5280 Fight, Fight, Fight

It’s only February and this year is already one of many firsts for the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls. A mere 28 days into our 2006 season, our newest team—5280 Fight Club—headed to Vegas to take on the Sin City Rollergirls’ Neander Dolls in our first ever inter-league bout.

Denver, forget what you’ve seen. Our home teams, Sugar Kill Gang and Red Ridin’ Hoods, are still around. And we’ve got enough fresh meat to ensure that last year’s players get a run for their money (One blonde long-legged jammer-to-be shall go unnamed—watch for her). But inter-league bouting is changing the face of all-female, flat-track roller derby.

In Vegas, the Neander Dolls took great care of us off the rink—making sure we made it out of the airport, giving us a place to lay our skates, and feeding us. But once we hit the track, all bets were off. These girls know how to gamble.

The Neander Dolls brought the hurt in the first quarter taking an early lead over 5280 Fight Club. A brief intermission after that let us catch our breath as we watched RMRG founding member Precious Moments marry her best friend and partner in crime, 626. From the time the bride walked down an aisle formed by Rollergirls to the moment Elvis commanded the happy couple to declare “I do,” I remembered why we’re all here. Precious, you are the best cheerleader, voice of reason, play-by-play announcer and all-around Girl Friday any league could have. We wouldn’t be here without you getting us in gear for that very first practice in August 2004 when Denver’s roller derby league was born. We remember.

The siren song of Vegas’ tough-as-nails refs mixed with hollers from the fans who’d traveled to watch us and cheer on the nuptials called us to the second quarter. We found our stride in unfamiliar territory and Winona Fighter formed her own one-woman pack, owning the position of pivot—one she had taken on only a few short weeks earlier. Our jammers, Dita Destroyer, She Who Cannot Be Named and Team Captain Penny Payne evened the score and kept things there for long enough to keep the crowd hollering. The third quarter was a blur but for TriXie TriXster (who fought hard enough, literally, to be ejected from the game). Final score: Sin City Rollergirls: 147, Rocky Mountain Rollergirls: 121.

Dita Destroyer took home MVP and SheWho earned her stripes as MVAPP (Most Valuable After-Party Participant). Sin City plus a rowdy group of Rollergirls does the funniest things to people.

Muchas gracias doesn’t even begin to cover the gratitude we feel Neander Dolls, but April 1 won’t be anything like you remember us. Until then, may the right gods fall in love with you the way I did. You’re gonna need ‘em.

See you all April 1 on our turf folks: Bladium Sports Center.

Jayne Manslaughter

Founding Member

Rocky Mountain Rollergirls