Don't slow your roll: The Big Easy Roller Derby team
Rollin' on the river
Report by MJ Hébert
The smell of hot dogs. The sound of whistles. The sight of a bake sale. That is what greets me as I start my day at the roller derby. I’m accompanied by Alice Blackwell, owner of the Hi-Ho Lounge, and sponsor of Big Easy Roller Derby (BERD). We enter on the lowest level of the arena and the first game is happening right in front of us. Fans sit cross-legged around the edges of the track, separated from the gameplay by nothing more than lines of tape on the concrete floor.
Alice tells me that nearly everyone working the event is a volunteer, “This wouldn’t be possible without volunteers - the referee, announcers, the folks who check the court between jams - all are volunteers.” Today’s triple header is a pretty big deal, a face-off between Orleans old and new: Big Easy Roller Derby vs. Les Simones from Orleans, France.
Seeing roller derby up close is like watching gladiators on quad-skates play rugby without the ball. Players zoom around a flat oval track, pushing through packs of defenders. No ball. No goal. Just ten of the toughest broads you’ve ever seen skating their hearts out. Alice explains that each team has 5 skaters on the track: 4 blockers (defense) and 1 jammer (attack).
Jammers fight for the lead, scoring a point for every blocker they can pass. Jammers are typically shorter, smaller players and blockers are usually bigger and taller, but that’s not always the case. The spectrum of body types on the track is refreshingly inclusive, with the BERD team being particularly diverse. Alice tells me this size-inclusivity is unique to the sport, “Roller derby is a rare sport where there is a role for anyone who wants to play, no matter their body type.”
The first game is a sanctioned “bout” between two leagues teams: Panhandle United vs. Red Stick Capital Defenders. Both teams belong to WFTDA, Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, the premier international roller derby league. The second matchup is an exhibition game. All skaters belong to league teams, but in this matchup, they are divided into new teams – Gators vs. Crawfish. This time it’s all fun and games, literally.
The roller derby rules are all the same, but the skaters must also comply with the rules of “Troller Derby.” The additions inject some silliness to the gameplay, pushing skaters to creatively adapt to often hilarious obstacles, such as riding pool noodles or replacing one blocker with the team’s inanimate mascot. At one point, don’t ask me how, but the inflatable alligator ended up in the penalty box. It was amazing.
The final game is an unsanctioned bout, played for experience and diplomacy. The team from Orleans, Les Simones, expressed interest in visiting New Orleans and set up the match through their local mayoral office. Both teams are in the WFTDA, but the game won’t count towards their league records, which ends up being a lucky break for New Orleans.
Les Simones win in a landslide victory, final score: 297 to 73. It’s a total blowout, but even with their opponents leading by a hundred points or more for most of the game, New Orleans never stops fighting. Later, I learn that the team from Orleans won the national championship in France, and they sure skated like it.
Despite this challenging matchup, Big Easy doesn’t give up for a single second. They push Les Simones to work their hardest for every single point. The result is a game where every skater on track is striving to perform at their personal best. The level of drive and athleticism is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and with no shortage of sportsmanship. When a French skater is injured shortly before halftime, the New Orleans team forms an outward facing circle around her, protecting her privacy as the EMT checks to make sure she’s okay.
Despite BERD’s loss, morale is high as the match comes to an end. The entire arena comes to the floor for the final jam, and the players from both teams skate a lap around the track giving high-fives to the surrounding fans. The day ends with cheers, smiles and brass band music, and the fun continues into the night as the team trade war stories at Hi-Ho that night at a well-deserved dance party.
READ PART TWO OF THIS REPORT HERE
To see the 2023 season schedule visit: bigeasyrollerderby.com
For updates on the team, event announcements, and information about how to donate to BERD – follow the team on Instagram @bigeasyrollerderby
Report by MJ Hébert
The smell of hot dogs. The sound of whistles. The sight of a bake sale. That is what greets me as I start my day at the roller derby. I’m accompanied by Alice Blackwell, owner of the Hi-Ho Lounge, and sponsor of Big Easy Roller Derby (BERD). We enter on the lowest level of the arena and the first game is happening right in front of us. Fans sit cross-legged around the edges of the track, separated from the gameplay by nothing more than lines of tape on the concrete floor.
Alice tells me that nearly everyone working the event is a volunteer, “This wouldn’t be possible without volunteers - the referee, announcers, the folks who check the court between jams - all are volunteers.” Today’s triple header is a pretty big deal, a face-off between Orleans old and new: Big Easy Roller Derby vs. Les Simones from Orleans, France.
Seeing roller derby up close is like watching gladiators on quad-skates play rugby without the ball. Players zoom around a flat oval track, pushing through packs of defenders. No ball. No goal. Just ten of the toughest broads you’ve ever seen skating their hearts out. Alice explains that each team has 5 skaters on the track: 4 blockers (defense) and 1 jammer (attack).
Jammers fight for the lead, scoring a point for every blocker they can pass. Jammers are typically shorter, smaller players and blockers are usually bigger and taller, but that’s not always the case. The spectrum of body types on the track is refreshingly inclusive, with the BERD team being particularly diverse. Alice tells me this size-inclusivity is unique to the sport, “Roller derby is a rare sport where there is a role for anyone who wants to play, no matter their body type.”
The first game is a sanctioned “bout” between two leagues teams: Panhandle United vs. Red Stick Capital Defenders. Both teams belong to WFTDA, Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, the premier international roller derby league. The second matchup is an exhibition game. All skaters belong to league teams, but in this matchup, they are divided into new teams – Gators vs. Crawfish. This time it’s all fun and games, literally.
The roller derby rules are all the same, but the skaters must also comply with the rules of “Troller Derby.” The additions inject some silliness to the gameplay, pushing skaters to creatively adapt to often hilarious obstacles, such as riding pool noodles or replacing one blocker with the team’s inanimate mascot. At one point, don’t ask me how, but the inflatable alligator ended up in the penalty box. It was amazing.
The final game is an unsanctioned bout, played for experience and diplomacy. The team from Orleans, Les Simones, expressed interest in visiting New Orleans and set up the match through their local mayoral office. Both teams are in the WFTDA, but the game won’t count towards their league records, which ends up being a lucky break for New Orleans.
Les Simones win in a landslide victory, final score: 297 to 73. It’s a total blowout, but even with their opponents leading by a hundred points or more for most of the game, New Orleans never stops fighting. Later, I learn that the team from Orleans won the national championship in France, and they sure skated like it.
Despite this challenging matchup, Big Easy doesn’t give up for a single second. They push Les Simones to work their hardest for every single point. The result is a game where every skater on track is striving to perform at their personal best. The level of drive and athleticism is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and with no shortage of sportsmanship. When a French skater is injured shortly before halftime, the New Orleans team forms an outward facing circle around her, protecting her privacy as the EMT checks to make sure she’s okay.
Despite BERD’s loss, morale is high as the match comes to an end. The entire arena comes to the floor for the final jam, and the players from both teams skate a lap around the track giving high-fives to the surrounding fans. The day ends with cheers, smiles and brass band music, and the fun continues into the night as the team trade war stories at Hi-Ho that night at a well-deserved dance party.
READ PART TWO OF THIS REPORT HERE
To see the 2023 season schedule visit: bigeasyrollerderby.com
For updates on the team, event announcements, and information about how to donate to BERD – follow the team on Instagram @bigeasyrollerderby