麻豆社区

The Yukon roller derby family continues to grow.

Fourteen skaters were on the concrete last night at the Takhinin Broomball Arena for the Roller Girls second 鈥楩resh Meat' intake session.

The rookie skaters were lead through a series of drills with names like the 鈥榩ain train,' the 鈥榮hark and seal' and the 鈥榝our corners.'

The derby hopefuls will continue to practice twice a week for the rest of the month before being put to the test in an open scrimmage at the Whitehorse Curling Club on Sept. 15 as part of the "Get Ready for the Fall鈥� boot camp.

The practice will be open to the public and feature the same great entertainment as a regular season bout with live music, a beer garden and the Roller Girls merchandise.

The Roller Girls, who are currently enjoying a mid-season break, will be looking to further their burgeoning reputation as one of the top teams in the country when they return to the rink in September.

Currently, the local team is ranked within the top-20 nationally.

In just their second year of action, the Fresh Meat sessions ensure the growth and stabilization of the program.

Additionally, the Roller Girls also host a Jr. Girls program that features skaters ranging in age from 12 to 18 and will be graduating players to the team in the fall.

The September boot camp will also bring in talent from the Outside with skaters from across Western Canada and into Alaska taking part.

The participants will receive instruction from derby veterans and coaches like Carmen Getsome from Rat City (Seattle), a key member of the resurgence of the sport in the area, as well as Coach Lime from the Okanagan and Viv the Shiv from Oil City (Edmonton).

The Yukon Roller Girls ended the first half of their season in June with the Midnight Stun bout at the Takhini Arena.

The Roller Girls matched up with the Fantastic 14, a select squad of players from across B.C., Alberta and Alaska.

After entering halftime down two points鈥�61-59, the Roller Girls stormed back in the second half en route to an impressive 180-109 victory.

That win showcased the stamina of the local team, an aspect that makes them a tough match-up for their opponents , said Hammond.

"The fitness level of the Yukon skaters really shines through,鈥� she said.

"In the second half of the bout, when teams are getting tired and sloppy, our skaters are still there and fit and able to participate to the fullest. They work really hard.鈥�

The 鈥楩resh Meat' sessions are essential to bring the skills of the rookies up to snuff with an increasingly refined league.

"The level of play in the league right now is really quite high,鈥� said Stephanie

"SoupMix鈥� Hammond, Junior Derby League Coordinator and league referee.

"Not only with the skating but with strategy as well.鈥�

The August sessions will teach the rookies the science of skating and the derby rules as well as some strategy and the basics of throwing hip and shoulder checks.

Those that are ready will move up to the league in September.

"The league is a tight- knit family but at the same time, it's really open and inclusive,鈥� said Hammond.

"So these sessions are a nice integration into the league. It's a welcome to the Yukon Roller Girls that shows who we are and what we do. They (the new skaters) get to know people and it's not so scary.鈥�

The Roller Girls also welcome those curious about the sport to their 鈥楾ry a Derby' nights.

"We lend out our stinky gear and people get a couple of hours to try it out and see if it's something they like,鈥� said Hammond. "It's a good test run before making the investment into equipment, which is about $400.鈥�

Following their Midnight Stun victory the Roller Girls were back together the next weekend for the Canada Day Parade and Hammond said many members of the team are having a hard time staying away from the arena in their off-season.

"We rotate through team members in these sessions and there's always interest in helping out,鈥� she said.

"It's a family on and off the track.鈥�