After 10 months of training, the Battlefords Roller Derby team finally competed in their first bout Saturday, and it was better than they could have imagined.
"It was very exciting for us because we were leading the game right from the beginning, right up until the last 30 seconds of the game. We weren't expected to win this game," said Jenni "Lipstick" Wuttunee.
The ladies were taking on the Lakeland Lady Killers from Cold Lake, Alta., who were the more experienced of the two clubs. However, Battleford gave the Lady Killers all they could handle, narrowly losing 220-215.
Even more rewarding than the near victory was the reaction from the community. As a new sport to the Battlefords, the team wasn't sure what the reception would be.
"We just got nothing but positive feedback, everybody loved it. A lot of people didn't know what to expect," said Wuttunee. "It just promoted the game and promoted what we all love to see North Battleford and Battleford embracing it with us, it was just awesome. Like, it had us in tears, it was great."
There was some worry that the perception of roller derby was tainted by the old-school style, which had more violence and fighting, which might have deterred people from coming out.
"Some people might have a negative view on it, but to see them come out and actually see what today's version of roller derby is all about, that's what we wanted to show the community," said Wuttunee.
The bout was a long time coming. Since September, the team has been training twice per week to prepare them for the physically demanding sport.
Skating and taking hits takes an extreme toll on the players and Wuttunee believes the extra practice played a big role in the team's success.
"I think that really helped us get as close as we got to winning our first bout," she said.
Since the bout, the club has received new sponsors, which help pay for jerseys, rentals and travel, something the ladies were paying for themselves.
"We need funds to be able to do all of that, and so it's nice to see that some members of the community are starting to help us out with that," said Wuttunee.
Along with new sponsors, the Battlefords Roller Derby League has been getting interest from people wanting to join the team. They're hoping to hold a "fresh meat clinic" at the end of August for new members. The team will train the new members so they can be prepared. New skaters need to be able to pass benchmarking, which is a test of different skills, including skating ability. New players have to benchmark before they can compete in bouts.
The ladies are now hoping to book another bout in the Battlefords in the next month before arenas bring ice surfaces back for hockey season.
The team's next scheduled bout is in Prince Albert Sept. 21.
