Toronto Nightlife acknowledges it must strive to provide alternatives to watching bands and scarfing cheeseburgers while drinking Flaming Giraffe's*. Therefore, may I introduce you to:
Alyson McMullen, a.k.a. Kandy Barr, is a driven woman. She is a roller derby enthusiast who has been nice enough to answer some detailed questions for me over her busy weekend. Alyson is about to open a "bricks and mortar" version of her online store, The Rollerbug Roller Skate Co., supplier of all that is quality and fashion in the rapidly expanding world of roller derby. There is a big demand for the fine products that Rollerbug supplies. Roller derby in Toronto is absolutely huge, and the women who participate are not only concerned with winning, they also want to look good when they finally do.
Whatever curiosity you have about this sport, you may find out all about it on Alyson's blog. After that, you can peruse the amazing gear she has assembled to outfit any level of participation. "RollerBug.com is one of the first roller skate stores (online or otherwise) in Canada, and the first derby owned skate shop in Eastern Canada", Alyson tells me, "We're currently in our off season (until May), but we hold exhibition games with out-of-town teams all winter long. We practice and play in one of the hangars at Downsview Park. I skate for the Toronto Roller Derby League. If anyone wishes to watch us in Downsview, all of the information can be found at www.torontorollerderby.com".
So here is the scoop on the skating where's and when's, straight from Alyson to you: "There are three places that people can go to roller skate in the GTA", Alyson says; "St. Lawrence Market has skating on Wednesday. This is not a traditional rink, so you need to bring your own skates to the Wednesdays at the St. Lawrence". There are obviously more ice rinks across Toronto, but Alyson tells me of a few favourites for roller skating only. "Scooter's Roller Palace is a traditional old school roller rink in Mississauga. In the Durham area, Oshawa specifically, there is Coachlite Roller Gardens. Coachlite is also a more traditional "old school" style roller rink, and I know there is a league just getting started in the Durham Region right now. All information regarding the skate scene in Toronto, Peel or Durham regions can be found through The Toronto Roller Derby League".
Roller derby has a long history. Leo A. "Bromo" Seltzer is generally credited as the creator of the sport. He was the founder and head of the original Roller Derby league from 1935. Around 1929, Seltzer observed the popularity of cash prize-awarding dance marathons that were popular at the time. These marathons mainly hosted out-of-work contestants and spectators, and Seltzer sought ways to capitalize on the trend. In 1931, he helped organize and promote "walkathons" (another name for dance marathons). Walkathons were named due to the fact that most of the dancers would end up merely shuffling around for the duration of the contests, some of which would run as long as 40 days. Sometime in early 1935, Leo read an article in Literary Digest magazine that said ninety-three percent of Americans roller skated at one time or another during their lives. Discussing the article with some friends, Seltzer was challenged to come up with a sport utilizing roller skating participants. The name Roller Derby was trademarked on July 14, 1935, and on August 13, 1935, twenty thousand spectators filled the Chicago Coliseum to see 'Colonel' Leo Seltzer's "Transcontinental Roller Derby".
Baby boomers can still recall images of women viciously elbowing and ground-slamming each other to pieces on their black and white TV's. After a lull in derby interest during the 1970's and 80's, skating rebounded strongly once again in the 1990's and today's new-age women compliment the sport. These are true athletes. Gone are the days of the wrestling-style displays of buffoonery created for early audiences. This is real sport, with hard edges and competitive women who are dead serious about what they do. More than anything, they have a ton of fun!
More Info:
www.rollerbug.com Rollerbug's website has all the links, gear and information you will need to get started in any level of roller skating.
By the way, if you don't want to rollerskate:
*Flaming Giraffe
2 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur
1 oz butterscotch schnapps
1 oz 151 proof rum
Pour Kahlua® first into a double shot glass. Add one ounce of butterscotch schnapps. Float 151 proof rum on top and set on fire. Blow out before drinking. Note: May not actually mix so well with cheeseburgers. Just sayin'.
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