Fishnet, Tattoos and Pigtails

The Dutchland Rollers are Lancaster’s own roller derby team. They are associated with the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (http://www.wftda.com/). Saturday night, July 11, they hosted the Steel City B-Unit from Pittsburgh at Overlook Activities Center, 2040 Lititz Pike. I headed up to try my hand at sports photography, armed with a brand new Canon PowerShot SX200 IS.

Tickets are $10, but some of the proceeds from each match go to a charity. This month, it was Cancer Aid of Gap. You also get a glossy program that explains the rules and a chance at door prizes. And there are raffles that take place in between periods, so bring your folding money.

The action is fast and the rules are complicated. Luckily, you don’t have to understand much to enjoy the spectacle. The short version is that a “Jammer” from each team tries to break through the “Pack”.
The Jammers wear stars on the helmets. The first one to do so cleanly, controls that round (or “Jam”). Points are awarded for many things, but mostly for passing other players. For a more information, see www.wftda.com/rules.

Matches are advertised as family-friendly, and they are... in an alternative kind of way. Tattoos and short skirts abound, and not just on the women. The bonnet-wearing mascot, Hester, is played by a guy. Even some of the spectators are a sight. If that bothers you, perhaps you aren't the target demographic. But everyone is friendly and even new vistitors can have a good time. There are always plenty of extra team members around willing to answer questions.

Players take on psuedonyms like Ruthless Ness, White Thrash, and Cherry Crush. Like the feigned bloodlust, it's part of the fun.

The Rollers are on the road in August. Their next bout at Overlook is September 19, 6:30pm, vs. the HubCity HellRazors. That may seem far away while baseball teams are playing every day, but consider the beating that these ladies take. That time is needed for bruises to heal.

Sports photography with ambient light is tough, and not for a little snapshot camera. You must need a lot of light and super fast film. Or a monster flash. Most of my shots are primarily blurs, even with the ISO set at 1600. But, it does take HD video (which has to then be downgraded to put on the web, of course).

Dutchland Rollers Bout: TMI Scooter Club coming!

The next Dutchland Rollers roller derby bout is scheduled for Saturday, October 13. Doors at the Overlook Activity Center, 2040 Lititz Pike, open at 5:30pm.

I have it on good authority that members of the Three Mile Island Scooter Club are planning to attend to support their Nuclear Knockouts. Let's show them some Dutchland hospitality by tailgating with them before, and partying after, their whupping.

Upcoming Roller Derby Bout

Don't forget about the Dutchland Rollers. They have a bout coming up this Saturday, September 8th, 6:30pm at the Overlook Activites Center. Portions of the proceeds from this Black-Hearted Blitzkrieg will go to the American Heart Association. Lucy van Belt says that 2 of their league members are scooter riders. I wonder which ones...

The Dutchland Rollers

The Dutchland Rollers are a local roller derby team. I have been curious about them for a while; why roller derby? Why in 2007? Who are these people?. Well, I was lucky enough to win some tickets in a raffle and found out at their match on July 21st.
It seems to me that it is a off-shoot of the punk and alternative scene. Tatoos were abundant in both the crowd and on the contestants. Rude sayings flourished on T-shirts and as clever puns for the ladies’ pseudonyms. But with the exception of the language, the whole event had almost a family-friendly vibe to it. There were plenty of children there, and they were having a lot of fun.
The match itself is skated on a flat oval with old-school quad roller skates. The rules seem complicated until you see it in action. A match consists of 3 periods, each with many short “jams”. After a couple jams it is easy to pick up on the action. By the second period I found myself saying things like, “Ooooo, Torque Wench is the jammer, she’s good!” I had become a fan without realizing it.
What does this have to do with scooters? Well, there was a red Metropolitan in the parking lot… and the friends I went with brought a friend from out of town, Kelly Marshall, who took these pictures. Kelly is fearless on her Yamaha Vino 125. She’s ridden it on the Washington beltway, which makes her my new hero.