[Part of my challenge to give something away every day for 29 days]
L.A. blogger Micki of Mickipedia wants to be a Derby Doll, and needs $400 to buy gear –
That’s how I found out about the L.A. Derby Dolls — though I have to say that even after skimming the site and watching the YouTube video (above), I still have no clue WTF being a Derby Doll entails. From the video it looks like Derby Dolls are girls in tennis outfits — except with helmets, mouth guards, and roller skates — roller skating around a circular track while trying to push each other over like bowling pins…. I’m guessing the last girl rolling wins?
Anyway — As a thank you to intro’ing me to yet another L.A. sub culture that seems interesting but remains confusing, I contributed $10 to Micki’s cause. Micki and I met way back in the day when we were both involved with Worldchanging (I think she still is, but I quit a long time ago).
Lemme know when you roll Micki! I’ll try to get tickets — and maybe I’ll figure out then what Derby Dolls are exactly –
View my page on 29-Day Giving Challenge
May 5th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Wow! Thanks so much for including me in your challenge! Roller Derby is a REAL sport with REAL rules (I’m just learning them now)! But yeah, it’s pretty much skate around as fast as you can and beat the crap out of each other. Wooo! Talk about catharsis. You should come to the next game!
May 5th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
The game is played on a raised, banked, oval track and the skaters go 18-25mph. There are 2 teams and each team puts 4 “blockers” and 1 “jammer” (the point scorer who wears a white helmet) on the track for each round, which we call a “jam”. The jam lasts up to 1 minute and the game itself is 4 quarters each 12 minutes long. The blockers take off at the first whistle and the jammers at the second whistle. The jammers make their way through the pack of blockers while the opposing blockers are trying to knock them down but help their own jammer through the pack. Once the jammers exit the pack the “lead jammer” and can call off the jam any time by putting her hands on her hips. The 2 jammers race around the track and every opposing player they pass is a point scored for that jammer’s team. There are a lot of rules. For instance, you can’t use the point of your elbow and you can only hit someone using the part of your body from the shoulder to elbow or hip to the knee. This is a women’s full-contact sport and we sell out to 1700 people each month so buy tickets early. Come check it out! Oh..and good luck Micki! See you at the track.