By John Benson
Special to The Gazette

What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on in Medina this weekend?

Not only is roller derby making a comeback but the Northeast Ohio Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls roller derby team is calling Medina home this summer at the Pinnacle Sports facility.

This Saturday marks the season opener when the local team hosts the Flint City Derby Girls of Michigan.

“Probably the biggest misconception is that it’s a violent sport,” said CPA business owner by day and roller derby aggressor by night Tracy Soulsby. “It really isn’t. It’s a sport. Back in the early ’70s, roller derby was very theatrical, sort of like professional wrestling where there were lots of dirty playing and girls would elbow each other or throw each other over the railings.

“We don’t do that. We really try to keep it as a sport. It’s aggressive, and it’s a contact sport, but it’s not violent.”
Still, Soulsby said the girls, who are required to wear helmets, mouth guards, wrist guards, elbow pads and kneepads, often get injured in this unique game.

In a nutshell, roller derby is played when two teams put five members each into the rink. Each team has two minutes to try to get its jammer position girl through the other team’s blockers. As the jammer gets through, that team scores one point for every opposing girl the skater passes up around the rink. In the meantime, the blockers are also attempting to keep the other team’s jammer from getting through.

Confused? Don’t worry, there’s also loud rock music giving the entire game or event a unique and rowdy atmosphere.
“I’ll be honest, I’ve seen a gamut of people attending these events,” said Soulsby, a 1987 Kenmore High School graduate. “I think anybody that likes fast-paced action and entertainment would enjoy it.”

As for why she got involved, Soulsby said, “It’s so opposite of what I do during the day. It’s a great stress reliever, and I love to skate. It lets me do that, and it’s something I’m really passionate about. It’s a lot of fun.”

Tickets to see the Northeast Ohio Rock ‘n’ Roller Girls against the Flint City Derby Girls at 6 p.m. today are $10 ADV/$13 DOS, and can be purchased online at www.nrrgirls.com. Kids under 6 are free.

Benson may be reached at ididhear@aol.com.

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