On a few occasions during the championship game on Sunday afternoon, Val Capone said something along the lines of "the Oly Rollers are the new black". And while browsing around Facebook and Myspace, there were a lot of other people who were exposed to the Oly Rollers for the first time saying similar things. There seemed to be this shock that a team could go out there on the track and methodically pick apart their opponents with such cold, calculated precision. And showing little to no emotion while doing it.
It's been almost three years since I first saw the Oly Rollers in action. It was their very first bout ever in Bend, OR against the Lava City Roller Dolls. At that time, I knew absolutely nothing about them outside of the fact that they were from Olympia. But there was something about them that was attractive to me even before the bout started. The way they carried themselves. The way they warmed up. They seemed to have this cockiness about them and they hadn't even played their first public jam.
And then the game started. They hit the track running. Hard. Their jammers flew around the track with ease. Their blockers did their best to destroy anyone wearing a Lava City uniform. Their intensity was off the charts. And I don't think the bout was even 5 minutes old and they were already involved in a fight. There were a few more incidents like that as the game rolled along (although no full-blown scraps). It was an amazingly stunning display by a team playing in their very first game.
Then as time went along, I started to slowly learn more about them. All the speed skating championships. All the roller hockey championships. Some had won both of those. Then I started hearing about their insane training techniques. And at that point, I had no doubt that they would be something special---very soon.
You see, even today most derby leagues still put the show before the actual game (even though I seriously doubt most of them would admit to that). And in the early days of this roller derby revival, there was probably just about as much effort put into the actual show...if not more...than the on-track product itself. I'm not saying everyone wasn't training hard. But at the same time, you can definitely tell who is out there to win a bout and who is out there just so they can get their time in the spotlight and be a star once a month.
But right down the line, the Oly Rollers had only one thing in mind---winning. To the best of my knowledge, the Cosa Nostra Donnas have only lost twice at full strength (to Rat City at the 2008 Rust Riot and a couple months later to Rat City's Derby Libaration Front---a bout that is still the gold standard for excitement to just about everyone who was witness to it). They did lose to the Rose City Axles of Annihilation back in 2007. But that was also a day that the bulk of their star players were in Omaha, NE competing at speed skating nationals (an excuse that Rose City still hates to hear to this day. But it's just a fact). Outside of those three games, the Cosa Nostra Donnas have taken care of everyone else they have ever played.
Of course, when a team is successful, people look for any little thing to pick on them about. While doing my browsing around the net, the one thing that seemed to be a big issue was their uniforms of all things. Basically, people were belly-aching that they were too dull. Just brown with some pinstripes. Frankly, I think it's rather fitting for them. Again, they don't pay too much attention to things like uniforms. The Oly Rollers are more concerned about winning roller derby bouts and the championships that go along with them over winning a fashion contest. They don't need nor want the fishnets and any extra bling that might go along with how they look. They have embraced the simple fact that as long as you're winning, it doesn't matter what your uniforms look like.
And even though I have said all those things about them over the last couple years (touting them as the next "big thing" in roller derby), they are also the league around these parts that have the greatest mystery to me. Mostly being that I barely know any of them. I do trade emails with a few of them from time to time. But outside of that, there isn't a whole lot I know about any of them. Among all the leagues between Portland and Everett, I would guess that I have at least 5 cell phone numbers of people involved in all the leagues not named Oly. With Oly, I have a grand total of one number. Heck, I did that interview with Atomatrix and I haven't even met her in person yet. I just emailed her out of the blue asking her if she would be interested in doing it and she said "sure". So for all those people who were saying that I was just backing my friends with that prediction over the last couple years, I say to you that I can honestly count the number of Oly Roller friends I have with two hands---and would probably have 2 or 3 fingers left over once I'm done. That's not a shot at them at all. It's just how things seem to have panned-out with them.
But I still love the Oly Rollers to death. I love what they have brought to the game. I wish I could remember exactly who said it, but somewhere on Facebook someone from outside the northwest said something along the lines of "they have taken the game to almost a professional level. Oh well. It was bound to happen sooner or later". And that may very well be the case. Oly doesn't present a whole lot of extracurricular flash to their game. They just play it to win. They have a group of skaters who put in the countless hours of skating lap after lap after tedious lap in the name of taking their game to new heights. They make the sacrifices. They were once considered the "dirtiest" team in the northwest. They have since cleaned that up in a rather remarkable way. All they have ever wanted to do is win. Everything else is just details. And usually details that aren't all that important---if at all---to them.
And I've often said that the Oly Rollers are about as close to a professional roller derby team as the sport can get. Not so much in that they get paid (they don't. They play for free just like everyone else). But in how they handle themselves both on and off the track. They are pro's. And I think that's how they look at themselves. As well they should. And so should every other team serious about winning a national championship. They didn't join the WFTDA so they could get that fancy little patch to slap on their uniforms and prance around proudly boasting that they are "woof-ta-da". They joined it to win. And crush anyone and everyone in their path.
I don't know what their roster will look like next year. So it's hard to make a prediction as to whether or not they will repeat. But what I do know is that in order for someone to take that championship away from them next year, they're going to have to match the Oly Rollers intensity---and then some.
This version of roller derby may not be professional yet. But I do honestly think that the Oly Rollers have taken it one step closer to being at that level in terms of attitude. Of course, the feelings on that will vary from person-to-person. But in my opinion, I think that's a good thing. A very good thing.
Comments
I believe that this change is going to fracture the derby world. It will be made of rec leagues and then the pro leagues, with very little interaction between them. The theatrics are a part of derby history and will be missed by many.
Within 5 years all of the teams at nationals will have gone out and recruited speed skaters and hockey players to make their teams viable. It will be about creating a pro team instead of making the best team possible from the league that they have. Is this a bad thing? It truly depends on what your goals are. If your league goal is to have fun, get in shape, and form as cohesive group as possible, then yes. You will never make it to nationals. If your goal is to win, and by winning showing how determination and hard work coupled with some very smart recruiting can elevate what was a theatrical sport to something on the level an honest to goodness national sport, then absolutely not.
This should be an interesting time for derby and the WFTDA.
Elwood I dont think you could have said it any better. You gave me chills reading your article. Im so glad you see them the way they really are. Oly is a Class Act Team, just not only in ability but spirit also. Most of these girls are just a bunch of busy moms, that still love to skate.
Spot on!
Way back when, in a blog now far, far away...I said the race to the mainstream for this sport was not going to be pretty. Oly changes the dynamic of natural league growth and the usual maturation process. Because of them, leagues will have to decide whether they want to win the After Party or the Bout?
I didn't arrive in Philly as an Oly fan but in 2010, seeing them play as much as possible is priority for this NW Roller Derby Fan.
And the best TeXas Mock chant of the weekend? "Oly, Oly, Skill, Skill, Skill!"
I've seen speed on the track, and I've seen elusive ability, but what I haven't seen is size and strenth thrown in with those first two skating attributes. And give them their due, they skate very intelligently. They are able to adjust to strategy used against them and that makes it tough to beat them. For Texas to beat them in the championship, they would of had to skate the perfect game, but Oly is fast and strong enough to not allow teams to skate their perfect game. Will they change the way derby is skated? I don't know, because who has access to their type of personnel. But I know for a fact that the amateurs who skate at the higest level in derby also work amazingly long practices and conditioning sessions.
At Nationals on Sunday, a woman in the audience saw my Oly t-shirt and asked me about some of their skaters, wanting to know more about their backgrounds. I think she was concerned that their level of professionalism would detract from the appeal that anyone can play roller derby (which is still true of course, but not anyone can become a national champion).
Her last question was an odd one: "Do they love it?" I was puzzled by this, because I can't imagine anyone putting so much time, effort, and pain into doing something that they don't love. Maybe she meant something like "Do they have fun?", to which I would answer that they play to win, and having fun is probably a secondary goal.
Quick question: Are you saying that Oly are going to change the sport because they practice harder than anyone else, or because they had two ejections in one bout? Because it's kind of hard to reconcile that with the 'class act team' line being sold here.
I noticed that several of the Oly skaters are "transfers" from other leagues. I think there was a similar situation between the two Denver leagues. If the sport does fracture between the "Rec" leagues and the "Pro" leagues, do you think this will become more common?
Well "Hmmmm", I honestly have no idea where you came to that conclusion. Players get ejected from bouts all the time, regardless of their skill level or the situation they are in. In fact, I think there was a certain RMRG skater who got tossed out of the semi-final game and was also banished from the 3rd place game for slugging someone in the head. Does that make the entire RMRG league bad? Or just the one player? Same thing with Oly. Two skaters got ejected. Does that make all 14 of them a bunch of thugs or just the two of them?
The impact they will have is in how they put themselves together and then fine-tuned themselves into championship form. You can say what you will about their tactics. But the bottom line is that they dominated every team they came up against last weekend. You can question how they did it. But you can't question the results.
And thanks for being bold enough to toss a bomb out there like that under a phony name. Good, stand-up character there.
Elwood...you somehow managed to extract the essence of the Oly Rollers. Everything, from tough practices, to the the opinion on uniforms, to the stone-face athleticism over show. The attitude has always been--if you are going to beat Oly, you better come take it.
Thank you for your kind words. I echo OlyFan's sentiment about getting chills when I read it, and a little mushy because I am just so proud that the girls who played it their way (cuz they didn't know any other way to do it) showed what they could do. And did it.
@AC, Yah, I think this will become very common. My main worry in this regard is what will happen to the camaraderie centered around being a part of this sport? Will it turn to outright animosity and distrust?
Not just Oly, but everyone needs to be careful about that.
And AnonymousCoward (lol). I think this is a situation that has been happening for a while already. There have been a few players move down to Austin to play for TXRG (Desi Cration and Crackerjack two name a couple...both on the team that played in Philadelphia). Skaters have moved to Seattle to play for Rat City. I know of skaters who have moved to Portland to play for Rose City. And yes...at least 4 of the players who played for Oly last weekend started out with Rat City.
There are people who play sports for fun. And there are people who play sports to get to the highest level possible. Even compete for a big-time championship. Derby is no different from any other sport that way. In fact, skaters have talked to me about making decisions on where to move based on the level of derby leagues. So I'm pretty sure this will continue to one level or another as long as things are the way they are.
WOW here we go again!!!!! I bet these phony named people are the same ones who dress up as men to catch a good bout!!! OMGLMAO Oly's #1 Get over it!!!!!!!
Fact of the matter is that people are are always going to hate Oly, for several reasons that I'm not going to go into, because honestly, their either personal or they have no reason than to just hate them. (And your entitled to your opinion. I'm not trying to take that awawy from you.) I grew up in that rink playing hockey, and did a little speed. I can tell you one thing: Everyone that kept skating through the years LOVED to skate, and because they loved to skate, they trained hard, 110% everytime they were on that floor and they skated to be the best.
Does Oly change Roller Derby? No, they dont. Derby is naturally progressing to be more and more competitive, and Oly just happens to be in the slot to be the league mentioned and the possible cause. Fact is if you join WFTDA, you join to win. If you wanna skate for fun, have fun and don't join. But stop blaming competitive leagues for ruining the sport. Every sport had different levels of competitivness and this one is no different.
If you want theatrics, there will always be the theatre. If you want sport, the Oly Rollers are it. I like the "flare" that goes along with derby, but costumes are easily trumped by hard work, focus, and raw talent. Who cares if you've got a sweet skirt and some rockin fishnets if you can't skate? That's what Halloween is for. The Oly Rollers are impressive athletes in a physically grueling sport. Put them in brown, hot pink, a tutu, or a mumu and they're still gonna smoke you on the track. I look forward to seeing other teams raise the bar and step up to the plate. No matter what they decide to wear.
National level Roller Derby has been taken to the next level by Oly Rollers.
In order to have fully captured it, you had to be there...but Elwood has seen them enough to know.
The play this weekend displayed what strong, fit, skilled women can do with this game, and knock it into next week.
This does not take away from the other great teams at the tournament but Oly turned the dial up to 11.
Even the haters have to admit that the Rollers killed it this past weekend.
Skating talks, BS walks......
It will be awesome to see what comes around next year now that a new and powerful template has been set, this will only help this SPORT and enable it to continue to gain credibility as a premier venue of athletics for strong empowered women.......
All of the women on Rollers were not born on skates, but they all worked hard and sacrificed to become champions of the sport.
It's a sport, if it were not that, the finale of the season would be an exhibition, not a Nat Champ Tourney.
Ji
I had begun to lose interest in the sport after 5 years as a fan because the game was no longer advancing at a rate fast enough to hold my attention. After being at Nationals this past weekend, I am sucked all the way back in. Or, at least into being a fan of Oly. This is absolutely the next level for this sport. OLY OLY OLY!!
If you want theatrics, there will always be the theatre. If you want sport, the Oly Rollers are it. I like the "flare" that goes along with derby, but costumes are easily trumped by hard work, focus, and raw talent. Who cares if you've got a sweet skirt and some rockin fishnets if you can't skate? That's what Halloween is for. The Oly Rollers are impressive athletes in a physically grueling sport. Put them in brown, hot pink, a tutu, or a mumu and they're still gonna smoke you on the track. I look forward to seeing other teams raise the bar and step up to the plate. No matter what they decide to wear.
Who cares about any of it really. Have fun. And if you dont, then thats too bad for you. If roller derby makes you happy then DO IT. Why worry about what someone else deems it as?
Congratulations to ANY ONE who can pull off roller derby while having a life. And congrats to all the people that have come together to create something amazing despite the hum-drum life that society has set as "normal." Props to anyone who has made a name for themselves in an otherwise nameless world. Kudos to those of you who always dreamed of being a star and can finally live that dream. Whether your #1 in the nation or just #1 in youre neighborhood. Kudos to you if you feel AWESOME when you suit up in your uniform or costume or whatever it may be.
Nothing changes derby for YOU unless YOU wish it so. And I will continue to play derby and continue my 18+ years of skating because its FUN FOR ME. Winning is great, but in the end WE ARE ALL ROLLER DERBY SKATERS. Trophies or no trophies. :)
And furthermore...Anyone can LOVE TO WIN. Literally anyone. They can win at video games, arguements, court cases, they can win tickets, money, sports, pretty much ANYTHING!!
But loving what youre doing BEFORE and AFTER you win/lose is whats important. And I give Big Ups to anyone that is enjoying themselves wholeheartedly and loving the sport of derby rather than just loving to win.
All most of us ask for is that each skater cherishes ALL of the facets of derby and what it stands for...not just the winnging part.We have created this amazingly kickass world and contribute to it every day. If we all give something good to it, and really appreciate it, then the wins and losses tend to fall to the wayside.
Its called DERBY LOVE. If youve got it, then we are all happy. And if Oly has that DERBY LOVE, then we all win. And the sport continues to be super cool. :)
Heck yes! They are changing roller derby, and for the better.
Since 2008, teams have increasingly favored exploiting the numerous glaring technical loopholes opened up by the 3.0 rule set, with team strategies centered around various shenanigans designed to trick or force opponents into penalty trouble or otherwise slow down their offense to avoid nitpicky technical penalties. These techniques, while embarrassingly effective, tend to reduce the game to an agonizing crawl.
Rejecting this ethos and in the best spirit of sport and athleticism, the Oly Rollers have focused on the basics: skill, strength and speed. While most other teams were busy combing the fine print of the rules for the next clever hack to substitute for gamesmanship, the Oly Rollers sailed to victory the old fashioned way, by skating better, faster and harder than anyone else.
And the more teams that follow their example, the better off the sport of roller derby will be.
OLY-OLY-OLY!
Regarding the transfers mentioned by A.Coward(hehe), just wanted to say, for the record, the skaters on the Oly all-star team that was fielded at the 2009 regionals and nationals all started the 2009 season as Oly Rollers. In particular, all of the Rat City transfers went into effect very shortly after the 2008 National tournament, well before the 2009 season started.
This is in contrast to a lot of those other, perhaps more questionable, transfers you may have been alluding to, that occurred after the regular season, just in time for the regional tournaments. But AFAIK, there are no restrictions on this, so those other leagues and skaters were acting well within their rights.
OK, look how many former Oly travel players are playing in other leagues. I think it is Three or more for Rose City, Tacoma and Rainy City. 2 players from Rat who wanted to come and play with Sassy, why would you not want to. Look around the other leagues and see how many transfers they have. Oly is not a city of million plus people, but a town of 30 thousand. As for the ejections, Wftda made a mid tournament rule on contact with non moving skater, it results in a major for the skater making contact. Oly recieved most of thier majors from that change. As for ejections. Sassy got ejected in the Gotham game from too many trips to box in second half. But she played in 85% of the jam with a success rate of stopping jammers a about 85%, eat that one, it was a game of beauty. I saw her hold back the entire Gotham team by herself, I couldn't believe my eyes. Tanniabal got 5 trips in the last game for just playing both jam and blocker. Give it up for Denver for Third.
The transfers don't bother me at all, when they dropped off Rat City's roster I was afraid I'd never get to see them skate again. When they started showing up on Olympia's roster, I was glad that I'd still get to see some of my favorite skaters in action. I just always figured it was for other reasons (although when the count hit 4, it was just too many to be a coincidence).
I guess the Jet City skaters who are now turning up at Rat City might be a similar case.
Either way, my favorite skaters will always be my favorite skaters, whether their uniforms are Red, Blue, Olive Drab, Black or Brown.
I wish people would read and truley understand the rules! i think if more people did, they would understand the idea and statagie behind oly's game play! cause it was awsome! other teams will either learn! or lose!
If I remember correctly, D-Bomb also slowed an entire (or near entire) pack against Texas as well—in a power jam situation for Oly. I couldn't believe my eyes then either. It may have even forced obscenities right from my mouth I was so excited about it. UNREAL! <3 Oly
F**K YEAH!
I like that they were wearing brown. It sets them apart just like everything they did. But then again I liked hearing the announcers say "the jammer was met with a wall of brown" ...it makes me giggle .... just as much as this blog is from Spokane and people from all over are commenting on it. Is anybody else from Spokane here?
The Oly rollers have something that most teams don't have...skaters that have been on skates their whole life! That makes a big difference. Every now & then you get a "natural" (like "Blu" from CRG) but otherwise it takes a skater 2-3 yrs to be worth much in derby. When you take up skating as an adult, you just don't trust your feet. So it takes a while to get the speed & lateral movement, etc. to be like most of those Oly girls. I think they're amazing athletes & hope I get to watch'em win many more times!
Elwood--congrats for seeing the potential of Oly's rise to the championship.
The thing that really impressed me about Oly in this tournament more than the speed that we marveled at was their ability in the Gotham bout to win the war in the "trenches" of the highly contested slower to medium paced packs and continually grind out lead jammer advantages and the points--big kudos to D-Bomb, Tannibal, Sassy, and Wax Job for their offensive and defensive blocking plus their strength and will.
Also, I think that not only did the Oly Rollers potentially force a sea change in how derby is approached in the future, but the best of west in general with the speed skating they put on display--Long time derby fans had to be amazed at the ability of skaters like DeRanged, Juska, and Death to consistently challenge and force missed blocks from some of the better blocking talent from the east. I'll be interesting to see how teams, particularly the "old guard" respond to the gauntlet thrown down.
I says..yellz yeah, those girls got wheels!! OLY, OLY, OLY...your time to shine!!!!!!
nice writeup Elwood, and congrats to the Oly Rollers! There's a great video of D-Bomb's leg whip on youtube if you search "D-Bomb's Roller Derby Leg Whip" ! I still can't believe it, 2009 National Champions!
Oly! Oly! Skill, Skill, Skill. I'll take credit for that one, I went to the dollar store just before the championship bout and bought a marker and Neon Yellow poster board and made the sign. Apparently someone saw me waving it like crazy even though I was up the high side of the bleachers.
As someone previously said, one of their major advantages is the simple fact that many of these girls have been on skates since they were little kids. I can't stress how much of a difference that makes. I started at 3 and trained like mad til I was 15. 10 years after quitting (and rarely skating) I started up again and it took me maybe a month to feel completely comfortable and I was more comfortable than almost every girl I knew who had been skating 2-5 years. It's like walking when you've done it for such a long time.
I honestly think that Oly has shown us the future of derby. Sports progress and grow, and if we all keep training we will all get better. This is how small sports earn respect as more than entertainment.
I challenge anyone to watch them play say roller girls aren't athletes and believe this isn't a legit sport.
(I'm thinking of getting another BA from Evergreen just to have a good reason to move to Olympia. haha. hippie school, nature, and derby? yes please!)
If you want theatrics, there will always be the theatre. If you want sport, the Oly Rollers are it. I like the "flare" that goes along with derby, but costumes are easily trumped by hard work, focus, and raw talent. Who cares if you've got a sweet skirt and some rockin fishnets if you can't skate? That's what Halloween is for. The Oly Rollers are impressive athletes in a physically grueling sport. Put them in brown, hot pink, a tutu, or a mumu and they're still gonna smoke you on the track. I look forward to seeing other teams raise the bar and step up to the plate. No matter what they decide to wear.
After a long weekend of flying,coaching,and KISS last night in Portland. Its is great to be back home! DENVERMAN, if you tracked our players so close, and have the percentages you claim. Could you forward those numbers to the Denver coach, and he will e-mail it to me. Lets thank the Refs, and support staff for making nationals happen. Thanks Philly.
Eric C.
Coach OLY ROLLERS
The OLY GIRLS are pro's and are here to win so I think you all should get over the brown because I tell ya what they sure make brown HOT and to think they are going to get better see you all at the 2010 national's OLY OLY OLY OY OY OY OLY OLY OLY OY OY OY OLY OLY OLY OY OY OY
Looks like Oly might be a team i can get into. it sounds like they can play without all the the fluff and garbage the others have.
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