pain”, has been skating since 2009. The decision to try and establish a team in North Bay took place after moving from Sudbury over a year ago.
“I didn’t know anyone locally so I just put a shout out on Facebook to see if anybody in the community was interested in playing derby,” said Larose “I got about 20 girls so I decided to try and start the league in this area”.
The team is still months away from its first bout as players are still polishing their skills during weekly practices. During the learning process, players are also establishing friendships with one another, as many feel that derby is more than just a sport.
“Derby is like a family.” said Larose “A lot of these women are coming out because they never took time for themselves after they had their families, so this is like an outlet for them to meet friends and hang out.”
The feeling of derby a second family holds true for players like Kim Cuillerier, also known as “Kimmy Krueger”.
“I really like the female camaraderie and leadership and team skills that we build,” says Cuillerier, who also enjoys being able to put her hockey skills to work with derby.
Creating an encouraging, positive environment for all is frequently emphasized in the league alongside the notion that roller derby can be a sport for anybody, regardless of skill.
“I promise that anyone of any shape or form will be able to find something in derby that they click with,” says Larose “Some skaters are faster, some skaters hit stronger, but everyone finds their place in derby”.
Women who would like to play can find more information online via the Nipissing Roller Derby Facebook page. Larose also says that there are also opportunities for people to get involved in non-playing roles.
“If someone doesn’t want to physically bout because they’re scared to get hurt, we’re looking for refs, volunteers, and any kind of people who want help.”
Roller derby saw its peak in the United States and Canada between the 1950’s and 1970’s, but modern revivals have been successful as a number of leagues have established since the late 2000’s. The sport has regained enough traction for televised games as well as consideration for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games.
Here's your blast from the past...Skinny Minnie.
