By: Carrissa Peach
Nickel City Roller Derby hosted its first annual derby game of the season, May 15 at the Dr. Edgar LeClair Arena in Azilda.
The season opener featured home team, Sister Slag and visiting team, Rideau Valley Girls from Ottawa.
Sister Slag fought long and hard, losing 25-197 to Rideau Valley Girls in the end.
According to Nickel City Roller Derby, each game is played in two half-an-hour periods broken into “jams.” Each jam consists of two teams with only 5 players on the track at a time: 1 jammer, 3 blockers, and 1 pivot (lead blocker).
The goal of the game is to have three blockers protect the jammer— the only person who can score points— allowing them to pass the other team's blockers and score points for their team.
Lead jammer of the night for Sudbury was #16 Ashley "Smashley" Rachkowski. She explained that this season opener was a good first experience, but that her team plans to win their next games.
She explained that derby allows members to have a second persona, giving them the ability to "become someone different." With names like MadameVonCarnage and Smack Phee, the hard-edged personas allow for members to “toughen up” for their full-contact sport.
Sister Slag will be competing against Sault Roller Derby, May 29 in Espanola.
For more information, visit www.ncrd.ca.
