Rat City Rollergirls vs. Detroit

Frank Blau

They’ve been around for a few years now and are gaining quite a buzz. They’re the hardcore roller-skating, elbow throwing, body-bashing women of the Rat City Rollergirls.

Founded in 2004 in White Center, lovingly referred to as “Rat City,” the Rat City Rollergirls team is the first flat-track, all-female roller derby league in the Northwest. The league itself is made up of four Seattle area teams with about 100 member/owners spread out between the teams. Rat City Rollergirls All-Stars is the fifth team that travels to regional and national derbies and is comprised of the top players of the four home teams.

Rules for this down and dirty sport can be found on the Rat City Rollergirls website as well as in leaflet form at their bouts, which is the proper term for a match. In the next bout the Rat City Rollergirls will take on the Detroit Derby Girls Travel Team. The action takes place on Saturday, June 6 at 5:30pm at the brand new ShoWare Center in Kent. Advance tickets are $19 for adults and $12 for kids otherwise they go up to $28 day of the event.

What started out as an American contact sport for men and women has evolved into an international sport comprised mainly of tough women who encompass the values of the riot grrrl movement from the early 1990s. Come down to the bout between Rat City and Detroit to see some hardcore women battle it out in the roller rink.

For more info: 
Rat City Rollergirls