B000M has become more than just a way to explain a computer being thrown to the ground by an angry designer; it is also my name. To be more specific, my full name is DOCTOR B000M, and it’s my roller derby name.
Back in October 2011, many things were coming to a close. I was finishing up college at St. Cloud State University and like many soon-to-be graduates, I was deciding what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Being a designer was already written in stone as my future career. I was in the midst of my quest to become a Gaslighter. However, I still needed a hobby to keep me busy during my free time. Roller derby certainly wasn’t on my radar until a close friend of mine invited me to a practice.
As soon as I got there, I knew this was the sport for me. Like most other things in my life, roller derby is controlled chaos – VERY controlled chaos. Women’s Flat Track Association has a very hefty booklet of roller derby rules including everything from appropriate number sizes to major penalties.
The game of roller derby consists of two teams of 14 girls, two half-hour periods, and multiple ‘jams’ (maximum of 2 minutes of play). During each jam, there are a total of ten girls on the track; 3 blockers from each team, 1 pivot from each team, and 1 jammer from each team. The jammers wear helmet panties (insert clever pun here) decked-out with a giant star on each side – this player scores all the points. For each opposing team member the jammer passes, she will gain one point, earning a maximum of 5 points during each pass.
Confused? Watch THIS.
The team I started to practice with in 2011 is now called the S.C.A.R. Dolls (St. Cloud Area Roller Dolls) and now consists of over twenty hard-hitting ladies. We are a skater-owned and skater-run league and a non-profit organization. We have several exceptional local sponsors (including Gaslight Creative) that support our league in many different ways – but we could always use more!
Never seen roller derby?! You’re in luck!
The S.C.A.R. Dolls will be playing at Bernick’s Arena in Sartell on March 30th, 2013. Doors open at 6 PM and the bout starts at 7 PM. Tickets are $11 at the door. Kids 10 and under are free!!