The day the 2012 Olympics concluded my granddaughter and her two cousins announced that they were going to be in the 2020 Olympics — as roller derby Olympians. After years of taking classes in swimming, gymnastics, and diving, then playing softball, about a year ago the three of them went to see a friend who was in a roller derby game at the Doll Factory in Filipinotown here in Los Angeles. It was love at first sight and within two weeks all three had become Baby Dolls, the junior version of the Derby Dolls. (They had skated before at the Moonlight Rollaway in Glendale so they were not total skating novices.) They joined the free classes offered on Saturday mornings sponsored by the Derby Dolls. Girls as young a 7 are welcome. BTW, it is not a cheap sport — the skates cost a fortune!
Quite honestly I was horrified when I heard about it. I loved roller skating as a young girl, but had visions of that rough and ready, knock-’em-down professional roller derby televised back in the 1970s. Roller derby is, in fact, a contact sport, but now it is more a game of strategy than brute strength.
Care for the skating girls
Today roller sports are amateur — and very carefully surpervised. Even at the Baby Doll games a doctor is in attendance and referees have eyes like hawks, watching for fouls.
There are both banked track and flat track versions of the game. Flat track roller sport is what the Olympic Committee is considering. The IOC will make a final decision on whether or include roller sports, such as roller derby and roller speed skating, in 2013.
For whatever it is worth, my granddaughter and her cousins go to the performing arts school ranked highest in the state of California. I now think roller derby is a great counterpoint to their formal education which has since led them on to admission to elite colleges.
The L.A. Derby Dolls have moved since this post was first written. They are now in Vernon. Here is their website.
I would love to welcome you as a new subscriber to LA City Pix.
The subscription is free so sign up today.
