EXTREME SPORT: Brevard County’s Molly Roger Rollergirls Rock–and Roll
By Space Coast Daily // July 25, 2016
The Molly Roger Rollergirls is Brevard County’s only local roller derby team in a sport that has grown 1,600 percent since it’s revitalization in 2005 by the Texas Rollergirls.
Having attained the status of full Women’s Flat Track Derby Association membership in 2015, Molly Roger Rollergirls is now nationally competitive, eligible to compete in tournaments and championships, and have finished their very first year ranked in the number 138 position out of more than 350 international teams – an impressive entry into the competitive ranks.
Roller derby is a competitive, full-contact, extreme sport where five members at a time, from each team, alternate “jams” (intervals of game play), playing both offense and defense at the same time, to simultaneously help their jammer score points and to prevent the other jammer from scoring.
In this fast-paced race around the track to lap the opponent on quad skates, while delivering soul-crushing hits, juking and out-skating, the ladies work as a team to systematically take down the opponent, neutralize their scoring passes, and help their jammer score.
Modern flat-track roller derby was under considerations for the 2020 Summer Olympics and the sport now boasts over 15,000 current participants with 329 full WFTDA leagues, 97 apprentice leagues, and representation from over 20 countries world-wide.
“In 2016, the Molly Roger All-Stars are taking on teams from all over Florida, including Jacksonville, Tampa, Fort Myers, West Palm and more,” said Rochelle Stone, aka “Kikin Puppies,” vice president of Molly Roger Rollergirls.
“The competitive “B” team, the Marauders, will play teams from Key West, Palm Coast, Lakeland and Ocala. All home games are held at Galaxy Skateway in Melbourne on a Saturday night and details can be found on the team’s Facebook page.”
ADVANCED COMPETITION
For the 2016 season, the team expects to continue its trajectory to more advanced, competitive-level play, will compete in the Franky Panky Tournament in Tampa, will travel to Las Vegas for RollerCon (an international training convention), and will host numerous family-fun events to raise awareness for the sport.
The roller derby team attends three practices a week at Galaxy Skateway in Melbourne, and as a not-for-profit organization, fundraises for practice space, travel expenses and tournament fees in order to play games within and outside of the state of Florida.
Galaxy Skateway has been the exclusive practice facility for the team for years.
“‘I’ve enjoyed helping in the past by teaching footwork and skating skills to the team and look forward to our partnership for the new season,” said Joe Gaudy, Galaxy Skateway owner.
“We are so very proud to be hosting the 2016 Season for the Molly Roger Rollergirls.”
The Molly Roger Rollergirls season runs 11 months, January-November, and often spills into a 12 month season with games and scrimmages in December.
“The team is committed to serving the Brevard area and to providing a safe and welcoming environment for women to pursue competitive athletic development and play in an extreme sport, at most levels of ability, interest, and commitment,” said Stone.
INTERNATIONAL OPPONENTS
Molly Roger Rollergirls recently hosted a scrimmage with Team Hawaii, a top-level team in town to compete in the State Wars tournament held in Daytona.
Earlier in the season, the team had the opportunity to take on the derby team from Bogota, Colombia – their first international team game.
The team also helped kick-off the States on Skates campaign from Cocoa Beach last March, where skaters started a 2,800 miles skating trek to Santa Monica, California, crossing eight states and raising awareness for the Joyful Heart Foundation, representing the “No More” campaign, a transformative initiative to unite society around the simple message that “together we can end domestic violence and sexual assault.”
For more information about the Molly Roger Rollergirls e-mail info@mrrg.net or log on to MRRG.net
