By Marcie Knoff
Women’s flat track roller derby has arrived in Southwest Montana. No longer a
staged exhibition spectacle, Roller Derby has matured into a legitimate athletic
sport with rapidly growing popularity around the nation.
There are five skaters on each team and ten on the track. The pack closes tight,
and the jammers (scorers) look to score in the narrow spaces between skaters by
passing a player from the opposing team. The rest of the team works to block the
opposing team’s jammer. Wheels bounce off each other while girls assist their
teammates and war with opponents simultaneously. Penalties and crashes are
common. When the two-minute ‘jam’ is up, players regroup quickly for the start
of the next.
Gallatin Roller Girlz welcomes roller divas and rookies alike, non-skating volunteers
and anyone else interested in helping to support and build their burgeoning,
eight-wheeled skate community. gallatinrollergirlz.webs.com
