Roller derby girls skating for charity
http://buffalo.ynn.com/all-regions-news-2135-content/top_stories/492021/roller-derby-girls-skating-for-charityRoller derby is a sport that's gaining speed at a roller rink near you. It's about as rough as an NHL game but instead of hockey sticks, most of these athletes carry lipsitck. Our Ryan Burgess caught up with the Queen City Roller Girls who are lacing up their skates for a good cause.
NORTH TONAWANDA, NY - When the Queen City Roller Girls hit the rink, they're not afraid to elbow their way through the competition.
The Devil Dollies played the Alley Kats Saturday night. The high speed delivery of hell on four wheels skated with a purpose.
"I have bruised ribs and they think one is possibly broken. So it's a very serious sport. I played three sports in college and I've never been injured this badly. So when people think it's fake or contrived, they're totally wrong," said Melania Kosanovich also known as Sooky Smashhouse.
These ladies aren't teaching a class on charm school. But they are raising money to support the Food Bank of Western New York at the Rainbow Rink in North Tonawanda.
"It takes a lot of skating ability. We train about three or four times a week. We take it very serious," said Maria Hollander also known as Crazy Legs.
Roller derby is a contact sport with a scorer, known as a jammer, who tries to break through the line of defense. That's when the fun starts.
"A lot of the propriety goes out the window when we're skating. Although we have rules about profanity. We're ladies," said Kosanovich.
As for these lady's day jobs, it's a wide variety.
"We're all over the board. We've got PhD students, secretaries, three nurses on my team alone and we've got a few others on other teams," said Nicole Cavallaro also known as Violent Intentions.
"It's therapy for me. When you have a rough day you come here and skate with your sisters and you hit each other and that gets out a lot of aggression, then you go out for drinks. It's temporary insanity," said Kosanovich.
They're gliding their way through temporary insanity and doing it for a good cause.
Media
- WGRZ New Years Bash Coverage
- Daybreak Goes Extreme: Roller Derby
- Print Media
- QCRG with Miguel from Kiss 98.5
- Buffalo.yourhub.com - Feminism Alive and Skating - Derby 101 Bout
- Queen City Roller Girls Skate through Boot Camp
- Roller Girls Hit Hunger Hard
- Daybreak 01.02.09
- QCRG on AM Buffalo, WKBW-TV, 15 January 2009.
- Buffalo News 4/11/09
- Rough and tough: Queen City Roller Derby
- ROLLER DERBY: Queen City Roller Girls ready for new season
- Roller derby girls skating for charity
- Adrenaline Rush (wnywoman.com)
- Roller girl boot camp teaches the basics (wnywoman.com)
Queen City Roller Girls