It involves alter egos, wheels, wacky costumes and a whole lot of girl power… roller derby is picking up speed in Abu Dhabi. Caroline McEneaney finds out more about this eccentric, all-female team sport.
They whip around on roller skates dressed in helmets and pads; blocking, passing, scoring. Roller derby, an all-female roller-skating team sport, is picking up speed as the city’s only team, Abu Dhabi Roller Derby, is establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with in Abu Dhabi athletics.
Sue Mercer is one of the founders. She first joined a roller derby team in Australia, where she is from, in 2011 at the age of 39. She immediately fell in love with the sport. She says, ‘Roller derby is addictive not just because it’s a lot of fun, but also because of the support network that comes with being on a team. You feel so good leaving practice because the culture is encouraging and supportive.’
When Sue moved to Abu Dhabi in 2012, she was devastated to leave the team that she had grown so attached to. As soon as she got here, she began posting messages online and asking around to see if there were any teams in the UAE.
In November 2012, Sue met a woman from Dubai who was also trying to form a roller derby team. The two of them then met two Canadians with derby experience who were based in Abu Dhabi, forming a group of four. From there, they set the ball rolling and interest grew.
There are now 14 members in Abu Dhabi Roller Derby and 24 members in Dubai Roller Derby. The teams are consistently growing – by about one player per month.
The roots of this unique sport can be traced back to the United States in the 1920s, when roller-skaters would compete in multi-day endurance races for cash prizes. Spectators enjoyed the excitement of the frequent fumbles and falls, and as more gathered to watch, the races came to be called derbies.
By the late 1930s, the derbies had evolved from a race into a two-team game, which resembled the sport as it is played today. It involved two five-person teams racing around a track. Points were scored when members of one team lapped members of the other.
Throughout the 20th century, roller derby was featured on television specials in the US. The sport was often dramatised to make it more entertaining for audiences – storylines were even created, such as fictional narratives detailing team rivalries.
Roller derby, as it is practised today, experienced a revival and transformation in the early 2000s with the formation of teams in Texas, becoming popular as an all-female amateur sport.
A game, which is called a bout, consists of two 30-minute periods made up of two-minute jams, during which points can be scored.
Each five-person team is made up of one jammer, the player who can score points for the team; three blockers, who try to help their jammer by blocking the other team’s jammer; and a pivot, a blocker who can trade places with the jammer during a jam. Points are scored when the jammer from one team completes a full lap around all of the members of the opposing team.
Sue explains why this sport is unique: ‘Roller derby is one of the only sports that doesn’t discriminate against body type or age,’ she says. ‘Players can use their build and skills to their advantage, no matter what.’
Roller derby is known for its eccentric players and traditions. Around the world, roller derby teams dress up in costumes or wacky accessories. Also, players typically adopt an alter ego and a derby name. Sue’s name is Rolla Mole.
The Abu Dhabi Roller Derby meets twice a week for two hours. The team is made up primarily of amateurs who became involved in the sport for the first time in Abu Dhabi, although some of the members, like Sue, have previous experience in other leagues.
As the group expands, Sue explains that they are looking for indoor practice venues – they now practise outside on pavement, drawing the playing ring in chalk.
On Friday March 21, Abu Dhabi Roller Derby held its first workshop at Du Forum on Yas Island, which involved several scrimmages, (informal bouts). After the success of that workshop, the girls are planning another event for May, again to be held in Du Forum.
Abu Dhabi Roller Derby practise 6pm-8pm Sunday and Wednesday in Zayed Sports City car park. Free. For more information, visit the Abu Dhabi Roller Derby Facebook page.
